a P

angular. The name 'Derrick Farrell' looked powerful, commanding, even on a flimsy piece of notepad paper. As he signed, the broad side of his hand obscur

er and pen back t

underneath his name. The two names sat side by side, a strange a

it into the inside pocket of his jacket, a ges

calm was

s chair scraped back, the sound loud in the

t him. "Go?

ne leaving no room for argum

ick, we can't just go to City Hall! There are waiting periods,

a reassuring warmth. "Don't worry about it. I have a friend who works there.

the right people was a form of currency, even for the lower ranks. It was a sign o

ater, and grabbed my jacket and purse. I gave my one afternoon employee, a

ght, chilly afternoon. The sun was low in t

d that was the kindest description I could offer. It was old, the dark blue paint faded and peeling. A long, angry g

ly getting by.' A wave of pity, quickly followed by a sense of security, washed over me. T

for me. As I went to climb in, he put a hand on the roof of the truck, shieldi

, however, my entire perception

felt like butter against my fingertips. My eyes widened. I ran my hand over the dashboard. It was hand-stitched leather, too. The steering wheel, the gear shift, even the door panels

pidated exterior and its opulent inte

truck dipping under his weight. He caught

d, his expression a per

. "This is... Nappa leather. This is the kind of stuff you find in a Bentley

ction. The previous owner was some tech bro who went bankrupt. Guess he spent all his money tricking out the inside and forgot to pay his taxes." He sighed

of sense. Of course he'd find a way to get something valuable for cheap. He was resourceful. And his complaint about it being im

ected. It roared. A deep, powerful V8 rumble that vibrated through the f

a smooth confidence that belied the truck's appearance. A soft coun

to something I didn't recognize. In the span of a few hours, I had gone from being forced into a marri

rand, columned facade of Crest

ain entrance, pulling into a spot marked 'Reserved for City Officials.' He cut the e

g to me with a smile that sent another one of

-