At noon, Hunter was back at the Burger King.
He had arrived an hour early.
He couldn't help it.
Last night was insane.
Two lifetimes of memories, and this was the wildest thing he had ever done.
The adrenaline of the chase, the gunfire, the near-death escape. The rush of driving at 200+ km/h through the LA night.
It replayed in his mind like a movie.
He tried to sleep after getting home, but the excitement kept his eyes wide open.
So, he gave up and came here.
He sat in a booth, eating a leisurely breakfast and reading a car magazine to grind [Reading] EXP.
He didn't know if Charlie knew about the "big event" yet.
If he didn't, great. Hunter could squeeze some extra cash out of him.
Hunter was broke.
Leveling skills and upgrading his Inventory had drained his savings. He needed a cash injection urgently.
He sipped his soda.
Despite being a transmigrator for nearly two months, he rarely ate fast food. He usually cooked at home with ingredients from Chinatown.
But today, the grease, the salt, and the sugar tasted victorious.
Time passed slowly.
Hunter flipped through the magazine, losing himself in daydreams about which supercar he would buy once he cracked the safes.
"Knock, knock."
A hand rapped on his table.
Hunter looked up from the back pages of the magazine.
A familiar face smiled down at him.
"Hey, Boss!"
Hunter grinned, genuinely happy to see him.
Charlie nodded. "You're early."
Charlie was pleased with Hunter's efficiency and skill.
In his old crew, they had an Indian tech guy who was brilliant but distracted by women and petty arguments. It caused friction.
Charlie had avoided recruiting Asians since then.
But looking at this capable young mechanic, Charlie was reconsidering.
I should vet him later.
If he's clean, maybe I can bring him into the fold.
Charlie had no idea he had been thoroughly framed by the smiling young man in front of him.
Hunter, of course, didn't know Charlie was thinking about recruiting him.
"Boss" was just a joke.
"My bike's got issues. I need cash for a new ride."
"So when you called, I came running."
Hunter used his prepared excuse.
He needed money now. If Charlie was still oblivious about the gold heist, Hunter would demand payment upfront.
Charlie paused, surprised by the directness, but then patted Hunter on the shoulder.
"Fair enough. I've got two cars that need work."
"Let's go."
Charlie moved to pay the bill, but the waiter informed him Hunter had already paid.
Charlie dragged Hunter out of the Burger King.
Fifteen minutes later, they were back at the warehouse.
Two ordinary sedans were parked inside.
A Volkswagen and a Toyota.
Hunter looked at Charlie.
"Both need high-performance engine swaps," Charlie listed. "Run-flat tires. Privacy glass. Tinted windows."
He rattled off a dozen modifications. None were technically difficult for Hunter.
"No problem, Boss."
"I'll list the parts. You buy them."
"Package deal for the labor: $10,000."
"If the parts are here by 4 PM, I'll have them done by midnight."
Hunter wasn't surprised Charlie wasn't asking for the MINI Coopers yet.
Based on his surveillance, Charlie hadn't reached the "cable guy" phase of the plan.
In the movie, they sabotage Steve's cable to get Stella inside as a repair technician. But Steve's paranoia blows their cover, forcing them to switch from a stealth heist to a smash-and-grab.
"Looks like Charlie doesn't know the gold is gone."
"Good. I can milk this."
$10,000 wasn't much compared to the gold, but money was money. Plus, it was free EXP for his [Mechanics] skill.
Charlie smiled, appreciating the kid's confidence but shaking his head at the price.
"A regular shop would charge a few thousand for labor if we bring the parts."
"You're asking too much, Hunter."
"I can do $6,000."
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "$9,000. Final offer."
Charlie shook his head. "$7,000. And that's only because you can finish tonight."
Hunter felt a twinge of vindication for framing him.
This guy was a legendary thief with millions in the bank, haggling over a few grand?
Cheapskate.
Hunter shook his head firmly.
"$8,000. I won't go lower."
"Your mods are illegal. I'm taking a risk."
"I don't ask questions. I do the job. That costs extra."
"Take it or leave it."
Charlie thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Deal."
"One condition," Hunter added quickly. "I need the cash now. Upfront. Like I said, I'm desperate."
"If you're not satisfied, I'll fix it for free until you are. Anytime."
Charlie hesitated, but remembering Hunter's previous work, he agreed.
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