Cyberpunk 2077 - The Ballad of Lost Souls

Johnny's gleaming silver Porsche comes roaring into the Afterlife parking lot. The driver's door opens and V gets out of the car, heading toward the club's large yellow neon sign.

Leaning on the concrete pillar below the sign is Rogue, who is chatting with the club's security.

Bouncer: Some crew takin' you along as bait?

Rogue: That a compliment?

Bouncer: You look… different.

Rogue: Try again. Maybe you'll find some charm third time around.

V approaches the two with confidence. Rogue wears a white leotard and a shimmering gray jacket, matching her hair, while V is wearing Johnny's outfit, complete with his jacket. 

Both the bouncer and Rogue stop talking and start staring at V, Rogue gives him a pleased smile.

V: Hey Rogue. Ready?

Bouncer: You…

V: We goin'?

The bouncer annoyedly walks toward the entrance of the club, staring at V.

Rogue: Where's Johnny? Couldn't make it after all?

V: I'm just your driver.

Rogue: See you keep him on a short leash. Very wise of you, kid.

Rogue turns her eyes over V's shoulder to the gray Porsche, then she moves away from the pillar.

Rogue: Is this Johnny's Porsche?! Ahahahah!

Rogue opens the door and slips onto the passenger seat, excited. V sits on the other seat, starting the car.

V gets out of the parking lot while the city's night skyline is projected onto the car's windshield, mesmerizing Rogue.

Rogue: Where did you get it?

V: That's what was in the container, the one Grayson was talkin' about.

Rogue: Got a lotta memories in this car.

V: Silver Pixel Cloud your favourite place?

Rogue: Once probably. Haven't been there in ages. Drive-ins went out of style a century ago. Silver Pixel still hanging in there, though.

V: Sounds like a preem place for a date.

Rogue: Thought so too. Which is why I suggested Johnny to take me there. A million years ago.

V: So it wasn't his idea.

Rogue: 'Course not. His idea of romantic night out was blowin' up Arasaka HQ

The Porsche continues to speed out of Night City, toward the hills of Westbrook. Suddenly, Rogue breaks a long silence.

Rogue: All right V, tell me what's goin' on. For real. 

V: Meanin'?

Rogue: Johnny doesn't do a thing without an ulterior motive. So what's in play this time?

V: Johnny's changed. He really does wanna spend some time with you.

Rogue: Right…

V and Rogue arrive in front of a small building suspended above a hill, covered in graffiti and with two closed shutters.

Rogue: Here we are… It really has been years. Managed to shut the whole thing down.

Johnny manifests outside the car as Rogue opens the door and gets out.

Johnny: V, try to get inside.

V: Can't stop us. We asked you out on a date.

Rogue: Ok, do your thing. I'll watch.

V opens the cinema cashier's door, finding a small terminal. After getting inside, he finds the password for the back door, which leads inside the drive-in.

V: Found the pass.

Rogue: Guess we're goin' to see a movie, afterall.

The door opens in front of them, revealing a large parking lot with a huge white tarp, partially covering the city skyline behind it. There are some old car carcasses in the parking lot. Rogue walks toward one of them.

Rogue: Try to get the projector started… I'll get some seats.

V climbs old metal stairs that lead to the highest point of the main movie theater building. There is a metal door in front of him, Johnny appears before it.

Johnny: Entrance over here.

V opens the sliding door, finding himself in a small room, where there is a huge projector aiming at the white screen. In front of him there is an old movie poster.

Johnny: "Bushido X - Fade to Black". Must be a classic by now.

V approaches the projector, fiddling with the switches, manages to set off a beam of light toward the screen.

Johnny: Look at that… Last played… "Bushido X"! Perfect.

V: Looks like a spurt of runny shit.

Johnny: V, we are at a drive-in. Movie's last thing we care about.

Johnny leans on the ledge near the projector, staring at the screen.

Johnny: Just wanna some background noise… a little blood, tits and gore, that sorta thing.

V: Bushido will give you that, for sure.

Johnny: All right, V. Run along. I'll take it from here. 

V pulls out one of Misty's blue pills.

V: Have fun, you crazy kids.

Rogue sits in the back seats of an empty car body, mesmerized by the images that appear on the big screen in front of her. Suddenly, V walks behind her. 

Rogue: Grabbed us the best spot. Hop on up.

Images from the film continue to scroll across the screen as a silence falls between the two. Suddenly, Johnny breaks it.

Johnny: So… This is how you imagined this evening goin'?

Rogue: Always knew things would have to change for us to just go out and catch a movie… Never imagined they'd change this much.

Rogue turns to Johnny and smiles at him for a second.

Rogue: Let's pretend it's twenty-fifteen, huh?! We just met, and I've got no idea how much of a bastard you are.

Johnny: But I like the twenty-seventy-seven Rogue.

Rogue: A far inferior version…

Rogue lowers her gaze, then looks at Johnny again.

Rogue: So, it's twenty-fifteen. If you could do it all again, what would you change? Anything at all? 

Johnny thinks about it for a moment, then replies to Rogue.

Johnny: I will do anything into my power not to lose you.

Rogue: Johnny… I…

Johnny: Hey, hey. What's this?!

Rogue: Nothin', it's just… I had a lot of time to think while you were away. What ifs and all.

Johnny: Are you sure it has nothing to do with Grayson or Smasher?

Rogue: What?! What's Smasher gotta do with anything? 

Johnny: Getting the sense you still got a thorn in your side there.

Rogue: 'Cause I do. I'm irate. Disappointed. 

Rogue looks away from Johnny.

Rogue: Rather not talk about it, now.

Johnny: Look, all it counts is that I'm back. With you.

Rogue stares at Johnny with a wistful smile.

Rogue: But all we got is this one night…

Johnny: It's more than I ever could've asked for.

Johnny gently caresses her cheek.

Johnny: I'm here on borrowed time. On a borrowed body. But I'm here.

Johnny kisses Rogue on the neck as she closes her eyes. The first light of dawn lights the two as Rogue gets out of the car, taking Johnny with her by the hand. 

Rogue then leans on the hood as Johnny pulls her close, kissing her, again.

Rogue: Johnny…

Johnny lays Rogue down on the hood, caressing her chest and sliding his hand down to her pants.

Rogue: Johnny, I can't. Is not right.

Johnny immediately stops, sitting next to her.

Johnny: Meanin' not fair to V?

Rogue: Not fair to you… Tried so hard to pretend nothing's changed. To pretend I'm the same Rogue you knew… Actually managed to fool myself a little.

Rogue gets up from the hood.

Rogue: Gonna get back on my own…

Johnny: Rogue! Fuck…

Johnny watches Rogue walk away, helplessly, then he pulls a red pill out from his pocket and swallows it.

It' s morning, and V slowly gets up from the ground, leaning on the hood of the car with his right hand. There's Johnny greeting him, sitting on the car's hood.

V: Aahh… fu… Is she gone?

Johnny: Yep.

V: Guess things didn't go swimmingly…

Johnny: Nope. Was gonna be a nice night at the drive-in. Now she's mad and won't tell me what about.

V: Any guesses?

Johnny: 'Member Grayson? How they spoke and how weird she was?

V: Weird's not the word. I don't think. He was toying with 'er. Could be somethin' to that.

Johnny: Gotta mull it over. For now, take me to North Oak.

V: That's supposed to help you figure out Rogue?

Johnny: Nope… Kerry. Tell you once we're there.