Zeb, with a casual flick of his wrist, waves at Starla, who is busy with her wares on the other side of the bridge. Starla briefly glances up, her eyes catching the movement, and with an almost imperceptible nod, she acknowledges Zeb's presence.

taken in bridge

Ratz nods, his robotic arm halting its jerky movement for a moment as he locks eyes with Zeb. "Ja, the one on the Bridge. It's the pulse of Chiba's tech-trade. You can't miss it; follow the neon signs and the smell of solder. Stick to the crowd, Herr Zeb. It's not the kind of place you want to stand out," he cautions, his prosthetic fingers resuming their twitchy dance as he goes back to his bar duties.

taken in chatsubo

The bartender, with a gaze that seemed to see through the shadowy veils of the cyberspace, nodded slightly at Zeb's request. With the subtle flair of someone seasoned in the underground dealings, he poured another drink for a customer and then leaned in closer to Zeb. In a low tone meant only for Zeb's ears, the bartender mentioned that he knows someone who can arrange that kind of access. However, it would come at a price or perhaps require a favor in return. The bartender suggested that he could set up a meeting if Zeb was interested. The bartender then discreetly slid a coaster towards Zeb with a time and a coded location written on the underside, indicating where and when the intermediary would be available to discuss terms for access to the auction.

taken in corpo-district

Zeb takes another discreet sip of his snakebite and pulls out his phone one more time, the glow of the screen illuminating his grizzled features. Notifications have popped up, revealing that his ping has been successful; there are several responses from various personas within the hacker community. Some are offering greetings, others are extending invitations to private chat rooms, and a few are inquiring about potential collaborations or exchanges of information. Zeb's presence at 'The Wired Albatross' has been acknowledged, and the underground network appears willing to open its secretive doors to him.

taken in corpo-district

zeb pulls out his phone and quickly looks up the schedule for the local DEF CON-related hacker meetups in the area. He discovers that one is in progress at a dingy bar just a few blocks down from Network23 Headquarters. The bar, known as 'The Wired Albatross', isn't listed on any tourist map – it's a place for the city's cyber elite and those looking to test their skills against some of the best. Zeb knows it's the perfect spot to network, trade secrets, and maybe even find some work that could utilize his unique talents.

taken in corpo-district

As zeb gazes up at the holo billboard, the flickering neon colors coalesce into an advertisement for the latest in covert intrusion software, something that a man of his particular set of skills and interests would find very useful. The ad boasts 'Zero Day Access in Seconds!' and shows a perfect representation of the USB drive hanging around zeb's neck, now with enhanced capabilities. The price flashes at a special discount rate, just for him. It's as if the billboard knows exactly what zeb has been looking for.

taken in corpo-district

Ratz halts the mechanical whir of his Russian military prosthetic arm and looks over to Zeb, his squinty brown eyes sizing up the man with a surly demeanor. "Herr Zeb! Was gibt's?" Ratz grunts in his German-accented English, waiting for Zeb's request.

taken in chatsubo

Zeb approaches the payphone, the vintage relic in a world gone digital. He examines it closely, noticing the quarter gleaming in the coin return. His eyes are drawn to the cult of the dead cow sticker, hinting at a hacker presence. Curiosity piqued, he spots a dataport beneath the phone's chassis—a technological anachronism on such an outdated device. Could it be a hidden pathway to something more? Zeb feels the familiar itch of discovery at his fingertips.

taken in downtown

zeb surveys the area, his gaze moving from the smoldering remnants of the campfire to the assortment of individuals gathered around it. Sunlight filters through the leaves overhead, casting an almost surreal glow on Donkules, who flicks his ears with indifference. The Gnome tinkers with something small and metallic in his hands, momentarily glancing up to meet zeb's gaze before returning to his work. The Barbarian shifts his weight, tightening his grip on his sword, an eager look in his eyes as if hoping for an exciting turn of events to unfold.

taken in saturday

Zeb turns his attention to Theora Jones, observing her as she intently scrutinizes the multitudes of live video feeds before her. She is deeply engrossed in her work, the glow from the screens casting flickering lights across her focused expression. Her sharp eyes dart across every corner of the monitors, making mental notes and ensuring everything on the network runs to her high standards.

taken in network23