Streets of Ravetham

Jason Valrath sped through the dimly lit streets of Ravetham, his exoskeleton humming softly beneath his sleek motorcycle. The city blurred past, but his mind was laser-focused. Red Dot’s warning about Detective Harper echoed in his thoughts. The heat was rising, and Harper was getting dangerously close to unraveling the Breakers' operations. Something had to be done, and Jason, true to his reckless nature, had just the plan.

Riding beside him was Surge, her maid outfit tailored for combat, blending seamlessly into the night. Her movements were always sharp, calculated—exactly what Jason liked about her. But under that professionalism, there was a tension between them, something unspoken that always simmered beneath the surface. Jason caught her glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, but neither of them would acknowledge it. Not now.

Glitch zipped past them, her holographic suit flickering like a rainbow in the darkness. "Hey Surge," she teased over the comms, her voice crackling with static. "You sure you’re up for this? Don’t want you tripping over your feelings for Jason or anything.”

Surge rolled her eyes, but Jason caught the faintest smirk on her lips. "I’m fine, Glitch. Maybe you should focus on not phasing through reality this time."

“Oh, I’m plenty focused,” Glitch giggled, phasing in and out of sight as she darted ahead.

Patch and Bolt brought up the rear, Patch’s hulking, metal form lumbering in silence, while Bolt’s electrified energy buzzed faintly in the air. “I still say this is a bad idea,” Patch grumbled. “Messing with a cop? Even for Red Dot, it’s pushing it.”

Jason grinned beneath his helmet. “Risk is where the fun is, Patch. We need to let Harper know she’s out of her league. Just a little housewarming gift.”

Bolt, with his spiky blue hair vibrating with energy, chimed in eagerly. “Housewarming gift? I’m thinking fireworks. Oh yeah! I love me a good prank! What are we thinking? Explosions?”

"Something more... subtle," Jason replied, his tone laced with mischief. “Let’s just remind her that she’s out of her league.”

By the time they arrived at Red Dot’s base—an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Ravetham—the air between them was thick with anticipation. Jason’s thoughts momentarily drifted to his mother, Rachel, and the inevitable lecture he’d get if she found out. Rachel always warned him about his reckless decisions, but this was different. This was about protecting Kaelen. His little brother needed him, and Jason was prepared to do whatever it took.

Red Dot, draped in his signature black cowl, was already waiting. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Harper’s getting close. Too close. We need to send her a message. Something that’ll make her back off.” His voice was cold, each word dripping with authority.

Jason smirked. “Already on it.”

Red Dot’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t underestimate her, Jason. She’s not just another cop. Harper’s dangerous.”

Jason’s grin only widened. “All the more reason to make it clear she’s out of her depth.”

With the plan set, the Breakers sped toward Harper’s suburban home. Surge scouted the area with sharp eyes, her heightened vision picking up every detail. Glitch flitted through the shadows, her holographic form shimmering playfully as she whispered through the comms, “So, Surge... you sure about this? I mean, how long before you and Jason finally—”

“Glitch,” Surge cut her off, her tone as sharp as her movements, “we’re working. Keep your head in the mission.”

Jason silently chuckled. He didn’t mind Glitch’s teasing; it kept things light. But he knew better than to let Surge catch on to how much he enjoyed the banter. His feelings for her were complicated—wrapped in years of fighting side by side—but tonight wasn’t the time to explore that.

They entered Harper’s house with practiced ease. No alarms were tripped, no noise made. The Breakers left subtle signs of their intrusion—a trashed security system, files deliberately scattered across her desk, and a note, handwritten by Jason himself: You’re in over your head, Detective. Back off.

As they moved to leave, the sound of a car door slamming shut outside froze them in place. Harper had arrived. Jason motioned for the team to scatter, and they disappeared into the shadows, slipping out the back just as Harper stormed into her house, her face twisted with fury.

From the street, Jason caught sight of her, her eyes scanning the area wildly. Unable to resist, he gave her a mock salute before hopping back onto his bike, laughing as Harper’s frustration echoed behind him. “You won’t get away with this!” she shouted.

But they already had.

Later, at the Black Fang—Kaelen’s closed-down club turned makeshift hideout—the Breakers gathered around the bar. The place was alive with the sound of music the neon lights flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows across the room. Jason spotted his younger brother, Kaelen, lounging near the stage where Oy Yo, Trap Icy, and Kunai were practicing their set. Seraphis and Loren lingered nearby, Seraphis eyeing the scene with mild amusement while Loren kept a watchful gaze.

Trap Icy’s smooth, sultry voice filled the room, blending perfectly with Oy Yo’s rapid, biting flow. Their performance was magnetic.

Trap Icy: “I move like the stars, too fast for your chains,
Dancin’ on the edge, where freedom reigns.
They try to hold me down, but I break free,
Ain’t no lock that’s strong enough to hold me.”

Oy Yo’s verse came quick, her sharp words cutting through the beat:

“I’m a ghost in the night, you can’t see me move,
Slippin’ through shadows, got nothin’ to prove.
I leave my mark, fangs out in the dark,
Don’t blink, or you’ll miss the spark.”

Jason leaned against the bar, watching Kaelen with a grin. “So, little bro... had some fun with Harper tonight. Left her a nice little surprise. Think she’ll be thinking of us for a while.”

Kaelen raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his violet eyes. “Sounds like you’re stirring up trouble as usual. What was it this time?”

Jason recounted the night’s events, down to the look on Harper’s face as they made their escape. Seraphis, perched nearby, tilted her head. “Do you think the detective would taste good?”

Jason laughed, shaking his head. “Maybe not, but she sure is fun to mess with.”

Kunai let out a sharp laugh, his Kenku voice echoing eerily in the club, while Trap Icy continued her performance, her voice filled with swagger and confidence.

As the music continued, Jason finally turned to Kaelen, a playful smirk on his face. “By the way, Kaelen... what’s the deal with you and Loren? And now Seraphis? You got a harem going on or something?”

Kaelen shot him a look, half-exasperated, half-amused. “Don’t start, Jason.”

But Jason just laughed, raising his glass. “Just saying, bro. You’re living the dream.”