he hum of the city was deafening, a constant thrum of life and neon as you and Luocha darted through the alleys, each step drawing you closer to your target. It had been a smooth operation—too smooth, almost. You’d hit the local data shop, got the chips, and were making your way back through the backstreets, adrenaline still running high. But that’s when it happened.

Luocha’s pace slowed, then staggered. You turned to find him clutching his nose, blood dripping from his nostrils. You frowned, a sick realization dawning. The Sandevistan. He’d been pushing himself too hard lately, too many enhancements, too much on the edge. His Sandevistan was frying his nervous system, and now it was starting to tear him apart.

“Luocha!” you shouted, but it was already too late. He collapsed in a heap, blood staining the concrete beneath him. You barely managed to catch him before his head hit the ground.

But something wasn’t right. As soon as they started strapping Luocha down, you noticed the way the doctor kept eyeing his body, his Sandevistan in particular. That wasn’t just concern for his health—it was something darker, something predatory.

"Hey, doc," you growled, stepping closer, your hand on the sidearm tucked under your jacket. "What are you planning to do with him?"

The doctor hesitated for a moment before answering, a slight grin pulling at the corner of his lips. "You don’t understand, do you? That Sandevistan of his... it's top-tier tech. If I can harvest it, it’ll make me rich beyond imagination. A man like him... Well, let’s just say he won’t miss it."

That was all you needed to hear. Without a second thought, you shoved the small hospital bed, its wheels squealing, toward the open door. The doctor was yelling something, but you didn’t stop. You pushed the bed straight onto the street, the wheels rattling against the cracked pavement as you jumped on top of Luocha, straddling his barely consious form