Interested in a Wager?

Chapter 37

In the alley, Fran pulled out two photographs.

They were taken from the museum's security cameras, showing Clark and David talking to Lex Luthor.

"You're really hard to find, Clark."

He waved the photos and smiled.

"Fortunately, you went to the museum exhibition that night."

Fran only remembered Clark's clothes, hairstyle, and half his profile. Finding someone based on that was extraordinarily difficult.

It had been late at night, and the city was already deserted. The only place nearby was the Metropolis Museum, which was holding an exhibition gala. He had gone there to try his luck and had actually found him.

"With photographs, it won't be difficult for me, as a police detective, to find you."

"Officer, what do you want us to cooperate with your investigation on?"

Clark swallowed nervously and stared at the man before him.

A police officer had approached him alone for no apparent reason and said it had something to do with a traffic accident. He had a faintly ominous feeling.

David stood off to the side with his arms crossed, watching coldly to see what this man was plotting.

"I really don't know what your adoptive parents fed you."

Fran's eyes gleamed as if he were looking at some rare animal in a zoo. He reached out and pinched Clark's solid arm.

Clark unhappily slapped his hand away. Fran raised both hands as though startled, but the smile on his face was smug.

"Easy there. I can't take a flick from you."

"Officer, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Stop pretending. I saw it last night."

He lowered his voice. The detestable man leaned in as if they were close friends and clapped his hands.

"A splendid performance. Stopping an out-of-control city bus with one hand."

An unnatural look crossed Clark's face as he was about to speak.

"Clark, are you still going to play dumb at a time like this?"

Seeing what he wanted to say, Fran shook his head, looking as though he had Clark completely figured out.

"You can't really be this naive, can you?"

The other man did not seem to be bluffing. His secret had truly been exposed. Hearing that, Clark grew tense and uneasy, glaring at him furiously.

"Even an elephant with the best temper—"

David spoke coldly.

"—isn't something people can provoke whenever they please."

The audacious bastard dared to casually provoke someone who could crush him to death with ease.

"An elephant? It seems you know your brother's secret too."

Fran turned to look at him. Clark was his target; stopping Clark's younger brother had merely been incidental.

He paid no attention to David's implicit threat.

"I know what you, the two of you, and your parents want."

He pointed at Clark and David and spoke eloquently.

"Clark, you have such power and talent, yet you've never taken part in any school sports since you were young. You didn't even dare fight back when you were beaten."

"Your adoptive parents have a son like you, yet they chose to work themselves to the bone running a farm, earning only a pitiful few tens of thousands a year."

When dealing in the gray area between law and crime, using life-threatening secrets to blackmail people into doing one's bidding, it was easy to end up being dragged down with them if one was not careful.

Only timid prey made the best targets for hunters. Fran had thoroughly investigated Clark's circumstances. He was more than eighty percent confident he could capture this rare prey, or he would not have appeared here.

"You want a stable, peaceful life, don't you?"

Just thinking about that kind of power was enough to make one tremble with excitement. No matter what one did, it would be easy to acquire great wealth.

But this family had not done so. They had even been cautious enough to forbid their child from participating in any school sports.

"Your brother Clark could kill me easily."

"But if I don't return by a certain time, an email will automatically send your family's information to all the major media outlets."

Fran's tone shifted, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

"What do you think will happen then?"

"I guarantee you'll immediately become a celebrity family, not only in Metropolis, but throughout the world!"

This family could not withstand close scrutiny.

"Enough!"

"What do you want?"

Clark grabbed Fran by the collar and finally shouted in anger.

"Don't drag my brother and parents into this."

If not for his parents, there was no telling where he, an alien, would be now, or whether he would even be alive.

If not for him, his brother could have enjoyed all of their parents' love.

Clark did not want to bring any trouble upon his family because of himself.

"Shh!"

"Keep it down, Clark. Don't let anyone hear your secret."

A creature more terrifying than an African elephant was raging right in front of him, yet Fran laughed instead. He looked utterly confident as he lightly placed a finger over his lips.

This overly immature young man was anxious and afraid. That was why he was angry.

"I don't want much. It's such a waste for you to have this talent and let it rot away on a farm."

"I'm a righteous police detective. I only want you to help me deal with a few gangsters who commit every evil imaginable and against whom no evidence can be found."

After reviewing Clark's file, Fran understood the young man's personality well.

The wealth he would gain after eliminating several of Metropolis's largest gangs would be enough for him to live extravagantly for a long time.

"I won't help you kill people!"

Threatened, Clark was both anxious and furious. He had no idea what to do and was filled with regret. Why had he not been more careful when saving people last night? Why had he forgotten to check whether anyone was nearby beforehand?

The main reason was that everything had happened too suddenly, leaving Clark no time to react.

"Not even gangsters with blood on their hands?"

"That's right!"

Fine. This guy was even more old-fashioned than Fran had imagined.

"It doesn't have to involve killing. If you can subdue them, I don't mind."

Fran shrugged. All he wanted was money anyway.

"I..."

There seemed to be no other way. If he only had to fight and subdue gangsters... Clark was hesitating, about to agree.

Clap, clap!

"Bold, yet not lacking in caution."

In the alley, David applauded, his tone unhurried, as though he truly meant the compliment.

"Those are essential qualities for a gambler."

His heart was nearly leaping out of his throat, yet he acted as though nothing were wrong. This police officer named Fran could be considered quite capable.

A flicker of discomfort crossed Fran's eyes at having his hidden thoughts exposed, but the smile on his face remained unchanged.

He really was gambling. Having over an eighty percent chance did not mean he was guaranteed to win, but this gamble was worth it.

If he won this gamble, he would never have to worry for the rest of his life.

He could live off this secret forever!

"Interested in a wager with me?"

David took a fifty-cent coin from his pocket.

"What do you want to wager?"

Seeing the coin in his hand, Fran smiled.

A trace of unease rose within him. Somewhere deep down, he sensed that something had gone beyond his expectations.

He had never paid much attention to this kid called David Kent before. So what if he could beat several football team members his own age? It was just kids fighting.

But now that he had actually met him, Fran had not seen the slightest hint of anxiety or panic on David's face from beginning to end.

David had watched coldly the entire time, as though he were watching a little bug foolishly jump around, impossibly mature and calm. Fran had no idea where his confidence came from.

Was it his monster of an older brother?