I stopped the car and killed the engine. The pawnshop was still open. I exhaled deeply, rolled my shoulders, and pulled up the system menu.

I purchased the Time Stop ability and activated it immediately. The world around me froze.

══════════════════

Evan Marlowe [Level 21]

──────────────────

EXP: 12385 / 31500

[████░░░░░]

──────────────────

Current Credits: 17887

Current SC: 700

══════════════════

I stepped out of the car and walked into the pawnshop. The place was empty, no one behind the counter. I moved quickly toward the heavy curtains at the back and slipped through them.

Behind the curtains was a small, cramped break room. A cheap plastic table sat in the center with two folding chairs. On the left wall, a heavy old-fashioned safe was bolted to the floor. A smaller side table stood between the legs of the main table, covered in empty beer cans and cigarette packs.

Behind the main table sat Brok. He wasn’t alone.

A naked woman was straddling him, her back arched and breasts pressed against his chest. Even with time frozen, it was obvious she was faking it, her expression looked bored and distant, nothing like real pleasure.

"Well, well, well..." I muttered.

I took out my phone and snapped a few clear photos of them. Blackmail material might come in handy later. Knowing Brok’s type, he’d probably post it himself, but it was still worth having.

I crouched beside the safe. It was an old rotary model, the kind you had to spin the dial multiple times. No keypad, no digital lock. Without the combination, it was useless.

I moved over to Brok and carefully shifted the woman’s leg to the side so I could reach into his pocket. I pulled out his phone, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and started going through it.

"Now, what do we have here, Brok?"

The guy barely used his phone. As soon as I opened it, dozens of old notifications flooded the screen. I went straight to his gallery. It was full of videos of him fucking different girls. I scrolled quickly until one woman stood out... a dark-skinned beauty with short black hair. She appeared in way more photos and videos than the others. She seemed to be his favorite.

If she was his favorite, she had to know something.

I sent a couple of her clearest photos to myself via Bluetooth, then wiped my tracks and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

I gave Brok a sharp slap on the back of his neck for good measure.

"A safe, huh?" I muttered. "We’ll see about that."

This was enough for now. I had a face, even if I didn’t have a name yet. I stepped back through the curtains, left the pawnshop, and got into my car. The second I sat down, I released the Time Stop.

"Who is this girl..." I whispered to myself, staring at the photos on my phone. "Hmm..."

I lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and opened the reverse image search on my phone. I uploaded the clearest photo of the dark-skinned girl I’d taken from Brok’s gallery.

It didn’t take long.

A result popped up almost immediately, a video on a shady porn site. The thumbnail was her. I clicked on it and read the description underneath: ’Kayleen slurping my dick like a fucking croissant’

I shook my head in disgust. "Jesus Christ..."

At least now I had a name.

Kayleen.

I switched over to social media and typed in her name. After scrolling through a few unrelated profiles, one stood out. The username was Kayleen xoxox. The profile picture matched perfectly, short black hair, smooth dark skin, and a tall, curvy figure.

I clicked on the page. In her bio, she had written:

"Text me for the prices. I take the money after we meet."

She was openly selling herself. An escort.

I saved her number, then started the engine. The cigarette smoke curled out the cracked window as I pulled away from the curb.

"Alright..." I muttered with a smirk. "Let’s see where you live, Kayleen."

⟁ ⟁ ⟁

I sat on the wooden bench, casually scrolling on my phone while I waited for Kayleen. The park was lively this time of day. Joggers ran along the winding paths, earbuds in, focused on their workouts. A few mothers pushed strollers while chatting, and some older people walked their dogs under the warm afternoon sun. The trees provided decent shade, and the distant sound of children playing at a nearby playground made the place feel deceptively normal.

"Yo," a voice called from my right. "Jack, right?"

I turned and saw her, Kayleen. Even though I had used a fake name, I assumed she was using one too. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t here for sex. I needed information. She was Brok’s favorite girl, which meant there was a good chance he loosened his tongue around her when he was drunk or high. It was worth a shot.

"Yep," I nodded. "Kayleen?"

She gave a short nod. "Half an hour. I took a taxi here, so I’m gonna need a little extra for that."

I pulled out my wallet and placed a generous stack of cash in her palm. Her eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly cleared her throat, trying to play it cool, and slipped the money into her purse.

In person, she was taller than I expected and carried herself with a serious, almost stern vibe. With her sharp features and no-nonsense expression, she reminded me of my old elementary school headmaster. Not exactly the warm, seductive type I’d imagined from the photos.

"Thanks," she said. "You mentioned you have your own place, right?"

"A penthouse. It’s a bit of a drive from here," I replied, standing up. "Shall we?"

"A penthouse?" She took a cautious step back. "Who the fuck are you, really?"

"Someone who needs some company," I said with a forced smile. "Why? You changing your mind?"

She shook her head. "Let’s not do all of that. You got somewhere closer we can go?"

"Why?"

"Honestly? I don’t trust you. What if you’re some kind of psychopath?"

"Fair enough," I sighed. "But I don’t have any other place nearby. It’s the penthouse or nothing."

"Then we’ll use your car," she said, exhaling sharply. "You got condoms?"

"Yep."

Jeez, when was the last time I actually used one? At least the system hadn’t flagged her with any health issues, so that was one less thing to worry about.

"Then come on," she said, crossing her arms.

I nodded. "Follow me."