Market Value Chapter One: Non-Standard Deviation Zoe had been running for forty-three hours—physically and virtually across the complex information spaces of the Neon Verge. Her failed extraction operation at the Helios subsidiary's Research and Development annex—what should have been a simple memory core retrieval—had triggered security responses that cascaded through multiple conglomerate enforcement networks. The respo...

The shuttle settled into the sand with a soft thud, its landing struts sinking slightly beneath the weight of the craft. Outside the cockpit, the beach stretched out in both directions, framed by a line of dark trees that rustled faintly in the wind. Two suns hung above the horizon, their bright light coloured the sky with a light blue metallic sheen. The chosen landing zone was free of any potential complications, no obs...

Reeon tried to play it cool as he slowly got up. She stepped out of the way, then slapped his butt, once in the bedroom, Reeon felt four hands grab him and turn him around, two on his wrist, two on his hips, with a force he wasn’t prepared for, that almost spun him off his feet. “You better be ready.” He looked down at the short woman, she gave him a smile. “Don’t be nervous now.” “I’m not.” He went for her top breast and...

Reeon had that already ruined silk shirt on the bed, he sat up over it on his knees, while he stroked his cock, he had a nice buzz going, and didn’t hear her over the sound as she snuck in and climbed on the bed. There was no stopping her hard cock now. She crawled up behind him, kept her cock just at bay, hand slipped around his hip to the base of his cock. “Oh shit,” he yelled and jumped. She tightened her grip. “Don’t...

A man buys a used cargo ship to make some easy money and found the packaged deal bot had his first package to receive. With credits to burn, a man found himself at what looked like a used ship dealer that he was told towed the line between cheap and quality. He needed something that could make a quick getaway, and make quick money to keep him moving, at least for a while. “Welcome to Winston’s Preowned Ships,” the man gre...

The hum of the city outside was the only sound in Eddie's cramped apartment, the usual buzz of life muffled by the thick, insulated walls. He sat in the corner, his eyes fixed on the data pad in his hands, scrolling through the escape plan for what felt like the hundredth time. Everything had been carefully laid out—every step, every risk accounted for—but a cold knot twisted in his gut. Tonight was the night. Eddie could...

The canals were quieter than usual as Eddie steered his boat through the misty streets. The rain had eased, leaving behind a cool dampness that clung to the air, soaking into the city’s crumbling facade. Towering buildings, their lower floors drowned decades ago, stood as eerie monuments to what used to be. Above the waterline, clotheslines stretched like spiderwebs between windows, and faint neon signs hummed in the dist...

Eddie stepped off the skiff with practiced ease, his polished shoes tapping against the slick stone of the jetty. The rain was relentless, a dull mist that made the world feel both closer and farther away. Royce’s estate loomed ahead, a hulking silhouette against the gray sky, its iron gates rising like twisted fingers out of the water. The mansion, as grand as it was decaying, stood a few feet above the floodwaters, the...

"Watch ooout!" Mika entered the laundry room holding a pile of dirty laundry raised above her head. She dropped the pile on the floor and started stuffing sheets and duvet covers into free washing machines. Sarah and Jay, who happened to be in the laundry room, began to help. By the old tradition, this hotel network employed young girls as maids, from eighteen to twenty years old. The payment was decent and the duties wer...

Chapter 7: Deion, the Neighbor John closed his eyes as he began to shampoo his hair. That was when he saw the android in his mind's eye. "Are you okay, master? I was alerted to your physical and emotional conditions." He was startled by this, but didn't show it. "I'm okay. There's a lot to process, and I'm trying to take it one step at a time. It's just... our situation isn't allowing me enough time." "I understand. I wil...

Chapter One: Crash of Guilt John was at wit's end. Everything in his life seemed like it was crumbling. The economy was in shambles and he recently had lost his job due to cutbacks. To top it off, COVID had taken the only two things he cherished in life: his wife and daughter. His wife was a bit nitpicky and not the greatest cook in the world, but she was an excellent mother and naughty lover. Their beautiful daughter was...

  Earth date 1st April, 2121. Time 12h03m56s GMT. Space Station Alpha 69. Geostationary above Mars. Unmanned. Nothing to report. All systems functioning. *** Earth date 2nd April, 2121. Time 15h05m23s GMT. Space Station Alpha 69. Geostationary above Mars. Unmanned. Nothing to report. All systems functioning. *** Earth date 3rd April, 2121. Time 10h23m19s GMT. Space Station Alpha 69. Geostationary above Mars. Unmanned. Not...