"This is the Demon Lizard! It's so f*****g awesome. With this, Adekado can dominate the Badlands!"
Mitch stood beside the massive vehicle, running his hands over its surface as if it were some rare treasure.
For these veterans—men who had survived the brutal corporate wars—the importance of the Demon Lizard to the Adekado family was obvious. In the Badlands, habitable areas were limited. Many places had been rendered unlivable wastelands due to nuclear strikes during the corporate conflicts.
Apart from a few major cities, there weren't many places left where people could build a future. This was why nomads banded together into families, helping each other survive in the lawless wilderness. They hadn't originally settled in this camp; larger factions had pushed them out of their previous home, forcing them closer to Night City.
Within Adekado, there wasn't a single person who didn't respect Saul. He was a good man—kind to his people and devoted to the family. But being a good man didn't necessarily make him a good leader.
Saul was overly cautious. He preferred to play it safe, even if it meant relying on shady corporate deals instead of taking risks. That was why he had been willing to trust Biotechnica, even though their promises were as unreliable as a fixer's handshake.
"Peter, we really owe you for this one. If it weren't for you, there's no way we would have pulled this off against military-tech forces," Panam admitted.
She had anticipated resistance but hadn't expected them to be so heavily armed, with dozens of drones and fortified positions. The odds had been stacked against them.
"Now that we have what we came for, we need to get out of here before it's too late," Peter advised.
Panam nodded in agreement. Securing the Demon Lizard was only half the job; they had to transport it back safely. She signaled for the others to load it onto a transport vehicle, while Mitch and his team gathered the bodies and wreckage. They doused everything in gasoline.
As soon as the fire was lit, it would erase all traces of the battle.
Returning to Camp
At the Adekado camp, Saul had been restless. He hadn't seen Panam and Mitch in hours, and deep down, he already knew what they had done.
He had sent men to prepare for backup, assuming they would need it. Because in Saul's mind, there was no way Panam and her team could have successfully raided a military-tech convoy.
"Saul! They did it! Panam and the others are back—with the Demon Lizard!"
A scout ran up to him, pointing toward the approaching transport vehicle.
When Saul saw the massive machine, his expression darkened.
The moment Panam stepped out of the vehicle, Saul stormed toward her.
"I was the one who planned this! It was all my decision! Mitch and the others had nothing to do with it," Panam declared before Saul could start shouting.
"Panam! Do you even realize what you've done?" Saul's anger was boiling over. "I told you not to attack the convoy! Do you see that military-tech logo? We'll have a target on our backs for miles!"
"Shut up, Saul!" Panam snapped. "Do you have a better plan? You were ready to roll over for Biotechnica like some corporate lapdog!"
"You coward! The fate of Adekado belongs in our hands—not some corpo's!"
Saul clenched his fists, breathing heavily. He knew she wasn't entirely wrong, but that didn't mean he was ready to accept it.
"I have to meet with Biotechnica's representatives," he muttered. "When I return, I don't want to see that damn thing in my camp."
Without another word, he turned and stormed off. As he passed a stool, he kicked it over in frustration.
Panam exhaled sharply, leaning against the transport vehicle.
"I don't get what Saul is thinking. We got the job done. He should be thanking us."
One of the older nomads stepped forward. "Panam, don't take it too hard. Saul was just trying to protect you. Didn't you notice? The others were armed and ready to step in if he lost his temper."
Panam crossed her arms, still fuming, but the words made her pause. Maybe Saul wasn't as blind as she had thought.
---
An Unwanted Reality
Half an hour later, Saul returned. His expression was even more sour than before.
"I told you to get rid of that thing," he growled. "Why is it still here?"
"Saul, it's done. We have the Demon Lizard. What's the point of fighting over it now?" Mitch asked.
"It's a problem for Adekado! That's the point!"
"I think you're looking at it the wrong way," Peter interjected.
Saul turned to face him, his brows furrowed. "And what the hell do you know about what Adekado needs?"
"Saul, I understand what you're trying to do. You want Adekado to have a future. You want to secure a better life for your people with the least amount of risk. That's admirable. But have you thought about what it really takes to survive in the Badlands?"
Peter took a step forward.
"I come from the Buckle family. We were weak, and because of that, we were wiped out and absorbed by stronger families. My reputation and wealth in Night City weren't built through careful negotiations—I earned them with my fists and my gun.
"You say you want Adekado to be strong, but how strong can you be if you depend on Biotechnica to hold your leash? What happens when they decide they don't need you anymore? What happens when a real threat comes knocking? Are you going to ask Biotechnica to fight for you?"
Saul was silent.
Peter looked around at the gathered nomads.
"You've all fought in the corporate wars. You know the truth. The world doesn't respect words—it respects power. And power comes from having the strength to protect what's yours. Saul, if you want Adekado to survive, you need to change your way of thinking."
The veterans murmured in agreement.
They had seen firsthand what corporations were capable of. Biotechnica wasn't a savior—it was a vulture, waiting for the right moment to pick them clean.
"Saul, Peter's right," Scorpion said, stepping forward. "When we first started, we didn't wait around for someone to save us. We fought for what we had."
Saul closed his eyes for a long moment.
Finally, he let out a sigh.
"Maybe... you're right," he admitted.
Scorpion's words had struck a chord.
He remembered those early days—when he had led his people through the harsh lands, building Adekado from nothing. Back then, he had made bold choices, taken risks, and fought to protect his people.
But in the years since, fear had crept in.
As Adekado grew, so had the burden of leadership.
He had started making decisions based on what he was afraid to lose, instead of what they could gain. And in doing so, he had nearly led them to ruin.
Maybe it was time for that to change.
He turned to look at the Demon Lizard once more.
Maybe this wasn't a mistake after all.
---