TCR 47 Cash out
I was a little disappointed that half a million dollars in hundreds would fit into a decent sized briefcase.
Really, it was convenient considering I had to carry the aluminum briefcase down to the boat and haul it back off after Buzz drove me back to shore. But I was thinking it would be more like a big overstuffed duffel bag, or maybe even two for that much money.
After the fight, I got my right hand lifted over my head while the crowd cheered, and a girl in a blue sequined gown handed me the briefcase.
Then I got directed to the waiting room where everyone that had lost was cleaning up or changing their clothes.
Again, awkward. At least for me.
Code Red gave me a nod. “Congratulations. I heard you got kicked out of your house. Do you need any help, a place to stay?”
I patted the briefcase. “I think I got everything covered, but thanks.”
She gave me a slip of paper. "Take this anyways. It's my phone number and E-mail. If you do need help or even just someone to talk to. Get in contact."
The red and pink haired woman seemed nice, and her younger friend, Clementine, was giving me a friendly nod.
I tucked the slip of paper away. “Thanks.”
Then I got out of there.
Buzz was waiting for me outside. "Great fight. Falco called and said you're hired, meet us at the club in two days, around ten."
Darn. Guess I have to eat dinner with two of the most dangerous people on the planet. Why can't criminals ever be useful?
When we got to shore, I opened up the case and handed two bundles of bills to Buzz, he seemed surprised but pleased. "Thanks. But can you let me know why so I can keep doing whatever earned me that?"
I closed up the case. “You drove. You get a cut. Not a big cut, but you should still walk away with something.”
Then I headed off and called for a Rumor ride share with the phone I had gotten back when we got to the dock. I would later figure out I had given Buzz twenty thousand dollars.
Good thing I always believed in tipping well, when I went somewhere that required tipping.
When my ride got there I leaned back in the rear seat of the gray sedan and told the driver. “Wake me up when we get there.”
Cracking my real eyes open a bit back at the Royal Court, the main room at the Royals secret base, I called out “I’m in. Need a pick up in twenty please.”
I could dimly hear Manifest reply “On it.” as I shifted my focus back to Samantha.
After paying off the Rumor driver, and giving him a hundred dollar tip, I jumped over the fence of the shut down industrial site and wandered into an enclosed room inside.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
The phone got left on a shelf along the way, it had been out of my hands, so it was now a security risk.
Inside the room, the air twisted around into an open portal which I stepped through into the underground base.
Setting the briefcase down on a desk next to the monitor station, I snapped the thing open and started piling up cash next to it. "I'm keeping half, use the rest for the team."
The team, all four of them stared. Fable pointed at the money, “Did you already rob the bank, because if you did, we really should give that back.”
I froze up for a second while I processed that, then I shook my head. "Okay, I can see why you might think that, but no. It was an offshore fighting tournament and I had to fight in it to get on Falco’s team. Not only to show off how strong I am but because it showed I’m willing to do illegal stuff. At least that’s my guess.”
Turning back to the suitcase, I closed it and headed off to the Crypt. “Now I need to put Samantha in the freezer. Adams will need to come in tomorrow to fix up a burn on her arm, and top off some fluids.”
Shimmer called out as I was leaving that room. “Are… Are those holes in you?”
“Yes. Long story. Already fixed them up. Just need a new shirt.”
Eight minutes later I got my original body up from my hammock and stretched, I found the team gathered up around me in a circle. Cutting off all escape.
Shimmer had her arms crossed. “Talk.”
Fable had her hands on her hips. “With details.”
Manifest headed over to the monitor to look up people as I mentioned them.
Code Red was a local there in Florida, she had been active for some time and was noted for training new heroes in how not to get killed.
I thought she seemed nice.
Foraker was out of Alaska and was named after its tallest mountain.
He was not one of the good guys but had never been convicted.
T-Rex whistled as he looked at the guy's file. "Damn. And you beat this guy?”
I shrugged. "He doesn't chew his meat." The lanky teen looked confused for a second, then his eyes went wide. "Ewww. Did you have it go up or down?"
Shimmer waved both of her hands to cut off that conversation, “Don’t answer that, just finish your report.”
Mr Blue Sky being there was a bit of a surprise for the whole team. Fable and Manifest seem concerned, Shimmer was pissed, and T-Rex…
He laid his hand on Shimmer’s shoulder. “I’ll talk to him. You would lecture.”
She began to argue, then paused and shrugged. "Yeah, I would. But tell him that me and him are still going to talk about this at some point, or I can talk to his Mom."
After all of that, she still wanted me to type it all out as a written report. “I want any other details you might remember, and we need to keep records.”
There was a beep from the Monitor as the AI Clovis notified her that the Mice had already typed everything up for me. Even though they weren't officially my Sidekick yet.
I still had to look it over, and as the boss predicted I remembered a few things worth mentioning.
It was nearly one in the morning by the time I got home.
To find a warm woman in my bed.
A sound asleep, sprawled out, and softly snoring woman who had dozed off while waiting for me in a yellow nightie and with some sort of baggy matching shorts.
She woke up long enough to murmur something and curl up to me as I got into bed before she went right back to sleep.
I spent another long morning in court but we broke up for the day after lunch. Back home I watched some recordings of the classes I was missing, then got a few bottles of various ciders from the cellar before dressing up for dinner.
I had on my white cotton job interview shirt, some black denim jeans, and my good boots.
Scorn had on a green summer dress with yellow flowers, and sandals.
She looked nice, and I told her so. “You look good. Want to skip dinner and fool around instead?”
I got a smile for that as she fiddled with my collar. “Thanks for doing this.”
Pulling her in close, I kissed her. "Anything for my woman."
As we got in the car, it occurred to me I should mention something. “I picked up some money yesterday. Got just short of a quarter million in a case down in the cellar. Let me know if you need anything, or got a project you want to start.”
The other side of the truck’s cab turned a little frosty. I pulled over to the side of the road and let out a sigh.
"It's money I got while pretending to be a girl who got tossed out by her parents after getting some nonhuman features after triggering. I gave half of it to the team because it doesn't feel like it's my money. So other than keeping some back for emergencies, I want to use the rest of it for the benefit of others.”
Scorn turned to look at me, still stiff faced.
“I think I might donate a bunch of it to charities the original owner of the body would have approved of, but if you can think of anything we could use to improve the ranch, like a better chicken coop or more girlfriends for Chester. I wouldn't mind putting it to good use that benefits me too."
After staring straight forward through the windshield for a moment, Scorn scooted over close enough to take hold of my arm with both hands and lean her head on my shoulder. After a moment she opened up. “I like my independence. If I need anything, you are paying me pretty decently for my job. I can afford anything I need on my own. I’m sorry for getting…”
Reaching over with my free arm I took one of her hands. “...Miffed. A tat frosty. Discombobulated?”
I felt her silent laugh. “Miffed. I like miffed.”
“I’ll let you know if I have any ideas.”