1.

Ryan removed himself from the engine compartment of his current project, a decrepit ground car that had been discarded in his yard but had potential to be fixed and sold. The security system for the scrap yard had pinged him a notification of visitors. Looking to the entrance as a vehicle not much better than the junk he was working on rolled across the front lot towards his workshop. Four thugs de-bussed and Ryan could immediately tell that his peaceful day was going to get more interesting.

“Afternoon gents, what can I do for you today?”

The four were all rocking the city gangster look with scruffy clothes, wild hairstyles, piercings, tasteless tattoos and a variety of visible implants. All supposedly chosen to make them look tough and intimidating. All had a tattoo or patch with a stylised M showing they belonged to the local gang who followed the awakened techno who called himself Mechron.

Mechron was a category six and a techno, a term for abilities that involve technology. Powerful enough to hold a small region of an outer sector of New Cal city with the help of two other category fives and some other weaker awakened.

“You owe for protection” was the charming reply from who I guessed was the little group's leader who I noticed had a cheap looking mechanical arm.

“Paid this month already, ask Zero” Ryan actually was all paid up. It wasn't worth the hassle to fight the police who were happy taking bribes to look the other way and the ‘Hero’s’ didn’t bother with the outskirts unless it got too rowdy to ignore. Despite everything Mechrons gang did keep this neighbourhood relatively peaceful so almost every business paid.

“The payments have increased we’re here to get the rest” all four seemed very pleased with themselves trying to crowd Ryan and show off their weaponry, all four had some form of pistol tucked into waistbands or jackets also there was a knuckle duster, a baseball bat and piece of metal pipe. Closer up Ryan noticed the red M’s seemed cleaner than the rest of their outfits, the weapons and vehicle were all junk and their owners were all late teens just aged by a tough life.

“You guys are new right? I think I will give Zero a quick call, make sure there are no misunderstandings” Zero was in charge of the area and in the two years since Ryan had moved here he had done some work for him to gain a bit of good will so he was pretty confident zero would answer the call.

Predictably the fact Ryan wasn’t grovelling already annoyed and pleased the little gang as they saw that they might get the opportunity to give him a beating soon.

“I was sent by Zero to get another 1000 creds from you, now stop wasting our time and make the transfer scrapper.”

Ryan’s lips couldn’t help but slip upwards Into a wry grin at his frustration. “You know Zero doesn’t like his boys breaking his deals and giving the gang a bad rep right? Me and him made a deal personally.”

“Ha like Zero has time for a scav like you last chance to pay up or things will be getting unpleasant” Thug 1 said stepping into Ryans personal space

He was a big guy easily six eight and Ryan suspected some steroids or synth muscle went into his build. Now Ryan liked to think Of himself as a peaceful sort but He knew if he backed down now this wouldn’t be the end of it, so he sent a little message with his Neural implant and straightened from where He was leaning against the door. Ryan wasn’t as tall or broad as the thug but stood at around 6’5” and well built, along with some other advantages he really wasn’t worried about any of them. Thug 1 decided to give up pretending.

“We will leave with payment one way or another, then every month from now on we will come back. Also you will keep your mouth shut or we will make you suffer. Am I clear?”

“Not going to happen” saying this Ryan turned away and stepped back into the workshop as the security system fired with a muted thump knocking the Thugs out.

Ryan learnt two things in the next few seconds, first Thug 1 was a brawler type Super who shrugged off the concussive blast and second that he was out of practice. This occurred to Ryan as a metal fist drove into his lower ribs sending him crashing into the half reconstructed car.

Old reflexes kicked in sending him rolling over the trunk to get distance and turn himself back to face Thug 1 in time to catch the surprise on his face as his follow up punch missed completely. The confusion didn’t last long as Ryan sprung forwards leading with a jab to the sternum folding him down for his forehead to meet an upcoming knee sending him to meet his friends in dreamland. Ryan couldn’t keep a small smile from crossing his face surveying his work pain from the punch already fading.