The sun was just starting to rise as Oliver let himself back into Polina's house. The sound of her soft snores carried through the otherwise silent home, and Oliver let out a relieved sigh that she was still asleep. He quickly started a a fresh pot of coffee brewing before hopping in the shower, eager to scrub off the accumulated sweat and grime from his night time adventure.
Oliver had just started on a simple breakfast when his girlfriend joined him, wrapping her arms around him from behind. “You know, I could almost get use to this...” She sighed softly in his ear and buried her face in his back.
“I know you miss your job, hon. I'm sorry I caused-”
“No, Oli.” She cut him off gently yet forcefully. “You didn't cause anything. Carl was an asshole that caused you problems. Now that he's disappeared, its obvious where he gets it from. I still can't believe this shit. It's stupid.”
Oliver pecked her lips tenderly before turning back to the cooking food. “People are people, and that means some of them are assholes. Hopefully my lawyer is making some headway on this mess. It's getting more than a little annoying.”
Polina just shook her head, a soft snort of amusement escaping her as she turned to fix herself a cup of coffee. “You're a bit too nice sometimes Oli. You know that, right?”
“For the people I care about? Always.”
His soft, distant tone drew her attention back to him instantly. Seeing the far away look in his eyes, she touched his shoulder gently. “Everything ok hon?”
Oliver visibly shook off whatever thoughts that had been going through his mind and smiled brightly at Polina. “Yeah, everything fine. Just some old memories...”
“Do you want to talk about it? If it's unpleasant, I understand.”
Oliver shrugged his shoulders before carrying the plates to the table. “Thinking about the lawyer reminded me of my dad...”
Polina gently took Oliver's hand. “I'm sorry, Oli. I can't even imagine...” Shaking her head sadly, her sympathy was obvious. After a moment, she asked the first thing that came to mind, hoping to help him push past the memory of another lost family member. “So, your father was a lawyer?”
The question jarred Oliver out of his wandering memories, and he stared blankly at her for a moment before chuckling softly. “Ah, no love. It actually reminded me that my mom's lawyer was getting ready to serve the divorce papers- right after we moved out. Not that any of that ended up happening the way we expected, since my father abandoned us first.”
Polina rocked back in surprise at the explanation, not expecting it at all. “I'm sorry Oli. I guess I read too much into that...” Seeing Oliver's understanding smile, she pushed off the embarrassing moment quickly. “So, do you want to talk about your father?”
Oliver shook his head without hesitation. “Not really. He... wasn't a good person. An abusive alcoholic hell bent on 'making me a man'. Honestly, I would rather forget him.”
Polina's reassuring smile pushed away the unwanted memories as the two enjoyed their quiet breakfast together.
Oliver had just finished washing the dishes from their breakfast when a knock came at the front door, which was quickly answered by Polina who had been reading in the living room. Putting away the last plate, he dried his hands before he headed that way to see who was there. At the door was a familiar detective, one he had seen before but wasn't familiar with.
His arrival didn't go unnoticed as he caught the end of Polina's heated response.
“-considering we share a bed, I'm pretty damn sure! What's next Brown? IS the department planning to blame him for every random crime that pops up?”
Oliver slowed his approach to examine the detective, already certain what he was here for. He was an older black man, hair going gray at the temples and sprinkled throughout his well groomed beard. His eyes gleamed with intelligence, though the apologetic look he threw at Polina showed his feelings clearly.
“Come on, Ramirez, don't bust my balls over this. You know how it is.” Shaking his head sadly, he glanced at Oliver for a second before looking back at the agitated woman. “I was told to come and ask, so that's what I have to do. My... opinions... about those orders don't matter. It's the job.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Polina relaxed slowly, a sympathetic look replacing her anger. “Yeah... Sorry Paul. I'm just getting frustrated with this crap. Them harassing Oli, putting me on leave... It's stupid. And it pisses me off.” After another second to compose herself, she turned to Oliver with a smile. “Oli, this is Detective Paul Brown. He has a couple questions for you.”
Hesitating for a second, she quickly added on. “He's one of the good ones, but you may still want to call your lawyer.”
The detective kept his expression carefully neutral, though he did offer an almost imperceptible nod when their eyes met. After a moments thought, Oliver pulled out his phone and quickly connected with his lawyer. After a brief exchange, his lawyer agreed to advise him over the phone.
Detective Brown's questions came as no real surprise to Oliver, though he was careful not to let that slip.
“Mr Silk, where were you last night between the hours of midnight and three AM?”
Oliver frowned as if to puzzle out why he was being asked. “I'm pretty sure the guys you have watching me could tell you, but we went to bed around 10PM. I think I got up and went to the bathroom around midnight.”
“And you didn't leave the house at any point?”
Oliver's lawyer took that opportunity to jump in. “Detective, I have to wonder why you're pressing this matter. Both Mr. Silk and Ms. Ramirez have already stated where he was. Is he being suspected of something? Perhaps I should be physically present for this...”
Detective Brown shook his head after a moment, a brief smile crossing his face. “That won't be necessary Mr. Barton. I'll note that he cooperated with my questions. Thank you all for your time.”
With the detective gone, Oliver thanked his lawyer before hanging up. When Polina leaned against the door with a tired sigh, he hugged her gently. “Don't let it get to you hon. Everything will all work out, ok?” At her nod, he kissed her forehead gently. “I think you need a break. That's why I booked you a little spa day, down at that place you like. The full package...whatever that is.”
He smiled softly at her laugh, as they both understood he genuinely had no idea what a spa package involved. “Go get ready love. Your appointment is in an hour.”
“What are you going to do while I'm gone?”
He chuckled softly as he nudged her towards the bedroom. “I'll watch some TV. Maybe even take a nap. Just a nice, relaxing day.”
With his girlfriend out of the house, Oliver settled on to the couch to finally check his gains from the night before. Pulling up his system window, his eyes twitched at how much he had made.
Currency Exchange
* 1 Credit = $10 USD
* Account Balance – 64,397 Credits
*Non-Unified world detected. Alternative local currencies provided by request only.
*Credits can be exchange for the users local currency. Funds are deposited directly into the users bank account. All deposits are secure and discreet, listed as pay from an employer(MDMS Inc). All deposits are listed as in compliance with local tax laws. Required documentation will be provided on request.
Oliver couldn't restrain the small smile that crossed his face. He knew his approach had been inefficient for earning credits, but the extra time he took before escaping had clearly boosted his balance nicely. Doing some quick mental math, his smile only grew broader as he realized he could easily raise the rest of his Attributed to 16 and still afford the last locked tab.
He reclined on the couch, enjoying the pleasant warm currents running through his body with each attribute increase. Eventually, his attention turned to a prompt he was both dreading and looking forward to.
Unlock new feature?(Costs 25,000 credits)
Yes/No
With a flex of his Will, Oliver selected Yes. His body grew heavy, and his mind sluggish as exhaustion quickly pulled him under. Just before sleep took him, he was surprised by another prompt.
Hidden criteria met. System Evolution Triggered.
He was unable to react before darkness and dreams took him.