Prologue

– Good evening Newark citizens. This is Anna Moore here to give you a daily update on the business, politics and gossip and the kings concerts.-

I woke up on the floor on a dirty smelling matress on the floor with a headache and my head was bandaged up. The sounds of machines beeping a steady rhythm and a newsfeed from Newark daily news played on a vid screen somewhere in the room. I stared up at the dirty floor and wondered for a second where the hell I was.

“Mr. Cage. Your awake. Close call there. You’ve been asleep for seventy-two hours. You made it though. Do you remember what happened to you or who tried to kill you?” Fixer Michell Grey said.

“No. I don’t even remember what the hell I was doing before I got hit.” I said.

I realized was in my old mentor’s lab and I knew instantly what had happened to me. “Someone tried to kill me then? That’s a little surprising. I thought they would wait for when I turned seventeen next week.” I said.

Mitchell snorted. “They sure did or at least they tried to. I found you in alley in a city garbage dumpster. Your mother said you can return home if you came awake.” He said.

I sighed. “Thanks for the pick up?” I said.

“Thanks for what? You did pay me to keep a watch out for you in case something happened. It’s good you kept that tracker on you.” He said. “Your rite of passage is coming. You plan on taking it or faking your death and leaving the city?” He said.

I sighed and attempted to rise but found I couldn’t just yet. I stared up at the ceiling. “I’m taking my rite of passage. I told my grandfather I would and no nobody is making leave the city to leave as an outcast. I ain’t running. I got a plan.” I said.

“What’s your plan then Mr. Cage?” Mitchell asked with a funny serious tone to his voice.

I had no intention on telling him anything. I didn’t trust him in the least. Though I had an idea. “I’m going to be the king of the underground business district.” I said.

Mitchell’s hysterical hiccup laughter at my words was enough for to me know.

“A boy’s dream. It’s good to have dreams. Mr. Cage. The underground of the red district is a criminal black market. The underground has no rules or kings. You would be better suited to make your bread and butter in the purple district.” He said.

I had already tried doing that. That’s what got me in trouble. It came back to me slowly. I was in this place because of a former client.

One thing was for certain. I needed a job and some money. No way was I going to go back to my tribe. So now I needed to find a job, housing and connections. “You got my detapad?” I asked him.

“Sure thing. Sure thing. As per the contract we made. You have one detapad. Oh I got a message from your Pops I was paid to give you.” He said.

I groaned as I reached up for my detapad as Mitchell handed it to me. “He doesn’t want me to come home.” I said.

“That is the second part of the message. The first part is he advising you to make the most of your time and start early on your rite of passage in to Nomad adulthood.” Michell said.

I frowned and then thought of something as I looked at the shirt I had on. It wasn’t mean. “Did you find me naked in the dumpster?” I asked.

“Yes. Luckily I had some spare clothes. When you make your way. You can pay me back.” He said.

I sat up slowly and stared at Mitchell. He was short bald mam with enhanced hyper advanced eyes. He had a lab jacket on a dress shirt stained with coffee on the front and red bow tie. He smiled at me and his thick red mustache curved around his thin lips. “You don’t remember what happened to you right?” He asked.

I stared at him. “No. I don’t. I feel fine.” I said.

“Good. Good. You can leave now. I suggest you leave this city. It won’t go well for you if you stay. Your an ignma. A man with dark fate. A powerless man. I saw the mark under your forearm.” He said.

“Did my family group try to kill me?” I said snarling at him.

Mitchell shook his head. “The ignma don’t live long in this fucked up world of magic and cruelty. If you head into the outlands at leasr you’ll have a chance of survival. You best leave if you can’t crave yourself a place of power.” He said.

“I asked you a question.” I said.

“Yes. They did. Is that what you wanted to hear?” Michell said.

Damn. I should have expected this but, damn. “What do I do?” I said.

Mitchell put a cherry red cigarette to his lips and lit it with red lighter. He blew smoke out the side of his mouth. “You got two options. Try to survive on the streets or join the authorities or head out into the outland and maybe you’ll live for a year until magic elemental freaks come for you. Those are your options. Either way you won’t live the year out in the dream disk world.” He said and blew smoke in my face.

I turned my attention to my detapad and searched for the black market forum page. I reviewed through the runner freelance job listing until something caught my eye.

Search and destroy: Hunt down and destroy Pike Cruiser owned by CEO Victor Adams.

Rewards: Instant Solo status upgrade. 200 ebs. Bonus in a twenty four hour time period of posting. High powered rifle or business license.

This was it. Everything I needed.

I started to get up and take off the bandage on my head. Mitchell frowned at me.

“Where the hell are you going?” He asked.

“I got a job to do before some other asshole beats me to it.” I said.

“Mr. Cage. Shouldn’t you be getting the hell out of the city before you get yourself killed.” He said.

I ignored him as I got up and looked through his weapons case and took out a P.E. pulser blaster. “I’m borrowing this. I’ll give it back to you. I got to jet. Thanks for fixing me up. You might need to fix me up again when I get back. Later.” I said and walked out of the doctor’s laboratory.

“Mr. Cage! Mr. Cage. Sean. Come back.” Michell called after me.