Neoz City was as lively as ever — neon signs blinking like electric dreams, hovercars buzzing above, and citizens moving through the streets like circuits in a massive machine.
And there I was, dressed to turn heads.
I slipped into a tight purple bodycon mini dress, hugging every curve of my cybernetic figure like it was designed for me. Which, technically, it was. The high heels clicked with a satisfying rhythm as I stepped out onto the pavement.
Harry followed at my side, his sleek black frame gleaming under the artificial lights. His turret retracted and locked — we weren't hunting today. We were just two beings with synthetic parts, out to enjoy life.
---
Steak-Flavored Weirdness
Our first stop was a vending kiosk that catered specifically to cyborgs. I tapped through the holographic menu, then selected something absurd enough to try at least once.
> Cyborg Nutrient Juice – Steak Flavor
The cup popped out, warm to the touch, steam rising from the lid.
I took a sip.
Bleh.
It tasted like overcooked beef blended with battery acid. I gagged a little. Harry looked at me with his mechanical head slightly tilted, the way dogs do when they're confused.
Another sip.
Weird.
One more sip.
...Okay, that wasn't bad.
The umami kicked in. My taste sensors adapted. I started to like it.
"Never doubt the power of synthetic steak," I muttered to myself as I strolled down the sidewalk.
---
Cinema Romance
The theater wasn't far — an old-school place still showing actual holographic films instead of mind-links. I liked it that way. Less invasive.
The place was quiet. Only a few scattered patrons, all absorbed in their own escapism. I picked a seat in the middle row, crossed my legs, leaned back, and let the soft hum of the holoscreen wash over me.
The movie? A simple romance — two lovers torn apart by war, reunited by chance, healed by love. Predictable. But charming.
I sipped my steak juice as the music swelled during the kiss scene.
> "Ugh, emotions," I whispered.
Harry sat at my feet, silent, scanning nothing. For once, he didn't need to be a turret. Just a companion.
---
Pixels and Powder
After the movie, we made a detour to Electro-Pulse, a tech shop that sold everything from cybernetic tools to gaming gear. I browsed until something caught Harry's attention — a sleek black game console with glowing blue accents.
"Want it?" I asked.
Harry barked once. Then I got a text message in my AR:
> YES.
I chuckled and bought it on the spot. Harry wagged his tail. I swear, if he had eyebrows, they'd be raised with excitement.
Next stop was the weapons shop. I picked up a few magazines of rifle ammunition and a couple of flash grenades — non-lethal, but enough to blind even augmented eyes for a few seconds.
"Never know when you need to crash a party," I said while loading the gear into my shoulder bag.
---
Rain and Rest
We got home just as the first drops of rain tapped against the apartment's windows. The neon glow outside blurred into streaks as water ran down the glass.
Inside, I unboxed the game console, hooked it to the wall screen, and stepped back.
Harry didn't need a controller. He connected wirelessly, and the screen blinked to life. A combat simulator game loaded — bright lights, explosions, enemies rushing in.
> Game Start.
Harry's turret flicked slightly as if mimicking a recoil, though it stayed offline. On-screen, his avatar — a robotic dog with twin plasma blasters — charged forward, blasting waves of enemies with gleeful aggression.
I dropped onto the couch, watching.
For once, no bounty. No blood. No danger.
Just pixels, rain, and steak-flavored juice.
---
High Risk, High Reward.
I lounged on my sofa in the dim glow of my apartment lights, completely naked, my synthetic skin glistening softly under the ambient reflection of the city's neon outside. My body — a hyper-realistic, master-crafted marvel — gleamed with quiet perfection. Legs elegantly crossed, I leaned back and exhaled.
With a thought, I summoned my AR display. My cyberbrain linked into the Bounty Hunter Network, seamlessly pulling up the latest wanted list.
Criminal posters floated in my vision like digital playing cards.
Petty thieves. Cyber-drug dealers. One guy who hacked into an adult dating server and replaced every profile with pictures of cats — amusing, but not worth my time.
Then one entry lit up, glowing red and pulsing slightly.
> WANTED – DEAD OR ALIVE
Name: Samuel Houston
Crime: High-Profile Murder
Reward: 250,000 Credits
Note: Class-B Cyborg. Full Cybernetic Body.
My eyes widened slightly.
"Now we're talking…" I murmured.
I tapped for more information. The profile expanded, detailing the chilling rap sheet:
> "Murdered a high-ranking politician and the CEO of NexusCore Technologies. Former elite bodyguard. Moves with superhuman agility and strength. Considered extremely dangerous."
A Class-B, huh?
I glanced down at my own flawless limbs. I'm a Class-C civilian-grade cyborg — elegant, nimble, fast, but not optimized for full-scale warfare. Class-Bs were battle class. Reinforced skeletons, armor-laced muscle fibers, integrated heavy weapons. Designed for bodyguard work, law enforcement, or worse.
I smirked.
> "A real challenge. Just the kind I like."
I tapped Start Hunt and waited for the usual confirmation.
Instead, I got something else.
> HUNT DENIED
Reason: Insufficient Team Members
Recommendation: Minimum 3-person party for Class-B targets.
I blinked.
"What?" I said out loud.
Then I let out a soft chuckle.
"Of course. With a price tag like that, they don't want solo heroes running off to get killed."
The system wasn't wrong. Hunting a rogue Class-B cyborg alone was close to suicide. Unless I upgraded my gear — or found a team.
Still smiling, I stood up and stretched. My body moved with feline grace, a smooth elegance that betrayed the lethality hidden beneath.
"Harry," I said, my voice teasing and sweet.
My robotic companion perked up, his turret folded neatly, eyes glowing softly.
"Let's go to the Bounty Hunter Guild," I said as I slipped on my outfit — IRBS, mini-dress above it for flair, high-collared KFA jacket, holsters loaded, and boots that clicked with purpose.
Harry gave a short digital bark in acknowledgment.
I holstered my standard handgun on my thigh, sheathed my katana at my side, and slung the rifle across my back. Everything else such as flash grenade and CWL-G1 are already in my car. A quick systems check confirmed everything was online.
Outside, the rain had stopped, and Neoz City glittered like a river of light beneath a dark velvet sky.