Voyage City stirred quietly under the early morning glow. At precisely 5:30 a.m., the tallest building in the heart of the city towered above all else, its glass surface gleaming as the first rays of sunlight reflected off its spires. Beneath this monumental structure, deep underground, lay the Central City Energy Reactor, a powerful source fueling the metropolis.
The building wasn't just a symbol of power: it was a beacon for tourists and citizens alike. Beside it stood a grand statue of Lucian Stark, the city's respected mayor. Within the building's lower levels, rare artifacts from deep cave expeditions and interdimensional rift discoveries were preserved, making it part energy facility, part museum. Security was unmatched: surveillance cameras watched every corner, and sleek robotic guards patrolled with quiet precision.
Not far from there, the city's main bank stood firm, massive, fortified, and equally alive with security presence. Citizens' wealth and secrets were kept within its walls, guarded by both human officials and mechanical sentries moving in programmed harmony.
As the city of Voyage lay bathed in the early morning light, soft shades of blue and gold glimmered across the skyline. Thousands of lights shimmered like stars that had fallen and made a home among the buildings. At the highest peak of a distant skyscraper, far above the noise and haste of waking life, a boy reclined calmly, soaking it all in.
He looked no older than seventeen, with spiky silver-blue hair that glowed faintly in the sunlight. His jacket, dark with electric blue stripes, fit snugly around his athletic frame, and a futuristic, bangle-like device pulsed softly on his wrist. A straw was pressed between his lips.
"It's been two years since I came to this city from the dark continent to look for my sister, and that man Lucian hasn't allowed me to look for her or give me any feedback as to her whereabouts. Instead, he's been giving me more and more missions to carry out and to do the dirty work: controlling the crowd and saving cats from trees. I'm not bored of saving people, but at least I came for something, and he should let me find my sister at least. But on second thought, I really actually thought that girl I saw on Friday was her. She had my exact same eyes and sharp ears, even though I had to wear this outfit so I could blend in with these humans," he said as he exercised, doing one-hand push-ups as he went to the edge of the building.
"I must say, this city is kinda peaceful compared to the dark continent, where fights and robbery break out every now and then," Rio said, drinking the last drop of his juice.
"Aww man, my juice is finished," he cried. "I'm really bored and don't want to go down, except I'm busy."
Rio paused as he heard through one of the fibers he had dropped a gunshot. "What's going on?" he asked in confusion, listening closely to the noise through his fibers.
Meanwhile, across from him, a van pulled up to the city bank. Three people were seen inside.
"So let's go over the plan one more time," Greg, their leader, said as he looked at the others.
"First, I'll distract the security guards while you, Marty," he called in a harsh tone.
"Yes sir," Marty quickly replied, with a sorry look.
"You will stack the cash from the vault. Stack as many as you can. And you," he said, looking at the creature sitting close to Marty.
"I am Rex. You can call me Electro," he said, showing electrical sparks that danced on his palm.
"I don't care. You'll be our muscles, and you'll take out the security bots by using your electric power thingy," Greg said, dismissing him with a wave.
"Hnmmgh," Rex grunted angrily, dissatisfied with Greg's dismissal.
"What was that? You trying to fight back?" Greg pressed, and immediately energy drained from Rex, who shrieked in pain.
"I'm... I'm sorry," Rex said amidst the pain.
"Good boy," Greg said, patting his hair as he yanked him forward and whispered: "You work for me. Do you understand? I would have brought your sister, but this heist needs to be done quietly and quickly so as not to alert the rainbow kid. Do you understand?" he said in anger.
"Yes, sir," the young man said, nodding repeatedly as tears filled his eyes.
"If you defile me again, I'll blow off your sister's head," Greg said, packing at the bank.
"Stop there. Who are you, and what can we help you with at this time of the morning?" one of the security officers said, approaching him.
"Nothing actually. I just came to withdraw some cash for me and my boys," Greg said calmly from his car.
"Reveal your face," the security man said, pointing his light at the vehicle.
"By all means, do so," Greg said, putting on his hat and glasses and stepping out of the vehicle.
"Who are you? You're not a citizen of Voyage City," the officer said after scanning him.
"Ara, is that so? Please check again," Greg replied.
The officer bent down as a pistol barrel was placed on his head.
"I ain't got time for this. What's the code to the vault?" Greg asked, sighing angrily.
"Please spare me, I'm just doing my job. I have a son, please," the officer begged.
"Was that what I asked you?" Greg said, more irritated. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, he clicked the trigger: "What is the code to the vault? Do not make me repeat myself."
"7744, sir," the officer said in fear, sweat dropping from his body.
"Good," Greg said, nodding to Rex and the others as he pulled the trigger, killing the officer and triggering the security system.
"Take us inside the building, Rex!" Greg shouted as alarms blared.
"He just killed that man like it was nothing. Why? I thought humans were better than us Djinns. Didn't he beg for help?" Rex thought, lost in his own mind.
"Rex!"
Rio said as he crossed his legs upside down, hanging like a spider on his web: "Why are you guys coming to rob this bank?"
"Huh, a kid?" Greg hissed. "What are you doing here, kid? Aren't you supposed to be doing your homework or something?"
"Oh, I am doing my homework, the one I love very much, which is to protect this city," Rio paused. "How about you surrender for the murder of the security guy outside, and we call it a day? I'm really stressed out, not sleeping throughout the night," he suggested. "We'll even arrange a judge for..."
"You talk too much, punk!" Marty said, shooting at Rio.
Rio's webs immediately reacted on their own, slicing through the bullet.
"I am not done talking. Try to listen to someone being shot at," Rio said angrily.
"Rex! Get us out of here! Move to phase two, plan one failed!" Greg shouted as Rex tried to touch Marty and Greg to escape.
"Hold it there!" Rio said, stretching his arm to the cross laser in front of them.
"Energy technique: energy weaving!" he shouted as energy lasers blocked their path like a web. Rio now hung upside down, smiling.
"What's going on?" Marty asked in confusion.
"I don't know, but the lasers that blocked the vault are now here..." Greg replied, looking around.
"Which means the vault is free," Rex said in excitement as he turned to see even more lasers around the vault. "How?"
Rio stood upside down, legs crossed casually on a strand of shimmering thread, observing the would-be robbers with sharp eyes and a quiet mind.
"Don't ask me that, ha!" he said with a smirk, his voice light but eyes calculating. "I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen. Now… you'll be here until the cops arrive."
His voice echoed off the vault's steel walls. Greg and Marty froze. Rio tilted his head slightly, noting their shift in expression: not fear, not frustration, but patience.
"You'll be read your rights, given a lawyer, and all that."
Suddenly, a heavy thud-thud-thud filled the room. The ground vibrated.
Security robots stormed into the vault room from every direction: sleek, armored, their mechanical optics glowing blue. They surrounded the robbers with military precision.
"Took you long enough, robots," Rio muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"Apologies," one of the bots replied in its dry robotic voice. "We called for backup."
The barrel of its weapon locked onto Marty. He squealed and stepped back instinctively.