Chapter 1

The login screen greeted me like any other day. Green lasers illuminated the BEYOND logo on the room's ceiling, the crescendo of music echoed around the fake room, and sealed start button glimmered in front of me on the control panels. Before plugging in my virtual controls, I adjusted the goggle-like headset over my eyes and pushed the earbuds deeper into my ears. The sound of my father's shouts at the TV downstairs faded away.

I took a deep breath and attached my virtual controls. I lay still on my bed, waiting and watching the loading bar hover above the control panel.

INTERNAL CONTROLS CONNECTING.

10%... 25%... 67%...

As it loaded, I fiddled with the blanket on my bed. The worn out cotton didn't protest as I rubbed it between my fingers. I would have tapped my foot, but since I was in the middle of the calibration phase, I figured I should come up with a different way to channel my anxiety.

82%... 96%... 100%

CONTROLS CONNECTED.

I inhaled a large breath. The air entered my lungs and, for some reason, it filled me with invigoration. I took a step forward in the virtual world and rested my palms on the BEYOND control board. With a quick flick of my wrist, I checked battery levels, my vitals, and other information before agreeing that I was stable enough to enter the game.

The glass casing over the Cyber Legacy start button released. It flipped up and the button glowed faintly, the muted rainbow colors drifting in and out of sharpness. I didn't hesitate. I slammed my palm down on the button.

* * *

The world materialized around me. The scent of fresh rain hit me even before the drops did. The sounds of the bustling city hit me next; trains stopping and starting, lights turning on as it got later, and feet splashing in puddles. I extend my hands and give my body a hard shake. Everything seems to be in order. Much better than the last time I'd logged in.

I hit the nude earpiece in my right ear. The holographic statistics popped up in front of my right eye. I scanned the Mistral city map. The symbols of my other party members showed up on the screen. It looked like Titus was at the gym again, though that didn't surprise me. Both Krystal and Cliff appeared to be at Jolley's bar.

Speaking of which, the thought of a drink sounded nice. After giving my stats one quick scan through, I waved the menu away and marched down the alleyway.

Cyber Legacy had some really great effects that I was still getting used to. Staring up through the rain, I could see trains and expensive hover cars speeding through the night air. Though the stars were covered by grey clouds, I could imagine them in my mind's eye.

The neon lights that hung on the surrounding skyscrapers reflected off of the water on the streets and sidewalks. Boots, heels, and other shoes passed by me. I didn't have to see the people wearing them to know where they were. I could navigate around just by sound itself, which came in handy. I knew Mistral like the back of my hand.

As I passed a nearby newsstand, I had to shove my way through a gathering crowd of Lizardmen. The towering class beings were like scaly walls of muscle and teeth. They grunted and hissed to one another, and I caught faint whisperings.

"-goin' to crap. Who knows how long the outer bases will last?"

"It was their choice to fight the Volfmen there."

"Still. Deadspace was going to catch up to them eventually."

My short stature didn't help as I tried to jump and see what the Lizardmen were talking about. When I couldn't jump higher than their shoulder blades, I shoved my way through their arms. I got a couple of curses, but I ignored them. The headlines were more interesting to read.

Deadspace Rates; Over 12% Land Lost

Volfmen Forced to Relocate to City, Endangers Players

Will Missing Prince Still Marry?

Heiress Paisley Trapped!

Police Succeed on First Crackdown on Outcast Players

My shoulders slumped. The police were after players again? Couldn't they find something else to do other than ruin our fun?

After one last scan through of the news, I eventually shoved my way out of the Lizardmen crowd and continued on my way to Jolley's. There wasn't anything worth worrying about. It had been a few weeks of the same stories; the prince was still missing and his fiance was waiting for him, Deadspace was getting worse, and the Volfmen were closing in on the cities. The only good thing about that news was that it gave us Outcast players more work.

After tapping my earpiece, I sent a quick message to the group.

Tempest: I'm here. Let's get some jobs done.

Almost immediately, I got a reply.

Cliff: Great! Krystal and I are ready to go.

Krystal: heck yeah!

And, just like Krystal, she paired her message with a smiley face and a heart. My lips turned up in a small smile. I had seriously missed these people.

I made my way across town, taking in the sights and enjoying the rain on my face. In Mistral, it tended to rain a lot, but it didn't bother many players anymore. The chilly breeze felt good compared to the Nevada heat I was used to. Water slid down my bare arms and seeped into my tank top. My cargo pants became damp as well, but I didn't mind.

Up ahead, the familiar neon lights of Jolley's illuminated the sidewalk. I looked up and smiled at the cursive sign above the automatic door. It read "Jolley's Club and Bar". As I walked toward it, the door opened easily. SHIIIIINK. The smell of stale beer, cigarettes, and vape smoke washed over me and I couldn't help but take a deep breath. My shoulders relaxed.

I was home.

Lights from the club flashed off of the metal poles, wires, and catwalks. I could see some elf dancers on stage, and not surprisingly, I easily spotted Krystal. She was wearing her usual crop top and booty shorts. Unlike the other dancers, she wasn't wearing her stripper outfit. Despite that, she got most of the whistles and hollers from the club members. Her dazzling smile, voluminous long blonde hair, and sparkling blue eyes were no doubt a crowd favorite. She was the darling of Jolley's Club.

I sent a quick message to Cliff, asking where he was. He responded almost instantly and said he was in our usual spot. I walked through the tables and spotted him at a circular table in the corner. And, like always, he had a gorgeous girl under each arm.

"Ah, you found me," Cliff said, giving me his dazzling smile.

When I had first met him, I had fallen in love with that grin, but after knowing him for a while, I know that it was only a ploy he did to get girls to do what he wanted.

"Of course I did. Seems like you found what you were looking for as well." I glanced at the two girls under his arms. One was a brunette elf while the other was a purple-scaled Lizardmen. Both were dressed quite scandalously.

Cliff spread his hands and ducked his chin. "Hey, I'm always open for a party, you know that."

I grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat down, draping my arms over the back of it. "Is Krystal coming to join us?"

The brunette elf whined, "Don't tell me you like Krystal, Cliff."

He chuckled and rubbed her arm. "My darling, there's nothing between us, I promise."

That seemed to satisfy her. Her pouty face disappeared and she beamed at him. "Oh good! Sharing you isn't even an option, after all!"

"Hey," the purple-scaled Lizardmen snapped, "Cliff is mine."

"No, he's mine!"

"Ladies, ladies, please." Cliff pulled both girls closer to his chest. "There's enough of me to go around."

Enough of him to go around? Yeah, right.

I rolled my eyes and shoved my chin into the crook of my arm. Cliff was too much of a ladies man for my taste. And there was no way in heck that I was going to let Cliff know I was a little jealous.

BOOM!

The door to the bar exploded. I heard a couple of the club members scream and tables toppled over. I shot to my feet just in time to see a group of players jump away from the smoking door. Jolley let out a stream of curse words.

"What the heck are you doing to my bar?!" he shouted, throwing down his towel. "If you think that I'll let you get a drink-"

He was cut off by a figure jumping through the smog cloud. It crashed into one of the tipped over tables, gasping for air. Within seconds, I could tell it was a male elf. His ears stuck out from his impish curly hair. He pulled himself up and-

I gasped. My breath was stolen from me as I stared.

His eyes. They were dark and endless like an abandoned canyon. They were stars in the midnight sky. They were the color of the fresh earth with shimmers of sunlight.

And they were filled with panic.

"Clear out!" he shouted, his deep voice resonating through the open room. "They're on their way!"

Some players were confused, but most of the room understood immediately. Drinks hit the floor, glass shattered, and the sound of frantic footsteps filled the slowly emptying space.

"We have to go," Cliff said. He waved the girls who had been hanging around him away, giving them brief instructions to the closest exits. Once they were gone, he came to my side.

"Are we going to run?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, let's figure out what's going on."

"But we don't stand a chance."

I jabbed his shoulder. "You could take some out to ensure an escape route when we need to."

"Without Titus and Krystal, we won't be able to take them all down."

I shot a glare at him, my hard eyes meeting his determined ones. "We don't have to take them down. We just need to get that guy to safety."

"Tempest, we could get deleted for good. Do you really want to risk that for information?"

I cut my words deliberately. "We don't leave people our behind."

"But we don't- ugh." He let out a long sigh but apparently decided to not argue with me any further.

Our conversation was interrupted as one of the bar's windows broke with a loud SMASH! Cliff flipped a nearby table and we both crouched down behind it.

"The last time I saw Titus was a couple of days ago after our last mission," he hissed. "Krystal should be here in the club somewhere. I doubt she would have run out with the others."

"Unless she was getting them to safety," I interjected.

He scrunched his nose and tilted his head. "Maybe. It's that or she's hiding like us, trying to get a plan together."

Just then, there was a small ding in my ear. Cliff must have gotten it too because we both checked out the notification.

Krystal: Anyone in Jolly's?

Cliff: Tempest and I. Under table, near our spot.

Tempest: Krys what about you?

Krystal: 2nd level above main door.

Cliff: Sneak jump?

Krystal: Listening, fn.

Tempest: If poss, video.

Krystal: K.

There was a thump as something landed on the other side of the bar. I glanced that way and saw the trench coat of the mysterious man that had entered the bar earlier. I glanced over to see if Cliff had seen him, but he was looking around the other side of the table, keeping his narrowed gaze on the door. Then, I heard what he seemed to have latched onto. There were stomping footsteps outside of the establishment. That could only mean one thing...

"It's the feds," Cliff muttered.

I slipped my hand up to my ear and adjusted my settings. After looking through my inventory on the small screen, I equipped my rifle and a couple of magazines to my belt. They materialized into my hands.

"As soon as they enter, I'll start picking them off one by one," I said.

"Have you contacted Titus?"

"No, can you?"

"Already done. He hasn't responded yet."

"Is he online?"

"The map says he is."

I shook my head and muttered, "If he could just get his butt over here-"

The door to the bar opened. Cliff and I pulled back behind the safety of the table. Boots crunched broken glass. Shuffling echoed around the empty room.

"Search the area," a gruff voice ordered. "If you find any players associated with the Outcasts, I want them brought to me."

"Yes, Sergeant," said a group of robotic voices.

The shuffling continued. I peeked around the edge of the table. A small group of the robotic policeman - FedDroids, we outcasts called them - were making their way through the tipped tables. They would find us any minute if we didn't move.

"We have to go," I hissed to Cliff.

He gave a stiff nod. "Yes, but how are we going to avoid them?"

I cocked my rifle. "We won't."

Before he could protest, I spun the dial on my earpiece and rolled away from the table. I came up in a crouch and shot the nearest FedDroid. It crashed loudly to the ground, but all of the other FedDroids had seen me. They pulled out their weapons but I was a step ahead. I launched myself up onto a table and kicked one of the FedDroids over.

"You looking for me?" I shouted.

All the attention in the room was brought to me. The Sergeant spun to look at me, all of the FedDroids prepared with their firearms. His dark eyes narrowed. His brown eyes and dark skin contrasted his professional white uniform in an almost alluring manner. He held up his hand and the droids froze.

"Who are you?" he asked, taking a step towards me.

I smiled and propped my rifle on my hip. "I could ask the same thing of you. What are you doing here in a downtown bar like this if not to get a drink?"

The man cracked a smile. It wasn't until that moment did I realize he wasn't as old as I thought he was. He was fairly short, standing only a few inches shorter than the FedDroids. Surprised, I figured he was about my height. The man straightened and bowed.

"My apologies, miss. I am Sergeant Torgerson. I'm sorry for the intrusion, but it seems as though our target came through here."

"Target?" I asked.

He nodded. "Indeed. An Outcast who caused some trouble near the inner square." After a moment, he looked me up and down. I could feel his gaze tingle on my exposed skin on my stomach and hips. It made me feel dirty and violated, which irritated me to no end. "Who might you be?"

A ding sounded in my ear and I barely had enough time to see the message before it disappeared.

Cliff: Buy me some time.

In an attempt to shake off the Sergeant's questioning gaze, I smiled and cocked my rifle. "I'm afraid you don't deserve to know that information. If you would be so kind," I lowered it and pointed the gun toward his chest, "I suggest you leave now."

The young man sniffed. "Why, that's hardly a way to act around an Admin such as myself."

"I don't give a damn who you are. You crossed into my home base with guns blazing, and I'm kindly asking you to get lost."

Sergeant Torgerson laughed. "You really are a feisty one, aren't you? Well then, I suppose I have to decline your offer. After all, you are the one refusing to follow instructions from a level five Admin." He snapped his fingers and the FedDroids all took a step forward.

I sighed and examined my nails. Another ding sounded.

Cliff: Ready. Get to alley.

I picked out a piece of dirt as I said, "Too bad. I was hoping to save some ammo for my next quest." I flashed the young man a smile. "Bye."

BLAM!

My bullet slammed into the FedDroid directly to Sergeant Torgerson's right. He jumped back in surprise but didn't get too far. His back slammed into someone. He spun around just fast enough to see Krystal flash him a dazzling smile.

"Hi, there!" She gasped. "You seem a little shocked. This might help." And with that, she slapped him across the face.

I leaped from table to table, taking out FedDroids one by one. I heard the Sergeant yell and shout at the droids, but I didn't pay him much attention after watching his butt get whipped by one of my best friends. Cliff shouted something to Krystal and I heard a fight break out.

After evading a couple of shots, I dove behind the bar. The man who had stumbled into the bar earlier was still there. He had a hand pressed against his side, but when I landed next to him, he jumped back.

"Woah, easy," I said, slipping my rifle over my shoulder and holding up my hands, "I'm not here to hurt you."

He analyzed me for a split second, glancing to my user ID above my right ear. "What do you want from me?" he asked.

"I'm here to help, for now. We have to get out of the bar."

"Are they-"

"The Sergeant's occupied for now." I shuffled forward and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Are you hurt?"

He grimaced and glanced down at his side. "No, I'm good for now."

Though I knew he was lying, we didn't have time to argue. "Alright, we need to get into the back alley. Help should be on the way."

I popped my head up above the bar. A FedDroid appeared right in front of me with a laser sword raised. Before I could do anything, the young man jumped over the bar, slamming the FedDroid feet first. He landed in a crouch on the other side.

"Let's go!" he called to me.

Shaking off my daze, I jumped over the bar as he picked up the droid's weapon. We made a mad dash for the back door. The two of us jumped food crates as we made our way through the kitchen. I could hear Krystal screaming but I knew we had to get to safety first.

The young man and I burst through the back door and stumbled into the dirty alley. I sucked in deep breaths as I pulled out my rifle. The young man slumped against the far wall. I dared not look behind me for fear that I might see how bad his condition was.

I pivoted in the alley, switching my weapon's aim from the door to the entrance of the alley.

"Thanks for getting me out of there," the man said.

"No problem. We Outcasters have to look after each other, after all."

I heard him grunt. "I'm surprised. Not many people would risk their stats for me."

"I didn't risk myself, especially my stats, for you. You're the one who stumbled into the bar in the first place and warned everyone else to get out. It was the least I could do."

"Uh-huh. Sure."

I scowled. This man. Couldn't he get a clue?

Just then, Cliff came charging out of the back door. Krystal was leaning heavily on his shoulders, coughing.

"Where's Titus?" Cliff asked, his usually perfect hair now skewed sideways. "He said he'd be here."

"Maybe he's late?" I offered.

"N-no," Krystal coughed out. "He's hardly e-ever late." She broke into another coughing fit. Cliff cursed under his breath before easing her down next to the young man. She leaned back against the wall, trying to take in gulps of air.

"What happened in there?" I asked Cliff.

He grumbled his answer as he straightened his jacket. "They dropped some gas on us and made their getaway. Their reinforcements should be here soon. We need to skip town ASAP."

"Where to this time?"

"Dunno. Violent Shallows, maybe."

"But that's on the other side of the valley! We won't get there in time."

"We would if Titus would hurry up."

Someone cleared their throat. Both Cliff and I turned to see the young man I'd saved looking up at us with an annoyed glare.

"Can someone give me an explanation please?"

Cliff folded his arms. "You're not a part of this. You're lucky you're alive at all. If it was up to me, we would have left you."

"But it wasn't up to you," I snapped. I stormed up to him and poked his shoulder, which was a good few inches above me. "He warned us about the FedDroids. The least we could do is to get him to a safe place."

Cliff flicked his gaze back and forth from me to the kid on the ground. Eventually, he sighed and took a step back.

"Fine. We'll get him to somewhere safe, then we leave his sorry butt behind." He extended a hand to the young man. "The name's Cliff Jones."

After scrutinizing his hand, the man extended his own and shook it. He introduced himself simply as "West".

Krystal had gotten her coughs under control by then and was watching West with a curious eye. She leaned in and brushed his shoulder.

"You seem like a guy who knows how to have a good time," she said, her voice smooth and silky.

"Not really," he deadpanned. "Surviving is my first priority."

Krystal's sexy side shed away and she scoffed. "Well, you're not much fun."

"I'm not here to have fun. I'm here to-"

Just then, a powerful roar filled the alleyway. Everyone's attention turned to the looming figure at the end of the alley. Their shape was shadowed by the neon lights behind them. Their snake-like reddish-brown eyes narrowed, the slits constricting.

"What the heck did you guys do?"

---

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