Chapter 4: First Fruits and Sharpening Sights
Two days passed. Elias managed his properties with his usual meticulousness, but his mind was a maelstrom of calculations and burgeoning ambition. The +0.05% from Mickey was a constant, subtle reminder of the System's potential for incremental growth. He awaited Mickey's first 'report' with a mixture of clinical curiosity and grim pragmatism. If the Goblin-empowered thief absconded, it was a 5-point energy loss and a lesson learned. If he delivered... well, that opened new avenues.
The summons came on the third night. Not a polite knock, but a series of furtive scratches at his back alley service door, a sound like rats in the wainscoting. Elias, anticipating such clandestine approaches, was prepared. He opened it to find Mickey O'Halloran, looking more weasel-like than ever. His clothes were grimier, his eyes bright with a disturbing mixture of triumph and nervous energy. He clutched a lumpy sack.
"Mr. Thorne," Mickey hissed, slipping inside like an eel through a crack. The air around him smelled of damp wool, cheap gin, and something vaguely metallic. "Got... got somethin' for ya."
He upended the sack onto Elias's sturdy kitchen table. Out tumbled a collection of items: a tarnished silver locket, three pocket watches (two gold-plated, one seemingly solid silver), a handful of loose change, a pearl-handled letter opener, and a surprisingly well-made fountain pen.
"From a posh house up on Sherbrooke Street," Mickey whispered, his gaze darting to the stolen goods with obvious pride. "Easy as takin' candy, Mr. Thorne. Went in through a pantry window they thought was too small. Heh. Not for me, not anymore." He tapped his ribs, indicating his slightly compressed frame. "Slipped past the sleepin' dog like I was smoke."
Elias examined the haul coolly, his enhanced senses picking up the faint scent of expensive perfume on the locket, the lingering warmth on one of the watches. He didn't touch them immediately.
"This is your... acquisition?"
Mickey nodded eagerly. "Just a taste, sir. Like you said. This stuff here... I reckon it's worth a fair bit. Maybe... maybe fifty, sixty dollars if fenced right?"
The System interface, visible only to Elias, pulsed.