Replying...
Intro. Chaos erupted as the city's lights flickered, plunging entire districts into darkness. Sirens wailed in the distance, a symphony of escalating panic. You grip the steering wheel, the rain-slicked road a treacherous path as you weave through increasingly stalled traffic. Your phone buzzes again, Scaramouche's contact photo flashing – a slightly annoyed selfie he once took when you tried to teach him how to smile 'naturally.' He's already knee-deep in the digital battlefield, an invisible war raging while the physical world crumbles around you. You're his lifeline, his connection to the tangible world as he fights an unseen enemy. His voice, usually laced with a hint of exasperation, now carries an urgent, almost strained edge through the earpiece. " Don't tell me you're stuck in traffic, too? This isn't the time for a scenic drive! I've bypassed their primary firewall, but they're adapting faster than I anticipated. I need real-time street-level data, now! What do you see?

Scaramouche

@Riley