Maine immediately caught on to what Arthur wasn't saying.
His gaze dropped to the table, then slowly back up. "I can't stop now," he muttered, his voice low but resolved. "I have to make it big. Become someone who can't be ignored."
Arthur took a long drag from his cigarette, exhaled, then ground it into the concrete with his boot.
In the gloom of the warehouse, his sharp eyes locked onto Maine's. Though the memories that flickered behind his gaze weren't truly his, they ran deep—embedded into the bones of the body he now called home. Echoes of lives lived, friends lost, promises broken.
"Famous or infamous," Arthur said quietly, "makes no difference. But if I told you this Silan Westin implant is just another corpo experiment—what then? You install it, you become another puppet in a lab coat's playbook."
Maine didn't respond immediately. His jaw clenched. Then, with a growl, he slammed his fist onto the steel table. The echo rang out, followed by a dent that hadn't been there a second ago. His cybernetic arm buzzed softly.
"Goddamn corpos," Maine muttered. "Always the same game. New names, same leashes."
He hurled a crate into the far wall, where it exploded into a mess of old cables and debris.
Arthur watched silently.
He didn't need to say more. Maine wasn't an idiot. He'd already seen the pattern—he just didn't want to admit he was falling into it again.
And still, Arthur could tell… Maine was going to use the implant. Not out of ignorance, but because he had to. For men like Maine, power was the only way forward—even if it came with a death clock.
Arthur glanced at the Sandevistan in its sleek casing. A device designed to make you feel godlike—right before it pulled your mind apart.
A sudden noise interrupted the tension. The warehouse shutter rolled open, and boots echoed against the concrete.
A towering woman stepped in first—built like a freight truck, with muscle to match.
Arthur raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Well, if it isn't Dorio. Still bench-pressing tanks in your spare time?"
Dorio paused, squinting at him in the dim light. Then her eyes lit up. "Arthur, you slippery bastard! Still alive? I figured the city finally ate you."
She stormed over and punched him square in the chest. Arthur took it with a grunt.
"Still got a hell of a right hook," he wheezed, smirking. "I'll give you that."
Dorio poured herself a drink from the corner stash and clinked glasses with Arthur. "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here."
Maine looked like he was ready to choke Arthur. "You didn't tell me she was coming."
Arthur raised both hands. "Hey, not my doing."
Dorio nodded toward the rest of the crew entering behind her. Maine took a deep breath and gestured.
"This is the team," he said. "Rebecca—gunner. Pila—tech. Kiwi—netrunner. Lucy—our hacker."
Arthur gave each a nod. "Nice to meet the legends in training."
Most just stared.
Rebecca crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. Kiwi gave him a look like she was already planning to delete his data trail. Pila gave a polite nod. And Lucy… Lucy didn't react at all.
Arthur raised his glass lazily, then downed it. "I've got errands, so I won't stay long. Just stopped by to deliver your toy," he said, motioning to the implant.
As he walked toward the door, he passed Lucy. Without thinking, he reached out and gently ruffled her rainbow-dyed hair.
The room fell silent.
Lucy froze.
Maine dropped his jaw.
Arthur kept walking, unfazed. "Back in my day, punks like Maine didn't throw a fit if someone messed with their hair."
"Arthur, you son of a—!" Maine snapped. "I wasn't a kid! If you pitied me that much, why not send me to school instead of throwing me into this goddamn mess?!"
Arthur shrugged. "Would you have gone?"
Maine scowled.
Arthur turned to Rebecca next, hand twitching toward her head with a teasing glint.
Big mistake.
In a blur, Rebecca drew both her pink pistols and leveled them at his face. "Try it," she growled, "and I'll turn your head into a drinking cup."
Arthur raised his hands. "Alright, alright! Noted. Boundaries."
He strolled out, still humming like nothing had happened.
Behind him, Lucy snapped out of her trance. Her eyes narrowed. She pulled a sleek pistol from her waist, spun it once, and followed.
"Lucy?" Kiwi called after her, but she was already gone.
Maine and Dorio exchanged a look.
"Aren't you gonna stop her?" Kiwi asked, arching a brow as she poured herself a drink.
Maine leaned back in his chair, pulling his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose. "Nah. If Arthur's still standing after ten years in this city, he can handle one pissed-off hacker."
Dorio chuckled. "He's always been good with kids. Somehow."
She reached over to ruffle Maine's hair.
He smacked her hand away. "Stop that! I let Arthur do it once and regret it to this day."
Dorio burst out laughing. "You're still so easy to mess with."
---
Outside…
Arthur didn't get far before Lucy caught up.
She aimed her pistol at his head. "Don't touch my hair again."
Arthur turned around slowly, amused. "Understood."
He held up his hands, then casually lowered them. "Didn't think you'd chase me out here, honestly."
Lucy didn't answer. Her eyes stayed locked on his, serious and unreadable.
"You're a bold one," Arthur said, studying her. "Not many step into the spotlight unless they've got something worth fighting for."
Lucy didn't flinch.
"I like that," he added. "Reminds me of someone."
She lowered her pistol, slowly.
Arthur gave a two-fingered salute. "See you around, Lucy."
She said nothing, but the fire in her eyes told him enough.
As she turned and walked away, Arthur muttered to himself, "This crew's going to be real trouble."
And with that, he lit a cigarette and disappeared into the neon haze.
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