"Yeah, but you know what the trenchcoat said man. It isn't going to be as smooth, not a day longer." Croaks did hear the words over the music playing in the bar. Croaks could only puff air through his nose and shake his head, downing the rest of the sickly yellow drink that left the taste of very cheap booze into his mouth, coupled with a few chemicals. He could taste yellow. Tasting colours should not be possible, his body tried to remind him, but that was a remnant of old times, centuries ago when humanity had not lived in megalopoli such as Night City. Here it was very much the norm, especially in the combat zones.
The bigger of the two men ran a finger over his gun, sitting neatly on the worn faux-leather cover of the seat on his right. Of course, it was technically against the rules of this shithole to bring guns in. But this was their shithole. The best bar in the zone the amphibians governed, not that would have been much of a merit, but it was still the best. And like usual, if he just turned his head around, he could not count the number of fellow amphibians with one hand, though that was if he did count Ribby in that little arithmetic. "Yeah, I know we ain't got the eurobucks to go to that man. But you know that we can't just call it quits here, bro", he retorted, waving at a passing waitress who was quick to take his order for another drink and then be on her way. It didn't go past Croaks that Ribby took a long look at the woman's behind. Not that it was anything new.
"Don't you bro me at a time like this, bro", Ribby remarked sarcastically, "this is serious business." The joking tone had vanished in an instant after the punchline, and the man leaned over the table, a few wires poking out from the back of his neck. "This is our whole life, man. You can't just say that you'll go find the old dealer of the good shit like that and leave the rest of us here, trying to fend off all the rivals for fuck knows how long!" Ribby scratched his neck with an annoyed expression on his face, but Croaks couldn't find a fault in his statement.
The track playing on the background changed, and with that the lights took on a different formation. Croaks turned to look over his shoulder. "A new face, huh?" he recalled this one being specifically reserved for such occasions. An ingenious type of messaging to the security, really, what with there being no real dance floor so nobody could get all pissy about it. Ribby cleared his throat, and Croaks would return his attention back to him. "Ah, yep, the whole 'finding a new way to keep things rolling' thing… you have been pulling on your plugs again bro", he bought a bit of time, while Ribby focused on rewinding the vehicle interfacing chrome back into his neck.
With nothing too outlandish happening despite the sudden track change, Croaks received his new drink from the waitress and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "Well unless you got any better fuckin' ideas, bro…", he finally conceded that he wasn't exactly coming up with everything, and to his surprise Ribby would be reduced to sighing just as well. The man took the shot glass full of sickly green stuff and downed it with one swig. Only way to drink that repulsive stuff, sure, but Croaks still didn't get why the hell this dude claimed he enjoyed it.
Ribby sighed, scratching his neck once again, managing to pull the plugs back out from their sockets. Croaks sighed in return, Ribby noticing his glance and getting the small servomotors back to work in pulling the cords inside. "Okay, I'm just as fresh out as you are bro. We gotta do something, and unless we can think of anything else we ain't gettin' any cash an' gear from just sittin' about. Gotta do somethin', and that somethin' is gon' be you headin' out then. Jus'… don't go and kick the bucket, ya?"
"I'd never do that, bro", Croaks assured his friend, tapping him on the shoulder with his fist and getting back to the drink at hand. It wouldn't take too long for one of the lower ranking gangsters to come to their corner table though, one with a cotton patch over her eye. Oh yeah, this was the one whose mask had sprung a leak. Nasty business.
"The newcomer's looking for you two", she informed the two, Croaks nodding and taking a less relaxed pose, Ribby leaning back towards his chair just as well.
"Well, show 'em here then", Croaks would tell the gal impatiently, who would proceed to do just that. Wonder who was coming?
