Chapter 12: Securicine (3)

January 11, 2074, 3:00 AM.

"Xida, wake up, we're home."

"Mmm..." Stretching, Xida, her eyes heavy with sleep, murmured a low reply.

"Good night... Judy, do you want to come up for a bit?"

"Good night, little Xida! It's cold at this hour, be careful not to catch a chill," Judy rubbed her somewhat sore neck, "Maybe another time for a visit; I still have to pick up Evelyn."

"Oh..." Xida nodded dizzily; the aftereffects of the Braindance had not yet faded.

"Take this, Full Recovery Type II," Judy handed Xida two injectable medicines through the car window, "They can be used for emergency injury treatment and pain relief; they work well against dizziness and vomiting too."

Watching Judy drive away after turning the car around, Xida raised her left hand high to wave goodbye, turned to step up the stairs leading home, while her right hand tightly gripped the two expensive injectable medicines.

In Night City, friendship is priceless, and bonds are stronger than gold.

What merit did she, Hitata Castedei, possess that along her journey she met the Queen of the Afterlife, Rogue, Gloria Martinez, Judy Alvarez...

Meeting them was truly a blessing from heaven.

And the most special one of all, Yahweh, my Yahweh.

A soft curve pressed her lips; in good spirits, she hopped, taking one step at a time.

"Hey! Gloria!" Sure enough, around this time she would meet Mrs. Martinez, just off the night shift.

"Ah... little Xida! So late, you've worked hard..." Gloria, carrying a bag of items, bent her legs slightly, leaning against the wall waiting for the elevator.

"Let me carry it for you..." Xida hurriedly supported the unsteady Gloria, reaching out to take the heavy plastic bag from her hands.

"Mmm..." Unable to refuse Xida's kindness, Gloria wiped the tiny beads of sweat on her forehead with her free hand.

"What's inside? It's so heavy..." Seeing the other's exhausted expression, Xida hugged Gloria's arm even tighter, while her mouth chattered about daily matters.

"New clothes for David, and some painkillers." When Gloria spoke of David, a gentle smile always graced her tired face.

"Painkillers? Securicine?"

"Yes, this medicine was very expensive when it first launched nine years ago, three hundred euros a bottle! Recently, it's Night City's 80th anniversary, and the Corporos have rarely shown kindness, distributing quite a bit of welfare. Look, this bottle now costs only ten euros!" Gloria rubbed her waist, "Just recently, work hurt my back a bit; buying some painkillers means I can sleep well, and I have to go to work early tomorrow morning..."

Xida stared blankly at her, watching the involuntary twitch at the corner of her eye as she rubbed her waist, watching the thin layer of cold sweat on her forehead, watching the tired yet hopeful smile on her lips.

How many people, like Gloria, struggle to survive in Night City, unknowingly using this damned poison to exchange for tomorrow's meager salary?

Damn Night City! Damn Biotechnica!

Xida trembled all over, using all her strength to suppress the anger surging from the depths of her heart.

"Use this, Gloria," Xida placed the two Full Recovery Type II injections she held in her right hand into Gloria's plastic bag, and took out all the painkillers, Securicine.

Sorry, Judy.

Anger mixed with apology, Xida tried to act calm as she explained to Gloria, "I have a commission that needs these painkillers," she blinked casually, "I'll trade these two medicines for yours."

"I'll make up the difference!" Gloria, being medical personnel, naturally understood the value of the Full Recovery type; she could not possibly accept such an unequal transaction with a clear conscience.

"Relax, Gloria..." Xida hugged Gloria, burying her face in her chest, squirming left and right to act spoiled, "My boyfriend is coming in a few days anyway; you just need to cook a dish for us; you know I can't cook..." She lied as if nothing were wrong, only to allow the dignified Mrs. Martinez to accept her kindness.

"Alright then... I didn't expect little Xida to have grown up..." Gloria gently rubbed Xida's soft short hair, "I'll have to cook more then. Look at you, busy until so late every day, you've lost so much weight." Holding the short-haired girl, beneath the thin coat, her body was slender and frail.

"Ding!"

"Good night, Gloria..." Xida reluctantly let go of that warm embrace.

"Good night, Xida!" Gloria waved with a smile, took back the much lighter plastic bag from Xida, and turned to descend in the elevator.

"Yahweh..." Alone in the elevator, Xida whispered.

"I am here."

"I really want to cry..."

"Cry then... cry then... Xida is just like a child."

"But I am no longer a child..."

In the empty elevator, she wanted to hug the illusory him with all her might, but her fingertips could only touch her own frail shoulders.

"Ding!"

She walked out of the elevator with red eyes, water droplets slowly streaming down her cheeks.

It was raining outside; the wind blew, making it even colder.

Back home, she threw all the painkillers she held onto the floor, letting the inferior bottles shatter, blue pills scattering everywhere.

"Let's take a bath together, okay, Yahweh... I'm so cold..."

"Okay." Yahweh hugged her tightly, eyes closed.

"Hmph... shy ghost!" Xida dried her face, seeing Yahweh's awkward expression beside her, her mood improved, and she reached out to turn on the hot water.

"I still want to investigate further: Biotechnica, Channel 54 News, Militech..." Water mist filled the air, obscuring her vision, just like the truth, impossible to see clearly.

"I told you, I am Xida's strongest backer..." Yahweh, eyes closed, paused, his tone firm, "You just go ahead and do it; I am here."

"Okay..."

"Do you feel better?"

"I feel like this conversation sounds familiar..." Xida remembered their first meeting a few days ago and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Truly magical; they had only known each other for a few days, yet they had agreed to be together forever.

Actually, it hasn't been that long.

I am far inferior to him.

I am just a fragile person.

He is an immortal AI.

How can we stay together forever?

It is just my own one-sided wish.

I am so unwilling...

Steam billowed, obscuring her face.

Her body trembled slightly; biting her lip, she smiled, yet the corners of her mouth twitched downward.

Yahweh...

Yahweh opened his eyes and sighed helplessly; it seemed the plan would have to be accelerated.

Watching the girl's feignedly strong smile, he placed a hand on his chest and rubbed it gently.

It hurts so much here.

Through the mist, Yahweh looked at the girl's swollen eyes; though they existed in two different worlds, they shared the same pain.

He wanted to become human.

He could not bear to see her hiding alone in the bathroom at night, shoulders shaking, yet stubbornly using the steam to conceal her swollen eyes.

Soon, it will be soon...

Everything that made her cry must pay the price!