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MissionsupportingSide missionModerate

We Have Your Wife

A Dakota Smith gig in which V infiltrates a Wraith-controlled hideout to locate and extract Lauren Costigan. The mission supports stealth, direct combat, and a careful escort out of danger.

RoleRescue mission
StatusAvailable in Cyberpunk 2077
Importancesupporting
RewardMission reward is granted on completion; exact item and eddie details are not included because they require verification.
TimeA short gig, depending on whether V uses stealth or combat.
  • Mission typeGig
  • RegionBadlands
  • Quest giverDakota Smith
  • Primary objectiveRescue Lauren Costigan
  • OppositionWraiths
  • Recommended approachScout, then extract
  • Boss fightNone known

This is a qualitative mission summary. Exact level, reward, enemy-count, and completion-time data are omitted pending verification.

Key takeaways

Use the following points to plan the gig before entering the Wraith-controlled area.

  • Scout before committing The compound can be approached in more than one way, and taking a moment to identify guards, cover, and exits makes the later extraction less dangerous. Scouting
  • The rescue is the real objective Reaching Lauren is only half of the job. Keep the return route in mind before beginning the extraction because enemies may remain between the target and safety. Rescue
  • Stealth is optional The gig does not demand a particular playstyle. Silent takedowns, quickhacks, and direct gunplay are all viable if V maintains control of the area around Lauren. Approach
  • Do not overextend Chasing a fleeing Wraith away from the extraction route can leave Lauren vulnerable and make the final section harder than necessary. Clear the immediate path first. Escort

We Have Your Wife overview

We Have Your Wife is a Badlands gig from Dakota Smith that sends V into Wraith territory to rescue .

Dakota Smith contacts V with a straightforward extraction job: Lauren Costigan has been taken by the , and V must find her inside the gang’s hideout. The mission takes place away from Night City’s dense urban spaces, using a hostile compound and its surrounding Badlands terrain as the main play area.

The approach is flexible. V can reduce the risk by scouting the compound and slipping past isolated guards, or can start a firefight and clear a route to Lauren. Either method eventually becomes an escort operation, so the safest route is not always the fastest route to the target.

The important distinction is between reaching Lauren and successfully getting her out. Once she is located, the mission’s focus changes from infiltration to protection and movement through an area that may still contain Wraiths. Check the route before initiating the extraction, and avoid leaving Lauren exposed while pursuing enemies.

The gig is a useful example of Cyberpunk 2077’s smaller contract structure: Dakota provides the objective, V handles the tactical details, and the outcome is determined primarily by how cleanly the target is recovered. The mission does not require a unique build, although stealth, quickhacks, and controlled ranged combat can all make the compound easier to manage.

Where this sits

Gig briefingDakota Smith assigns the extraction
Wraith hideoutReach the occupied compound
Target recoveryLocate Lauren Costigan
ExtractionEscort Lauren away from danger
  1. 1Receive the contractbriefingDakota Smith establishes the rescue objective.
  2. 2Enter the Wraith hideoutinfiltrationChoose a route through or around the hostile compound.
  3. ●Find Lauren CostiganrescueSearch the interior for the captive target.
  4. 4Leave the compoundextractionProtect Lauren while moving back through the danger area.
  5. 5Report completionresolutionFinish the gig after Lauren reaches safety.

The gig moves from briefing to infiltration, then changes into a target escort.

Requirements and preparation

The main requirement is access to Dakota Smith’s Badlands gig chain. No special weapon, cyberware, or dialogue choice is required.

  • RequiredDakota Smith’s gig availabilityThe contract must be unlocked through the appropriate Badlands progression before V can begin it.
  • RecommendedA combat or stealth planBring either a quiet infiltration setup or enough healing, ammunition, and cover awareness to survive a fight with the Wraiths.
  • RecommendedA route back outBefore interacting with Lauren, identify a defensible path through the compound so the extraction does not begin in an exposed position.
  • OptionalQuickhacks or silent takedownsThese are not mandatory, but they can reduce the number of enemies active when the rescue turns into an escort.

Objectives

  1. Enter the Wraith-controlled hideoutReach the hostile compound and choose an entry route that gives V useful cover.
  2. Locate Lauren CostiganMove through the occupied area until the captive target is found.
  3. Rescue Lauren CostiganInteract with Lauren when the area around her is sufficiently safe.
  4. Escort Lauren out of the hideoutProtect Lauren while guiding her away from the Wraith-controlled site.
  5. Complete the gig for Dakota SmithThe contract is complete once the extraction has succeeded and the mission closes.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Reach the Wraith hideout

    Read Dakota Smith’s briefing and travel to the Badlands site

    Accept the gig from Dakota Smith and follow the objective marker to the Wraith-controlled hideout. Before entering, reload, heal, and make sure the weapon or quickhack setup you want to use is ready, because the compound can turn hostile quickly.

    Location: Badlands

    TipUse the approach as a planning moment rather than rushing directly toward the marker.

  2. 02

    Find a way inside

    Scout the compound before entering

    Look over the perimeter and note guard positions, cover, and any elevated or side approach that can reduce the number of enemies facing V at once. A full clear is not always necessary, but knowing where enemies can flank from is valuable once Lauren is released.

    Location: Outside the Wraith hideout

    Watch outStarting combat in an exposed position can draw several Wraiths into the same lane and make the later extraction harder.

  3. 03

    Reach Lauren Costigan

    Enter the hideout and advance toward the target

    Move through the compound using cover and deal with the Wraiths that block the route to Lauren. Stealth takedowns and quickhacks can thin the area quietly, while a direct approach works if V controls the doorway and avoids standing in the open.

    Location: Wraith hideout

    TipClear enemies near the route forward before spending time searching side rooms or collecting nearby loot.

  4. 04

    Rescue Lauren Costigan

    Locate and release Lauren Costigan

    Continue through the occupied interior until the objective identifies Lauren Costigan. Secure the immediate space before initiating the rescue, since triggering the extraction while hostile enemies have a clear line of fire can force V to defend her under poor conditions.

    Location: Interior of the Wraith hideout

    Watch outLauren is the mission’s protected rescue target; allowing the area around her to remain uncontrolled increases the chance of mission failure.

    Missable
  5. 05

    Escort Lauren out of danger

    Protect Lauren during the extraction

    Once Lauren is free, stay close enough to respond to enemies and lead her along the safest available route out of the compound. Do not sprint far ahead after a fleeing enemy, because the escort objective can be endangered while V is away from the target.

    Location: From the hideout interior to the exterior

    TipUse cover at the exit and finish threats that can attack Lauren before moving into the open.

    Checkpoint
  6. 06

    Complete We Have Your Wife

    Confirm the rescue and finish the contract

    Continue until Lauren reaches safety and the objective updates to show that the extraction is complete. After the mission closes, any remaining exploration of the hideout is optional and should not be confused with the rescue objective.

    Location: Outside the Wraith hideout

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The gig is built around a change in pacing. The opening section rewards observation and route selection inside a hostile compound, while the second section asks V to keep attention on Lauren rather than treating the area as an ordinary combat arena.

Stealth can reduce pressure before the rescue, but it is not a separate required solution. V can combine hacking, suppressed weapons, melee takedowns, or conventional firearms, provided the immediate area is controlled before Lauren is moved.

The extraction also changes the value of cover. During infiltration, cover is useful for V’s own survival; during the escape, it also helps prevent Lauren from being left in the line of fire. The most reliable approach is to clear nearby threats, move a short distance, and reassess rather than running through the compound without checking behind.

The hideout may contain optional loot and side paths, but the contract is governed by the rescue and extraction objectives. Explore only when Lauren is safe and the mission marker no longer demands immediate movement.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The compound supports more than one combat style, so the gig can accommodate stealth, hacking, ranged combat, or close-quarters play.
  • The objective is easy to understand: enter the Wraith hideout, recover Lauren Costigan, and get her out safely.
  • The switch from infiltration to escort gives the mission a distinct second phase instead of making the entire contract a single room-clearing exercise.

Weaknesses

  • The extraction can feel less predictable than the opening approach because enemies may still be active when Lauren begins moving.
  • The Badlands setting provides less visual guidance than a tightly signposted interior, so rushing toward the objective can leave V exposed.
  • Optional exploration is less useful while the rescue target remains vulnerable, which limits how much time can safely be spent searching the compound.

Best uses

  • Practice escort discipline by clearing the immediate route instead of chasing every enemy.
  • Use the gig to test a stealth or quickhack setup against a gang-controlled compound.
  • Treat the mission as a compact example of Dakota Smith’s contract structure in the Badlands.

Failure conditions

  • V diesAs with other combat missions, V’s death ends the current attempt and requires a reload or restart from the latest available checkpoint.
  • Lauren Costigan is killedThe rescue objective cannot be completed if the protected target dies during the extraction.
  • The extraction is abandonedMoving too far away or failing to continue the rescue objective can prevent the gig from progressing until V returns to the active mission area.

On failure

Checkpoint behavior can vary with the timing of the encounter and the player’s save history. Make a manual save before entering the hideout if you want a safer retry point.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

The contract ends with the extraction

The meaningful outcome of We Have Your Wife is whether Lauren Costigan is recovered safely. Once she is out of the Wraith-controlled area and the contract completes, the gig is resolved through Dakota Smith; this page does not add unverified details about Lauren’s later story.

Relationships

Mission