Scum Of The Earth : System Of Dominion

The air outside the cafe was crisp and cool, contrasting to the warmth they had just left behind. Arthur walked a few paces ahead of Grace, his thoughts swirling until he suddenly stopped in his tracks. 

"Why do you do this?" he asked, his voice cutting through the silence. 

Grace stopped short, looking up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" 

"You know what I mean," Arthur said, turning to face her. His tone was firm, almost accusatory. "You know how dangerous this is. You would have died today if I hadn't stepped in. Why take that risk?" 

Grace averted her gaze, her fingers fidgeting with the strap of her bag. For a moment, she seemed to wrestle with her thoughts, but then her expression hardened. She looked up, meeting Arthur's eyes with determination. 

"Because people like them, people like Lena and Victor King are rot," she said, her voice steady but laced with conviction. "They hide their skeletons in gilded closets, but the stench seeps out. It spreads, infecting everyone and everything around them. Someone has to expose them, to make them face justice." 

"I see,"

Arthur tilted his head, his gaze sharp and calculating. He stepped closer, his tall frame looming over her. "Everyone has skeletons, Grace," he said, his voice lowering to a near whisper. "So, tell me, what's yours? What secret are you hiding from the world?" 

Grace's breath hitched, and for a brief moment, something flickered in her eyes: fear, hesitation, or maybe guilt. Her lips parted as though she were about to speak, but she clamped them shut just as quickly. Steeling herself, she crossed her arms and fired back. 

"Fine," she said, her tone defiant. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. Deal?" 

Arthur chuckled, taking a step back. "Nicely done," he said with a smirk. 

[Leverage Vault Updated!]

Grace grinned, bowing dramatically. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week." 

Arthur turned on his heel and waved over his shoulder. "See you around, Grace." 

"Wait!" she called out. He stopped and turned, watching as she dug into her bag and pulled out a business card. She held it out to him. "Here. You can reach me with this." 

Arthur took the card, glanced at it, and burst into laughter. 

Grace frowned. "What's so funny? Don't tell me you're laughing at how simple it is. Look, printing over 5,000 of these wasn't cheap—" 

Arthur shook his head, his laughter dying down to a chuckle. He pointed to the name on the card. "So, your name is Grace, huh?" 

Grace's face turned red. "It's my middle name," she said defensively. "I don't claim it. I'm planning on removing it, actually." She said, her voice carried a hint of disgust and disappointment 

Arthur pocketed the card, still smiling. "Don't bother. It suits you." 

Grace huffed, crossing her arms. "Whatever. Just don't lose it." 

Arthur waved her off as he walked away, her voice trailing behind him as she muttered a quiet, "Thank you… for saving my life." 

Arthur didn't turn around. Instead, he raised a hand in acknowledgment and kept walking. 

As he strolled down the street, his mind wandered. Secrets. Everyone had them—those little fragments of truth they couldn't bear to let see the light of day. Some out of fear, others out of shame and embarrassment 

"I should see him today," Arthur muttered to himself. His expression darkened slightly. "I haven't seen him since all this started." 

Arthur woke to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly. Groaning, he reached for it and squinted at the screen. Multiple missed calls and messages from an unknown number. 

"King," he muttered, swinging his legs off the bed. 

He dressed quickly and headed out, making his way to the Velvet Fang nightclub. 

The club was a shadow of its usual self during the day, with the vibrant lights replaced by dim, muted sunlight filtered through the dusty windows. The thumping music was gone, leaving a weird stillness in its wake. 

Lena King emerged from a back room, her heels clicked against the floor, and her hips swayed from side to side as she approached. Her confident demeanor was as striking as ever. 

"Arthur," she said, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Victor isn't here." 

'Shit, I must have been late because I overslept. I spent too much time there yesterday. Well, since I'm here now, I'll should start my mission; the quest'

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Good. I'm not here for him." 

Lena paused, clearly intrigued. "Oh? Then who are you here for?" 

Arthur stepped closer, his confidence radiating. He locked eyes with her, a charming grin spreading across his face. "You." 

Lena raised an eyebrow, her expression puzzled. "Me? What are you talking about?" 

Arthur leaned in, activating [Silver Tongue]. He tilted her chin up gently, his voice dropping to a soft, intimate tone. "I couldn't stop thinking about you since yesterday." 

One of his hands traced down to her waist, pulling her closer. Lena's eyes widened, her breath hitched. For a moment, she seemed to relax in his arms, and her guard dropped . 

Then, the sharp sound of glass shattering broke the moment. A worker had accidentally dropped a glass, and the noise snapped Lena back to reality. 

She stepped back, a bemused smile on her lips. "You must have a death wish," she said, her tone teasing but with a dangerous edge. "Do you know who you're talking to?" 

Arthur gulped internally but maintained his composure. "I know exactly who I'm talking to," he said smoothly. "And I know exactly what I want." 

Lena chuckled, shaking her head. "You're a suicidal man, Arthur." 

"For a piece of you?" he replied with a grin. "I'd risk it all." 

In his mind, however, he was screaming, 'This is insane. Abort mission.' 

Lena turned, walking behind the bar. She pulled out a small backpack and placed it on the counter. "Since you came to see me instead of Victor, I suppose I should keep this package meant for Victor's visitor." 

Arthur's ears perked up. "Package?" 

She unzipped the bag slightly, revealing bundles of cash stuffed inside. 

Arthur's expression shifted instantly, his tone suddenly serious. "I, uh… I came to see Victor, actually." 

Lena clicked her tongue, zipping the bag closed. "What a shame. Here I thought you were here for me." 

Arthur scratched the back of his neck, trying to salvage the situation. "I mean, I came to see you both." 

Lena smirked. "I don't like sharing attention… or anything." 

She scribbled something on a piece of paper and walked over to Arthur, slipping it into his pocket. Leaning close, she whispered, "If you really want to see me, do it properly." 

With that, she disappeared back into the shadows of the club. 

Arthur pulled out the paper, finding an address and a phone number scrawled in neat handwriting. He stared at it for a moment before glancing at the bag of cash in his other hand. 

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "How did my life turn into this? I'm not complaining about it though"