wild star| ongoing

fifty-six

CHAPTER 56:
April 23rd, 2016
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Brandy followed Remy into his apartment, taking in the tidy space that mirrored Ace's in size but seemed better maintained. Remy, the competition attempting to infringe on Ace's turf, stood before her. Her task was simple: slip the pill into his drink, allowing Ace to take over from there. Anxious beneath her composed exterior, she surveyed the room.

She slipped off her heels and coat by the door. Remy strolled into the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, "Drink?"

"Sure," she replied casually, trying to read him as he disappeared from view.

He emerged with two glasses and a bottle of whiskey. "On the rocks okay?"

"Perfect," she answered, observing him closely. He was sharply dressed, with a sense of authority that exuded confidence. She sauntered over to the couch and settled in, crossing her legs as she watched him prepare the drinks, taking mental notes of his movements. He didn't seem like the type of guy to run drugs on the streets. He was too... clean.

Remy poured the whiskey into the glasses, looking over his shoulder. "So, how do you know Ace?"

Brandy kept her tone casual. "We run into each other sometimes. Friends of friends, you know."

He nodded, setting the bottle down. "Yeah, small world."

He brought the drinks over and settled into the couch beside her, handing her a glass. "Well, glad you dropped by." Remy took a sip of his drink, studying her over the rim of the glass. "You seem familiar. Have we met before?"

She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Maybe at a party or something, but we've never really talked."

Remy leaned back, swirling his drink in his hand. "Huh, strange. I could've sworn..." He trailed off, eyeing her thoughtfully. "You know, Ace doesn't bring just anyone around here. We used to do business together. Me, him, and Baron. He trusts you?"

"Yeah," she replied, her voice carefully measured. "I guess we're cool like that."

They clinked their glasses, but Brandy couldn't shake the tension in the air. This was going to be harder than she thought. She had to slip that pill into his drink, but he wouldn't put the glass down. She decided that she had to force him to put it down one way or another.

He studied her for a moment longer, leaning back with a half-smile. "Fair enough.  Ace... He's been getting on my nerves lately. Thinks he's the kingpin, calling all the shots. Not how things were with Baron. He's changed, and I'm not sure I like the way things are going." Remy leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice. "Between you and me, he's been stepping on toes. Took over Baron's turf, trying to rule the whole damn block."

She acted surprised. "Really? That's pretty bold."

"Yeah," he continued, his frustration evident. "I'm telling you, things are different now. Ace's calling the shots, and it's not just about the business. It's personal."

She nodded sympathetically, planting seeds of agreement. "That's rough. Must've thrown a wrench in your thing."

He sighed, taking a long sip of his drink. "You have no idea. But what can you do? He thinks he's untouchable."

She listened attentively, nodding at the right moments, while thoughts of how she could use this information swirled in her mind. As their conversation ebbed and flowed, she subtly steered it, drawing out more grievances against Ace, gathering intel that might prove useful later on.

Remy chuckled bitterly. "Talking to him is like talking to a brick wall. He's got his plans, and he's not interested in anyone else's opinion."

Brandy shifted her weight and put her drink down on the coffee table, settling on his lap, catching him off-guard. His smirk didn't fade, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that made her uneasy. "What are you doing?" he drawled.