The safehouse felt different now — not because anything had changed inside, but because the walls no longer felt like a cage. The copper mesh still covered the windows, the generator still hummed, but the knowledge that they could leave at any time made the air feel lighter.
Riley was already at the workbench, sipping coffee and scrolling through her tablet. "First job outside the bunker," she said, her tone somewhere between excitement and caution.
Patchwork's voice slid in, dry as ever.
Ah, the ceremonial first outing. Should we bring a ribbon to cut? Or maybe a flare gun for when it all goes wrong?
Jace smirked. "Where are we going?"
---
The Call
Riley turned the tablet toward him. "Midtown tech co‑op. Shared workspace for startups. Their building automation system's been glitching — lights, HVAC, and access control all out of sync. They've got a big investor tour today."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "So… a public job. Lots of people. Lots of eyes."
Patchwork: Perfect. Let's test how well you can keep a secret while fifty caffeinated entrepreneurs watch you work.
The echo pulsed faintly, steady.
---
Midtown
The co‑op was a sleek glass‑and‑steel building with an open lobby and a constant hum of conversation. People in hoodies and blazers moved between workstations, clutching laptops and coffee cups. The building manager, a tall woman with a quick stride, met them at the front desk.
"Everything's been acting up since yesterday," she said. "Lights flicker, doors don't unlock when they should, HVAC cycles randomly. We've got investors arriving in three hours."
---
The Control Room
The automation hub was tucked behind a glass wall in the basement. Jace scanned the displays — multiple subsystems throwing errors, some conflicting with each other.
Patchwork: This is déjà vu. Didn't we just do City Hall? Only this time, the coffee's better and the people are louder.
The echo pulsed, sharper now.
Jace traced the fault to a central control server — overloaded with conflicting schedules from different tenants' automation apps.
---
The Work
He isolated the server, cleared the conflicting schedules, and updated the firmware. But before sealing it up, the echo pulsed again — insistent.
Patchwork: It's got an idea. And it's probably not in the building manager's handbook.
Jace let the echo guide his hands. It added a load‑balancing routine that would prevent future overloads, plus a predictive maintenance script that would flag potential conflicts before they caused downtime.
---
The Emotional Repair
As he worked, Jace noticed the building manager pacing, checking her watch every thirty seconds. Her voice was tight when she spoke to Riley, her shoulders tense.
Patchwork: She's wound up. Probably picturing the investors walking into a building that looks like it's haunted.
Jace kept his eyes on the panel. "Alright. Let's help her."
Patchwork opened the door in her mind, the echo layering in calm and focus. The tension in her shoulders eased. Her breathing steadied.
"You know," she said quietly, "I feel like I can actually breathe again. Like this might actually go okay."
Patchwork: Add 'emergency pep talk' to your skill set.
---
The Cover
The manager tilted her head. "That's weird. I was ready to lose it five minutes ago. Now I feel… fine."
Jace shrugged. "Sometimes knowing the system's under control makes all the difference."
Patchwork: Smooth. Almost believable. Almost.
---
Payment and Numbers
When the system came back online, the lights stabilized, the HVAC settled, and the access control synced perfectly. The manager handed over a payment, relief clear on her face.
Payment: $320
Patchwork: $54.40 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $1,578.45.
Wealth: $11,324.88 → $11,644.88
RP Gained:
- Base mechanical repair: +20
- Benevolent sabotage upgrade: +5
- Emotional repair bonus: +15
Total RP Gain: +40 → RP Total: 1298 → 1338
---
Spending on Capability
On the way back, Jace stopped at a pro‑audio shop and picked up a compact directional microphone — useful for pinpointing mechanical noises in noisy environments.
Purchase: Compact directional microphone – $120
Wealth: $11,644.88 → $11,524.88
Patchwork: Now you can eavesdrop on machines. Just don't start charging them rent.
---
Back at the New Base
They didn't go back to the bunker. Instead, they drove to a small, sunlit workshop space Riley had scouted — high ceilings, big windows, and no copper mesh. It wasn't home yet, but it was a start.
Riley set the payment envelope on the bench. "Feels different, doesn't it?"
Jace nodded. "Yeah. Like we're not just surviving anymore."
Patchwork: Don't get sentimental. We've still got work to do.
The echo pulsed once — steady, confident.
---
Reflection
That night, Jace sat in the new space, the directional mic on the bench beside him. Outside, the city moved — cars, voices, the hum of life. No bunker walls. No copper mesh. Just the open air.
Patchwork's voice was quiet, but the sarcasm was still there. Welcome to the surface. Try not to set anything on fire.
The echo pulsed once, as if to say: Let's see what we can build here.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 1338
Wealth: $11,524.88
Pending Taxes: $1,578.45
---
The morning light streamed through the tall, uncovered windows of the new workshop. It was the first time in months Jace had seen sunlight without a copper mesh filter. Dust motes drifted in the beams, and the air smelled faintly of fresh paint and machine oil.
Riley stood in the middle of the space, hands on her hips. "Feels different when it's ours."
Patchwork's voice slid in, dry as ever.
Correction: feels different when it's ours, the landlord's, and also when you're paying for Riley's half of the apartment because apparently you're now a one‑man housing subsidy.
Jace smirked. "We'll make it work."
The echo pulsed faintly — steady, approving.
---
The Paperwork
The workshop lease was straightforward: $1,200 a month, utilities included. The landlord, a wiry man with a permanent squint, handed over the keys with a warning about "keeping the noise down after 10 p.m."
Patchwork: Oh yes, because nothing says 'quiet' like a soldering iron and a torque driver at midnight.
The apartment lease had been signed the week before — a two‑bedroom with enough space for both of them to have their own rooms, a shared kitchen, and a living room that didn't smell like machine oil. $1,400 a month, utilities extra. Jace covered the whole thing.
Patchwork: Two rents. Twice the joy of watching your bank account bleed. At least you get a roommate who can book jobs.
---
The Call
They hadn't even finished unpacking when Riley's tablet buzzed. She glanced at it, then grinned. "First job from the new shop. Local radio station. Their broadcast console's been glitching — random channel drops, static bursts."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "Live broadcast?"
"Yep. They've got a show in three hours."
Patchwork: Perfect. Let's make our debut in a place where every mistake is amplified — literally.
---
The Station
The radio station was tucked into the second floor of an old brick building downtown. Posters of past concerts lined the walls, and the air smelled faintly of coffee and dust. The station manager, a woman in her fifties with a headset around her neck, waved them into the control room.
"Console's been acting up for weeks," she said. "We've been limping along, but if it dies during the show, we're dead on air."
---
The Work
Jace popped the console's back panel and found the culprit — a failing power distribution board and a few swollen capacitors. He swapped the board with a spare from his kit, replaced the caps, and cleaned the contacts.
Patchwork: That's the mechanical part. Now comes the fun.
The echo pulsed, and Jace let it guide him through adding a small noise‑filtering circuit and a backup power relay. Benevolent sabotage, broadcast edition.
---
The Emotional Repair
As he worked, Jace noticed the station manager's hands fidgeting with her headset cord. Her voice was tight, her eyes flicking to the clock.
Patchwork: She's picturing dead air and angry sponsors.
Jace kept his eyes on the panel. "Alright. Let's help her."
Patchwork opened the door in her mind, the echo layering in calm and focus. Her breathing steadied, her shoulders dropped.
"You know," she said quietly, "I feel like we might actually pull this off."
Patchwork: Add 'on‑air therapist' to your résumé.
---
The Cover
She tilted her head. "That's weird. I was ready to lose it five minutes ago. Now I feel… fine."
Jace shrugged. "Sometimes knowing the system's under control makes all the difference."
Patchwork: Smooth. Almost believable. Almost.
---
Payment and Numbers
When the console came back online, the static was gone, the channels stable. The manager handed over a payment, relief clear on her face.
Payment: $280
Patchwork: $47.60 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $1,626.05.
Wealth: $11,524.88 → $11,804.88
RP Gained:
- Base mechanical repair: +20
- Benevolent sabotage upgrade: +5
- Emotional repair bonus: +15
Total RP Gain: +40 → RP Total: 1338 → 1378
---
Spending on Capability
On the way back, Jace stopped at a pro‑audio supply shop and picked up a portable spectrum analyzer — perfect for diagnosing interference in broadcast and comms systems.
Purchase: Portable spectrum analyzer – $180
Wealth: $11,804.88 → $11,624.88
---
Rent Payments
- Workshop rent: – $1,200
- Two‑bedroom apartment rent (covers both): – $1,400
Wealth after rent: $11,624.88 → $9,024.88
Patchwork: Ah, the sweet sound of money leaving your account twice in one breath. I hope you like instant noodles and bulk coffee.
---
Back at the Workshop
Jace set the spectrum analyzer on the bench, the keys to both the workshop and the apartment beside it. Sunlight streamed through the windows, catching on the dust motes.
Riley leaned against the doorway. "Feels like a real start."
Jace nodded. "It is."
Patchwork: Just remember — rent's due again in thirty days. Twice.
The echo pulsed once — steady, confident.
---
Reflection
That night, Jace sat in the warm light of the desk lamp, the new analyzer beside him. Outside, the city moved — cars, voices, the hum of life. No bunker walls. Just the open air, a workshop, and an apartment they both called home.
Patchwork's voice was quiet, but the sarcasm was still there. Welcome to the surface. Now let's see if you can keep it.
The echo pulsed once, as if to say: We will.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 1378
Wealth: $9,024.88
Pending Taxes: $1,626.05
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
---
The workshop smelled faintly of solder and fresh coffee. Sunlight poured through the tall windows, catching on the dust motes above the bench. Jace was halfway through calibrating the new spectrum analyzer when Riley's voice cut through.
"Got one," she said, holding up her tablet. "Big one."
Patchwork's voice slid in, dry as ever.
Oh good. I was worried we might have to spend the day doing something boring, like catching up on rent.
Jace set the analyzer down. "What's the job?"
---
The Call
Riley's grin was equal parts excitement and caution. "Downtown performing arts center. Their stage automation system's glitching — curtains, lights, and set pieces all out of sync. They've got a sold‑out show tonight."
Jace raised an eyebrow. "So… a live audience. Hundreds of people."
Patchwork: Perfect. Let's test how well you can keep a secret while the spotlight's literally on you.
The echo pulsed faintly — steady, but with an undercurrent of anticipation.
---
The Venue
The performing arts center was a sprawling mix of old‑world architecture and modern tech. The lobby gleamed with polished marble, and the air buzzed with the sound of rehearsals. The stage manager, a wiry man with a headset and a clipboard, met them at the side entrance.
"Automation's been acting up for days," he said. "Curtains open late, lights miss cues, set pieces stop halfway. We've got a full house tonight — I need it perfect."
---
The Control Booth
The automation hub was tucked behind the stage, a wall of control panels and monitors. Jace scanned the displays — multiple subsystems throwing timing errors, some conflicting with each other.
Patchwork: This is déjà vu with better acoustics. Looks like the cue server's choking on conflicting scripts.
The echo pulsed, sharper now.
Jace traced the fault to a central timing module — overloaded with redundant commands from different show files.
---
The Work
He isolated the module, cleared the redundant commands, and updated the firmware. But before sealing it up, the echo pulsed again — insistent.
Patchwork: It's got an idea. And it's probably not in the stage manager's handbook.
Jace let the echo guide his hands. It added a synchronization routine that would smooth out timing between subsystems, plus a predictive check that would flag potential cue conflicts before they happened. Benevolent sabotage, theater edition.
---
The Emotional Repair
As he worked, Jace noticed the stage manager pacing, checking his watch every thirty seconds. His voice was tight when he spoke to Riley, his shoulders tense.
Patchwork: He's picturing the curtain jamming in front of a sold‑out crowd.
Jace kept his eyes on the panel. "Alright. Let's help him."
Patchwork opened the door in his mind, the echo layering in calm and focus. The tension in his shoulders eased. His breathing steadied.
"You know," he said quietly, "I feel like we might actually pull this off."
Patchwork: Add 'backstage therapist' to your résumé.
---
The Observer
As Jace finished, a woman in a tailored blazer stepped into the booth. She watched him work for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"You're fast," she said. "And thorough. I've seen other techs take hours to do what you just did in twenty minutes."
Riley stepped in smoothly. "He's efficient. Years of experience."
The woman tilted her head. "Still… it's like you know exactly what's wrong before you even open the panel."
Patchwork: And here we go.
Jace kept his tone even. "Sometimes the symptoms point you in the right direction."
She studied him for a moment longer, then nodded. "Well… whatever you're doing, keep doing it."
---
Payment and Numbers
When the system came back online, the curtains glided smoothly, the lights hit their cues, and the set pieces moved in perfect sync. The stage manager handed over a payment, relief clear on his face.
Payment: $400
Patchwork: $68.00 added to Pending Taxes. Current total: $1,694.05.
Wealth: $9,024.88 → $9,424.88
RP Gained:
- Base mechanical repair: +20
- Benevolent sabotage upgrade: +5
- Emotional repair bonus: +15
Total RP Gain: +40 → RP Total: 1378 → 1418
---
Spending on Capability
On the way back, Jace stopped at a lighting supply store and picked up a portable DMX tester — perfect for diagnosing stage and event lighting systems.
Purchase: Portable DMX tester – $160
Wealth: $9,424.88 → $9,264.88
---
Rent Reminder
Riley glanced at the calendar on her tablet. "Two weeks until rent's due again."
Patchwork: Ah yes, the monthly ritual of watching your hard‑earned money vanish into the pockets of two different landlords.
---
Back at the Workshop
Jace set the DMX tester on the bench, the keys to both the workshop and the apartment beside it. Sunlight streamed through the windows, catching on the dust motes.
Riley leaned against the doorway. "Crowd didn't faze you."
Jace shrugged. "Wasn't the crowd I was worried about."
Patchwork: It was the woman in the blazer. She's going to remember you.
The echo pulsed once — steady, but with a hint of warning.
---
Reflection
That night, Jace sat in the warm light of the desk lamp, the new tester beside him. Outside, the city moved — cars, voices, the hum of life. No bunker walls. Just the open air, a workshop, and an apartment they both called home.
Patchwork's voice was quiet, but the sarcasm was still there. Welcome to the surface. Now let's see how long you can stay under the radar.
The echo pulsed once, as if to say: We will.
---
Status Update
Technician: Jace Thorn
RP Total: 1418
Wealth: $9,264.88
Pending Taxes: $1,694.05
Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Two‑Bedroom Apartment – $1,400 (covers both Jace & Riley)
---