“This shit can’t be hacked Cypher,” Jengo told me, in a frustrated tone. “See? Told you.” Rex said, tapping the table he propped up on behind me. “But no. You wanted a 'professional' to take a look.” He continued jovially. “Whatever Rex…” I huffed through gritted teeth, feeling my annoyance rise even further.

I was strapped into Jengo’s dental chair, whilst he worked on my cybernetic arm. Funny right? Not really. Bullshit, complete utter bullshit. I thought bitterly.

Mr Black claimed he needed me for a task, because I had a particular skill set, yet, he placed a tracker on me? That’s messed up. On top of that…he threatened me with a photo of my family.

Fine…that might’ve been two months ago, but my wroth hadn’t quelled since then. There was no need for him to exert such dominance…but he did it anyway, which left a foul taste in my mouth.

The worst part of it all was, the damned tracker was embedded into the ‘free’ cybernetic arm he gave me, along with a state of the art Ecin-Battery.

Jengo’s dental room was dimly lit, whilst he worked his magic. On occasion he would suck his teeth as he tried manoeuvring his tweezers around the circuits of my arm, only to find another dead end.

I allowed my eyes to be drawn to his walls, watching as multiple posters of yellow teeth, holed and solid, emanating from elongated mouths, with lines indicating the enamel and other dental terminology I knew nothing about. Not like I cared anyway I said to myself.

“Take the pissant battery out then.” I finally grunted, wanting to leave.

“Were you even listening? I can’t take this out Cypher.” Jengo said, tapping the ever-glowing battery. “…it’s hardlined to this new arm of yours,” He said, tapping the battery again. “You would need a new arm! That’s not even the real problem.”

“What bullshit are you on Jeng?”

“No bullshit, I did a test earlier, and found something interesting.”

“Such as?” Rex said, scrapping his chair against the ground, and scotching himself right next to Jengo.

He forced his head between us and tried to see what Jengo was talking about. Jengo and I looked at each other confused by his entrance but said nothing as if we were talking to each other telepathically.

“The firmware on this thing is booby-trapped.”

“We know this,” I said, annoyed.

“…as I was saying, it’s booby-trapped in a way that if the Ecin-Battery is removed, a virus is sent to your cybernetic eye as well.”

“Are you shitting me?” I asked him, then turned to Rex whose head was still eyeing the insides of my arm. “Is he shitting me?”

“…I shit you not, Cypher.”

“Fuck!”

“Nova would…” I huffed, realising…

“…She’s gone Cypher,” Rex said sharply, interrupting me. “If she were still here, she would’ve been able to isolate the firmware passcode for a minute or two. That might’ve been enough time for us to bypass it, but with her being gone now we can’t even know for sure. Look, it might be better for you to get a whole new arm.”

“No…I can’t afford it.”

Rex didn’t say anything, but I could feel the heat from his breath trickle towards my neck, calling my bluff. I actually could afford a new arm, but it wasn’t worth the cost.

My stomach sank though, whilst I thought of Nova. Rex’s words really did sting. I hadn’t realised how much I relied on Nova until she was gone. She did everything for me, from tweaking the feedback between my SMB and Cybernetics, plus ensuring my slethe levels were always regulated, which allowed me to not rely on slethe shots too regular.

It was a perfect partnership, one I took advantage of, and honestly didn’t see the importance…until she was gone.

The dentist gave a long sigh and shook his head. “Look Cypher…I can try to remove the battery for you, but Rex and I believe there’s a backup tracker embedded within the arm itself…as well.”

“What?! what makes you say that?”

“…because that’s what I’d do,” Rex said.

“…that’s what I’d do, as well,” Jengo added

They both told me in sync, not perfectly, but good enough.

“I see…what are my options.”

“Replace the arm…”

“Not happening.”

“Then you’re at a lost Cypher…let it go and take whatever deal Mr Black offers you.” Rex scoffed.

Damn it!

Those words alone filled me with anger, frustration and worthlessness. It was one thing to know I couldn’t get the tracker removed, but if I want to be tracker free I’d have to spend hundreds of thousands of creds, plus taxes.

Not happening I thought bitterly…especially after losing my job as an EXiCON along with the benefits of 2% Sales, VAT and Income Tax on all financial transactions within the Federation, spending that a million creds, to pay 30% to 40% in taxes for a new Cybernetic Arm and Eye…were certainly off the table.

Jengo pressed the lever by his foot, raising his dental chair and unstrapping as my upper body began to level up. He pushed his tool table from in front of my chin, sliding his chair along with it.

The hover chair motor groaned and he placed his monocle on his eye and adjusted the light attachment that was nestled across the top of his ear and began latching and fastening my cybernetic arm’s components back into place.

After he finished, I pushed myself up from the dental chair, turning to Rex, who was propped up against a table with papers scattered all over. Rex had his wry smile painted on his face, as usual, showing his golden tooth, matching the five chains he had around his neck.

He wore two dangling earrings, with a small disc at the bottom of each. The Cyberweaver deck, which was the interface system he used to traverse the BLACKNET, was circular in design and blinked, yellow, white and green around his neck. It wasn’t fancy…but efficient.

The black vest cut he wore showed the glowing orange shrimp tattoo on his chest, which crept up his left shoulder and onto his back. The baggy pants he wore, were stuffed into his boots. The bastard was cocky as hell, but he was likeable. More likeable than me I hated to admit.

Rex rubbed the stubble of a beard, then his stomach. Oh boy, I thought ruefully, as I knew what was coming next. Rex’s bellowed a sombre growl, startling Jengo, who dropped a Phillips screwdriver on the ground.

The dentist spun his hoverchair towards Rex, angered. “Did you JUST shit yourself?” He huffed. “WHAT? Why the hell would you THINK I shat myself?” Rex roared, confused, but hiding his smile. That, however, didn’t stop him from cuddling his stomach.

“The air here…changed for a second. I swore you blew wind.”

“The air here is already shit Jengo. If I leaked, it would smell of roses compared to the dog shit filters you use to keep here fresh.” Rex said, laughing.

“He’s right Jeng” I agreed, trailing into a laughing.

“Well…if my air smells like shit…take your asses out of her…I have ‘real’ client’s to see.” Jengo huffed.

I took a quick whiff of the air once more, smelling the rust from the vents and twinkled my nose, annoyed. It had a tainted salty scent, but that was obvious.

The medical district was the closest district to the salt purifiers. It was one of the cleanlier districts, but it was maligned with a permanent scent of salt lingering in the air.

“Real clients?” I laughed. “No need to lie, Jeng…we know you’re a quack dentist.”

“SCOFF OFF Cypher. That’s why you and that idiot over there are DEEP in whatever SHIT you scooped up.”

“Hey now…it’s more manure than it is shit. So there’s no need to pick it up.”

The three of us chuckled loudly at each other’s lame jokes whilst I tapped my chest, trying to alleviate some of the tightness I accumulated. It wasn’t that I lied down poorly, but because Jeng’s chair was complete shit.

“Asshole,” I finally muttered.

“Get the hell outta my office Cypher!” Jengo spat motioning us towards the door, Rex pushed himself up from the table I smirked, giving Jeng a curt nod, whilst Rex followed me through the door. I swiped the creditstrip reader, giving the secretary a gentle smile and making my way through the devoid office.

The scent of salt and grime fluttered into my nose immediately after leaving Jengo’s office. It made my nose twitch in annoyance. Once my nose familiarised itself with the scent, everything lit up around me, like a Christmas tree.

The lights of the back street's alley were both dim and bright, matching the highlights of the skyscrapers in the foreground above us. Vendors and Merchants sat on either side of the streets, selling their varied items and goods.

Fishcakes…Jam-puffs…Lunch cakes and rice were on designated on the right side of the alley, whilst mats, lamps and other small pieces of furniture took up the entire left side. It was so cramped in this small space it seem like a barrel full of crabs.

The street itself was narrow but wide enough for cars to creep past each other, once you were ok with your side mirrors scratching against each other. I finally took my first two steps down the staircase, hearing a kitten purring to my right, eyes gawking at the fishcake, to only be shooed off soon after.

Then, my stomach growled. It was time to eat.

◆◆◆

Broken Trident, was the name of the restaurant my stomach craved. And luckily for me, it was only a few blocks away from Jengo’s clinic.

The restaurant served old traditional Barbadian cuisine…well, that’s what the sign said anyway. But who could know? After the Imbibe…billions of people died, hundreds of cultures were destroyed in one swoop…when the earth’s crust swallowed the world’s oceans and seas.

Leaving the world in a mere shadow of itself.

The Broken Trident’s sign hung from two chains attached to the building, chains that creaked, once the wind was strong enough. I looked up as I stood beneath it, gazing at Broken Trident sinking into the sand silhouette on the logo. Water enshrouded it, but barely.

Rex and I made our way inside and the red-bricked walls stimulated my eyes, along with the vastly crowded sitting area, with dozens of doubles spread across the room, barely separated by evenly spaced pillars.

On the right, to the back, was the bar section, with at least a dozen men seated apart from the restaurant. However, as claustrophobic as the room felt, the scent of the Broken Trident’s signature dish swirled around the room and into my nose, making my stomach growl.