After explaining the mission to Rebecca, David returned to his apartment.
After all, he had an appointment later that evening at the Afterlife Bar—he had promised Rogge he would meet her.
With a few hours to spare, he decided it was a good time to get some rest.
But before lying down, David opened up his system interface and checked on the situation with the frog cubs.
The little frog's hut appeared empty on the screen, and the equipment that had previously cluttered its workbench was gone.
"It seems... Frogboy's gone out on his own mission too," David muttered with a faint smile.
He glanced at a framed photo of Akainu that sat on his desk, the sharp eyes of the Admiral seeming to watch over the room.
"I hope you come back safely, little one," he whispered.
Satisfied, he closed the interface and laid down for a nap.
Before long, night descended upon Night City once again.
The streets lit up with dazzling neon colors, music and laughter rising from bars and clubs. Crowds swarmed the avenues like waves of electric life pulsing through the heart of the city.
Inside his apartment, David awoke feeling refreshed.
Just as he was about to stretch, someone knocked at the door.
David stood up, walked over, and opened it.
Standing there was Lucy—and behind her, Jack and the rest of the Mann team.
"Heh, still sleeping at home?" Lucy teased with a smirk.
"Let's go!" she added. "Mann and the others are moving into the apartment today. Shouldn't the boss be the one treating everyone to drinks?"
"Hehe... come on, Mr. David, let's celebrate with a drink or two!" Mann said, scratching his head with a cheerful grin.
"Yeah, today's a good day!" Pila chimed in excitedly.
David chuckled, nodding. "Sure. Actually, I've got a meeting at the Afterlife Bar tonight anyway. Let's all head there together."
He returned inside briefly, threw on his coat, and joined the crew.
Earlier that day, after the team had officially moved into H Building, Lucy had taken the time to print the 'Golden Dragon' emblem across the backs of all their jackets.
As the group walked down the street in formation, the golden dragon logo gleaming in the streetlights, they exuded confidence and presence.
Passersby turned to look.
Clearly, this was not a group to mess with.
They soon arrived at the legendary Afterlife Bar.
David led the group into a private VIP room reserved for special guests.
Not long after, Claire came over to let him know that Rogge was on her way.
Moments later, the door opened, and Rogge entered the room.
Her eyes swept across the space, immediately landing on the unfamiliar faces of the Mann team. Her brows lifted in curiosity.
"David, these people...?" she asked.
David smiled calmly. "Don't worry, Miss Rogge. Mann and the others are now officially part of my team. They're trustworthy."
Rogge gave him a long look, then let out a soft chuckle and nodded. "Alright. If you say so, I'll take your word for it."
Then she walked over, sat down opposite David, and her tone shifted slightly—calmer, yet probing.
"Was it you behind the Faraday incident?" she asked bluntly.
David didn't hesitate. He picked up a glass of whiskey, took a sip, then raised his eyebrows with a smirk.
"Yeah," he replied. "What of it?"
A flicker of interest flashed in Rogge's eyes.
But her smile didn't falter.
"Giggle... You're bolder than I thought, David."
She leaned back, swirling the drink in her hand.
"You caused quite a mess, you know. Faraday was a key player in several underground networks. People are talking. Some are impressed... some are pissed."
David's gaze remained steady.
"I didn't do it for attention. He crossed a line. I just made sure he wouldn't cross another."
The room fell into a brief silence.
Jack and Pila exchanged glances. Even Mann, usually relaxed, sat up straighter.
Lucy, however, wore a faint smile—completely unsurprised by David's unapologetic attitude.
Rogge let the silence linger before nodding slowly.
"Alright," she said at last. "I called you here not just to talk about Faraday... but because there's another opportunity. One that might interest someone like you."
She placed a small chip on the table and slid it over.
David picked it up, plugged it into the terminal on the wall, and skimmed through the contents displayed on the screen.
It was a detailed mission dossier. Target: A high-level Arasaka executive operating in Night City under a fake identity. Purpose: Unknown. Behavior: Suspicious.
David's eyes narrowed. "What's Arasaka up to this time?"
"That's what I want you to find out," Rogge replied.
"Because you've already proven you can deal with their kind. And because I don't trust most of the mercs in this city anymore. You? I trust your ambition. I trust your results."
David didn't respond immediately. He glanced over the mission data again.
Jack leaned closer. "Looks like a serious job..."
"High-risk, high-reward," Pila added.
Rogge finished her drink and stood up. "Think it over. If you're in, let me know by tomorrow. But I'm warning you—this mission won't just stir the pot. It'll blow the whole damn kitchen up."
She turned to leave but stopped at the door, glancing back over her shoulder.
"Oh, and David—don't get yourself killed. This city needs chaos... but it also needs people who can control it."
With that, she disappeared into the corridor.
After the door closed, the room remained silent for a few beats.
Then Mann let out a low whistle. "Damn. That lady's intense."
"Yeah," Jack added, "but she's got good instincts. She knows talent when she sees it."
David leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.
"Looks like our next move's going to be bigger than I thought."
Lucy looked over at him with her usual cool demeanor.
"Whatever it is," she said, "I'm in."
"Good. We're going to shake Night City to its core."
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