Enhanced

As the last of the guests left, Urban entered her XRD number 115424. She held her breath. The file opened and a message popped up in her retina display.

Urban stared, dumbfounded.

Then another message appeared.

The file vanished.

Urban wanted to scream in frustration. All that work for a cryptic warning?

And what could she do? She was university bound on Monday. A message from Angel wouldn’t stop her. But why would anyone bother going to all the trouble of hacking her identity, attaching a file, and encrypting it?

And how had Angel hacked her? Urban had all the latest security updates and the most expensive software.

As she sat there, Urban was no closer to untangling her thoughts. She finally gave up and retired to her room, instantly falling asleep.

The next day, she was only able to get herself out of bed, knowing this would be her last chance to meet up with her boyfriend. So, while the rest of the family slept blissfully on, she slipped out of the house and climbed onto her motorcycle. Using her QuanNao account, she installed the latest software update for her bike as she rode.

Her mind drifted back to Qing Angel’s warning. Should she tell her parents? What would they do? Would they prevent her from going to university? They’d want to protect her, of course, but she couldn’t risk them finding out. Her thoughts raced as fast as her motorcycle as she left the Metropolis.

Urban ignored the warning as she neared the stacked skyrises of the Outskirts.

She turned onto an empty alley with laundry and sausages hanging outside drying and swaying in the wind. AC units hummed, and XR tech threatened to crowd out the remaining window space.

Her motorcycle shot out of the alley, climbed over a pile of rubble, bumped through the remnants of a dilapidated warehouses, then evened out on a deserted road.

An abandoned structure loomed ahead. The building had once been one of the eight tech training facilities that employed all the Naturals in the Outskirts. It had been shut down after the AI training jobs there had dried up several years ago. Now, broken glass littered the tile floors. The paint on the walls was peeling, and lovers had carved their initials in some of the pillars. At the center of the names was a large E + U with a heart around it. Other walls sported graffiti art and water damage.

Scanning the abandoned structure, Urban spotted a tall figure in a leather jacket leaning against a bike. He removed his black helmet and grinned his usual slow smile, the one that made her cheeks flush with heat.

He was good-looking for a Natural—the curve of his full lips, the twinkle in his eye, his shock of black hair that stood on end and gave him an almost wild look. He was unlike anyone Urban had ever met in the Metropolis. There was something about him that the Enhanced, who’d never had to survive in the Outskirts or breathe a molecule of unfiltered air in their lives, didn’t possess.

Urban thought back to when they’d met. It had only been three months ago on her first day in the Outskirts. She’d completed her orientation and onboarding at Gene-IQ and was heading home.

* * *

Bodies pressed so tightly up against her, Urban was sure her rib cage would crack. Up ahead, in the sea of bobbing heads, she spotted a refreshingly empty alleyway and squeezed her way into it. Instantly, her retina display shot her a warning.

She’d only ever heard of orange zones or seen them on the flicks she watched. How dangerous were they really?

Urban hesitated. According to her retina maps, if she followed the main road, she’d have to curve around to the Bolt Line. But if she stuck to the alley, it was a straight shot.

She glanced back at the pressing throngs behind her. She didn’t like being stuffed between people like jiaozi filling.

She studied the dark alleyway more closely. The road was comprised of mismatching concrete blocks and was slick, moldy, and covered in trash. Rats scurried from one corner to another, avoiding large, ominous puddles. The walls were lined with trash bins and rusty barred windows that seemed to close in on her.

Tentatively, she took a step forward into the shaded respite from the sun and people.

Crash!

Urban jumped.

The clattering of glass, banging of metal, and thumping of other debris rang out loudly through the alley. A bot the size of her bed hovered a couple of meters off the ground at the other end of the alley. It had a bin tipped upside down, and a few remaining pieces of trash fell into it.

Urban relaxed and took in a breath, then she walked in deeper. The sounds of the busy street faded.

Something rustled loudly near one of the trash cans. Urban jerked her head in that direction as a man stepped out from the shadows.

“Hello.” The voice was gravelly and flat. The hairs on her arm went up.

Urban did the only thing she could think of and sent an emergency ping to the Jingcha.

<EMERGENCY-location drop confirmed.>

“Pinging someone?” The man pulled out a serrated knife.

Her stomach twisted. Turning to run, she found the exit blocked by two more figures with arms crossed.

The man behind her laughed, low and guttural. “The Jingcha don’t answers pings from these parts.”

Urban faced him again, cold panic clawing wildly at her chest.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. Just extend that pretty little arm of yours and transfer your crypto credits.”

But movement caught Urban’s eye, and she shrank back as a hooded figure streaked toward them.

In an instant, it disarmed the man and put him in a chokehold. A moment later, the knife rose of its own accord, flying in midair.

The attacker gasped and sputtered as his own knife came within an inch of his neck, then stopped.

One of the remaining attackers shrieked in terror. “He’s Enhanced!” They both tripped over themselves in their haste to get away.

The hooded figure remained still a moment after they had fled. Then he loosened his grip on the remaining man in the chokehold.

Red-faced, the man hunched over and coughed and gulped in deep breaths of air, while the hooded figure snatched up the still dangling knife. “It’s Li, isn’t it?” He spoke quietly, but his voice caried a weight of authority.

The man didn’t respond.

“Yes, I thought I recognized you,” the figure mused. With a flash of movement, he snatched up Li’s arm and swiped his tatt, then he released him.

Li stared. “Did you just—”

“Transfer credits to you? Yes.”

Li swiped his tatt to accept the transfer and stared slack jawed.

“That money is to get you through long enough to find a job. No more of this.” The hooded figure waved his hands, gesturing at their surroundings. “Don’t let me catch you again.”

Li said nothing as he took in the words.

“Oh, and by opening my transfer, you’ve also accepted a bug that will track your whereabouts. Don’t try anything.”

Li’s eyes moved from his tatt to the figure. He looked as if he were about to thank him, but then changed his mind and darted away.

The hooded figure sighed as he watched him leave.

Urban tried to get a better look at her rescuer, but all she could see was a rugged, stubbled jawline and muscular neck. The hood and headset concealed the rest of his face.

The figure turned toward her, and he took a step closer. “You alright?”

Urban nodded. Even though she couldn’t see his face, she sensed him studying her.

“So, why’s someone from the Metropolis out here?”

“Metropolis?” Urban faltered, suddenly realizing she might be in more trouble than she’d started with.

He pulled his hood back, removed his headset, and stared openly at her. “No one out here has gold irises like yours. Those are the latest retina displays. I thought you were just too poor to buy a headset but seems I drew the wrong conclusion. No one can afford that sort of tech out here.” He held up his Razor 2X eye covering. “The best we can do is a three-generation-old headset.”

Urban blushed, partially from her stupidity, partially because he was right, and partially because, with his headset off, she saw his face for the first time. “But I thought you were from the Metropolis. The way you made that knife float, that’s Inventor tech.”

“Who’s to say I can’t use it?”

“But that’s illegal.” Urban was aghast. “Only Inventors are permitted to use the tech they create.”

“You’ll find that things in the Outskirts are not as black and white as they may appear in the Metropolis.” He examined the knife he was still holding. Lifting up his hoodie, he tucked it into a bandolier, full of a wide variety of daggers and odd contraptions.

Urban nodded, but mostly to clear the image of the knives and his chiseled bare abs from her mind. “Well, anyway, I better be on my way. Thank you, um . . .?”

“Everest,” he finished for her. “Local ‘law enforcement’ at your service. And you are?”

“Urban.”

“Right. Well, Urban, I recommend you stay safe in the Metropolis. But if you do come back,” he hesitated a moment, his raven black eyes pulling up to meet hers, “let me know. I wouldn’t want you wandering these parts alone.”

Needless to say, she did go back. After he rescued her, she knew she could trust him and even took a risk telling Everest about her being a Natural.

* * *

“You alright?” Everest jerked her thoughts back to the present. “Is this about uni?”

“I am pretty worried about that,” she admitted and relayed her strange encounter with Qing Angel, the encrypted file, and the message Angel had left.

“That is . . . odd. Are you still going?”

“Of course.” Urban’s words came out more forcefully than she’d intended.

Everest managed a smile, but it thinly veiled his concern. “Just be safe.”

A stretched silence filled the air. “Let’s ride,” Urban finally said. “I don’t want to talk about it on my last day.”

“You got it.” Everest revved his engine and grinned mischievously. “Ready to lose?”

Urban strapped her helmet on. “I never lose.”

“Loser buys lunch next time.” Tires skidding loudly, Everest’s bike leaped forward into the deserted building.

Urban followed with a whoop.

Cold, musky air greeted her as she chased Everest down a ramp, weaving between columns and pillars into the underground parking lot. With the solar energy cut long ago, the garage grew dark quickly.

Everest slowed as the blackness increased, but Urban went faster. She flipped on her night vision, and everything lit up in green.

“Try and keep up!” Urban teased as she shot past him.

Zooming through the empty space, she practiced several tight turns and stops in darkness as black as soy sauce. Then she sped toward Everest, and they rode back up into the light.

“You gave up fast,” Urban chided.

“I didn’t ‘give up.’ Like a true gentleman, I merely allowed you to go first.”

“Is that what happened?” She grinned. “So chivalrous.” She climbed off her motorcycle and took a sip of water. “Think I can compete soon?”

“Almost.” Everest adjusted his helmet and gestured toward the door. “Take it from someone who’s won three underground races; there’s one last thing you need to know.” He led her outside the building to a half-built overpass that looked as if the builders had forgotten to complete it. The sharp ramp leading upward stopped midway, ending in a drop off into empty space.

“Wow, what is that?” Urban stared up in awe.

“That is the final test. Once you land a jump like that, you’re ready.”

“Up that?” Urban gulped. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

“All right then.” Urban started toward the overpass. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Hold on.” Everest laughed as he caught her arm and pulled her back. “Do you have a death wish? We’re not starting with that.”

“Oh.” Urban felt sheepish.

“Follow me.” He led her to a trash heap the size of a smart car. A wooden board rested up against it. “Start with this.” He rode toward the trash pile. The board sagged under his weight, and then he was airborne for a few seconds before landing smoothly on the dirt.

Urban copied his example and sped toward the ramp. Right as she hit the board, a wave of doubt flooded her. While not nearly as high as the overpass, the jump was still high enough that if she landed wrong, she could seriously injure herself. Especially if her motorcycle crushed her. In a panic, she tried to slow down and retreat.

Too late.

She soared over the trash heap. Air rushed past her—she was flying. But then she looked down and realized she wasn’t going to clear it.

CRUNCH.

A robot’s arm snapped underneath, and the motorcycle lurched violently. Tightening her grip, Urban tried to gain control, but the bike skidded, then dropped out from under her. She rolled and landed hard on her side, while her bike tumbled in the opposite direction.

Everest rushed to her side. “You okay?”

She glared down at herself. Her leather XR suit was shredded. The skin on her knees and elbows was bleeding. But otherwise, she was uninjured.

Still, disappointment welled up in her chest. Not again. It seemed like every time she started making progress toward a race, something always happened.

“You were supposed to wait until I taught you how to jump,” Everest said as he helped her to her feet.

The fading sun bathed the decrepit structure in violet, pink, and scarlet as they walked back. Everest propped his motorcycle against a wall and motioned Urban to do the same. They leaned up against a cool pillar, Urban resting her head on his shoulder, absorbing his warmth and strength. He smelled of smoke and jasmine. Her skin tingled as he took her hand and brushed his fingers across it.

Urban’s eyes twinkled at him. “Looks like you’re buying lunch.”

“You had night vision! Not fair.”

“Then you shouldn’t have made the bet,” she said smugly.

“I let you win one time, and you get so cocky—”

“Let me win?” Urban interrupted. “You lost!”

Everest pushed her playfully to the side, and they laughed.

“Seriously though, great work out there.” Everest drew her back to his chest. “When it comes to jumps next time, remember you have to commit to it. Give it a couple more months. The underground races aren’t something to rush into. Imagine if we’d gone up the big ramp today and you’d ended up in the hospital . . .”

“My lack of enhancements would have been discovered,” Urban finished for him. Her face sobered. “I know. But the only way to link with the inner circle in uni is to be known for something—to have a niche. Motorcycle racing is my one shot. Otherwise, I’ll never get a high sosh.”

“My sosh stinks and I seem to survive.”

Everest’s score had remained a steady 40. Most everyone in the Outskirts had a sosh hovering around the low forties, and there was no point in trying to increase it. All they could do was keep it from tanking so low they could no longer buy essentials.

“You live in the Outskirts. If you want to live in the Metropolis, you have to have a high sosh. Not to mention, if I had a high sosh, no one would suspect I’m a Natural. I wouldn’t have to be on my guard all the time. I could finally just focus on my art.” She let out a deep sigh.

Everest squeezed her hand. “Well then, we better keep practicing. Maybe next time, wait for my instructions?”

“I’ll try.” Urban laughed. “Speaking of practice, how’s your music coming? I haven’t heard you sing or write anything in a while.”

She felt him sigh a little and noticed the black circles under his eyes as he spoke. “Stuck in a rut. I can’t seem to find any inspiration for a new song or time to practice. I think I’m just too exhausted.”

Urban tried not to shiver. Everest was living her worst fear—being stuck in the Outskirts working long hours, giving his best to an invisible force. Yet on top of his demanding job, he somehow always found time to help those less fortunate than him.

“Maybe if you spend less time helping everyone else and actually spent time on yourself?”

Everest threw her a sharp glance. “If I don’t help, there are people who will be taken advantage of.”

“But what about you?”

“I’ll find time to work on my lyrics and practice,” he assured her. “It’s my only chance to join you in the Metropolis.”

Urban wanted to argue with him, to tell him he was wrong; if he just studied enough or worked hard enough, he could rise above the Outskirts. But deep down she knew he was right.

Everest had made nearly perfect grades in high school before graduating to work at one of the AI tech facilities. After just one summer of working fulltime, he’d risen quickly to the top and had already hit the glass ceiling.

Musicians, writers, and poets were the only ones who escaped the Outskirts. While certain brain enhancements did tend to hone a better ear for music or higher stamina to sit and write, inspiration and the ability to capture life in song or word could be done by anyone—Natural or Enhanced. In fact, most of the notable poets during the Genetic Revolution had been Naturals.

Thus, many of the Naturals in the Outskirts studiously practiced some form of art. That was the ambitious half. The other half . . . she tried not think about her encounter with the attacker in the orange zone alleyway.

“Keep trying,” Urban urged. “If anyone can escape the Outskirts, it’s you.”

Everest nodded but didn’t look convinced.

Urban drew circles in the dusty tile floor. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

The air fell still, and an unspoken weight descended.

Finally, Urban spoke again. “Can you believe uni starts tomorrow?”

Everest smiled at her, but his eyes were serious. “You’re brave for going without enhancements. Naturals are . . . not safe there.”

“The Outskirts are dangerous too,” Urban pointed out.

“That’s a different kind of danger. One I’m comfortable with.”

Urban eyed Everest’s scarred hands. She was sure he was. “Don’t worry about me. No one will find out I’m a Natural. I’ve been doing this my whole life.” Her words came out hollow, like she was trying to convince herself too.

“Besides,” she added. “No one would ever expect a Natural to attend uni. I’ll be hiding in plain sight.”

He grinned at her. “Make us Naturals proud, okay?”

“I’ll try.” She reached back into her motorcycle pouch and pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper. “I made this for you.”

Gently, Everest took the paper and unrolled it. It was a painting of two goldfish chasing each other in a circle. “You painted this?”

Urban nodded.

“Wow. It’s beautiful. Thank you.” His usually fierce dark eyes were tender.

Urban’s heart beat faster. Three months of dating, and she already wished she could stay with him forever—just not in the Outskirts.

They remained frozen, staring at each other.

Urban’s augmented feed beeped.

A woman with smooth skin and hazel almond-shaped eyes appeared on Urban’s retina display. She wore ginormous pearl earrings and cashmere. Her hair was pulled back into an impossibly tight bun.

“Where are you?” Mother’s voice was tense. “Come back. It’s urgent!”