Riku and Benimaru walked down a long hallway in a building, their footsteps echoing against the stone walls. The corridor was dimly lit by oil lamps mounted at intervals, casting flickering shadows that danced across the worn surfaces of the hallway.
Leading them was a tall, lanky man dressed in a complete black outfit from head to toe, he even had a black mask that covered the bottom half of his face. Noticeably at his waist hung a pistol, and his hands hovered over it as he walked, never directly touching it but close enough that he could draw it in an instant.
He was obviously on guard in case either of them tried something.
Benimaru watched the man's movements carefully. Judging from what Riku had said about being this person's foot soldier, the guards should've already been accustomed to seeing Riku around. Which probably meant..no, it was a fact..that they were on guard because of Benimaru. He was the new face here, and was the unknown variable in this situation.
He wouldn't blame the man for being precautionary. If Benimaru worked in the underground business where shady and backstabbing deals happened all the time, it would be important to keep an eye on everyone...especially people you didn't know. Trust was a luxury that got people killed down here.
Under normal circumstances, Benimaru assumed if he tried to get a meeting with this "Broker" guy, it wouldn't have happened. He'd watched enough mafia movies in his past life to know how these businesses somewhat ran. And the main way these operations functioned was simply based on trust in a world of shady deals and backstabbing. You didn't just walk in off the street and get an audience with someone at the top.
The only reason they got this meeting so unexpectedly was simply because of Riku's connections and his way around things. The kid had walked right up to the bodyguards at the front of the building, said a few words, and after a few minutes of waiting, one of the guards had come back and told them to follow him.
Benimaru had to admit, the child was scarily good at navigating this world. For someone so young, Riku understood how power and information flowed through the underground better than most adults probably did. It made sense now why he'd survived this long in the slums. It wasn't just luck or scrappiness. The kid was smart, resourceful, and knew how to play the game.
Still, that didn't make Benimaru feel any better about walking into a room with one of Port Raiden's most dangerous people.
The hallway stretched on, seemingly endless. Doors lined both sides, some closed, others slightly ajar with muffled voices seeping through. The air smelled of smoke, and something else that Benimaru couldn't quite place.
Riku walked beside him, his expression tense but controlled. He'd been quiet since they entered the building, probably running through what he'd say when they finally met The Broker.
The guard ahead of them suddenly stopped in front of a heavy wooden door at the end of the hallway. He knocked twice and waited.
A muffled voice came from the other side. "Come in."
The guard pushed the door open and stepped aside, gesturing for them to go in. His hand still hovered over his pistol.
Riku glanced at Benimaru once, then stepped through the doorway.
Benimaru followed.
The room itself was to be expected of someone who ran a prestigious business in the underworld. The walls were lined with various paintings in golden frames, which were probably abstract pieces that probably cost more than most people would see in their lifetime. Items from what Benimaru assumed to be rare collector's pieces from across the Blues were displayed on shelves..ornate daggers, ancient-looking compasses, a strange mask carved from dark wood, even what looked like a piece of fossilized bone mounted on a stand.
The room was heavily furnished but organized with precision. A plush red carpet covered the floor, thick enough that their footsteps made no sound. Leather chairs sat positioned near the walls, and a small bar with crystal decanters filled with amber liquid occupied one corner. Everything screamed wealth and power, the kind that came from controlling information and drug money.
And directly in front of them was a large mahogany desk, polished to a shine. Unlike the rest of the room, the desk was sparse..almost unnervingly so. Just a lamp light, an ink pen holder, and a giant empty bottle of alcohol.
Sitting directly behind that desk was a man with black circular shaded glasses perched on his nose. He had long, messy hair tied back loosely so it fell freely down his back. Behind his glasses, a large scar ran from his temple down across his right eye and disappeared into the collar of a palm-tree-patterned shirt that was unbuttoned enough to show his burly chest and a giant golden chain with the letter "B" hanging from it. He had a thick beard that puffed out slightly as a massive sly grin spread across his face.
Both of his feet were crossed and propped up on top of the desk as he leaned back comfortably in his massive leather chair. In one hand, he held a cigar, smoke twirling lazily in the air before he took another puff. His eyes..or at least where Benimaru assumed his eyes were behind those dark glasses..were fixed on a large set of TV screens mounted on the wall to his right, displaying surveillance footage of every corner and entrance surrounding the building.
He didn't acknowledge them immediately. Just sat there, smoking, watching his screens like they weren't even in the room.
Then, after what felt like a full minute of silence, he finally spoke.
"Riku," the man said, his voice smooth and deep, almost amused. "You've brought me a guest."
The Broker then flicked his hand dismissively toward the guard who had led them in. "Leave us."
The guard nodded once and left without a word, closing the heavy door behind him with a solid thud.
Riku smiled, stepping forward with an air of confidence. "Yes I have, sir... Sorry for the sudden intrusion. But I wouldn't have bothered you if it wasn't important." His tone was charming, almost disarming, as he walked up to the desk and took a seat in one of the leather chairs positioned in front of it.
Benimaru followed and sat down beside him, keeping his posture neutral.
The Broker stayed quiet for a moment, his head tilting slightly as he stared at Benimaru through those dark glasses. With that sly grin still plastered on his face.
Benimaru felt like a dagger was being pressed against his body as the man looked him up and down. Maybe it was the fact that one of the most dangerous men in the Veins was sizing him up, which meant trouble. But it was also something else..a subtle pressure around the man's body, an invisible weight that pressed down on the room. It immediately gave it away to Benimaru that this man was leagues above him in strength. Not just a gap...it was a complete landslide.
"Ahhh..." The Broker said in a subtle, almost amused manner, his smile widening as if he genuinely cared about what Riku had to say.
But then his smile quickly dropped into a frown.
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. The sudden shift sent chills racing down Benimaru's spine.
"And who the fuck are you to think you could bring a fucking outsider to me?" The Broker's voice was low, but growing louder. The veins around his temples became visible even behind his glasses as he stared at Riku with an insane amount of killing intent. Every hair on Benimaru's body stood up. "I should kill you for that."
The pressure in the room intensified, suffocating. It felt like the air itself was trying to crush them.
Despite that, Riku somehow managed to keep a smile on his face despite the overwhelming killing intent. "Boss, please—" His voice was steady, almost cheerful, but Benimaru could clearly see his legs trembling slightly beneath the desk. Still, the kid pushed through the facade like his life depended on it. "This guy is looking for information that only you can provide. I wouldn't waste your time if I didn't think it was worth your while."
The Broker's intense stare lingered on Riku for a few more seconds before he slowly looked away, turning his attention to Benimaru instead. The pressure lessened slightly, but it didn't disappear.
"So you have enough money for said information?" The Broker asked, his tone still carrying an edge despite Riku somehow managing to de-escalate the situation. "My prices are not cheap, if you must know."
Benimaru immediately felt like a rock was caught in his throat. He was still reeling from the sudden bloodlust..it reminded him of the one-eyed grotesque bastard from that day. The same suffocating presence that made you feel small and helpless against someone stronger.
But Benimaru quickly pushed down whatever fear or resurfacing thoughts threatened to bubble up and answered the man. "I'll pay whatever amount for the information I need."
Riku's head snapped toward him, eyes widened like Benimaru had just said something incredibly stupid.
The Broker hummed thoughtfully, stroking his thick beard with one hand while the other held his cigar. He took another long puff, then leaned forward and blew the smoke directly into both their faces.
"How does 8 million berries sound?" he said casually.
Benimaru was entirely shocked. That was more than the money they'd come here to ask for in the first place. 'Fuck!...' Benimaru screamed inwardly. He tried to hold back his shock, but his lips quivered at the thought of that astronomical number.
The Broker raised a brow, noticing the reaction immediately. "What? You don't have that much money?" Heavy displeasure dripped from his tone.
Benimaru simply shook his head.
"How much do you have?" The Broker asked, leaning back in his chair again.
"Eighty thousand berries..." Benimaru said quietly.
The room went silent.
The Broker stared at Benimaru for a long time..long enough that it felt like seconds stretched into hours. Then slowly, very slowly, he turned his head toward Riku, who now had a weary smile plastered on his face like he was trying desperately not to panic.
"DO YOU TAKE ME AS A FUCKING JOKE!"
The man immediately jumped out of his chair with a blur of speed that one moment he was sitting, the next he was standing. His cigar was completely crushed in his grip as his fist clenched down hard, the ashes and tobacco crumbling to the floor, from in-between his fingers. Before either of them could process what was happening, he grabbed onto the massive mahogany desk and with a single swipe of his arm, flung it across the room like it weighed nothing. It embedded itself into the wall with a thunderous crash, that caused the wood to splinter and crack.
Before either of them could react, they were both gripped by their throats and held up in the air with a vice-like grip, with escape was impossible.
"DO YOU FUCKING KNOW WHO I AM?! YOU THINK YOU CAN WALK IN HERE LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE AND OFFER ME SOME FUCKING BULLSHIT?!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, his grip tightening around their throats as they struggled to breathe.
Benimaru felt like a heavy concrete block was pressed against his throat. No air would enter his lungs no matter how hard he tried. His vision swam, darkening at the edges. Nothing he could do was going to stop this man from killing them. His face was going blue and pale, and involuntarily, spit oozed from his mouth because he couldn't swallow. He instinctively kicked his legs, trying to find ground, but slowly he could feel his strength zapping out of him.
'Shit! I'm going to die!...'
Benimaru was slowly blacking out, about to lose consciousness completely.
"PLE—PLEUGH BO—SS... HE—'LL... GUGH!.. W-WRGHK FOR YOU!" Riku managed to choke out despite also being strangled. Maybe it had to do with his smaller body somehow finding enough oxygen to force those words out...however he did it, Benimaru was sure as hell thankful he had.
Because, after a second more of choking them out the Broker immediately let go of them.
Both of them dropped to their knees, gasping desperately for air as it was involuntarily sucked back into their lungs. Benimaru coughed violently, his throat burning like it had been set on fire. He quickly breathed in again and again, each breath bringing a sudden rush of strength back to him..but he was severely weakened, his body trembling from the lack of oxygen.
Riku was bent over beside him, coughing and wheezing just as badly.
The Broker stood over them, arms crossed, watching them struggle with cold amusement.
"I'm listening..." he said, as if choking the life out of them had satisfied his anger.
Benimaru then realized that he had severely underestimated the danger he was getting himself into...
. . . . .
TO BE CONTINUED...
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