Free Web NovelChapter 199: Chapter 199: Safe Zones and Fast Cash
"My bad." said Alexander, turning the key to bring the engine to life.
"There’s only one weapon left" said Victoria, tapping the dashboard. "It’s in the glove box. You had it stored there, and it’s the one I used to save your skin."
Alexander popped the glove box open and pulled out his sleek sidearm. He dropped the magazine into his palm, counting the brass casings. Six live rounds remained in the magazine, plus one sitting in the chamber.
"Well, it doesn’t matter" said Alexander, slamming the magazine back into the grip and stowing it away. "With the payout coming from this contract, I’ll just purchase a fresh arsenal."
"Are you short on cash?" asked Victoria, leaning forward from the back seat.
"A bit" said Alexander, maneuvering the car out of the gravel lot. "I haven’t taken on many high-tier contracts yet. I’m a new agent, you know."
"A new agent?" asked Victoria, her voice dripping with sheer disbelief. "You fight like a hardened professional. I assumed you had been operating within the organization for at least a year or two."
"Not at all" said Alexander, shifting gears as he hit the main avenue. "In fact, I just officially bought my own apartment earlier today."
"Oh really? Where?" asked Aria.
"The Star Crystal building in the financial district on 6th avenue" said Alexander.
"Wow, that’s actually an excellent choice" said Victoria, nodding in approval. "It’s incredibly secure... and more importantly, that entire sector is under the direct control of Big Black. I highly doubt anyone will try to hit you there."
"Hit me?" asked Alexander, glancing at her through the mirror.
"Well, the Sinclair family doesn’t give a damn about TMC’s boundaries" said Victoria, her tone turning cold and analytical. "But Big Black is an entirely different story. If the Sinclairs launch an attack on you inside TMC territory, it depends on whether they think they can escape the consequences. If they pull it off, TMC will simply reinforce your security detail, but they won’t launch a full-scale war of vengeance. But Big Black... that man never forgives an infraction. He seeks bloody retribution at any cost. The last faction that dared to launch a strike on his territory was exterminated down to the last man." freёwebnoѵel.com
"Is he really that terrifying?" asked Alexander, keeping his eyes on the road as the Shelby roared down the highway.
"A bit" said Victoria, leaning her head back against the leather seat. "From what I understand, he actually went head-to-head with your friend Stephen on one occasion. I don’t know the exact reason, but TMC failed to neutralize him. There are rumors he used to be a high-ranking agent within the organization itself, but honestly, I have no idea. I try my best not to get involved in the dark business of the underworld."
"Understood" said Alexander, shifting gears smoothly. "In that case, let’s keep moving. As soon as I drop you two off, I’m heading out to deliver the final payment."
"I’m coming with you" said Victoria, her sharp eyes locking onto his profile. "I don’t feel like heading back to my empty apartment just yet."
"What about Aria?" asked Alexander, glancing toward the rearview mirror.
He didn’t need an answer. Aria was already curled up on the back seat asleep. The brutal emotional and physical toll of the day had finally caught up to her, leaving her dead to the world.
"Well, I guess it’s just the two of us" said Alexander. "But first, I need to stop at a bank to withdraw 200k. I just hope the branches in this district are still open."
"200k?" asked Victoria, letting out a dismissive sigh. "Don’t waste your time. I’ll just lend it to you. Pull into the corporate offices just ahead; we can withdraw that amount from my personal account in seconds."
"Alright, that works" said Alexander. "Let me just grab the rest of the funds first."
Alexander cut the wheel, navigating the muscle car toward the secure perimeter of the TMC hotel. He parked in the subterranean lot, stepped out, and headed up to his room to retrieve the briefcase containing the cool million dollars. A minute later, he tossed the weight into the trunk next to the explosive C4 blocks.
Before getting back into the driver’s seat, he leaned across the center console, reaching down into the dark gap beneath Victoria’s seat to recover his hidden emergency stash.
"Everything hurts right now... but if you really want to..." muttered Victoria, her voice dropping into a soft, submissive purr as she slowly spread her slender legs wide, assuming he was reaching for her.
Alexander’s hand emerged from the shadows a second later, holding three thick, plastic-wrapped bricks of cash totaling 60k. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Victoria’s face flushed a burning crimson as she realized her mistake, her dominant composure vanishing.
Alexander let out a loud, genuine laugh, tossing the money onto the dashboard. "I was literally just retrieving the cash, Vic."
"You are such an idiot..." muttered Victoria, crossing her arms tightly and looking out the passenger window to hide her deep blush.
Alexander laughed, leaning over the center console to catch her chin with his hand. He pulled her into a firm, deep kiss that left her breathless, before breaking away with a smirk. "Well... we could always find a way to take advantage of the moment anyway."
"I don’t think so" said Victoria, rolling her eyes and turning her back to him, though a small smile played on her lips.
Alexander chuckled, taking the three blocks of cash from the dashboard and walking around to toss them into the trunk suitcase. He climbed back into the driver’s seat and navigated the Shelby toward the Victoria corporate offices.
As they pulled into the sleek, private VIP drop-off lane, a sharply dressed courier in a tailored black suit was already waiting on the sidewalk, holding a heavy, secure metallic briefcase. The courier stepped forward, handed the briefcase through the open passenger window to Alexander, nodded respectfully toward Victoria, and turned on his heel to disappear back into the building without saying a word.
Alexander popped the heavy latches of the case, flipping the lid open to reveal dense, bricked stacks of crisp hundred-dollar bills.
"This definitely isn’t just two hundred thousand, is it?" asked Alexander, his eyes narrowing as he estimated the sheer volume of the currency.
"It’s a full million" said Victoria, her voice returning to its smooth, untouchable corporate tone. "Consider it your personal bonus. I don’t care how much TMC is officially paying you for the extraction contract, but this is a separate, private token of appreciation for keeping both Aria and myself alive today."
"Vic, I told you that—" said Alexander, turning to face her.
"One thing is pleasure and another is strict business" said Victoria, cutting his words short with a cold, dominant look that brooked no argument. "I never mix the two."
