The fog had burned off by midday, leaving Vladivostok sharp and cold, the kind of day where the sunlight felt like glass. Mitya kept his hood down, letting the wind sting his face. The Ledger's balance sat quietly in the corner of his vision, but it wasn't the numbers that held his attention — it was the name that had appeared in the System's "Local Variables" feed.
KUDINOV, SERGEI — Alias: Sable. Status: Opportunist. Risk: Variable.
The System rarely flagged individuals. When it did, they were either a threat, a resource, or both.
The Approach
Sable found him first.A black Volga slid to the curb, its engine a low growl. The passenger window rolled down to reveal a man in his late thirties, hair cropped close, eyes the color of wet asphalt. He smiled without warmth.
"You're the boy making waves at the docks," Sable said. "Get in."
Mitya didn't move. "Not in the habit of taking rides from strangers."
"Then think of me as a friend you haven't met yet." The smile stayed fixed, but the eyes didn't change. "We have business to discuss."
The System's voice was a whisper only he could hear.
Operator: Engagement optional. Potential leverage opportunity.
He got in.
The Offer
The Volga smelled faintly of tobacco and leather. Sable drove without hurry, weaving through narrow streets toward the harbor.
"I hear you've been… efficient," Sable said. "Dockside people talk. And when they talk about someone new, I listen."
"I'm not looking for work," Mitya said.
"That's the thing about work," Sable replied. "Sometimes it's looking for you."
They stopped outside a warehouse Mitya didn't recognize. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of fish and diesel. A handful of men moved crates, their eyes flicking toward Sable with the wary respect of people who knew exactly what he could do.
Sable gestured to a single crate set apart from the rest. "This one needs to be somewhere else by midnight. No questions, no delays. You handle it, you get paid. You refuse…" He shrugged. "We'll find out if the rumors about you are exaggerated."
The Test
The System overlaid the crate with a faint red outline.Contents: Unknown.Risk: Moderate.Complication: Surveillance in area.
Operator: Recommend acceptance. Potential to establish dominance.
Mitya studied Sable for a long moment. "I'll do it. But my way."
Sable's smile twitched, just enough to show interest. "Your way had better work."
Execution
He didn't move the crate immediately. Instead, he used the Cleanroom to map the surveillance grid around the warehouse. Two cameras on the street, one inside. He looped their feeds with a flicker of thought, the System's interface responding like a muscle he'd trained.
Vega appeared in the shadows, summoned without a word. Together, they moved the crate to a waiting van — unmarked, engine idling. The route the System plotted avoided every checkpoint, every patrol. By the time the van rolled into a storage yard on the far side of the city, the job was done.
The Return
Sable was waiting when Mitya came back. He lit a cigarette, exhaled smoke into the cold air.
"Clean," Sable said. "Quicker than I expected. You've got a talent."
"I'm not for hire," Mitya said.
Sable chuckled. "Everyone's for hire. The only difference is the price."
The System's voice was almost amused.
Operator: Variable Kudinov — leverage potential increased.
Mitya walked away without answering. He could feel Sable's eyes on his back all the way to the street.
Ledger Update
Balance: 3,200.00Reputation: +3 (Novice Tier)Note: Local influence increment detected.
The city felt different that night — like it had noticed him. And somewhere in the dark, Sable was smiling, already planning the next move.