The room flickered with static blue light as the holo-screen displayed a sharp-eyed news anchor perched atop a glowing desk.
"Breaking update from Neo-Pelt Enforcement: TYE ROME — former Labz Inc. employee turned rogue — is now officially classified as a Level 3 Biotech Fugitive. Wanted for illegal prototype activation, assault on Falconer agents, and affiliation with black-market GEAR engineers. Associates include Mandark Maximillian, Wavi Rome, Soule Scottwood, and Cuh Misaski."
The screen flashed through blurry images: Tye mid-leap during the ambush, Wavi's leg blurring with a Jackrabbit boost, Cuh carrying a crate while bleeding.
Mandark sighed and flicked the projector off. "Well. That's us."
Cuh shook his head and leaned against the wall. "Man, I just went to work one morning. Now I'm on a war poster."
"Welcome to the revolution," Martinaz chimed from a corner. "Statistically, fugitives survive less than twelve months in urban warzones. Try not to be average."
Soule laughed. "You gloomy as hell, Cuh." He leaned forward, beatboxing a rhythm on the table with his fists:
"Went from cubicle clerk to citywide threat,
Tried to chill, now we playin' Russian roulette,
Bronze Zone heroes, still ain't dead yet,
Cuz we make the news and then break the net."
Wavi chuckled. "Maybe we should lay low. Least 'til the Eclipse Hide plan is locked."
Soule waved him off. "Man, I been hot in these streets. Me and Mandark been on every lab's hit list since I was twenty-two."
He pulled out his holo-phone, already calling. "Lemme line up somethin'."
As Soule walked out, Mandark pointed toward the lab door. "Tye. With me."
Scene: The Wayfarers Enter the City
The Bronze Zone stank of oil, sweat, and static. The sky was bruised with neon haze as the Wayfarers moved like a current through the alleyways.
Urchin Core Tank bumped into a vending machine and hissed. "Everything here drips. Even the sky."
Jelly-Twin Daggers twirled through a spiral of broken glass. "These people vibrate like coral in heat. It's…intoxicating."
Barracuda Lancer sniffed the wind. "Not ocean wind. Electric filth."
They passed a flickering street monitor. The same newsfeed ran again.
"TYE ROME — BIO-TERROR RISK. PUBLIC ADVISED TO REPORT SIGHTINGS."
Daggers cocked her head. "He looks smaller than I imagined."
"We find the crew," Lancer growled. "We find the glove."
They slipped into the crowd, utterly alien, yet strangely magnetic.
Scene: Back at the Hideout
Soule slid into the common room grinning. "Wavi. Bro. Got two Bronze girls wantin' to meet us at the club tonight."
Wavi raised a brow. "Right now? We're on wanted posters."
"They got Cat Claw Heels and Ferret Thread Minis, man. That's apex combo. You ever seen a girl pivot in ferret-thread?"
Wavi hesitated.
Soule rapped:
"This is our zone, our home turf spot,
They know our names, we too damn hot,
We don't hide, we glide and plot,
Bronze Zone kings—we run the lot."
Right on cue, Soule's phone buzzed. Video call. Two girls giggled through the speaker.
"Wavi! Come on! We got spots saved!"
Soule gave him a look. Wavi sighed.
"Alright. But one drink. No GEAR dancing."
Scene: Mandark's Lab
Tye stood as Mandark hovered over a spread of schematics.
"You ever see this?" he said, pointing. "Prototype plug-in subthread? Zugun etched this right into the original glove code. It's… unfinished. But I think I can stabilize the calorie drain. Day's work, max."
Tye exhaled. "Wouldn't mind not fainting after every fight."
Mandark gave him a rare, quiet nod.
"You didn't ask for this. But you're built for it."
Cuh limped in, rubbing his ribs. "Anyone seen Soule or Wavi?"
Mandark's smirk was answer enough.
Scene: The Bronze Club – Night
Lights pulsed like heartbeats. People moved like liquid fire, wrapped in glowing, suggestive GEAR: eel-lace gowns, tiger-stripe synth tops, octopus-tentacle jackets swaying to the beat.
Wavi and Soule lounged in a booth with two Bronze girls—one in Hummingbird Lenses, the other in Jelly-Skirt Weaves.
Soule flirted smoothly, finger-tapping his drink to the bassline.
"Bronze life, baby. You the rarest GEAR in the room."
Then the music shifted.
The crowd parted, just subtly, as the Wayfarers stepped inside. Their presence warped the energy like a tide pulling back.
Jelly-Twin Daggers locked eyes with Wavi from across the room.
His heart rate spiked.
And the beat kept thumping.