William stood there, mop in hand, bucket at his feet.
White Dove was on the phone a few paces away.
A moment later, he walked back.
“Alright, I’ve made the arrangements.
You can get to work.
Clean it all before sunrise.
Someone will be by at 7:30 AM for inspection.
That’s as much time as I could buy you.” He paused, then added, “Consider this my apology.
This job dragged you into a real mess.
So the pay is good.
In gold.” He tossed William a coin.
“You know how to use it.
This one’s on me.” Then he turned and walked away without looking back, leaving William alone with the building.
White Dove didn’t mention what would happen if William failed.
William didn’t ask.
Officially, the country’s legal system still functioned.
The only reason they could get away with this was the agreement that held the underworld together.
William looked at the bar, now silent and dark.
Broken glass covered the floor.
The cleanup was going to be massive.
The system chimed in.
[Happy Bar] [Mission Issued: Clean the bar.
Prove your worth.] [Dispose of bodies (0/27)] [Wipe all bloodstains: 0%] [Collect evidence (0/145)] [Return furniture to original positions (0/69)] [Destroy surveillance footage (0/7)] This was a big one.
William pulled out his mop and got to work.
Fill the bucket.
Start scrubbing.
The system made him ridiculously efficient.
Normal cleaners would take days.
William just had to wait about a minute for each repair.
No missed spots.
No lingering stains.
Just heads-down work.
Trip after trip to refill the bucket.
Haul after haul.
If anyone had been watching, they’d think it was haunted.
William wasn’t even using his hands.
A wave, and trash was bagged.
Another wave, and bodies were packaged.
He stacked everything by the door, then turned to survey his progress.
Nice.
Looked brand new.
An outsider would swear the place had just been renovated.
He checked the mission progress bar.
William was very satisfied with his new gig.
And not just because of the nice things he’d found in the bar.
Sure, most of the cash had been moved before the chaos started.
But there was always some left behind.
Plus the day’s earnings.
William had asked ahead.
The manager said he could keep whatever he found.
William was grinning from ear to ear.
Too bad he couldn’t keep the guns.
Firearms had to be turned in at designated drop points.
Since this was technically a “semi-official” job, disposal was handled separately.
All he had to do was deliver the creatively packaged bodies to the Hotel and collect his payment.
He glanced at the passenger seat.
A Saiga-12 semi-automatic shotgun sat there.
A bonus find.
He counted his weapons and ammo and felt a surge of security.
Soon, William pulled up to the Hotel.
He opened the door and started unloading.
The downside of working solo was clear.
No one to help.
Everything was on him.
The person receiving him was an old acquaintance.
Miss Annabelle.
The more William’s reputation grew, the more intimidating she seemed.
She studied the unassuming young man in front of her.
His first impression, combined with the rumors she’d heard in just a week, painted a picture.
She sensed he was on a path that didn’t lead anywhere good.
They walked in silence down what was clearly a staff corridor.
William was too busy calculating his pay to notice.
Annabelle broke the silence first.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
William pushed his cart and glanced sideways.
All he saw was the pale curve of her neck.
After all the packages were fed to the flames, Annabelle stopped William before he could leave.
“Would you accept membership in the Continental Hotel?” Her expression was dead serious.
This was an invitation from hell itself.
Accept it, and peace would be a distant memory.
William looked at the “Hell’s messenger” in front of him.
In the end, he nodded.
If he had to pledge allegiance somewhere, this was as good a place as any.
As long as he kept his head down, maybe he could still retire safely.
Annabelle visibly relaxed when he agreed.
She waved her hand casually and began explaining the process.
He would need to swear fealty to the High Table.
Kneel on one knee.
Pledge his loyalty.
When he heard the familiar words, William felt a strange sense of deja vu.
The speaker just wasn’t “yeah” master.
A shame.
Soon, a silver ring appeared on William’s left hand.
After the ceremony, he noticed Annabelle’s attitude toward him had warmed considerably.
Like she now considered him one of her own.
After some brief pleasantries, William received a list of addresses.
Tailor shops.
Garages.
Clinics.
Gun stores.
Currency exchange points for gold.
The list went on.
Each one a testament to the High Table’s terrifying reach.
These were just their direct subsidiaries.
He also got a map with various territories marked.
William spotted the boss from his warehouse job on it.
Judging by the color, he controlled about a block.
“What about intelligence?” William noticed the omission.
No information brokers on the list.
Annabelle smiled and pointed at the floor.
“If you ever need information, have a drink at the bar.
The wine here isn’t bad.” William understood.
For these people, intelligence was the top priority.
And the Hotel had a monopoly.
The Hotel was the hub where all information networks converged.
He realized his status had quietly risen.
This time, Book wasn’t the one handling him.
It was the front desk.
And Hotel receptionists weren’t just anyone.
They were trusted lieutenants.
Before he left, Annabelle updated his app.
New features appeared.
His permissions expanded.
Then she pulled two engraved gold coins from her pocket and slid them across the counter.
The gesture signaled the meeting was over.
William pocketed the coins and moved quickly.
He could feel eyes on him.
Instinctively, he wanted to disappear.