Tipping Point

"Nice to meet yo—"

Evryn was abruptly cut off by the man Helaine had been arguing with earlier.

"This is no time for a damn reunion." His voice was gruff, his expression twisted with frustration as he glared at the group. He turned his focus back to Helaine, jabbing a thick finger toward her. "I don't know what kind of backup you think you've got now, but it doesn't change a damn thing. You're not getting it unless you pay what I'm asking."

Helaine's red eyes burned with annoyance. "You're out of your damn mind if you think I'm paying that much for something that's barely even functional."

The man scoffed, crossing his arms. "It works fine, and you know it. If you don't like the price, then get the hell out."

Cyrus let out a low whistle, rocking back on his heels with an amused smirk. "Man, you really know how to treat a customer, huh? Got a secret business strategy I should know about?"

The shopkeeper glared at him. "You buying something or just here to run your mouth?"

"Mostly the second one." Cyrus grinned, hands still resting on his belt. "But I gotta admit, this is kinda entertaining."

Razek, sensing where this was going, raised his hands. "Alright, let's just take it easy," he said with a nervous chuckle. "No need to turn this into an all-out war over… whatever it is we're even fighting about."

Helaine shot him a glare, clearly unimpressed. "Not helping."

Evryn, meanwhile, just watched with mild amusement. Was negotiating really that hard for them?

He stepped forward, placing a light hand on Helaine's shoulder—not forcefully, just enough to get her attention. She tensed for a second, her irritation flickering toward him, but he offered a casual smirk before turning to the shopkeeper.

"Look, man, I get it." His voice was smooth, easygoing. "You've got to make a profit. But let's be real here—this thing's been sitting on your shelf for how long now?" He gestured toward the item, his tone shifting into something effortless, as if he were simply pointing out the obvious. "No one else has bought it. No one else is going to buy it. That price you're asking? No one's gonna pay that much, and you know it."

The man's glare didn't soften, but Evryn caught the briefest hesitation.

He pressed on

"Tell you what—cut her a fair deal. You get some cash in your pocket, she gets what she came for, and we all walk out of here happy. Otherwise…" He let his gaze flick to the other customers watching. "…this little scene keeps getting louder, and we both know that's bad for business."

The shopkeeper exhaled sharply through his nose, his posture easing ever so slightly. He looked at Helaine, then back at Evryn, before finally grumbling, "Fine. I'll knock off twenty percent. But that's it."

Helaine crossed her arms, still glaring. "You should've done that from the start."

"You should've known how to haggle," the man shot back.

Evryn just shook his head. "There. Wasn't that easy?" He turned to Helaine, lowering his voice with a teasing smirk. "See? No need to punch him in the throat."

She huffed but didn't argue.

Cyrus clapped Evryn on the shoulder. "Damn, kid. If I'd known you were this good, I would've wanted to meet you sooner and let you do all my talking back then for me."

Razek gave a thumbs-up behind Evryn's back, whispering, "Smooth, my guy. Real smooth."

As the transaction was finalized, Evryn's mind drifted for a moment. This kind of thing had always come naturally to him—getting his way with people, knowing when to push and when to ease off. Growing up in a place where words often decided whether you walked away with a full stomach or empty pockets, he'd learned fast. People weren't that complicated.

Evryn glanced at his group, watching how Helaine was still simmering, how Cyrus was having way too much fun, and how Razek had no idea what to do.

It's really not that hard to talk to people. How have they survived this long?

As they stepped out of the shop, the tense air from the earlier argument had mostly faded, replaced by the distant hum of city noise and neon lights flickering overhead. Helaine walked a few steps ahead, arms crossed, her expression still tight. For a moment, it seemed like she wasn't going to say anything at all.

Then, without looking at him, she muttered, "You didn't have to do that."

Evryn, hands in his pockets, arched a brow. "You're welcome."

Helaine exhaled through her nose, shaking her head. "That's not—I mean…" She hesitated, then finally glanced his way. "Thanks."

Her voice was softer this time, missing its usual sharp edge. It was a small thing, but Evryn could tell it wasn't easy for her to say. He smirked.

"You make it sound like pulling teeth."

She shot him a glare, but there was no real fire behind it. "Don't push it."

Cyrus snickered behind them. "Damn, she can be nice."

Helaine groaned, rubbing her temples. "I take it back."

Razek just chuckled, relieved the tension had finally faded.

Evryn glanced at the item they got for a discount, feeling a little smug.

With that, they left the shop.

The walk back was quieter than usual, the distant hum of speeders and neon signs buzzing overhead filling the silence between them. Helaine hadn't said much, though she kept sneaking glances at Evryn, as if debating whether to say something. Cyrus, on the other hand, was uncharacteristically tense.

As they neared their alleyway, he suddenly slowed his steps.

"Hold up," he muttered, his eyes scanning the dimly lit path ahead.

Evryn barely took another step before Cyrus threw an arm out, stopping them just short of entering.

"Something's off."

Razek furrowed his brows. "You sure?"

Cyrus didn't answer immediately. His hand hovered near his gun, gaze sharp as he studied their surroundings.

Evryn exhaled, already feeling the shift in the air. The alley was too quiet. No distant chatter, no footsteps echoing from the other side. Just an unnatural stillness that made his skin prickle.

Helaine tensed beside him, instinctively shifting her stance. "What do we do?" she whispered.

Evryn glanced at Cyrus. "Yeah, what's the call?"

Cyrus didn't respond right away. Then, after a beat, his voice came low and firm.

"We get ready for company."

As they neared the alleyway, Cyrus suddenly stopped.

Evryn barely had time to process it before he heard the shift in his breathing—a quiet, sharp inhale, like someone just realizing they stepped into a trap.

Then Evryn saw it.

Their hideout was wrecked. The door hung off its hinges, smoke still curling from the frame. Their belongings were strewn across the ground—some kicked aside, others deliberately destroyed.

Helaine tensed beside him. "What the hell…"

And then came the footsteps. Slow. Confident. The kind that belonged to someone who wanted to be heard.

Figures emerged from the shadows—five, maybe six—but it was the man at the front who caught Evryn's attention. He had that kind of smug, self-satisfied grin that meant nothing good.

"Well, well," the man said, spreading his arms. "Look what the hell we have here."

Cyrus exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. "Can't say I missed you, Quinn."

Evryn didn't need the full story to get the picture. This was personal.

Quinn chuckled. "Yeah, I figured you'd be thrilled to see me." He gestured lazily to the officers standing behind him, their hands resting near their weapons but not drawing them. Yet. "See, I got myself a real nice deal these days. Playing by the rules. And lucky for me, the rules say there's a price on your head."

Evryn glanced at Cyrus. Bounty. Of course.

Quinn grinned. "Hand yourselves over, and maybe I'll convince them not to shoot you full of holes before we get to the station."

Evryn subtly took stock of their options. Fighting was a bad call—too many of them, not enough space. Running? Not much better. The moment they turned, they'd be gunned down.

His fingers twitched at his side. Not good.

"So," Quinn went on, "what's it gonna be?"

I need to stall this guy. Hopefully, the others catch on and come up with a plan. Evryn thought. *If I make this drag out just a little longer, maybe we'll get an opening. Or maybe they already see it—I just have to buy them time.

Evryn tilted his head slightly. "You're really doing this by the book now?" he asked, like the thought was genuinely amusing.

Quinn snorted. "Gotta make a living somehow. And turning you in? That's a real nice payday."

Evryn nodded, like he was actually considering it. "Right. So you're working with the cops now." He let his gaze flick lazily between the officers, then back to Quinn. "Guess that means you're not in charge anymore."

Quinn's jaw ticked. Not enough to break composure, but enough to tell Evryn he got to him.

Evryn kept his expression cool, but inwardly, he was watching Cyrus closely. Come on, old man. I'm buying you time—figure something out.

Because there was no talking their way out of this.

They just had to survive it.

Cyrus exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "Quinn, you always did have a way of running your mouth."

Quinn smirked. "Yeah? And you always had a way of running from your problems."

Cyrus chuckled lowly, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. "Maybe. But you forgot something about me."

Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

Cyrus moved fast. In one smooth motion, he flicked something small from his pocket—a compact device no bigger than a coin. Before Quinn could react, Cyrus crushed it between his fingers.

A sharp, high-pitched whine filled the alley.

Evryn's vision blurred for a second as a powerful disruptive pulse rippled through the air. The streetlights flickered—then burst. The police comms crackled with static. Sparks danced along their weapons.

One of the officers cursed. "EMP—!"

Cyrus didn't wait. "Move!"

Evryn didn't need to be told twice.

The moment the lights went out, the alley erupted into chaos. Officers shouted, struggling with weapons that refused to fire. Quinn swore loudly, trying to regain control of the situation.

But Evryn and the others were already gone.

Ducking into the shadows, they took off, weaving through the side streets while the city buzzed with confusion.

After a few blocks, they finally slowed, slipping into an abandoned building to catch their breath.

Helaine leaned against the wall, inhaling sharply. "What the hell was that?"

Cyrus smirked, dusting off his coat. "Insurance."

Evryn huffed out a breath, shaking his head. "Y'know, you could've used that before we walked into a damn ambush."

Cyrus grinned. "Wouldn't have been as fun."

Evryn rolled his eyes. Of course he'd say that.

***

A heavy silence filled the room. No one spoke. The weight of everything that had just happened pressed down on them like a suffocating fog.

Then—BAM!

Cyrus slammed his fist against the wall, his knuckles stinging from the impact. His jaw clenched tight, his fists trembling at his sides. "Damn it!" he snarled, his voice raw with frustration. Everything—his home, his belongings, his scripts—gone.

He took a sharp breath, exhaling slowly as if trying to pull himself back from the edge.

Evryn broke the silence. "What's the plan? We can't stay in the city anymore. Your place is gone. Not only are we wanted by the police, but we also have bounties on our heads."

Cyrus ran a hand through his hair, still fuming but forcing himself to focus. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you. There's a shipyard not far from here. We can probably take one of the ships and get off this damned planet."

Evryn raised a brow. "You even know how to fly?"

Cyrus shot him a glare. "Of course I know how to fly, damn it. You think after all these years, I wouldn't have piloted at least one ship?"

Helaine let out a sharp scoff from where she leaned against the window frame, arms crossed. "Stealing a ship in a heavily monitored yard? Yeah, that's a genius plan. What's next? Waving a big neon sign that says 'Hey, authorities, we're right here'?"

Cyrus shot her a look, still simmering from his outburst. "You got a better idea?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't answer.

Razek, sitting on a rusted metal crate, stretched his arms behind his head. "Well, if we are gonna get caught, might as well make it exciting. Maybe we'll get our faces on the news—real infamous, like." He smirked, trying to lighten the mood, but no one seemed to appreciate it.

Helaine exhaled sharply, pushing off the wall. "If we're doing this, we need to move now before the city locks down."

Cyrus sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah. Let's get to it."