Chapter 18 - Fritz Keller (2)

The dimly lit room reeked of cigar smoke and tension as Gustav entered, his footsteps echoing off the cold, bare walls. Fritz who sat behind the mahogany desk, looked up. His sharp eyes narrowed at Gustav, demanding answers. "Well?"

"He goes by the name Matthew Marshall, but that's all we've got. No home address, no criminal record, no contacts. Just a name and a phone number which he had put on the forged documents."

"And the cameras?"

"Nothing there either."

"Nothing? You mean to tell me that this waltzed into my dealership, bought a car loaded with my merchandise, and vanished without a trace?"

Gustav nodded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "This Matthew Marshall, he knew what he was doing. Professionally trained, I'd say. Managed to avoid every camera in the dealership, even the hidden ones. It's like he left no footprint behind."

Fritz scowled, his gaze fixed on the cigar in his hand. "What about the car? Did you track it?"

Gustav sighed, "No, master. The car's untraceable. No GPS, no serial numbers. We also ran his contact number through the database. It's a dead end. Fake, or perhaps untraceable. I don't think we're dealing with an ordinary buyer."

Fritz leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, and rested his chin on the back of his hands. "What are you suggesting, Gustav?"

Gustav took a deep breath. "I'm suggesting, master, that we might be dealing with someone with extensive training. Someone who knows how to leave no traces. A government operative, perhaps?"

Fritz's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. "Impossible. We're beneath their radar. No reason for them to involve themselves in our affairs."

"But then again, what's the play here? Why did he buy that car? What's his angle? Or was it just a coincidence? But then why did he bribe Tony?" Fritz contemplated.

Gustav hesitated before speaking. "Master, I think we should try the number. It might be fake, but it's the only lead we have. Maybe he slipped up somewhere."

Fritz raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on his face. "You think it's worth a shot?"

Silence followed. Fritz leaned back, "Alright, Gustav. Make the call. Let's see if the ghost has left any breadcrumbs for us to follow."

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The call continues - 

There was a moment of silence on the other end before Matthew spoke, feigning ignorance. "Valuable? I wasn't aware. What are we talking about?"

Fritz sighed, knowing he had to tread carefully. "Matthew, I'll be frank with you. There are weapons hidden in that car. I need them back."

A pause, then Matthew chuckled softly. "Weapons, huh? Interesting. What's in it for me if I help you out?"

Fritz gritted his teeth "Matthew, I'm not in the mood for games. Those weapons are worth a fortune. I'm giving you a chance to cooperate. Otherwise, things could get messy for both of us."

Matthew's tone remained calm. "Messy, huh? I don't like mess. Fine, let's make a deal. What do you have to offer?"

Fritz hesitated, contemplating. "Return the weapons, and I'll make sure you get a handsome reward, twice the cost of the car you paid for. No questions asked, and we go our separate ways."

Matthew's voice became colder. "A reward? huh? Make it triple and we have a deal." 'I think Sophie's greediness is rubbing off me.'

Fritz frowned, it was a question of 30000 Alpenas "Matthew, you're pushing it."

"I don't make deals lightly, Fritz," Matthew replied. "And from where I am standing you can't find me and you are desperate." Matthew grinned.

After a tense pause, Fritz reluctantly agreed, "Fine, Matthew. Return the weapons, and we're done. But remember, I don't take kindly to being pushed around."

After the agreement was made, Matthew calmly asked, "When and where, Fritz?"

"Two days later, midnight. Meet me at the old warehouse near the waterfront. We settle this there."

Matthew's chilling laughter echoed through the phone. "Don't worry, Fritz. You won't even know I was there." and the line went silent.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Fritz slammed his hand on the desk loudly "Ahhggh! Motherfucker!"

"Gustav, we've got a problem," Fritz said, his tone urgent. "This guy, Matthew, knows too much. We can't let him walk away from this."

"What do you wish of me, Master?" Gustav asked.

"I want you to take care of him," Fritz ordered. "Permanently. No loose ends. I need you to make him disappear, Gustav."

Gustav just nodded.

Fritz took a deep breath, his mind calculating. "We will take him out two days later at night at the old warehouse near the waterfront, the same place we're meeting. I'll ensure he's there, and you handle the rest. But Gustav, listen carefully. If he escapes, we'll never find him again. I can't afford any mistakes."

"Understood, Master. I'll make sure he doesn't slip away."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Matthew hung up and gasped, *huff*, his calm façade faded, 'Fuck! That was too stressful! Well the deal is done anyway. I gotta prepare for the showdown now.' He started walking back home.

After Matthew reached home he took a long warm shower, and had something to eat. Then he laid down on his hammock and opened the System Interface -

╔═══════════════════╗

║ - Ultimate Mafia System - 

╠═══════════════════╣

║ - Status - 

║ - Objectives - 

║ - Shop - 

║ - Map - 

║ - Wardrobe - 

║ - System Settings - 

║ - ??? (Locked) - 

║ - Exit - 

╚═══════════════════╝

'So only this '???', whatever it is, remains locked, huh?' 

Then he proceeded to open shop -

╔═══════════════════╗

║ - Shop - 

╠═══════════════════╣

║ Balance: 323 CRD ; 1 NP 

║ 

║ - Equipment - 

║ - Mastery - 

║ - System Augments - 

║ - Intelligence - 

║ - Assets - 

║ - Artifacts - 

║ - Currency Conversion - 

║ 

║ - Exit - 

╚═══════════════════╝

'Woah! Quirk give me a breakdown.'

[

Equipment:

Firearms, melee weapons, basic surveillance tools, gadgets, street attire.

Cost: Varies in Creds and NP.

Mastery:

Direct Assimilation Packages to acquire or increase mastery.

Cost: Varies in Creds and NP.

System Augments:

Special abilities enhancing the Host's capabilities.

Cost: Varies in NP.

Intelligence:

Valuable information resources.

Cost: Varies in NP.

Assets:

Investments in real estate, businesses, and properties.

Cost: Varies in Creds.

Artifacts:

Famous objects or augments from previous Earth's outlaws.

Cost: Varies in NP.

Currency Conversion:

Conversion Rate: 1 Cred = 100 Alpenas (ALP).

Reverse conversion (ALP to Creds) not supported.

 ]

'Well, this will come really handy for the showdown, won't it?' Matthew grinned.