"Here's your pay, ten dollars."
"Ten dollars? I'm pretty sure the payment was twenty."
"The client complained that the package was a little dirty and paid less. This is your part."
Even though it was obvious it was a scam, for Axel it was a common routine that his boss ended up cheating him out of his pay. Tired of trying to negotiate, Axel took the money from the man's metal hand, which had six fingers.
The cold metal made contact with Axel's skin before taking it completely.
"Perfect, that's my boy." The man smiled, showing all his gold teeth. Axel disliked him a lot, but he was the hand that fed him.
"Yeah, see you in a few hours then. I have another job early this morning, right?"
"Yes, this one is very important. I hope you don't miss it," said Rocks, still showing his shining teeth.
Axel simply nodded to show approval and chose to leave the place.
"Another day in Star City… maybe today I'll pay rent," Axel said, looking at the big and bright city while getting on his bicycle on the way to his apartment.
As he passed by food stands and buildings illuminated with neon lights, surrounded by many people with metal parts on their bodies, Axel remembered his history class in elementary school.
The world used to be a pretty boring place. Humans were made only of flesh and bone, and the simple idea of becoming one with machines was something worthy of a psychiatric ward.
Then one day, the Fourth World War broke out, and the planet entered a state of calamity and desperation. Everyone believed it would be the end, that humanity would bring its own extinction.
But in that chaos, humanity's savior appeared. The Moon Corporation and its idea that would revolutionize the world: The Cybers, the union between humans and machines.
The first Cyber model reached the world with a boy in a wheelchair who was able to walk again thanks to the chips in his brain. After that day, nothing was ever the same.
History says that Moon Corporation created a fair and happy world for everyone with the creation of the Cybers. Little by little, as the years passed, new types of Cybers began to appear, with the promise that the future would arrive for everyone.
That story was a thousand years ago.
And nothing could be further from the truth.
"Yeah, this is the future," Axel said as he entered the poor district of Star City.
As he passed through the streets, he found the usual everyday scenes.
Two men fighting in a bar. Some homeless people begging for money on the street.
Passing by what was supposed to be a bookstore, a few women with revealing outfits and metal parts implanted in certain areas of their bodies winked at him, inviting him to meet them.
He was even able to read the lips of one of them as he passed.
"Half-price tonight," she said. Axel walked away.
Distracted, he almost tripped over a guy lying on the street, an obvious Cyber-drug user, which was common in that part of the city.
He noticed more addicts lying on the neon-lit sidewalks.
Axel remembered his history class again and couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Yeah, the future arrived… but not for everyone."
He stopped his bicycle in front of a large building, which was clearly in terrible condition, with neon lights flickering due to its deplorable state.
This was his apartment.
When he entered, a scanner pointed directly at his eye and began to read it.
[Axel Cross]
[Cyber Type 1]
[Authorized]
The door opened, and Axel stepped inside. He hated that machine, because it reminded him of reality.
When a baby is born in the new world, a basic Cyber chip is implanted. That chip allows them to use or develop some simple abilities.
Those with money buy better chips for their children, turning them into prodigies. And in Star City, you are only valued based on your worth.
The people who had no money to buy anything were forgotten, and constantly replaced by better Cybers. If you had no money, you were no one.
But despite all that, with a basic chip and some effort, you could have an average life if you were disciplined.
But for Axel, not even that was possible.
When he was born, his body was not compatible with basic chips, so he was given a rank-one chip.
It was one of the first chips created by Moon Corporation and it only granted one ability.
What was Axel's ability?
The ability of effort.
Yes, an ability that sounds positive, but was actually useless. What was the point of effort when a guy with money could just install a robotic limb and win?
It was an ability designed so others could mock him. Due to how old the chip was, it did not allow physical nor mental upgrades, so Axel was trapped forever in that bubble.
Even in the poor districts of Star City, a place full of garbage, Axel was worse than garbage.
Axel reached his apartment and quickly threw himself on the bed after tossing the money into a jar with other bills inside.
The jar had the words "My little sister" written on it, with two hearts on each side.
Seeing it made Axel smile. He set an alarm for three in the morning and chose to sleep.
He had another illegal delivery that night.
Just like always, Axel rode his bike down to Rocks' shop. This time, he wore a burning-red jacket that made him unrecognizable.
"Oh, you arrived early as always."
Rocks opened the door, showing his shiny gold teeth.
Axel decided not to enter and waited in front of the door. Rocks understood the signal that he didn't want to talk and handed him the package.
"Here's the package and the location. Your pay will be a hundred dollars."
Axel turned to look at Rocks, surprised.
"A hundred dollars?" Still incredulous at what he heard, Axel asked again.
"Yes, kid. This client is one of the big ones. I ask that you be careful with that box. You don't want to anger the person who requested it," Rocks exclaimed, returning to his shop.
Axel felt immediately motivated and got on his bicycle, ready to complete the delivery.
Axel was what people called a mule. In Star City, there was an illegal sale of chips, chips that granted advantages not permitted and made by common people.
It was common in poor districts to see multiple gangs trying to sell their merchandise.
For that, a certain type of person handled the heavy work. They were known as mules. Axel was one of them.
It was the best job he could get in his situation, and even then, it was difficult—Rocks only accepted him after half an hour of begging.
"Perfect. The address isn't too far." Confident, Axel pedaled through the illuminated streets, following the instructions.
But he couldn't help feeling something strange.
"They're following me, aren't they?" Axel turned his head to see two motorcycles getting closer to him.
At first, he thought it might have been a coincidence, but after moving from one street to another, he noticed it more.
Those guys were following him.