Chapter 160: The Auction
In the following days, April juggled a relentless schedule of driving lessons, flying lessons, and shooting lessons. Nat, of course, definitely came to bother her regularly under the guise of ’tactical training.’
Through sheer repetition, she started getting used to the powerful grip of her Gabriel handgun, her shots hitting the target with steady precision.
Her driving was improving even faster. Out of everything she was learning, ground navigation was easily the most straightforward, and she quickly grew comfortable maneuvering the heavy vehicle across various terrains.
As for the flying, things weren’t as smooth. Her head was quite bad at picking up the complex aerial mechanics, the endless dials and multi-axis coordination and they were making her head spin.
Still, she dug her heels in and did her best. She just needed to completely memorize the instrument controls and emergency overrides before Xavier officially introduced how to take off.
Samuel, in the meantime, was working double-time. The quiet, hardworking assistant had absolutely no complaints; as long as he could be of maximum use to Xavier and April, he was content.
He took complete charge of procuring both Xavier’s and April’s resource lists, managing the massive supply lines in the background so the two of them could focus entirely on their intensive lessons.
This rigorous, fast-paced routine kept going, and April found herself genuinely enjoying the structure of her days.
Before she knew it, Monday arrived—the day she would finally be introduced to the black market trade.
The night was pitch black when April found herself sitting in the passenger seat of Nat’s G-Wagon as it tore through the lower sectors of the city.
Nat pulled the vehicle into a secluded, heavily guarded underground parking lot and then he killed the engine, turned in his seat, and handed April a sleek, beautifully crafted black mask.
"Here, take this, sweetheart," Nat said, his eyes flashing in the dim dashboard light. "You need to cover up that pretty face of yours. Can’t have the vultures tracking your identity outside the market."
April took the mask, inspecting its smooth, mysterious finish before tying it securely over her face, leaving only her sharp, dark eyes visible.
It was comfortable and she didn’t have any trouble breathing so she gave him a thumbs up.
"We’re going to start off with an auction tonight," Nat explained, leaning back and resting his arm over the steering wheel. "And a little live demonstration. Some of these wealthy bastards just don’t believe their ears, even if the word is coming directly from the great me. They need to see proof. Are you alright with giving out a small sample for a quick test run?"
"Yes, of course," April said, reaching into her purse and pulling out a tiny, concentrated glass vial of the revitalization spring water.
She held it up between her fingers, the clear liquid catching the faint light. "A small vial like this costs a flat billion. Anything more than this volume will be exponentially higher. If anyone wants a larger quantity—like a gallon of it—they should be prepared to open up their pockets really well."
Nat let out a deep, rumbling laugh, his chest shaking with genuine amusement. "All right, sweetheart. I love a woman who knows how to bleed the rich dry. Here’s your private invitation badge to the auction floor." He handed her a gold-embossed token. "Just follow close behind me when we head upstairs, just in case things get awkward. Some of the guys frequenting this place are quite stubborn and lack manners."
April nodded, pocketing the token. She handed him the small sample vial so he could have his men deliver it to the auction’s master of ceremonies for the demonstration.
As for the original sales product, she had already handed it to him earlier that day.
They stepped out of the vehicle and headed inside the main building. As April walked through the heavily reinforced, unmarked corridors, she looked around.
In both of her lives, she had never even heard of this specific location, let alone seen it. The entire facility operated on a sprawling, hidden dark network that only the ultra-wealthy and the criminal elite had access to.
But just like everywhere else, this place must’ve also been overrun by zombies.
They stopped by a section so Nat could hand over the sample to the manager who was wearing a plain, white mask, informing him of the lines and something about their previous discussion.
The manager looked past Nat at the woman who was following behind him but just as he did, Nat stomped his foot on the ground which caused the man to flinch in shock.
"Look away if you don’t want to lose your eyes." Nat growled.
The manager immediately bowed his head, apologising for overstepping and Nat patted his back with a little, "Be careful warning," before walking past him, April following right behind him.
They bypassed the crowded main floor and were escorted directly up to the top shelf—the exclusive, velvet-lined VIP private boxes that overlooked the entire stage.
Sitting down in the leather seats behind a see-through glass, April looked down at the gathering crowd below, waiting for the curtain to rise on her first major capital harvest.
She was a little nervous. Or maybe it was just excitement clawing at her. In any case, she couldn’t wait for it to begin.
Down on the main floor, the murmur of the crowd grew into a low, buzzing hum. From their vantage point in the VIP box, April could see the kind of people who inhabited this dark, hidden network.
There were elderly tycoons in tailored suits whispering to their personal physicians, heavily scarred men in casual attire who didn’t bother hiding the holsters of their guns beneath their jackets, and younger heirs looking for a thrill.
All of them had one thing in common—unlimited money and a desperate desire for something that money usually couldn’t buy.
Nat leaned back in his seat, his long legs crossed comfortably on the velvet footrest. He had already slung an arm over the back of April’s chair, his fingers idly playing with the stray brown lock of her hair that fell past the strap of her mask.
"See those old men down there, sweetheart?" Nat murmured, his voice low and vibrating with a lazy sort of malice. "They’re practically rotting from the inside out, but they’re clinging to their empires with white knuckles. They’ll pay any price to buy themselves an extra year of breathing."
April ignored his fingers in her hair, her eyes tracking a group of men who had just sat down near the front. "They look eager."
"Eager is an understatement," Nat chuckled. "They’re starving."
And yet, even their billions will not let them see past a few weeks from now. April thought, staring down with dark, cold eyes.
A sharp, echoing chime rang through the vast, dimly lit hall, and the chatter immediately died down. The heavy velvet curtains on the main stage slowly parted, revealing a polished, circular podium under a brilliant white spotlight.
A middle-aged master of ceremonies stepped up to the microphone. He wore a flawless tuxedo, his expression completely neutral, though there was a sharp, dangerous glint in his eyes that suggested he was far more than just a host.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Monday elite exchange," the MC’s voice boomed smoothly through the high-end sound system. "Tonight, we begin our auction with a very special, highly irregular entry. A commodity that has not been registered on any pharmaceutical index, nor can it be found in any private medical reserve."
A soft murmur rippled through the crowd.
On a small, velvet-lined pedestal rising from the center of the stage, the tiny glass vial April had handed to Nat sat under its own tiny spotlight.
The clear, pristine liquid inside looked deceptively simple—almost like ordinary well water—but those who knew the rumors surrounding the Greel family’s sudden recovery were already leaning forward in their seats.
"Some of you may have heard the whispers," the MC continued, gesturing toward the pedestal. "A miracle that pulls a dying man from his vegetative state within seconds. And a miracle that clears any and every toxin in the body. Tonight, the owner of this legendary tonic has agreed to offer a single, concentrated sample for a live demonstration. Dare to witness it?"