Thunderblades.

"We should probably go for the jobs that are local, you know, the ones offered by the Thunderblades and Steel Nomads. And obviously, the ones with the best reward," Rex said, leaning back in his chair. "I mean, I'm already full bionic, and with Cleo's help, we've got a serious edge."

"First thing tomorrow, we'll use our credits to get the materials Cleo needs for combat drones. Once we've got a few of those, we could be running missions like an elite squad. But for now, we need to get some rest. Carlos especially. He's got to recover from the surgery. Tomorrow, we hit the road and start our first job."

"Sounds good," Carlos said, stretching out. "I'm taking the cockpit seat tonight. Way better than those car seats." He shifted around, finding a spot, and closed his eyes.

"Alright, get some rest, man. I'll be in the recharge bay. See you in the morning." Rex gave a nod and headed to his recharge room. He lay down on the metal bed as the crystal door slid shut, the quiet hum of the recharge process starting up.

Cleo, being a hologram, didn't need to open anything. She simply phased into the recharge tank and laid down next to Rex, watching him quietly.

"Rex… Are you sure you want to help me get a body?" She whispered, her voice soft, almost hesitant.

"Of course we're doing it. It's good for both of us, you know?"

Cleo blinked. "Good for you? What do you mean?"

Rex smirked, eyes still closed. "Well, once you've got a body, we can finally get married. You know... do this and that." His voice trailed off playfully.

If Rex had been able to see Cleo, he would've caught the flustered look on her face as she went quiet.

"..."

"Cleo? Hey, don't get mad. You still there? Hello?"

But Cleo stayed silent, lying beside him without saying a word, unsure how to respond. And so the night passed quietly, the soft glow of the small white sun rising in the distance.

Rex climbed out of the recharging tank, stretching his body as he made his way toward the cockpit. When he got there, he could barely see Cleo behind all the screens; it looked like she was buried in them.

"Hey Cleo, how are the preparations going? Are we ready to leave today?" he asked.

Without even glancing up, Cleo slid one of the screens over to him. "Yep, everything's ready. Here's all the data you need. It's got the route to the city and the locations of the military groups. Now, if you don't mind, I'm busy."

Rex nodded, deciding to leave her to it, and headed outside. The scene that greeted him was chaotic; drones were buzzing everywhere. Some flew in and out of the smugglers' cave, carrying everything from food and vehicles to weapons and other illegal goods.

He spotted cargo drones rising out of a large hole in the ground, loaded with dirt. The mining drones must have been at it since early, digging non-stop on the first level of the underground citadel.

Not far off, Rex saw Carlos trying on some new clothes that had just arrived via one of the cargo drones that morning.

"Hey Carlos, find anything you like?" Rex called out.

Carlos grinned. "Yeah, man. Check this out; I'm going with these pants and this jacket with the hood. Makes me look like a total badass."

Rex chuckled. "If you say so. I'm liking this jacket with the neon lights, and these pants aren't bad either. Anyway, hurry up and get changed. Cleo's already given me everything we need to kick off our first mission."

"Sweet. I'll be quick."

Once the preparations were done and the smugglers had hidden the cargo, packed with guns, grenades, and ammo in the modified vehicle, they were ready to roll. A few minutes of bumpy driving down a dirt path brought them to what looked like a proper road, leading straight to the city.

It was going to be a long drive, so they put on some music, courtesy of the smugglers who had installed a sound system in the car. With the tunes on, the ride wasn't half as boring as it could've been.

After a few hours on the road, they finally reached one of the city entrances. Like any major city, it was heavily guarded. Squads of guards patrolled the area, military vehicles stood ready, and every now and then, a fighter ship flew overhead.

As they got closer to the entrance, one of the guards approached.

"IDs, please. Where are you coming from?" he asked, his eyes scanning the vehicle.

Rex and Carlos pulled out the phones they'd taken off the smugglers who, well, weren't around anymore, and used them to flash their IDs. "We're mercenaries, just back from a mission."

The guard sighed. "Great, more mercenaries. Wait here while I check your entry and exit logs."

His tone made it clear that the city guards weren't exactly fond of mercenaries. Since they caused more trouble than the local gangs, and to make it worse, they were legally allowed to bring weapons into the city.

The guard strolled back to a terminal inside the bunker and pulled up the logs. Thanks to Cleo's skills, there was a neat, eight-year history in the system. After a quick check, the guard didn't find anything suspicious, so he returned the IDs and waved them through.

Carlos let out a deep breath as they drove past the gates. "Man, I thought we were dead for sure," he said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Rex laughed, though his nerves were still buzzing. "Yeah, I was sweating too. At least now we know the IDs work. So, where to first?"

Carlos thought for a second. "Let's hit up the Thunderblades. Their missions are pretty straightforward; they're mostly taking out criminal groups outside the city."

"Alright, sounds good. Let's get moving."

The city, like every other commerce hub, was a mega-metropolis sprawling across the entire continent. Massive buildings stretched endlessly, and the web of roads and walkways made the place feel like an astronomical labyrinth. Even lifelong locals could easily find themselves lost in its maze.

Cargo ships streamed in and out by the minute, a constant reminder of how prosperous the planet was. The sheer scale of the trading fleets here kept space pirates at bay, but it was a paradise for smugglers. They bought stolen goods from pirates and sold them in the city as if it were a legitimate trade route.

Luckily, with Cleo's navigation system guiding them, Rex and Carlos didn't have to worry about getting lost. After about an hour, they arrived at the headquarters of the Thunderblades. Parking the car in the underground lot, they made their way into the building.

It was the typical setup: huge, bustling, with a bar and restaurant on one side and holograms of different missions and contracts projected throughout. At the center was the reception desk, where mercenaries went to accept contracts.

"Alright, Rex. Just follow my lead. No unnecessary moves," Cleo's voice echoed in Rex's mind.

"Got it. I'm all yours."

Rex and Carlos walked toward the reception, where a mantis-looking guy was stationed.

"Welcome, strangers. How can I assist you?" he asked, his antennae twitching.

"We need to speak with Talon—'The Reaper,'" Rex replied.

The second those words left his mouth, the mood in the room shifted. Mercenaries who had been quietly eating and drinking jumped to their feet, forming a tight circle around them. Weapons were drawn, blades and other melee arms gleaming in the dim light, ready for a fight.

This was the moment Cleo had prepared Rex for. As the tension mounted, Cleo activated the overdrive mode, and Rex's eyes glowed a mesmerizing amber. Mechanical wings unfolded from his back, and the green glow of his bionic enhancements shone through his skin.

The mercenaries around him hesitated. The veterans, sensing the overwhelming pressure radiating from Rex, began to sweat. They knew they were dealing with someone dangerous, someone far beyond their pay grade.

"What's the meaning of this? You think you can challenge me?!" Rex's voice boomed, amplified by the overdrive mode, like thunder echoing through the room. But before the situation could escalate, the elevator doors opened.

A massive figure stepped out. It was a towering creature, part machine, part beast, resembling a hulking minotaur. Within moments, it was in front of Rex, its fist already flying toward his abdomen.

Rex wasn't about to stand there and take it. He clenched his fist, and, in the blink of an eye, their fists collided with a deafening thud. The shockwave from the impact sent a gust of wind throughout the room. Rex quickly sidestepped, landing a powerful kick to the minotaur's ribs, sending the giant crashing into the nearby tables.

From the dust of the crash, the huge figure could be seen lying down on the debris of the tables. "HAHAHAHA."