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“I DON’T UNDERSTAND how they even found his apartment,” Ruby started, trying to draw the conversation back to subjects that actually mattered.

“Cut.” Kavya barked, shaking her head and gesturing toward the camera perched on her shoulder. “You know we’re filming. No mention of the TCA or thermies. Please focus on the hunt at hand.”

She leaned against the edge of the dresser, arms crossed, her expression fixed somewhere between confusion and contempt. Jonah, all grins and swagger, held up a nondescript shopping bag as if it were a prize trophy.

“Start again, from your question about cosplay.”

“So,” Ruby drawled, ignoring the camera and scowling at Jonah's smug face, “cosplay is when people dress up as fictional characters… for fun?” She tilted her head, her lips curling into a smirk. “And here I thought bounty hunting was your nerdiest hobby.”

Jonah’s grin didn’t falter. It would be endearing to anyone else, Ruby decided.

The fans were sure to eat up a dorkier side of the otherwise intimidating man.

“Correct. Cosplay is a way to show appreciation for the character and the world they come from.” He threw a wink at the camera and ran his hands through his sandy hair. “It’s fandom culture at its finest.”

Kavya scoffed. “Nerd.”

Jonah turned, his tone dripping with mock offense. “I’ve seen the fanfiction tabs on your browser, Mrs. Producer. Should we go there?”

Kavya froze, her ears turning an unmistakable shade of red. “I was doing research,” she snapped.

Ruby’s laugh came fast and sharp, surprising even herself. It was hard to imagine the stoic woman as a closet nerd. She pointed at Kavya, shaking her head. “Oh, you’re not getting out of that one, sweetheart. Jonah: one. Camera girl: zero.”

“Camera girl?” Kavya muttered, her grip tightening on the camera. There was a hidden temper in her temporary boss, Ruby noted. “My name’s Kavya, thanks. And I’m the one who makes sure Jonah doesn’t spill government secrets online. Which, trust me, is a full-time job.”

The carpet squished beneath Ruby’s feet as she walked toward the bed. “I thought we weren’t supposed to use your name on camera?”

Kavya blinked. Sighed. Cracked her neck to the side and gestured for them to continue.

Ruby raised an eyebrow but let it slide, turning her attention back to Jonah. “Great. So you two are nerds. What does this have to do with the case?”

Jonah’s grin stretched wider, the kind that made Ruby’s fingers twitch with the urge to smack it off his face. “Albert Serati, our target, is a die-hard cosplayer. And thanks to his very public Reddit account, we know he’ll be strutting his stuff at Denver Comic Con this afternoon.”

Ruby blinked, her lips parting in disbelief. “You’re telling me we’re hunting down a wanted criminal… based on a Reddit post?”

Jonah shrugged. “The guy’s got a bunch of warrants, but he can’t resist posting his progress pics. It’s all there—photos of the costume, timestamps, even the panel schedule he’s attending.”

Ruby’s laugh came low and incredulous. “This guy’s an idiot.” She glanced at Kavya. “Is this what y’all usually deal with? Petty thieves and cosplay enthusiasts?”

Kavya’s face remained neutral, but there was a flicker of unease in her eyes. “He’s dangerous enough,” she replied curtly, adjusting the camera in her hands like it was a shield.

Ruby scoffed, pushing off the dresser and pacing to the window.

“Dangerous? Please. The guy steals trading cards. Hardly a threat to society.” She paused, looking back over her shoulder.

“Let me guess. You’re planning to storm Comic Con dressed as anime characters to make your little video extra entertaining. ”

Jonah’s grin turned wolfish as he held up the bag of costumes. “Funny you should say that.”

Ruby reached for the bag. Jonah stepped to the side. “What’s in there?”

“Your costume.” He dangled it.

“Oh, no,” Ruby crossed her arms. “There is no way you’re dressing me up like some cartoon princess.”

Jonah chuckled, tossing the bag onto the bed before taking a step closer to her. His voice dropped, teasing but firm. “Come on, Ruby. We’re going to go undercover.”

Ruby glared, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. “You don’t need my help to catch this guy. This whole thing is a waste of my time.”

Jonah smirked, clearly enjoying her frustration. “A shame the TCA thinks otherwise. Guess you’re not as important to them as you thought.”

“Damn it. Cut.” Kavya lowered the camera. “We just went over this. You can’t mention this shit when we’re rolling.”

“I’m the agency's only thermophile agent. You’re an underpaid show boy the TCA keeps around for entertainment. Between the two of us, which one do you think is unimportant?” Ruby bit back, ignoring Kavya. The room grew silent.

Striding across the room in a few easy steps, Jonah stood, toe to toe with Ruby, bending to look her in the eye.

He didn’t seem angry, his breathing steady, his grin gone but not replaced with a scowl.

Instead, the corners of his mouth twitched downward, forehead wrinkling as he looked down at her.

If anything, he seemed almost sad. “Thermophile or human, doesn’t matter.

What matters is you’re here, working this mission, just like me.

That puts us on an even playing field. This is the mission.

If you don’t like it, quit the TCA.” He beamed with hope at the thought of her departure.

She stepped forward, the back of her hands brushing against his jean-covered thighs. The cedar from his cologne overwhelmed any other sense. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

“I would love nothing more.” His breath coasted over the top of her head.

“That’s a shame, pretty boy.” She patted his chest. He caught her hand in his, engulfing it. The calluses on his fingertips brushed against her palm. “I’m here to stay.”

Kavya cleared her throat loudly, breaking the tension. “We still need an intro before we head out. Let’s keep it professional, okay?”

Stepping away from Jonah, Ruby threw herself onto the bed, flopping against the pillows. “Fine. But if he makes me wear cat ears, I’m burning the entire convention center to the ground and consuming the phlogiston of every nerd there.”

Jonah’s laugh was pure delight as he reached into the bag. “Oh, Rubes. You’re gonna love this.”

“Don’t call me that. We’re not friends.” Ruby took the yellow tank top from him and held it against her chest. “And there is no way my boobs are fitting in this thing.”

Jonah’s eyes flicked downward before shooting right back up. “I’ll call Lucas and see about getting a different costume for you.”

She eyeballed him, an idea popping into her head.

“No need.” She said with a sinister smile. “I think we can make this work.”

"CAN I GET a picture with you?" Yet another giggling, blushing teenager asked.

Jonah grinned down at her. "Of course."

Ruby flicked the plastic black bangs out of her eyes. She glanced over at Kavya and the camera, exasperated. Kavya shrugged.

The convention hall buzzed with energy. Bright, colorful banners hung from the ceiling, advertising the latest movies, games, and comics.

Vendors crowded the long aisles, their booths packed with merchandise, towering statues, and rare collectibles.

The air smelled of buttery popcorn and fried street food, blending with the hum of laughter, camera clicks, and the occasional clash of lightsabers.

Neon lights flickered from photo ops and massive screens broadcasting celebrity panels and live interviews.

Costumed heroes and villains roamed the aisles, striking poses for eager fans.

They hadn’t made it far inside. Only a few feet in, and they were already stopped multiple times for pictures.

A handful of fans had asked for photos with both Jonah and Ruby, which Ruby had obliged, but Jonah was clearly the star of the show.

Not because they recognized him from his social media or the bounty hunter reality show—no, it was his cosplay.

Ruby’s attempt at messing with him now garnered him way too much attention.

Jonah laughed at something the teenage girl said, adjusting his bright red suspenders and sweeping a loose strand of his red wig over his shoulder.

The yellow tank top Ruby had refused to wear was too short on him, revealing his abs and a hint of a happy trail.

His jean shorts stopped mid-thigh. He looked completely at ease, flashing smiles at cameras, winking, and chatting with other attendees.

Ruby, however, was a breath away from tearing off the itchy black wig she’d been forced into.

Her outfit—a blue jacket with a Pokéball, jeans, a black shirt, and green gloves clearly made for a child—wasn't winning her any points. While their gender bent costumes amused the crowd, she was far less impressed with Jonah’s showboating.

"Pretty sure he forgot we’re here to catch a fugitive," Ruby muttered to the camera.

Jonah, overhearing, wandered back and slung an arm over her shoulder. She swatted him off. "Don’t be jealous that my costume's cooler than yours."

She willed the patience not to leave her body. "What exactly are we looking for? Is there a specific costume I should be paying attention to?"

"Yeah." Jonah paused, scanning the crowd. "He’s dressed as one of the JoJos."

Ruby waited for more details. When he didn’t elaborate, she sighed. "Care to narrow that down for a non-dweeb?"

"It’s from a Japanese anime. Just look for black clothes, a long coat, a black hat, and a gold chain."

She glanced around. With most of the cosplayers wearing bright, eye-catching colors, spotting a guy in all black shouldn’t be too hard. "Should we split up?"

Jonah’s brow furrowed. "Are you sure? You’ve never seen the character. How will you know who to look for?"

Ruby shrugged. "I’ll Google it if I’m unsure."

"I’ll stick with Jonah," Kavya chimed in, handing Ruby the handheld camera. "I trust you more not to break this."