Chapter 15 — déjà vu
The Konpeki Plaza loomed above the skyline — sterile, silent, perfect.
Jackie stood beside me in the lobby, adjusting his suit, trying to play it cool.
I glanced around…
The polished floors.
The glass walls.
The Arasaka guards stationed by the elevators.
I'd seen it all before.
Not in a dream.
Not in a vision.
I'd played this.
Over.
And over.
And over.
I knew where the guards would move.
Where the cameras would turn.
How Yorinobu would betray Saburo… and how this all ended in blood.
But this time?
I wasn't here to follow the script.
I was here to break it.
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[System Notice: Awareness Perk Active — Memory Loop Synch]
[Prediction Paths Unlocked — Tactical Edge +50%]
---
Jackie glanced over.
"You good, mano?"
I gave a half-smile.
"Never better."
He nodded, trusting me — because he always did.
Just like every time before.
---
The lobby check-in passed smooth — Evelyn's voice in my ear, her tone sharp.
"Remember, Alaric… stay cool. Don't draw eyes."
I smirked slightly.
"Eyes are exactly what I want on me."
Evelyn's soft exhale echoed in my comm.
"Just… don't die yet."
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[System Notice: Evelyn Parker — Interest +5 — Banter Accepted]
---
We rode the elevator up — the music soft, mocking.
Jackie tapped his foot.
I stood still.
I'd been here before.
I knew where this ride ended.
---
But not this time.
This time…
I wasn't going out in a crate.
Jackie wasn't going down bleeding out on the floor.
And I sure as hell wasn't dying with a chip frying my brain.
---
The elevator chimed.
I met Jackie's gaze — calm, steel-hard.
"Stick close," I told him.
"Whatever happens… we walk out alive."
Jackie gave me a slow nod.
"Damn straight."
---
And when those doors opened — I stepped into Konpeki like a man walking into a story I'd already rewritten.
Because this wasn't a game anymore.
This time…
I was the one in control.
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Romance & Loyalty Recap After Chapter 15:
Evelyn Parker — Interest: +140 — Stage 3 Complete — Post-Heist Moves Open
Judy Alvarez — Interest: +60 — Stage 3 — Personal Tease Connection Active
Jackie Welles — Loyalty: +40 — Bond Solidified, Trust at Maximum