Leo glanced at the gun. He didn't know much about underworld etiquette, but he could recognize a pledge of loyalty when he saw one.
He casually pushed the weapon back across the table with a single finger.
"Keep it," Leo said smoothly. "You'll need it to maintain order among our new employees. We start immediately."
Silas received the gun as if it were a holy relic, his heart pounding against his chest.
"I'll have the recruitment posters up in the underground networks within the hour," Silas declared. "What kind of wages are we offering? Given the... demographic... we can pay them dirt, just a few credits a day, and they'll still bleed for you."
"Absolutely not," Leo frowned, genuinely offended by the idea of saving money. "We are a legitimate enterprise. I want everyone paid triple the standard rate of the upper districts. Plus, full medical coverage, hazard pay, and three high-quality meals a day."
