After stripping the car down to its frame, Hunter locked the warehouse door.
Following the instructions, he went around to the side of the building. About seven feet up the wall, there was a small window cracked slightly open. He tossed the key through the gap.
Done.
Hunter hopped on his motorcycle and sped back to his apartment.
That night, Mia didn't show up.
Hunter sensed a problem.
Based on their interactions over the last few days, he was certain that Mia—a girl just discovering romance and eager to escape Vince's harassment—had developed feelings for him.
Normally, she would have come to see him immediately.
Her absence for several days suggested complications on her end. Either Dom had grounded her, or something bigger was happening.
Like a job.
Hunter had been in this world for a while now. He didn't know exactly when the main plot would kick off.
"I need to investigate," he decided.
The next morning, Hunter drove Mia's car to the garage.
As for his old motorcycle? He simply stored it in his Personal Inventory.
With his skills leveling up constantly, his inventory had expanded to 15 cubic meters. Storing a single motorcycle was child's play.
Hunter arrived first. Since he didn't have a key to the shop, he waited outside for ten minutes until Old Parker pulled up in a vintage Chevrolet Camaro.
"Hey, Hunter!" Parker called out through his rolled-down window. "You're early today."
He spotted the blue Honda next to Hunter and looked surprised.
"That's Mia's car. What's it doing here?"
"She mentioned it was having trouble starting," Hunter explained smoothly. "I checked it out. Battery connection issue."
"By the way, Parker, do you have her home number? I need to let them know it's ready."
Parker nodded, not suspecting a thing.
He knew Vince had a crush on Mia, and that the whole incident with Hunter getting shoved was because Mia had asked Hunter to work on her car. Parker didn't think a quiet kid like Hunter could charm Dom's sister in just a few days.
Parker rummaged around his glove box and tossed a business card to Hunter.
"It's Dom's number. Contact him yourself."
"Keep that card," Parker added, a hint of resignation in his voice. "With your skills, you won't be staying in my rinky-dink shop for long. When you're ready to move on, go to Dom. He can give you a better future."
Parker had lost his ambition years ago. He was old enough to see the writing on the wall. Hunter's talent was exploding; a small-time garage couldn't hold a dragon.
As Hunter pocketed the card, Parker seemed to remember something. He pulled a thick envelope from his car and handed it over.
"Here. Your pay from yesterday."
"They were very happy with your work. So, Hunter... keep your mouth shut, and there will be more jobs like that."
Hunter opened the envelope right there. He was getting used to American bluntness.
Inside sat five crisp Benjamin Franklins.
Hunter had learned that $100 bills weren't commonly used in daily life here. Most people used $20s or credit cards. Using a $100 bill at a grocery store usually got you a suspicious look and a pen-test for counterfeits.
He didn't check for fakes. He trusted Parker.
This was the first money he had earned since transmigrating.
"Thanks, Parker."
"Send the jobs my way. I've got no other virtues, but I know how to keep a secret."
It wasn't a lie. Hunter had no friends, and Hunter had only been here ten days. Who was he going to blab to? Mia?
Parker grinned, satisfied.
"Good. I'm going to open up. Use the shop phone to call Dom later."
The day passed quickly.
Hunter called the number on the card that morning. Since he didn't have Mia's direct line, he had to go through Dom.
By noon, someone arrived to pick up the car.
It wasn't Mia.
Two people showed up. Hunter didn't recognize the man, but the woman was unmistakable.
Letty Ortiz. Dom's childhood sweetheart and girlfriend.
She walked into the shop and lingered for a bit, her sharp eyes scanning the place. Hunter felt her gaze land on him several times, assessing him.
But she didn't say much. She took the keys from Parker and drove off.
Over the next week, Hunter's Mechanics skill leveled up rapidly, hitting Lv 4.
Parker noticed that Hunter could fix practically anything automotive, so he threw three more "side jobs" his way.
Two were standard "chop shop" jobs—stripping stolen cars for $500 each.
The third job was different. He assisted a senior mechanic with an illegal modification on a street racer. That one paid double.
The influx of cash solved his immediate debt crisis.
However, Mia never showed up.
Not at his apartment. Not at the garage.
But Hunter noticed something else.
Throughout the week, Dom and his crew brought their cars into the shop for comprehensive maintenance.
More tellingly, every single car got a new paint job.
Hunter's instincts flared.
New paint. Full tune-ups. Silence from Mia.
It screamed "Heist Prep."
Hunter started buying every local newspaper he could find, scanning the headlines for news about hijackings or police activity in Los Angeles. He was trying to verify his hypothesis:
The plot was about to begin.
Read ahead with 70+ chapters now with daily updates!
@patreon.com/Authorizz