You know, Jaune figured that once he came down from the adrenaline, he'd be feeling a lot worse about his rear diff just being dead. But honestly? He didn't really mind that much. He cared, of course, but he had the money to replace it, and he was still working on top of that..
The only thing that bugged him was when he had to call Yang a cab to get her to the ferry, but beyond that, he was feeling pretty good. With the help of a tow that he called, he managed to get his Celica back to the parking lot of his apartment complex. All he could do now was stare at it, a sad smile tugging at his lips.
"You know," he started, a hand scraping against the old rusted hood, the sound of crickets chirping filling his ears. "I figured I'd be a lot more angry about this sort of thing. That I'd have whined and complained about it all night."
With a sigh, he dragged a hand down his face. "Oh well, I guess there are some days where I just can't win." Jaune said, snickering to himself. "But still, I'd like to win at least once some time soon, you know?"
He spent a whole week working on the old Celica, pouring every ounce of sweat and effort he could into it so that he could beat Denver. And in the end, he did. Now he was stuck with the fatigue of a whole week of nothing but car maintenance. And a week of missed work.
Jaune was only lucky that he remembered to put a notice in ahead of time. Luckier still was the fact that Deryl didn't seem to care.
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he felt his melancholic smile fall as he stepped around the hood of his car, making his way for the door to the apartment building. He walked through the front door, took a left, and made his way to his room. It was silent like always, the only sound filling his ears was the sound of his shoes meeting the musty carpet.
Reaching his apartment, he pulled out a ring of keys before unlocking his door. With a turn and a click, he pushed the door open to show his apartment. It was dirty, dark, and the dishes were still piling up.
"Yup," he said. "Just as I left it." A frown took to his lips as he shut the door behind him. Even with all the money he'd made from his first race, Jaune still didn't have any good furniture, nor a half-decent bed.
And if he decided that he wanted to spend money on better living conditions, it'd just put him behind on his savings for rent again. So yeah, it was more reasonable to just sit around and accept his situation. Or at least easier.
Groaning, Jaune kicked off his shoes as he made to take off his hoodie, throwing it over his shoulder as he slowly hobbled over to his mattress. Flopping onto the stiff springboard that he called a bed, feeling an exposed spring jab at his arm, the blond boy tossed his hoodie aside, letting go of all the feeling in his body.
As he rested his head against his mattress, Jaune couldn't help but feel his eyes trail over to the corner of his room. His Great-Grandfather's sword. It was always there, and for reasons that he couldn't quite explain, his eyes always seemed to gravitate towards it.
"Normally, I'd think about just throwing you in the dumpster out back," Jaune said, blankly looking at the ancestral blade. "But I don't even have the energy for that. I spent a week and a half getting ready for an ego race, and because of it, my car is out of commission. Worst of all? I had fun." What kind of idiot had fun in an ego race anyway? "Actually, there is something worse. I'm sitting here talking to a sword of all things."
Pushing out a breath, Jaune let his eyes flit shut. At least he had the money to fix something, right?
He knew that he should've at least changed out of his clothes, or taken a shower, but his legs refused to move, and his arms failed to keep him upright. Coupled with the fact that the sweet embrace of sleep was calling? His muscles loosened further as his breathing slowed, his thoughts becoming fewer and further between.
But just before he could enter unconsciousness, he heard the sound of knuckles rapping against his door. Sighing, Jaune turned to the other side of his mattress. "Maybe they'll just go away?" He whispered, forcing his eyes shut again.
Again, the sound of someone knocking on his door repeated, then again, then a third. Then came the sound of dull and heavy thuds against his door, and all Jaune could do was groan.
Pushing himself to his feet, the blond boy dragged a hand down his face. "Okay, fine, I'm coming." He said, trudging towards the door as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Seriously, what kind of guy do you have to be to knock on someone's door after midnight? I've got work in the morning."
Bringing his hand to the door knob and twisting, Jaune pulled the door open. He found himself staring at a pair of strangers. Well, that wasn't saying much, was it? Jaune was staring at a ginger man dressed in a white suit with black pants, and a bowler hat. As for the lady with him, she was much shorter, but kept to the white motif, but replaced the black pants with brown.
The ginger man brought up his hand, holding a walking cane up for a moment. "Ooh, a strong question to ask, I like that. Well, I suppose the best way to answer that is to say that I am a very important man. Especially to you." He shot back, grinning as his emerald eyes flashed mischievously. "You know, I am quite the admirer of your talents."
Jaune's brows furrowed as confusion took hold, looking the man up and down for a moment. "And you are..?"
The white-dressed man laughed as he brought a palm to his forehead. "That's right, I forget that you're not exactly, uh, well acquainted with the world we share. Well, not yet anyway." He said, chuckling as he brought his hat to his chest. "I suppose you could start by calling me Boss, because that's what I am now. Congratulations on your promotion."
Blinking, Jaune brought his hands up, shaking them. "No, no, I think you've got the wrong guy here. I just work at a gas station, man." Jaune said, awkwardly laughing. Honestly, while it wasn't a common mistake, it was funny enough that Jaune didn't mind getting up anymore.
The smile on the ginger man faded, a more neutral expression taking to his face. "Oh, but that's where you're wrong, kid. That little gas station you work at? Yeah, I own that." He said, squaring away his shoulders as he stuck his cane under his arm. "The guy that runs it? Yeah, I own him too. So yes, I do believe I've got the right man."
Jaune swallowed a knot that threatened to form in his throat. "How do you-"
The red headed man rolled his eyes. "I know a lot of things, kid. I've got your name, birth day, and a list of business transactions you've had since you walked into this awful city. But most of all, I've got friends in low places." He listed, rolling his offhand. "Now then, if you want to hear more, I suggest we all step inside. The future is best talked about behind closed doors."
The blond boy blinked as his eyes flicked to the ground, his foot subconsciously tapping against the ground. "Prove it." Jaune said, his lips moved without thinking.
The ginger man deadpanned, a single brow rising on his face. "Oh well, you can't win everyone with just words. But that's fine." The dapper man said, pulling his scroll from his pocket and dialing a number. Before long, his scroll was loudly ringing, filling the hallway.
After a moment, the other end picked up. "Uh, Boss? What are you doing, calling this late?" Deryl's voice came over the line.
Jaune felt a chill climb up his spine as he watched the man smile. "That's all I needed of you, Deryl. Oh, and I'll be stealing one of your workers. A bonus will be coming to you in the mail later." He said, hanging up the call before stuffing the scroll back into his suit pocket. "Well, how's that for proof, hmm?" The ginger man asked, curling a brow.
Jaune's jaw clenched for a moment as his eyes widened. If Deryl was already in this guy's pocket, what chance did he have from walking away from this? But even still, he said it was a promotion. Who handed those out to people they didn't know?
So, reluctantly, Jaune stepped back from the door, pulling it open. "Let's… talk. About the future." He said, his stomach churning as an acidic bile tickled at the back of his throat.
The well dressed man looked to his side, staring at the shorter woman as he gestured to the door. "Ladies first, Neo." He said, laughing as he watched her roll her heterochromatic eyes.
As the two walked past him, Jaune closed the door, making sure to lock it. The last thing he wanted was more unwanted guests.
The ginger man took a moment to look around the room, his brows shooting upward as he unceremoniously flicked on the lights. "Wow, this place is a pigsty. I mean, honestly, you live like this?" He asked, looking over his shoulder as he gestured to the room. "Good thing that I'm here to offer you an out, right?"
Groaning, Jaune ran a hand through his hair, letting his annoyance show on his face as he started to pace back and forth. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't see you working minimum wage in a city that you're a stranger in." He snipped, shooting a pointed look at the ginger man. "Even with the little bit of Lien I've been able to scrape together, now I've got to use it to fix my car! And to top it all off, I've got some random stranger offering me work that I know nothing about!"
Jaune watched as the ginger man's expression shifted to surprise, looking over to the shorter brown and pink haired woman. "You… really don't know who we are, do you?" He asked, genuine curiosity filling his voice. "Never checked the news? Maybe read the papers?"
"No, that stuff's depressing." Jaune shot back, shrugging his shoulders. "Why? Are you some kind of rich bigshot that buys up cheap real estate in South End and flip it for money?"
The ginger man's smile widened, snickering as he tried to keep his laughter in check. But he failed, grabbing at his stomach as he leaned against the closest wall. "Oh man, that's rich!" He said, laughing even louder as he squeezed his eyes shut. "I suppose you could call me something like that."
Pushing himself away from the wall, the ginger man stretched out a hand as he looked down at Jaune. "The name is Roman Torchwick, and I'm a business man first, gentleman thief second. But I must admit, my business is crime." Roman explained, smiling wider. "And I hope to make you - and by extension, myself - a lot of Lien."
Jaune stared down at the now named Roman's hand, letting his eyes flick between it and Roman's eyes. "So, what, you're some kind of crook?" He asked, his lips moving before his brain had a chance to catch up.
Neo snorted as she brought a hand to her mouth, her previously stoic mask crumpling as she turned away. Oh wow, that was rich, hearing some two-bit racer call her boss a crook.
Roman's hand fell for a moment as he sighed. "Yes, technically I am a crook. But name one businessman that isn't." Roman could think of dozens that were, but the most prominent was probably the SDC. "But I've wasted enough time trying to warm you up to the idea, so I'm going to just get right into it. I need a driver, and I must say that I'm quite the fan of how you drive."
Jaune stuffed his hands into his pockets as his shoulders stiffened. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. I just work at a gas station, honest." Besides, people outside of the meet weren't supposed to know that he drove anyway.
Roman could only shake his head, sighing much deeper than before. "Kid, how much more proof have I got to pull out to convince you that you can't hide anything from me? Have I got to pull up the camera footage from tonight?" He asked, digging through his pocket to pull out his scroll again. "Because I promise you, Jaune Arc, I have everything I need to convince you."
Jaune felt his heart rate quicken, his breath hitching. "...Okay, it sounds like you've done your research," he said. "I don't remember telling you my name."
Roman shrugged, as though it was unimportant. "I wasn't lying when I said I had all that information. Of course, I'm more than willing to make it worth your while." Roman said, smirking as he stretched his arms out to his sides. "Scaring you into working for me would be easy, but that's not a good foundation for a working relationship. See what I'm getting at?"
Hesitantly, Jaune nodded, a bead of sweat trailing down the back of his neck. "I think so, yeah." He said, staring down at the floor beneath him. "You want me to race for you, is that it? Maybe make some easy betting money?"
Neo snickered as she rolled her eyes, watching as Roman's smile grew again. "Kid, as sweet as that is, it's chump change. But that isn't a bad idea. You can keep running your races, making betting money, and I'll make sure that you can keep getting opponents that are worth racing against." Roman said.
Roman watched as his right hand curled a brow at him, her hands moving rapidly. "Well, yes, I suppose it would be like something of a sponsorship in that regard. Except I won't go around plastering my name on his car." He said, reaching into his coat to pull out a cigar, placing it in his mouth as he turned back to look at Jaune. "I don't care for you and your street rat scene. No, I'm thinking of something much bigger. For both of us."
Sighing, Jaune let his shoulders slump forward. "Well, if it's not racing, then I'm not sure what it is you'll want from me." After all, racing was the only thing that Jaune could claim any real talent in, and he wasn't even that fond of it. "I'm not exactly a diamond in the rough over here."
Stepping towards the young man, Roman clicked his teeth, placing a hand on the blond's shoulder. "Are you saying that I'm a poor judge of character, Mr. Arc? That I don't know talent when I see it?"
The blond boy silently brought a hand to his mouth, tapping his index finger against his cheek. A stranger and crook showed up at his apartment, claimed that he owned his workplace, and then offered him a new job. Would a poor judge of character really do something like that for him?
"That's exactly what I'm saying, yes." Jaune shot back, nodding as he brought his hand away from his mouth.
Neo snorted again, watching as her boss's brows shot upwards. Well, she could at least admit this, the street rat knew how to surprise people. But that was all Neo would say on that.
Roman laughed again, shaking the young man's shoulder. "You know, I'd normally hit other people for comments like that. Nothing crazy, mind you, just a little slap on the mouth." He explained, feeling the driver's shoulder tensen under his grasp. "But I value honesty much more than I do my pride. So, for the sake of expediency, I'm going to list the benefits of you working for me. Alright?"
Well, Jaune didn't exactly feel like he was in any place to argue with him. So, he nodded.
"Wonderful," Roman said, clasping his hands together as he stepped away from the driver. "Listen kid, and listen good, because I'm only gonna say this once. I offer you not just a promotion, but job security, a raise, and actual security. Anyone comes knocking on your door that you don't like? Well, Neo will pay them a visit." The gentleman thief thought those were pretty good benefits. After all, it's what he was offered when he started out.
Jaune curled a brow, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "I don't know. That all sounds really good, but I don't think I'll need the extra security. I'm just some nobody from out of town." He said, awkwardly laughing as his eyes unconsciously flicked to the sheathed sword in the corner of his room. "Besides, being a criminal doesn't sound like my thing, no offense. I don't want to hurt people."
Smirking, Roman held his arms out to his sides, twirling his cane in one of his hands. "Then it's a good thing you're just going to be a chauffeur. And the last time I checked, driving around didn't entail having to hurt people, right?" He asked, curling a brow of his own as he watched Jaune's previous hesitation buckle. "Besides, I'm a thief, not a killer. Sure, bodies can be inevitable every once and a while, but they're just more paperwork. We avoid them where we can, you understand?"
The blond driver opened his mouth for a moment, but no words came out. Sure, he may have been broke, trapped, and in a dead end, but crime wasn't up his alley, right? Even if I forged those transcripts. He thought. Besides, the guy just called bodies 'extra paperwork!'
Sighing, Jaune's shoulders slumped forward. "I'm not much of a criminal, let alone a racer."
"And that's precisely why I want you, kid!" Roman shot back, holding a finger out. "To everyone else in the world, you're just some blond idiot stuck in the middle of a rat race you know nothing about! No offense, of course."
"None taken," Jaune said as he frowned. "But why wouldn't you want a racer for a driver?" He asked. After all, racers tended to be faster, more competitive, and honestly, they were addicted to speed. Even after a taste, Jaune knew he wanted a little more.
Laughing, Roman leaned against his cane, shrugging his shoulders. "Because racers attract too much attention. Their personalities are too flashy, and their egos are massive. But you? You're as plain as they come." After all, no amount of money could make a cop turn a blind eye if their reputation was damaged. "And frankly, that plays to your advantage."
Roman watched as the young man brought a fist to his mouth, biting on his knuckle. "What happens if I say no..?" He asked, staring at Roman with wide eyes. Ooh, now that was the question, wasn't it?
Humming, the red headed thief closed his eyes, running a hand along his chin. "Well, considering the fact that you know I run your gas station, along with the man that runs it, it would be safe to say that you're a liability. A loose end, if you will." Roman started, shrugging his shoulders. "But if you were willing to keep your mouth shut, I think I'd be willing to just fire you and tell you to find a new job."
Jaune forced down a knot. Sure, he might have had enough money to live off of for now, but he still had to fix his car, clean up around his apartment, and pay his rent to Deryl, who was in the pocket of a… criminal.
"Okay," Jaune said, letting out a breath as his shoulders relaxed. "I'll work with you on one condition." It wasn't even that hard of a condition to meet, honestly. If Roman had as much money as he led him to believe, he could easily cover the cost.
Roman curled a brow as a curious smirk tugged at his lips. "Oh? And what might that be, kid?" He shot back, amusement filling his voice. There was a bite on the line, all he had to do now was reel it back in. "You want an advance? Some new digs? Maybe another car? Name your price and I'll match it."
The blond boy's brows furrowed as he stared up at the criminal, taking in a deep breath. "Fix the rear diff on my car, and you've got yourself a driver." He said, his words filled with resolve. "I can't drive for you if I haven't got a set of wheels, right?"
All expression left Roman's face as he blinked, only for a laugh to slip from his lips. From just a glance, he could tell that not just the kid, but even Neo was confused by his laughter. The kid, this driver, he was precious!
Wiping a tear from his eye, Roman sighed. "Oh man, just when I think I've got you figured out and hooked, you hit me from left field. I like that, Jack." Roman chuckled, rubbing a hand against his chin. "You've got yourself a deal, kid."
Reaching out a hand, Jaune waited for the thief to shake his hand, swallowing a knot in his throat. But as the thief clasped his hand, he firmly shook it. This was a mistake, Jaune knew it, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. It was either this or being homeless.
"Starting from today," Roman started, smiling. "I'm going to formally be your boss. You stick with me, listen to what I say, do as I do, and we'll all walk away rich." Roman said, a glint shining behind his emerald eyes. "Oh, and at my side is one Neo Politan, and she'll be your co-worker from here on. Make sure you treat her well."
Neo scowled as the corner of her lips twitched, crossing her arms as she looked away. And here she was hoping he'd turn down the offer. Neo signed to her boss, her hands moving at a rapid pace. She'll try to not treat the brat too badly. 'Try' being the operative word.
Noticing as the confused looking on the blond's face, Roman chuckled. "She said that she's going to treat you like you're not dirt. She likes you already." He said, laughing to himself.
Pulling his hand away, Jaune brushed off his hoodie before stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Right, well, my friends call me Jaune Arc. But I guess I'll just be Mr. Arc or Driver to you, huh?" He asked, trying his best to shake off his nerves.
"Aha, no." Roman quickly snipped, the smile falling from his face. "If I start saying your name, people are going to know where to look for you. When you're with me, you're the kid. No in-betweens with me, understand?" He asked, reaching into his coat's inner pocket.
Well, at least there was something to cover for him. Nodding his head, Jaune hummed. "Right. I guess I can work with that." He said, a hand gluing itself to the back of his head. "Thanks for the… job opportunity, Mr. Torchwick." The words rolled off his tongue like sandpaper.
Jaune felt a hand clasp against his shoulder as he watched the red headed thief place a cigar between his lips. "Oh please, you're part of the family now, kid. Don't think too hard about it, you'll hurt yourself." He said, his cigar bouncing as he laughed. "But I think we've overstayed our welcome for long enough. Thanks for your… hospitality, Jack."
As the red headed man stepped past him, he felt the short one, Neo, nudge his shoulder as she brushed past him. Breathing a sigh of relief, he watched as the two made for the door. "Um, about my car?" Jaune started, raising a hand.
Roman only waved him off. "Relax, kid. I'll make a call or two, make some deals, and I'll forward you the details when I've got it." He naturally replied, twirling his cane. "Once that's done, I'll send you the details for where to meet with me after that. Think of it as your first day at the office." He said, twisting the door handle as he pulled the door open. But he paused. "And, uh, make sure to come alone."
With that, the duo walked through the door before closing it behind them.
Letting out a deep sigh, Jaune quickly locked the door before shuffling back over to his mattress. Quietly flopping onto his mattress, he couldn't stop himself from running a hand down his face.
"You've really done it this time." Jaune mumbled, closing his eyes.
The sound of high heeled boots clacked loudly against the concrete floor of the warehouse as Roman went about scribbling down plans on publicly known floor plans. It wasn't anything special this time around, thankfully; some middle-of-the-road dust shop out in Central. The last time he had to do a job on one of those, he had to unfortunately deal with a girl he aptly named Little Red.
Needless to say, he didn't really care for the girl. Had something of a chip on her shoulder from just a glance, and those kinds of kids were just the worst.
Even so, he didn't fail to notice the clacking growing louder and closer, failing to stifle a sigh as he raised his head from his desk. Roman watched as his right hand came pacing towards him, her face contorted by either anger or annoyance, both of those things being something that Neo had quite mastered expressing.
When the young woman reached his desk, she slammed her hands against its wooden surface, glaring at him.
A single brow rose on his face as he - for once - stared up at her. "Is there anything I can help you with, Neo? Or do you just feel like being a thorn in my side today?" He asked, his foot tapping against the concrete.
He watched as her hands flew into a flurry of motions, a mix of expletives, hard gestures, and as loud of complaining as a mute woman could get filling her expression. Just why was it that she had to be stuck with the stupid rookie driver all of a sudden? Wasn't there something more important for her to be doing?
Roman sighed, leaning back in his seat as he reached into his coat, pulling out his lighter. "It's the slow season, you know that." He droned, his hat tipping forward a moment to hide his eyes. Reaching into his coat again, he pulled a cigar from his pockets, placing it between his lips. "Besides, someone has to make the deliveries, and I don't imagine the kid's going to be able to do it alone. Figured you'd make yourself useful."
Neo loudly scoffed, her hands moving at a less rapid, but more dismissive rate. There wasn't anyone that needed to die? No one that cheated them out of money, or maybe needed some intimidating done to them? Nothing at all?
Roman shrugged, sparking the lighter to let the flame hover below and away from the cigar, the end of the cigar slowly lighting up. "Like I said; slow season. Everyone's just trying to hunker down and let the school get all the snot-nosed brats away from our business." He said, the taste of Vacuan cacao settling on his tongue before pushing out the smoke. "You being able to help the kid settle in is just convenient. I'd have told Chester to do it, but he's… off the schedule."
Neo pushed a sigh from her nose as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. So, what? She was just meant to spend her whole doing dull, mundane tasks fit for idiots in suits?
Roman snorted, pulling the cigar from his lips as he shot Neo a smile. "Well, you know me. I'd have done it myself," he lied. "But there's still just so much to plan, and our clients are getting pushy. So believe me when I say that this is the best that I could come up with."
Neo's boot clacked against the floor as she dragged a hand down her face. Her hands signed again. So, what? Was she just there to make sure exchanges just went well then?
"Pretty much." Roman said, shrugging as he popped his cigar back into his mouth. "That, and I want you there so I can know how well the kid can handle simple instructions. If he fails to do that, well," Roman trailed off, flicking away the growing cherry on his cigar. "Guess we'll have to find a new driver then."
A brow rose on Neo's face as she crushed her growing smile. She could get rid of her competition before he even found his feet on the ground? Sometimes she just loved how naturally things clicked together.
But before she could turn to walk away, Roman raised a hand. "Ah ah ah, don't think I don't know what you're doing." He said, shooting her a stern look. "That kid is worth a lot more than he's appraised for. If you throw out my diamond before I finish polishing it, we're going to have a talk."
Neo looked back at him for a moment, holding her gaze on him before rolling her eyes. Fine, she guessed that she could actually review him first before getting rid of him. But only because Roman was asking her to.
At that, Roman smiled. "Wonderful," he started, clasping his hands together. "Besides, you need to be around more people at your age. I'm not exactly old over here, but you need younger friends."
Neo's face contorted, as though she'd just slipped on dog poop on the sidewalk. She quickly signed. The day that she decided to make friends in this business was the day that she decided to retire.
Roman chuckled. "You never know." He said, smiling as he waved her off. "Now then, go and see if our driver's managed to make it outside."
Neo huffed as she turned to walk away from the desk. But before she could make it too far, her scroll chimed. Unfurling it and reading the notification, it was a message from one of Roman's burner scrolls, along with a separate number attached.
"You're not going to be able to talk with him if you don't have his number, right?" He asked, smirking as he used both of his hands to shoo her away. "Alright, now get lost. I've got plans to finish drafting, and you're in my light." He said, bringing a hand to his chin as he stared down at the desk again. "Now then, what am I going to do about that dockyard shipment..?" Mumbling as he leaned over his desk.
Neo tried her best to not smile, failing as she walked away. But it wasn't long before she crushed it, stepping out of the dark, stale-aired warehouse to step out into the night city of Vale. The stars were in full view, only contrasted by the lines of street lights that lined not only the parking lot, but the roads that fed into the city itself.
Well, best to get it done and out of the way now.
Unfurling her scroll, she tapped at the text that Roman sent her, quickly memorizing and typing the number into her new messages before double checking to see it was the right one. After that, she drafted a message. It wasn't anything long or crazy, just asking about his ETA until he reached the warehouse.
Before she could get an answer, Neo watched as the old Mistrali muscle car slowly reared around the corner, finding a parking spot before settling in. Sighing, Neo slowly walked towards the old beater, putting one foot in front of the other before she found herself at the passenger side door.
Knocking at the window, she quickly gestured for it to be rolled down. The sound of whirring filled her ears as the glass slowly lowered into the door itself, revealing the blond driver who sported an awkward smile. "Uh, hey." He said, quietly chuckling. "I was hoping to see the boss first before I got started, but-"
Neo quickly raised a finger, shooting him a glare as she brought up her scroll. Quickly typing away, it wasn't long before her message chimed on his scroll. If he wanted to see the boss again, he was going to have to earn that. For now, he was stuck with her. Or rather, she was stuck with him, but she left that part out.
As he quickly read through the message, Jaune's shoulders slumped forward. "Well, could you at least tell me what it is that we're going to be doing first? I'd like to know just what I'm driving for before anything else." He said. Did all kids sound that whiney, or was it just this guy?
Neo felt a sneer tug at her lip, silently sighing as she shook her head. She composed another short message, this one being much less likely to be lost in translation. Even an idiot could read two words.
Wait here.
With that, Neo walked back into the warehouse, taking a brief moment to bring out a pair of suitcases before having the blond kid pop the trunk. Then she went right back inside, brought out another pair, and stowed those too. This process was repeated a third time before Neo forcefully closed the trunk.
"Hey, careful with that!" Jaune yelled, poking his head out the window to glare at her. "Damn thing's already falling apart as it is. I don't need a midget with an attitude to make it worse."
One of Neo's eyes twitched as she walked back into the warehouse, quickly walking out with her parasol in hand. Watching as the blond kid swung the passenger door open, she quickly found her seat, but not before sticking the sharp tip of the parasol against his neck. She didn't apply a lot of pressure, of course, but it was enough.
Jaune's eyes widened as he stared down at her, his previously lax hands now tightly wrapped around the wheel. He watched as she silently tapped at her scroll, only for his scroll to chime again.
Ever so slowly, Jaune reached into his pocket to pull out his scroll again, tapping on the latest message. His stomach dropped as his eyes trailed over the message, then again, then once more.
If he ever made some snide comment like that again, she would castrate him. Was that clear?
Harshly swallowing, Jaune slowly nodded. "Yeah, noted." He said, sighing as he felt the tip of the blade pull away from his neck. "You know, there are some girls that actually like being short. Something to do with liking guys being taller or something." He said, but that was just something he'd picked up from his sisters. It was hard to ignore it, considering how loud they'd get gossiping in the kitchen back home.
His scroll chimed again, this time with an address attached. Just drive, it read.
So, Jaune did just that, starting the engine, sticking the car in first, holding down the clutch, and after a brief moment, they were moving. But just because they were moving didn't exactly make Jaune any more comfortable. After all, he was just sitting next to the lady that threatened to take his- you know what? Better not to think about it.
The drive to the first address was silent, minus the sound of the rumbling engine, along with the sounds of other drivers slowly cruising by. Neo spent the better part of her time idly skimming through the dozens of horridly boring apps that she had on her scroll. Maybe it was just her, but they all felt so… normal, for lack of better word.
There was something so nasty about that. How anyone could decide to spend their life doing nothing but the utmost basic, Neo didn't know.
All the same, once the pair had stopped at the first address, Neo swung open the door, slowly stepping out of the car, rolling down the window all the while. She quickly sent a message, hearing it chime on the driver's scroll.
Stay put, stay quiet, and most of all, be discrete.
Jaune read over the message, swallowing a knot as he nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll just… be here until you need me." He said, his hands flexing against the wheel as he popped open the trunk. Jaune watched through the rearview mirrors as Neo stepped around the car, reaching into the trunk before pulling out a suitcase. She closed the trunk again, but thankfully much less harshly.
He watched as she strutted away, not failing to notice how her figure moved in a way that his eyes were compelled to follow. Jaune sighed, resting his forehead against the steering wheel.
"What is it with me and being weak to women with a good strut?" He asked, mumbling as he ran a hand across his eyes. Like, that wasn't just him, right? There had to be other guys out there that were just as easily distracted as him. "Then again, she did say that she'd chop my balls off." Jaune reminded himself.
Jaune leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as he crossed his arms. Maybe a quick nap could help him put his house in order?
But sadly, that never came to pass as Neo knocked on the passenger side door, jolting him awake. Watching as she hardly thumbed towards the trunk, Jaune was quick to pop it open. That was when he noticed the thick duffle bag slung over her shoulders, the bag being nearly as tall as her. It would have been comedic had she not been so scary.
With that, Neo closed the trunk before finding her seat next to him again. She quickly tapped him another message, along with the address to go with it. So, Jaune went through the same process of starting his car again, getting them moving and back on the road.
But unfortunately, this ride wouldn't be so short. Unlike the last address, this spot was out in the middle of Central, taking them far away from the industrial district. It would only be a 15 minute drive, but watching his fuel tank made him tense up.
Jaune cleared his throat, following the map that he had set on his scroll. "So," he started, his voice trailing off as he caught Neo's mismatched eyes staring at him. "I take it you're not the talkative type?"
Neo deadpanned, blankly staring at the driver as she swapped to her browser. Quickly pulling up a translator, she typed in her message before turning on the text-to-speech. "Shut up and drive." The robotic voice monotonously said.
Jaune struggled to fight down his laughter, instead focusing on the road. "Alright, I'm going to take that as a yes and a no." He said, quietly chuckling as he turned on his blinker, taking a right at the next turn. "So, what's the story? Get your vocal cords cut? Maybe burned the inside of your mouth a little too much? Spicy food?"
Neo glared at him as she quickly typed another message. "I don't talk because I don't want to." It was just that simple. Besides, what good did talking do for anyone? The only thing that Neo knew talking was good for was lying. "The only reason I'm using tuhtuss is because you're driving. You're too stupid to read and drive at the same time."
Jaune ignored the obvious insult for a moment, curling a brow as he stared at Neo from the corner of his eye. "...Tuhtuss?" He asked.
Neo rolled her eyes, typing in the message again. "Tee-tee-ess." She corrected. "And look, I was right. Stupid." The robotic voice spoke again.
Jaune didn't bother fighting the smile as he watched ahead. "How thoughtful of you," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "You know, I didn't think a lady like you would care much about texting and driving, being a criminal and all. But look at you, setting an example." He joked, snickering to himself.
Neo deadpanned, slowly taking her time to type out her message. "I'd prefer to not flip the car because you didn't pay attention." The text-to-speech spoke for her. "And remember what I said about castration?"
The driver's shoulders stiffened as he cleared his throat. "Shutting up now." He rattled off, silently driving them across the bridge to Central.
The rest of the night went by more like a blur, if nothing else. Each time that Jaune brought them to their stop, Neo would step out, he'd pop the trunk, and she'd take the suitcases in and walk out with a duffle bag. What was in either of them, Jaune didn't know, and maybe that was for the best.
But with each subsequent stop and delivery, Jaune couldn't help but fall into the routine. He'd come to a stop, pop the trunk, and he'd wait. Sometimes it took minutes, other times it'd take closer to half an hour. Those longer stops were hellish, his leg restlessly bobbing as he waited for Neo to get back.
Thankfully, this stop was the last one. All he had to do now was pop the trunk, and wait for Neo to get back. But even so, his leg didn't stop bobbing, and he felt a cold sweat develop along the back of his neck.
Pulling out his scroll, Jaune sighed. "C'mon, where is she?" He started, his brows furrowing. "It's been 40 minutes now." His tongue unconsciously ran over his lips as his hands flexed against the wheel. Well, if nothing else, at least the streets were silent.
A loud crack filled the air, then another, then a cacophony of pops and bangs followed. Jaune's hands started moving before his brain did, starting the ignition and setting his foot on the clutch, his other foot hovering over the accelerator.
Neo burst out of the dingy door that separated the streets of Central from the meeting place, a duffle bag on her back, a suitcase in one hand, and a bloody parasol in the other. Without a second thought, Jaune flung the passenger side door open, the car's weight shifting as she harshly landed in her seat.
A trio of men dressed in leather jackets with patches on their shoulders soon followed, all of them holding something in their hands.
Guns.
Jaune's foot sat heavy on the gas, the engine loudly rumbling as he lurched forward in his seat. The sound of tires screeching along with a handful of pops and bangs filled his ears, but taking the first corner he could, he was quick to put the sound of gunshots behind him.
Jaune kept the speed up for a moment, taking another handful of turns before he was sure that he could ease up. The streets were empty - thankfully - but that didn't mean that cops couldn't show up. So, Jaune took a deep breath, easing his grip on the wheel as slowed down.
"Are you okay?" He asked, looking over for a brief moment.
Neo's shirt was stained in specks of blood, her face not looking much as she wiped it away with her palm.
Jaune's mouth went dry for a moment, but he shook his head, focusing back on the road. "Th-there should be some napkins in the glove compartment." He said, turning on his blinker before taking an oncoming left turn. But not before he noticed Neo shooting him a curious glance. "Sometimes I'll, uh, I'll order takeout and not want to throw out the napkins. So I put them away, just in case."
After a moment, Neo nodded, taking slow and deep breaths as she reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a bundle of brown napkins. She ran the brown paper across her chest, her white shirt slightly stained from the specks of blood. She wiped her face off next, using the mirror in the sun visor to get it all off.
She set her parasol on her lap, pulling out the blade before using the napkins to wipe it clean, bunching up the napkins into one ball before stuffing them in her pocket. She'd dispose of them later, but for now, this would do.
Neo sighed as she leaned into the back of her seat, looking over at her driver to find his shoulder tense, his eyes quickly darting to look at every upcoming corner. She brought a hand to rest at his shoulder, feeling him jump away from her, but she shot him a raised brow.
Pulling out her scroll, she used the text-to-speech on her browser to tell him one last thing. "Let's get to the warehouse. We've done enough tonight." The robotic voice fed through her scroll's audio.
After a couple of deep breaths, Jaune nodded. "Yeah… yeah, let's do that." He said, his heart loudly thumping against his chest as he felt his throat constrict. As soon as he came up to the next turn and found it clear, he looked back to see his rear window completely intact. "Good thing they didn't hit my window."
Neo rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face as she strapped on her seat belt. They'd just finished getting shot at, and he was worried about a broken window? Neo would never understand rookies. She tossed not just the duffle bag and the suitcase into the back seat before settling in for the drive back.
The rest of the drive back to the warehouse was thankfully quiet, minus Jaune's odd sigh of relief. But honestly, Neo couldn't even blame him. Not this time, anyhow. After all, she'd just had to fight her way out of a deal gone bad, dirtied her parasol, killed some odd three guys, and then had this rookie driver make a quick getaway.
Not that she cared for the weakness, but there was a difference between liking it and understanding it. She wasn't much better when she got shot at for the first time.
Once they got across the bridge to Central, Jaune's shoulders finally loosened up, slumping downwards in his seat as he turned to take them to the warehouse. "Oh, thank God." He whispered, a relieved smile on his face. A chuckle slipped out of his mouth, though he failed to find what was so funny. "I can't believe I survived that."
He heard Neo snort, rolling her eyes as she kept her eyes on the road. Typing at her scroll, she shrugged her shoulders. "You get used to it." The robotic voice said. "Or at least, you better."
Jaune slumped deeper into his seat, carefully taking them back to the warehouse. Once they made it, Jaune pulled into the parking spot closest to the entrance, bringing the car to a full stop before pulling the e-brake. He just survived driving a criminal to and from four different deals, and one of them ended in a shootout. And craziest of all, he lived through it.
He groaned as he ran both of his hands down his face, feeling his heart rate slowly lose its speed. Was this an adrenaline dump? He'd never felt one so heavy before? His lips felt dry, so did his mouth and tongue come to think of it. Trying to pull his hands from the wheel, he heard the leather peel away from his skin, leaving a lingering burn.
Neo rocked his shoulder again, curling a brow as she gave him a shaking thumbs up, rocking somewhere in between good and bad.
The blond driver pushed out a breath, resting the back of his head against his seat. "I, uh… I'll be fine, I think." He mumbled, undoing his seat belt. "Let's just get this stuff inside so we can call it an early night."
After a brief moment, Neo nodded, undoing her own seatbelt before reaching into the back seat and grabbing the duffle bag and the suitcase. That was going to be hard to explain to Roman, Neo was sure of it. But on the bright side, one less stupid gang to knock off the list of buyers, which meant more money to make from the stupid brunette and her equally stupid kids.
Jaune popped the trunk, but not before fishing his keys from the ignition. All that remained was to step out of his seat and grab a bag or two. Placing his feet on solid ground, Jaune stood up, but his legs felt… weightless. Like he was walking on air itself. Taking a deep breath, Jaune walked around the back end of his Celica before stopping at the trunk.
He groaned as he slung the first bag over his back, hoisting a pair of bags over shoulders. "What did they fill these with? Rocks?" He complained, following Neo into the warehouse. It smelled like old copper, stale and rusty by every stretch of the imagination. Or maybe it was just Neo.
Neo led him to the far end of the warehouse, a single wooden desk under a hanging lamp as Roman tapped a pencil against blue-tinted paper. As soon as they got close, Neo tossed the duffle bag onto the desk, Roman only raising a brow.
As he looked up, a smile spread across his face. "Ah, Neo, Jack, how'd the job go?" He asked, his cigar bouncing between his lips. "Good?"
Jaune looked at Neo from the corner of his eyes, not failing to catch her brows furrowing. He watched as her hands moved furiously, different signs and hand motions moving faster than he could interpret. Not that it mattered, since he didn't know a lick of sign language.
But judging from the way Roman frowned, it wasn't good.
Roman plucked the cigar from his lips, brushing off the ash at the end of his cigar before setting it aside. "What do you mean they shot at you?" He asked, standing from his seat as his brows furrowed. "Which 'they?'"
Neo kept signing quickly before gesturing to herself, pointing out the specks of blood on her shirt.
"The Jackals?" Roman asked, curiosity filling his voice as he tilted his head. "Those bunch of drugged-up upstarts couldn't navigate their way out of a paper bag, much less a fight with us." He said, setting his jaw before turning to look at Jaune. "How about you, kid? You get hit at all?"
Jaune quickly shook his head, his hands shaking as he shrugged off the bags before undoing the one around his back. "No, no, just shaken up. I'll be fine." He said, taking another deep breath. "Just wasn't expecting to get shot at, that's all."
Roman stared at him, his expression unreadable until he nodded, a smile climbing his face. "That's good, kid. That's real good." He said, reaching across the desk to pat him on the shoulder. "I tried to get you something easy, but look at you! You got put through a mini-ringer, and you're better for it."
Jaune wasn't sure how true that was, but he nodded anyway. "I guess so." He said, his voice trailing off as his eyes fell towards the floor.
The smile on Roman's face died as he turned to Neo. "Give me a moment with the kid, will you?" He asked, standing up from his desk as Neo shot him an unimpressed expression. "Take your pick of the guys on hand, and when you're done, meet us at the front door. Won't take long."
A beat passed, then another, then a third before Neo finally nodded, walking away from the desk and deeper into the warehouse. All that was left was Roman, along with the kid. Not that Jaune seemed to notice, given that he was still staring down at the ground.
Grabbing his cane before stepping around his desk, Roman threw an arm over the blond's shoulder. "Walk with me, kid. Let's talk business." He said, feeling Jaune jolt at the sudden contact. But he kept his hand precisely where it was, leading him along. "I know this wasn't exactly what I had in mind for you, but believe me when I say that you've done me a favor. Not a lot of guys can say they've done me favors."
Jaune's eyes flicked between Roman and the floor beneath, his feet barely managing to keep in line with the ginger man's step. "Uh, glad I could be of help?" He said, though it was more like a question. He wasn't exactly sure what to say regarding that.
Roman snickered, curling a brow as he stared at the kid. "Tell me, Jack. Do you know what it is that I do for people when they do me favors?" He asked, patting him along the shoulder as they walked, swinging his cane in the other hand.
Jaune only shook his head, loudly gulping.
"Relax, kid. This is a good thing." He said, smiling down at him. "On your first day, you managed to make four mostly covert deliveries, three successful pickups, and managed to come back alive to tell me which group of snakes needs weeding out. In my books, that's a net positive. And that kind of work is rewarded." Roman understood the worry. After all, the kid was new, and his experience with men like himself probably only went as far as old mob movies.
Jaune looked up at him for a moment, slowly nodding as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I was just doing what you're paying me to do." He said, clearing his throat to get rid of the dry feeling. "Besides, didn't you want me to do well?"
Roman chuckled, bringing his hand away from Jaune's shoulders to tuck his cane beneath his arm. "I wanted to know if you could follow instructions, not if you could get a job done. That's two different things, and I only need one right now." He explained, turning around to walk backwards next to the blond boy. "What happened with the Jackals, that was out of your control. But you not only managed to bring me my money, you also brought me back my dust."
The gears slowly turned in Jaune's head as he stared at the ground, following Roman through the dingily lit warehouse. "The suitcases and the bags. They're full of Lien and dust?" He asked, curling a brow.
Roman hummed, his head moving from side to side. "Sort of, but not quite in that order. I sell the dest, and in return they give me money. It's a comfortable gig when it works." Granted, it was also a pain when it didn't. But as the age old adage once went, you can't make an omelet without cracking a few skulls. "And considering that this is your first day, I wanted this to be a taste for you. It's your last chance to say no."
Jaune's brows furrowed as he stared up at the master thief. "For a crime lord, you're awfully willing to let people go easily, aren't you?" He asked, his mouth moving faster than his mind.
Before Jaune's eyes could widen, Roman's smile fell, watching as he shrugged. "It's a lot of work to make something like this go smoothly. If you can't handle it, it's better to have you for one job and cut you loose." What good was a driver if he didn't have the stomach for his line of work? "Besides, some guys think they have it all figured out when they walk in, then they get too deep and can't walk out. Think it over first before you answer."
As the entry to the warehouse came into view, Jaune sighed, nodding quietly. "I'll think about it before I answer." He said, a familiar tightness tugging at his chest.
A hand loudly clapped against Jaune's shoulder as Roman laughed. "Glad to hear that your ears work. In the meantime, this should be something else to help speed up your thinking process." He said, reaching into his white coat before pulling out an envelope. But as Jaune went to take it, Roman pulled it back, ditching his smile. "Don't open it until you get home. If you do, I'll know."
Jaune eyed the envelope, slowly grasping it as he looked back up at Roman. "I promise I'll wait. Arc's word." The words left his mouth instinctively. As if a criminal was going to care about his family name.
Roman's face blanked as he led him towards the door. "Good," he started, subtly nodding. "In any case, you're done for the night. Do whatever it is kids do and scram, would you? I got things that need doing." He said, shooing him away with his hands as Jaune made for the door.
Jaune paused for a moment, his mouth shooting open, but nothing came out. Instead, he nodded deeply. "Thanks. For the opportunity, and everything else." He said, walking out of the warehouse before making his way to his Celica.
Roman watched as the kid got in his car before kicking on the engine, revving it before slowly peeling away. He couldn't help but sigh. "Part of me wishes he was a little older. At least then he wouldn't be so shaken up." He mumbled, shaking his head. "Well, experience fixes that problem. Given that he comes back."
As the sound of heels clacking grew closer, Roman smiled, fishing his half-finished cigar from his coat before placing it between his lips. But before he could so much as grab his lighter, he heard the sound of a match striking, the flame coming to hover beneath his cigar.
Roman looked down to find Neo standing next to him, sparking his cigar before dropping the match, stomping it beneath her boot. "So, did you get everyone that you need?" He asked, his words monotonously droning as his every expression disappeared.
Neo nodded, quickly signing to him. She got a couple of guns set aside, along with the guys to use them. All they needed was a location now.
Roman smirked, pushing out a puff of smoke as he pulled the cigar from his lips. "I like the enthusiasm, but I want a proportional response from you." He said, not failing to catch her mismatched eyes rolling. "I know, I know, they're criminals. But remember, so are we. Keep it discrete, and make sure they don't find any bodies."
Silently sighing, Neo nodded, her hands moving rapidly. Fine, she'd make sure to bring an extra guy for clean-up's sake.
Humming, Roman placed the cigar back between his lips, taking a calm, slow breath. "Good, but enough about that for now," he started, letting the soothing taste of cacao seep into his taste buds. "How'd the kid do?"
Neo's face scrunched up, as though she'd just finish sucking a lemon. Loath as she was to admit it, he was… fine, she supposed. He did exactly what he was paid to do, but he was jumpy at the first sign of action. And here she was worried that he'd take her job.
She hardly realized that she'd signed that last part until Roman laughed, a hand ruffling the top of her head. "Oh please, you worry too much about that sort of thing. The day I decide to lose you as my right hand is the day I retire." He said, laughing as he felt Neo try - and fail - to slap his hand away.
Taking one last puff from his cigar, Roman decided to play it safe and let it fall from his lips, crushing what little remained with the end of his cane.
"Guess we'll see just how worthwhile the kid really is then." He said, feeling the midnight wind trail into the warehouse.
Alright, that's it. Show's over.
Nah, I'm fucking with you. Anyway, that's the last of this chapter. For the people that were wondering when shit was going to start, this is it. Last chapter was the end of Act 1, and this is the start of Act 2. I have a relatively good grasp on how Act 3 is going to boil down, but getting there is going to take a minute. In the meantime, buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Follow, favorite, review, whatever the hell you feel like doing really. I'm going to try and be a little more consistent regarding fanfiction from now on, but don't expect anything crazy from me. Been too stuck working on projects that might actually, you know, get published by a real publisher. Anyway, that's all for now, and I'll see you when I see you.
Ciao, y buenas noches.
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