Elias retreated, clenching his jaw. He didn't have ten hours. His sister, Maya, was a "Sensor"—she could feel the emotions of everyone in a three-block radius. Lately, the city’s collective fear was becoming toxic, causing her to suffer from "The Sinking," a neurological decay common in Powers who overused or couldn't control their gifts. The only cure was Psyke, a dangerous drug made from the spinal fluid of other powered people, and it cost more than Elias could earn in a year of honest work.
: Powered individuals must register and are often excluded from high-paying jobs. Code 8
Elias looked up. A police drone—a "Guardian"—hovered silently above the rooftops, its red optical sensor scanning the street for unregistered abilities. He felt the familiar surge of electricity beneath his skin, the "Code 8" violation just waiting to happen. "When do we start?" Elias asked. Elias retreated, clenching his jaw
"I don't do crime," Elias said, though his stomach cramped from hunger. Lately, the city’s collective fear was becoming toxic,
He had saved her life, but he knew the cost. The police would be looking for an Electric who could blow a transformer. In Lincoln City, survival was never free—it was just a debt you hadn't paid yet. Key Elements of the Code 8 Universe