Chapter 6: Quick ride

The apartment hummed with the sound of Sarah's self-repair protocols, her left arm's synth-skin peeling back to reveal sparking circuitry.

Miles lounged on the couch, grease-stained pizza box balanced on his lap, watching the holographic bounty board projected above their coffee table.

*Payment Received: 85,000 Credits – BILLY'S BOYS CONTRACT COMPLETE.*

Sarah smirked, her right hand deftly reattaching a damaged servo, "Not bad for a warm-up." She flicked her wrist, and four new bounties materialized in the air:

1. **The Ghost of Neon Docks** – *250,000cr* (Alive)

2. **Kira the Botanist & Her Tox-Men** – *190,000cr* (Dead or Alive) + **Spaceship Reward**

3. **The Data Vampire** – *300,000cr* (Alive, No Questions)

4. **Rust District Riots** – *70,000cr* (Quell Uprising)

Miles whistled, "Spaceship, huh?"

Sarah's optics zoomed in on Kira's file.

A woman with vine-like cybernetic tattoos stared back, flanked by hulking figures with green veins, "Genetically altered humans. Tox-Men. Their sweat alone melts steel."

She tapped her chin, "But a ship means off-world travel. I don't mind the apartment but living on a space ship sounds like my cup of tea."

Miles wiped pizza grease on his pants, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That we finally get a bedroom with zero-gravity settings? The things I can do to you-"

Miles snapped his finger to snap her back to reality, "That we take the job." He tossed her a slice of his remaining pizza that landed directly on her face, "Calm down girl."

Sarah rolled her eyes before taking the pizza off her face, sealing a ruptured line, "I need three days. Tox-Men aren't street thugs—they're walking bioweapons. I'll scout their compound, hack their security, maybe turn their own plants against them."

Miles stood, stretching, "Then I'll let you work your magic."

He grabbed his hoverboard, "Gonna clear my head." He said.

Sarah didn't look up, already knee-deep in schematics, "Try not to pick fights without me."

---

(Flashback)

"[Redacted], you going to leave your family behind, huh. We grow up in these streets fighting what's right and you think it right that you get an out." Said a bloody black hair man.

Pointing his gun at [Redacted].

[Redacted] hold out his pistol, aiming directly at the bloody companion, "This life wasn't meant for us. We were kids put on this line of work to serve other people interested. Don't you get it, we disposable pawns. That's why I want to leave."

The man looked at [Redacted]. Anger filled his eyes, "That android change you. It took the man I called my brother away from me. It took a true soldier who only want to die for his people. And turn him into a coward." Slowly walking forward as blue electric statics around him.

"If you go near her, then I gladly get rid of my last remaining family." Said [Redacted] as red statics of electric spark around him.

(End of Flashback)

Miles looked towards the horizon as he flew around on his board.

The wind drowned out the city's noise, leaving only the hum of anti-grav coils.

Then a shadow pulled alongside him.

"Nice board," a voice called.

A man in a frayed leather jacket rode parallel, his hoverboard customized with jagged decals, "How fast can it go."

Miles grinned, "Wanna find out."

The stranger didn't wait.

His board lurched forward, weaving through traffic with reckless grace.

Miles kicked his thrusters to max, the G-force pressing against his chest as he ducked under a cargo drone.

They zigzagged past skyscrapers, neither gaining ground until—

**THUNK**

Both boards slammed onto a rooftop landing pad at the same time. Miles' boots skidded on concrete.

The stranger yanked off his hoodie, revealing sharp features and black hair streaked with neon blue, "Zero," he said, offering a fist.

Miles bumped it, "Miles."

Zero smirked, "Not everyday you see people who fly around on hoverboard. You new or something."

"Yup, me and my wife move. Never thought the day someone challenge me to a race." Miles leaned on his board.

Zero laughed, pulling a flask from his jacket. "Drink?"

Miles hesitated—then took it. He knew that if something happens to his body, then a detoxification software will start.

The liquor taste like coffee champagne.

"You race often?" Zero asked.

"Every once in while. If someone challenge me then I'm down to it." Miles replied.

"Good. Then you'll be free tomorrow." Zero tossed him a contact chip. "I know a place outside the Dome. No traffic cams. No rules."

Miles turned the chip over, "Giving your number after the first date. You must really wanna hangout."

Zero's laughs before replying, "Well you seem like a chill guy. Besides, not many people use hoverboard in this city."

He remounted his board, "You in or not?"

Miles pocketed the chip, "Don't cry when I win."

As Zero vanished into the skyline, Miles' comm buzzed. Sarah's voice crackled:

*"Found Kira's lab. You'll wanna see this."*

A photo loaded: A greenhouse fortress, its glass walls crawling with bioluminescent thorns. And inside—something that looked *nothing* like the file's photo.

Miles exhaled, "My my, this is going to be worrisome."