The group fell silent for a beat, the idea settling in.
Chang-ho exhaled a thin stream of smoke, grin returning. "That's cold, man."
Do-yoon chuckled, low and dark. "Cold pays better. We get the girl, get the mech, and cash out the reward. Maybe have a little fun before we hand her over."
Do-yoon smirked, kissing Abigail's neck, then leaning her over, slapping her butt lightly.
"We'll show you bite, baby. Real soon you definitely earned yourself a little something extra."
Abigail faked a giggle and rolled her eyes internally.
She hoped that whoever they were plotting against would be OK.
Abigail cursed herself hoping that she didn't give these jerkcoils any ideas.
But then again it was just business.
She really needs the money.
Times for low-rank gifters are harsh and unsympathetic.
You either have to grumble by working for big families, a low errand running job, becoming a scrapper, sell yourself to a brothel or become an expeditioner.
Not very many options and most of them you need high mental strength. She had none of those.
At the brothel is a golden credit-mining cow.
But that's only if you knew how to work it and play the game right.
People often tipped good when giving good advice or doing something that helps a customer out.
She learned early on that just because she worked in a brothel didn't mean that it made her a slagwhore or anything.
There are many women who make a lot of money doing this kind of work.
Most have yet to lay down with any customer and are often requested for services.
The moment that she decided to walk and work at this place, everything in this establishment is the matter of business.
Whether or not you can make it your business to profit.
It had nothing to do with others business or the profit of others.
Your time and services
is what they pay for.
Tsk.
She didnt even want to ponder on it.
Abigail just wished the night was over.
Do-yoon scooted closer, leaning right over her with his arm over her shoulder and slid a disposable credit band holder into her bra.
Abigail smiled after taking the card and grabbing one of the hollow credit checking devices hidden under the table and scanned it, saying that there was 3,500 credits on the card.
"Baby, you shouldn't have." She cooled in fake modesty, quickly putting away her newly received band.
Then she quickly threw herself into his arm to distract him again before he had a chance to change his mind and take it back.
"Oh so eager for brother Do-yoon sweet thing huh?" He caught her a bit in surprise but it riled him up more.
She cursed his stinky breath in her mind 1000 times over but allowed him to do what he wanted for a moments.
Abilgail push him back a bit trying to catch her breath and wiped her lips.
Do-yoon pulled away from her downing the rest of his drink, the glass clinking against the table.
Turning to his men he addressed them collectively getting thier full attention.
Do-yoon raised is refilled glass to them in a toast.
"Start asking around tomorrow. Check the lower academy routes. She can't always be with her rustcan. Once we get her siblings, don't rush it. We will corner her right — someplace quiet, no eyes, no ears," he finished with a smirk.
Yeah, they nodded glasses raised liking the plan.
"Where?" Han Chul asked sipping his drink.
Do-yoon's grin widened as he opened his arms outward, stretching. "South industrial wing."
The others instantly knew what he meant.
"Nobody patrols there anymore since the radiation sweep last month." Ji-hoon laughed.
"If she shows up near the scrap run, we grab her. Quick, clean, and done." Han Chul finished with a sick smile of delight.
Xu Meiran on him leaned in again, purring into his ear, "You boys sound really dangerous."
"Dangerous?" Han Chul laughed, pulling her close.
"Nah, sweetheart. It's just business."
The others erupted in laughter — half amusement, half excitement.
But behind the neon lights and synthetic laughter, a shadow of intent lingered in the air — dark, calculating, and hungry for the reward that could buy them out of the slums forever.
Although not far across Scrapper Moon in Neo-Seoul, they remained unaware of the traps forming in the dark.
——
Iseul looked up at the same night sky on her walk home.
Poor girl had no idea of more troubles soon heading to her doorstep.
When leaving Joon-seok and Haewon's home with Loadon, she had a bad feeling.
This caused her to half jog, slash fast walk, to get home faster.
She made a decision quickly to take a shortcut through the market streets.
She had only one thought on her mind: to get home to her brothers.
On the way, she noticed something oddly strange was going on.
When she had made it to the first main market street, she inwardly shocked to see no one.
Was this caused by the incident? She pondered a bit.
Eventually Iseul slowed down, noticing the empty streets, enclosed stalls, and businesses.
This was beyond concerning.
For the first time since she woke up, she decided to open her ZepeNet comm and checked the Communia-Chat app and the local Scrapper doomsday news pages.
She stopped dead in her tracks when the opening page showed a clear picture, slightly blurred, of her creation's figure in the post talking about the bounty on her and his head.
Oh Domination, she didn't know what to do now.
She looked up at Loadon who was waiting for her patiently.
One thought and a question instantly came to mind.
"I have to hide him. But where?"
It was at this time when iseul gift decided to show its presence, humming in excitement.
"We know a place," it told her.