After hearing Peter's words, Panan looked at him with a strange expression.
"You're really honest. You just told me everything without hesitation."
"That's because it's the truth. I don't like lying," Peter said with a casual shrug.
"Aren't you afraid that after hearing your story, I'll get mad, call you a scumbag, and just leave you stranded here?"
"I'd rather you be mad at me for telling the truth than for lying to you."
Panan stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Honestly? I'm not even that angry. This damn world has already turned upside down. What's the point of morality anymore? Besides, you're a good person, Peter. I like that."
After that, she didn't say another word.
From the back seat, Johnny Silverhand materialized, shaking his head with an amused smirk.
"You've got some guts, man. I wouldn't have the balls to say that so openly. If it were me, I'd probably be eating dust right now."
Peter smirked. "Confidence, my friend. If you've got charm, you don't have to be afraid."
Johnny scoffed. "Yeah, right. You think you're some kind of Casanova?" He flashed Peter the middle finger. "If I tried what you just did, I'd be flying off a moving car."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the car finally pulled up near Highway 101. The old train station loomed ahead, long abandoned. The rusty signal tower and dilapidated train cars stood as silent relics of a forgotten past.
Panan stepped out of the car first, stretching her arms before heading toward the tower's entrance. Peter followed, glancing up at the rickety structure.
"You need help?" he asked.
Panan turned to him with a skeptical look. "You? Can you even do this kind of work?"
Peter smirked. "Watch and learn."
Taking the hacking tool from her, he knelt down and began fiddling with the locking mechanism. Within seconds, there was a soft click, and the door creaked open.
Panan blinked in surprise. "Well, damn. You're actually good at this."
From behind, Johnny appeared again, chuckling. "Trying to impress the lady, huh?"
Peter rolled his eyes. "You seem extra chatty today."
Johnny shrugged. "What can I say? I like this chick. She's got guts. Better than that corpo girl you helped out last time."
"Unlike you, Johnny, I actually have skills and don't find basic tasks annoying."
"Yeah, yeah, show-off," Johnny grumbled, fading away.
Peter followed Panan up the stairs to the top of the tower. Inside, the space was cluttered with scattered documents and rusted equipment, as if the workers had fled in a hurry.
Panan leaned against the railing, watching the sunset.
"Peter, there's something I want to talk to you about," she said.
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—you feel more at home here, even if you constantly argue with your family?"
Panan scoffed. "Very funny. But no, that's not it." She sighed. "I convinced my people to risk their lives for this mission. If we pull it off, maybe Sol will just yell at me. But if things go south, I could get kicked out of the family for good."
"You're scared, but you still went through with it because you believe in what you're doing," Peter pointed out.
Panan let out a dry chuckle. "You can read me like a book, huh?"
Peter shrugged. "It's not hard to tell. You don't strike me as the type to do something without reason."
Panan hesitated before saying, "Tell me about your past. I heard you used to be with the Buckle family."
Peter nodded. "Yeah. My parents joined them when I was a kid. They died on a mission, and after that, V and I stuck together. When the family fell apart, we moved to Night City and became mercenaries."
Panan tilted her head. "Tell me more about V. I kind of want to know what she's like."
Peter smiled slightly. "She's fiery, a bit like you, but deep down, she's incredibly kind. No matter what, she always has my back."
"That must be nice," Panan murmured. "It's different for me. I asked Rogue about you, and she said you don't chase after big jobs or fame in Night City. You just want someone by your side, huh?"
Peter stayed silent.
"I get it," Panan continued. "You're talented, and you've built a life for yourself. Meanwhile, I keep bouncing between here and the city, never really belonging anywhere. The more I learn about you, the more I realize we're worlds apart."
Before Peter could respond, a voice shouted from below.
"Panan! Did you find the punch card yet?"
Carol's voice snapped Panan back to the moment. "Ah! We're on it!"
Peter quickly scanned the floor and found the card among the mess of old documents.
"Got it." He inserted the card into the reader and pulled the lever.
The ground trembled slightly as the rusted train groaned to life, slowly rolling out of the station.
"We did it!" Panan cheered, throwing her arms around Peter in excitement.
Peter chuckled. "We're not done yet. Celebrate when the job's actually over."
Realizing she was still hugging him, Panan quickly pulled away, clearing her throat. "Right. Let's head back down."
Peter smirked, following her.
By the time they rejoined the others, a campfire had been set up. The team sat around, some talking, others tuning guitars. Mitch grinned as they approached.
"You two took your sweet time. Thought you were busy with something else up there," he teased.
Panan flipped him off. "Screw you, Mitch. Say that again, and I'll make you eat my watch."
Mitch laughed, unfazed.
Peter found a spot by the fire and sat down. A grizzled nomad passed him a flask.
"Take a sip," the man said. "Nothing like a little drink before a big job."
Peter unscrewed the cap and took a cautious sniff. Strong stuff—probably eaux-de-vie.
"This'll either kill me or make me fearless," he muttered before taking a sip. The burn hit instantly, but he swallowed it down.
"Damn," he coughed, handing the flask back. "That's potent."
The nomad chuckled. "Puts hair on your chest."
Panan sat beside Peter, resting her arms on her knees. "Tomorrow's the big day," she said. "You ready?"
Peter glanced at the flickering flames. "I always am."
She nodded, but there was something unreadable in her expression.
"Panan," Peter said after a moment. "If things don't go your way, and you decide to leave the family, you know you can always come to Night City. I can't promise a luxurious life, but I'll make sure you're taken care of."
Panan looked at him, eyes searching his face. "Are you trying to recruit me?"
Peter chuckled. "I run a merc team. Always room for one more."
She smirked. "For a second, I thought you were about to say something else."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Panan shook her head. "Never mind."
The conversation faded, leaving only the sound of crackling firewood. Peter leaned back, watching the stars emerge one by one.
Tomorrow, everything would be decided.
Would Panan's plan succeed? Would Sol accept it? Or would she really end up walking away from her family?
For now, all they could do was wait.
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