Scum Of The Earth : System Of Dominion

Lena King arched an elegant brow, her expression was a mix of suspicion and impatience. "A creative solution?" she asked, her voice laced with incredulity. "This woman just saw us carry out an illegal deal, Arthur. And let's not forget, she has a camera. Do you think Victor would hesitate to kill her?"

Arthur glanced at the trembling woman and fought the urge to groan. His inner monologue screamed, "Of all the sloppy amateurs…" Reporter or detective, whichever is one she was, her execution was pathetic. Getting caught this easily? Unacceptable.

Lena's sharp tone cut through his thoughts. "If you've got something to say, Arthur, say it now, or I'll put a bullet in her myself."

Arthur's mind raced. Silver Tongue had likely bought him a few precious seconds, but its charm wasn't enough to stop Lena permanently. For it to truly work, he needed a convincing argument—one that appealed to her logic or ego.

Then it hit him.

A sly smile crept across his face, and he casually stepped forward, entering the range of the guns pointed at the woman. "Relax, Lena," he said smoothly. "This woman isn't a threat."

Lena's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Arthur crouched down beside the woman, his expression softened as he wiped the tears streaking her cheeks. Her wide eyes stared back at him in confusion and terror. He Leaned in close, then whispered, "Play along if you want to live."

The woman blinked rapidly but gave the faintest of nods. Arthur straightened and turned to Lena, his voice steady. "She's my partner."

The declaration hung in the air, met with stunned silence.

Lena's eyes narrowed. "Your partner?"

Arthur nodded confidently. "Yes. Since this is my first time working with Victor, I needed someone to watch my back. You know, in case things went sideways."

Lena's skeptical gaze flicked between Arthur and the woman, as if trying to piece together how someone so polished could possibly be associated with someone so disheveled. "And this… girl is supposed to be your backup?"

Arthur shrugged nonchalantly. "She may not look like much, but she's incredibly resourceful. I wouldn't have brought her along otherwise."

Lena stepped closer, her stiletto heels clicked ominously against the wooden dock. She tilted the woman's chin up with the toe of her shoe, scrutinizing her like a predator examining prey. "She looks familiar," Lena mused aloud, her tone was thoughtful but dangerous.

Arthur's heart skipped a beat, but he masked it with a chuckle. "Is that so?"

Lena didn't reply immediately, her sharp eyes bored into the woman's pale face. After a long, tense moment, she finally stepped back. "Fine," she said, her tone clipped. "I'll spare her. But that camera has to go."

Arthur exhaled in relief. "Agreed."

Without hesitation, he snatched the camera from the woman's neck. Holding it up for Lena to see, he smashed it onto the ground with a satisfying crunch. Bits of glass and plastic scattered across the dock, and with a swift kick, Arthur sent the remaining pieces tumbling into the water.

The woman flinched at the sound, her lips trembled as she stared at the ripples where her camera had disappeared. Arthur caught the faintest flicker of sorrow in her eyes, but she quickly turned away, clearly prioritizing her life over her work.

Lena smirked, her posture relaxing for the first time since the encounter began. "Good. Now, Arthur, I'll take the case to Victor myself. You…" She gestured toward the woman. "…take your 'partner' home. And keep her on a leash. Next time, I won't be so generous. If Victor were here, she'd be dead already—or worse."

Arthur's jaw tightened. He knew Lena wanted to deliver the case personally to score points with King, painting herself as the sole orchestrator of the deal. It irritated him, but he didn't press the issue as scoring points with Victor was not important to him, his aim was far distant.

"Fine," he said in a neutral tone.

As Lena turned to leave, she paused and glanced over her shoulder. "By the way, what's her name? Your partner "

Arthur's lips curled into a sly smile. "Grace."

Lena's brow lifted slightly. "Grace," she repeated, then stepped into her car and sped off.

Arthur watched her go, his expression was unreadable. Finally, he turned to the woman still kneeling on the dock.

"That woman…" he muttered under his breath.

The woman—Grace, as she was now dubbed—stood and dusted off her dress. Arthur crossed his arms and asked, "You okay?"

Her response was immediate and loud. "Okay? Are you serious?" she snapped, glaring at him. "My camera's destroyed! Do you know how many months of evidence I had on there?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "You're welcome, by the way."

She scoffed. "For what? I had it under control."

Arthur's laughter was sharp and mocking. "Under control? Sure, because cowering on your knees with half a dozen guns aimed at your head screams 'control.'"

Grace rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath as she glanced back at the water where her camera had been tossed.

Arthur tilted his head, curiosity piqued. "What's your deal, anyway? Who in their right mind decides to spy on a criminal deal alone and unarmed?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "That's the burden of a journalist," she said after a pause. "Anything for the truth."

Arthur's amusement faded slightly. "And what truth is that?"

Grace hesitated, her gaze shifting around the dock. "Not here," she said quietly. "There's a coffee shop nearby. We can talk there."

Arthur shrugged, his smirk returning. "Fine by me, Grace. Lead the way."

She frowned. "My name isn't Grace."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what is it?"

Her lips curved into a slight smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "That's a secret. Protecting my name is protecting my life."

Arthur chuckled, shaking his head. "Then I'll keep calling you Grace. Besides, I already told Lena your name is Grace. So, Grace it is."

Her frown deepened, and she grumbled under her breath as she turned and began walking toward the coffee shop. Arthur followed, his hands in his pockets and a smug grin on his face.

"Stop calling me Grace," she muttered.

"No can do," Arthur replied, his tone teasing.

The unlikely duo made their way through the docks, bickering and trading words. Although they had just met for the first time, the pair of them felt oddly companionable.

Grace's voice faded in background noise as Arthur's mind couldn't help but wonder what secrets this woman was talking about, that she almost died for. Whatever it was, he had a feeling it would tie into his new lifestyle.