LHudson | 15 November
- The Broker -
The Broker was slumped over his desk taking a look at the documents. The building blocks needed to build the public's confidence was done, and the bridge was getting repaired faster than he originally thought, but his mind is looming over possible chaos. Reaver and her ilk were still out there, Custos was dead within his own walls, and the personal network he built is crumbling due to his responsibilities. He got word that Shade had approached the possible usurper, and that he too was building something up. His focus was the people, while the Broker's focus was the infrastructure that keep people together. Money has been good, trading information he knows as usual to fund the rebuild, and Ragno had raised enough money on her persona alone to have the work he needed to do done in a matter of months instead of the year he anticipated.
Before he thought of anything worse, a knock on the door was heard. It was a member of his staff, the receptionist. "Mr Kramer?"
"Yes?"
"We just got word from the hospital...it's important."
- Benedict Strahm & The Pursuer -
Andras was escorted by the nurse though out the wards before he arrived at the right room. A man in a few bandages with a cup of orange juice, lying in a bed with a slight smirk on his face.
"Do I still look pretty?"
Andras chuckled to himself and said, "ever the witty one aren't you."
Benedict sighed in relaxation. "Doctor's say I'm lucky, turns out whoever armed that bomb wasn't exactly the one to make them effective. Caught in the blast with some minor burns to my back."
"They'll heal?"
"Of course, and even then I can hide them easily under a shirt." The two smiled at each other. The situation was undesirable, but it wasn't as horrific as he pictured. "Did you get my package?"
"Wearing it now."
Benedict took a closer look at the suit. "Such a strapping man aren't you?"
"Feels a lot better than the stuff the council gave me."
"Looks better too."
Andras paused for thought. "Mr Strahm...why was you at that bar in the first place?"
Benedict frowned a little. "I was planning to meet someone in regards to something extremely concerning, something that can tear the whole city apart if I think it's as bad as it is. She was bitter for some reason, but I wouldn't imagine that they would be bitter enough to try and kill me."
"You ever met them beforehand?"
"Nope, just a voice over the telephone."
The door swung open and two women entered, both running, though one of them was a nurse.
"Miss...you can't..."
"Benedict!" the woman in the white coat and red details yelled out before rushing to hug Benedict. She loosened up and stoked his face in absolute worry. "Are you..."
"I'm fine Claudia, doctor's say I was lucky."
She grabbed onto Benedict again and hugged him tightly, which caused a little discomfort. Andras was surprised at the turn of events, causal conversation to women bowing to his hospital bed. "Mr Strahm....are you two..."
"We're cousins." Benedict replied. "Great to see you too cous, thank's for coming."
- Jessica Paige -
The door sprung upon upon a car dealership's back alley and a man was quickly thrown from it. "Are you crazy!??" he called out.
"Hardly." The sound of high heels echoed throughout the dark and dank atmosphere, and from the shadows of the building emerged the woman who is trying to sell him 'protection'. "I offered you a service and you refused."
"Yes, I did, that means you get the fuck out, not try to fuck me up!"
"Try?" replied Jessica in a confused tone, before stepping forward and swinging her cane at the man's face. "I am fucking you up. You refused my service, so I am reminding you why you might need protection in the first place!" she bellowed down before stepping on the man's hand. He screamed in pain as she asked "Now, let me ask you again, are you going to pay me protection or not?"
His screaming continued as she put more weight on his hand, before he slapped the floor with the other one and yelled out "yes! Yes! I'LL PAY!"
Jessica smiled in smug satisfaction. "Now that was easy wasn't it?" She swung her cane at his face one last time, knocking him out cold, before turning to her two family member just inside. "Any blood on me?"
"No boss" they replied, to the delight of Jessica.
"Getting better at it every time." She stepped back inside and made her way towards the front entrance. "He'll wake up soon, and if he doesn't pay I wonder what kind of meat his wife eats." Her smile continued on as the men opened the front doors, as well as the back door of her vehicle. She climbed inside and relaxed herself. She sighed in thrill and shivered a bit in arousal. "God I love it when they say no."
The driver turned to her and asked "where to now?"
Jessica delved into some thought before asking "you know any good casinos?"