Handler XX: Stock Maestro
Chapter 13: Code X56

Chapter 13: Code X56

"So what do we do?" Marie asked

"First, you’ll need to abandon your vehicle— they’ll be tracking you right now"

"It’s not even been a month" Trent murmured

"You guys will have to repay me for the car"

"Ummm... I don’t—" Anton stuttered

"We will" Newton interrupted

"We will stay in contact— avoid radio towers and we’ll mask the calls"

"Alright" Marie responded as the phone hung up, drifting to a stop.

She parked besides some bushes and they got down the car.

"Fuck" she kicked the side of the car, looking at the bullet holes.

Trent waved at cars and finally got one to stop— a young couple in a SUV

"Hi," the lady greeted.

"Want to make some quick money?" Trent asked.

"A salesman?" the man scoffed.

Trent raised his gun casually. "Not exactly."

The lady gasped

Marie walked to the side of the Man and placed her hand on the wheels

"It’s simple" Trent smiled,

"You just have to trade yours for that very nice car and I’ll give you $1,000"

"How’s that?" Marie pointed at the key

The man gulped, pulling out the keys and handing it to her. They came out of the car, hands raised.

"Wait— I’ve seen you in the news" the lady gasped, staring at Trent

"Oh..." Trent looked at her with a wide smile

She knows who they are. His gaze met Marie’s who held the Man by his collar.

Should he kill them? Wait— what? Did he just think of killing innocent people?

"What’s your name, love?" Marie asked the lady

"J–Jenn"

"So, Jenn... My husband is going to give you guys $1,000 and that very lovely car— what do you think?"

They both nodded and Trent brought out some cash from the pocket of his jacket.

He handed them the money and Marie swapped the keys.

"Wait..." Trent stopped them before they could enter the car

"Your phones... Please"

He counted some cash from his wallet and stretched it forward with a smile.

They gave their phones and Marie went to them to pat them down raising her thumb to signify that it’s good.

"What’s your name lad?"

"Ph–Phillip"

"I’m going to find you after all these and I’ll be sure to reward both of you, alright?"

They nodded

"When you become rich and famous, it angers some people, you understand?" Trent added with a frustrated look

Phillip and Jenn got into the car and sped off.

"We’ll make good robbers" Trent laughed, catching the key as Marie tossed it.

"I don’t think robbers are that gentle" Marie chuckled.

"What do we do about our phones?"

Trent thought for a bit and tried waving another car.

A truck driver stopped this time

"Howdy" Trent greeted

"Yeah, Hello. Having a breakdown?" The truck driver replied, looking at the car.

"Yes... Car’s decided to punish me for not giving it it’s oil" Trent laughed

They spoke for a few minutes and the truck drove off. Trent walked back barehanded.

"What did you do?" Marie asked as she slid into the passenger’s seat

"Just had a nice conversation and told him to help us get a mechanic when he gets to town"

"What about the phones?"

"I slid it under the things he had on the passenger’s seat"

Marie glanced at him. Smart.

"Now that we’ve dropped the unnecessary things, we just have to avoid cameras"

"I’m starving" he groaned, "Jimmy says there’s a nice steak place ahead"

"Jimmy?"

"Truck guy. Cool dude. He likes Phillip."

"Phillip?"

"That’s me. Jimmy doesn’t watch the news"

They drove to a restaurant and as they entered, a notification rang through Jenn’s phone.

Marie had contacted Anton with the line and he’d responded— a photo and a code:

X56–Z0.

What’s that supposed to mean?

They looked at the image and their eyes trailed up to a man seating at the counter having a meal.

"That’s Yolaf?" Trent whispered, "Son of a bitch..."

They walked to the counter and Marie ordered a meal. Trent coughed, catching Yolaf’s attention.

"Sorry... I’ve got the flu" he smiled at Yolaf who just nodded.

"I’m Phillip" Trent stretched his hand for a handshake.

Yolaf looked at him and smiled, "Trey... Sorry about your flu. It’s nice to meet you"

"Mission accomplished"

"Greta & Bolts. Buy. May 1st"

"+5 stamina. +10 agility"

What? Two stats increase? He felt his tiredness disappear. And May 1st... The day after tomorrow.

Trent smiled as Yolaf broke the handshake.

He shifted close to Yolaf and whispered slowly, "X56—"

"Z0" Yolaf cut in.

Marie slid two plates towards them— one for each of them.

"The waiter said you haven’t eaten... Why not join us?"

They are quietly and after eating, Yolaf took a piece of paper and wrote something on it, putting it back into his pocket.

"You’ve given us some hard time, Pal" Trent spoke.

"Well... I’ve gone through some hard times myself getting here" Yolaf chuckled looking around

"You’re not with the NIA"

"I thought you knew who we were" Marie leaned in.

"What makes you think we’re not with the NIA?" Trent asked curious, observing Yolaf’s body language.

"We wouldn’t be having a conversation talk less a meal of you were"

Trent turned to Marie. They seemed to be thinking about the same thing.

"There’s no need for us to kill you— you’re valuable" Marie muttered

Yolaf laughed, a bit mockingly, "Valuable to the one who sent the code— dangerous to the NIA"

Dangerous? Trent’s expression tightened.

"What are you talking about?"

A message came through the phone with Marie. She looked at it and her expression changed— deadly serious

"We have to go" she stood up.

Trent and Yolaf stood up, surprised but alert.

"They found the phones— Chief says they’re unto us"

So fast? They should have also gone after the car. They must’ve sort that out too.

"Let’s go"

They walked towards the door but Trent blocked them with his hand, signaling them to stop

"We’ve got company"

He handed Marie the gun. "Find a way through the back— I’ll meet you there"

"How?" Marie asked, heart racing as she watched the black sedan parking

"Trust me— Go. I’ll take care of myself"

Marie and Yolaf walked towards the Counter making sure not to alert the customers and she smiled at the waiter, showing him the gun

The waiter led them towards the back room.

Phew... Time to put this agility and Stamina to a test

They were close. Trent exhaled slowly. Now or never.

He turned his face slightly from them and walked out of the place, hitting one by his shoulder.

He swiped the car key and a gun as their shoulders collided

"S–Sorry" he stammered, hunching his back

"You better watch where you’re going, Punk" the other said angrily.

Trent hurried off as if scared but the one he’d stolen from yelled at him to wait when he got close to the car.

Fuck. He must’ve noticed.

They pursued Trent, the other shooting at him. The people in the restaurant panicked, shouting.

Trent has covered a large gap between himself and the Men. He thanked Ave for the agility as he opened the car door.

"You’re welcome, Trent" Ave responded to his thought

What? It could read his mind?

He couldn’t think about this for too long.

He fired shots at the Men, hitting the one with the gun on his arm and leg while the other picked the gun and hid.

Trent started the engine and drove through where the Man had hidden, shooting towards the spot.

He quickly drove to the back of the restaurant, where Marie and Yolaf waited and they hopped in.

They drove off, Marie looking back to check if they were being followed while Yolaf muttered to himself— reciting a prayer

Trent glanced at him— he’s praying right now?

"The Universe calls my name... My paradise... Everlasting glory" Yolaf muttered faster squeezing his hands together

"Shit..." Marie shouted as she sighted some cars in pursuit.

"We’ve got three incoming"

Trent pushed down harder at the accelerator, increasing the speed.

Bang!

A car crashed into theirs from the side as soon as they came to a crossroad.

The car tumbled until it landed perfectly but the airbags and seatbelt protected them from fatal injuries.

They coughed as they opened the door to come out. The people who’d been chasing them surrounded them, holding guns

A call came in for one of them— a lady. She picked it and immediately a call came in to Marie— unknown id.

"Hello" she coughed as she answered the phone.

"How’s it going?" Newton responded.

She coughed as she shifted her back to lean against the car

"I think we’re about to get shot" she looked at Trent as he reloaded the gun

"Hand Yolaf to them— we’ve come to an agreement"

"What?" She shouted.

"What bullshit did you say?"

After all these, they were just going to come to an ’agreement’?

"What’s that?" Trent asked as he shifted closer. Yolaf paid attention too.

"They say to hand him over" she muttered, putting the phone on speaker.

"What?" Trent shifted his gaze to the phone, shocked

"Yolaf!..." Newton called out, "I’m sorry it’s come to this"

He hung up before they could talk further.

Yolaf burst out in laughter muttering some words.

He stood up, the agents had already surrounded them.

Trent and Marie stood up besides him and raised their hands.

Yolaf brushed himself against Trent as if he was falling and slipped him a note, winking.

Marie’s focus was on the people that had surrounded them and Trent acted as natural as possible.

Yolaf walked to the people and they dragged him off without saying a word.

They watched as the people dragged him off and all of a sudden,

"PEACE!" Yolaf screamed—then dropped, convulsing.

A tooth. Poison. They never reached him on time.

Trent stared at the body.

A wink. A death. A fucking note.

What the fuck had he gotten into?