The trail led me to the outskirts of Neoz City, where the skyline disappeared into rust and ruin. Old scrapyards, abandoned warehouses, and the quiet hum of machines left to rot.
According to the Guild intel, Rogmus had taken up shelter in one of the derelict metal storage buildings. Off-grid. Isolated. No surveillance.
Perfect.
I parked two blocks away, stepped out, and did a mental check.
> IRBS suit: active.
KFA jacket: intact.
Katana: sheathed.
Handgun: loaded.
Rifle: slung.
With a single thought, I opened my system menu.
> Combat Mode → Activate
My cyberbrain hummed as control shifted. I was still in command — but now, my cybernetic body responded automatically, reflexes driven by logic, speed, and math.
I didn't have to think about movement. I only had to give intention.
My AR overlay sharpened.
> Combat Mode: Active
Motor Functions: Cyberbrain Controlled
Movement Speed: 1.5x Human Max
Target Assist: On
Lethal Force: Authorized
I approached the warehouse. Its structure was half collapsed. Crates and rusted vehicle parts formed makeshift cover along the walls. Inside, three heat signatures. One stood out — big, hot, pulsing with cybernetic energy.
Rogmus.
He was massive. Cybernetic right arm, plated like a battleship. The other two thugs were small fry — jittery movements, low reaction times. Non-enhanced.
Time to move.
I stepped into the building and spoke clearly.
"Rogmus!"
They all turned. Guns were drawn. The nearest one twitched — likely to fire.
My cyberbrain took over instantly.
I launched forward — a single blur of motion. In less than a second, I had crossed ten meters, ducked under a gun barrel, and delivered a high roundhouse kick to the first thug's jaw.
His neck snapped. Dead before he hit the ground.
The second thug panicked and fired wildly.
I was already in the air — vaulting over a broken crate, twisting mid-spin. The bullet whizzed beneath me.
My targeting system lit up red.
> Optimal kill zone detected.
Trajectory calculated.
Executing shot.
My body landed, rolled, drew the handgun, and fired one clean shot through his chest.
He dropped.
Only Rogmus remained.
He roared and charged — his cyber-arm swinging like a wrecking ball.
He was fast. But I was faster.
My cybernetic body dropped low, pivoted, and slid under his swing. I backflipped over a pile of junk, landing with gymnast precision. My katana was already unsheathed.
> Organic tissue detected: 62% exposed.
Bleed targets identified.
I dashed in.
A series of automated slashes — surgical, fluid, almost elegant. The blade cut across his abdomen, thigh, and shoulder. Arterial points targeted. He bled heavily.
He howled in rage and swung again — wild, desperate.
I vaulted backward, evading the blow with an aerial twist, landed on a railing, kicked off, and launched myself straight toward him.
My katana arced midair — slicing deep into the side of his neck.
> Fatal wound probability: 87%
He staggered. I flipped behind him, drove the katana into his back, and twisted.
> Lung punctured. Spine severed. Combat threat: neutralized.
He collapsed in a heap of blood and metal.
I stood over the body, breathing out of habit — not necessity. My system dimmed combat mode.
> Combat Mode → Deactivated
Vitals: Stable
Damage: Minimal
I wiped the blade clean and sheathed it.
Then, I accessed the Guild's network through my AR overlay.
> Bounty Network → Current Hunt → Rogmus → Mark as Complete
Seconds later, I received a response:
"Tracking confirmed. Drones en route."
I stepped back and waited.
Within minutes, three black Guild drones descended from the sky. Silent, precise, cold. They scanned Rogmus's body, confirmed the biometric ID, analyzed the cybernetic arm, and uploaded footage to the bounty registry.
> [Target Confirmed]
[Hunt Complete: Validated]
A second ping came through:
> [Bank Notification – Incoming Transfer]
+50,000 Credits received
Sender: Bounty Hunter Guild HQ
The drones locked onto Rogmus's body with anti-grav harnesses and carried him away into the sky, fading behind the polluted clouds.
I holstered my weapons, checked my vitals again, and walked back to the car.
"First mission complete," I said to myself.
No backup. No team. Just me, a blade, a gun, and some very expensive programming.
But next time… maybe I won't go alone.
....
The morning after the hunt, I just lay there on my couch — not because I was tired. My brain still needed rest, technically. But really, I was enjoying the silence.
No alarms. No bullets. Just calm.
Rogmus was down. No damage to report. But one thing became clear:
I could've used a second set of eyes. Maybe even a gun.
---
A few hours later, I was back at Alex's garage — the same messy techno cave as always. Cables draped like vines, tools scattered across every flat surface, and the sweet scent of solder smoke hanging in the air like incense.
He was half inside a vending machine, muttering.
"Alex," I said.
He stuck his head out. "Jane! You look alive."
"Still am."
"Damage?"
"None. I'm just here to upgrade my team."
He raised an eyebrow. "Team?"
"I want a sidekick."
Alex grinned and pulled the tarp off something crouched in the corner.
It stood and looked at me — four legs, matte black armor, glowing blue eyes. The size of a medium dog, but very much not a pet. It was sharp, precise, almost too quiet.
"Meet Harry," Alex said. "Combat support unit. AI-enabled. This one's got teeth."
The robot dog stepped forward. Then, with a subtle hiss, a low-profile turret slid up from a recessed panel on its back. The barrel extended and rotated smoothly, tracking a target that didn't exist yet.
"Fully integrated turret," Alex explained. "Caliber's standard handgun for now, but it's accurate and can lay down suppressive fire. Harry auto-locks based on threat level and direction — or he can follow your AR commands directly."
"Not bad," I said.
"That's not all. Watch this."
He tapped a control pad, and a small hatch opened on Harry's side. A tiny drone lifted off quietly, hovering in front of me.
"Spy drone. Silent flight, basic recon, synced with your feed. Useful for scouting tight spaces or catching targets off guard."
I folded my arms. "How much?"
"Twenty thousand."
I transferred the funds without blinking.
> −20,000 credits
Balance: 65,341 → 45,341 credits
Harry barked once — a sharp digital yip.
A second later, my AR interface pinged.
> [Incoming Message]
Hello Jane, I'm Harry.
I smiled. "I like him already."
"He'll follow your voice or your thoughts. He's got enough AI to improvise, but not enough to disobey."
"Good. I don't need another smartass in my life."
"Hey," Alex said, faking offense. "I only charge you like one."
Harry padded over and stood at my side, turret folded away neatly back into his armored spine.
"He syncs with your AR just like a weapon system. Treat him like a partner. And don't let him chew on anything explosive."
"No promises," I said.
---
Back at my apartment, I sat on the couch while Harry scanned the room, getting a feel for his new territory.
I accessed the Guild bounty board again. Names, faces, crimes — all lined up like a digital shooting gallery.
Harry sat quietly beside me, blue eyes watching the same feed I was.
"Let's see what's next, partner," I said.
He didn't respond.
But somehow, I knew he was ready.