NEON

The Neon Veil pulsed with low, steady bass, the air thick with smoke and the tang of synthetic liquor. Shadows flickered against neon signs, conversations murmuring beneath the music like an unspoken code only the regulars could decipher.

The underground bar was Arkadia-7—no, Outer District's best-kept secret. A neutral ground for anyone who knew how to play by its rules.

Myst kept close to Echo and Nyx as they navigated through the crowded space. Her hood was drawn up, but the dim lighting did little to conceal the tension in her shoulders.

This was her first time in the Veil, and while she didn't feel entirely out of place, she felt...watched.

"You'll get used to it," Echo said, casually leaning against the bar as he waved down the bartender. "It's the safest unsafe place in the city."

"Meaning?" Myst asked, scanning around.

"Meaning no one's gonna stab you in here," Nyx clarified, sliding onto a stool. "Outside? Well...can't make promises."

Myst exhaled, trying to shake the feeling creeping up her spine. She wasn't sure if it was just nerves or something else.

Across the room, Flux lingered by the entrance. He hadn't spoken to her much since they'd arrived, but she could feel his gaze flicker toward her before shifting away. She couldn't tell if he was avoiding her or just caught in his own thoughts.

Cipher, on the other hand, was unreadable. Seated at a corner table, his fingers idly tapped against a data pad, though Myst knew he was watching everything—including her.

Then, a shift happened.

A stray whisper. A name, slipping from the lips of some trader haggling over stolen code. It was barely audible beneath the music, but the effect was immediate.

A lone figure at the far end of the bar stiffened.

Myst didn't see them at first, but she felt it—the way the air around them seemed to pull taut. The bounty hunter wasn't dressed like a threat. No heavy armor, no visible weapons. Just someone blending in.

But their eyes lingered on her for a second too long.

Myst turned away, forcing herself to focus on Echo's chatter, but it was too late.

The hunter moved.

They weren't reckless. Just a careful approach, slipping through the crowd with practiced ease. They were closing in, and The Clan was only just catching on.

Flux noticed first. He straightened, pushing off the wall, his posture shifting from relaxed to alert. Cipher's fingers stilled on his data pad. Even Nyx, mid-sip of a drink, shot a glance toward the approaching figure.

The bounty hunter stopped a few paces away, just close enough that Myst could see the subtle modifications beneath their skin—small cybernetic nodes along their fingers, the faintest sight of an optic enhancement beneath the hood.

Then, a low voice. "Didn't think I'd see you breathing again."

A grin stretched across Echo's face, but his eyes were sharp. "Funny thing about the Veil... the place doesn't like trouble."

The air thickened between them. A choice lingered, unspoken.

Before Myst could react, the hunter's hand twitched. A sudden, sharp motion.

A knife flashed.

But Flux was faster.

He moved before the blade could reach Myst, grabbing her by the arm and yanking her back. The knife skimmed past, catching the edge of her sleeve.

In an instant, the bar erupted into chaos.

Echo threw his drink, slamming it onto the bounty hunter's arm, knocking the knife loose. Nyx pivoted, kicking the stool toward them, forcing distance. The hunter recovered quickly, shifting stance, reaching for something else—a concealed firearm? A stun rod?

Cipher's data pad blinked with rapid commands. The lights flickered. A localized EMP disrupted nearly all electronics inside the bar. The hunter's cybernetics stuttered for half a second.

It was enough.

Flux lunged, grappling the bounty hunter, their movements sharp and desperate. They crashed into a table, sending glasses shattering to the ground.

Myst staggered back, heart pounding, mind racing. She had to do something.

The hunter twisted free, pulling a backup weapon—a compact energy pistol. Aimed directly at her.

Myst's breath caught.

Flux didn't hesitate. He backed away from the hunter and stepped in front of her, shielding her just as a shot fired. The sound rang out, but the shot missed.

Nyx had thrown a blade, knocking the pistol off course. Echo was already moving, driving the hunter back toward the exit, fists flying. Cipher muttered a curse, fingers flying across his screen as he tried to hijack whatever system they were running on.

The bounty hunter was fast, but outnumbered. They knew it.

A sudden turn and they broke free of the fight, stumbling toward the door. The crowd had already parted, knowing better than to get involved. The hunter's breath came ragged, one arm clutching their side where a blow had landed.

They hesitated just before vanishing into the night, their gaze locking onto Myst one last time. Then they were gone.

Silence dawned in the aftermath. The music slowly crept back, the bar resuming its rhythm as though nothing had happened. The regulars almost whispering with each other.

Myst's hands curled into fists. Her heart still pounded, her skin prickling with adrenaline.

Flux let out a slow breath, glancing down at her sleeve. "You alright?"

Myst let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her eyes flickered to the door.

Echo clicked his tongue. "Well. That's gonna be a problem."

Cipher muttered something under his breath, already pulling up data on his screen. Nyx picked up whatever the hunter left in the Veil while the crew cleans the mess they made.

The bounty hunter had come for her.

And next time, they might not come alone.