As he moved silently through the streets, his traces activated the camouflage. It was insurance against the Observers and Scanners both. The criminal organizations that were out to steal information and sell on the dark market did not discriminate. Perhaps this is why he adopted the Rules, Jace thought.

Rule Number 1: Trust no one. It was not cynicism, the world was full of plenty of both good and bad. The percentage of bad though was high enough it was not worth the risk. And if he stuck to the Rules, he could keep his life under the radar and peaceful, as he liked.

Rule Number 2: Don’t become a Rhino or Elephant. In the legends there were beasts treasures for their horns in the same way his would be sawed from his corpse should he fall prey to the gangs. The best way to avoid that fate, in addition to literal invisibility, was to not become too big a fish in the pond. Low profile. That was his goal.

He turned the corner and headed into the Alley of Sundries where he knew his delivery was to take place. Merchants were setting up their stalls and caravan barges had just started to unload. At one of the kiosks he saw the early morning bakers had already finished their fist batch of taiyaki, smelling of dough and Ube. His hunger stirred, and almost thought about being the days first patron, but even for this reminded himself of Rule Number 3: Always separate business from pleasure. He arrived at the delivery address, it’s neon sign just turned on and glowing in lime green BIXBYS. He softly slipped through the doorway.

As he moved silently through the streets, his traces activated the camouflage. It was insurance against the Observers and Scanners both. The criminal organizations that were out to steal information and sell on the dark market did not discriminate. Perhaps this is why he adopted the Rules, Jace thought.

Rule Number 1: Trust no one. It was not cynicism, the world was full of plenty of both good and bad. The percentage of bad though was high enough it was not worth the risk. And if he stuck to the Rules, he could keep his life under the radar and peaceful, as he liked.

Rule Number 2: Don’t become a Rhino or Elephant. In the legends there were beasts treasures for their horns in the same way his would be sawed from his corpse should he fall prey to the gangs. The best way to avoid that fate, in addition to literal invisibility, was to not become too big a fish in the pond. Low profile. That was his goal.

He turned the corner and headed into the Alley of Sundries where he knew his delivery was to take place. Merchants were setting up their stalls and caravan barges had just started to unload. At one of the kiosks he saw the early morning bakers had already finished their fist batch of taiyaki, smelling of dough and Ube. His hunger stirred, and almost thought about being the days first patron, but even for this reminded himself of Rule Number 3: Always separate business from pleasure. He arrived at the delivery address, it’s neon sign just turned on and glowing in lime green BIXBYS. He softly slipped through the doorway.