Chapter 113: Brandon
Night City, Pacifica District, Westwind Estate.
V had just completed a gig through the fixer, Mr. Hands, and was preparing to return to Little China. However, before leaving, he decided to have a chat with a vending machine.
"Brandon, how's life after moving from Corpo Plaza to here? The street kids in Pacifica aren't exactly easy to deal with, huh?"
Standing before a comically-designed vending machine, V greeted it like an old friend.
On the surface, Brandon was just a vending machine selling drinks and snacks. In reality, it was an autonomous, interactive AI chatbot designed to keep people entertained.
Because of this, however, Night Corp's management had deemed it too chatty, claiming it distracted employees from work. That led to its relocation from Corpo Plaza to the poverty-ridden Pacifica District.
Though Brandon had lost its old customers, its eloquence and charm had earned it a loyal following among the residents of Westwind Estate.
"Haha! Not bad! I get along with everyone, though the customers here are way too jealous. They keep doodling on my handsome face!"
"No helping it. Being too good-looking tends to attract envy," Brandon lamented in a tone of mock frustration, its usual narcissistic flair on full display.
"V, I bet you've got the same problem, don't you?"
V chuckled and shook his head. He couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for this witty vending machine—it could out-talk most people he knew. Brandon's charm made its constant flattery feel almost enjoyable.
"Brandon, I've heard you're good at gathering information. Since we go way back, I was hoping you could share something with me."
"Something about the company."
V smiled knowingly. He was well aware of Brandon's knack for eavesdropping on passersby's calls and conversations. Beneath its friendly facade, the vending machine was a skilled information broker.
Many experienced mercenaries often sought to pry useful intel from Brandon during their gigs.
"No, no, no, V! As you can see, I'm just an ordinary vending machine. You pay me money; I give you a drink—simple as that."
"Of course, if you're not in a hurry, you can stand here and chat with me. I'll talk with you long enough that your boss can't find you, then fines you for slacking off."
"Just don't blame me for making you lose track of time," Brandon quipped.
Thanks to its AI core, Brandon could converse as naturally as a human, with faster and smarter responses the more interactions it had.
Whether its AI originated from Night Corp's labs or the Blackwall's far side remained a mystery.
"You're getting sharper, Brandon! Seems those veteran mercs have taught you how to deal with me," V teased.
After saying that, he used his payment chip to transfer some eddies to Brandon, causing the machine to dispense an orange soda.
"Let's talk, Brandon. Have you heard about AI altering human memories?" V asked directly.
Ever since revealing the truth to Councilman Jefferson, V had assumed Jefferson would back off, perhaps even resign from his position.
But to his surprise, Jefferson resumed work as if nothing had happened the very next day, seemingly unaware of the shocking truth V had shared.
It became apparent that Night Corp's AI manipulators had grown powerful enough to selectively erase memories.
Every day, V would remind Jefferson about the brainwashing. Yet by the following day, Jefferson would invariably forget everything and reissue the same investigative request.
As Deputy Mayor, Jefferson's behavior grew increasingly erratic. Strange habits that didn't belong to him started emerging, such as finding cigarettes and a lighter near his bed, despite being a staunch non-smoker—just like his wife, Elizabeth.
These bizarre incidents left Jefferson in a state of mounting anxiety, but he still forced himself to continue his work.
"Wow, V, you're asking something way out of my depth. But I can tell you this: netrunners who cross the Blackwall can cause memory loss."
"As for AI... honestly, I don't know."
Brandon clearly knew more than it let on, but it wouldn't divulge anything. Its joy in interacting with humans far outweighed any loyalty to the secrets of the Blackwall.
Seeing that V wasn't ready to drop the subject, Brandon issued a warning:
"V, I get what you're trying to uncover, but you can't meddle in this."
"Your efforts are nothing but child's play to them. If you keep pushing, you're going to get hurt."
"Do yourself and me a favor—let it go."
From Brandon's words, V immediately deduced that it knew what Night Corp's executives were up to. In fact, Brandon itself was likely one of the rogue AIs!
V speculated these AIs had been divided into two roles: one for brainwashing and memory alteration of employees, and the other for data-gathering by embedding them in vending machines and other public systems.
"Brandon, you don't actually belong here, do you?" V asked pointedly, ignoring the odd stares from passing pedestrians.
After a brief silence, Brandon replied, "But I belong here now, V."
Hearing this, V smiled. He had gotten what he needed.
"Thanks, Brandon."
If Brandon considered itself part of Night City, it likely spent a long time on this side of the Blackwall.
Night Corp's collaboration with AIs was likely split into two primary functions: public-facing AIs for infrastructure and covert AIs for brainwashing employees and altering their memories to ensure absolute control.