Apocalypse Trade Monopoly
Chapter 60: :A Perfect Cover

Chapter 60: :A Perfect Cover

Ava gritted her teeth, staring at the dress in her hands. "You really expect me to wear this?"

Lucas smirked, lounging against the wall. "Beauty, you’re about to walk into a den of liars, backstabbers, and the desperate elite. You need to sell the part."

Ava rolled her eyes. "And what part is that exactly?"

Lucas pushed off the wall, golden eyes gleaming as he stepped closer. "A trader. A powerful one. Someone untouchable."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "And why, exactly, would they believe that?"

Lucas grinned. "Because you have something they want. You’re a trader from another bunker, coming to sell fuel cells. And lucky for you—" he gestured dramatically toward a nearby crate, "—you have all my stock."

Ava blinked, glancing at the crate. "Wait. All of it?"

Lucas nodded. "All 11,000-ish fuel cells. Enough to make them drool."

Ava exhaled sharply. "Bai, that’s insane."

Lucas chuckled. "And yet, it’s going to work."

Ava glared at him. "And what happens when they ask me for specifics? How do I explain my source?"

Lucas tilted his head. "You don’t. You act like you have my system."

Ava paused. "Wait—what?"

Lucas grinned. "You just have to act like you have an appraisal system. Scan things, act bored, throw around numbers like they mean nothing. The more casual you are, the more powerful they’ll think you are."

Ava folded her arms. "Bai, that’s ridiculous."

Lucas smirked. "And yet, it’s going to work."

Ava exhaled sharply. "You keep saying that."

Lucas winked. "Because I’m always right."

Ava gritted her teeth but shoved past him, stepping toward the mirror. "Fine. But if I’m doing this, I’m not going in looking like a shiny new victim. I need to look like I belong."

Lucas grinned. "Already ahead of you, Beauty."

Ava watched as he moved to a small case, flipping it open to reveal an array of makeup.

Ava blinked. "Bai... why the hell do you have a full makeup kit?"

Lucas chuckled, grabbing a small brush. "Relax, Beauty. I’m not using it on myself."

Ava folded her arms. "That’s not an answer."

Lucas paused for a moment, twirling a makeup brush between his fingers. Then, his smirk softened just slightly. "My dad used to do this for my mom. Every morning, without fail."

Ava froze.

Lucas shrugged, tapping the brush against the counter. "She had a scar she didn’t like. He covered it for her every day. Even when she didn’t ask him to."

Ava exhaled. "That’s..."

Lucas smirked. "Romantic?"

Ava huffed. "Unbelievable."

Lucas grinned, stepping closer. "Sit down, Zhang."

Ava hesitated.

Lucas raised a brow. "Trust me?"

Ava rolled her eyes but sat. "No."

Lucas chuckled. "Liar."

He worked quickly, brushing soft powder against her skin, blending the lines just enough to smooth out the exhaustion she hadn’t realized was showing.

Lucas tilted her chin slightly. "Look up."

Ava sighed but obeyed. "You’ve done this before."

Lucas smirked. "Told you. Learned from the best."

Ava exhaled as he lined her eyes, making them sharper, more calculating. More like him.

Lucas grinned as he stepped back. "Perfect."

Ava stood, glancing at herself in the mirror.

Gone was the scavenger. The fixer. The girl who spent hours hunched over broken tech.

In her place?

A trader. Someone who belonged in Level One. Someone untouchable.

Lucas leaned against the desk, watching Ava examine herself in the mirror. His golden eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"Not bad, Beauty. You actually look the part."

Ava rolled her eyes. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Lucas chuckled. "You should." Then, his smirk faded slightly, replaced by something sharper. "Now, listen carefully. If we’re pulling this off, you need to understand exactly who you’re dealing with."

Ava crossed her arms. "Angel and her boyfriend. What do I need to know?"

Lucas grinned. "Where do I start?"

He turned, tapping on his tablet, and a holographic screen flickered to life, displaying two profiles.

Name: Angelica "Angel" Vasquez

Affiliation: Level One Trade Elite

Primary Assets: Financial Backing, Black Market Connections, Information Network

Personality: Possessive, Vicious, Calculating

Name: Elijah Locke

Affiliation: Military (Captain – Strategic Operations)

Primary Assets: Government Ties, Security Access, Tactical Training

Personality: Charismatic, Loyal, Easily Manipulated

Ava tilted her head. "Huh. That’s... a lot."

Lucas grinned. "Oh, it gets better."

He pointed at Angel’s profile. "Angel is smart, but her greatest weakness is control. She doesn’t just want power—she wants ownership. Everything in her life is curated, controlled, and if something doesn’t fit the mold? She eliminates it."

Ava raised a brow. "Sounds like someone I know."

Lucas laughed. "Beauty, if I were like Angel, you wouldn’t be standing here right now."

Ava huffed. "Fair point. And Locke?"

Lucas sighed. "Locke is military through and through. He’s got discipline, tactics, and a strong sense of loyalty. But the problem?"

Ava glanced at his profile again. "He’s loyal to Angel."

Lucas snapped his fingers. "Exactly. She sunk her claws into him years ago. He’s utterly devoted, but here’s the thing—" He leaned in, smirking. "She doesn’t let him have anything."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Explain."

Lucas chuckled. "She controls everything. His career, his image, his free time. And you know what happens when someone gets too controlled?"

Ava tilted her head. "They start looking for loopholes."

Lucas grinned. "Bingo."

Ava sighed. "And I’m supposed to be the loophole?"

Lucas smirked. "You don’t have to do anything. Just exist. Be charming. Be a trader with something to offer. The second he thinks you might be useful—or worse, interesting—Angel will panic."

Ava folded her arms. "And that helps us how, exactly?"

Lucas grinned. "Because while she’s focused on you, I’ll be taking things she won’t even realize are missing."

Ava exhaled sharply. "You really enjoy this, don’t you?"

Lucas winked. "Beauty, I live for this."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I need details. What’s he like in conversation? What am I walking into?"

Lucas sighed, tapping on Locke’s profile. "He’s flirty, smooth, but never crude. Military-polished charm. He likes to act like he’s in control, but if you push the right buttons, you’ll see he’s always looking over his shoulder for Angel’s approval."

Ava smirked. "And what are those buttons?"

Lucas grinned. "Talk business. He likes traders—especially ones who can handle themselves. Play confident, act like you don’t need the deal, and he’ll be the one trying to impress you."

Ava tilted her head. "And Angel?"

Lucas chuckled. "Angel will do everything she can to keep him from looking at you. Which makes this even more fun."

Ava sighed. "You’re a menace."

Lucas winked. "And you love it."

Ava huffed. "I tolerate it. Now let’s get this over with."

Because if they were walking into a game of control—she was going to make damn sure she played it better than anyone else.