The Crime Leveling System

The Money Is Gone

Evelyn's eyes widened as if she had just woken up from a dream.

Victor, however, felt the warmth in his chest dissipate completely, leaving only a hollow void — like the lingering bitterness after finishing a cigarette. Exhaling a cloud of stale breath, he removed the memory card from the camera and tucked it away carefully before tossing the device back to her.

He sat down nearby, lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair, puffing away as if any explanation were beneath him.

Evelyn shot him a look, adjusted her hood and hair, and forced herself into work mode. Clearing her throat, she said sternly, 'All right, Victor. I think we're back on the same page. Now, explain the origin of the stolen money. I need a version I can put in the report.”

“Certainly.” Victor crossed one leg over the other and smoke drifted slowly from his lips, as if he were recounting someone else's story. 'It's straightforward. Marcus's crew handled the armoured truck. Someone let slip at Jenny's strip club about the truck's route and timing. Marcus heard this information and organised the heist.”

As Evelyn listened, her gaze drifted slightly through the smoke. She’d always treated this newcomer as a tool, never really taking the time to study him.

Now, with his relaxed shoulders and calm yet faintly dangerous gaze, he exuded an irresistible allure — a kind of danger that made her want to control him.

She shifted forward unconsciously, lowering her voice. ‘How did the money get to you, Victor? You know the procedure has to hold up.'

Victor keenly sensed her intent to draw closer, shifting back slightly while maintaining a composed expression. His tone became more official: 'Marcus's small g**g learned about the Morgan Bank armoured truck from the dancers and carried out the robbery.' He flicked ash from his cigarette before continuing, 'As luck would have it, undercover rookie cop Victor, assigned by the Anti-Crime and Narcotics Division, had already infiltrated their inner circle.'

He finished the story neatly, as if closing a case file. “They fled with the money to a forest cabin to divide the loot, but infighting led to gunfire and they ended up killing each other. The cabin burned down and all the criminals died. When Victor arrived, all he had to do was collect the money and hand it over to Deputy Team Leader Evelyn, who was overseeing the case.” He looked up at her. ‘Do you think this report will pass muster?’

Evelyn nodded rapidly, as if her earlier hesitation had never happened. 'Plausible. Very plausible. This version shifts responsibility cleanly and allows us to take over the follow-up seamlessly.'

She took the service pistol he offered, her fingertips pausing briefly on the grip before she slipped back behind her professional mask. 'Send me the cabin's coordinates. I'll wrap things up. As for your request to transfer, we'll discuss that after the case closes.'

Victor rose to leave, his pace unhurried yet clearly indicating his unwillingness to linger another second. Evelyn watched his retreating back, appraising him like a newly acquired tool and sizing up his compliance. Suddenly, she called out, ‘Victor, wait.’ She stepped into the doorway, her tone softening. 'I know the pressure of undercover work is immense. You need to relax. Really.”

Victor's brow furrowed slightly. 'What exactly are you trying to say?' Evelyn flicked her hair, her gaze carrying an ill-timed suggestiveness, as if mistaking last night's encounter for something more. Victor's patience was stretched to its limit. He took a step back, his tone hardening. 'Deputy Chief Evelyn, please behave. I owe you no second explanation, and I don't want to get rough.” He pushed her arm away — not forcefully, but with unmistakable clarity — then walked out of the apartment without looking back, closing the door behind him. Her stifled curses echoed in the hallway, a mix of rage and humiliation; a desperate attempt to salvage her pride after rejection. Victor didn't pause. He didn't care what she was yelling; he just wanted to get as far away from her as possible — far enough that she could never touch his life again. The cold street wind blew some clarity into his head. He wandered aimlessly for minutes before a stark, deadly reality hit him: he was broke. That pile of cash had been swallowed whole by Evelyn’s system — he hadn’t even had a chance to tamper with it. The police department paid every two weeks, and the next payday was still over a week away. He emptied his pockets — less than two hundred dollars in total. He was clean, crisp and completely broke. Leaning against a wall on a street corner, he rubbed his temples as his head throbbed. To maintain his 'good citizen' status, he couldn't resort to his old ways to make money — that would leave traces, a thread someone could pull. But how could he make money without cutting corners? Most of his skills weren't exactly CV material. A ridiculous thought flashed through his mind: selling his looks. However, he found the idea disgusting. Since increasing his income was difficult, he would have to cut his expenses. He couldn't afford the rent anymore — at least, he didn't want to spend any more money on it right now. He thought about the undercover funding and his mouth twitched. Evelyn hadn't given him a penny, yet she was good at getting people to work by giving orders. Victor resolved to keep meticulous records: He would reimburse what could be reimbursed and make her pay for what couldn't be. Then he came to a more pragmatic conclusion: The most viable survival strategy for him at this stage was to go home and live off his parents. He pulled out his phone, found Luna's number and dialled it, feeling awkward for no apparent reason. The call connected quickly. He could hear his mother's voice mingled with the clatter of the kitchen — the hum of a juicer acting as background noise. 'Victor?' Her tone was wary, bordering on unfriendly. 'Did you remember to call home?' Victor's mouth opened, momentarily unsure how to say 'Mom'. Finally, the words came out: “Hey, Mom. Good morning.” Luna immediately snorted. 'No, I'm not fine at all. My precious son moved out right after starting his internship and hasn't called for days. Who do you think you are, the mayor of the police department?”

“I'm sorry,” said Victor, softening his voice and trying to sound like a normal son. 'I've been swamped with a case lately, really swamped. It's almost wrapped up now. I'll come home tonight to see you guys.”

A second of silence hung on the line, as if she was gauging whether he was being insincere. 'Are you sure?'

'Absolutely.' Victor answered quickly. Only then did Luna relent. 'Alright then. I'll make your favourite pan-fried bacon. And don't forget the gifts you promised Walter and Julia. They've been talking about them for ages.'

'Got it, Mum.' After hanging up, Victor stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought. In his past life, he'd been an orphan. 'Family' had always seemed like a distant concept to him, a word reserved for movies. Yet now, he was suddenly returning to a home filled with the clatter of breakfast, complaints and expectations. It wasn't exactly warmth, but he felt an unfamiliar tension, like he was stepping into a world he'd never truly had.

He took a few deep breaths to calm down, then texted Evelyn. He sent her the location of the forest cabin and clearly outlined the reimbursement for his undercover expenses. Evelyn didn't reply to the text, but she called him quickly. Her voice sounded cheerful, even amused. 'Victor, the money's been returned to the station. Once we find the cabin you mentioned, we could wrap this up in as little as two days.'

'Congratulations, Deputy Chief Evelyn,' Victor replied flatly yet courteously. Her laughter grew more pronounced. 'Thanks — all thanks to you. I'd like to take you out to dinner tonight to discuss the reimbursement matter you mentioned.”

Victor rolled his eyes inwardly — this wasn't dinner; it was clearly another trap! He declined outright. “No thanks. I haven't been home in days because of the undercover work. I need to see my family tonight.”

The disappointment on the other end of the line was unmistakable. 'Alright.' After a pause, as if granting a favour, Evelyn continued, “I'll give you two days off. When you return, we'll discuss the reimbursement properly.' Her tone suggested that she was setting the pace.

Victor didn't call her out on it. He simply replied, 'Got it,' and hung up. He didn't need her kindness or her invitation. All he needed was time and space to extricate himself from this quagmire a little further.

He then contacted his landlord, bluntly stating that he wouldn't be paying rent for the remaining days, and requesting that the deposit be refunded to his account as agreed. The landlord readily agreed, seemingly already aware that the property struggled to retain tenants.

Victor couldn't be bothered to pack up the few items of clothing he had left behind. After all, it was just a temporary stop, so leaving them behind didn't matter. His next step was to buy decent gifts for Walter and Julia to make 'going home' feel more like coming home.

But just as he was about to leave, he received a call. The moment the screen lit up, his plans felt like they'd been cut short.