The Tech Games

By Jonathan M Hernandez

Let's Get Techie!

Every four years, the eight nations of Onan gather for a celebration like no other: the Tech Games. The Olympics of Gaming.

And Charlie Robles is going to bring home the gold.

Or that's the dream-and no one dreams like Charlie, his entire life a hyperactive ricochet between whatever new tech he can

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jonathan M Hernandez
• Release date: Jan 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781736190128

Book preview

Chapter 1:

Charlie Robles

The sun shined through the octagonal window of a silent, three-story plugin house. Nanobots covered a transparent desk in a messy bedroom. The quiet in the room was disturbed with a shrill ringing. The noise pierced the ear of a sleeping boy as he gasped and woke up to answer the call on the mote wrapped around his wrist.

Hello? said the boy, suddenly alert and ready.

Charlie, wake up!

Hey, Thomas! said Charlie with a yawn as he stretched his long-sleeved pajamas. It’s too early. Summer isn’t over yet.

Today is registration for the Brook Park Brawl. We have to hurry or we won’t get a spot! said Thomas quickly.

Charlie’s eyes lit up.

Meet me at bus stop 32, said Thomas. See you in a bit! He ended the call.

As Charlie smiled and hopped out of bed, he put his right arm across his left creating a letter T. He bent his knees slightly and yelled out, It’s techie time!

Charlie tripped over wires covering his navy blue floor. But he scrambled to get up, determined to get ready. He hopped into the shower, music blasting from the small speakers with Charlie singing along to his favorite tunes. Afterwards, he threw on his favorite techie flannel, pulled up his black shorts, placed his colorful striped socks up to his calves and pulled out his beanie, which matched his socks. Charlie looked at the beanie and thought about what it meant to him.

Miss you, Unc, whispered Charlie softly as he slid on his beanie.

Charlie walked up to the triangular mirror hanging from a plain wall covered in an assortment of colorful globeanies. Charlie moved his jet-black hair and adjusted a small device in his right ear. The boy, only a few months past his thirteen birthday, went on to fix his beanie to make sure the device was hidden from plain view. He grabbed his red and blue rocket backpack from the floor, then walked out of his room. A moment later, Charlie returned to the room and retrieved from its spot against the wall his fifty-pound robot.

Oops! Wouldn’t want to forget this, said Charlie as he slid it inside his backpack. Then he ran out the door once again. The blue glass hallway narrowed as Charlie approached the cylander glass elevator that would take him down to the kitchen. As he stepped out, he dashed to the entrance door. 

Where are you going? asked his mother, sitting at the kitchen table in her own long-sleeved pajamas. 

Charlie stopped dead in his tracks by the front door and glanced back. Thomas’s, said Charlie as he turned the knob. 

Mrs. Robles sipped her tea and smiled. "Have fun, mijo1!"

Charlie lit up with excitement, then strolled out of his three-level silver house and ran a short distance down the road to a transparent flag that read Bus Stop 32. Charlie plopped on the glowing bench, shaking both legs up and down as he moved his head side to side.

Charlie, said an approaching voice. Charlie gazed up and lowered the volume of his right headphone. He saw a teenage boy approach from a black and white pyramidal plugin home adjacent to his own. His blond hair was parted, and he wore a black shirt, white shorts and white tennis shoes.

Thomas, replied Charlie as he jumped up and formed a T with his arms. It’s techie time!

Thomas crossed his arms. Let’s get techie! He fixed his glasses as he glanced at Charlie, who again adjusted the device in his right ear. You need to lower your hearing aid. You could damage your ear even more, said Thomas.

Not so loud. I don’t want people to know, said Charlie with a finger over his lips.

Sorry, I forgot, said Thomas, lowering his eyes. You should lower the volume when you’re about to sleep.

Charlie nodded as he turned the volume down. A bus slowly approached from down the road. The bus spoke in a robotic voice: Please stand back and wait until the doors have fully opened. Be mindful of other passengers exiting the bus.

Coming to a stop, the bus opened its two white glass doors reflecting the blazing summer sun. Once the light on top of the bus changed from red to green, Charlie and Thomas entered. Charlie and Thomas favored the seats in the rear of the bus by the Lite-Fi. There Thomas pulled out a small cube from his backpack and showed it to Charlie.

Hey, Charlie, look what I—

That’s a space box! shouted Charlie as he stuck out his hands. Let me hold it.

Thomas handed it to Charlie. It’s a 2499 miniature space box. Brand new, said Thomas.

It’s so small, said Charlie.

People got tired of traveling with the original. Some wanted it to be travel-sized like a biomech key.

It looks just like a biomech key, said Charlie in awe.

That’s what I just said, said Thomas as he shook his head and grinned.

Charlie placed his two index fingers on the sides of the white six-sided cube and pressed in. The space box opened up. Charlie scrolled through the channels to Anime 24/7. He pushed the holographic square and the space box expanded further, its four sides floating onto the bus’s white seat. The sides merged to become a single twelve-by-twelve screen. Thomas and Charlie touched a star symbol that read Favorites.

Believe it! shouted a blond-haired boy on the screen wearing an orange jumpsuit.

Believe it, copied Charlie.

"Thought it was techie time," said Thomas, adjusting his glasses. 

"In the ninja world, it’s believe it, Charlie explained, and in Onan, it’s let’s get techie." 

The people from Deki No Nippon brought anime to Onan, said Thomas.

You mean Nation Seven? asked Charlie.

"They call themselves Deki No Nippon," said Thomas.

The bus called out the number of the stops as they arrived, but the numbers soon transitioned into names. Welcome to Brook Park, said the bus. The home of Giga Brook, our very first techie tree.

I need to put away the space box, said Thomas as he opened his backpack.

Come on, Thomas, one more episode, said Charlie with his puppy eyes.

What time is it Charlie? said Thomas with a half-smile.

Charlie forgot about the space box immediately. It’s techie time! he shouted. He grunted as he lifted and strapped on his heavy silver and black rocket backpack and walked toward the front of the bus. The bus slowed down and stopped. Both boys exited the transport.

As the bus drove away, Thomas and Charlie ran past all the pedestrians and rover-runners traveling around the silver huts scattered around the park. Excuse me, pardon me.

But Thomas could not keep up, and as Charlie soon vanished in a crowded field of blue-colored grass, Thomas hunted around for his friend. He saw that there were three lines that stretched from the bus stop to the two hundred-foot Giga Brook tree, which glowed a bright blue color in the center of Brook Park. Though he couldn’t see from so far away, Thomas knew the leaves exposed small charging wires that powered any device hooked onto them. Beneath Giga Brook sat all sorts of techies with their devices. Thomas wished he were there just on his Motion Integrated Tablet clicking away. He shook his head to focus on the present and continued to seek out Charlie, finally catching him in the back of the massive crowd with the tree in the distance. He caught his breath, looking up wide-eyed as he said, What a line! There’s no way we’ll get a spot.

Charlie looked at the line and said, We will. It’s open for everyone.

Thomas surveyed the crowd of techies with gadgets hanging from each backpack. There’s a timeframe to register and only twenty teams compete. If we don’t make it up there in time, we don’t participate. 

Charlie held his ground at the back of the line. We will make it, Thomas, he said with determination in his eyes as he squeezed the straps of his backpack.

Thomas approximated the number of people in line and started to calculate on the mote on his wrist how long it would take to reach the front. According to my calculations, we won’t. But Charlie stood his ground. Thomas started searching for a shorter line.

He was about to give up on the brawl this year when he received a call. Yes, this is Thomas.

Thomas! Where are you and Charlie? shouted a voice through the mote.

Ahh! Heesah, that was loud, said Thomas, twitching his right eye.

Heesah! screamed Charlie. 

We’re in the back of the line and I have doubts we’ll make it in time, said Thomas. 

Drop a pin in your mote and send it to me, demanded Heesah. I’m going to go fetch you guys right now!

I’m on it! said Thomas, smiling. 

Yay, Heesah! exclaimed Charlie. 

The small blue dot on the mote started to blink as a yellow dot approached. The blue and yellow dots became close in distance, then a loud scream shook Thomas. "Charlie! Oh, my ototo2!" shouted Heesah as she squeezed Charlie tight. Heesah was a Japanese girl who sported a white shirt, a checkered black and yellow skirt and black tennis shoe boots.

Hee . . . sahh, I can’t . . . breathe, gasped Charlie, turning purple.

Oh, I’m sorry, said Heesah, smiling while extending her hand. Thomas, you nerdy geek. Give me a high five.

Thomas gave Heesah a high five and asked, Are you sure we can cut all these people?

Ummm . . . yeah, replied Heesah. What are these techies going to do?

Thank you. You don’t know what this competition means to me, said Charlie.

"It’s important to all of us," said Heesah.

As the group walked toward the front of the line, Charlie admired everyone holding their bots. Some noticed them walking up the line and started to shout, Hey! We have cutters! Boo! 

Heesah without any hesitation shouted back, "Nani3? You want some of this? I’ll give you some. She held her fists out ready to fight any takers. The people waiting in line widened their eyes and held their bots closer. That’s right, no one messes with me." 

All right, Heesah! Charlie said with a smile, joining her in raising his fists up to his chest.

Come, guys, we have to hurry. We’re getting too much attention, said Thomas. 

No need to worry, said Heesah, slapping her palm on Thomas’s back. 

Thomas straightened himself and said, I’m just ready to get techie. 

Let’s get techie, then! shouted Heesah. Running toward the front, they noticed the giant tree with tons of people enjoying the ability to charge their devices and use the internet through the Lite-Fi.

Come, guys, here’s my spot, said Heesah. A small mechanical cat with yellow lightning bolts across its entire body stood licking its paws as it stood in place near the front of the line. 

Pawgzy? said Charlie.

You had your pet-bot hold the line for you? asked Thomas.

Hey! It got the job done, didn’t it? If anyone tried taking my spot, I put Pawgzy on attack mode. Heesah adjusted the mote on her left wrist and opened up the Pawgzy app. Pawgzy’s large lime-green eyes lit up with rage. Heesah switched attack mode off, which made Pawgzy’s claws retract. Then Heesah toggled again, and Pawgzy’s claws jutted out as it hissed at Charlie.

Down, Pawgzy! Charlie said. 

Heesah switched the mode to scan. Friend, not foe, said the cat in a resonant, robotic voice. The cat retracted the claws and rubbed its purring body on Charlie’s leg. 

Good Pawgzy, said Charlie as he picked up the cat-bot in his arms.

The line is moving. We’re next, said Thomas, looking at the empty space in front of them. Charlie, set your mote to profile so the Techie Committee can write down your information. Charlie typed his information on the profile app on his mote. The small window pulled up all his data and locked it in.

They reached an android running up and down the line. You may place your mote under my hand scanner, he commanded. Charlie did. Thank you. Now head to the registration hut. The android pointed to a group of participants dropping off their permission slips.

Got it, said Charlie as Thomas and Heesah had their motes scanned. 

Walking with the others toward the registration hut, holding her cat, Heesah said, "Otōto, question."

Yes? replied Charlie.

I know your parents told you not to sign up, said Heesah with a stern look. They won’t be too happy.

Charlie scratched the back of his beanie. I told them I was just going to hang out with Thomas. He sighed. I know. Please don’t tell them. Ma will ground me again like last year.

That’s right. We had to virtual chat for an entire month, said Thomas. 

"But you know why your parents said no, right, Charlie?" asked Heesah, leveling her eyes with his.

Because of my unc, said Charlie solemnly, wiping the smile from his face. Heesah patted him on the back, but Charlie jerked away. He stood there in silence a moment. But then he proclaimed, I’m going to be a tech runner, just like my Uncle Julian. He walked up to the Techie Committee window of a small white cubicle facing away from the Giga Brook tree. 

A long-haired android with glowing lines running down her eyes stared at Charlie and, with a soft voice, expressed, Greetings from the Techie Committee. My name is Emily. How may I assist you today?

I’m here to register for Brook Park Brawl, replied Charlie.

We just need your profile and a signature from your parents or legal guardians, said Emily. 

A parent signature? said Charlie, his heart skipping.

Please don’t tell me you didn’t get a signature, Charlie, said Thomas. 

Charlie scratched the back of his beanie once again. I might have forgotten.

Give me the application, commanded Heesah. I’ll sign it for you.

Oh, Heesah. I don’t think that’s legal, said Thomas looking concerned. 

I’ve done it plenty of times, relax, said Heesah, signing the form Charlie gave her. Charlie handed the form to Emily. 

But Heesah, it recognizes all signatures from—

Profile and sign-up sheet upload complete. Welcome, techie. Emily gave Charlie a small T pin with four colors. Thomas’s jaw dropped in astonishment as his eyes met Heesah’s.

I told you, Thomas, I got this. Plus, the AIs don’t know what I just did, said Heesah, whipping her purple bowl-cut hair. 

Soon all three friends put on their T pins and continued to the next phase of the process. 

Charlie, do you know the four events of the Tech Games? asked Thomas.

That’s too easy, Charlie replied. Thomas pointed to the first color of the pin, which was yellow. Battle Playground! shouted Charlie. Thomas pointed to the blue. That’s Booster Ball! said Charlie. The red. Paradox Prix! yelled Charlie. And last, but not least, the green one is Puzzle Terrain.

There you go. And you’re sure you want to be a runner? said Heesah. 

I do, said Charlie with a smile as he raised his hand straight into the air. Just like my Uncle Julian in Battle Playground. 

How about you, Thomas? asked Heesah. 

Oh, I don’t want to be a runner, replied Thomas. 

Why not? asked Charlie. He’d always just assumed.

Because only few become runners. I’m not runner material. I want to be a pro-techie like King David, said Thomas.

Heesah grabbed Charlie from the back and hugged him tight. They were both cheek to cheek. I admire you wanting to be a runner. Never give up.

And you’ll be my repair techie! said Charlie. 

You bet! I love getting my hands dirty fixing all that broken tech. 

Thomas looked down at his mote and noticed the time. We have to get going. All we have left to do is register our controller boards and bots.

That’s right, let’s get moving, said Charlie, running toward the small white and blue huts where short lines were forming. The three friends walked up to the hut that read Gameware Registration Center. Charlie put his rocket backpack down, opened it and retrieved the bot he had almost forgotten to bring. Charlie asked, Did you remember to bring my controller?

I sure did, said Thomas. I fixed the sticky left button. Thomas handed Charlie his arcade controller. 

Heesah looked at the controller and noticed the ball knob didn’t move freely. Put some jelly spray on it, she said. 

I don’t have it, said Thomas with a shrug.

Heesah pulled out a bottle of the spray from the bottom zipper of her cat-shaped backpack resembling her pet. She removed a protective cap and sprayed Charlie’s knob. All better now, said Heesah. 

Charlie moved the knob and agreed. Thank you. 

Hello, my name is Elia. I’m your assistant techie. How can I assist? asked a nice young man from inside the hut.

We need to register four arcade controllers and four bots for the Brook Park Brawl, said Thomas.

Place your controllers and bots on the scanner. Once the scan is complete, you will get a green light to let us know it was a success or a red light to indicate a problem.

Charlie placed on the scanner the four bots resembling four different insects: a praying mantis, a Hercules beetle, a centipede, and a dragonfly. The scanner made a ding as a blue laser scanned over the bots and controllers. A green light appeared above the hut. Green is good. Here are your slips. Make sure to bring these confirmation slips with you next week, techies, said Elia, handing over the slips.

So techie! said Charlie with a nod. 

A loud voice interrupted the excitement.

 What do you mean it weighs more than the regulations allow? I already took the armor off my lizards. What else can I do?

I’m sorry, techie. The komodo is still much too heavy to compete in the brawl, said an assistant techie at another hut.

A boy sporting a huge red Mohawk shouted and grabbed his bot, then stormed away. 

Well, I guess Eddie is trying to cheat again, said Heesah. 

This exact thing happened last year. He tried to add extra armor to his lizard bots. He should have learned that the scanner not only weighs the bots, but also assesses the pet-bots for anything illegal, said Thomas. 

That boy never learns. Where are we off to now, guys? asked Heesah, gripping her backpack straps.

Giga Brook, please. I want to get some Lite-Fi, replied Charlie. 

Giga Brook, here we come! said Heesah, leading the way.

Chapter 2:

Eddie Fatu

Lizard-bot parts lay all around a wood-floored room. Wires ran up the walls connected to one lonely desktop displaying error messages. The smell of ash and soot entered a small square window as if coming from a fire. A muscular fourteen year old styling a spiky red Mohawk and a Kākau print shirt was hard at work figuring out how to make his lizard-bot more powerful. He’d added new aluminum armor, but as he weighed it, his frustration grew and he punched the wooden desk now slowly chipping away, dropping in the process a picture of his father.

The door creaked open and a soft voice swept into the room. Is everything okay, honey?

Go away, Mom, I’m busy, said the boy. 

Okay, honey, said the frail woman in the creaking wheelchair. If you need anything, let your mama bear know. Love you, replied his mother Leilani as she slowly closed the door. 

Eddie Fatu, said the boy into the lizard-shaped microphone attached to his desktop. The computer glitched, answering, Hel . . . lo, Ed . . . die.

I need to find a couple spheres made out of aluminum, not heavier metal, commanded Eddie. The computer populated one place where the aluminum spheres were sold. Once he found the address, Eddie typed in the location on his rusty outdated mote. The mote froze for a bit until it lit up a holographic map right above Eddie’s wrist. The map showed Tree Trunk Road dividing the village from the sectors. Eddie scrolled through the sections of the village. It showed small villages composed of smaller huts around a forest. Only the people working on the Tech Games were allowed into the forest. Eddie picked a small location near the entrance of the village called Recycle Tech Hub. That’s the spot, said Eddie slowly.

Eddie grabbed a small bag attached to the wooden door in his room. As Eddie headed out, his mother asked where he was going. I’m going to the Recycle Tech Hub. I’ll be back whenever. 

"Please be careful, my son. Never forget we are Ohana1," said Leilani.

Same, said Eddie as he shut the door. 

The evening was creeping into the neighborhood of Cyber Trunk Village. Wearing his headphones, Eddie ignored everything around him. There were children running about with their pet-bots, which were falling apart faintly but still useful little toys. There were stairs wrapped around the tree homes that made up the village, where families and friends sat impatiently, waiting for the sun’s rays to disappear. Eddie did not have time for all this bonding as the others did. He was on a mission. He sped through the crowds of vendors selling food and rusted tech parts to the villagers, eyes directly forward without looking at a single soul. There you are, he thought when he spotted his target.

His mote distorted a message. Eddie smacked it and it worked. Arrival, Recycle Tech Hub (RTH). The giant nondescript building disguised all the activity going on inside. He could already hear the metal clinking and clanking of tech getting recycled. The boy entered the metal-framed glass doors that opened automatically on arrival. Eddie was used to trading tech around the village huts, but he never thought he would have to go to RTH to get the pieces he needed. He noticed a man with a clear hard hat walking around the spacious facility full of broken tech. 

Hello? called out Eddie in a softened voice. There was no response. All the men and women in their transparent hardhats were hard at work. Machines were being assembled and polished and the broken tech separated into spare parts. Hover dump trucks were filled with these small parts and driven away. 

Hello? said Eddie once again. But the only thing that could be heard echoing around the building was the facility’s machinery. So Eddie walked up to one of the workers and tugged on their white coat. 

Well, hello there, said a friendly voice. What can I do for you? 

I’m looking for recycling center Y. 

That would be outside, young techie, said the worker. Follow the dump trucks. 

"Mahalo2," said Eddie.

Eddie walked away slowly toward the outside of the building. Once outside, Eddie noticed how tech was being dumped onto dark blue grass. As the tech landed on the grass, it started slowly to melt down into it. The part of the grass that absorbed the tech turned silver, then was dragged out onto large metal squares carried by more dump trucks into another building that read Building Y. The boy hurried into the building.

Building Y was like a swap meet for tech. There were people selling recycled parts. Some tried to trade tech. Others were hauling carts full of it. The parts did not have the same quality as the ones bought in the Techie Tree stores, but they did the same job. Eddie walked around searching for the chemical sign for aluminum.

He noticed the Al sign way in the back. Spotting a merchant behind a desk, he walked up and asked, Can I have four small squares of aluminum melted into spheres?

The merchant grabbed four small squares from a tall pile and without hesitation melted them down into the shapes of spheres. He carried them with him back to Eddie. 

That will be twenty A-coins, young techie, said the merchant.

Eddie clicked on his mote and frowned. 

Can you do eighteen? That’s all I have, he said.

Why do you need the aluminum spheres? asked the merchant as he slowly scratched the back of his jet-black hair. 

Because I’m entering the Brook Park Brawl. I need them for my lizard bot, said Eddie. 

The merchant hesitated, then smiled. Take it. Free of charge. 

Eddie stood in shock as he held the spheres in his hands. He looked at the merchant and nodded in appreciation. As Eddie was walking back outside, he heard a familiar voice. 

Komo, come back here!

Eddie turned around and, with a slight smirk, said "Aloha3. Gecko, what’s going on?" There stood a teen with lime green hair and blue eyes, with a graphic tee and jean shorts.

The Lizards decided to come pick up some tech for the games next week, but Dragon’s mother lizard escaped from her leash.

Same here. I needed some aluminum spheres, said Eddie. Komo is on the run?

Yes, she is, but look, I got some dank gold armor. You can call me Golden Gecko. 

That’s pretty solid, Gecko. Hey, have you seen Dragon? asked Eddie. It’s been a minute.

Yeah, he’s in building A talking to the SPC. We’re still looking for Komo.

Well, let’s get a move on, said Eddie. We have to help find Komo.

Building A was the biggest of the buildings. It had the most floors and it attracted crowds of techies. Anyone could get lost inside building A, but all techies had motes, and motes would help anyone who was lost find their way.

This way, Eddie. I have a reading on Dragon’s mote. said Gecko, guiding him through the crowd. Across the cavernous room stood a slight, well-groomed boy with black hair. He wore a red dragon shirt and silk kimono cardigan with metallic red pants and matching sneakers. 

There’s Dragon. Where’s the cape he always wears? asked Eddie.

His mom took it to the cleaners, said Gecko, laughing.

The two boys walked over to the boy in red.

Dragon, look who I found, said Gecko, pointing at Eddie.

Hey, Dragon, said Eddie. 

Eddie, Gecko, come, said Dragon in a strong voice. I need your help. I lost Komo.

Let’s look for the little monster, said Eddie. 

The three friends walked around building A, looking behind crates and shelves, counters and displays—everything big enough to hide a lizard the size of a small dog. Their motes could not get a read on the little komodo dragon. 

Do you have a chip on her? asked Eddie.

Not yet. I came here to buy a used one and the little monster ran away, replied Dragon. 

You sure she didn’t go outside? asked Eddie.

I don’t know Eddie, I lost her.

After walking around for what felt like an hour, they spotted a techie chasing after something. The group ran towards the techie, only to find a familiar face. 

Chameleon! You stealthy lizard, what are you doing? asked Gecko. 

Sporting black hair matching his all-black clothing, the techie called Chameleon pointed to the outside of the building. Through the huge glass doors they spotted the silhouette of the tail of a reptile. Immediately the group ran outside to find the komodo dragon perched upon someone’s shoulder.

Well, howdy. Is this your little komodo dragon? asked a young woman standing tall in her cowgirl boots. She wore a black-and-white cow-leather vest. Her gold, curly hair flowed from her metallic black cowboy hat.

Jacky Stronghold! shouted Eddie in amazement. Everybody knew Jacky Stronghold. She was a professional tech runner—one of the four Techies who will compete for all of E.U.S. in the Tech Games. It took him a few seconds to realize she’d asked them a question. As everyone else seemed too stunned to respond, he replied, Yes, that’s our komodo.

She’s a jumpy little fella, said Jacky, laughing as she put Komo down. Get a chip on her. That’ll make things safer for all y’all.

That’s what I came to do! Dragon chuckled, then went on to explain how she ran. 

Jacky put down her oversized backpack and let her metallic hat shaped like a bull hang from the back of her jacket. The blue jeans draped down to her boots. She fumbled around in her backpack and pulled out a small chip, placing it around Komo’s collar. 

There ya go, said Jacky proudly. 

I was going to buy her a chip, but thanks, said Dragon with no facial expression. 

Look at you, Komo. You’re trackable now, said Gecko. 

Where did Chameleon go? asked Eddie.

He’s back in his stealth mode. Gecko laughed.

Let’s get going, Lizards. We have some tech to buy, said Dragon. 

Eddie nodded. "Mahalo, Raging Bull," he said to Jacky.

She caught sight of his aluminum spheres. Ahh, a future tech runner, I see. Jacky smiled. 

I will win gold someday, said Eddie. 

With enough elbow grease, I’m sure you will, Jacky said with a nod while tipping her hat forward.

Dragon and Gecko started walking back inside building A. Eddie waved goodbye to Jacky as he ran inside with the Lizards.

The group walked around building A looking at the stacks of different materials used to build tech. At one point Dragon hopped on an elevator pod up to the top of the building, where all the heavily guarded tech was housed, and returned with a dragon helmet. 

I think it suits me, said Dragon. 

Heck yeah, that’s our Dragon! shouted Gecko. 

How much is it? asked Eddie. 

It’s about a hundred task-tickers, replied Dragon, laughing. 

That’s a lot of allowance. Are you sure you can get it? said Eddie. 

Of course I can’t. My mommy just bought a plugin house in Sector 32. We still have a lot of furniture to buy. Dragon groaned. But it sure looks good on me.

The helmet was built to resemble a terrifying red-scaled dragon. The fluorescent light from the building made it shine. But still Dragon called one of the service techies and handed him the helmet. The crew went to the registers and bought small amounts of aluminum and silver wiring for their bots, wishing they could buy every single item in the building. Once outside, the crew went to the nearest techie tree and sat down. Chameleon finally appeared—suddenly above them, creepily, as if he’d been there the whole time—but to the Lizards that was normal. Komo was lying down asleep next to Dragon.

Y’all ready to dominate at Brook Park? said Dragon.

Oh, heck yea. I can see the gold tech in my room right now, said Gecko. 

We have a real chance of heading to Winter Special, said Eddie. 

Why is that? asked Dragon. 

Because we are the Lizards and nothing will stand in our way. Not even little brats from the sectors. 

That’s right, but come on. I just got a house there. Dragon laughed. 

Eddie smiled a bit. I want a house there too, so we can be neighbors. But people get snobbier the closer you get to the city. 

Ain’t that the truth. The neighbors gave us such dirty looks when my family moved in, said Dragon. But speaking of the sectors, aren’t you due for a place already? You’ve been living in this dump for three years now. 

Eddie looked down at his feet. A tight grin appeared on his face. 

Since I arrived, all I’ve been doing is going to the Techie Community Center asking for a home for me and my mother. All they tell me to do is wait!

That’s harsh, young Lizard, said Dragon. 

Cheer up, Eddie! Once we win Brook Park and Winter Special, everyone will know who the Lizards are, said Gecko. 

Eddie smiled slightly. And once I win that internship with the Tech Games, I’ll be able to buy my way out of here no matter what anyone says. 

Chameleon was still standing on top of the tree branch motionless, not making a noise. 

We all know the plan for next week. We meet up at this techie tree every morning so we can practice, just like last year, said Dragon. 

Eddie, Gecko and Chameleon nodded. Chameleon dropped down and held out his fist. The others held out their own to his, forming a circle. 

Lizards, on three, said Dragon. 

One, two, three—Lizards!

Chapter 3:

Battle Playground

The doorbell rang nonstop, bouncing off the white walls of Charlie’s house. Leaving behind the game console on his bedroom floor, he slipped and slid out his door and ran out to the front. 

Thomas! shouted Charlie, tripping over his foot as he arrived at the already open front door, Thomas now standing in the foyer beside Charlie’s mother. Charlie picked himself up and performed his techie pose. Thomas returned it, but more subtly. Did you bring your controller?

Thomas took off his backpack and unzipped it slowly, pulling out the controller.

Give me! Give me! exclaimed Charlie, jumping up and down as they started toward his bedroom. 

"Have fun, mijos," said Mrs. Robles as she sipped on her freshly made tea. 

Charlie kicked his door open and ran inside. He threw around wires and tech laying around on the floor to find his own arcade controller, covered with lint. He quickly brushed it with his long-sleeved white shirt. Thomas placed his backpack beside the door and began to set up the space box. The space box opened up and Thomas selected the arcade channel. He downloaded a game called Battle Playground by Alpha Cross Play. 

Push play! said Charlie, wide-eyed and super-stoked. 

We have to wait! Heesah and Poe aren’t here yet!

Just one quick game.

Hold up, I’m getting a call, said Thomas. He answered his mote. Yes?

I’m outside, ya Techies! shouted Heesah. 

They heard the front door slam open. Charlie ran outside his room once again, and once again tripped over his own foot as he rushed to the entrance. He was pulled up immediately by Heesah, standing beside her older brother, a tubby, wide-smiling boy named Poe. 

"How’s my ototo?" said Heesah, pinching his cheek. 

Poe took a picture of Charlie with Heesah, then put his camera down. What’s up, Charlie? Poe said. 

Please don’t slam the door, Heesah, said Mrs. Robles, standing again in the foyer between the front door and the kitchen.

Oh, sorry, Mrs. Robles, said Heesah. 

Oh, I can’t be mad at you. But you always have to make an entrance, don’t you? Mrs. Robles smiled. "And you, Poe. Take a picture of me, mijo. Poe snapped a quick photo of Mrs. Robles as she puckered her lips. Thank you, mijo, said Mrs. Robles. Now, go on inside, all three of you. Thomas is waiting."

Thomas! shouted Heesah, running down the hallway. 

See you later, Mrs. Robles, said Poe, bowing down as if being dismissed.

Charlie’s door burst open, and Heesah and Charlie both climbed on Thomas’s back. Thomas, strong enough to carry both of them, was unfazed as Charlie and Heesah started to rub their cheeks on his soft cotton shirt. Instead, he simply adjusted his glasses and said, You guys ready? 

Just a little longer, soft, good-smelling techie, said Heesah.

"His shirt is extra soft," said Charlie.

Standing in the doorway, Poe took a picture as Charlie and Heesah slid down Thomas’s back and side. While Thomas straightened himself, Heesah grabbed the backpack Poe was wearing and pulled out a purple and yellow controller.

Thomas stood up. Before we start, let’s go over the history and rules of Battle Playground.

But we all know the rules! Let’s play! said Charlie. 

It’s Poe’s first time, Charlie, said Heesah. And he’s the Nanos’ player four for Brook Park Brawl. So he needs to know.

Thomas pressed his space box in the center and the four squares expanded, creating a 3D screen in front of Charlie’s octagonal window. Thomas pulled out the tutorial guide. "Battle Playground was created in the year 2425