The Industrialist

Chapter 38: 1st Deal

Scrapper 2 Perks

[1] Access to Scrap Yard Tier 2: Scrap Yard Tier 2 is composed of medium-grade scrapped service robots, equipment, and industrial and electronic scraps. The based on inventory logs of scrap haulers:

Common level Scraps: 40%

Uncommon Level Scraps: 58%

Rare Level Scraps: 2%

Masterworks Level Scraps: 0%

[2] Tier 2 level Accommodation: Upgrade from Cabin accommodations to Apartment Accommodations.

Address: Upper Zone Steelpoint District Sector

Accommodation Features: 35 sq meter floor area. 1 room and 1 BR (ShowerSmart ready)

[3] Currency Earnings:

Scrap Component Trading Earning: 10% increase

Scrapper Monthly incentive: 0 units

Scrap Quota per month: 30 kg scraps / 300 units trade price (new)

Notice: Scrapper 2 perks are subject to change depending on Corporation Order Article 6969 amendment.

***

Lance could not explain his feelings. His heart was racing, cold sweat on his forehead, and shivering knees. But whatever the definition of his feeling, he wanted it to be excitement.

However, his mind raced to terrifying possibilities. He felt somebody was looking at them, monitoring their illegal operations. Such a set of eyes had been gawking behind the scraps, melted behind the mercy of the shadows.

’It’s just your imagination,’ Lance convinced his thoughts.

His first delivery to the Mafia should be successful. Behind him were 20 Zelkians, each housed by those EazyCage products that boxed the animal without a hole to access air to the inside maintaining pressurized air inside.

The EazyCage had batteries to suffice cleaned and filtered oxygen for an hour. Such cages were used for transport outside the walls, beyond the reach of MAFs, to prevent contaminated air affected the merchandise inside of it.

One adult Zelkian per Eazycage unit. Twenty EazyCage units to satisfy the order.

He should not fear, as he always convinced himself for about three hours before the transaction would take place. Meditation would convince an individual to surpass negative feelings, as he had read online. He meditated, however, the fear wouldn’t just fade away in an instant.

He checked his watch. He had been watching his holographic watch for almost every minute.

1900 H.

Darkness filled the area. The street lights were faint and the scrap yard was silent. Nobody wanted to scour scraps in the night as danger lurks on every dark corner.

The time of pick-up was 1930H.

Luckily, the scrap piles were higher in Scrap Yard Tier 2. He was not able to ponder on the scrap piles for precious parts as a fixated mind would hinder one’s ability to think.

Damian and Joe stood closely at his back. He needed to portray nonchalance to impress his comrades. He’s a rebel now, thus, being fearful was a weakness.

It was the perfect pick-up site for Jonaz Garback Truck business. Garbage trucks also hauled scraps from Inlands towards the Scrap yards.

Lance touched the laser knife in his holster. ’It was still there.’ He sighed.

"Are you ok, kid?" Damian asked. He probably noticed Lance’s jittering, walking about back and forth.

"Don’t worry about me, Damian. There is always a first time for everything," Lance responded, justifying his cowardly feeling.

"The Zelkians are healthy, boss. Maybe that’s what you worry about," Joe reassured. Joe did a great job maintaining the farm’s upkeep and feeding the Zelkians to their growth. The operating costs were within the agreed budget.

"The couples are having another natal batch again," Joe said as Lance did not answer him previously.

"Statistically, Zelkians should have 1 female in this next natal batch out of 6," Lance responded. They will discover it after a few days of birthing schedule.

"But still, we will acquire Zelkians in Axiom Trench for the second delivery," Lance reminded them.

"Cool! Another 500 units for me," Damian rubbed his palms against each other.

Lance only smiled at that. Damian, Joe, and George were happy with the transactions. For every trip to Axiom, Damian earned 500 units in a month. That’s more than double what a factory worker could earn. Then, another trip for Damian was planned out, which excites the Specialist.

"Hey, kid. Don’t worry about your safety," Damian assured. "Maybe you don’t know, Jefferson sent two of our neophytes watching us from behind the scraps.

"Where?" Lance asked.

"They’re behind the four piles across from us." Damian waved. And a silhouette of a man waved back too.

"These thugs should not be a problem, kiddo," Damian added. "They are not trained really to fight, unlike in our Rebellion, we always encounter conflict with the police. If you experienced war kid, this is a walk in the park for these guys."

Damian was right. Rigor was easy for Damian to knock the thug down to his butt. Joe too, even though he was thin and long-limbed, however, the way he handled his rifle during their Abominant encounter had a hint of training. He had stiff shoulders to support the recoil and a left hand stiffly supporting the rifle’s length.

"They are here, master," Jasper detected. "An incoming Garbage truck just entered the Scrap Yard gate."

"Thanks, Jasper." Lance commended. "Ready?" Lance asked Damian and Joe.

"Boss, the question is, are you?" Joe retorted.

He nodded.

He was not ready. All his recent endeavors were new to him. Seemingly, what he treaded were dangerous paths, and such a journey was not for the faint of heart.

However, he was the contrary.

A 10-wheeler Garbage truck arrived. The cabin windows were tinted so it concealed the driver and the passenger from their standpoint. Neon and LED lights were installed on its side to provide road visibility.

Although the truck was large and could carry 10 tons of garbage, the engine hummed smoothly.

It was electric.

’Jonaz enterprises had a lot of currency,’ Lance thought. Upon the site of it, such vehicle was expensive beyond the minimum requirements of other Garbage trucks owned by the Sectoral Extension Units.

Below the cabin had printed their company’s logo, ’Jonaz Enterprises’, and under it was ’City Garbage Hauler’ in luminous effect.

The truck halted in front of them. The lights flickered, high and low beam three times. It was the signal.

Lance raised a thumb towards them.

Then the driver and the passenger disembarked from their vehicle, their faces obscured by the dark, moreover, the lights were facing forward, revealing only silhouettes of two men walking towards them.

"Jasper, scan for weapons," Lance whispered.

"Weapons in the cabin, Master," Jasper responded.

It raised Lance’s skin hair as the two men were nearing. Luckily their weapons stayed in the cabin. Joe and Damian also took a few steps near Lance, anticipating any violent encounter.

"As agreed, 20 Zelkians in the cages," Lance said as the two men halted a few steps away. Still, their faces were obscured by the lights behind them.

"Ya sure kid you are good for it?" The hoarse voice was familiar. Then the man took a step further nearer to Lance. "If it misses one product, ya gonna regret the agreement, kid."

"Rigor, came to be humiliated again," Lance responded while squinting at Damian.

Find adventures at m_v l|e’m-p| y r

"Hmm. Still cowering behind the back of that dog of yours, aren’t ya?" Rigor taunted.

"Are we going to do this or not?" Lance dismissed such teasing.

Rigor and the driver counted them. The EazyCage units were easy to inspect, as the name suggests. A button would show a digital display on its small screen provided of what was inside. There was no need to open the EazyCage unit just for inspection.

Rigor was making sure all of them had a Zelkian inside. They loaded the merchandise in the haul compartment of the truck. Rigor held these deathly stares again to the kid as they carried the cages toward the back of the truck.

"What will happen, kiddo, if I will declare only 19 Zelkians?" Rigor said, his smile had this deceitful kind of way that would haunt a little girl. But Lance was no little girl. Even still, his face would haunt one’s dreams.

"Well, lucky me. I recorded the whole thing during your inspection. This is my insurance if ever you double-cross me." Lance responded, not showing signs of weakness.

Rigor seemed to be unaffected by the presence of Damian and Joe. However, Lance masked their true identities as rebels as it would ensure nullification of such an agreement.

"Smarty pantsy, are ya kid?" Rigor smiled and got on with the hauling.

"Master, bad news. Police are entering the scrap yard," Jasper reported.