2026-02-01 19:52:04
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Ch 20. Reinforcements
I sat next to Clara in a plastic chair that was designed by someone who hated human spines. Jade stood by the door, arms crossed, looking like she was mentally calculating how many cops she could take in a fight. For recreational purposes, obviously.An officer appeared, Detective Morris, according to her badge, holding a folder and the expression of someone who'd heard every stupid story the city had to offer."Ms. Voss?" She sat across from Clara. "Derek Vance has been issued a restraining order. He's barred from contacting you, approaching your residence, or coming within five hundred feet of you. If he violates it, call us immediately."Clara nodded. "Okay.""Don't try to handle it yourself. Don't open the door if he shows up. Don't go outside to talk it out. People always think they can talk it out." Her eyes flicked to me. "You the boyfriend?""I'm the guy who got kicked across her apartment," I said."Right. The hero neighbor." She pulled out another paper. "Mr. Cross, you're l
Ch 19. Counter Offer
"So what now?" I asked."Now?" She smiled. "Now we negotiate.""I thought I just said no.""You said no to being my puppet. That doesn't mean we can't work together." She pulled out her tablet. "Counter-offer. I teach you the basics. How to handle interviews. How to control a room. How to leverage your moment without becoming a circus act. No contracts. No percentages for now. Just... mentorship.""Why would you do that?""Because I like projects. And you, Evan Cross, are the most interesting project I've seen in years."The food arrived. The salmon was perfect. I barely tasted it."What's in it for you?" I asked."Satisfaction. And maybe, if you don't completely fuck it up, you'll owe me a favor someday."[Decision Point: Accept Leona's Mentorship][Influence Path: Unlocked (Limited Access)][WARNING: This choice will be permanent]I looked at her. Sharp eyes. Calculating smile. A woman who ate people like me for breakfast.But also a woman offering to teach me skills I desperately n
Ch 18. Dressed to Impress Nobody
The restaurant was called Lumière, which I'm pretty sure is French for "you can't afford to be here."I stood on the sidewalk outside, staring at the valet stand, the marble columns, and the door being held open by a guy in a suit nicer than anything I'd ever owned in my life.My phone buzzed. Leona.Leona: Inside. Back table. Don't keep me waiting.I looked down at myself. Jeans. Sneakers. A hoodie that said "I Paused My Game to Be Here" that I'd forgotten I was wearing."Mira, I'm about to walk into a place where the napkins probably cost more than my rent.""Then walk fast and sit down before they throw you out."I made it three steps inside before a hostess materialized like a very polite bouncer."Good evening, sir." Her smile was professional ice. "Do you have a reservation?""I'm meeting someone. Leona Hart?"The smile warmed approximately half a degree. "Ah yes. Ms. Hart mentioned a... guest." The pause before 'guest' did not go unnoticed. "This way, please."She led me throug
Ch 17. Quest Complete
By the time we got back to Jade's apartment, the counter was at forty-eight thousand.We watched it tick up in real-time. Forty-eight five. Forty-nine. Forty-nine five."Come on," I muttered. "Come on."Fifty thousand.The screen flashed: GOAL REACHED.Jade half sobbed, half laughed and grabbed me, pulling me into a hug so tight my bruised ribs screamed.I didn't care.Clara whooped and jumped up from the couch."We did it," Jade said into my shoulder. "We actually fucking did it.""You did it," I said. "You didn't give up on him."She pulled back, hands on my shoulders, eyes blazing. "No. We did it."And then she kissed me.Hard, fierce, desperate, like she'd been holding back for weeks and finally snapped. Her hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer. Her lips crushed against mine, all heat and need and relief and thank you wrapped into one explosive moment.I kissed her back, one hand sliding into her hair, the other gripping her waist. She tasted like salt and adrenaline and vi
Ch 16. The Final Push
The hospital smelled like antiseptic and hope running on fumes.I stood in the hallway outside Room 314, holding a bag of convenience store cookies.Clara was on my left, laptop bag slung over her shoulder like she might need to hack the hospital mainframe. Jade was on my right, jaw tight, hands shoved in her pockets.Jade took a breath, knocked once, and pushed the door open.Danny Kwon was propped up in bed, IV in his arm, baseball cap covering what I assumed was thinning hair. But his eyes were bright, and when he saw us, he smiled.That smile looked exactly like Jade's before the weight of the world pressed down on it."So you're the famous delivery guy," Danny said, voice raspy but strong. "Evan, right?""That's me." I stepped forward, suddenly aware of how inadequate I was for this moment. "Brought cookies. They're terrible."He laughed. It turned into a cough.Jade moved instinctively, but he waved her off."I'm good. I'm good." He looked at Clara. "And you must be the hacker."
Ch 15. Hashtag DeliveryBoyHero
"I'm not looking to be a public face," I said carefully."You already are one. You just don't control the narrative yet." She stepped closer, voice dropping. "If you let me handle your image, you'll never have to be a delivery guy again. Real salary. Real impact. I know how to turn sympathy into momentum."From the couch, Clara's typing got louder. Angrier."What would that look like?" I heard myself ask."Regular content. Charity runs, fundraiser events, maybe a podcast. I'd manage messaging, sponsors, partnerships. All you'd have to do is show up and be yourself."God, it was tempting. No more scraping for gig work. No more Marcus humiliations. Just... show up, be sad on camera, collect checks.But something about the way she said "be yourself" made it sound like "sell yourself."She pulled a card from her blazer, matte black with silver lettering. "Leona Hart. Strategic Image Architect." She pressed it into my palm. "When you're done being local news, call me. National loves this k
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