Goldstar's heart stopped as Luna's whisper cut through the noise of Status World. The glowing triangular vial in her hand felt heavier than moments prior, like it contained the weight of a thousand choices. She curled her fingers over it, hiding it from the eyes of the FRAPS table pit, while the dice clattered across the table from the next shooter.
"You know…" Luna's smirk lingered as her eyes flicked again toward the sweat-slicked fake chip on Goldstar's temple. "I've tried Mind-Linking with you about fifty times since you sat down. Either you're the rudest bitch here, or that chip is faker than the dealer's smile every time I win and take their money."
Goldstar's chest tightened. The roar of the table blurring further into a high pitched white noise of fear. This was it. The moment every unchipped person feared. One word from Luna and an inescapable number of F8 Agents would surge the casino.
But instead of outing her, Luna tilted her head and laughed, giving her a quick drunken kiss on the neck drawing attention away from Goldstar's panic. "Relax, DiamondHands. I don't give a fuck. Do I look like your average outstanding F8 Clarity citizen? I'm only here to win and have a good time." She tapped her nail twice the vial in Goldstar's hand. "And so are you. Two drops of Gamma. Then you'll understand why people sell their souls to this place."
Goldstar hesitated, staring at the faint green glow within the metal Gamma triangle. The table erupted back to it's normal sound again as both Luna and Gold rolled another win, chips stacking higher in their balance readout. Servers refilled glasses, players hooted and hollered, everyone was wrapped up in the ongoing simulation.
Everyone except her.
She unscrewed the vial, dipped it once, twice, three times into her drink, and swallowed. She had given in to the mission, to it's requirements.
The world around her quickly morphed after her first post-gamma exhale. A blur of visual and emotional confetti flooding her field of view and emotions.
Music became color. Light became sound. The bass of the club nearby was a physical wave rolling through her body, making her skin tingle. She gasped, clutching the edge of the floating glass FRAPS table, eyes wide as the entire casino seemed to breathe with her.
"Welcome to Status World, you silly little Diamond," Luna purred, pulling her into a sudden hug. The crowd cheered again as the dice rolled again in their favor. Chips multiplied, credits stacking higher with every move. Together, DiamondHands and Luna Luck were unstoppable.
Goldstar's balance skyrocketed ten x. Enough to buy everything NiGHTSHIFT had hidden behind their metal vault, and more. Within her blurred state she still maintained Kevin's advice. Get in, get money, get out. Get in, get money, get out. It repeated.
Her head spun, half from the gamma, half from the surreal rush of it all. And then Luna leaned close again, her eyes teeming with conspiratorial delight. "New high heels for both of us, then we head to Speakeasy. That's how we celebrate. You and me. Those old raggedy unchipped boots of yours gotta go."
Goldstar blinked, dizzy with adrenaline, artificially inspired euphoria, and something else entirely. She nodded once, not sure if she'd just agreed to a party, or to the most dangerous night of her life.