[AFTER SCHOOL – CLASSROOM]
Noah was sighing. A deep, heavy sigh that rattled his desk.
Lilly looked up. "What now?"
"Money," Noah groaned. "I'm broke. And Nana said if I don't pay for the broken glass by Friday, she's going to make me wear the 'Shame Shirt' to dinner."
Lilly blinked. "The Shame Shirt?"
"It's pink. And it has a picture of a crying onion on it. It says 'I MADE MISTAKES'."
Lilly shuddered. That sounded like psychological torture.
"So," Noah said, standing up. "I need a job."
"A job?"
"Yeah. Part-time. Something easy. Like... stacking shelves. Or washing dishes."
[THE JOB HUNT]
Noah walked down the shopping district street. Lilly trailed behind him (ostensibly to walk home, actually to ensure he didn't accidentally buy a nuclear warhead).
They stopped at a burger joint.
NO HIRING.
They stopped at a florist.
STAFF FULL.
They stopped at a small, dimly lit antique shop tucked between two large buildings.
The sign in the window was handwritten:
HELP WANTED. NIGHT SHIFT. HEAVY LIFTING. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
Noah's eyes lit up.
"Perfect!" Noah said. "I'm good at heavy lifting. And I hate questions."
Lilly looked at the shop. It was called "The Curator's Vault." It smelled of dust and secrets.
"Noah," Lilly warned. "This place looks... shady."
"It's antique," Noah corrected. "That means it's classy."
He pushed the door open. A bell chimed. A creepy, discordant chime.
[INSIDE THE SHOP]
The shop was empty. The shelves were filled with weird statues, old swords, and locked boxes.
Behind the counter sat an old man with an eyepatch. He was polishing a revolver.
(Noah assumed it was an antique replica).
"Excuse me?" Noah called out.
The old man looked up. His single eye narrowed.
"We're closed," the man grunted.
"I'm here for the job," Noah said, pointing to the sign.
The old man paused. He looked Noah up and down.
Average build. School uniform. weak posture.
"You?" the man scoffed. "This ain't a job for kids. We move... delicate inventory."
"I'm very careful," Noah promised. "And I'm strong. Nana makes me carry the rice bags."
The man laughed. A dry, rasping sound.
"Rice bags? Kid, the crates in the back weigh two hundred pounds. And if you drop one, it explodes."
(Noah assumed he meant 'explodes' metaphorically, like it would shatter into expensive pieces).
"I won't drop it," Noah said. "Let me try."
The old man stared at him. He was short-staffed tonight. The shipment from the Northern Syndicate was coming in at 8 PM, and his usual guy had been hospitalized (by Daisuke's rampage earlier that day).
"Fine," the man spat. "One test. There's a crate in the back. Move it to the truck. If you can do it without crying, you're hired."
[THE TEST]
Noah went to the back room.
There was a large metal crate. It was marked "DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE" and "UNIT 734".
(Noah assumed it was an old industrial generator).
He grabbed the handles.
One, two, three...
He lifted.
It was heavy. But compared to Nana's grocery shopping during the holiday sales? It was manageable.
Noah carried the crate out the back door, walked to the delivery truck, and set it down gently.
He wiped his hands.
"Done," Noah said, returning to the counter.
The old man dropped his revolver.
"You... you moved Unit 734?"
"Yeah. It was a bit dusty though."
The old man ran to the back room. The crate was gone. He looked out the window. It was in the truck.
That crate contained a Decommissioned Tank Engine filled with gold bars. It usually took a forklift to move.
The old man looked at Noah with terrified respect.
He carried half a ton... by hand?
Who sent him? The muscle from the East?
"You're hired," the man whispered.
"Great!" Noah beamed. "What's the pay?"
"whatever you want," the man stammered.
"Minimum wage is fine," Noah said humbly. "I start tomorrow?"
"Yes. Please don't hurt me."
"I won't! I'm a good worker!"
[OUTSIDE]
Noah walked out, fist-pumping.
"I got it!" he told Lilly. "I start tomorrow night."
Lilly looked at the shop. She saw the old man frantically making a phone call, locking the door, and pulling the blinds down.
"Noah," Lilly said. "What exactly does this shop sell?"
"Antiques," Noah said. "Heavy ones. Like... generators. And stuff."
[CONTROL ROOM]
"New intel," the analyst said. "Noah Sato just entered a known Front for the Arms Dealer 'Blind Ivan'."
"Did he arrest him?" the Commander asked.
"No. He... applied for a job."
The President put his head on the desk.
"He's infiltrating," the President mumbled. "He's infiltrating the logistics network."
"Sir, he's asking for minimum wage."
"Of course," the President said. "It's the perfect cover. Who suspects the minimum wage intern?"
[MEANWHILE, AT THE SHOP]
Blind Ivan was on the phone with his supplier.
"Cancel the forklift rental," Ivan yelled. "I found a monster. He looks like a high schooler, but he lifts tanks for fun. We can double our shipment speed."
Noah walked home, humming.
"Finally," he thought. "Normal life."