“You’re the one who stole my dominion points, aren’t you?” Mr Kirkland was too stunned to speak for the first few seconds. But soon, he put his arm around the window of the Ferrari and smiled at Benjamin.“So, you figured it out. That was quick. Did your System tell you? I thought they were not allowed to disclose other identities of System Users” mused Kirkland. “But I suppose it was a no-brainer after all. The choices were between me and that Kid, right?” Benjamin approached him.“Who the hell are you?” asked Benjamin. Kirkland grinned and leaned back in the soft leather bucket seats of his car. “Me? I’m Kirkland. CEO of MoonStar Industries. I believe I’ve already introduced myself, Mr. Benjamin. “Yeah, we’ll see” started Benjamin, firing up Appraisal.[Appraisal. Name: BLOCKED. Age: BLOCKED. Dominion Points: BLOCKED. Exp: BLOCKED. Skills: BLOCKED Strengths: BLOCKED Weaknesses: BLOCKED.] “What the fuck?” exclaimed Benjamin. Kirkland laughed. “Don’t tell me. Appraisal? Come on. S
“What?!”“Whoa, you haven’t heard the most of it, Mr Black. It’s much worse than that.” Replied Kirkland squeezing through Benjamin’s left wrist. Benjamin didn’t feel a thing, but [Notice: Strengthened Body Integrity Compromised. 90% Integrity left. 70%. 50%]Amber was with Johnny several feet away, still clueless to their conversation. “Let her go, Mr Black. It wouldn’t work out anyway. Do you think she could ever look in your direction? No amount of money’s going to change that. It won’t erase, all this—“ Kirkland gestured to Benjamin's demeanour.“If you’ve got something to say-“ started Benjamin.“It’s like putting perfume over a rotting stench. Well, I’m sure you can imagine how worse that makes it” snapped Kirkland. Was his appearance really that distasteful? It had been fun to get one up over people who kept underestimating him, but for even a system user to bring it up. Amber also commented on it back at school, he thought.“Ahh, it seems you understand, already. Has she comme
“But you are the Johnny Zeppeli!” said the older gentleman. “How the hell do you know that?” asked Johnny, flustered. The gentleman clicked his tongue, and his colleague shook his head. “Such short memories, they have, this generation. Can you truly not recall? I fitted you personally for your sister’s graduation party.” “And the ball in Norway, If I remember.” said the round man.“And the Presidential Rehearsal Dinner in the United States.” Said the other. Johnny cocked his head and turned around the room. “Oh, yeah. I guess this is why this place felt a little familiar. I’ve never come here on my own accord though.” he said.The two men lead Johnny and Benjamin deeper into the Catacombs of Valentino. “I have done a disservice to you, Master Benjamin. Allow me to introduce ourselves. I am M. Dubois, and my small round colleague goes by Mr. Giordano.” Said Dubois, bowing.“Ah, it warms my gentle heart that we have a Zeppeli and a Black at the same time in our humble store. It is
“Just pick a suit” instructed Benjamin, from within the dresser. Dubois had already disappeared, In a few minutes, he returned with an emerald two-piece set.“I remember Master Zeppeli has a fondness for the green, no?” asked Dubois. Johnny examined the fabric, his obstinance fading with each stroke.“Handcrafted by the Great Valentino III.” Added Dubois. “Green is the most pacifist colour,” he said.“What are you waiting for Master Zeppeli? Put it over yourself, quickly. Although your measurements with us are a bit outdated, my trained eye is rarely wrong. This is one of a kind. The only piece we have in this country. Eh, bien. I deem it is yours!” pronounced Dubois.Johnny visited the dresser and emerged at the same time Benjamin was wearing a sour cream piece: a Cream Blazer, blue jeans and a white vest. Johnny, on the other hand, looked like he had just stepped out from filming on set.“Merveillux, Master Zepelli. Simply, Merveilleux. Between this and Bespoke, there is no differe
“Dubois, why did you of all people, decide to tell me a lie?” asked Benjamin. Mr. Dubois blinked his eyes in confusion. “Master Benjamin?” he repeated. Benjamin silenced from his speaking further using his palm.“I’m already quite aware, that you know who you Mr Ollivander is. And I am quite sure you have his exact location.” Benjamin had confirmed this using [Appraisal] earlier. Both Dubois’ and Giordano’s heartbeats had sped up considerably when the matter of Mr. Ollivander Wallouby was brought up.Dubois opened his mouth but was silenced again.“Never mind how I know. Now the question is, are you going to keep lying to me or not?” asked Benjamin seriously. Dubois and Giordano looked at each other. By the time they turned back to Benjamin, it seemed their mind had been made up. Did they have some sort of silent communication method?“Those bags look heavy, Master Zepelii” began Giordano. “And you as well, Master Benjamin. Permit us to assist you in handling them?” asked Dubois. John
“Of course, Master Benjamin. Remember. We assess the worth of the information before selling. I dare say, we may be getting more out of this than you are.” I’m not so sure about that, thought Benjamin, who was checking if the name had any relation to him or his sister.“Well?” asked Benjamin. “Master Ollivander was a noteworthy man who climbed to the position of the Elite Four Most Influential Families of this city through his innovation and grit in developing the technology to microchip VR games out of their headsets.Unlike the rest of the Elite Four, his fortune was strictly first-generation and his company, VanderTech, was worth $20 billion when he was still alive.”“VanderTech?! I remember seeing their consoles on E3 when I was four years old! The high-powered devices were as small as buttons!” whistled Johnny.“Is it really the same person?” Benjamin, on the other hand, did not have such childhood luxuries of travelling abroad for gaming events. They didn’t even have a TV talk
“Where we off to, Boss?” asked Johnny.Benjamin downshifted into second gear to blow past a red light. He had been getting much better than his first drive-through, and with the help of a few YouTube videos here and there, soon understood how to use the paddle shifters by the steering wheel.“I’m going to bed” replied Benjamin. “As for you, work resumes by 08;00 AM tomorrow.”“Where?” asked Johnny. “What are you, blind and deaf? We have an office!” stressed Benjamin.“NOT THAT. I meant where am I going to sleep?” asked Johnny.Benjamin braked hard to take a left turn. “What are you talking about? Where have you been sleeping up until now?!” he asked.“On the streets”“Excuse Me? Why?!”“It’s not much of a statement If I’m going back to some fancy hotel with a luxury dinner, now is it?” reasoned Johnny.“What the fuck is wrong with you?”“There are people in third world countries, that are struggling to live and holding on to whatever morsel of life they have left because of these con
“Nope” replied Johnny. But on the next turn, Benjamin made, the siren sounds were resurrected. At the end of this street was a Ford Raptor this time, its siren lights strobing the street pavements.“What the hell?” questioned Benjamin.“Who are these guys? I thought this was the local police.”“Yeah, I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” Replied Johnny.“Hang on” Benjamin swerved left at the next intersection into a darker alley, and turned off his high beams. He inched the Mclaren closer to a Dumpster to park, but before that, the street was suddenly lit up with a light source more brilliant than a thousand suns. Everything and everywhere was white from the blinding beams.Benjamin squinted his eyes and slammed the gear into reverse, but in his rearview, he saw the Ford Raptor approaching again, its alarm still very much alive. The walls of the street were much too narrow to carry out any evasive manoeuvres. The Raptor stopped, and Benjamin could hear the sound of two car doors crea