Chapter 36 – Leverage

“How did you find me?” Anna asks her sister pointedly, her eyes firmly locked on Brian. I can feel the chilly aura she is emitting from all the way over here. I kinda feel bad for the guy. Nobody likes to be at the receiving end of an annoyed woman. At least he has the shame to look away.

Aria holds up her arms. “I’m not interfering, I promise. I know better than that. I just asked Brian where you were and I was hoping I could share an ale with you guys.”

“Uhm…” I start.

“Yes, you do know better.” Anna says slowly. Her moment of scepticism lingers for a moment before her strained face starts to ease up. “Fine, take a seat.” She gestures for the empty seat next to me.

I awkwardly clear my throat. “Uhm, it seems like you girls have a lot to talk about… So if you don’t mind…” I say, trying to slither past Aria.

“No, Ryan. Please stay. This also concerns you.” Anna says.

Excuse me, what?

“Yes. I would also like to have a word.” Aria says curtly, sitting down next to me.

Oh, crap. Oh no. I feel my heart race. I slump back into my seat, the air leaving my lungs. I don’t know what this is about, but it can’t be good. I don’t have to be an extrovert to know that staying here is a bad idea. Nothing good has ever come of me being part of someone else’s argument. I throw a pleading look towards Brian, but the backstabbing bastard has already moved for the door. What the hell! Not cool.

I take a deep breath. “You girls have me at a loss. Why would you wish to talk to me?”

“I’m sorry, Ryan. My sister is a bit overprotective at times and have this nasty habit of embarrassing me in public whenever she gets a chance.” Anna crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow towards her sister.

“It’s one of the perks of being an older sister.” Aria says while meeting Anna’s raised eyebrow with her own.

This staredown goes on for a couple of incredibly awkward seconds before the two sisters suddenly starts to giggle.

Something is seriously wrong with these two people.

“Looks like you still have a sense of humor, sis.” Anna chuckles. “I was afraid staying around gamers for this long would turn you into a nagging old crone. Oh, sorry. I meant more like a nagging old crone.” She winks.

“Cheeky brat.” Aria smiles, shaking her head lightly. “My humor is reserved for those who deserve it.”

“Oh? How fancy and exclusive. I should bottle it up and sell it on Amazone for a million euro.”

She snorts. “You’re selling it too cheaply, baby sister. You were always terrible with economy.” She shakes her head in mock disappointment.

Anna shivers. ”Ugh, you’re right! Those skills would be too much for me to handle. It would literally zap the life out of me. What if I ended up looking like an office clerk? Or god forbids, like my older sister!?” She gapes in shock.

“Cheeky brat. I obviously didn’t punch you enough when we grew up.” Aria smiles.

The pair bursts into another round of laughter. Aria eventually waves the waitress over, ordering another round of ale for all three of us as well as some light snacks. After another round of banter and laughter, a round I was once again left completely out of for the record, the two starts to relax more.

“I’ve missed this.” Anna says. “Hanging out with you. It’s been far too long.”

“It has.” Aria says, nodding solemnly.

I’m almost sure they’ve forgotten I’m even here. Not that I’m complaining. I would really like to get out of here soon though.

“So Ryan…” Aria suddenly says. “I’m sorry to say, but I don’t know that much about you. Anna has been pretty scant on the details.”

“Oh, here we go.” Anna mutters. “How about I leave you two alone for a second so you can get to know each other, yeah?” Anna gets up with a smile on her face. Is she seriously leaving me alone with her sister? For reals?

“I would like that very much.” Aria says, giving me a piercing stare.

Anna chuckles. “Careful, Ryan. She’s single and she bites!”

Aria snorts. “Oh, shush. I’m not half as bad as she says.” She says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes; a smile that Anna somehow manages to miss. A shiver crawls down my spine. Here we go.

I steel my resolve as I brace for whatever Aria is going to throw at me. I know deep inside of me that she doesn’t know that I’m a Villain. If she did, then I probably would have been waiting for the respawn-timer just about now. This reminds me of the time my ex’s father made the customary ‘you hurt her, I hurt you’ threat when I took her out on our first date. I gotta say, I never thought I would hear one of those again in my lifetime.

As Anna leaves, Aria moves over and takes her seat. She gives me a calculating glare before she makes a show out of opening a system window containing a set of notes which she promptly starts to read out loud.

“Ryan Daniels. Caucasian male, twenty-eight years old. Two relatives: A father and a sister. The family moved to the United Kingdom after they rejoined the European Union for the second time in 2103. Currently living in a suburban neighbourhood outside of Newcastle, England. Previously employed as a low level office clerk at a transport company. Current occupation: Full-time player of Ascendence Unlimited. Long-time gamer, but no noteworthy accomplishes as to this date.” Aria states coldly. “Am I missing something?”

What the… “How the hell do you know all that!?”

“Answer the question, mister Daniels.”

“Fuck you!”

Who the hell does she think she is? How does she know all this? Did she have me investigated!? Why the hell would she do that? Not to mention, how? I don’t know her! Hell, I don’t even know her damn sister! What’s wrong with these two? Leave me the hell alone.

“You lied to my sister, mister Daniels.” Aria says menacingly. “I have a right to know what your intentions are.”

“Intentions? I don’t have any god damned intentions. This is all her. She came up and started talking to me. I just wanted to be left alone.” I blurt, my face reddening from anger.

“So, you are saying you just randomly managed to strike up a conversation with one of the most noteworthy individuals in all of Drenerys? And if you wanted to be left alone, then why did you come to meet her at this restaurant? This hardly appears to be the actions of someone who just wants to be left alone. So please, mister Daniels. We both know this is highly unlikely. Do not insult my intelligence.”

“I don’t give a shit about what you think. I’m leaving.” I sneer, starting to get up.

“Sit down, mister Daniels. I’m not done with you yet.”

“Do I look like I care?”

Aria clenches her jaw. “I can make your time in Drenerys very uncomfortable for you, mister Daniels.”

I snort loudly. “I don’t have time for this crap.”

I turn on my heel and start stomping towards the door.

“I can make it worth your while.” Aria says coldly.

I hesitate for a moment, glancing across my shoulder. This infuriating woman is really getting on my nerve. Does she think I’m stupid? That’s the most obvious-sounding trap I’ve ever heard. “Are you kidding me? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I’ll give you a hundred gold to hear me out.”

I gulp. Seriously? A hundred gold just to listen to her? Those could really come in han-

No; I can’t. I grit my teeth. My instincts are screaming at me to let this one go. Nothing good can come of me accepting her money. Not to mention the moral implications. Taking her money this way is no better than scamming someone in real life. I know I’m in the wrong here, and I would feel really shitty if I did this to Anna. I’ve been a terrible friend, and it wouldn’t sit well with me to exploit someone's real feelings for a couple of euros. No matter how much I need them…

Fuck it.

“You can take your gold and shove it.” I say through gritted teeth, my conscience winning out over my greed.

Aria raises an eyebrow. “Oh? So you’re not in it for the money? I gotta say… I’m impressed. I still want to talk to you though. It’s about Anna.”

“What about her?” I snap back.

“I would prefer it if we could have this conversation a little more… discreet.”

I glare at the woman as my thoughts start to race. Aria really pisses me off, but if this could lead to me dropping my relationship with Anna and clear my conscience, I should probably take it. I won’t just let her roll over me like that though.

“Fine.” I say, making my way over towards the table. “But before we talk, I would like to know how you figured out my personal information. You do know hacking this stuff is illegal, right?”

Aria snorts. “I’m very aware of what is legal or not, mister Daniels. I also know how to use the law to my advantage.” She gives me a condescending look. “But, I’ll humor you. May I ask, how familiar are you with the laws from 2063 regarding tax evasion?”

“I might have skimmed through them…”

She snorts. “Right… Well, as you then know, the EU parliament voted to allow people to track their bank transfers. If you had truly known what this meant, then you probably wouldn’t have allowed the bank account you have tied to your gaming account to accept all incoming transfers without authorization. What I did, was send a microtransaction to the account tied to your GamerID, which then allowed me to track my own transfer to an account tied to your name. I hardly need to explain how I managed to find the rest of the information from there, do I?” She smirks.

What the actual… what? I sigh. “You really are insane… why would you even- Okay, forget it. I’m not going to argue. I’ll delete Anna from my friends list and disappear. Neither of you will hear from me again. Happy?”

“It’s not that simple, mister Daniels.”

I sigh. “Seriously? Then what the hell do you want from me?”

“You have put me in a really awkward situation. You see, mister Daniels. My sister has grown quite fond of you for some reason that eludes me. Regardless, there is nothing I care more about than her well being. You are currently threatening our relationship, and I can’t have that. She doesn’t want me to protect her, so if you just abruptly cut your connection with her after talking to me, then she knows it’s because of something I said or did. This would be a less than ideal situation for both of us, I assure you.

So, If you are half the man she thinks you are, or at least twice the man I think you are, then you will stay as her friend for a month before you confess that you lied to her, then keep your distance. Do this, and I will compensate you for your troubles.”

“That’s… That’s incredibly petty of you.” I give her a deadpan stare. “What sort of teenage drama bullshit is that? Really. You want me to pretend to be her friend? No way. This isn’t worth it. I’ll just confess to her right now and get it over with. This shit is just getting weird. You are both fucking weird.”

“Name your price.” Aria says, unflinching.

“As I said earlier: I have none.”

“How about a sponsored guild membership as a crafter?”

…

What, really? That offer is insane! If I had been a regular player, I would probably immediately accept it. Really. A sponsored guild membership in one of the most powerful and well-funded guilds in the game? Who wouldn’t say yes to that? Sponsorship means they pay for the game upkeep as well as a regular salary for playing the game. My life would be set with that deal. Even if I would be forced to be a full-time crafter.

This is the first time I think I’m regretting playing as a Thief Lord. Although, if I wasn’t, then I doubt I would have even met Anna in the first place, or have lied to her, thus drawing the attention of this she-shark in front of me.

“No thank you. I don’t want anything to do with you or your damn guild. You’re crazy, and I would just come to regret having any affiliation with you.” I say evenly, trying really hard to keep my composure.

Her eye twitches. “I don’t think you know what you are turning down…” She starts.

“Being paid to be a slave? Forever in debt to a psychotic woman? I do. There are more important things in life than money.” I say, nearly biting my tongue in half as I keep my face from wincing.

She sneers. “Then you are forcing my hand. If you don’t do as I say, then I’ll put out a bounty on your head. You won’t be able to play this game at all without the constant threat of a thousand players killing you on sight.”

I snort. Really? She is resorting to petty threats now? I glare at the woman. “Do you know what? Go ahead. I’ve had it with your shit. If you want to threaten me, then you shouldn’t do it from such a disadvantageous position. You have no leverage. Killing me? Why the hell should I care? In case you didn’t know this, I’m a crafter. I basically stay in the city all the time. Perhaps you forgot that all of Drenerys is a safe zone, which means other players can’t kill me in here. The only chance you have of killing me is to hire NPCs. And let me tell you this. Even with your deep coffers, that particular avenue would be more expensive than it would be worth after a day or two.

Besides, why would I even care if I die? It’s just a minor inconvenience to me. If things get too rough, I can just delete and remake my character under a different name. It’s not like I can’t stand to lose three days of progress.” I glare at Aria, my bluffing powers working overtime. Her face is crimson, and I can see a vein pulsing on her forehead. She takes a moment to collect herself, not dropping the murderous glint in her eyes.

“Then what do you want? Money?”

“As I said, I don’t want anything from you. I’m just going to tell Anna and get this shit over with.”

“Five thousand gold.” She states calmly.

I wince. Holy crap! That’s a lot of gold! Is she serious right now? That could cover my expenses for over half a year. Is she really this loaded? To be able to callously throw this kind of money around? I should definitely say yes. Fuck the consequences and my morality. Turning down that kind of money is idiotic.

But what would the consequences be? I need to cut my connections with Aria now, and not later. If I accept this bribe, then I will be forever tied to her. Also, accepting this kind of money based on a lie would be a complete scumbag move. Who the hell does that shit? Accepting the money from Greg and Kevin was one thing. That money wasn’t even theirs to begin with. Taking this woman’s money though? For such an odd reason? It doesn’t sit well with me. I may be a villain, but this is crossing a line.

“I don’t want any money.” I say through gritted teeth.

Aria seethes with rage. “Everyone has a price, and so do you. I know that you can’t afford to play this game and pay for your living expenses after the end of the month.”

“That doesn’t matter-” I halt, frowning. What did she just say? “How do you know that?”

Her eyes go wide. “I-.”

“You hacked my accounts, didn’t you?” I ask, glaring at the woman. “That’s not publicly available information.”

She hesitates, her face turning an even deeper shade of crimson. She fucked up. She actually fucked up! I got her now.

“Listen. I know you broke the law. Don’t even try to tell me anything different. What you may not know, is that I have been recording this entire conversation. Sure, it probably wouldn’t hold up in court or anything, and I probably won’t even bother pursuing any legal action against you. Just know this. From here on out, I don’t want to either see nor hear from you again. If you or your guild try to fuck with me again, I’ll release the footage to the media and let them decide what to do with it.

Just so you know, Aria. You aren’t the only one who did some background research here. I know who you are, and how connected you are. Having this sort of information out there, true or not, would be devastating for your career and future business prospects. So let me tell you this one final time. Stay the hell out of my way.” I say, leaning back and crossing my arms.

Aria sits completely still, fuming. She knows she got outplayed, and she is doing the smart thing and stays quiet. She doesn’t know that I am bluffing. I would never actually make good on those threats. She doesn’t need to know that though. She sits still for a moment, staring daggers at me. I just sit there, unflinching. I know I won.

After a short time of exchanging sparkling hatred, Aria’s shoulders drop. Closing her eyes and releasing a deep sigh, I notice a tear welling in the corner of her eye. Wait, what?

“Alright, Ryan. You win. I know when I’m beat…” She mutters, refusing to meet my eyes. “I’ll back off. Just, please… Please don’t come between me and my sister.” She pleads. “I don’t know what I will do without her.”

I sit there paralyzed. What just happened? How did she… why? My jaw drops as I stare at the suddenly vulnerable woman in front of me. I can feel my anger fading as the adrenaline is slowly draining from my system.

My mind draws a complete blank as I watch the sobbing mess of a woman in front of me. Her tear-stricken eyes meet mine.

“Are… are you alright?” I ask hesitantly after a few seconds of silence.

“Y-yeah.” She mutters, finally breaking eye contact. “I’m sorry. It’s just that… my sister means so much to me. Can you please just do this for me?”

Shit. I really don’t know what to say here. Curse my social ineptitude. I take a deep breath. “Listen, Aria. I really don’t want to be the bad guy here. I have no intentions towards your sister, and the last thing I want to do is get rich off of a misunderstanding. Least of all, I don’t want to come between you two. I’ll figure out a way to tell Anna the truth without hurting her too badly. She’s a big girl. She can handle it.” I say, shifting my gaze.

A tear runs down Aria’s cheek. “Thank you.” She mutters quietly.

With another sigh, I make to stand up. Before I can turn to leave, Aria grabs my arm. “If you ever need a favor, just ask. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

[Human Arcanist - Aria Windrider wants to add you to her friends list.]

That… That was unexpected.