As I walked out of the store, the weight of the wallet in my hand felt heavier than it should have. I glanced down at it—a sleek, expensive piece, crafted with fine leather and embossed with the logo of a brand most people would only dream of owning.
I sighed, turning it over in my hands. "What am I even doing with this thing?" I muttered under my breath.
It was ant to embarrass Brianna, and it had done the job perfectly. But now, it felt like a ridiculous token of an unnecessary victory.
I turned the corner, my feet taking toward a part of the city where the streets weren’t as polished, the air felt heavier, and life moved a little differently.
I passed a few makeshift tents and small clusters of people bundled in mismatched clothes.
One of them, a wiry man with a scruffy beard and a cigarette dangling from his lips, spotted . "Hey, lady! This ain’t a tourist spot. What’re you doin’ here?"
I raised an eyebrow, not stopping. "Don’t flatter yourself. I’m just walking."
"You’re in my spot!" he barked, shuffling toward and gesturing to the patch of pavent I was crossing.
I tched, shifting the wallet in my hand. "Relax. I don’t want your spot, old man."
Before he could respond, a soft voice piped up. "Leave her be, Marco. She’s just passing through."
I turned to see a woman with kind, tired eyes and a face lined with years of hardship. She sat on a tattered blanket, cradling a cup of steaming sothing in her hands. Her clothes were mismatched and threadbare, but her posture was composed, almost dignified.
"Thanks," I said, walking over to her. She gave a small smile, her gaze flicking to the wallet in my hand.
"That’s a fancy thing you’ve got there," she remarked, her tone casual but curious.
"It’s new," I said, sitting down on the edge of the curb next to her. "Expensive too."
She tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. "And you’re carrying it around here? You don’t seem the type."
I let out a laugh, the sound carrying more amusent than frustration. "Let guess—you think I stole it?"
"Well, didn’t you?" Marco piped up, his eyes narrowing as he shuffled closer to us. "A fancy wallet like that, in a place like this? Doesn’t add up."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "You people really know how to humble a person."
The woman beside laughed softly, taking a sip of her drink. "We don’t an to offend. It’s just... well, people like us don’t see things like that too often."
I looked at her, then back at the wallet, and without much thought, I held it out to her. "Take it."
Her eyes widened, her hands hovering in mid-air. "What?"
"It’s yours," I said with a shrug. "I don’t need it. And it’s too nice to let it go to waste."
The woman hesitated, her gaze darting between and the wallet. "This has to be worth a fortune," she murmured. "Why would you just give it away?"
I smirked. "Let’s just say it’s already served its purpose. Besides, you’d probably make better use of it than I would."
Marco leaned in, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "This a trick or sothing?"
"Do I look like I have the energy for tricks?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
The woman finally reached out, taking the wallet with shaking hands. She held it as if it might disappear, her expression a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You’re welco," I replied, standing up and dusting off my pants. "And for the record, I didn’t steal it. I paid for it with my own money."
Marco snorted. "Sure, you did."
I glanced at him, my smirk widening. "Believe what you want, old man. It’s not like I care."
The woman smiled faintly, clutching the wallet tightly. "Whatever your reasons... thank you. It’s not every day soone shows kindness around here."
I shrugged, waving a hand dismissively as I walked away. "Don’t ntion it."
As I left the shelter of the tents, I heard Marco mutter behind , "You must be a fool if you believe that scamr."
I didn’t turn around, though a small smile tugged at my lips. Let him think whatever he wanted. It wasn’t my concern.
The cool breeze brushed against my face as I walked back to where I’d parked my car. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone, scrolling idly through my notifications. That’s when I noticed it—a new ssage from an unknown number.
Body received.
Address: 345 Bloom Lane.
Co alone.
I stared at the ssage, my thumb hovering over the reply button.
"Is this a new one?" I typed, my lips curling into a wry smile.
The response ca almost instantly. Yes. You hired from the dark web. To retrieve the body.
I leaned back, the smirk on my face growing. "Nice," I murmured to myself, the excitent mixing with a healthy dose of risk. "And risky."
The dark web. A place I’d only dipped into out of necessity, a haven for those who needed things done quietly, efficiently, and without ties. This was my first foray into hiring soone for... this sort of task.
My fingers flew over the keyboard as I replied. Understood. I’ll need more precautions next ti.
The response ca quickly. Agreed. But for now, the body is intact. What’s next?
I let out a slow breath, staring at the ssage. What was next, indeed? I didn’t trust the person behind the screen entirely, and I wasn’t about to walk into that warehouse without so layer of protection.
I needed a mask. Sothing to hide behind, just in case this "new one" decided to play a ga of their own.
Sliding my phone into my pocket, I glanced around my car. There wasn’t much I could use for disguise, but I found an old scarf in the glove compartnt. It would have to do. Wrapping it loosely around my lower face, I adjusted my hair to fall over my shoulders, partially obscuring the rest of my features.
"This’ll have to do," I muttered.
The drive to Bloom Lane was tense, my thoughts spinning with possibilities. What if this was a trap? What if I was walking into sothing I couldn’t control? But there was no turning back now.
The warehouse ca into view, its shadow stretching across the cracked pavent like a grim specter. I parked a block away, slipping out of the car and into the cool evening air.
Pulling the scarf tighter, I approached the tal door, the sound of my sneakers crunching on gravel seeming too loud in the eerie silence.
I pushed the door open cautiously, the faint creak echoing in the dimly lit interior.
"You’re late," a voice said from the shadows.
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