Don't keep a girl waiting!

Ned slouched in the corner booth of the dingy café, his eyes fixed on the smudged tabletop. The place reeked of stale coffee, a fitting backdrop for the impossible quest he'd gotten himself into.

He needed access to the Swarm app, and he needed it badly. But joining up meant painting a target on his back, and Ned had spent a month keeping a low profile, he wasn't going to risk that now.

His gaze flicked up as the waitress sauntered past. She moved in a deliberate roll of hips that had toppled more men than the bloodiest battles.

Her uniform, threadbare and tight in all the wrong places, clung to curves honed by years of dodging grabby hands.

Her skirt barely contained buttocks that seemed to have a life of its own, each sway and bounce in sync with the rippling globes of her voluptuous chest melons.

Tanya. That was her name. She'd been eyeing him like a starving dog eyes a steak every time he'd come in this past week. Now it was time to see if he could use that hunger to his advantage.

He wasn't above using people – hell, in this city, exploiting others was practically a survival skill – though, something about this felt different.

Dirtier, somehow.

Still, with a bounty big enough to set him up for life dangling just out of reach, and a chance of losing his baby-maker, he didn't have the luxury of a conscience.

As his eyes raked over her body, lingering on the swell of her boobs, and the flare of her hips, the guilt of using his charms on her, felt less like it should.

'In this shithole of a world, you use what you have. And by the creator, she knows how to use hers, so, I shouldn't feel so bad about it.' He thought.

Tanya's voice cut through his brooding. "Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

She leaned against the booth, close enough that Ned could smell the cutesy perfume barely masking the sweat of a long shift. "Thought you'd forgotten all about little old me."

Ned looked up, pasting on his most charming smile. "Forget you? Impossible. I've been dreaming about your... coffee."

She snorted, but he caught the pleased glint in her eye. "Sure you have, handsome. So what'll it be? The usual?"

"Actually," Ned leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "I came to see you."

Tanya's eyebrows shot up, a predatory grin spreading across her face. "Did you now? And what can I do for you, sugar?"

This was his chance. Ned took a deep breath. "I need a favor."

"Ooh, a favor?" Tanya purred, trailing her fingers along Ned's jaw. The touch sent an involuntary shiver through his groin.

"You should know by now, honey. Nothing comes for free in this world."

Ned swallowed hard. He knew it would eventually get to this, but it didn't make it any easier. "Of course," he managed, his mouth suddenly dry. "Name your price."

Tanya's grin widened, showing too many teeth. "Let's hear what you want first. Then we can... negotiate."

Ned glanced around, making sure no one was in earshot. "I need to borrow your PDA. Just for a bit. To um... check something on the Swarm app."

Tanya's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing shrewdly.

"Well, well. Aren't you full of surprises?" She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You know that's not exactly... allowed, right?"

"I know," Ned replied, holding her gaze. "That's why I'm asking you. I wouldn't trust anyone else with this."

Trust. Trust was a delicate thing, and he was counting on that.

Tanya considered him for a long moment, absently toying with a strand of her hair. Finally, she nodded. "Alright, handsome. But this? This is going to cost you."

Relief and dread warred in Ned's gut. "Whatever you want," he said, suddenly feeling nonchalant about the cost. whatever it was, he was sure it was a small price to pay as compared to what he stood to gain, if he succeeds.

Tanya's eyes flickered towards the back of the café. "Meet me in the storage room. Five minutes." She straightened up, adjusting her skirt with a deliberate slowness. "Don't keep a girl waiting."

As she sashayed away, Ned slumped back in his seat, exhaling slowly. He was relieved she didn't outright ask for money or something he didn't have.

If it was just about spreading his wild oath, then there was no problem, because he had plenty of it to give.

Five minutes later, Ned found himself in a cramped, dimly lit room that was reminiscent of a forgotten storage closet. The air was heavy with the musty scent of mildew, punctuated by the sharp, sterile smell of floor cleaner.

The only source of light came from a small, dusty lamp that hung precariously from the ceiling, casting elongated shadows that danced and flickered on the damp walls.

Tanya was already there, perched on a stack of crates that were pushed up against the far corner of the room. She sat with her legs crossed, her PDA dangling nonchalantly from one finger as she tapped away at the screen with her other hand.

Her eyes were focused on the device, but Ned could see the faint glint of curiosity in them as she glanced up to acknowledge his arrival.

"Alright, sugar," she said, her voice low and husky, betraying just the slightest hint of impatience. "Let's talk about that payment."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked, careful to keep his voice even and calm.

Tanya's smile was all hunger and sharp edges, a predator sizing up its prey.

She set the PDA aside and reached for his belt buckle, her movements deliberate and confident.

"Oh, I think you know," she murmured as she lowered herself to the ground.

Ned stood there with reckless abandon as Tanya fumbled at the clasp of his belt, fingers deftly fumbling with the buckle as if it was something she did often.

The zipper gave way with a metallic groan, as if protesting the haste with which she yanked it down.

And with a thud, his pants hit the floor.

***