Maluck clapped his hands together. “Okay, team. We all started to get a little detoured here. My bad, Chloe, Soi. But, in the process, we obviously realized we needed two more people on board.” He gestured to Theo and Cassandra. “So, welcome to Lucky Star Ventures.”

  Theo gave a mock salute. “Glad to be here, boss.”

  Cassandra just nodded. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Maluck leaned forward. “Alright, let’s get to work. Because if I’m paying out over half a million dollars in wages, I probably need to bring in more income than just hitting a 7/24 and scratching off a few lucky lottery tickets.”

  The team laughed.

  Maluck tapped the folder in front of him. “So, here’s the profile on Cars 4 A Better Future. Soi, you want to run them through it?” He’d gotten the folder from Soi earlier, after Soi admitted he had kept a ‘few’ select files.

  Soi nodded and pulled up his notes. “Yeah. This is one hell of a mess.” He launched into the breakdown, explaining everything from their tax filings, the ‘administrative costs’ scam, and the massive discrepancies in reported donations.

  As he spoke, Cassandra’s expression shifted from mild curiosity to laser focus.

  Maluck smirked. “Cass, this seems more up your alley.”

  Cassandra took the folder and flipped through it. “Yeah. This is definitely in my wheelhouse.”

  Theo glanced at the numbers and whistled. “So, do we burn this place down metaphorically, or are we about to get rich?”

  “How hard would it be to take this place down? Let’s say we wanted to take it over?” asked Maluck.

  Cassandra flipped through a few pages, scanning the numbers like she was reading a particularly juicy novel.

  “Well,” she said, “with the paperwork we already have here, plus a little more digging, it wouldn’t be hard. We just need to find a weak link—someone skimming off the top or someone with something to hide. A little leverage, and this whole thing collapses.”

  Theo smirked. “Ah, so this is that legal grey zone you were talking about?”

  The team chuckled.

  Maluck leaned forward. “I already have a pretty good idea of who that weak link is.”

  Cassandra arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “Yeah,” Maluck said, crossing his arms. “I’ve got an appointment to drop my old car off at their donation lot. And I have a strong feeling there’s a manager inside who’s deep in this mess.”

  Cassandra nodded. “Makes sense. A scam like this needs somebody on the inside keeping the numbers quiet.”

  Maluck grinned. “Exactly. And I bet he’s got a ton of paperwork locked up in his filing cabinets.”

  Chloe’s eyes lit up. “And I know the perfect person to crack open a locked cabinet.”

  She leaned back in her chair, a smug smile on her face.

  Maluck smirked. “You up for it?”

  Chloe grinned. “Please. I’ve been waiting to put my skills to actual use. A little breaking and entering? More fun than the gym.”

  ***

  Soi folded his arms, his expression unreadable. “And you don’t just want to report them? You actually want to take over this operation?”

  Maluck nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

  Soi exhaled, glancing at Cass. “And you’re on board with this?”

  Cass tapped her fingers against the table, clearly debating how much she wanted to say. “Look, I don’t love it. But let’s be real—taking down these scams the ‘right’ way never actually works. The people running them have connections, resources, and layers of protection. If we blow the whistle, maybe a couple of mid-level guys get thrown under the bus, but the real players? They just move on and do it again somewhere else.”

  Soi muttered under his breath. “Or they make sure we disappear first.”

  Cass nodded. “Yeah, there’s that, too.” She leaned back, arms crossed. “So, no, I don’t love the idea of stepping into a corrupt business. But if the alternative is watching someone else keep running it the wrong way, I’d rather be the one in control.”

  Soi sighed, rubbing his temples. “Alright. But tell me why this isn’t just us turning into them?”

  Maluck smirked, gesturing vaguely. “Because we’re actually putting some of the money where it’s supposed to go. Sure, the game is rigged, but if we’re the ones running it, we can at least make sure the charity actually helps people instead of just lining pockets. Otherwise, this whole thing just keeps cycling with new players while nothing changes.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Chloe, who had been quietly listening, raised an eyebrow. “And what do we get out of it? A warm, fuzzy feeling?”

  Maluck snapped his fingers. “Exactly.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, no thanks.”

  Maluck grinned. “But. If we take it over? The same dirty money keeps flowing, but now we decide where it goes. We get paid—and some of it actually does what it was meant to.”

  Soi let out a long breath, staring at the table. “So basically, we’re not stopping the system. We’re just making sure it actually does some good along the way.”

  Maluck leaned forward. “And here’s the final thing. If we just alert the authorities, sure, they’ll take down the corrupt players—but the fallout will wreck the charity’s reputation. Cars 4 a Better Future is actually a worthwhile cause, and if it gets exposed as a scam, it’ll probably shut down completely. And the people who rely on it? They’ll get nothing.”

  He tapped the folder for emphasis. “Right now, under these guys, only 10% of the money actually goes where it’s supposed to. If we take over? I’m making sure at least 50% goes to the people who need it. And if we report it? Best case, the charity takes a massive hit. Worst case? It’s gone for good.”

  He spread his hands. “So, yeah—taking it over isn’t just the smartest move. It’s the best deal for everybody.”

  Cass shook her head but smiled ruefully. “You know, it’s honestly disturbing how much sense that makes.”

  Theo, who had been sitting back, watching the conversation like a poker game, finally grinned. “Sounds good to me, boss.”

  Both Soi and Cass still had their reservations. Morally, legally—this was not how they were supposed to do things. But doing things the right way had gotten them fired before. Following the rules had left them powerless while the real criminals walked free.

  So, maybe this was worth a shot. A Robin Hood-style operation, where at least more of the money actually went to the people who needed it. And if things got really bad… well, at least they’d be on the inside, keeping an eye on Maluck before he got too carried away.

  ***

  Maluck returned to the dealership-turned-charity-lot, where the sales guy was waiting with the paperwork.

  “Just sign here, Mr. Maluck,” the salesman said with a rehearsed smile. “We can get everything processed.”

  Maluck glanced at the paperwork but didn’t move to sign. Instead, he leaned on the counter. “You know, I’ve heard that some of these operations can be a little… shady. Corrupt, even.” He gave the salesman a pointed look. “You sure everything’s above board here?”

  The salesman chuckled nervously. “Oh, absolutely! We’re all just volunteers, doing our best to help those in need.”

  Maluck’s Scammer Slayer instinct pinged, but just a little. Not a full-blown alarm siren, more like a car with a suspiciously low price tag. This guy wasn’t the big fish—he was just a low-level liar, spitting out the usual corporate-friendly half-truths.

  “Oh, cool,” Maluck said, nodding like he bought it. “Well, since this is such a great place, why don’t you introduce me around?”

  The salesman hesitated but then shrugged. Whatever. As far as he was concerned, Maluck was just another guy dropping off a junker. No way this car was worth all the extra effort. But still, he wasn’t actually busy.

  “Sure,” he said, leading Maluck through the lot. “Let me show you around.”

  The salesman started to introduce the staff. And that’s when Maluck met Dennis Lamont.

  Every scam operation had one guy.

  Some middle-management idiot who thought he was untouchable but was just important enough to know everything.

  Maluck’s Scammer Slayer instinct flared as soon as they met.

  Dennis Lamont. Officially? He was the Head of Outreach. Unofficially? He just became the target.

  ***

  Maluck extended a hand with a grin. “Nice to meet you, Dennis.”

  The second they shook, Maluck’s Scammer Slayer instinct practically screamed.

  ‘Oh yeah. This guy was definitely extra crooked.’

  Time to get a little closer.

  “Should we go into your office to sign the paperwork?” Maluck asked casually.

  Dennis frowned. “Normally, you’d sign it at the front desk.”

  “If it’s ok I’d rather it be somewhere more private, I mean, let’s sign in there.” Maluck gestured at the office Dennis had just stepped out of.

  Dennis hesitated, then thought, ‘Whatever, let’s just get this guy out of here.’

  “Sure,” he muttered, leading Maluck inside.

  The three of them entered, and Maluck took a quick survey.

  No family photos. No personal knick-knacks.

  But what was there? A crumpled lottery scratcher sticking out from under a notepad, the edges worn like it had been scratched with desperate hope. Beside it, a membership card to a casino in Calgary—not the high-end one Maluck and Chloe had visited, but a grungier spot on the outskirts of town, the kind of place where dreams and paychecks went to die.

  Maluck smiled to himself. Bingo.

  As he signed the paperwork, he decided to plant the bait.

  “You know what I like about doing charity work?” Maluck asked.

  Dennis barely looked up. “What?”

  “The good feeling it gives me. All that karma.”

  “Oh.” Dennis sounded like he couldn’t care less.

  “Yeah, man. It’s a thrill. A rush. Like winning.”

  That made Dennis perk up just a little.

  Right on cue, Maluck lowered his voice. “You know where I’m headed after this?”

  Dennis looked up. “Where?”

  Maluck smirked. “The casino.”

  Dennis visibly perked up. “Really?”

  “Oh yeah,” Maluck said, pulling out his wad of cash. “You know why I gave this car away?”

  Dennis leaned in. “Why?”

  “Because I just made this—last night at the casino.”

  Dennis’s eyes locked onto the roll of bills like a starving man staring at a buffet.

  Maluck grinned. “And you know what I think about luck?”

  Dennis swallowed. “What?”

  “I think it should be shared.”

  Dennis’s fingers twitched.

  Maluck leaned in. “You getting off anytime soon, bud? You must have a lot of luck built up, with all the ‘helping people’ you do.”

  Dennis really wanted to go to the casino. Like really, really.

  But there was a problem.

  He was broke.

  And owed a lot of money.

  Right now, he didn’t have a dime to spare.

  Maluck read him like a book.

  “No worries,” he said smoothly. “Come with me. I’ll peel off a chunk of this roll and we’ll gamble together.”

  Dennis blinked.

  Maluck kept going. “If we win, you keep it. If you lose? No worries. It’s on me.”

  Dennis thought about it for half a second.

  ‘That was the best deal ever.’ How often do rich idiots like Maluck come along?

  “Sure,” he said. “I could be done here in 30 minutes.”

  Maluck waved him off. “Nah, I don’t want to interrupt anything. Let’s just meet back here at 9.” He was fishing for info.

  Dennis hesitated. “I mean, we usually close the lot around 8 p.m.”

  Maluck shrugged. “Perfect. We’ll head out at 8pm.”

  Dennis agreed, he couldn’t wait to shake some dice.

  And just like that, they had plans to meet at 8 p.m.

  And Chloe?

  She had plans to break in at 8:05.

  ****