The safehouse was quiet except for the faint clink of tools as Jace sorted the new torque drivers into his kit. The adjustable desk lamp cast a warm pool of light across the bench, making the steel edges gleam.
Patchwork's voice drifted in, casual but edged.
You know it's only a matter of time before someone notices.
Jace didn't look up. "Noticed what?"
That your repairs don't just fix things. They… improve them. In ways you're not billing for.
The echo pulsed faintly, as if amused.
---
The Call
Riley came in, tablet in hand. "Got a job. Small independent bookstore downtown. Their climate control's been acting up — too humid in the mornings, too dry by afternoon. Owner says it's ruining the rare books section."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "That's a delicate system."
"Pays like one," Riley said. "And they're desperate."
Patchwork: Books, humidity, and a client who probably notices every detail. This should be fun.
---
The Bookstore
The bookstore was a narrow, two‑story space with creaking wooden floors and the smell of paper baked into the walls. The owner, a woman in her late fifties with sharp eyes and a cardigan that looked older than Jace, led them to the back room.
"This is where I keep the rare volumes," she said. "First editions, signed copies. The humidity swings are killing them."
Jace crouched beside the climate control panel. The display was functional but sluggish, the sensors clearly out of calibration.
---
The Work
He popped the panel and found the culprit — a failing humidity sensor and a control board that hadn't been updated in years. Easy enough to fix. But as he reached for the replacement sensor, the echo pulsed — stronger than usual.
Patchwork: It's got an idea.
Jace hesitated. "Alright. Show me."
The echo guided his hands to install not just the new sensor, but a micro‑controller from his kit that would log environmental data and adjust settings dynamically based on seasonal patterns. It was a subtle upgrade — invisible to anyone who didn't know the system inside and out.
---
The Question
When he powered the system back on, the readings stabilized immediately. The owner leaned in, peering at the display.
"That's… better than it's ever been," she said slowly. "What did you do?"
Jace kept his tone even. "Replaced a failing sensor and updated the control logic."
She studied him for a moment, as if weighing whether to press further. "You've got a reputation, you know. People say when you fix something, it stays fixed. And sometimes it works better than it did new."
Riley, standing behind her, shot Jace a quick glance — the kind that said careful.
Jace shrugged. "Guess I'm just thorough."
---
Benevolent Sabotage
Before sealing the panel, Jace added one more touch — a hidden alert that would ping the owner's phone if humidity drifted outside the safe range. She'd never know it was there unless it triggered, but it might save a book worth more than the whole system.
The echo pulsed faintly, satisfied.
---
Payment and Numbers
The owner handed over a neat envelope, her eyes still sharp but her tone warmer. "Thank you. Really."
Payment: $220
Patchwork: $37.40 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $1,340.45.
Wealth: $10,684.88 → $10,904.88
RP Gained: +20 → RP Total: 1157 → 1177
---
Spending on Capability
On the way back, Jace stopped at a small camera shop. He picked up a compact, high‑resolution inspection scope — perfect for peering into tight spaces without disassembling half a system. Not essential for survival, but a serious time‑saver.
Purchase: Compact inspection scope – $95
Wealth: $10,904.88 → $10,809.88
Patchwork: Now you can see the problem before you even get your hands dirty. I approve.
---
Back at the Safehouse
Jace set the inspection scope on the bench, running a quick test. The echo pulsed faintly, curious about the new tool.
Patchwork: You handled that well today.
Jace glanced up. "The question?"
The scrutiny, Patchwork said. She noticed. She didn't understand, but she noticed.
The echo pulsed again — not defensive, but aware.
---
Reflection
That night, Jace sat in the warm pool of light from the desk lamp, the inspection scope beside him. He thought about the owner's sharp eyes, about the way she'd almost asked the real question: What are you really doing to these systems?
Patchwork's voice was quiet. The more we do, the more they'll notice. And the more careful we'll have to be.
The echo pulsed once, as if to say: Then we'll be careful.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 1177
Wealth: $10,809.88
Pending Taxes: $1,340.45
The safehouse was quiet except for the faint hum of the inspection scope's display. Jace was leaning over the bench, tracing a hairline crack in a circuit board, when Riley's voice cut through.
"Got a call," she said, holding up her tablet. "It's the grocer from a few months back — the one whose cooler you upgraded."
Jace looked up. "Something wrong?"
Riley shook her head. "Not exactly. He says it's running fine. He just… wants you to look at it again. Says he's been thinking about how much better it's been since you touched it."
Patchwork's voice slid in, dry.
And here it is. The first 'I don't need a repair, I need whatever you did last time' call.
The echo pulsed faintly, as if pleased.
---
The Grocer
The small neighborhood grocery store smelled faintly of citrus and fresh bread. The owner, a man in his late forties with tired eyes and a polite smile, waved Jace toward the back.
"Cooler's fine," he said. "Better than fine. But I've been… having a rough time lately. Business is slow, my dad's in the hospital, and I just… I don't know. I figured maybe you could take a look at the cooler, and maybe… whatever you did last time could rub off on the rest of the place."
Riley shot Jace a quick glance — the kind that said this is more than a repair call.
---
The Turmoil
Jace crouched beside the cooler's control panel. It was running perfectly — the echo's earlier upgrade still holding steady. But the owner's voice had that brittle edge, the kind that comes from carrying too much for too long.
Patchwork's voice was quiet. He's fraying. We can help.
Jace didn't hesitate. "Alright. Let's do it."
---
The Emotional Repair
It wasn't about touching the cooler — not at first. Jace let Patchwork open that same door in the man's mind that it had opened in his. The echo layered in warmth, a sense of connection. The tension in the owner's shoulders eased. His breathing slowed.
"You know," the man said after a moment, "I've been so focused on what's going wrong, I forgot to notice what's still working."
Jace smiled faintly. "That's easy to do."
Patchwork's voice was warm. He'll still have the problems. But they won't own him.
---
The Upgrade
Jace did open the panel, if only to make the visit look routine. He added a small tweak — a power‑smoothing capacitor that would extend the compressor's life and shave a few dollars off the electric bill each month. Invisible, but real.
The echo pulsed faintly, approving.
---
Payment and Numbers
The owner pressed an envelope into Jace's hand. "I don't know what you did, but… thanks."
Payment: $140
Patchwork: $23.80 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $1,364.25.
Wealth: $10,809.88 → $10,949.88
RP Gained: +15 → RP Total: 1177 → 1192
---
Spending on Comfort
On the way back, Jace stopped at a small hardware store. He picked up a padded anti‑fatigue mat for the workbench — not essential, but his knees and back would thank him.
Purchase: Anti‑fatigue workbench mat – $45
Wealth: $10,949.88 → $10,904.88
Patchwork: You're finally admitting you're mortal. Good.
---
Back at the Safehouse
Jace unrolled the mat at the bench, stepped onto it, and felt the difference immediately. The echo pulsed faintly, as if approving the small act of self‑care.
Patchwork: You realize what happened today.
Jace nodded. "He didn't need a repair. He needed… something else."
And we gave it to him, Patchwork said. That's going to be harder to hide than any hardware upgrade.
The echo pulsed again — steady, confident.
---
Reflection
That night, Jace sat in the warm pool of light from the desk lamp, the mat soft under his feet. He thought about the grocer's face, the way the tension had eased, the way his voice had steadied. The cooler had been fine. But the man had needed fixing.
Patchwork's voice was quiet. We're not just in the repair business anymore.
The echo pulsed once, as if to say: We never were.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 1192
Wealth: $10,904.88
Pending Taxes: $1,364.25
The safehouse smelled faintly of solder and coffee — the unofficial cologne of Jace's life. He was hunched over the bench, the anti‑fatigue mat soft under his boots, when Riley's voice cut through.
"Got a call," she said, holding up her tablet. "It's the community center again. Same director. Says the HVAC's fine, but he wants you to 'check something.'"
Patchwork's voice slid in, dripping with suspicion.
Translation: he wants the magic touch again. And not the kind you can bill for parts.
The echo pulsed faintly, like it was already leaning forward in its seat.
---
The Return
The community center looked the same as last time — peeling paint, cracked sidewalk, a hand‑painted sign out front. Inside, the director was waiting, hands in his pockets, eyes a little too bright.
"System's been running great," he said. "Better than ever. But… I don't know. I've been feeling off lately. Thought maybe you could take a look. At the system, I mean."
Patchwork: Oh yes, because nothing says 'mental health support' like a guy with a multimeter.
Jace kept his face neutral. "Let's take a look."
---
The Real Problem
The HVAC panel was fine — readings stable, no errors. But the director's posture told a different story: shoulders hunched, jaw tight, eyes darting like he was bracing for bad news.
Patchwork's tone softened — slightly. He's wound up again. We can help. But maybe don't make it look like you're rewiring his brain in the lobby.
The echo pulsed, eager.
---
The Emotional Repair
Jace crouched by the panel, tools in hand, and let Patchwork open that door in the man's mind. The echo layered in warmth, grounding. The tension in the director's shoulders eased. His breathing slowed.
"You know," the man said after a moment, "I feel… lighter. Like I've been holding my breath for weeks."
Patchwork: Congratulations, you've just given him the emotional equivalent of a tune‑up. No warranty, though.
Jace smirked faintly, keeping his eyes on the panel.
---
The Slip
The director tilted his head. "That's weird. I came in here feeling like the walls were closing in. Now it's like… you fixed something in me."
Riley, standing by the door, shot Jace a sharp look — the kind that said careful.
Jace shrugged. "Sometimes fixing the environment helps people feel better. Air's cleaner, temp's steady — makes a difference."
Patchwork: Smooth. Almost believable. Almost.
---
Benevolent Sabotage
Before sealing the panel, Jace added a small upgrade — a low‑power air quality sensor that would alert the director if CO₂ levels spiked. It was a real improvement, and it gave him a plausible reason for the "better" feeling.
The echo pulsed faintly, approving the cover story.
---
Payment and Numbers
The director handed over an envelope, still looking faintly puzzled but calmer.
Payment: $180
Patchwork: $30.60 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $1,394.85.
Wealth: $10,904.88 → $11,084.88
RP Gained: +18 → RP Total: 1192 → 1210
---
Spending on Capability
On the way back, Jace stopped at a surplus electronics shop. He picked up a rugged, weather‑sealed field case for his growing collection of specialty tools. Not essential for survival, but it would keep everything organized and protected.
Purchase: Rugged field tool case – $85
Wealth: $11,084.88 → $10,999.88
Patchwork: Finally, a home for all the shiny toys you keep buying. Maybe now you'll stop losing my favorite screwdriver.
---
Back at the Safehouse
Jace slotted each tool into the new case, the foam inserts hugging them snugly. The echo pulsed faintly, as if approving the order.
Patchwork: You realize he almost caught on today.
Jace nodded. "Yeah. We need to be more careful."
Or, Patchwork said, we could just start charging for the deluxe 'fix your soul while we fix your stuff' package.
The echo pulsed once — amused.
---
Reflection
That night, Jace sat in the warm light of the desk lamp, the new case at his feet. He thought about the director's words, about the way he'd almost asked the real question. The repairs were getting harder to hide — not because of the machines, but because of the people.
Patchwork's voice was quiet, but the sarcasm was still there. You wanted to make things better. Congratulations. Now you just have to survive being noticed for it.
The echo pulsed once, as if to say: We will.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 1210
Wealth: $10,999.88
Pending Taxes: $1,394.85