The workshop was unusually quiet that morning. Riley sat at the desk, scrolling through the job board with a look that was half suspicion, half resignation.
"Here it is," she said finally. "City convention center. They've got a charity gala tonight. The main stage lift is stuck, the lighting grid is flickering, and the PA system keeps cutting out. They want it fixed before the event starts."
Jace leaned back in his chair. "Three failures, one venue, on the day of a high‑profile event. Subtle."
Patchwork's voice slid into his mind, dry as ever.
"Subtlety is overrated. This is a trap with better catering."
Riley crossed her arms. "They're not even pretending anymore. They want to see you sweat in front of an audience."
Jace zipped his kit. "Then let's give them a show."
---
Arrival
The convention center was buzzing with staff in tuxedos and gowns, rushing to set tables and hang banners. The event coordinator, a woman in a sequined blazer, waved them over.
"Thank God you're here. The stage lift is jammed, the lights are flickering, and the PA keeps cutting out. We've got donors arriving in three hours."
From the balcony, Jace spotted them: two men in plain clothes, pretending to check the seating chart but watching him too closely.
Patchwork: "Your fan club is back. Front row seats this time."
---
The Work
The stage lift was first. Jace opened the housing and immediately saw it: the safety catch had been filed down, deliberately weakened. If the lift had been used, it could have dropped the platform mid‑event. He jogged back to the van, grabbed a steel bracket, and reinforced the catch before resetting the motor. The lift hummed back to life.
The lighting grid was next. Half the fixtures were flickering, but not from wear — someone had loosened the ground wires. Jace tightened them, replaced a scorched connector, and the lights steadied.
The PA system was the worst. The main board had been tampered with, fuses swapped for mismatched ones. Jace pulled them, replaced them with proper spares, and recalibrated the board until the speakers crackled back to life.
Meanwhile, Riley moved through the staff, calming nerves, smoothing over questions. There was no injury this time — just the stress of a looming deadline and the weight of too many eyes.
---
Suspicion
As they packed up, one of the watchers approached. "Funny how you always know exactly what's wrong. Almost like you expected it."
Jace met his eyes. "Because I did. Those weren't failures. They were tampered with."
The man's expression flickered, then smoothed into a smile. "Interesting theory."
Riley stepped in smoothly. "He notices details most people miss. That's why people hire him."
The man studied her, then Jace, then walked away.
Patchwork: "You're not just fixing things anymore. You're calling them out. That makes you dangerous."
---
The Gala
By the time the donors arrived, the stage was working, the lights were steady, and the PA was clear. Jace and Riley lingered at the edge of the room, watching as the event unfolded.
From across the hall, the watchers kept their eyes on him.
Riley leaned close. "They wanted you to fail in front of an audience. Instead, you made them look sloppy."
Jace smirked. "Then maybe they'll stop underestimating me."
Patchwork's voice was a quiet hum in his mind.
"1,383 RP. You're closing in. At 2,000, you'll see sabotage in ways they can't hide. Until then, keep your eyes open. They're done playing nice."
---
Settlement
Payment: $1,500
Wealth: $37,734.88 → $39,234.88
Taxes: +$255.00 added to Pending (Total: $7,369.85)
RP Gained: +120 (multi‑issue sabotage job, under live audience scrutiny)
RP Total: 1,383 → 1,503
---
Back at the Workshop
Riley leaned against the bench. "That was different. They weren't just testing you. They wanted you to fail publicly."
Jace nodded. "And now they know I won't."
Patchwork's voice was a quiet hum in his mind.
"1,503 RP. You're closer than ever. At 2,000, the upgrade unlocks. And then the real fun begins."
Jace smirked. "Then let's keep stacking."
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
- RP Total: 1,503
- Wealth: $39,234.88
- Pending Taxes: $7,369.85
- Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Apartment – $1,400
- Capabilities: Mechanical, Electronic, Emotional, Biological
- Next Upgrade (Locked): Temporal Diagnostics – Unlocks at 2,000 RP
- Taxes due: one month
---
Riley was already tense before the phone even rang. When it did, she answered, listened, and then gave Jace a look that said everything.
"Civic auditorium," she said. "Town hall meeting. Packed house. Their stage mic is dead, the projection screen jammed halfway, and the emergency exit alarm keeps tripping. They want it fixed now — the mayor's already on stage."
Jace zipped his kit. "So they're done with subtlety."
Patchwork's voice slid into his mind.
"Subtlety is for amateurs. This is theater. And you're the headliner."
---
On‑Site
The auditorium was full — citizens, reporters, city officials. The mayor was already at the podium, tapping a dead mic. The projection screen hung crooked, frozen halfway down. The emergency exit alarm wailed intermittently, making the crowd restless.
From the back row, Jace spotted them: Daniel's people, not even pretending anymore. One leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes locked on him.
Patchwork: "They want to see you sweat. Don't give them the satisfaction."
---
The Work
Jace moved fast. He crouched at the podium, opened the mic housing, and found the wires deliberately crossed — a clean sabotage. He stripped them, re‑soldered, and the mic crackled to life. The mayor didn't miss a beat, launching into his speech as if nothing had happened.
Next, the projection screen. The pulley cable had been deliberately frayed, strands cut halfway through. Jace jogged to the side housing, pulled the cable free, and spliced in a reinforced section from his kit. The screen lowered smoothly, the crowd applauding as the presentation began.
Finally, the emergency exit alarm. The sensor had been taped with reflective foil, tricking it into constant false triggers. Jace ripped the foil away, reset the panel, and the alarm went silent.
The crowd relaxed. The mayor kept talking. To them, it looked like a technician doing his job. To Daniel's people, it was proof Jace could spot sabotage in real time.
---
Suspicion
As the event wrapped, one of the watchers approached. "You fixed all that fast. Almost like you knew it wasn't random."
Jace met his eyes. "Because it wasn't. Someone wanted this to fail."
The man's smile was thin. "And you just happened to be here."
Riley stepped in smoothly. "That's why they called us. He notices things others miss."
The man studied her, then Jace, then walked away.
Patchwork: "You're not just fixing anymore. You're exposing them. That's going to make things… interesting."
---
Settlement
Payment: $1,600
Wealth: $39,234.88 → $40,834.88
Taxes: +$272.00 added to Pending (Total: $7,641.85)
RP Gained: +115 (multi‑issue sabotage job, under live audience scrutiny, direct confrontation)
RP Total: 1,503 → 1,618
---
Back at the Workshop
Riley leaned against the bench. "They staged that in front of a crowd. If you'd slipped, it would've been public humiliation."
Jace nodded. "And now they know I won't slip."
Patchwork's voice was a quiet hum in his mind.
"1,618 RP. You're closing in. At 2,000, the upgrade unlocks. And then you'll see sabotage in ways they can't hide. Until then, keep your eyes open. They're not done."
Jace smirked. "Neither am I."
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
- RP Total: 1,618
- Wealth: $40,834.88
- Pending Taxes: $7,641.85
- Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Apartment – $1,400
- Capabilities: Mechanical, Electronic, Emotional, Biological
- Next Upgrade (Locked): Temporal Diagnostics – Unlocks at 2,000 RP
- Taxes due: one month
---
Riley was already scowling at the job request before she even read it aloud.
"Community center gym," she said. "They've got a youth tournament today. The scoreboard's dead, the bleachers won't retract, and the fire suppression system keeps cycling like it's about to dump foam on the court."
Jace zipped his kit. "That's not a coincidence."
Patchwork's voice slid into his mind, sharp and mocking again.
"Oh, you think? Three failures at once, in a building full of kids? What a mystery. Maybe next you'll deduce water is wet."
Riley gave Jace a look. "They're escalating. This isn't just about testing you anymore. This could hurt people."
Jace nodded grimly. "Then we don't let it."
---
On‑Site
The gym was packed — kids in jerseys, parents in the bleachers, referees trying to keep order. The director waved them over, panicked.
"Scoreboard's out, bleachers won't move, and the suppression system keeps arming itself. We can't start the games like this."
From the far side of the gym, Jace spotted them: Daniel's people, leaning against the wall, watching him like hawks.
Patchwork: "Smile, champ. You're about to fix sabotage in front of a hundred witnesses. No pressure."
---
The Work
The scoreboard was first. Jace opened the housing and found the control board fried — but not by chance. Someone had bridged two contacts with a strip of foil, forcing a short. He yanked it out, replaced a blown fuse, and the board lit up.
The bleachers were next. The retraction motor had been deliberately jammed with a bolt wedged into the gear teeth. Jace pried it free, checked the housing, and reset the motor. The bleachers groaned, then slid smoothly back into place.
Finally, the suppression system. The sensors had been dusted with fine powder, tricking them into thinking there was smoke. Jace climbed the ladder, cleaned them out, and reset the panel. The system went quiet.
The crowd cheered as the scoreboard flickered to life and the refs signaled the games could begin. To them, it was just a technician doing his job. To Daniel's people, it was proof Jace could spot sabotage under pressure.
---
Suspicion
As they packed up, one of the watchers approached. "Funny how you always know exactly what's wrong. Almost like you expected it."
Jace met his eyes. "Because I did. Someone wanted this to fail."
The man's smile was thin. "And you just happened to be here."
Riley stepped in smoothly. "That's why they called us. He notices things others miss."
The man studied her, then Jace, then walked away.
Patchwork: "You're not just fixing things anymore. You're ruining their fun. Keep this up and they'll stop testing you and start trying to break you."
---
Settlement
Payment: $1,450
Wealth: $40,834.88 → $42,284.88
Taxes: +$246.50 added to Pending (Total: $7,888.35)
RP Gained: +120 (multi‑issue sabotage job, under live audience scrutiny, potential harm prevented)
RP Total: 1,618 → 1,738
---
Back at the Workshop
Riley leaned against the bench. "That wasn't just sabotage. That could've hurt kids."
Jace nodded. "And they wanted to see if I'd catch it."
Patchwork's voice was sharp, sarcastic, and unrelenting.
"Congratulations, Sherlock. You solved the case of the Obvious Sabotage. Next week, maybe you'll figure out why toast lands butter‑side down. But hey — 1,738 RP. You're closing in. At 2,000, the upgrade unlocks. And then you'll stop guessing and start knowing."
Jace smirked. "Then let's keep stacking."
The echo pulsed once — steady, ready.
---
Status Update
- RP Total: 1,738
- Wealth: $42,284.88
- Pending Taxes: $7,888.35
- Monthly Rent: Workshop – $1,200 | Apartment – $1,400
- Capabilities: Mechanical, Electronic, Emotional, Biological
- Next Upgrade (Locked): Temporal Diagnostics – Unlocks at 2,000 RP
- Taxes due: one month
---