It’s nine o’clock. In Neo-Aureborn’s downtown—the commercial heart of the city—this is the usual time for businesses to clock out, leaving the buildings in the hands of security guards. The hundreds of headquarters sprawling across the city mostly belong to companies dedicated to manufacturing and trading all sorts of gadgets. Communication devices are the main players; however, in this modern digital age, there is also high demand for a vast array of tech designed for both essential—and utterly absurd—needs.

  A figure dressed in impeccable black, carrying a briefcase, walks through the empty lobby toward the parking garage. Their build resembles that of an adult man, but the difference is striking: their skin is a pale sky-blue, and their features lean more toward a reptile or a humanoid amphibian than a human. On their neck, two linear slits are visible—the openings to their gills. Their race is called "Amphibioid," though people prefer to call them "Merfolk."

  "Mr. Thalassyan," calls out the security guard, also an adult merfolk with a burly build, stationed by the entrance. His weapon is a one and half meters-long spear tipped with a trident blade. "Someone wants to speak with you."

  "At this hour, I can guess who."

  The merfolk walks to the parking lot. Beside his sleek gray car, he spots a van with three young men leaning against it, arms crossed.

  "Hey, Nerios," Andrew greets him first.

  "What do you want? I don’t need your security services today."

  "That’s not why we're here," Axel says. "We’re here to ask if we can borrow some of your toys."

  "Are you still working on that submersible gear prototype?" Lewis asks. "We read that your company needs non-merfolk volunteers to test them. We want to volunteer because we’ve got a job that requires us to go underwater. We need approval from a high-ranking member of the company. Who better than the president himself?"

  "That’s true," Nerios says, "but why not just buy a piece of gear that’s already been tested? Our company sells those, too..." He trails off, sensing their real motive.

  "Exactly," LENA’s voice rings out from the van. "Cutting costs."

  "Fine. I don't have a problem with it, as long as you waive all liability for Abyssal Thalassyan Technologies."

  "Deal," Andrew says.

  "I need to stop by my house to get the gear for you." Nerios opens his car door. "And I have one more condition."

  Now it’s the Vances' turn to sense what’s coming.

  "By the way," Axel interrupts, "why do you still carry a briefcase when almost everything is digital these days?"

  "To look like a businessman who enjoys his job," Nerios says, stepping into his car.

  It’s ten o’clock. Natural spaces are valued by the Neo-Aureborn administration; among its primary laws, conservation is mandatory—especially for private companies, which go to great lengths to comply. Beyond green zones, aquifers and bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes, are the top priority for protection.

  In a middle-class district, one of the many branches of the Verdeum Prima River—the city’s main artery—serves as a natural border between two residential neighborhoods packed with gated communities. The river, twenty meters deep and over seventy meters wide, remains clean and is spanned by several pedestrian and vehicular bridges. Its current is quite calm on storm-free days and often serves as a popular spot for social gatherings.

  The Vance Night Agency van and Nerios Thalassyan’s car pull into a public parking lot along the riverbank. The three brothers and the adult merfolk step out, clad in wetsuits and diving gear like goggles and—in the humans' case—rebreathers and oxygen tanks. The merfolk is also carrying a couple of plastic bags.

  "You can breathe underwater," Andrew says, adjusting his mask. "Why the suit?"

  "Hydrodynamics," Nerios replies. "Even though we can live on land now, we merfolk haven't stopped mastering the water. And those of my lineage haven't lost our fascination with treasure hunting."

  "So that’s why you wanted to come..."

  "And what are you looking for?"

  "A client asked us to recover a package he dropped in the river," Lewis answers. "The packaging is destroyed by now, but the contents should be down there somewhere. LENA..."

  "I have the full inventory list from the client," LENA chimes in. "I’ve also processed the diving permits for the river."

  "Then let's get to it," Axel says with a hint of excitement.

  The humans and the merfolk approach the water’s edge to dip their feet in. The brothers hold compact devices with screens.

  "So these are your new radar prototypes," Lewis remarks.

  "They haven't been tested for long-term submersion yet. Let me know about any glitches so I can improve them." Nerios adjusts his goggles. "I’ll head out and scout other areas. Good luck with the job."

  Without much technique, the merfolk dives in and, with impressive agility, swims toward another part of the river, disappearing toward the bottom.

  "His race survives on land and underwater; must be nice," Axel says.

  "Don’t forget their skin has also adapted to be resilient, repelling harmful substances and pollutants," LENA adds through their earpieces. "Amphibioids are a marvel of evolution."

  "Let’s hope these machines are, too," Andrew says.

  The Vance brothers turn their backs to the river and fall backward into the water. As they break the surface—which is hauntingly pure—a transparent abyss reveals itself, looking like a different world from the city above. Awestruck, they watch as the night lights from streetlamps and buildings filter down from the surface, illuminating the rocky, silty bottom. The floor is adorned with vibrant algae, aquatic plants, and moss-covered stones, all glowing with vivid colors.

  "It still blows my mind how clean they keep this place," Lewis says, flicking on his goggle-mounted flashlight.

  "Many people work every week to maintain these bodies of water," LENA says. "The sanitation companies pay quite well."

  "Too bad we’ve never been hired for a job like that," Axel adds. "This view is incredible."

  "Don't get your hopes up," Andrew cuts in. "There are other places that make you want to gag just by looking at them. People there don't care about littering or dumping waste. Pollution is a never-ending battle."

  The brothers dive deeper to get a closer look at the riverbed.

  "He can't blame us if we don't find everything," Lewis says. "This silt will bury anything that fell down here in no time."

  "But the fewer items we find, the smaller our paycheck gets. So, let’s get searching. LENA, what’s first on the list?"

  "A compact device for making synthetic coffee. It should be at the coordinates provided by the client. There hasn't been a storm, so the current shouldn't have carried it very far."

  The brothers sweep the river from bank to bank, covering as much ground as possible with their lights. All they see are rocks, algae, and earth—aesthetically pleasing, but useless for their mission. They begin moving everything they can, searching for traces of non-natural elements. Each uses the radar device Nerios lent them. The gadgets emit an infrared light in a one meter in diameter.

  "Found something," Axel says, shifting a rock and pulling out a plastic bag after the device beeps and vibrates in his hand. "Looks like a set of metal plates."

  "That is on the manifest," LENA confirms.

  "Got something else here," Lewis says, clearing mud away from a disintegrated cardboard box. Inside is a plastic case. "A set of silver cutlery."

  "Also on the list," the AI repeats.

  Lewis and Axel swim to the surface to leave their finds on the shore. Since no one else is around, they have no other choice. Meanwhile, Andrew continues searching, shining his light into the river's darkest nooks.

  Minutes pass, and the Vances haul more objects from the depths. Some were on the client’s list, like an interactive toaster, a mini ice-cream maker, and a remote-controlled toaster oven. Others were "treasures" they stumbled upon—scraps of plastic or metal and the occasional wrapper. Like the good citizens they aim to be, they cleared those out of the river as well.

  After another thirty minutes of underwater searching—battling fatigue and the plummeting temperature—the brothers find the first item on their list: the small coffee-making device. It’s incomplete, though; the included mug is missing.

  "Looks like our client isn't much of a cook," Andrew says as he surfaces, placing the device next to their other finds. "Good thing everything he bought is waterproof."

  His older brother is lying on his back nearby, catching his breath and trying to get his body temperature back to normal. His diving gear lies beside him, resting too.

  "You lasted longer than we expected," LENA remarks. "You’re improving."

  "Can't... take... another... second," Lewis gasps, taking long, ragged breaths. "I’ll... stay here... and keep watch."

  Axel breaks the surface after several minutes of searching for the remaining items.

  "Nothing," he says, pulling off his goggles. "The current must’ve dragged them off. There’s no way they got buried in the silt that fast."

  "We need to rest and then move to a different spot," Andrew says, climbing onto the bank. "The oxygen tanks still have a charge. LENA?"

  "They’ll last a few more hours. Even if they are an old-gen model, Abyssal Thalassyan Technologies products are known for their quality."

  "Can't say the same for these," Axel says, sitting on the shore, exhausted. "These radars aren't water-resistant enough yet. Mine is already making weird noises."

  "If you see a spark, get it out of the water immediately or you’ll electrocute us all. Let's get this stuff to the van and move. Can you get up, Lewis?"

  The eldest brother sits up and gives a thumbs-up before breaking into a cough.

  The humans and the AI hear something breach the water and haul itself onto the shore. It’s Nerios, clutching plastic bags filled with rings, earrings, watches, and even phones. They all look weathered and dull, tarnished by time.

  "Are you done?" the merfolk asks, wringing water from his skin.

  "Almost..." Lewis replies, still recovering and coughing again. "Your radars... for now... they work."

  "I appreciate you being my guinea pigs, but I have to tell you something. I ran into some dangerous types on my way back."

  The three brothers sharpen their focus, their expressions turning serious.

  "Some men threatened me with weapons when I 'invaded their territory.'"

  "Who do they think they are?" Axel snaps. "The river is public property."

  "Not to them, it isn't. They said they’d fill me with laser fire if I stepped into their turf again. Naturally, I have no intention of listening to such nonsense."

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  "Where was this?" Andrew asks.

  "To the north, following the current. Just past the bridge."

  "Bad luck for them," Andrew says. "That’s exactly where we’re heading."

  "Maybe we should avoid a direct confrontation," Lewis suggests. "Our contract doesn't include taking down criminals."

  "But if they interfere," Andrew counters, "we won't have any choice but to act in self-defense."

  It’s midnight. The Vance Night Agency van, driven by Axel, rolls forward until one of the bridges connecting the two districts over the Verdeum Prima River comes into view. The brothers have continued their search at every stop; some have been successful, recovering what was missing, while others were a total waste of time and energy. A few items remain, and the next sector on their list is the one Nerios warned them about. As a precaution, the vehicle’s lights are dimmed. Lewis, in the passenger seat, scans for hidden enemies through his rifle’s night-vision scope.

  "I don't see anyone. Are you sure there’s trouble here, Nerios?" Lewis asks over the comms.

  "They’ll show up once we hit the water," the merfolk replies from his car.

  "Are you coming in with us?"

  "Of course. I won't let some thugs think they can control a public body of water. It wounds my pride as a merfolk. Besides, they’ll just be an obstacle the next time I want to go treasure hunting." Nerios puts on his headset to stay in sync with the boys.

  "Figures," Andrew says, stepping out of the van with Axel. They already have their weapons ready: pistols and a sword.

  "I’ll provide long-range support. If I go in with you, I’ll just get in the way," Lewis says, descending from the van with his marksman rifle.

  "Starting surveillance," LENA says from her avatar on the vehicle’s screen. "I will alert you if the van comes under fire."

  Axel, Andrew, and Nerios approach the river to dive in. Lewis stays on the bank, using his scope to sweep for threats. The humans and the merfolk submerge and head under the bridge, their wetsuits helping them blend into the shadows.

  Underwater, Axel and Andrew detect nothing out of the ordinary. Just more rocks, algae, and small amounts of trash.

  "Watch for any changes in the light," LENA warns.

  "Easier said than done at night," the swordsman mutters. It’s one of the few times his weapon feels like a heavy burden.

  "Crossing under the bridge," Andrew announces.

  On the surface, Lewis takes up a sniping position at the edge of the bridge.

  "High ground secured."

  After a few minutes of silence, the Vances dive deeper to resume the search.

  "Maybe they went to bed," Nerios says.

  "Or maybe they got cold feet seeing armed humans," Andrew suggests, diving to the bottom and flicking on his goggle light.

  A split second later, Nerios feels a disturbance in the current.

  "Something’s approaching," LENA warns. "I’m detecting movement near your location."

  "These goggles can do that?" Axel asks, surprised.

  Andrew narrows his eyes, trying to make out the silhouette swimming toward them. Pistols in hand, he takes aim.

  The silhouette stops. It’s a young amphibioid with a muscular build. His chest is bare, revealing sky-blue skin, fins on his back and forearms, and the gills on his neck. With a hostile glare, he makes it clear his intentions are anything but peaceful.

  The merfolk’s mouth moves as he speaks, but the Vance brothers can't understand a word.

  "‘We warned you not to show your face here again.’ That’s what he’s babbling," Nerios clarifies, being the only one who can understand his kind underwater. "The rest is just textbook threats—typical thug talk."

  "Good thing we can't talk back in real-time," Andrew says, readying his pistols. "Saves us the trouble of trying to reason with him."

  The young merfolk speaks again.

  "‘So you want to fight for the turf,’ he says," Nerios translates. "‘But it’s unfair—three against one.’"

  "When you hear lines like that through a translator, they sound pretty ridiculous," Andrew remarks, and Axel nods in agreement.

  The merfolk lunges like a torpedo toward the swordsman. His speed and fluidity make it look as if he’s flying through the water. Axel swings his sword in a wide slash to drive him back; however, predictably, his movement is at half-speed, giving the merfolk plenty of room to dodge by centimeters and close the gap again. On his second attempt, the attacker is forced back by a burst of red laser fire from Andrew’s pistols. The beams travel much slower than usual; using light-based energy underwater meets significant resistance.

  The young merfolk’s hands glow with the blue light of digital magic, and he begins returning fire at the three men. Axel and Andrew imbue their forearms with their own magic.

  "I’m just a civilian!" Nerios exclaims, dodging with his hands up.

  "Then why did you even come?!" Andrew shouts, moving to block the beams he can't dodge with his arms.

  Seeing Nerios’s apparent lack of experience, the aggressor pins his arms and legs to his body for maximum propulsion and charges him. The older merfolk, hands still raised, waits until the very last second before throwing a punch. The youth slows down and evades, launching a combo of strikes and kicks that Nerios blocks with some effort.

  "Pretending you can't fight didn't do you any good, old man," the young merfolk says, though only Nerios understands.

  "Are you still using generic criminal dialogue?" Nerios coats his arms in a faint digital magic and counters with slower but precise strikes. The youth backs off to avoid them. Underwater, Nerios’s physical prowess is superior. Axel and Andrew stay on guard, weapons ready; even if the merfolk are superior in this environment, the brothers can at least serve as a distraction.

  "I hate it when other races are actually superior to us," Axel says, swimming toward the enemy.

  "Only underwater," Andrew follows.

  "Wait."

  The brothers stop at the sound of LENA’s voice.

  "More hostiles approaching."

  On the bridge, Lewis keeps his rifle trained on the coordinates provided by his AI sister. Through the night-vision scope, he can just barely make out two silhouettes swimming at high speed toward the skirmish. He pulls the trigger the moment the targets enter his engagement range.

  Red laser beams streak from the barrel; as they hit the water, their velocity drops, though it's still enough to force the approaching figures off their straight-line path.

  Axel and Andrew, glancing up at the flashes in the sky, brace themselves for the two new amphibioids. They know the species well—no other race moves through the water with such effortless grace. The two new combatants halt to size up their human opponents. Both are young, sporting muscular builds and the telltale physical traits of their kind. They are also armed with one-meter-long swords. One of them points at the boys, his lips moving.

  "We can't understand a word they’re saying," Axel says, making hand signs to try and communicate.

  "He says you’ll regret trespassing on their turf," LENA translates.

  "You can understand them underwater?"

  "Of course not. I'm just lip-reading. Now they’re saying they’re going to kick you out for being human."

  "The cameras in these goggles are insane," Axel mutters, impressed once again.

  "Can you calculate the best window to dodge?" Andrew asks, tensing his muscles.

  "If their speed is that of a standard merfolk, I can," the AI replies.

  The two enemies lunge at the Vance brothers. Axel raises his sword, which glows with blue light to deter his opponent. Andrew switches his left pistol to solid-energy blade mode while firing with his right. The merfolk weaves through the lasers and dives in for a punch imbued with digital magic.

  "Now."

  Andrew follows LENA’s cue and lurches to the side. He swings his blade, but the merfolk is faster, parrying the strike with his own sword.

  "Get... out... of our... territory... humans."

  "He said—"

  "At this range, I can hear him, LENA," Andrew interrupts, slashing the water to keep the attacker at bay.

  Axel does the same, swinging his sword from side to side. His opponent grips his weapon with both hands and delivers a lateral sweep. Axel blocks; the impact barely nudges him back due to the water’s resistance. The amphibioid repeats the move, and Axel holds firm. However, as he tries to lift his sword again, his arms feel like lead. The enemy takes advantage of the opening, backing off a few meters before launching into a thrusting kick.

  "Axel, evade."

  The swordsman obeys, diving downward. The merfolk misses by centimeters, but Axel looks drained.

  "You... aren't... used to... fighting... underwater..."

  Andrew catches the words. His body feels heavy, his control slipping.

  "Swimming takes a lot out of you..." The youngest Vance begins to struggle for breath. "And fighting down here is a nightmare for a human without the right gear."

  "Incoming," LENA warns.

  Andrew uses his blade to block the merfolk’s slash. His arms ache, bordering on numbness.

  "Even so, you don't seem alarmed," LENA observes.

  "That's because these guys—"

  "Move!" Lewis barks through the earpieces.

  A barrage of laser fire rains down from above, piercing the river all the way to the bottom and creating a wall of fire between the humans and the amphibioids. The attackers scramble back.

  "What took you so long?" Andrew asks.

  "Visibility is trash from up here. I didn't want to hit you by mistake, but thanks to LENA, I've got their speed clocked."

  "We have a plan."

  "We do?" Axel asks.

  "Lewis, keep up the suppressive fire to distract them, but don't hit us."

  "I'll try my best."

  From atop the bridge, the eldest Vance brother relies on his night-vision scope to fire at the two non-human silhouettes. From his vantage point, he watches them weave through every one of his beams.

  "It’s like a shooting gallery. By the way, Nerios, you still there?"

  There is no immediate answer. A second later, he hears the adult merfolk’s heavy breathing over the comms.

  "Still kicking. This punk hasn't done anything but try to punch me, and every time I get the upper hand, he backs off. Judging by his face, I’d say he’s terrified."

  "Listen, Axel..." Andrew barks out quick instructions. Their energy is red-lining, and their opponents are lunging for them once more.

  From above, another volley of laser fire streaks through the water, but the merfolk evade it with relative ease. Although a few beams graze them, the impact is negligible compared to their drive to finish the brothers. When their leader called them in, they expected to wrap this up in minutes; the fact that mere humans are giving them this much trouble is a serious blow to their pride.

  "We’re supposed to be the apex race underwater," one merfolk mutters to his partner in frustration. "Let's end this now."

  "Go for their rebreathers," the other replies. "They're helpless without them."

  Both youths imbue their hands and feet with digital-magic. Locking onto their respective targets, they launch themselves like torpedoes, aiming for a decisive blow. Axel stares his opponent down, clenching his fists for his next move as his hands begin to glow.

  "Now," LENA says through the earpieces.

  Axel doesn't dodge. Instead, he crosses his arms to act as a shield. The amphibioid slams into him and immediately tries to land a punch to the face, but Axel snatches his forearm with his left hand. With his right, still gripping his sword, he winds up for a full-strength vertical slash.

  The amphibioid, panicked, tries to break away, but the boy’s strength—boosted by digital-magic—holds him fast. He shuts his eyes, bracing for the blade, and raises his other arm to dull the blow. He doesn't feel a cut, but rather a massive impact to his midsection: Axel has checked his swing, converting the momentum into a brutal knee to the merfolk’s stomach. He lets go, and the boy, doubled over in pain, clutches his gut and floats toward the surface.

  His partner sees him go down and hesitates, wary of the other human. However, his adrenaline spikes and, with renewed aggression, he propels himself forward with a sword strike. Andrew aims his right pistol at the merfolk’s head while keeping his left-hand blade ready. His physical stamina is lower than his brother's; he only has one shot at this, or it’s game over. His vision is starting to blur, and his muscles are screaming for rest.

  "Now, Andrew," LENA says, having timed the merfolk’s optimal distance.

  The youngest Vance fires a beam at the merfolk’s forehead, forcing him to jink slightly. Andrew lunges with his blade raised. The merfolk tries to parry, but the boy fires a shot at his wrist; it misses by a hair, but it’s enough to kill the enemy’s momentum. Without breaking his swimming stroke, Andrew delivers a slash across the merfolk’s chest. He reels from the shock; his muscles seize up and throb. Wincing in pain, he lets himself float up until he breaks the surface to gasp for air.

  "Damn you..."

  "Don't move!"

  The merfolk looks up at the bridge and freezes in terror at the sight of a boy aiming a rifle at him.

  "You move, I fire," Lewis says. "Don't even think about diving. Even if the beams are slower in the water, they'll still catch you."

  The merfolk glances at his defeated companion floating nearby and, with a heavy sigh, raises his hands in surrender.

  Underwater, Axel and Andrew watch with mild surprise as the amphibioid who was fighting Nerios is now on his knees on the riverbed, spent. The adult merfolk, though sporting a few scratches, looks ready for another round.

  "These kids are rookies," Nerios says over the comms.

  "We noticed," Andrew replies. "They never once went for our oxygen tanks—our most obvious weakness. If they’d used their blades on those, they would've had us."

  "And they wasted way too much energy swimming," Nerios adds. "Even if we move better in the water, merfolk know how to pace themselves."

  It’s one in the morning. Following the battle—short, but grueling for Axel and Andrew—the members of the Vance Night Agency and Nerios Thalassyan stand over the three amphibioid youths they just fought. Everyone is gathered by the roadside, near the van and Nerios’s car. The three merfolk sit on the ground, eyes downcast, their expressions radiating a bitterness born more from wounded pride than the sting of defeat.

  "So, they’re just teenagers trying to start a gang?" Andrew asks.

  "They have no prior criminal records," LENA’s voice rings out from the van. "Just a few marks for behavioral issues."

  "It’s a good thing we knew how to hold our own," Nerios adds. "They would have landed themselves in much deeper trouble otherwise."

  The merfolk remain silent, offering only a frustrated huff in response.

  "Should we turn them in to the police?" Lewis asks. "They’d get slapped with a ton of community service hours."

  "I have a better idea," Andrew says, a smirk playing on his lips that neither his brothers nor the enemies quite understand. "We won't file a report, and we’ll forget this ever happened... if you help us search the river."

  The suggestion leaves everyone stunned.

  "You guys have better eyesight, right? It’ll be a breeze for you to verify if what we’re looking for is on the bottom. You can also help us haul out the trash."

  "Not a bad call," Axel chimes in. "That way, you’re actually helping clean up your own turf."

  The young amphiboids exchange looks, brows furrowed in thought.

  "Fine. We have no choice. We’ll do it, but you'd better keep your word," says the leader—the first merfolk who had attacked them.

  "The Vance Night Agency always does," LENA affirms.

  With the exception of Lewis, the humans and the amphibioids approach the bank to dive back in and resume the search. As a gesture of peace, they all leave their weapons on the shore.

  "Would you be interested in joining a treasure-hunting agency in the future?" Nerios asks the three youths of his own race, just before they all leap into the water and submerge.

  The night carries on with more dives, and the atmosphere grows lighter as the lingering resentment floats away. Another mission is nearing completion for the Vances; though they had to use force, they are satisfied with having struck a deal with another species—a small victory that echoes the spirit of integration of the city they call home.