I spent about a week just lazing around, enjoying my life, and trying to cool down after all that happened with the Nomads. I got back to work on my Doctor Absolom figurines, tweaking and ssing around with them to get them to a higher quality. I even managed to find out how to make the 3D printer use a hexagonal print grid to further enhance the durability and strength of the toys. I doubt they would need the enhancents, but it was good practice for the future.
It was a therapeutic and helpful ti waster, but it wasn’t the only thing I did during that ti. For one, I talked to Mira and hung out with her quite a bit, which was nice. She was always… entertaining at the least.
During that period I thought long and hard about getting an upgrade to my chro. I just- I didn’t feel ready yet. I still felt the effects of Glitching even after all this ti, though they were thankfully starting to fade away. That, and the whole… ordeal with the Nomads had fouled up my mind. I was better off just waiting to be as normal as possible before getting a new piece of tal surgically implanted into my body.
I did, however, still go and see Nael in that ti for a checkup and to drop off the toys. Maybe in the future, I could start branching out into so other ‘superheroes’. He knew sothing was up the mont I stepped in. I didn’t explain anything to him, but he still just sat by my side as we listened to reruns of so ancient music on the radio. It was nice.
In his professional opinion, I need to take it easy for a while longer. Just sit back and relax. Enjoy the ti off while I had it and reject any gigs that seed like they would be taxing. It was obvious advice, ‘course. And I agreed. My next gig, whatever it may be, would have to be slow-played.
Basically, my key takeaway was to stay inside and locked up so nothing stressful would happen. For instance, my God-awful luck bitting in the ass again, and sothing like Inquisitor Strumgard showing up. It was a completely irrational fear. That was a one-in-a-million fluke last ti. Surely nothing similar would happen again, right?
Just as all breaks did though, mine ended with a call from Feras of all people. I really didn’t know what to expect as I picked up the phone. I hadn’t spoken to the guy since the last ti we ran together… so much for keeping up a friendship. Mira, you are still my best - and only - friend.
”Hello? Zuku?” He asked, his voice low as if he were trying not to be heard.
“Yeah?” I replied as I set down my latest variant of the Doctor Absolom figurine. This one had a built-in speaker that gave inspiring voice lines. I copied down Nael’s voice, with his permission of course, and ran it through an SAI so I could get it to say whatever I wanted, which was a fun project.
”Hey, you busy?” He asked, and in the distance, I could hear the chattering of voices. Young voices. What was going on?
”Not at the mont. You good, mikato?”
He coughed lightly and his voice filled out a bit more and returned mostly to normal as the sound of a door thumping ca across the speaker. “Nova… I’m in the middle of a gig. I could use so help, especially from soone of your shor- suprely beautiful stature given the circumstances.”
Weird. I could’ve sworn I almost heard a death wish. Must’ve been the wind. “What is it?”
”Look, can we et up and talk about it? This one is… tricky. I can’t crack it by myself. Pay is good though, in terms of gear and Rayn. You’ll get a fifteen thousand split. The client has even offered late-stage experintal gear too, stuff that won’t ever hit the market if you get my aning.” He said.
Ah, so good stuff then. The Rayn was good, about what I would expect from a dangerous or complicated type of gig. The gear was what was really promising though… I was always in need of so more gear.
I stared at the fifty cal in the corner covered up by a small blanket as I thought about his request. “Uh- yeah. We can et up. Big Mikes?”
”Sure! I’ll et you there… and I’ll bring along our other partner. He likes to eat, so he’ll love to co.” A third guy, huh? Another grifter perhaps? I can’t imagine another person as annoying and of similar looks to Feras. Still, a gig was a gig.
”And since this is a business eting, I can expect you to pay?” I asked cheerfully.
”Gah- look- fine. I’ll pay. Business expenses, I guess. In an hour?”
“Sure.”
——
I adjusted my Slashers hat, tucking my long, ssy ponytail under the brim. Unfortunately, I could never make a perfect ponytail and there were always loose locks and strands that blew into my face. Maybe it was about ti I cut it?
A small bell rang over the door, causing to look over. Unfortunately, it wasn’t anyone I knew. A gaggle of corporate drones slouched into Big Mike’s small restaurant, letting in a rogue breeze of pure humidity. Rain splattered to the ground around them as they headed for a booth.
I zoned out as I rested my head on the table, taking the opportunity to just sit back and relax as the coolness of the table radiated up through my skin. The table itself reeked of half-washed burger grease and burnt fries, but that did little to put off as I enjoyed the couple monts of silence.
Then the bell rang again as a new group entered. Feras stepped into the store, followed closely behind by a massive guy big enough to contest Big Mike. He looked way younger though, probably closer to my age.
I tiredly flopped a hand at the door. Feras imdiately nodded to and walked over, but his companion didn’t follow. Instead, he looked dead on towards Big Mike. Big Mike stared back at the guy as a weird energy filled the space between them. It was a challenge. A provocative dispute none but the two of them could understand.
Big Mike didn’t even hesitate as he moved faster than I’d ever seen him, firing up the grill in re monts as he started not one, not two, but five of his supermassive burgers. Only then did Feras’s friend seem to relax as he walked over to us with a cheerful smile on his face.
Feras smirked as he slid into the booth, the scared little boy act he used to pull nowhere in sight. Only calm confidence with a hint of excitent shown as he sat down opposite . “Hey, Zuku-”
His friend slamd down onto the booth’s seat, launching Feras against the window with a light thunk. “Oops… you alright there-”
I lifted my head off the table and leaned back into a more comfortable talking posture, the big guy going quiet as he looked at . Was there sothing on my face? I ran a hand behind my ear and tried to smile innocently at him, Honest Face kicking in as I adjusted my expressions to the perfect one.
Just as Feras peeled himself off the window, the big guy punched him hard in the arm. He fell black, splattering against it with a thunk twice as hard. His nose in particular hit the window hard.
“What the hell, Torren?” Feras cried as he recoiled from the window holding his nose.
”You didn’t tell -“ He glanced at then looked away. Then, he seed to compose himself and held out a aty paw towards . “Nice to et you, I’m Torren. Torren Schel.”
I hesitated for a mont before grabbing his hand. Rather, before his hand completely smothered mine as we shook. “N-nice to et you too… I’m Zuku.”
Feras leaned back towards the table, still rubbing at his face. “Torren here is our bruiser. If there’s a violent problem, he’ll fix it. A self-proclaid min-maxer.”
Min-maxer? What does he do? Min on exercise and max on food? “I feel safer already?”
“I get that a lot.” The big guy smiled broadly.
Feras snorted and shook his head as he motioned to . “Zuku is an… investigator, of sorts. And a thief, I think.”
I nodded my head. “So what’s this about?”
The table went silent for several monts as Big Mike walked over with several platters of burgers, a smirk on his face. Once more, Torren and Big Mike locked eyes, a conflict passing between them in a mont. This ti, Torren receded and accepted the burgers as Big Mike triumphantly smiled, showcasing a rather large gap between his two front teeth. Then, he strode away full of confidence as his blubber swayed.
Feras gave a critical look before shrugging. “Have you heard of SPS? Sentinel Private Schooling?”
“Um-“ I paused as I searched through my mory. “Not exactly. I’ve heard of corporate schools though. Why?”
“Recently, SPS has had a few… disappearances. Officially, they’ve been marked up as Savants and Scavs doing their filthy work. Unofficially, there wasn’t a proper investigation in the first place.” Feras sent a ssage which my PA promptly pulled into my HUD. There were twelve nas on a list.
Torren gulped down a burger easily. “The corpos are too busy sticking their heads up their asses- err, rears to give it a proper investigation.” He spoke, his voice surprisingly clean. I was half expecting him to be more… thuggy. “Which is where we co in.”
Feras frowned at the other guy. “I was getting to that… our client is concerned about their daughter, Quora Kalis. Hence they hired . I managed to track down their daughter’s disappearance to be potentially related to the other eleven disappearances at SPS.”
”And then you got stuck?” It made sense. Instead of continuing to ram his head into a wall, he headed to , an actual person sowhat skilled in investigation. Grifting can only go so far.
”Chek chek… Listen the pay isn’t all that great for sothing as dangerous as infiltrating a corporate school. That being said, the client has offered all new corporate identities to use.” Feras glanced around. “As well as so cool tech.”
I get why he wanted to bring into the fold, but what about this Torren guy? Why did he need a bruiser? It was just a school- oh. Right, a school. It suddenly made plenty of sense. I was only in the school system for a couple years back before my parents died, but I rember it being dreadful…
”What’s this tech?” Torren asked as he shoved another slice of burger into his maw. He didn't know? Was Feras bringing him in at the sa ti as ?
Feras glanced around at the people in Big Mike’s and lowered his voice. “They call it shock troop padding. Basically, it's a set of pads that can bleed off montum, allowing for a slower fall.”
Damn, that was impressive. Already scenarios ran through my head of all the ways I could use sothing like that. Falls from high buildings after a heist or so, etching similar would beco a viable escape. It would be invaluable in the cityscape.
“And the ID’s?” I asked. I wouldn’t mind adding another identity to my growing roster.
“Solid through and through. I’ve been told that they will hold up under any level of scrutiny, and so far mine held up.” Ah, so Feras has already been established in the school long enough to test the ID… has it really been that long since I talked to him?
“Sounds fun. I’m in.” Torren said as he finished the last slice of burger, neither Feras nor I getting a bite to eat from the lot. He lifted his head triumphantly, what looked to be a gloating look on his face.
Off behind the counter, Big Mike watched us with a fire in his eyes. He didn’t say anything, just grabbed his spatula and headed for the stove.
“I’m in too, I guess…”
Feras smiled brightly. “Perfect! Your first day of school is in three days. The client will get the IDs in one.”
I sighed as I rested my head back on the table. I guess sumr was over then. It was ti to head back to school.
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