Twisted Desires

21. Unexpected Visitor

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hanni demanded as Reggie stepped inside. He glanced around, ignoring Micheal's greeting. "Aunty's been calling. Why won't you answer?" His gaze locked with Hanni's, and she couldn't help but notice his tan complexion, the beauty spot on his right cheekbone, and his smoky dark eyes. His neatly styled hair and confident demeanor grated on her nerves. They sized each other up, a silent battle of wills brewing. Reggie exuded cockiness, always trying to prove himself as the better family member. Hanni found herself almost unable to tolerate him. Almost.

Reggie took in the scene, his gaze scanning the underground space with its concrete floor, a random wardrobe in one corner, and a large couch dominating the center. A chess table stood nearby, and a barred window allowed a sliver of sunset to peek through. A whiteboard hung by the door, adorned with various scribbles and plans.

"So, this is where you've been camping?" Reggie remarked, eyeing the room. "And you're still here, the girlfriend," he added, nodding towards Minji, who tensed at the remark.

"She's not my girlfriend," Hanni retorted firmly. Reggie clicked his teeth and stepped closer, causing Archer to tense, hand hovering near his waistband, likely where a weapon was kept.

Reggie's light blue eyes roamed over each person in the room: Archer, with his steely demeanor; Michael, wearing a mischievous smile; Maddie, with her electric green eyes; the old man focused on the chess game; and Scott, engrossed in his iPad.

"What's up with the iPad, kid?" Reggie asked, his tone brusque. Maddie bristled, but Scott raised his head.

"Hello, I'm Scott. Nice to meet you," he said politely. Reggie's expression softened momentarily, but he quickly resumed his tough demeanor.

"Yeah, yeah, where are your parents?" Reggie inquired gruffly. Scott shrugged nonchalantly.

"No idea. Never met them. I was delivered to a foster home in a cardboard box, for all I know," he replied casually, earning a furrowed brow from Reggie.

"Right, and what're you doing there?" Reggie motioned to the iPad, his curiosity piqued. Hanni stepped in behind him, urging him to ease off.

"Come on, leave him alone, Reg," she interjected. Scott seized the opportunity to explain.

"Simple. To infiltrate the correct social circles and gather intelligence for the loan sharks, using an iPad strategically is easy," Scott began, his tone confident.

"From here, I'll engage in meaningful and meaningless interactions via messaging platforms and social media, earning trust and access to privileged information," he continued, his explanation thorough.

"Then, I'll gather data from social media profiles and other digital sources, identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses within the target group," Scott elaborated.

"And then, I'll employ subtle manipulation techniques, leveraging the gathered intelligence to exploit these vulnerabilities discreetly," he concluded, leaving Reggie speechless.

"Okay," Reggie said, then turned to Hanni. "We're getting out of here," he declared.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Michael interjected. "She is not going anywhere."

"Yes, she is," Reggie insisted.

"No, she's not, you ass," Michael shot back, his tone firm.

"What did you just call me?" Reggie said, genuinely taken aback by the insult.

"You heard me. Now either sit your perky ass down or get out of here. We don't welcome the judgmental," Michael set the record straight. Reggie paused for a second, likely processing the situation. There were two scenarios: either the group, with its various age range, were a bunch of D&D nerds, holed up in an underground station playing until dawn, or they were a group of geniuses in the midst of a dangerous plan. Reggie chose the latter.