Ace woke early, the cheap phone buzzing on the small table beside his bed. It wasn't a call; it was his own alarm. Thirteen days left. The pressure felt like a heavy blanket pushing down on him. He couldn't afford slow, safe jobs anymore. He needed a big win.
He looked at his cash: $286.35. It was good money, earned through nerve-wracking computer work. But it wasn't enough. Deke operated with violence and large sums. Ace needed leverage. He needed something Deke valued, or enough money to make Deke back off permanently.
An idea sparked in his mind, risky but possible. Pawn shops. Places like Deke's were full of forgotten things, sometimes valuable things people didn't realize were broken or hidden. His Neural-Interface could spot what others missed. His repair skills could fix them. He could buy low, fix fast, and sell high.
