Cheers erupted. Friends raised their glasses to the birthday girl. Emirati traders watched with amused scorn from the shisha pit, flawless in Western suits and wreathed in menthol smoke. Against the pub's wall a woman politely listened, as a man wired on white powder detailed the importance of male feminism.

Three out of place visitors bolted past in a blur. One stopped, pointing wildly at the pub. An older woman pulled him away. A younger woman panicked on the spot.

A cab screeched alongside them with such a racket the entire beer garden spun to face it.

Jason looked mortified. He pinged the doors open.

“Get in get in get in! Fucks sake police won’t be far be’ind. Imany move it!”

They could barely sit down when he blasted off, cutting around a corner before the punters could film him.

“Thanks for creatin’ a scene mate...” Sermon stabbed his seatbelt but kept missing the holster, angering him even more, “where the fuck were you?”

“Had to drop a fair off. Trust me it’s a story for later...” Jason found a busy street to blend into and relaxed, “what ‘appened with you lot?”

“She's agreed to place it on hold,” Imany took the knife from the glove box, “they will look into it again next month.”

“Place on hold. What does that mean? Place on hold? Is it goin’ ahead or not?”

She kept silent. The tanto rested in her hand. She squeezed and released its hilt. Kasia pulled her hood down and buried herself under the seatbelt. There were ways to rationalise her actions; none of them quelled her fear. She contemplated a life in prison, condemned for invading a home and assaulting a child. She’d never see Eva again. Did she deserve to?

Jason continued on to return the cab, dropping his passengers off at Little Kendi. They stood obscured in the forecourt, watching their estate across the road as it slept. Sermon blew out of his mouth.

“Let’s get the hell outta here. I’m gettin’ one of Kash's hot cocoa’s and goin’ to bed.”

“No,” Imany held the knife out between them, “we go back staggered, alone. I don’t want any neighbours seein’ us together.”

She tilted the knife right, holding it at Kasia's heart. Kasia took it back with weak fingers.

“Thank you...”

“What happened with that girl Kasia?”

She saw Imany's face - the matriarchal scowl, the furious eyes - and felt crushed.

“She was filming me... I thought things would get… I had to delete the footage.”

Imany turned to Sermon.

“What happened. Was the girl hurt?”

“Only shaken Imi. A little grapple for the phone. What you thinkin’ will it be a problem?”

She palmed Kasia’s chest and pushed her gently back.

“Go first. Go straight home, tuck yourself in, and be a model citizen until I tell you otherwise.”

Kasia obeyed. She walked to her flat with no resolution, fragile and scared, as her only allies burned her ears behind her back.

* * *

She spent a night without sleep, watching the gap under her door turn to daylight. It revealed a square of concrete floor in an otherwise dark and windowless prison. Her knife tempted her every second, a lump under her pillow offering the bloody release of tension.

But she needed to be a model citizen.

She made breakfast and sat on her bed, staring through her phone as if scrolling content. Eva noticed something was wrong and decided to intervene. She knelt on the bed beside her mother, cupping in her hands a consolatory tea. Kasia took the mug with a warm smile.

“Aww… thank you pretty thing.”

“You look very tired,” Eva switched to Polish, signifying concern.

“I've got too much work, that's all. Tomorrow will be better. What do you have on at school?”

“We learn about the Mars colony and which companies we can work for.”

“Incredible! Exactly as I learnt at school! President Musk finally found something he couldn’t have.”

Eva's eyes widened with glee.

“Wouldn’t it be cool to go up there one day!?”

“Wouldn't you prefer a weekend at Sussex Downs!? When you’re a famous actor we can aim higher," Kasia chuckled, "eat breakfast, and let's watch something.”

They shared music reels over the dining table, Kasia’s playlist often choppy vapours of old hits, designed to lower moods. Eva’s tended towards bubbly and upbeat, stuffed with Hyperpop and Asian samples. She also followed the Britpop revival to the snobby disgust of Kasia, who knew the originals of the 2060’s. Her childhood had been marked by the Oasys-Blvr debate, itself paved over a deleted former era. And no matter how Kasia tried to instil Polish nationalism upon her daughter, Eva would just not listen to Chopin.

Then they started a new music video via their favourite hit factory. In a world of zealous fandoms, AI apps laced with micro-transactions gave the idols puppet strings. From the post-race icon Zitha to the 20's figurehead Taylor Swift, the stars glistened in digital pens like pets, dancing and singing and covered in collectible accessories. Even their bodies could be altered for a small fee - Taiko Miki's dusky skin whitened to an acceptable porcelain; Ariana Grande's weight managed by a slider canvassing her doomed career.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

On these apps users manufactured infinite content, daily, immortalising their objects of worship. Sometimes the users became viral themselves, crafting through Miki a firestorm anti-China ballad, or a jarring farce of Zitha rapping over racist Country. Above all, bigger payments enabled content for deeper desires - the celebrity turned voodoo doll, no longer alive to defend their bodies. For the less financially fortunate, pre-made content usually covered what they sought.

The two girls squabbled over their video's choreography, then got distracted by a new sequel to Robert’s Rebellion. Halfway through their binge, the door knocked.

Kasia's hour of distraction was over. She sank to reality, and let Imany in. Eva attempted to offer tea, recognised serious adult talk needed to happen, and vanished outside. Imany helped herself to a seat and beckoned for Kasia to do likewise.

"We managed a stay of execution. The uplift is on hold, at least for now."

“That’s good news... Isn’t it?”

“That depends on you," again the scowl, the penetrating eyes, "what happened between you and that girl Kasia.”

Her heart raced. She was about to find out if what she did was right.

“One of the girls was filming me and saying she’d call the police. Anything could have been happening between you and Ali I... I had to delete the video.”

“Yes. And what did you do to the girl?”

“I just… I took the phone off her.”

“How?”

“Just…” Kasia searched around for words, “I kind of, grappled her... And I deleted the video.”

“Grappled...” a single nod, unimpressed, “you’re certain it wasn’t a live stream?”

Kasia nodded back, quick and agitated.

“Were you certain of that before you grappled her?”

“What do you want me to say Imany!? 'Sorry I thought about the evidence we’d leave behind'!?”

“If you’d have told me at the time I coulda made her delete it myself! But it’s too late now she’ll be too insulted to back down. Be honest with me Kasia, if Ali Hogarth has proof of what you did, could it could be enough?”

“Enough for what?” Kasia trembled.

“Eviction? Prosecution? Terrorism?”

“Your acting like I fucked up Imany!”

“Come on girl. You wanted to join a war accept the stakes of one. Prison and destitution should be the least of your worries. So how you gonna play this when Ali comes after you?”

Kasia jumped up and paced around the room, breathing heavily and whining. Ideas and excuses flooded her, all pointless to suggest. She slumped onto the side of her bunk defeated. Out of options, she picked the knife up and waved it sarcastically. Imany’s eyebrow arched.

“Got a feel for it have ya? Do you even know what it feels like to take another woman's life?”

Kasia shook her head and looked at the floor.

“Like becoming aware of the whole universe, and you’ve let it down in the worst way possible. If you go that far you come straight to me,” she placed her elbows on her knees and leant forward, “I’ll offer you some advice now, and you haven't got long to accept it: whatever shit you’re up to, you can still get out while you’re ahead. This lifestyle ain’t gonna get you much further.”

“It's pays me more in one week than I earn at Riese in a month.”

“Shady schemes always let you win at the start. If you choose to keep playin’ Kasia then keep playin’, but be honest with yourself. Tell yourself you’re gonna get caught, 'cause you will.”

The door knocked. Imany stood to leave.

“Remember I told ya.”

“I have stupid face and bad smell?” Sermon entered, garbling proudly in Polish. Eva peered from behind him with a devilish face. Kasia forced herself to lighten up.

“Are you trying to get him beaten up child!?”

“I told him it means ‘can I buy you a drink'. Don’t correct him! I want him to keep saying it.”

Sermon watched them both giggle at him, catching on that he was the victim of a plot. Kasia held her fists up.

“Are we going out to exercise then?”

“Uh… nah… I’m stayin’ home tonight.”

“Can’t we train at yours?”

“Nah Kash…" he rubbed his cheek, "you crack on without me I’ll catch up another time. I do wanna borrow you quickly though...”

Kasia shrugged. She joined him on the balcony outside. He toked his vape and sighed.

"I'll leave the girl issue between you and Imi Kash but, about our trip... it's best we say nothin' about it to our mates on the job yea? Luca and that."

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Kasia saw the angst on his face, "you do think this will go alright, don't you?"

He thought for a moment, broke into an easy smile, and boxed in her direction.

“We’ll be ready, whatever happens! We didn't do this because it was easy did we?”

He jogged away. Kasia watched uncertain as he disappeared upstairs.

The muffled chatter faded. Imany sat meditative on the floor and let thoughts pass by. The katana leant against her shoulder; her mind focussed on the night before. She was standing over Ali. Before she could go further, a photo of two girls stopped her. She couldn't do it. Ali hadn't known that, and the threat was enough for her to delay things, but Imany knew she had merely bought time. Everyone would be paying more sooner or later.

She drew her Katana, listened to it click and hush out of its sheath, and moved between stances. The blade sang softly, taunting her with what she could do when pushed.

She didn’t want that life. The life Kasia was falling into, foolish and lost, a girl who wouldn’t survive a year in the game. What would happen with Eva? Imany could take her in, though she couldn’t afford it for long. If the Police took her, fresh dangers would loom for a teenager so pretty.

The katana screamed, carving hard into an invisible foe. If there was to be no happy ending, there would be no reason to hold back. Her two young neighbours deserved more of a future than she did. If Ali came for them, Imany's sword would run through her heart and split it in half.

“I had a word. You can trust her.”

“You could always check with me before you go after someone. What you did sounds a bit too vigilante...”

“I wanted to ask you before! She told me not to bother.”

“I thought you were the leader of your little partnership?"

Sermon huffed. He checked outside his door a second time and locked it shut.

“You certain nobody saw you come in?"

"I'm a trained soldier. I can move quietly," Luca stood in the centre of Sermon's flat, clearly more relaxed than his host, "I was just in the area and fancied giving you a visit. Is that a problem?"

"Nah... but, it's weird meeting someone in the real world izzit. Plus..." he snorted nervously, "usually when I meet a guy it's in a club - not that you need to worry!"

Luca laughed, "I'm not worried at all. I wonder how well I'd do if you found my profile in the pre-bar?"

Sermon lifted his shoulders, "honestly... if I'd seen you in a club, I'd have swiped right in a heartbeat."

"Is that so? Well, to be honest with you too Sermon... I'd have accepted the match in a blink of an eye."

It was enough. They launched themselves into and around each other, releasing everything they'd held back since they met, crashing around until the noise became too much. Luca stepped back first.

"What are you into then?"

"Top. Do you mind?"

"I do. You can't be top."

"Why not?"

Luca cocked his head sideways, "I outrank you. Sorry..."

"Let's not do any of that then..." Sermon tutted, then pinched Luca's belt, "I can give you somethin' here if you want... if corporals return the favour."

"They do," he let Sermon carry on, "but they get to go first. Shall I hang on to your one coat hook?"

Sermon ignored him and went down. Everything he wanted was in front of him. He found himself hesitating.

"It does feel a bit weird doin' it outside a club..."

Again Luca stepped back. He knelt down to join him.

"Same... I'm not expecting everything to happen, we can go as far as you like. How about this?"

They took one another in their hands and angled their heads to face away from each other. In the outside world, so unfamiliar to them, they had to imagine they were in a club. It was the only way to feel comfortable with each other.