[b]DESIUM CORP WORKING FOR YOU TO BUILD A BETT-[/b]

That was all Ethan could make out from the holo panel as he rushed down the street on his hoverbike. 

He shifted in his dirty green overalls. The Desium Corp. logo stitched onto the overall over his chest was itchy. The lettering “Services Division” was made of some old material that felt uncomfortable on bare skin. His short blonde hair fluttered with the wind and droplets of grime and motor oil flew off it onto the ground behind him. Two small earpieces blasted his favorite millenial rock song, drowning out the sound of everything else.

The engine of his hoverbike hummed. Blue light glowed from its magnetic levitators and left a pale hue against the black road. A metal box hovered behind it, magnetically tied to the bike and full of rusted parts, broken pieces, and general scrap metal. 

[i]“Great, I wonder what smart-ass admin decided it would be a good idea to have it rain today,”[/i] Ethan thought. He sniffed his nose at the caustic smell of asphalt.

[i]“Well time to sift for more junk. If only my lousy boss would requisition the right parts. And at the right time. Then I wouldn’t have to spend all morning doing this so I can get everything repaired on time. And maybe released on time. Honestly, I don’t get why I’m going out for this. I should have reclassed years ago,”[/i] he thought.

He let out a sigh as he passed building after building. The LED logos and the holographic panels on them blurred into a lightshow as he sped down the road. 

He looked around. The streets were empty save a few citizens ahead. They walked down cheerfully, protected by the rain above by their savy new Mechangels. 

They floated along moving in a mechanical nature. They and their citizens paid no attention to Ethan as he drove by. 

His brows furrowed and his mouth contorted in jealousy at the citizens. He took another glance at the new robotic servants.  [i]“Creepy Mechs,  honestly I don’t know why everyone thinks they are so good,”[/i] he wondered.

He pressed on the brakes right in front of a dark alleyway. He opened up his holopad and marked the spot off. [i]“Alright, this outta be the last place I check before I head back. Let’s see what we can scrape up,”[/i] he thought. 

He took off his earplugs and turned the music off. Whistling, he thumbed a few buttons on his holopad. It began to glow white, lighting up the pathway in front of him.

He looked into the alleyway. He immediately identified a pile of garbage bags rested against the wall on the right. An empty trashbin lay on its side in the middle of the pathway. 

[i]“Perfect! Looks like the trash-bots haven’t come in yet,”[/i] he thought turning the light towards the garbage bags. He grimaced at the sudden overpowering stench. [i]"Maybe they don't come often enough,"[/i] he added. Everything else in the alleyway remained dark as the light illuminated the black bags.

[i]“Hope I get lucky. All I ask is a carbonite 2x2 chip or some Silicate wiring. I could definitely use another lumine panel, or mayb…,”[/i] his thoughts wandered as he stepped forward.