Chapter 2
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
I’m either incredibly brave or stupid for taking this job. Probably both.
Receptionist
(barely looking up) Name?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(clears throat) I’m here for Mr. Liang. First day.
Receptionist
(presses a button) Kai will meet you in the lobby. Don’t touch anything.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Friendly place.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(approaching, cold and imposing) You’re late.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(straightening nervously) I—there was a checkpoint—
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(cuts him off) Excuses don’t fly here. Let’s go.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(following quietly)
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(glances back) You’re dressed too clean for this world. You sure you belong here?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(firmly) I’ll prove I do.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(smirks) We’ll see.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(sitting on the couch, her legs crossed) Kai, you’re late.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(gruffly) Not me.
It's Him.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(looks at MC with amusement) Oh, the new assistant. Cute. You don’t look like you’ve ever been in a fight.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(awkwardly) I’m here to assist, not fight.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(laughs) Oh, sweetie, you’re in the wrong business if you think you can avoid it.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(speaking without looking up) Enough, Elena.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(turns toward the desk, where ML sits like a king on a throne)
Victor Alaric (Ml)
You’re late.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(swallowing) I apologize, sir. It won’t happen again.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(studying MC carefully) It better not.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(leans against the wall, arms crossed) Should we test him now? Or are we wasting our time?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Test?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(ignoring Kai, slides a document across the desk) Read it.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(picks it up, scanning the contents) Logistics, smuggling routes… why am I being asked to read this?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning) Better read it right, newbie. Boss has high standards.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(starts reading aloud, his voice steady despite the tension)
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(watches him silently, leaning back in his chair)
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(muttering) He’s holding up better than I thought.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(nods slightly) Passable. For now.
suddenly there was a gunshot
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(startled, dropping the document) What was that?!
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(already moving) Intruder.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning, drawing a knife from her boot) Finally, some action.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(calmly standing) Handle it.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(hesitates) And leave you alone with him?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(blurting out) I can stay.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(turns to him, skeptical) You? Stay?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(steadying his voice) I was hired to assist. That’s what I’ll do.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(laughing) Oh, I like him. He’s either brave or really stupid.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks faintly) Fine. Stay. Don’t get in my way.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(to Elena) Let’s move. They leave swiftly.
Tense Waiting in the Office
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(watching Victor casually pour a drink) Aren’t you… worried?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(takes a sip) Panic solves nothing.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
This man is impossible.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(leans against the desk, studying MC) Why are you really here?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
…I needed a new start.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks) That’s what they all say.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(hesitant) And you? Why do you do this?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(chuckling softly) Bold question. Maybe you’ll earn the answer someday.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(returning, wiping blood from his knuckles) It was Marco’s men.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(twirling her knife) Too easy. No fun at all.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(sits back down, unfazed) Of course. Marco likes to test his limits.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Marco? Another boss?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(turns to MC) You did fine today. Don’t let it go to your head.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(bows slightly) Thank you, sir.
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(entering with tea) Is everything okay? I heard a loud noise—
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(softens slightly) Go back to your room, Sophia.
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(pouting) I’m not a child, you know.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
Wait… she’s his sister?
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(grumbling) The kid still here?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning) He’ll stick. I’ve got a good feeling about this one.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks faintly) Time will tell.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking as he leaves) I might have survived day one, but something tells me this is just the beginning.
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