Chapter Text
“This is really good, mom.” Randy said with a soft smile, having only been back home for a few days now. He didn’t know the full extent of the details revolving around his rescue but he did know that his Uncle River fought like hell alongside someone called V and they did everything the NCPD wouldnt to save him.
“Thank you, love…things have been pretty good lately, been able to get more fresh ingredients thanks to V and he shared some of his Mama Welles’ recipes with me.”
River hated to admit it, but V was a godsend. He had connections River would have never thought to seek out in order to help with financial issues. He had a sneaking suspicion most of these “connections” were just himself forwarding eddies to their accounts but he knew the Edgerunner would never admit to it and why bother arguing when it put smiles on his family’s faces? Of course, he felt bad that his job as a PI was slow to start but it was kicking up and soon he could help contribute.
River placed a gentle hand on Randy’s back and gave him a smile. “Maybe I can catch him his free time one of these days and get him to come visit.”
“Yeah! We wanna play Big Trouble in Little Heywood again!” Monique declared. Everyone laughed and nodded knowing the last time they played, V had really gotten into it alongside the kids, letting them win but saying they had him beat fair and square.
“Speak of the devil.” River said, his eyes flashing as a call came up on his Holo.” ‘Scuse me.”
He stood and walked outside to take the call, answering with an enthusiastic hello.
“You River?!” Came a voice over the call that sounded like V but with a weird echo of a deeper tone alongside it.
“Uh…yea…come on, V, am I that forgettable?”
“This ain’t V.”
“Then who is it?” He asked, starting to get suspicious and concerned.
“Names done matter right now. You need to ping my location, get your ass over here. V needs your help.”
That was all he needed to hear before he was working to ping the stranger’s location, hanging up so he could poke his head in and let the family know there was an emergency before he was hauling ass out of the neighborhood.
—————-
What normally would have been a forty-five minute drive became a twenty minute drive as he took shortcuts he knew past anything that might slow him down until he came upon a garage, that had Maelstrom graffiti all over it.
Exiting his truck, he checked his gun before moving in. There was a distant noise, sounds like banging fists against something and snarls. He raised his gun to aim as he opened the door and walked in, finding the main area littered with dead bodies, none of them V as the snarls became louder as he delved deeper.
What he didnt expect was to come upon a group of four thugs fighting each other and banging their fists against a locked door.
“Come on! Sweet Omega! Let me in!” One sneered before he was yanked back by one of his buddies.
“He’s mine!”
“No! Mine!”
“You couldnt pop a knot to satisfy Watson Whore!”
The whole seen was evident to the PI. There was a trapped Omega in there and from the smell of it, they were in Heat and scared. Thankfully they hadn’t noticed the Alpha yet and before they knew it. They were catching led to the dome faster than they could figure out he was there.
He didnt know who was inside, but a familiar smell caught his attention, maybe V was trapped in there with an Omega? Was V an Omega? V never spoke about his secondary gender and it wasnt River’s business so he never asked.
Gently knocking on the door, he stood close, taking a deep breath before he spoke because, holy hell it smelled good. But he wasnt some knot head like the dead fuckers at his feet. He knew how to control himself and he smell of fear was a major turn off.
“Hey….V? You in there? It’s River….”
The door unlocked and swung open to reveal a very sweaty and pale V, but his mannerisms and expressions were definitely not the Merc he knew.
“‘Bout time.”
The voice was the same as over the Holo but…they claimed not to be V. River was very confused.
“Uh…V?”
“No right now.” The voice was annoyed, frustrated.
River watched as V tried to walk out of the closet but his legs buckled and the smell of slick hit his nose as he moved to help the Merc lean on him.
“What do you mean?”
“Explain…once you get us…somewhere…safe.”
Helping the Merc into the Van, he turned his A/C on full blast to help with the heat. He couldnt help but let his gaze wonder over to the Merc as he drove off, not really sure where he should be driving to. Was this an Alter? Did V have trauma that River was never told about?
“Take a picture, pig, it’ll last longer.”
“Excuse me?” River asked, shocked to hear such a thing come out of V’s mouth. He didnt fully understand but he had to remind himself this wasnt V apparently.
He got no response, leaving the two in silence for a while.
“So…youre an Omega….” He said silently.
“V is.”
“And….youre not V?”
“No…fuck…” the Merc shifted uncomfortably before flicking over some coordinates. “He’s got a place over in Corpo Plaza…it’s the only place he’ll be secure and safe.”
“So…who are you?”
“Johnny.”
“Okay….so why am I talking to you instead of V?”
“Fuck….you have no idea…how fucking awful it feels to talk right now…”
“Sorry…sorry.” He went silent once more, turning to head for Corpo Plaza, now understanding why V was able to help him with Eddies so much.