I rolled up to a stoplight. I’d managed to get a sleek sports bike without too many issues. The vendor I went to—one of Arc System’s again—looked the other way when I doubled the Nytes. Nothing should track back to me. My face was covered, I paid with a shard, and I left nothing that might point to me.

  Unfortunately, I was well and truly wiped. Enough so that I only bought one coffee on my way out with Meal Chips. It was truly a disaster. That’d be changing soon though, one way or another. If this didn’t work out, I might have to go up some Warden for their Meal Chips. Night Halo, if I could find them.

  The light blinked green up ahead. I revved the engine and swerved into an alley. I pulled out my Glass and check the address. This should be it, yep? The package was up there.

  I was right next to a massive windowless tower. It’d be a quick in and out… probably be fine to leave the bike here for a few minutes? Hmm… just in case, I covered the bike’s shiny bits in a slim layer of Ebonshroud. It blended into the darkness of the alley much better this way. Out of sight, out of mind and all of that.

  According to the client, they were already expecting me. Everything should already be unlocked and ready. They requested I went through the back entrance though, hence parking in the alley.

  A worker stood by the door, smoking something from a tube. A shattered brick stuffed into the door kept it propped open. I nodded to him and moved for the door. “…”

  He waved a careless hand, the tube trailing colorful smoke from its tip. “Want a hit?”

  I shook my head. Most drugs didn’t work on me anyway. Even if they did, the effects didn’t sound appealing. “Work.”

  “Ah… your loss.” He shrugged ant took another puff. Multicolored trails left his nostrils. The worker’s face twisted in absolute rapture and a moan leaked from his lips.

  I entered the building, striding past workers loading a massive freight elevator. The warehouses in this section of the city were massive stacking structures, each floor housing several of the cavernous spaces. Limitations of space forced innovation in how they were set up. Nothing like the warehouses back home.

  The package awaited in warehouse 11-5, up eleven floors from here. I moved up a set of stairs, climbing the eleven stories. It was request of the client to avoid the elevators. Eleven floors here though? They were probably closer to forty-four stories elsewhere considering the size of each floor.

  I was in shape, so it wasn’t the end of the world to get up to the right floor, but it was a little tiring. I stepped out into a hall running between the warehouses on this floor. A massive crane moved along the roof, carting freight to one of the warehouses.

  A group of PMCs stood around outside one of the warehouses, guarding the incoming freight. Was this the one? They were supposed to be expecting me, yep? One of the PMCs stepped forward, tightening the grip on his rifle. “Move along.”

  ”…” I waved a hand and moved on by. That was warehouse 11-4. One more down.

  I walked down the hall, turning at the junction- ah, there it was. The warehouse doors stood slightly cracked, though no one guarded them. I pushed open the door slightly, peeking around them. Still no one. Just an almost entirely empty warehouse. The massive space felt unusually heavy being so empty, like the maw of a giant beast.

  A table stood in the middle with a flickering light shining down onto it. Two briefcases sat on the table—both black. This was it? Who exactly was supposed to be expecting me? There was no one here…

  Or maybe the client just meant the door would be open. Didn’t really matter. The package was right there anyway. I walked across to the table, grabbed the briefcases, and backed out of the room. It was just as long of a walk down the stairs as it was up them.

  Once back down, I headed out to my bike. Still where I left it in one piece. I pulled the Ebonshroud back into myself, draining away the tar like substance. It did its job. No one drove off with my precious rental.

  It’d started raining at some point. I pulled my hoodie tighter around myself and pulled out onto the street. Ugh- I should’ve gotten a car even if I couldn’t drive one. I probably would have figured it out. The water slowly soaked into my hoodie. If I was wearing actual cloth, it would’ve been an issue. Slight control of Ebonshroud allowed me to forced the water out every time it felt damp.

  So much for being dangerous… What had the client mean by that? I was in more danger suffocating on smog than I was of getting an injury from this… unless the item I was carrying was the source of the danger? Hmm…

  I drove through Aegis easily, only slowing down for the lights. Pedestrians got off the streets as the heavy rain intensified, and those that stayed were few and far between. Even the vehicles became more and more sparse. BAM must’ve called for high etheric pressure to cause even the number of cars to drop. No one wanted to get sucked into a rift by accident.

  An uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest. A familiar one. My instincts practically screamed to prepare myself. Why- ambush? Was there an ambush? I hesitated for a mere-

  Sirens erupted behind me, followed by the thunderous roar of engines. High beams from behind bounced erraticly, though they were overpowered by blinding blue and red lights flashing across the neon-soaked pavement.

  A loud voice called out over an intercom. “Pull over now!”

  I glanced at the handlebar mirror, catching the insignia of the CDF on the chasing vehicles. They were Throne’s law enforcement, a step below Enforcers. Quite a few of them tailed behind me too. Was this the danger? I guess it was right up my alley as an Anarch to get in trouble with the law at some-

  [Nighteye shouts a warning!]

  Rat-a-tat-tat!

  Gunfire suddenly erupted from behind me, let loose by a shooter leaning out of the vehicles in hot pursuit. I weaved between cars, throwing off the gunner’s aim. Bullets flung up the street, hitting into cars and shattering windows. Wind whooshed as I pushed the throttle as far as it would go.

  Muzzle flashes colored the street orange, creating even more startling colors. Cars, scared by the bright lights of the CDF, pulled off to the sides. The street suddenly opened up, reducing the amount of cover I could hide behind. Likewise, it removed the obstacles keeping me from speeding through the streets.

  I hunched low, tilting the bike to avoid the trajectory of bullets. Lead constantly poured down the street toward me. At this rate, it was only a matter of time till-

  A stray bullet caught my arm. The impact jerked me, throwing off the handlebars. I barely managed to get control of the vehicle enough to pull up into the sidewalk and block the trajectory once more. As if nothing happened, I sped up further down the streets of Bastion.

  Ebonshroud reacted instantly as soon as I was hit, patching up the wound so no blood leaked out. It flowed over the wound, obscuring it entirely. I controlled a portion to likewise drift down over the body and cover the tires in a protective layer so they wouldn’t be popped.

  [Nighteye’s tail twitches in worry. Is your arm okay?]

  I think… though, it’d be bad to take too many more hits like that. I still wasn’t super used to bikes. They were much easier than horses, but also much easier to mess up with. Would be particularly troubling if I flipped. Hydroplaning was a concern too, right? It was an issue with the auto-carriages of Serhymn, so I imagine its an issue with these too.

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  I weaved in front of a parked truck, taking advantage of the momentary break in sight lines. The black ooze flooded out of my back, covering me in an ultra-thin protective layer. Such a thin layer? Normally not enough to stop a bullet. I’d have to make plates or break layers to get that effect.

  My newest and only Skill came into play, though. Etheric Reinforcement forced ether through the substance, boosting the Trait’s capabilities. Whereas the Basic Ether series only boosted one weapon, Etheric Reinforcement could be used on anything. That’s why I was so attracted to it to begin with. It slowly drew on my Ether supply, but I could probably hold it for a while without much trouble.

  The flashing lights of Bastion’s Containment and Defense Force flicked behind me. A spray of metal caught me square in the back. The bullets sunk in slightly, peppering me with light impacts. They failed to pierce though, dropping harmlessly into the rain soaked street.

  My bike hit a pothole, bouncing crazily. With my body protected, my focus shifted to my arm. I carefully controlled Ebonshroud. The substance sunk further into my flesh, encasing the bullet stuck in my muscles. It plucked it out, blocking any blood from leaking out. The bullet dropped down into my hoodie pocket, hiding even a scrap of evidence that could link to me.

  Another burst of fire lit up my bike, sparking along the body of the vehicle. The Ebonshroud on my tires were peppered by the impacts. Something needed to change. I couldn’t keep going like this. I was already not used to driving, but with a chase too? I spotted an opportunity up ahead to change things up.

  I shifted, throwing my full body weight to the side. The bike drifted, tires squeezing against the wet pavement in a failed attempt to find purchase. Ebonshroud flowed down, creating a brace over my knees that scraped against the ground and forced the bike to remain stable. The Ebonshroud on the tires turned into spikes, barely finding purchase with the sharp turn.

  My pinpoint angle change send me flying down a thin alley. The cars screeched to a halt behind me, incapable of fitting through the gap. More bullets lanced through the thin alleyway. By the time they got an angle I was anlready out, pulling into a different street. I found refuge for a brief moment and passed into Olton.

  The structural differences made the change of district apparent as the architecture turned much more ancient. Gothic spires rose into the air, and stone bricks became the predominant building block.

  [Nighteye covers her eyes with her paws. Behind you!]

  With the advanced warning, I drifted down a different alleyway. The scene repeated a few times, Nighteye watching my back each time. Only by my abuse of alleyways did I manage to keep ahead. Even then, it was only a matter of time until they caught up with me at this rate.

  How were they following me? Tracker? Where- the cases? It’s the only thing that would make sense. I hesitated for a moment, pulling to a halt next to an overflowing trash bin.

  I withdrew the briefcases, checking them over. No tracker was apparently visible… but it could be built into the cases themselves. Or maybe some kind of magic? I sensed ether from within the case, so maybe. I popped open the cases, finding hundreds of small vials within.

  Drugs? Maybe? The liquid glowed faintly in shades of purple. Ether radiated from each of the vials. I covered them in a thin layer of Ebonshroud, easily plucking each of the vials out. I tossed the empty cases into the trash bin. If that’s how they were tracking me, then it wouldn’t be much of a problem anymore, yep?

  Ebonshroud flowed, draining out of me. Two black steel briefcases formed, the best I could manage to make in my rush. Not quite like the originals, but the client wouldn’t care. They made it perfectly clear all they cared about was the goods arriving safely.

  I moved, cutting down a different dim alley crisscrossing through my path. I pulled out onto a side street, merging into traffic and slowed down to a normal speed. Subtle manipulations of Ebonshroud changed my outline and the bike’s shape to something that wouldn’t be recognized. This time, no other CDF vehicles came to give chase. There were more than a few speeding down the street back towards the alley, though they didn’t notice little ole me.

  I let out a breath, wiggling my arm. The bullet hole pulled weirdly, but it wasn’t too big of an issue. Etheric Reinforcement dropped and the thin layer of Ebonshroud flowed back into my skin. The hole in my hoodie patched itself, hiding the formation of a simple black bandage underneath.

  When I got back, I really needed to research guns for situations like this. Ugh- I hoped Kali didn’t see the injury. She got super worried whenever I came back bloodied… or Lucia, for that matter. I had a feeling the girl might also raise some concerns.

  I was planning on taking Dew soon, so maybe I should just do it tonight? Heal up quickly? Kali said she’d be out tonight, yep? Would be the perfect time. I’d learned not to take Dew around her after the first time she came at me like a hound. Her nose was just too strong when it came to blood. I managed to cover it up back then, but I couldn’t risk it again.

  Without the group of CDF chasing me, the danger of the job dropped exponentially. Enforcers roared passed me, joining the search. No one noticed me though. I got lost in the crowd, and I didn’t stand out much more than anyone else without a tracker. I was just another civilian on my way somewhere, yep. Definitely not the Anarch they were hunting.

  I ignored it all, casually driving to my destination. It was a towering apartment complex with an underground parking garage built into the basement. I drove down into it, parking my bike in a delivery spot near the elevator.

  I stretched out, popped my back, and dismounted. I checked my Glass once more, ensuring I had all the intel memorized and snagged my cases. This was the drop off place. I moved into the elevator alongside a pizza delivery guy. He had six massive bags full of boxes.

  ”Floor?” The guy asked, the scent of the pizza pulling at my stomach.

  ”Seven. Three.” I eyed the boxes of pizza everywhere. Someone was having a party.

  The guy nodded and hit two buttons. His delivery was just above mine on the hundred and eleventh floor. The scent of pizza tantalized my nose. We didn’t have it back home, but it really was a masterwork of food.

  I should get some on the way back- ugh, wait, not if I was planning on taking Dew tonight. I’d just be throwing it all back up anyway… hmm… Lucia would probably like it though, yep? I was about to get paid anyway, so I could stop. I could always eat leftovers tomorrow.

  Before long the elevator dinged, letting me out. I found my destination, set down the briefcases, and knocked on the door of an apartment.

  A modulated voice quietly called out and movement flashed in the eyehole. “Who’s there?”

  “Nyx.”

  A moment later, the door clicked open. The apartment beyond was incredibly dark. The holowindow was fully shut-off, and the only light came from flashing advertisements running unendingly along the holographic crown molding. They were mostly out of sight, though omnipresent.

  The apartment was completely barren as if someone had just moved in. Three chromed out brutes stood along the back of the room, heavy guns held in their hands. Tac-armor covered all of them. A fourth walked just ahead of me having just answered the door.

  A small, rat-like- wait, no, he was actually a ratman. One of the faunite, I think. His whiskers twitched erratically as he stood before me, cloak covering his hunched form. Beady eyes dipped to the briefcases before jumping to my mask. His voice came out a high squeak. “Have what Shrix wants, yes-yes?”

  “Yep.” I lifted the two briefcases and eyed the five. I didn’t feel a betrayal coming, but I still kept my guard high just in case. Ebonshroud flowed down through my arms just in case.

  [Nighteye licks her teeth and she glances at the client.]

  Eww… keep that to yourself. It wasn’t cannibalism—I’d seen enough of that to be intimately aware of the nuances—but still. Talking about eating another sapient? It was a bit...

  [Nighteye shrugs. Ratman- rat- all the same really. Fine though. Popcorn was good enough.]

  Thank you… besides, could Stars even eat? What even are you? A mortal creature like me- wait, bad example. Like a human? Or some kind of fourth dimensional entity looking down on the third dimension? I waited for a response. None ever came. Guess the Miix Guardian Star didn’t want to talk about it.

  Shrix nodded to the guards. Two approached, dropping their weapons into slings and moved for the cases. I handed them over easily and stuffed my hands into my hoodie pockets.

  The two brutes popped open the briefcases, showing the glowing purple vials. The ratman ran a hand- paw? He ran his claws over the vials, rapidly tallying them up. Shrix seemed to caress one for a moment before nodding his head.

  The two brutes transferred the vials into different cases that sat off to the side, tossing the briefcases back to me. I hesitated for a moment and then picked them back up. Looked like they knew there would be trackers in that case…

  Now that I thought about it, this definitely wasn’t a courier job in the first place, was it? With the CDF involved… I probably interrupted a sting operation, yep?

  The ratman waved a paw and stepped forward. A shard seemed to teleport into his claws in a feat of dexterity. “Appreciations.”

  ”…!” I took the offered chip, checking it with my Glass. Twenty thousand Nytes, all here. I glanced up to the five once more and then headed for the door.

  The chittering voice of the ratman came from behind me. ”Nyx? We do more trade-things soon, yes-yes? Shrix pays well-well.”

  “…” I glanced over my shoulder toward the ratman, shrugging lightly. It’d depend if he made another contract that caught my attention, though I don’t see myself taking jobs for Lotus all that often.

  Besides that, although the pay was okay, I wasn’t a fan of the deception. Could’ve just said that this all was a robbery and not a courier job. No point for the deception. What if someone took it thinking it was a courier job and failed because they weren’t prepared? It was just a short sighted thing to do.

  I left the apartment and headed back down to the bike. Thankfully, there were only a few bullet holes. My new pay should be able to handle all of that just fine… hopefully. Arc’s vendors seemed to be very accommodating as long as I had the Nytes.

  The bike’s engine rumbled deeply and I pulled back out onto the streets. Oh, would you look at that? The rain stopped.