Overclocked And Underpaid

The soft hum of the Strider filled the cabin as it glided effortlessly through the city. Jessie sat in the back, leaning against the cool, sleek interior of the vehicle, his foot tapping lightly to the rhythm of the engine. He adjusted the strap of his Chrono Blade, the weapon resting in the scabbard strapped to his back. The circular core in the center pulsed faintly with blue light, ready to channel the energy needed for attacks. The blade was sleek, single-edged, with a simplistic design, and despite its size, it felt weightless in his hand. But as much as he liked it, there was always his backup—a modified revolver strapped to his thigh, loaded with chrono-energy, electricity infused, rounds. The perfect balance of old-school and high-tech.

He glanced at Dax, who was already grinning as he stretched out, his massive frame filling most of the front seat. The man’s Chrono Gauntlets—huge, metallic gloves that pulsed with yellow energy—were resting on his lap. Built for power, they gave Dax the strength to break through just about anything, channeling chrono-energy into his punches.

“So, big guy,” Jessie called over the sound of the engine. “How exactly are those gauntlets gonna help with the ‘clean and precise’ part of the mission? Or are we going for ‘smash first, ask questions later’?”

Dax let out a deep chuckle. “Hey rookie, everybody here has their style. You need a door kicked down, or a bad guy turned into a pancake, I’m your knight.”

Jessie grinned. “Remind me to stand behind you when things get ugly.”

“Smart plan,” Dax said, grinning. “Besides, now we’ve got Talia here to cover me from the back, right?”

Talia, sitting across from Jessie, glanced up from her Chrono Bow, which rested calmly in her lap. The bow had no physical string—just a faint line of glowing red energy between the two limbs. The arrows were energy constructs, summoned at her will, meaning she never needed a quiver or arrows.

“I’ll make sure no one gets close enough to need smashing,” she said coolly, her amber eyes flicking toward Jessie. “That includes you.”

Jessie raised his hands defensively. “Hey, I’m all for staying out of harm’s way. I like my face the way it is, thank you very much.”

“Speaking of,” Rhea spoke up, glancing back at Jessie with a grin, her tone tinged with amusement, “you sure you can handle that fancy blade of yours, Valis? I heard you almost dropped it during your academy days.”

Jessie rolled his eyes. “Hey I dropped it once, okay? The night before I was at a pretty neat sophomore party. Besides my Chrono Blade is all about finesse, precision. You’d be surprised what a little time manipulation can do.”

Talia smirked, clearly enjoying the conversation more than she let on. “Let’s just hope you get the chance to show off all that precision without tripping over yourself.”

Before Jessie could retort, Mira’s voice crackled over the comms from her station back at HQ. “Focus, team. You’re almost at the site. I’m tracking some unusual chrono-signatures in the area—nothing major yet, but I’m keeping your anchors synced. We don’t want any surprises.”

Rhea, sitting in the front passenger seat, spoke up. Her voice was steady, commanding, and it instantly brought the team’s bantering to a halt. Her own weapon, the chrono whip, was coiled and strapped at her waist.

“Stick to the plan. Dax, you’re on point. Talia, you cover us. Jessie, support the front line. Don’t get cocky—keep things clean. And remember, we neutralize the threat, not escalate it.”

“Aye, Cap’n,” Jessie replied, his tone a little more serious now.

Dax pounded his fists together, the yellow light from his gauntlets flaring briefly. “I’m all about neutralizing…”

◕

The team moved cautiously through the factory, the air thick with the faint, unsettling hum of chrono-energy. The lights overhead flickered erratically, some of them frozen in time while others sped up, flashing so fast they were barely visible. Jessie felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as the Chrono Strider’s soft hum faded in the distance behind them.

Talia paused, her eyes narrowing as she studied a nearby control console. “These time distortions… they aren’t natural.”

Jessie leaned over her shoulder, hands resting on his Chrono Blade hilt. “Well, that much is obvious. The flickering lights kind of give it away.”

Before Talia could snap back, Mira’s voice crackled over their comms. “I’m picking up something on the data feeds—give me a sec. I think I’ve got it.”

Rhea turned slightly toward the comm link embedded in her collar. “What’s the source, Mira?”

There was a brief pause as Mira tapped away at her control panels back at HQ, analyzing the incoming data. “It’s worse than I thought,” she said, her voice tight with concern. “The distortions aren’t just random. Whoever’s running this place is accelerating time in specific pockets. They’re using a chrono-tech device to manipulate the workers’ speed… He’s forcing them to work twice as fast.”

Jessie blinked. “Wait, you’re saying someone’s making these guys work at double speed?”

“Exactly,” Mira replied. “It’s all over the control panels here. This device they’re using is pushing the workers beyond their limits to increase production. They’re speeding up time for anyone in the area.”

Talia glanced at Jessie, her expression tight. “That’s insane. No one’s body can handle that for long. It would tear them apart.”

“Wow, they’re being worked to death. Like…. literally!”

Mira’s voice cut back in. “That’s not even the worst part. The chrono device they’re using is unstable—it’s creating ripples in the Chrono Stream. That’s what’s causing the time distortions across the sector.”

“Great,” Jessie muttered, tightening his grip on his blade. “So not only are they messing with time, they’re doing it on the cheap as well.”

Dax crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. “If they’re pushing the workers like this, that means we’re dealing with more than just some illegal tech. Whoever’s running this place is treating these people like machines.”

Rhea’s jaw tightened. “Whoever’s behind this… they’re no better than slavers. Using people to speed up production at the cost of their lives…”

Mira’s voice came through again. “I’m tracking the source of the distortions—it’s centered around the main production line. The device is in that area, heavily guarded. You’ll need to shut it down to stop the distortions.”

Talia nodded. “And what about the one behind all this?”

Mira’s display beeped, and a new set of data flashed onto her screen. “The facility’s manager is in a private office on the upper floors. He’s not alone either. Looks like a whole security team is protecting him.”

Rhea nodded. “Alright. Change of plans. We split. Dax and I will go after the employer. He’ll have answers—and I’m willing to bet he’s the kind of man who won’t come quietly.”

Dax grinned, already flexing his gauntlets. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t.”

Rhea turned to Jessie and Talia. “You two focus on the device. Take it offline, neutralize anyone guarding it. Don’t let the distortions get any worse.”

Jessie gave a nod, his usual grin in place. “Got it. We’ll keep it clean. I’ll even try not to trip over myself.”

Talia rolled her eyes. “Just don’t get in the way.”

“Hm, the rookies teaming up? You sure that’s a good idea, Captain?”

“Like I said, they’re expected to pull their weight. Plus I’ve seen both of them in action before…”

“Huh…” Dax’s expectations seemed to rise with that comment.

Mira’s voice crackled with a hint of amusement. “I’ll be feeding you real-time data, so stick to the plan. I’d rather not have to patch up anyone if things go south.”

Jessie glanced at his wrist, pretending to check a non-existent watch. “Five minutes in, and she’s already making bets on whether we’ll mess up.”

Mira chuckled. “Hey, I have faith in you, Jessie. Mostly.”

“Gee, thanks,” Jessie replied, smirking as he readied his blade. “Good to know my tech support has my back.”

Rhea cut through the conversation, her tone commanding. “Enough. You all know your roles. Let’s move.”

The squad split, with Rhea and Dax heading toward the upper floors while Jessie and Talia made their way to the production sector. As they ventured deeper into the factory, the air grew thicker with unstable chrono-energy. Lights flickered in and out of time, and Jessie could feel the weight of the distortions pressing against his senses.

“Keeping your anchors synced…” Mira’s voice reminded them through the comms. “I’ll guide you through the worst of the distortions.”

Talia glanced over at Jessie as they approached the heart of the facility. “Let’s make this quick. Neutralize the device and avoid unnecessary chaos.”

Jessie gave her a sideways grin. “You say that like you’re worried I’ll cause trouble.”

“Because I’m confident you will,” Talia said flatly, drawing her Chrono Bow. “Let’s just get this done.”

Ahead, they could hear voices—rough, hurried. Guards. Jessie crouched low, motioning for Talia to follow. The pair peeked around the corner, spotting several men stationed near a large, glowing device—sleek and black, wires running along the floor and walls, pulsing with blue chrono-energy. It was the source of the time acceleration, and the workers nearby moved with unnatural speed, their motions a blur.

“There it is,” Talia whispered, eyes narrowing. “The device.”

“And the goons guarding it,” Jessie added, noting the group of guards protecting the tech.

Talia pulled her bowstring back, a glowing red energy arrow forming between her fingers. “We take them out quietly. Shut down the device.”

Jessie smirked, drawing his Chrono Blade. “Or we go loud, take out the bad guys, and shut it down with style.”

Talia shot him a glare. “Just… stick to the plan.”