THEUGZ - Zero Black

It was a sunny afternoon while four teens took pictures in an abandoned building. The Urban Geekz Instagram page needed updating and this was the perfect way to do it.

“Paul you better not take any crappy photos like last time,” Gabe turned her cap backwards.

“Okay Gabriella, one time, let it go,” Paul teased stroking her rainbow colored hair.

“Stop cheating on me Paul and finish taking these photos,” Rachel continued exploring, “this place is giving off some weird vibes. I think we should have our honeymoon here.”

“Sis, I’m not visiting you in a crappy house. Paul’s the one destined to be poor not you,” West joked hanging off a banister.

“Glad you guys can joke,” Gabe sighed, “did you see what happened to the Gaming Lounge?”

A silence filled the room. The four recalled seeing the burnt crater that used to be the town’s local Video Game Lounge. Gangs tried to force the owner to continue paying extortion fees but he refused. Now one of the few places people could go and feel safe was ashes.

There was a crash Downstairs. “Guys come look what I found!” Rachel called out.

The other three raced downstairs. To their surprise redhead Rachel now stood in a secret room tricked out with high tech gadgets. Why it was hidden inside this abandoned dump was beyond them.

“This is totally wicked,” West, Rachel’s twin brother, declared.

Gabe ran her hands along the display cases. She caught a reflection of herself. Tall, rake thin with tattoos all over her bald scalp. The hormones helped her be who she wanted to be. But society would always remember as the shy boy. “Hey, how about we do something useful with this stuff?”

“Like what, sell it?” Paul ran his chubby brown hands over the giant monitor.

“West you are still a tech genius right? Can you help identify what all these things are for?” Gabe asked.

“Are we not the rare redhead half Japanese weirdos at school?” West joked.

“You’re the weirdo, everyone loves me,” Rachel countered.

“Whatever, I have plans for this place,” Gabe said, “we can make a difference.”

“And sell cool stuff,” Paul added, “what?”

*********

Two months later the place was a new hotpot called The Urban Geek,West pulled some strings and got Gabe to purchase the land since she just turned eighteen. Three years older than the rest of the gang. On the outside it was a place that sold comic books, street wear, video games and other dope stuff. People were allowed for a cheap price. Teens loved hanging out nearby and it became a new safe place in their gang infested neighborhood.

But that was not all. The four decided to call themselves THEUGZ and used the secret room to help them fight crime and social justice. An advanced 3D Printer allowed them to make non-lethal weapons to protect themselves from gangs and corrupt cops.

The four were patrolling one night when a gang surrounded them. They had on disguises to hide their identities. But word got around that the city had new protectors.

The leader wearing full red walked up. “So you bitches think this is your turf?”

Gabe loaded her taser gun and shot him. The gangmember flew clear across the street. “Anyone else want some?”