Update time! Episode two, titled Blackout, will not be posting tomorrow. It’s about halfway done, though, so look for it next week. What’s episode two about? Well, it involves a new job (shocker!) and … the Mexican Orbital Elevator?

Maybe I should give you guys a bit of a preview! Tell you what, hit the jump below and you’ll get your preview, but after that, let’s open comments for people’s thoughts so far! We’ve technically had three entries, between Episode 0, an interlude, and Episode 1. What’s everyone making of the series this early on? How’s the episodic format working for you? Do you like it? Dislike it? Let me know it the comments, or chat with other readers!

Oh, and I should let you know, I’m planning on getting an official cover made here soon … likely in March. I’m thinking … lots of high energy neon colors. More on that as it comes.

In the meantime, comment on what you think, hit the jump for a little teaser, and then mark your calendars for next Saturday when Blackout will likely drop!

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BLACKOUT PREVIEW

The van pulled over, aiming for the alley … only to stop, its path blocked by a street vender hawking … something with what looked like off-color cabbage. Who glared at the van as if its arrival were going to drive away traffic. Then they stepped over and rapped on the window.

Anvil ignored the vendor’s tapping, instead eyeing the chat as she typed out her location. Ready.

Ready.

Ready.

Ready.

The tapping was getting louder now, insistent and moving toward full out beating. A second later the vendor began slamming her spatula against the window, shouting faint Spanish.

Confirm? That was Castillo. Anvil adjusted the view on her datapad, bringing up the feeds from her other two vehicles and confirming that both of them were in the proper place and waiting for her orders. Meanwhile, the woman at her window was shouting now, banging on the glass with her spatula.

R2G.

Go.

That was the signal. She issued the command to both the slaved vehicles, watching for a brief second to make sure they were going into action and then finally moving to crack the driver’s side window. Angry Spanish spilled through.

“English,” she said, loudly. “I need to get into the alley. You need to—“

“You need to move!” the vendor shouted in a thick accent. “Go away!”

“Lady, I need access to this alley, you’re blocking—“

“Leave!” The woman stabbed her spatula through the crack in the window, the blade jutting by above Anvil’s head and waving back and forth. She could feel her pulse rising. “Leave now!”

“Lady!” She tried again, glaring at the woman and lowering the window so that the woman could see her eyes when she spoke. “I need to get into that alley, so you need to—“

“Leave!” This time she had to duck as the spatula swept back. “My wife and I, we sell this corner! You’re driving away traffic. You want trou—?”

The vendor’s last words cut out in a sudden gurgle as Anvil grabbed the spatula and the woman’s shirtfront in the same instant, yanking her forward and partway through the window.

“Move,” Anvil growled, bending the metal of the spatula back with one thumb. The vendor’s wide eyes locked on it and then on the apparent ease with which Anvil was holding her off the ground by her shirt. “Now.”

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Alright, that’s all you get! What’s Anvil doing in a delivery van? What is she up to? You’ll have to find out!

In the meantime, now is the time to post thoughts, comments, and feedback on the first few entries!