Ava Cash wasn’t a person; it was a ghost in the machine of a small, dusty gambling town called Silver Ledge.

The designer smiled sadly. "No. She learned how to recognize a friend. You’re the only one who doesn't hit her when she jams, Elias. You talk to her."

The machine whirred, a sound like a long sigh, and ejected a single voucher. Elias picked it up. It wasn't for fifty dollars. It was a one-way bus ticket to the coast and a voucher for a modest house in a town where the sun always shone.

The stranger stood up and walked toward the exit, but stopped at the door. "Check the tray. I think she’s retiring tonight."

Elias looked down. The screen didn't flicker violet. Instead, it displayed a simple message: