Before the woman headed for the door, Nikolai straightened and called after her.
"Hey, can I get your number? Just so I can call when it's ready. Saves you the trip back if we need more time."
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and gave it. Nikolai typed it into the shop's old phone and thanked her with a small, polite smile.
"Alright, should be a couple of hours. I'll let you know if anything changes."
"Okay. Thanks," she said, sounding reassured as she left.
The bell over the door rang again as she stepped out into the street.
Nikolai glanced toward Stewart, who was leaning back in his chair with a knowing smirk.
Stewart walked over with his usual slow limp, chuckling as he smacked Nikolai's shoulder. "You've gotten good at this, kid."
Nikolai smiled faintly. "I had a great teacher," he said, keeping his tone light and respectful.
Stewart laughed, loud and unbothered. "Hah! Buttering me up now, are you? Keep this up and maybe I'll even give you a raise."
Then his face turned a shade more serious. "But remember…"
"I know," Nikolai said, finishing for him. "Don't be too obvious or greedy."
Stewart grinned, satisfied. "Exactly." He pointed a greasy finger at him. "Do it smart, not loud. That's how you stay in business."
Nikolai nodded, playing the part, though his mind was already elsewhere, debt, survival, and how long he could afford to stay small.
"When you're done for the day, come see me in my office," Stewart said as he turned away, still limping slightly. "I've got something good for you."
Nikolai nodded. "Alright."
Stewart waved a hand and left the garage.
Left alone, Nikolai glanced toward the workbench and the pile of notes and keys.
He flipped through the day's jobs, checking which cars needed repairs or inspections. Quietly, he started planning out the work, his injured hand sore but manageable.
Nikolai kept his head down and worked as the day moved on.
Fixing the cars wasn't hard. The old Nikolai had enough skill for routine jobs, and John's own background, while not mechanical, gave him a sharp eye for how things fit together, especially when it came to breaking or manipulating them.
Sabotage and setups had once been part of his craft; understanding machines was just another puzzle.
He found himself interested, not just out of boredom. This was useful knowledge.
As he worked, his thoughts wandered. The debt was a problem, but not his main focus.
He didn't care about repaying thugs who'd already tried to hurt him, but he did care about building something. Starting somewhere. He couldn't stay at the bottom.
If this new life was a clean slate, he needed to decide how to use it.
It was obvious where the real money came from, and it wasn't honest work.
Nikolai didn't see much choice. The old version of this body hadn't been book smart, hadn't studied, and hadn't had the money for school. John himself had no interest in wasting years on education either.
If he wanted to move fast, crime was the only path open.
The mechanic job was fine for now, but it was just wages. Stewart ran everything and took the bigger share. Even with the quiet scams, Nikolai couldn't grow beyond scraps without a major payout or his own move.
If he wanted to climb, he'd have to step outside this garage.
The day ended and the shop grew quiet as the last car left. Nikolai wiped his hands, locked up the tools, and headed to Stewart's office.
He knocked once.
"Enter," Stewart called.
Nikolai stepped inside and sat without asking. Stewart never cared about formality.
"Look, kid," Stewart said, leaning back in his chair. "Remember I said I had something good for you?"
"Yeah."
"So here's the deal. Tomorrow, I'm getting a big client. Rich guy. I want you to make sure we get a big payout."
"Who's this guy?" Nikolai asked.
"Don't worry about identity, kid. Trust me, my source is solid. Here's what I want you to do." Stewart leaned forward, eyes sharp. "You'll be acting as my best man tomorrow. You don't talk much, just work. Don't mess up. Don't cause any real damage, but check everything and be careful. If we play this right, we'll eat good for a while."
Nikolai listened, one eyebrow raised. The whole thing sounded strange, but it also sparked his interest.
A rich client wasn't normal for a place like this. Stewart got business, sure, but not usually from people with serious money.
Whoever was coming had to be worth noticing.
Nikolai leaned back in the chair and studied Stewart for a long moment.
"Sounds like a sweet job," he said slowly, "but you're making it sound bigger than just a brake check. Why me? Why not do it yourself?"
Stewart's jaw twitched. "I've got other things to handle. Paperwork. Talking to the client."
"Right." Nikolai's voice stayed calm but edged with suspicion. "But if it's such a big payout, why risk it on me? Feels like there's more here than you're saying."
Stewart looked annoyed but didn't answer.
Nikolai stood, brushing his hands off. "If you're keeping things from me, I'm out. I'm not about to get caught in something stupid for ₩800 a month."
"Sit down," Stewart snapped, but there was a thread of worry in his voice now.
Nikolai didn't move. "You want me to do this? Then I want more. You said big payout, I want a fair cut. Or I walk."
Stewart stared at him, breathing slow. He looked uncomfortable, even desperate.
"Fine," Stewart said at last. "If this hits right, you'll get triple your usual pay. Two thousand four hundred. Cash."
"Half now," Nikolai countered instantly. "Half when the job's done."
Stewart's brows shot up. "You think you can negotiate with me, kid?"
"You came to me," Nikolai said flatly. "If you could handle this alone, you would. So why can't you?"
Silence stretched. Stewart's expression hardened, but under it, something flickered, nerves.
Finally, he exhaled and reached into a drawer, tossing a stack of bills onto the desk. "Fine. Half now. But you screw this up, and I don't care how good you think you are, you're done here."
Nikolai took the money and tucked it into his jacket without a word.
"Good," he said quietly. "Then we're clear."
Stewart didn't answer, just stared, uneasy in a way Nikolai hadn't seen before.
It left Nikolai wondering: why was Stewart this desperate? And what exactly was coming tomorrow?