A mousy voice crackles in his ear.
"Gideon! Hurry it up!"
"I'm working on it, Sparky," he mutters, cutting the receiver.
"Fine, you big bag of depression." Click.
Gideon exhales and refocuses on the mission.
Ahead of him, a solitary guard patrols the hallway. Gideon lifts a hand. Metal trembles in the walls around him, answering his call.
A single chain slips free.
With a flick of his wrist, he sends it clattering across the floor.
The guard jerks upright.
"Who goes there?"
Photonic spear raised, the man moves toward the noise. The chain lies coiled in the middle of the room.
"…It's a chain."
The guard glances left. Then right.
CRASH.
Glass explodes inward as a flaming orange figure barrels through the window. Swiftly knocking the unassuming guard out.
"Hey, Gid!"
Gideon pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Couldn't wait until I opened the door?"
"NOPE!"
The glowing ball of chaotic energy sprints across the room and begins bouncing in front of the massive double doors like he's on a trampoline.
"OPEN IT!"
"Fine. Fine."
Gideon walks over to the gargantuan doors and pulls out a strange-looking USB device.
"Let's hope this bootleg works."
He plugs it into a port beside the frame.
Nothing happens.
"Man," Brandon says, "it doesn't work, does it?"
"Shut up, Sparky. I need to remember the firewall bypass."
"I remember."
The now dimmer white figure leans casually against the wall.
Gideon sighs.
"Then what is it, Pye?"
"2627."
Beep.
The maroon slabs groan as they slowly slide apart.
"Good thing I can trust you, Sparky." Gideon gives him a small smile. "Let's get that envelope."
"AWW!" Brandon clasps his flaming hands dramatically. "My grumpy boy actually has feelings!"
Gideon raises a finger and presses it against Brandon's fiery face.
"Shut it, Pye. We should stay quiet while we rob this place."
He pauses.
For a moment, he thinks he sees something move in the corner of the room.
A shadow.
Then it's gone.
"…Mmn."
"What?" Brandon asks.
"Nothing. Thought I saw something."
Brandon shrugs and skips over to the safe bolted into the wall.
"Man, will that jailbreaker still work?"
"It should. I paid good money for that thing."
Gideon lets his chains slither quietly along the walls, checking every corner.
Empty.
"Here," he says. "Find the port."
Brandon snatches the USB and gives a crisp mock salute.
"Yes sir, Mr. Grumpy sir!"
He crouches beside the safe and begins tapping commands into the device.
Soft beeps fill the room.
"How long do we have, Grumpy?"
"About ten minutes," Gideon says, cracking his knuckles. "Make sure you don't set off any alarms."
"Yes sir."
The safe hums quietly as Brandon works.
Then—
Footsteps echo down the hall.
No.
Not footsteps.
An army.
"Shit, Pye," Gideon mutters. "We've got company already."
"Well fudge, Gideon. Do we snatch the safe?"
"We do."
He glances at the door.
"Melt it off the wall."
"Mkay, gidgid."
Brandon suddenly freezes.
"Hey, Gid…"
"What?"
"…Do you use me?"
Gideon blinks.
"What?"
"For my flame," Brandon says quietly. "Do you just use me for that?"
His fire dims slightly.
"What are you talking about?" Gideon snaps. "Just grab the safe and run!"
At that exact moment—
ALARMS SCREAM.
"DAMMIT, BRANDON! WE'LL JUST GO OUT THE WINDOW!"
Brandon jumps and unleashes a surge of flame.
The metal bolts holding the safe begin melting.
"Gid—I got it!"
"Good boy, Pye. Let's go."
Gideon spreads his stance.
Metal across the room twists and writhes, forming thick chains around him.
"Hold on."
The safe tears free from the wall just as Brandon leaps onto Gideon's back.
Chains snap around the metal box.
"Ready, bud?" Gideon asks.
Brandon grins.
"Ready as I'll ever be!"
With one smooth motion, Gideon hurls the chains out the shattered window.
They wrap around a nearby light pole.
"Let's hope this holds."
He jumps.
They swing out over the street below, the safe clanging behind them as they arc through the air and land on a nearby rooftop.
The safe hits a second later with a heavy thud.
Brandon spins in a little circle, delighted.
"I always love the ending, Gid!"
"We're not out of the woods yet," Gideon says, hoisting Brandon onto his shoulders as he starts running.
"In a few minutes we'll have the city's top runners on us."
Chains drag the safe behind them as they sprint across the rooftops.
"But why?" Brandon whines. "We already made it out. What's in this stupid safe anyway?"
He pouts.
"I'm tired of doing these street jobs for pennies."
"What are you talking about?" Gideon snaps. "These jobs pay plenty."
"We could barely afford rent, Gid."
Gideon's face darkens.
"We just need to keep working."
Brandon suddenly brightens.
"I HAVE AN IDEA!"
Gideon groans.
"We can open the envelope in the safe!"
"Pye," Gideon says slowly, "we were literally told not to open the envelope."
"So?" Brandon shrugs. "We can just reseal it. The city's full of people who like to—"
Whizz.
Clack.
"…"