Grieselda and her entourage – the captain and Shenko – moved with the crowd along the bustling thoroughfare.

She recalled how she’d once foolishly thought Downtown Gau City would be like downtown in any of the free cities.

Sure it was packed with venders clogging up the sidewalk with stalls that sold and bought everything from hot food to second hand cybernetic implants.

As expected it stunk of fermented piss, sweat and rot.

It was a given that she’d noticed more than a handful of pickpockets.

And sure the numerous old buildings had blinding LED signs and/or virtual billboards advertising the latest league upgrades and gadgets.

Grieselda was used to all this.

What she didn’t expect was the aggression the people went about their business with.

The vendors were forcing products into reluctant customer’s faces, lashed out toward those who looked but didn’t buy.

Vulgar men stopped to piss wherever they pleased like it was the norm.

The pickpockets were blatant in their theft, even straight up assaulting their victims at times.

The virtual billboards were layered with countless subliminal wave commands infecting the unassuming citizens. The swarm of commands diffused only by the omnidirectional broadcast range. Because a directed, synchronized broadcast of this magnitude would amount to a coven’s Scream and drive all these people to madness. Which she reckoned wasn’t good for business or the well-being of the people.

But the catalogue of subliminal messages was still an overload by federation safety regulations. Any psycho analyst would surely attest to its negative effects.

‘Might explain the mass irritation consuming the crowd.’

Unlike a cybermage the civilians couldn’t detect or block subliminal waves, their standard citizen chips lacked the software and computing power to do so.

‘I should report this to the lieutenant later—’

Grieselda seized a hand slipping into the left pocket of her protea patterned sundress.

She dragged up the thief up, lifting him of his feet.

The boy couldn’t have been more than 10 years old, dressed in stinking rags and a worn cap that did little to conceal his baby face.

She set him down with a stern frown. “Don’t do that again. Stealing is wrong.” She wagged a finger at him.

He stared down at his ragged shoes and nodded, regretful tears filling his eyes.

“Go,” she said.

Grieselda didn’t buy the boy’s feigned remorse but they were here for other business. They were in casual clothes and had concealed their badges because the captain didn’t want to expose his contact. So as much as she would’ve liked to whip out her badge, read the boy his rights and to arrest him so he could be rehabilitated in a juvenile detention centre. She couldn’t, she didn’t like it but she couldn’t.

‘The assignment always comes first.’

Plus their stop was already drawing the attention and complaints of the crowd which was forced to flow around them. She suspected they would’ve gone through them if the captain wasn’t so goddamn intimidating by her side. Not angry or anything, he looked sleep depraved as usual but he had this aura to him that kept the crowd behaved.

The boy was about scurry away when Shenko grabbed his right hand. Pulled down his ragged sleeve and revealed a bionic arm.

The captain pursed his lips and whistled. “The old Pleicore-Armboi, great dexterity and motion sensitivity, perfect for your occupation.”

Shenko grinned at the boy and proceeded to break his bionic fingers, crunched them together through sheer strength. The boy exhaled a shriek like cry.

Necks craned from the flowing crowd, gave them a cursory glance and kept it moving.

Grieselda’s eyes bulged, her muscles twitched fury and she wanted to pounce on Shenko with every fibre of her being.

But her mentor had trained her too well.

‘The assignment, the assignment, the assignment,’ she reminded. Only completion of the assignment could solve everything. Only completion of the assignment would ensure justice prevailed.

Shenko forced the sobbing boy’s mouth closed.

“Don’t steal again but if you have to, choose your marks more carefully next time.”

Shenko released the boy go and he bolted through the crowd and disappeared without daring to look back.

“Don’t you think that was excessive?” Grieselda growled.

“Some of the locals would’ve given him worse,” Shenko said.

“He must learn there are consequences for failure at being a good bad guy,” the captain added.

Grieselda didn’t reply.

She could tell they were being considerate in their own deluded way and she didn’t like it. The captain and Shenko were the worst kind of villains.

‘Because they think their heroes.’

She frowned at Shenko as he motioned a hand to her face. She kept still and glared at him.

He flicked his wrist and pretended to pull something from behind her ear.

‘Making play at sleight of hand.’

He was childish like that.

“What do we have here?” Shenko said.

The ridicule pooled out her eyes as her communicator came into view.

She clasped her right pocket and patted it down for good measure.

‘Empty, since when?’

“The advance on your left was a decoy.”

She snatched back the communicator with a complicated expression. Something approaching gratitude had taken root in her gut.

‘He still didn’t need to harm the boy though.’

And it wouldn’t change the prejudice at which she would execute her assignment with.

“Why do you have that anyways?” Shenko raised an eyebrow. “I thought only No-chips still used those.”

The chipped had no use for communicators. They communicated via their chip’s com-link or through social media accounts on the virtual network.

‘To make unregistered calls, recording device and serves as an additional tracker,’ she thought but she did not say.

“I use the camera to do my makeup.” Grieselda forced herself to blush.

“Ah!” Shenko nodded.

And the trio resumed their march in silence until Grieselda asked.

“This code breaker of yours. Who is he?”

“He’s not the code breaker but an informant who will lead us to one,” the captain said.

‘An informant, he says.’

She waited for him to elaborate but he remained silent.

‘He’s unusually tight lipped.’

If there was one thing she learned in her short time on this assignment. Was that the captain and Shenko loved the sound of their own voices. They never gave simple explanations. As long as you triggered a topic they knew well they wouldn’t stop blabbering.

As for his reservedness, she reckoned there was more to this informant than he let on.

They pulled up on an old bar. Large LED sign suspended over the entrance, flickering incessantly.

Stonez pub & grill

The bouncer at the door examined them, seemingly unimpressed.

“Passwo—”

A lightning quick smack cut the bouncer off. His head rocked and eyes rolled back. The captain’s hand already retracting by the time the clap sounded and she absorbed his actions.

Shenko motioned forward and caught the bouncer, easing him to the ground.

The captain placed a palm over the door’s keypad. A moment later the door screeched open. He stepped in and Shenko tailed after.

Grieselda remained frozen. Lips parted. Eyes quaking in horror.

She considered the unconscious bouncer: he lay on the ground slack jawed.

The boy earlier was one thing, unjust as it was he’d provoked them. The bouncer hadn’t done anything to warrant such a reaction.

‘Blatantly assaulting a civilian coupled with breaking and entering.’

The list of felonies she could tick off from their nonchalant actions. She now understood why the captain had them in casual, no body-cams to conveniently catch them in the act.

‘The gall of these men. Are they finally testing me?’

Everyone was aware of the captain’s reputation as an alleged dirty cop, Shenko too by association. Yet to date they hadn’t done anything to warrant too much suspicion but they’d dropped all pretences today.

‘Or did the magnitude of the case set them off?’

Her mind spun as she tried to make sense of it all. How could they nonchalantly disregard the law before her? She’d recently begun to work with them so they hadn’t fully grasped what kind of person she was yet.

‘Aren’t they afraid I’ll report them?’

They didn’t even try to feel her out. See what stance she had on the rules. They didn’t try to make up weak excuses to enter the building. If not for the earlier incident she might’ve thought they’d forgotten she was there.

She dismissed the notion.

‘If anything it was on purpose.’

She pressed her lips flat. Eyebrows squished together. Breathed through her nose.

‘Or they just don’t care whether I report them or not.’

Indeed, all she had was accusations without any evidence. She could keep them at the scene of the crime and call it in.

‘That would be premature.’

Even if she got something to stick on them the penalties would be minor at best. And she was big game hunting.

She cracked her knuckles. Adjusted her expression. Opted for an even kill look and advanced after them. The entrance led directly to a sinking path of narrow stairs and she welcomed the depths she’d have to descend to see this assignment through.

‘This is just the beginning.’

Grieselda cringed, resisted the urge to pinch her nose. The acrid smell of splattered liquor assaulted her nasal. She trudged along the dried spillages and an icky squelch accompanied her every step.

She emerged at the bottom as the stairs blossomed into a small red light space.

“What’s with this dump?” The captain said. “Aren’t you supposed to be rich?”

Grieselda arrived in time to hear the captain utter the words.

A bartender stood in the corner of the mahogany counter. Wiping glasses with an immense focus.

A lone customer sat in the middle of the counter. His broad stocky back to them. Draped in plain vest and cargo shorts. Sketched muscles lined his body, looking like he could easily walk into the front row of any rugby team.

“I barely get by these days,” the big fella said. “You guys at cybercrime don’t make it easy for me.”

He spun around on his stool. He was bald with a well groomed goatee complementing the handsome smirk on his face.

She took in the sight of the man and she froze in realization.

“Broker,” she muttered softly without thinking.

Broker’s lips quirked up. “Please call me Lord Broker.”

“It’s not gonna catch on no matter how hard you try,” the captain said.

“In other cities maybe it has,” Broker gave him a knowing grin.

The captain snickered and the two traded more shots, bantering back and forth.

Grieselda gawked at them. ‘Does he plan to make some kind of deal with him?’

The light in her hazel eyes flickered as she recalled the purpose of their trip. ‘Don’t tell me he’s the snitch.’

It was one thing having an informant but Broker was another story. The council was searching everywhere for the guy yet the captain could casually visit him as he pleased.

‘Partners in crime?’

Her mind raced, bubbling all sorts of theories in her head. She felt like she’d discovered a huge conspiracy.

As subtly as she could Grieselda slipped a hand into her pocket. She swiped a finger to unlock her communicator.

No response. It was offline.

‘There must be signal jammers in the building.’

“It’s a private lounge,” Shenko whispered beside her.

‘No wonder.’

Private lounges had permits to jam recording devices. Hence the shadiest of deals occurred in such locations.

Her heart sank, throat clogged and muscles tensed. Shenko had his eyes trained on her. He’d noticed her actions from before.

‘No, no, I was too covert, he’s testing me.’

She gave him a sidelong glance. “What are you looking at?” she snapped.

“Just checking on you, shh now.” He put a finger over his permanent grin and looked away.

Grieselda held back the urge to exhale. Her heart thumped against her ribcage, caused her chest to heave. She breathed through her nose as quietly as she could manage. She tried her best to regulate her accelerated heart rate without gasping for air.

‘Dammit relax.’

She’d done this countless times yet there were still moments her nerves threatened to overwhelm her.

‘It never gets easier.’

Grieselda motioned a thumb over her index. Pressed hard but refrained from popping it. She didn’t want to bring attention to herself by cracking a knuckle. She focused on the tension in her hand and her pulse calmed.

With a large draught in hand, Broker sized up the captain with an unrestrained look.

“Another upgrade.” Broker pointed to his eye. “You really want to become a cyborg.”

“This is the true path for a cybermage not that you’d understand.”

‘I think it’s more of an addiction.’

Every cybermage required a mage chip upgrade to use their powers but the captain took it a step further slowly replacing himself with cybernetic implants.

He had at least three extra upgrades. The one Broker referenced and the most notable. His retinal implant which probably served as a scanner and recording device.

His nerve gear: A slim mechanical vertebrae latched onto his spinal cord. It could directly link to his custom mech suits to increase reaction speed and allow more symbiotic movement.

Then his electronic voice box which served absolutely no purpose beyond compulsion.

‘He might have more and will definitely get more in the future.’

Broker raised an eyebrow giving the captain a provocative look. “Barging into my place like this. You sure you’ve come for business and not a rematch.”

Rumours had it Broker was near godly in a duel. Perhaps they were just rumours but numbers don’t lie and Broker’s body count was staggering.

‘But we have the numbers.’

But she also had to stay in character, follow the captain’s lead.

The captain dragged out the silence. Although it didn’t show on his face his silence meant he was seriously considering it.

‘Has he always been this easily provoked?’

Whatever their relationship, it was complicated. She searched her memories. Nowhere in the captain’s file had it mentioned any encounters with Broker. Only now did it sink in how much bigger this assignment had just grown.

‘What history do they share?’

“Tempting,” the captain said. “But I’ve come to ask for a favour.”

Broker’s shoulders sagged as he retracted his imposing gaze. Leaned against the counter and stroked his goatee.

“I see. Get to it then. What do you want?”

“Street code. I need a code breaker.”

“What makes you think I’m a code breaker?” Broker snorted.

“I know you aren’t but you should know one.”

“I do but you could easily find one yourself on the LostNet.” Broker narrowed his eyes. “I thought you of all people wouldn’t mind to delving into the dark sites.”

“Hmm, I don’t mind but as you already know the fiends on the LostNet are particular about whom they work with. And you can use your identity to improve your connections and I can’t.”

The captain must’ve long been trying to obtain more information on street code. However it wasn’t easy to cosy up to those dark site hackers whilst remaining anonymous. They were cautious like that. And to reveal he was in law enforcement might have adverse effects.

For one, he wouldn’t be able to control how far his identity spread once leaked. There was no such thing as loyalty on the LostNet and he might wake up to find his identity auctioned off. This would increase the chances of an early completion of her assignment.

‘And unfortunately the captain is too cautious for that.’

Grieselda’s eyes constricted.

‘Even so how he can say such things so naturally like it isn’t illegal. To think such a man rose to the position of captain.’

How many crimes would she witness by the end of the day?

‘If only I had a wire on me.’

All this golden proof she could not have.

‘How wild will it sound when I make my report later?’

What would she say? The captain assaulted an unassuming civilian, broke into a unholy bar, which turned out to be a private lounge, to make a deal with an informant who turned out to be Broker and they discussed how they frequented the LostNet in their spare time. Not to mention how they beat that kid earlier.

‘Mentor would think me mad.’

Would Broker remain here after they left to confirm her claims?

‘I doubt it.’

Broker gulped down more of his beer. “Ah I see. Perhaps I know someone who knows someone who knows a code breaker. But unlike me their afraid to work with cops so bring me whatever you need deciphered and I’ll pass it along for you.”

“Not possible, I’ll meet with the code breaker myself.”

Grieselda exhaled, releasing a bit of the tension stored up inside her.

‘At least he has limits. There is no telling what Broker would do with that intel.’

“I can’t guarantee they’ll agree.”

“I just need their location, I can negotiate myself.”

“I see.”

“Name your price.”

Broker sneered, opened his arms wide. “Do I look like I’m wanting for anything and you know how dangerous this is. If any of the mafia dons discover I’m giving away their code breakers I’ll be executed, so make me an offer I can’t refuse.”

“Mxm,” the captain smacked his lips.

Broker was a daunting presence himself, beyond being threatened by the likes of the mafia bosses and cartels.

‘Wary perhaps but scared no ways.’

Broker wasn’t scared of anyone. He was trying to negotiate a better deal for himself.

“I’ll owe you a favour.”

“You already owe me a favour!” Broker snapped.

“Tsk. I forgot about that,” the captain whispered avoiding Broker’s glare.

The captain shifted uncomfortably, struggled, hesitated then said. “You’re still looking for those blueprints?”

Broker perked up. “You have them?”

The captain nodded.

“Show me.”

“The code breaker first.”

The criminal's eyes glistened and he shot up. “I’ll send his location to you later.”

“Were in a hurry.”

“I see. Wait a few minutes then. Let me make a few calls.”

The outlaw’s tone had turned annoyingly polite and she didn’t like it.

Broker jumped over the counter. “Baisely, a few drinks for our friends.”

The bartender stopped wiping glasses. Stared at them, singled out the captain and said. “I thought you hated that guy.”

“Just do it!” Broker pulled on a bottle of Pharma cream liqueur. There was a click and he descended down a hidden shaft, left them in the company of the bartender.

The captain and Shenko planted themselves at the counter as Baisely attended them. She joined them.

Her colleagues had left the seat in between them open again. Coincidence or by design. She had too much on her mind to care. She plopped herself in-between them.

‘More frighteningly, what blueprints were they discussing?’

A bank? An important building? Or perhaps a weapon? And who was Broker planning to sell them too.

She was on edge again.

Although this operation took precedent it still mattered how they got things done. Furthermore from how they spoke they’d done deals in the past. She squished her brows together.

‘Ray Dawn you’re dirtier than I thought.’

“What will it be?” Baisely asked.

“Ice water.”

‘Not that I’ll drink it.’

Grieselda shuddered as Shenko clapped her shoulder.

“You look pale?” He said.

Grieselda could only muster a wry smile no matter how hard she tried to look natural.

“I’m fine.”

“You get used to it, you know.” Shenko gave her a sympathetic smile. “You wanna know my secret?”

He didn’t wait for a reply. “Just expect the worst of him and you’ll never be shocked.”

Grieselda froze unable to reply.

She eventually managed a stiff nod. How else was she supposed to respond to that? Outrage, feign understanding. Her training hadn’t prepared her for this.

She sought comfort in her mentor’s words.

Remember always. They will try to feel you out. Then slowly corrupt you by justifying their unscrupulous actions. Play your role but never fall into their pace.

‘This is much too different.’

They’d thrown her into the deep end as if she was long part of their crew. Hid nothing from her gaze but made sure not to give her any evidence. They were being so open with her she almost felt embarrassed she’d be snitching on them.

“Hey! Don’t spread lies about me.” The captain protested with a forged expression of indignation.

Shenko retorted and the pair argued back and forth. She listened to their jovial squabble in a daze.

‘It’s too much.’

She preferred the captain at his most arrogant. Shenko being a smartass. This side of them put her off. She hated this part of undercover work.

The hardest part to being a mage hunter is the moment you realize the prey you’d been tracking is actually human. But remember always. No one can be entirely evil and that doesn’t make their crimes any less acceptable.

Her mentor’s teachings echoed in the back of her mind, overwhelmed any sympathetic thoughts that threatened to blind her from the completion of her assignment.

Grieselda received her ice water.

Cold to the touch.

‘Just like I need to be, to see this assignment through.’

Grieselda and her entourage – the captain and Shenko – moved with the crowd along the bustling thoroughfare.

She recalled how she’d once foolishly thought Downtown Gau City would be like downtown in any of the free cities.

Sure it was packed with venders clogging up the sidewalk with stalls that sold and bought everything from hot food to second hand cybernetic implants.

As expected it stunk of fermented piss, sweat and rot.

It was a given that she’d noticed more than a handful of pickpockets.

And sure the numerous old buildings had blinding LED signs and/or virtual billboards advertising the latest league upgrades and gadgets.

Grieselda was used to all this.

What she didn’t expect was the aggression the people went about their business with.

The vendors were forcing products into reluctant customer’s faces, lashed out toward those who looked but didn’t buy.

Vulgar men stopped to piss wherever they pleased like it was the norm.

The pickpockets were blatant in their theft, even straight up assaulting their victims at times.

The virtual billboards were layered with countless subliminal wave commands infecting the unassuming citizens. The swarm of commands diffused only by the omnidirectional broadcast range. Because a directed, synchronized broadcast of this magnitude would amount to a coven’s Scream and drive all these people to madness. Which she reckoned wasn’t good for business or the well-being of the people.

But the catalogue of subliminal messages was still an overload by federation safety regulations. Any psycho analyst would surely attest to its negative effects.

‘Might explain the mass irritation consuming the crowd.’

Unlike a cybermage the civilians couldn’t detect or block subliminal waves, their standard citizen chips lacked the software and computing power to do so.

‘I should report this to the lieutenant later—’

Grieselda seized a hand slipping into the left pocket of her protea patterned sundress.

She dragged up the thief up, lifting him of his feet.

The boy couldn’t have been more than 10 years old, dressed in stinking rags and a worn cap that did little to conceal his baby face.

She set him down with a stern frown. “Don’t do that again. Stealing is wrong.” She wagged a finger at him.

He stared down at his ragged shoes and nodded, regretful tears filling his eyes.

“Go,” she said.

Grieselda didn’t buy the boy’s feigned remorse but they were here for other business. They were in casual clothes and had concealed their badges because the captain didn’t want to expose his contact. So as much as she would’ve liked to whip out her badge, read the boy his rights and to arrest him so he could be rehabilitated in a juvenile detention centre. She couldn’t, she didn’t like it but she couldn’t.

‘The assignment always comes first.’

Plus their stop was already drawing the attention and complaints of the crowd which was forced to flow around them. She suspected they would’ve gone through them if the captain wasn’t so goddamn intimidating by her side. Not angry or anything, he looked sleep depraved as usual but he had this aura to him that kept the crowd behaved.

The boy was about scurry away when Shenko grabbed his right hand. Pulled down his ragged sleeve and revealed a bionic arm.

The captain pursed his lips and whistled. “The old Pleicore-Armboi, great dexterity and motion sensitivity, perfect for your occupation.”

Shenko grinned at the boy and proceeded to break his bionic fingers, crunched them together through sheer strength. The boy exhaled a shriek like cry.

Necks craned from the flowing crowd, gave them a cursory glance and kept it moving.

Grieselda’s eyes bulged, her muscles twitched fury and she wanted to pounce on Shenko with every fibre of her being.

But her mentor had trained her too well.

‘The assignment, the assignment, the assignment,’ she reminded. Only completion of the assignment could solve everything. Only completion of the assignment would ensure justice prevailed.

Shenko forced the sobbing boy’s mouth closed.

“Don’t steal again but if you have to, choose your marks more carefully next time.”

Shenko released the boy go and he bolted through the crowd and disappeared without daring to look back.

“Don’t you think that was excessive?” Grieselda growled.

“Some of the locals would’ve given him worse,” Shenko said.

“He must learn there are consequences for failure at being a good bad guy,” the captain added.

Grieselda didn’t reply.

She could tell they were being considerate in their own deluded way and she didn’t like it. The captain and Shenko were the worst kind of villains.

‘Because they think their heroes.’

She frowned at Shenko as he motioned a hand to her face. She kept still and glared at him.

He flicked his wrist and pretended to pull something from behind her ear.

‘Making play at sleight of hand.’

He was childish like that.

“What do we have here?” Shenko said.

The ridicule pooled out her eyes as her communicator came into view.

She clasped her right pocket and patted it down for good measure.

‘Empty, since when?’

“The advance on your left was a decoy.”

She snatched back the communicator with a complicated expression. Something approaching gratitude had taken root in her gut.

‘He still didn’t need to harm the boy though.’

And it wouldn’t change the prejudice at which she would execute her assignment with.

“Why do you have that anyways?” Shenko raised an eyebrow. “I thought only No-chips still used those.”

The chipped had no use for communicators. They communicated via their chip’s com-link or through social media accounts on the virtual network.

‘To make unregistered calls, recording device and serves as an additional tracker,’ she thought but she did not say.

“I use the camera to do my makeup.” Grieselda forced herself to blush.

“Ah!” Shenko nodded.

And the trio resumed their march in silence until Grieselda asked.

“This code breaker of yours. Who is he?”

“He’s not the code breaker but an informant who will lead us to one,” the captain said.

‘An informant, he says.’

She waited for him to elaborate but he remained silent.

‘He’s unusually tight lipped.’

If there was one thing she learned in her short time on this assignment. Was that the captain and Shenko loved the sound of their own voices. They never gave simple explanations. As long as you triggered a topic they knew well they wouldn’t stop blabbering.

As for his reservedness, she reckoned there was more to this informant than he let on.

They pulled up on an old bar. Large LED sign suspended over the entrance, flickering incessantly.

Stonez pub & grill

The bouncer at the door examined them, seemingly unimpressed.

“Passwo—”

A lightning quick smack cut the bouncer off. His head rocked and eyes rolled back. The captain’s hand already retracting by the time the clap sounded and she absorbed his actions.

Shenko motioned forward and caught the bouncer, easing him to the ground.

The captain placed a palm over the door’s keypad. A moment later the door screeched open. He stepped in and Shenko tailed after.

Grieselda remained frozen. Lips parted. Eyes quaking in horror.

She considered the unconscious bouncer: he lay on the ground slack jawed.

The boy earlier was one thing, unjust as it was he’d provoked them. The bouncer hadn’t done anything to warrant such a reaction.

‘Blatantly assaulting a civilian coupled with breaking and entering.’

The list of felonies she could tick off from their nonchalant actions. She now understood why the captain had them in casual, no body-cams to conveniently catch them in the act.

‘The gall of these men. Are they finally testing me?’

Everyone was aware of the captain’s reputation as an alleged dirty cop, Shenko too by association. Yet to date they hadn’t done anything to warrant too much suspicion but they’d dropped all pretences today.

‘Or did the magnitude of the case set them off?’

Her mind spun as she tried to make sense of it all. How could they nonchalantly disregard the law before her? She’d recently begun to work with them so they hadn’t fully grasped what kind of person she was yet.

‘Aren’t they afraid I’ll report them?’

They didn’t even try to feel her out. See what stance she had on the rules. They didn’t try to make up weak excuses to enter the building. If not for the earlier incident she might’ve thought they’d forgotten she was there.

She dismissed the notion.

‘If anything it was on purpose.’

She pressed her lips flat. Eyebrows squished together. Breathed through her nose.

‘Or they just don’t care whether I report them or not.’

Indeed, all she had was accusations without any evidence. She could keep them at the scene of the crime and call it in.

‘That would be premature.’

Even if she got something to stick on them the penalties would be minor at best. And she was big game hunting.

She cracked her knuckles. Adjusted her expression. Opted for an even kill look and advanced after them. The entrance led directly to a sinking path of narrow stairs and she welcomed the depths she’d have to descend to see this assignment through.

‘This is just the beginning.’

Grieselda cringed, resisted the urge to pinch her nose. The acrid smell of splattered liquor assaulted her nasal. She trudged along the dried spillages and an icky squelch accompanied her every step.

She emerged at the bottom as the stairs blossomed into a small red light space.

“What’s with this dump?” The captain said. “Aren’t you supposed to be rich?”

Grieselda arrived in time to hear the captain utter the words.

A bartender stood in the corner of the mahogany counter. Wiping glasses with an immense focus.

A lone customer sat in the middle of the counter. His broad stocky back to them. Draped in plain vest and cargo shorts. Sketched muscles lined his body, looking like he could easily walk into the front row of any rugby team.

“I barely get by these days,” the big fella said. “You guys at cybercrime don’t make it easy for me.”

He spun around on his stool. He was bald with a well groomed goatee complementing the handsome smirk on his face.

She took in the sight of the man and she froze in realization.

“Broker,” she muttered softly without thinking.

Broker’s lips quirked up. “Please call me Lord Broker.”

“It’s not gonna catch on no matter how hard you try,” the captain said.

“In other cities maybe it has,” Broker gave him a knowing grin.

The captain snickered and the two traded more shots, bantering back and forth.

Grieselda gawked at them. ‘Does he plan to make some kind of deal with him?’

The light in her hazel eyes flickered as she recalled the purpose of their trip. ‘Don’t tell me he’s the snitch.’

It was one thing having an informant but Broker was another story. The council was searching everywhere for the guy yet the captain could casually visit him as he pleased.

‘Partners in crime?’

Her mind raced, bubbling all sorts of theories in her head. She felt like she’d discovered a huge conspiracy.

As subtly as she could Grieselda slipped a hand into her pocket. She swiped a finger to unlock her communicator.

No response. It was offline.

‘There must be signal jammers in the building.’

“It’s a private lounge,” Shenko whispered beside her.

‘No wonder.’

Private lounges had permits to jam recording devices. Hence the shadiest of deals occurred in such locations.

Her heart sank, throat clogged and muscles tensed. Shenko had his eyes trained on her. He’d noticed her actions from before.

‘No, no, I was too covert, he’s testing me.’

She gave him a sidelong glance. “What are you looking at?” she snapped.

“Just checking on you, shh now.” He put a finger over his permanent grin and looked away.

Grieselda held back the urge to exhale. Her heart thumped against her ribcage, caused her chest to heave. She breathed through her nose as quietly as she could manage. She tried her best to regulate her accelerated heart rate without gasping for air.

‘Dammit relax.’

She’d done this countless times yet there were still moments her nerves threatened to overwhelm her.

‘It never gets easier.’

Grieselda motioned a thumb over her index. Pressed hard but refrained from popping it. She didn’t want to bring attention to herself by cracking a knuckle. She focused on the tension in her hand and her pulse calmed.

With a large draught in hand, Broker sized up the captain with an unrestrained look.

“Another upgrade.” Broker pointed to his eye. “You really want to become a cyborg.”

“This is the true path for a cybermage not that you’d understand.”

‘I think it’s more of an addiction.’

Every cybermage required a mage chip upgrade to use their powers but the captain took it a step further slowly replacing himself with cybernetic implants.

He had at least three extra upgrades. The one Broker referenced and the most notable. His retinal implant which probably served as a scanner and recording device.

His nerve gear: A slim mechanical vertebrae latched onto his spinal cord. It could directly link to his custom mech suits to increase reaction speed and allow more symbiotic movement.

Then his electronic voice box which served absolutely no purpose beyond compulsion.

‘He might have more and will definitely get more in the future.’

Broker raised an eyebrow giving the captain a provocative look. “Barging into my place like this. You sure you’ve come for business and not a rematch.”

Rumours had it Broker was near godly in a duel. Perhaps they were just rumours but numbers don’t lie and Broker’s body count was staggering.

‘But we have the numbers.’

But she also had to stay in character, follow the captain’s lead.

The captain dragged out the silence. Although it didn’t show on his face his silence meant he was seriously considering it.

‘Has he always been this easily provoked?’

Whatever their relationship, it was complicated. She searched her memories. Nowhere in the captain’s file had it mentioned any encounters with Broker. Only now did it sink in how much bigger this assignment had just grown.

‘What history do they share?’

“Tempting,” the captain said. “But I’ve come to ask for a favour.”

Broker’s shoulders sagged as he retracted his imposing gaze. Leaned against the counter and stroked his goatee.

“I see. Get to it then. What do you want?”

“Street code. I need a code breaker.”

“What makes you think I’m a code breaker?” Broker snorted.

“I know you aren’t but you should know one.”

“I do but you could easily find one yourself on the LostNet.” Broker narrowed his eyes. “I thought you of all people wouldn’t mind to delving into the dark sites.”

“Hmm, I don’t mind but as you already know the fiends on the LostNet are particular about whom they work with. And you can use your identity to improve your connections and I can’t.”

The captain must’ve long been trying to obtain more information on street code. However it wasn’t easy to cosy up to those dark site hackers whilst remaining anonymous. They were cautious like that. And to reveal he was in law enforcement might have adverse effects.

For one, he wouldn’t be able to control how far his identity spread once leaked. There was no such thing as loyalty on the LostNet and he might wake up to find his identity auctioned off. This would increase the chances of an early completion of her assignment.

‘And unfortunately the captain is too cautious for that.’

Grieselda’s eyes constricted.

‘Even so how he can say such things so naturally like it isn’t illegal. To think such a man rose to the position of captain.’

How many crimes would she witness by the end of the day?

‘If only I had a wire on me.’

All this golden proof she could not have.

‘How wild will it sound when I make my report later?’

What would she say? The captain assaulted an unassuming civilian, broke into a unholy bar, which turned out to be a private lounge, to make a deal with an informant who turned out to be Broker and they discussed how they frequented the LostNet in their spare time. Not to mention how they beat that kid earlier.

‘Mentor would think me mad.’

Would Broker remain here after they left to confirm her claims?

‘I doubt it.’

Broker gulped down more of his beer. “Ah I see. Perhaps I know someone who knows someone who knows a code breaker. But unlike me their afraid to work with cops so bring me whatever you need deciphered and I’ll pass it along for you.”

“Not possible, I’ll meet with the code breaker myself.”

Grieselda exhaled, releasing a bit of the tension stored up inside her.

‘At least he has limits. There is no telling what Broker would do with that intel.’

“I can’t guarantee they’ll agree.”

“I just need their location, I can negotiate myself.”

“I see.”

“Name your price.”

Broker sneered, opened his arms wide. “Do I look like I’m wanting for anything and you know how dangerous this is. If any of the mafia dons discover I’m giving away their code breakers I’ll be executed, so make me an offer I can’t refuse.”

“Mxm,” the captain smacked his lips.

Broker was a daunting presence himself, beyond being threatened by the likes of the mafia bosses and cartels.

‘Wary perhaps but scared no ways.’

Broker wasn’t scared of anyone. He was trying to negotiate a better deal for himself.

“I’ll owe you a favour.”

“You already owe me a favour!” Broker snapped.

“Tsk. I forgot about that,” the captain whispered avoiding Broker’s glare.

The captain shifted uncomfortably, struggled, hesitated then said. “You’re still looking for those blueprints?”

Broker perked up. “You have them?”

The captain nodded.

“Show me.”

“The code breaker first.”

The criminal's eyes glistened and he shot up. “I’ll send his location to you later.”

“Were in a hurry.”

“I see. Wait a few minutes then. Let me make a few calls.”

The outlaw’s tone had turned annoyingly polite and she didn’t like it.

Broker jumped over the counter. “Baisely, a few drinks for our friends.”

The bartender stopped wiping glasses. Stared at them, singled out the captain and said. “I thought you hated that guy.”

“Just do it!” Broker pulled on a bottle of Pharma cream liqueur. There was a click and he descended down a hidden shaft, left them in the company of the bartender.

The captain and Shenko planted themselves at the counter as Baisely attended them. She joined them.

Her colleagues had left the seat in between them open again. Coincidence or by design. She had too much on her mind to care. She plopped herself in-between them.

‘More frighteningly, what blueprints were they discussing?’

A bank? An important building? Or perhaps a weapon? And who was Broker planning to sell them too.

She was on edge again.

Although this operation took precedent it still mattered how they got things done. Furthermore from how they spoke they’d done deals in the past. She squished her brows together.

‘Ray Dawn you’re dirtier than I thought.’

“What will it be?” Baisely asked.

“Ice water.”

‘Not that I’ll drink it.’

Grieselda shuddered as Shenko clapped her shoulder.

“You look pale?” He said.

Grieselda could only muster a wry smile no matter how hard she tried to look natural.

“I’m fine.”

“You get used to it, you know.” Shenko gave her a sympathetic smile. “You wanna know my secret?”

He didn’t wait for a reply. “Just expect the worst of him and you’ll never be shocked.”

Grieselda froze unable to reply.

She eventually managed a stiff nod. How else was she supposed to respond to that? Outrage, feign understanding. Her training hadn’t prepared her for this.

She sought comfort in her mentor’s words.

Remember always. They will try to feel you out. Then slowly corrupt you by justifying their unscrupulous actions. Play your role but never fall into their pace.

‘This is much too different.’

They’d thrown her into the deep end as if she was long part of their crew. Hid nothing from her gaze but made sure not to give her any evidence. They were being so open with her she almost felt embarrassed she’d be snitching on them.

“Hey! Don’t spread lies about me.” The captain protested with a forged expression of indignation.

Shenko retorted and the pair argued back and forth. She listened to their jovial squabble in a daze.

‘It’s too much.’

She preferred the captain at his most arrogant. Shenko being a smartass. This side of them put her off. She hated this part of undercover work.

The hardest part to being a mage hunter is the moment you realize the prey you’d been tracking is actually human. But remember always. No one can be entirely evil and that doesn’t make their crimes any less acceptable.

Her mentor’s teachings echoed in the back of her mind, overwhelmed any sympathetic thoughts that threatened to blind her from the completion of her assignment.

Grieselda received her ice water.

Cold to the touch.

‘Just like I need to be, to see this assignment through.’