NABC Chapter 292: Theater Dick
Chapter 292: Theater Dick
Nash pushed the door of the office, granting access to Victoria’s former sanctuary.But the refined luxury that once defined the room had been completely profaned.
The air was thick and suffocating, saturated with the acrid smell of cigar, the fumes of spilled strong liquor, and the unmistakable scent of bodily fluids lingering like a trail of sweat.
Harlan was there.
He was sprawled out in Victoria’s executive leather chair, a glass of liquor in one hand, his short legs spread wide without a shred of shame. His designer suit, worth several thousand credits, was ill-fitting and half-unbuttoned over a sweaty, hairy chest. Flashy gold jewelry dangled from his thick wrists, and his face was bloated.
Between his thighs, an hostess was on her knees, her head bobbing in a mechanical back-and-forth motion, giving him a deep, wet blowjob under the lustful gazes of his four goons, who stood smoking in the corners.
Harlan didn’t even pause the act when they entered. He simply tilted his head back against the chair, letting out a greasy sigh while wearing the triumphant, piggish smile of a man who had just conquered an empire.
Nash was immobile in the doorway,his green eyes locked onto Harlan’s face.
Instantly, the glowing interface of his System activated.
[VIEWING TARGET: HARLAN REISS]
Name: Harlan Reiss
Affection %: 12
Lust %: 88 (Target: Victoria)
Trust %: 15
Preferences / Psychological Flaws:
• Fragile Ego & Compensation: Needs constant validation of his dominance. Deeply satisfied by seeing high-standing figures humbled or submitted.
• Apex Resentment: Despised being a mere tool for Hector Perez’s dirty business in the Underground. Craves recognition as a mastermind.
Trigger Events:
→ Showing absolute deference or reinforcing Harlan’s "Alpha" status → +15% Trust
→ Pointing out Victoria’s failures and taking his side → +25% Trust
→ Appealing to his sexual desire for Victoria → +15% Lust, +10% Affection
→ Rising your tone against him → -25% Affection, -18% Trust
→ Berating him → -55% Affection, - 42% Trust
→ Risk Factor / Passives:
• [PASSIVE ACTIVE] -> Harlan Reiss: +18% Cooperation Chance
Nash’s innate aura matches Harlan’s deep subconscious desire to find a strong ally against Underworld. If Nash acts too arrogant, Harlan’s fragile ego will trigger defensive paranoia, closing the layout permanently.
Nash’s brow furrowed slightly. What a soft piece of shit this guy was.
His left eye twitched for a few seconds. The movement was almost imperceptible to anyone else, but Dahlia, standing right next to him and discreetly watching his reactions, caught it from the corner of her eye.
That was the signal.
The stress that had been twisting her guts instantly transformed into razor-sharp focus. Her eyes widened slightly.
Harlan roughly shoved the hostess’s head away by her hair. The girl wiped her mouth and retreated into the shadows without a word. Harlan wiped himself with a silk handkerchief, zipped up his pants without a shred of shame, then straightened in the chair, his tone mocking.
"Well, well... look at this. The holy trinity of Hangar 47."
His bloodshot, vice-filled eyes locked onto Victoria.
"The Queen of Blacklist returning to her own pigsty. Did you lose your colors, Victoria? Your fall is making a beautiful sound across the entire sector."
He then turned his heavy gaze toward Nash, his smile widening.
"And you, the golden boy... Blaze. You had the Apex train right in front of you. A life of luxury in the Upperworld, millions of credits, the Surface spotlights waiting for your number. And you fucked it all up. All of it, just to end up in the mud with this fallen queen. What a fucking waste."
Harlan let out a greasy laugh, savoring his revenge. He turned back to Victoria.
"I spent my life being Hector’s errand boy, handling his shitty business in the Underground while he played god up there. But thanks to your management mistakes, Victoria, every single day has been a delight. And today... today is the best one yet."
His lustful gaze slowly dragged down Victoria’s body. He lingered shamelessly on her heavy breasts, openly imagining them stripped bare, before dropping lower to the curve of her hips and the shape of her ass. His eyes kept moving, undressing her with crude, sick hunger.
"So," he said, licking his lips, "what brings you here? Did you come to beg me to give you back the brothel, sweetheart? I don’t know... it’s pretty annoying dealing with you. I should probably just throw you out. But who knows... if you changed your attitude with me... if you finally learned how to be docile... maybe I could consider helping you soften your fall. What do you say?"
Victoria took a slow breath, crossing her arms to maintain her façade as an untouchable director.
"Changing my attitude toward who? A rat like you? You don’t have Hector’s stature or intelligence to run this office, Harlan. Even a piece of trash like Monique managed to climb to some kind of directorship. If the best you can do is run an underground brothel, then you’re not worth it. You’re nothing but a—"
"You should shut your fucking mouth, Victoria."
The silence that followed was immediate. Harlan’s goons stopped smoking. Dahlia looked petrified. Even Harlan himself froze in his seat, eyes wide.
Victoria slowly turned her head toward Nash, her sapphire eyes filled with total confusion.
"What did you just say?" she whispered.
Nash sighed, arms still crossed.
"I said you should shut the fuck up. I thought you’d be a little more logical, but if you want to keep acting like a stupid bitch until the end, then I’m out."
Victoria held her breath. Her expression quickly shifted into pure black rage.
"How dare you speak to me like that, Nash?!" she snapped, her fingers tightening on her arms. "You forget who you’re talking to! You forget who pays for your contracts!"
"Your contracts aren’t worth shit anymore!" Nash shot back, taking a threatening step toward her, his face hard. "I came here to make a deal and save my own ass, not to clean up the mess you left behind with your shitty management! You crashed everything, so stop acting like a fucking queen."
Victoria’s anger exploded. She stepped closer to Nash, her voice dripping with total contempt.
"You? You’re nothing but a street rat who got lucky with a little talent. A thug from the gutter who thinks he’s important because he can throw a ball in a fucking basket. Don’t forget your place, Blaze. Without me, you’d be one of those bastards fucking in the street for pocket change. I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me? By turning on me the second things get difficult?"
Nash’s jaw clenched. He stepped even closer, towering over her.
"Don’t fucking lecture me about loyalty, Victoria. You used me like a tool for your stupid revenge. I gave up on the chance of my life for your stupid games. I’m done being your attack dog. If you want to keep playing the high-and-mighty bitch, go ahead. But I’m not going down with your sinking ship."
Dahlia stood frozen, completely overwhelmed by the sudden clash. She slowly stepped back, eyes wide with shock, unsure whether to speak or run.
Harlan watched the scene with growing delight. Seeing Victoria’s panic and loss of control, he suddenly burst into loud, triumphant laughter. He pushed himself up from the chair, grinning widely as he stepped forward like some kind of twisted mediator.
"Well, well, well..." he chuckled, clearly enjoying every second. "Look at that. The mighty Queen of Blacklist getting put in her place by her own little thug. This is even better than I expected."
He clapped his hands together once, still grinning.
"Alright, children. That’s enough of the domestic drama. Let’s all calm down and talk like adults... before someone says something they can’t take back."
[HARLAN REISS — TRUST: 40% (+25%)]
[PASSIVE MODIFIER APPLIED: COOPERATION CHANCE UP]
"What’s the point?" Nash said, his voice dripping with contempt toward Victoria. "This one is all bark, no bite. She ruined my career, and she still thinks she can give orders."
Victoria clenched her teeth, her eyes flashing with pure hatred toward Nash.
This time, Dahlia couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped forward, hands trembling, looking completely exasperated and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"Mr. Reiss... please!" she begged, her voice broken by panic as she stared at Harlan. "He’s right, Nash is right! It’s all her fault! I mean... I’m not accusing her but... The staff and I were only following Victoria’s orders! We only did what we were asked to do to survive! Please, Mr. Reiss, consider our jobs! We don’t want to go back to starving in the streets or getting fucked in the Red Zone just to survive!"
Victoria immediately shot her a withering glare.
"That doesn’t surprise me coming from a trash like you. You’ve always crawled in front of the first pig that came along to save your own skin. You and that rat Nash aren’t worth any more than each other."
This time, Nash lost control. He took a violent step toward her, his voice booming so loud the office windows vibrated.
"Shut your fucking mouth! I sacrificed my fucking Upperworld opportunity for your piece-of-shit team! You can disrespect idiots like Dahlia if it amuses you, but you will never disrespect me again, Victoria! It’s over!"
Harlan was in heaven. His bloated face was sweating with pure delight at the spectacle of discord. He placed his greasy hands on the desk, supporting Nash with his gaze.
"It’s normal that you snapped, my guy," Harlan chuckled in a honeyed voice. "That viper Victoria has a rare talent for manipulating men and sucking their energy dry. More than a girl could suck a good dick, if you know what I mean. And the worst part... is that she doesn’t know when to quit. So... what would you say if we made sure she really pays for it?"
He leaned back again, a perverse smile on his lips.
"I’ve got plenty of knives at my disposal, Blaze. And there’s one that should be particularly interesting to Blacklist’s star player."
He snapped his fingers sharply. One of his goons walked over to the private bathroom door, unlocked it, and pulled a figure out by the arm.
Nash froze. Total surprise painted his features.
Aiko.
The young girl looked completely defeated, her clothes wrinkled, her hair disheveled, and her shoulders shaking with tremors. Her eyes were red from crying. Nash was genuinely confused.
What the hell was she doing here?
Harlan let out a loud, satisfied laugh, clearly enjoying the giant’s reaction.
"I caught her snooping through my personal files this morning, right after I arrived," the usurper explained, smiling with all his yellow teeth. "To make her talk and ensure her cooperation, I used the only method that works with these little idealists. I promised her that if she kept her mouth shut or tried to play the hero, I’d immediately send one of her teammates to work in the dirtiest and most violent massage parlors in the Spires to pay off their contract debts."
Aiko, terrified and humiliated, stood frozen beside the desk, her body shaking, not daring to meet Nash’s green eyes.
Harlan spread his arms wide, his smile growing even bigger as he delivered his final offer.
"So here’s the deal, Blaze: Victoria... in exchange for all the Baby-Boom girls."