[center][img]http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab20/XxKayla36xX/Jace%202.png[/img]

[img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/fe0533af43266a7f0922a515d0635431/tumblr_inline_n1uaj1WkXS1r8l1z5.gif[/img]

[sub]LOCATION }} TRAIN → GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
INTERACTING WITH }} HIS TECH[/sub][/center]

[hr]

Playful blips and crackling explosions sounded in Jace’s earbuds as a tiny 8-bit-style pirate ship traversed the waves, firing pixels at opposing ships. His impossibly fast fingers hammered the digital d pad on the touch screen while his right thumb simultaneously rapid fired the ship’s cannons. A tiny jolly roger flapped above the boat in quick, unnatural jerks as the it darted to and fro in the overcrowded sea. Just as Jace was about to annihilate the last ship, the game glitched, and said opposing ship annihilated [i]him[/i]  instead.

Jace sighed and dropped the tablet down in his lap defeatedly. [i][b]Powder Monkeys[/b][/i] still needed a bit of work. The code was patchy at best, but the game wasn’t half bad for a seventeen year old kid who’d just read a couple of books and winged it. Of course, in Jace’s eyes it would be utter trash until he deemed it perfect, and he had yet to deem something that he created ‘perfect’. He flicked his blue eyes up from the tech, hoping to steal a brief glance at Max and his adorable mop of chestnut curls.

So much for that, Max was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Spencer. Of course... of course they were [i]both[/i] gone. Jace felt the blood rush to his cheeks, equally embarrassed and irritated by his hopeless romanticism. He pulled the hood of his striped sweater over his head and slouched down in the seat. His cheeks puffed out in a silent huff. Jace considered pulling the strings of his hoodie to hide his face away like Kenny from South Park, but that probably wouldn’t be very inconspicuous.

Working through the botched stretch of code on his laptop passed the time and kept Jace’s racing mind busy until Max and Spencer eventually returned from their little rendezvous. Jace subconsciously found himself sitting up a little straighter when they did so. He even managed a semi-believable half smile as he looked over the top edge of his computer screen.

Max set a newspaper down on the table and Jace cautiously studied the headlines, his eyes only skimming at first. It was the photograph from his Facebook profile that really gave him pause. There he was, staring up at himself from the pages in black and white.

[color=lightgreen]“Oh…”[/color] he remarked aloud as his overactive brain processed this new information. Jace then read the statements that his parents left and pursed his lips. He could practically taste the guilt seeping from their words, and that made [i]him[/i]  feel guilty. Jace looked away and scanned the faces of the others as a distraction. No one else seemed to be reacting much differently than he was. At least, it didn’t seem like they were, but Jace had always been pretty poor at reading social cues.

Spencer pointed out the ridiculous title the media had given their group and Jace nodded in agreement. Emily chimed in with her own thoughts. [color=lightgreen]“Yeah, that would be you.”[/color] Jace responded with a chuckle as she mentioned throwing stuff at paparazzi. Spence brought up the fact that they were going to find a place to rest for the night and Max suggested camping. Jace’s stomach dropped when everyone else seemed to agree with that, and it wasn’t just because Max said it.

Camping would mean no wifi, and limited to no electricity. They would be completely off the grid and out of his comfort zone. Of course, for the sake of group moral, Jace said nothing and kept right on smiling. He could do that, yeah, especially because he kind of had to. Criminals couldn’t really pick and choose, and compromises would have to be made along the way. But who knows, with the shared brainpower of Sprocket and Chip, maybe the duo could rig up something useful, or at the very least entertaining, for a few nights. 

And so, there they were: wanted and on the run, some of them with their faces plastered in the press. Jace looked back at the newspaper and scrunched up his nose, moving his lips back and forth in thought. [color=lightgreen]“Maybe we should change our look, too.”[/color] he whispered a suggestion loud enough for them to hear. [color=lightgreen]“You know... dye our hair, change our style, that kind of thing.”[/color] Jace glanced back at the photograph that was taken scarily recently. It was far too much like looking in a mirror. [color=lightgreen]“It couldn’t hurt…”[/color] he tacked on for added emphasis.