Web Of Lies

"Tea or coffee, which one do you prefer?"

The gentle voice of the middle-aged lady echoed from the kitchen behind, as she took out a batch of freshly baked cookies out of the oven.

"Umm, then I'll take the coff—"

"Plain water will be enough for him."

But before I could answer her, the rugged-looking man in front of me ruthlessly cut-off my words with his cold, intimidating voice.

Suddenly feeling a little awkward, I forced out a perfunctory smile.

"...Yes, yes. I really love plain water too."

Back in the kitchen, the gentle lady furrowed her brows.

"Dear, come on. Do you really have to bully the kid like this? This is why Arlan's kids always run away from you."

"Tsk, this and that are completely different matters. Don't compare my sweet angels with some roadside trash."

"..."

Hearing the old couple's conversation, the forced smile on my face almost cracked.

'So I'm a roadside trash, huh? Glad to know, glad to know...'

I didn't know why this old man was being so openly hostile towards me, but I could somewhat guess the reason behind his supposed 'animosity'. 

After all, this seemingly harmless person was an infamous ex-gangster who used to run a mid-sized cartel in Miami less than a decade ago. 

And I....was someone who seemed to be a bit too close to the Xavier Group's higher-ups for his comfort.

As a result, it was natural for him to be wary and suspicious of my motives when I suddenly came over to ask for a job at his restaurant.

...Especially when I was already known to be a local gang member in this neighborhood.

The old couple argued for a few minutes, before the gentle lady put down a cup of coffee and some freshly baked cookies in front of me with a heartwarming smile, despite the grumpy old man's vehement opposition.

"Thank you for the amazing cookies, Aunt Martha."

"Aww, thank you, sweetie. Dear, I'll be going out to get some groceries for dinner. Don't give the kid a tough time now, okay? I'll be back in half an hour or so...!"

*Thump*

The sound of the front door being closed echoed from the hallway outside, and the old man finally turned around to face me with an indifferent face.

"...Alright. I hate beating around the bush, so I'll get straight to the point. Why are you trying to get a job in MY restaurant and who told you to do this?"

'Dammit...'

...As expected, it really came down to this. 

Hearing the cold words of this intimidating old man, I could only offer him a bitter smile in response. 

"...You're misunderstanding me, Uncle Harold. I truly need a job right now, otherwise I might just starve to death in the next few weeks. I know that any other place will not hire me. Your place is the last hope I have now."

The old man narrowed his eyes at me, his cold eyes full of suspicion and a slight hint of irritation. 

"Who are you calling your uncle, you brat?! And you expect me to believe that nonsense? Are you taking me for a fool just because I'm getting older?"

I was about to say something to calm him down, but the old man cut me off with a snort before continuing.

"...Now don't try to lie to me, kid. All you need money for is to get your magic drugs from the Xaviers, isn't it? I know who's the dealer around here, and I also know that you've been constantly pestering him for almost a week now."

I felt my eyelids twitch, knowing very well that whatever he just said was probably true. After all, the young lady of the Xaviers had already mentioned it last time.

'Damned f*cker...'

Even when he was dead, this Damien bastard was still causing me trouble every damned step of the way!

Just thinking about it caused my anger to surge uncontrollably for a moment, before I wisely decided to suppress it. 

Looking at the untrusting old man sitting in front of me, I sighed and mentally shook my head.

'Seems like I can't convince him with words alone. Dammit, I didn't want to do this if possible...'

...But what's inevitable was inevitable. Why else would I suddenly come across this old man just when I decided to apply for a job here?

Not to mention, since this person still hadn't sent me away even while knowing my affiliation with the Xaviers, it meant that I still had a chance. This crafty old man was simply trying to pressure and intimidate me!

Retired or not, an ex-ganglord like him definitely wasn't someone to be underestimated. 

All that wariness he was showing me right now was nothing but a sham!

From what he said earlier, he knew about the previous Damien's circumstances very well. 

...And because he knew just how desperate drug-addicts can become, he was now showing me this attitude, wanting to lower my wages to the limit before he finally 'reluctantly' agreed to hire me.

'Heh. Unfortunately I'm not a brainless, irredeemable addict like the old Damien...'

Plus, I really needed some money at the moment!

"...Old man, why are you trying to make this difficult for me? You and I both know that I'm just a small fry. I don't want any drugs, I just want to honestly work and make enough money to get by this month."

Directing a meaningful gaze at the old man, I continued.

"...As someone who left such things behind to settle down here, I really thought you would understand me. I'm the same as you, old man. I really want to leave this bleak lifestyle behind and turn my shitty life around."

Hearing my words, the old man's face visibly stiffened.

The look he was giving me with his eyes also changed, turning into pure and genuine shock.

Smiling helplessly, I continued on with my words.

"No need to be so surprised, I just coincidentally happened to hear your story from someone I know. You're kind of an urban legend in a certain city, so I was never able to forget it."

The old man now had a grave look on his face. 

After all, I wasn't supposed to know about his life's story in any way.

...The story of Druglord Harold Pecker's rise and fall was originally supposed to be an urban legend even in the city of Miami, not to mention a thousand miles away from there in northern Arkansas.

But for someone who knew about all the important novel characters like me, how could his story remain a secret?

"...Where did you hear... No, who told you? I don't remember telling anyone about me in this entire state, and I doubt the Xaviers would suddenly start looking into me for no reason. So, how did you find out?"

The old man comfortably reclined back on his couch as he slowly massaged his forehead in vexation, while pointedly staring at me with his murderous eyes that radiated a subtle bloodlust.

A silent pressure enveloped me at this moment. 

'Oh, shit...'

I felt my breath suddenly running out. 

A thin layer of cold sweat unknowingly appeared on my body, despite the air conditioner constantly running in the background.

'Dammit! Calm down, he won't do anything to me. No matter what I know, I can't send him to prison without any evidence. And he clearly knows that he never left any evidence behind!'

Desperately fighting back the urge to keel over from the intense murderous aura, I steadied my breathing for a few moments, before addressing him.

"...It's not that I don't want to tell you. I simply can't—ukh!"

The murderous look on his face suddenly intensified, and I had to clench my teeth tightly just to stop them from clattering.

"—S...S-Sheriff Olson. I-It's Sheriff Olson who told me..."

As soon as I said that, I saw the old man's eyes waver. The intense bloodlust also disappeared into thin air.

"Huff...Huff..."

I could finally breathe properly. But looking at the old man's flustered face, I could tell that the scheme I hastily came up with was really working.

"Sheriff Olson.... you know him? But, how? And why would he even tell you about me? Who are you?"

'Here it comes...'

"Y-Yes. I'm....I'm from the same place as him. That's why I know. That's why he told me about you, saying that you'd help me if I needed it..."

"...Really? Is what you're saying now, true? Then, where is he now? No, what is he doing...?"

Emotions...

Raw emotions that I never thought were possible for this old man to display gradually leaked from the cracks of his tough exterior.

It was evident to me just how important this Sheriff Olson was to this dangerous old man. 

After all, this Sheriff was the one who made it possible for the infamous Druglord Harold to turn over a new leaf in a new place, along with his newfound love, twelve years ago. 

Now that I had brought up this name, old man Harold couldn't simply disregard me as an irredeemable addict anymore.

'Seems like I can make full use of this name...'

Sure, it was dangerous to lie and deceive this person... But knowing that a vengeful werewolf would soon be coming for my blood, this much danger was almost laughable in comparison.

"It's true. He should be in New Mexico these days. Sorry, but I can't give you his contact details. Unfortunately, he didn't leave any way for me to contact him. Since you know him too, you should also know how he usually is, right?"

"Ahh, right. That guy really was like that... When did you last meet him?"

"It was seven years ago. I wasn't living in this town back then, and my father was still alive. In our neighborhood, he..."

Lies, one after another, flowed smoothly from my mouth. 

An intricate web of deception slowly took shape, slowly ensnaring the emotionally destabilized old man in front me inside it.

All for the sake of resolving my current financial troubles...

'...I'm really becoming a trash person, huh?'

But despite the old man's expression becoming more and more friendly with the increasing number of lies, I still felt a small prick in my conscience for deceiving this person.

"...Okay, you can join from next Monday. Since your appearance isn't really suitable for a waiter, you'll be in the kitchen. Do you have enough money to get by for two more days? Otherwise, I can give you some advance salary."

I shook my head in response.

"No, I'll be fine. Thank you for giving me a chance, Uncle Harold. I'll do my best to not let you down!"

"Hahah, no need to be so stiff around me! I didn't know that you were acquainted with Olson before this, so might've been a bit too harsh on you. You know, your local reputation isn't something to write home about, after all."

The old man seemed much more energetic now. He stood up from the couch, before enthusiastically patting my shoulders in a familiar manner.

"...By the way, I'm more surprised how that guy didn't stop you from becoming an addict? Were there any circumstances behind it?"

With an unsure expression on my face, I looked at the old man's unusually bright, clear eyes.

My performance was reaching its climax. Now, I had to arrange a way for me to stop this old man from digging around too much about this 'Sheriff Olson' and finding out something suspicious...

*Sigh...*

After thinking for a few moments, with a soft sigh, I decided to make the lie I told Myra Xavier this morning into a truth.

"...To tell you the truth, I was never an addict to begin with."

"Huh...? What are you talking about?"

The old man's eyes widened at my confession. 

I responded back to him in a low voice.

"...What do you know about Nutazene?"

"...You mean the drug that the Xaviers are pouring all their money into making?"

I nodded.

The old man narrowed his eyes a little, seemingly trying to recall his memories.

"Not very much, except that it's supposed to change the drug business forever? What about it?"

"You heard right. It really can change the entire world. In a very, very bad way, of course. And I'm the person tasked to gather information on it, and find a way to stop its formula from spreading..."

"Huh? Don't tell me....you were actually an agent all along?!"

With a small smile on my face, I nodded. 

"Oh, so that was why! You were trying to lure the Xaviers into trying that drug on you, weren't you?! Damn, just what did they make for the government to get involved?"

Of course, it was all a big, fat lie. 

I neither knew any Sheriff Olson, nor was I a government agent working undercover to stop a super drug from spreading around the world.

However, except that I wasn't involved with both of these matters, everything else I said was true.

There really was a super-drug called 'Nutazene' in this world — it was the same one that Myra Xavier showed me this morning. 

And the 'Sheriff Olson' this old man was indebted to was truly living in New Mexico at the moment, albeit trapped inside an alien Starship with no hope of ever making it out alive...

*Sigh...*

...I sighed in relief. Thankfully, it seemed like my secret was going to be safe and sound for the foreseeable future.