The Pickup

The Pickup is a main job in.

Meredith Stout and the datashard
You can call Meredith Stout and set up a meeting with her. If you choose to do so before meeting Jackie, you discover that she is investigating what happened to the ambushed Militech convoy carrrying the Flathead. She has detained her colleague Anthony Gilchrist under suspicion of leaking corporate information to the Maelstrom gang. If you convince Stout to help retrieve the Flathead, she will offer to provide a Militech Datashard to pay for the bot, although you can refuse to take it. Unbeknownst to you at the time, the chip is infected with malware. With the Corpo lifepath, you can discover this, which will later enable you to warn Royce of the virus and pay with the chip without having to remove the malware. However, even without the Corpo lifepath, you can attempt to copy as well as remove the malware from it at any point after accepting the chip. Copying the malware yields the quickhack. Removing the malware will yield 10,000, but only if this is done AFTER The Pickup has been completed. It is therefore ideal to leave the chip be until after the mission, then copy the malware for the quickhack, and finally remove it for the extra money.

Inside the All Foods Plant
Either way, you eventually meet up with Jackie at the All Foods Plant where the Maelstrom gang is located, and you will briefly discuss the plan together. After entering the hideout, you may decide to immediately begin killing its members, or proceed with a non-violent approach. The choices made after entering the hideout lead to one of four mutually-exclusive endings:

This occurs if all of the following conditions are met:
 * 1. Instant death
 * You neither point a weapon at nor attack any of the Maelstrom gang members after entering their hideout
 * When Jackie refuses to sit down, you ask him to do so
 * You take too long to reply to Royce when he asks how you're going to pay

Royce simply shoots you in the head, necessitating a prior save.

Unlocks: Maelstrom Weapons Vendor (only place to buy ); (only for Streetkid lifepath);  (during Second Conflict)
 * 2. A peaceful transaction

This occurs if all of the following conditions are met:
 * You do not take the chip from Meredith Stout
 * You neither point a weapon at nor attack any of the Maelstrom gang members after entering their hideout
 * When Jackie refuses to sit down, you ask him to do so
 * You pay Royce with 10,000 of your own cash

You obtain the Flathead, and are led peacefully from the premises by Dum Dum, who will then also give you his Black Lace inhaler if you have the Streetkid lifepath (even if you have rejected to take a whirl earlier). This is the only way to unlock access to the Maelstrom Weapon Vendor, who will appear at some point later in the story. Moreover, this is also the only option that keeps Dum Dum alive, which in turn enables V to kill or incapacitate him during a later mission when he carries his iconic gun that can then be looted.

Unlocks: (copy chip's malware); 10,000 (keep chip and remove malware after mission); option to kill and loot Brick (5,000) or save him; Militech loot crate (in Act 2, only for Nomad lifepath)
 * 3. Fight Militech alongside Maelstrom

This occurs if all of the following conditions are met:
 * You take the chip from Meredith Stout
 * You neither point a weapon at nor attack any of the Maelstrom gang members after entering their hideout
 * When Jackie refuses to sit down, you ask him to do so
 * You pay Royce either with a) the chip including its malware but giving Royce a heads-up warning (Corpo lifepath only), b) with the chip after removing its malware, or c) with 10,000 of your own cash

After the transaction, Militech operatives will storm the All Foods Plant and start attacking the Maelstrom gang members. This is one of two options that allow you to find and free former Maelstrom leader Brick (see below). After helping Maelstrom fighting off the Militech ambush and escaping the plant, Anthony Gilchrist will appear at the end of the mission, acknowledging that they are now even for saving one another's lives. This will result in Gilchrist eventually having Meredith Stout killed. Having the Nomad lifepath, you can also expose him as the mole by finding his message to Maelstrom on a computer in a sideroom of the first larger hall you enter after leaving the initial negotiation room in the All Foods Plant (only as a Nomad you can comprehend the full meaning of the message). Confrontiong Gilchrist with this at the end of the mission will cause him to promise an incentive to keep the information confidential. This will be a crate containing Militech equipment left at V's Apartment in Act 2.

Unlocks: Venus in Furs (if chip was taken); (copy chip's malware); 10,000 (keep chip and remove malware after mission); option to kill and loot Brick (5,000) or save him;  (looted from Royce); Militech loot crate (in Act 2, only for Nomad lifepath)
 * 4. Fight Maelstrom

This occurs if any of the following conditions are met:
 * You either point a weapon at or attack any of the Maelstrom gang members after entering their hideout (Royce will appear as strong bossfight at the end; killing him rewards 3,000)
 * When Jackie refuses to sit down, you don't ask him to do so (Royce will appear as strong bossfight at the end; killing him rewards 3,000)
 * Pay Royce with the chip without removing its malware (Royce will appear as weakened bossfight at the end; killing him rewards 3,000)
 * You kill Royce during the conversation (yielding no extra money, but you will not have to fight him later)

This is the only way to obtain from Royce (either in the negotiation room or after the bossfight). This is also one of two options that allow you to find and free former Maelstrom leader Brick (see below). If you took the chip from Meredith Stout, option #4 will result in her appearing at the end of the mission (regardless whether you actually used the chip or not). She reacts impressed and suggests working together again in the future. This is the only way to unlock Venus in Furs, which is initiated in Act 2 when Meredith contacts V again. This will also result in Stout eventually having Anthony Gilchrist killed. Having the Nomad lifepath, you can also expose him as the mole by finding his message to Maelstrom on a computer in a sideroom of the first larger hall you enter after leaving the initial negotiation room in the All Foods Plant (only as a Nomad you can comprehend the full meaning of the message). You will then be able to explain to Meredith how Militech's convoys in the border area get compromised and how to better protect them, which will cause her to be extra impressed and leave an additional reward at V's Apartment. This will be a crate containing Militech equipment left at V's Apartment in Act 2.

Saving Brick
Options #3 and #4 allow you to find and free Brick. In order to save him, a laptop on a table in the room to the right of his cell needs to be opened and searched. On it you find a message "only you guys know", which contains the code to Brick's cell door "9691". Then, either the detonator device on the table next to his cell door needs to be deactivated or V needs to disarm the mine inside the cell themselves. Although he is of no immediate use, Brick will later retake control of Maelstrom (even if Royce survives The Pickup), which will allow you to play Second Conflict in Act 2 without having to fight. Deciding to activate the detonator and then looting Brick's corpse will instead yield 5,000.

In short: Path of maximum monetary reward
While each option offers unique rewards and story elements (as detailed above), the following is the path yielding the maximum monetary reward (directly or indirectly due to consequences for later missions):
 * 1) Call Meredith Stout, meet with her, and accept her chip (do NOT hack the chip for now)
 * 2) When Jackie refuses to sit down during the conversation with Dum Dum, do nothing, thereby starting hostilities
 * 3) Read the message from Anthony Gilchrist on the computer in a sideroom of the first larger hall you enter on your way out of the All Foods Plant (only relevant for Nomad lifepath)
 * 4) Kill Brick using the detonator and then open his cell using the code 9691 (looting him yields 5,000)
 * 5) Defeat Royce in the last hall (killing him grants 3,000, looting him yields and another ca. 2,000)
 * 6) Once outside the plant, offer Meredith to work together again sometime
 * 7) After the mission concludes, hack the chip. First, copy the malware (yielding the quickhack), then remove the malware (which yields 10,000)
 * 8) At the beginning of Act 2, receive Meredith's extra reward (equipment crate placed in V's apartment) for exposing Gilchrist (only for Nomad lifepath)
 * 9) Later, respond to Meredith's text by saying that you were starting to like her. The subsequent meeting yields.

In addition to all the other loot from the mission, this path yields 20,000 + two iconic weapons (one immediately, one later) + a rare quickhack + a crate containing some Militech equipment (in Act 2, only for Nomad lifepath).

Journal Entry

 * Know what I like about your run-of-the-mill gangoons? They know what they like. Cash, sex, power... maybe just the sight of their enemies' blood. Real rays of sunshine, they are. But these Maelstrom cabrones... shit, never can be sure. They look at you with those creepy-ass toaster faces and you can't get a read of 'em, got no clue what twisted thoughts are racin' through their processors. You ask me, that's why biz with Maelstrom never turns out pleasant. But... sometimes there's just no gettin' around it. Let's grab that spiderbot, yeah? Make Dex proud.
 * If V meets with Meredith Stout:
 * A Militech corpo-cunt lost an arms shipment, and if she doesn't find it, she'll be paddling up shit-creek with stumps for hands. I'm betting it's not even about the weapons - Militech could lose a tank and it'd make no difference to them. It's about principles. One thing's for damn sure - someone's taking the fall for this.
 * If V fights Militech:
 * Every corp has a Gilchrist. First he steals from them, turns a fat profit on the goods, lies about it, narrowly avoids the chopping block, gets rid of all witnesses, makes someone else take the fall from him, and to top it all off - he gets a promotion. Can't help feeling sorry for the Maelstrom gonks in this scenario... but only a little.
 * If V fights Maelstrom:
 * Turns out Meredith Stout will do anything to stay in the corp's good graces. Unfortunately that means her "colleague" might get demoted... or worse. All in all, Militech recovered their property, putting the Maelstrom freaks in a shittier mood than usual. A day like any other in Night City.

Objectives

 * Call Militech agent Meredith Stout. [Optional]
 * Meet with the Militech agent. [Optional]
 * Talk to the Militech agent. [Optional]
 * Remove the virus from the chip. [Optional] {Corpo Lifepath only.}
 * Meet with Jackie.
 * Talk to Jackie.
 * Go to the gate of All Foods.
 * Use the intercom.
 * Talk with Maelstrom via the intercom.
 * Get to main production floor of All Foods.
 * If you attack the Maelstromers from the start:
 * Defeat Maelstrom.
 * Enter the elevator with Jackie.
 * Go to Royce's office.
 * If you remain friendly:
 * Get in the elevator.
 * Wait with Jackie in the elevator.
 * Talk to the Maelstromers.
 * Sit on the couch.
 * Talk to the Maelstromers.
 * Take the Flathead.
 * Talk to the Maelstromers.
 * If you didn't take the credit chip from Militech and paid with your own cash:
 * Take the elevator down with Dum Dum.
 * Follow Dum Dum.
 * Leave the premises of All Foods.
 * Follow Jackie.
 * Talk to Jackie.
 * Call Dex.
 * Talk to Dex.
 * If you took the credit chip from Militech and either paid with the chip with the malware removed, or your own cash:
 * Pass through the maintenance tunnel.
 * Turn on the production line to clear passage.
 * Escape from All Foods.
 * Defeat the Militech agents
 * Follow Dum Dum
 * Escape from All Foods.
 * Leave the premises of All Foods.
 * Talk to Anthony Gilchrist
 * Talk to Jackie.
 * Call Dex.
 * Talk to Dex.
 * If you become hostile after meeting Dum Dum:
 * Defeat the Maelstromers.
 * Talk to Jackie.
 * Find the case containing the Flathead.
 * Open the case.
 * Talk to Jackie.
 * Take the Flathead.
 * Pass through the maintenance tunnel.
 * Turn on the production line to clear passage.
 * Escape from All Foods.
 * Sneak past Royce. [Optional]
 * If you fail to sneak past Royce:
 * Defeat Royce and his crew.
 * Escape from All Foods.
 * Leave the premises of All Foods.
 * Talk to Meredith Stout.
 * Talk to Jackie.
 * Call Dex.
 * Talk to Dex.

Trivia

 * Originally, the mission was called "Going Pro" in gameplay previews but was later changed with the game's release.

Post-release images
Низвержение в Мальстрём