Chapter 3: The Second Meeting with Dashiell/Simpleton

[Charybdis Richelle]

Tuesday, June 10, 2059
2:45 AM

{GM}

The team makes their way to the Comet’s Tail either by motorcycle or on foot. Everyone heads to the back door as per Falstaff’s instructions. The door is locked, but when they knock on the door, it is opened by a tall, heavily-muscled Caucasian human man whose whole bearing screams former military. Elaborate tattoos cover both arms, drawing far more attention than his pale blue eyes, square jaw, or his dirty blonde high and tight crew cut. Those who drink or enjoy tittie shows recognize him as Bruce, the bartender.

Bruce lets the team into the dark bar. Only about a third of the lights shine, illuminating the gloom. The chairs are up on all of the tables.

“Falstaff said ta expect 10 ta 15,” Bruce says without preamble. “The tables hold 4. Thought I’d wait ’til you were here ta arrange them. No point in doin’ it twice if ya wanted it a different way, neh? How’d ya want ’em? In a long row like a conference table? In a square ta put everyone on equal footin’ or what?”

Even as the team ponders the arrangements, they realize that Pandora has not yet arrived.

[Juramenta]

{Headstone}

Headstone sends a quick, silent message to Pandora, keeping his face set in a frown to hide the concern he feels.
-Your crew is your lifeline. If you need a punching bag to go off on, hit me and I can hit you back way harder if it helps.
Just make good with the crew. You need them as much as they need you. Your crew is what keeps you sane.
Now get down here and if you have a problem with this. Take it out on me and me alone after the run. Just get down here. -

He pushes away his concerns and focuses on Bruce
"A row will do fine, but don’t wear yourself out. We’ll set it up ourselves. Just make sure we’re not interrupted and keep the drinks flowing chummer. We’ll be out of your hair before you know it." he responds as he subtly waves him away.
He heads to the tables, rolls up his sleeves to lift and move them into position himself. Manual labor doesn't bother him in the slightest.

[Juramenta]

Headstone's secretary rings shortly, notifying him that he received a message.
He looks at it and almost immediately responds after seeing the text. Putting it away directly afterward, focusing on setting the stools in the right position over checking his secretary for any responses.

As he sets the stools, those with keen eyes would notice him keeping an eye on the entrance. As if he was equally expecting someone, but also looking at it annoyed, assuming no one will walk through that door. Whatever it may be that has drawn his attention, his focus is clearly divided due to his mind being occupied by multiple things.
Headstone does his best to hide it regardless if the crew sees his true thoughts and concerns.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Headstone}

He pushes away his concerns and focuses on Bruce
"A row will do fine, but don’t wear yourself out. We’ll set it up ourselves. Just make sure we’re not interrupted and keep the drinks flowing chummer. We’ll be out of your hair before you know it." he responds as he subtly waves him away.
He heads to the tables, rolls up his sleeves to lift and move them into position himself. Manual labor doesn't bother him in the slightest.

{GM}

“It ain’t a problem,” Bruce says when Headstone offers to do the job himself. But then, catching the wave off, he nods. “Echo that. Whatcha drinkin’?” he asks, looking around to include everyone.

[Juramenta]

{headstone}

As he receives yet another message, he looks at it. Puts the secretary away, only to pull it out again directly afterward.
Stares at it a little longer. Visibly wants to argue against an inanimate object, but then seems to receive a brilliant idea.
Even his eyes seem to light up as he puts his brilliant idea into motion.
Headstone walks over towards BB as he hands over his secretary and says: I don't know if it's broken or if I need to press something on the image. Can you fix it? Please hurry, she needs to be here. he says with the last sentence carrying a tone of urgency.

[shaidar]

{Revs}

Revs helps set up the tables, but declines a drink.

"We could do a horseshoe, boss. Dashiell can sit in the middle, you one side next to him, Pacman the other side Then the rest of us wherever. Means we can all see each other."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

When Headstone ignores Bruce’s question about what he wants to drink and Revs refuses one, the bartender looks around at the other six of the team, waiting for their orders.

[Juramenta]

{Headstone}

Headstone nods at Revs in agreement as they set the tables in the suggested formation.

[Gremlin]

Skye

"Thanks for staying for us, Bruce," Skye tells the bartender. "Can I just have a cranberry club soda? I want to keep a clear head for this."

Once the tables are arranged, Skye takes a seat at one of the far ends, preferably with her back to a wall and where she can keep an eye on the door. Once settle in her spot and with her drink, she enters the astral plane. Her spirit self flies up through the roof of the bar and she takes a look around the perimeter of the building. She would be surprised if Simpleton and his entourage haven't already arrive early and are casing the bar from some vantage point. Even if she doesn't see them, she still watches from the astral plane for them to arrive.

[Ozgood13]

{Bone Biter}

Bone looks around the room, thinking something is not right. He looks to Headstone as he asks for bottled water.

Bone says to Headstone and Skye, "I like cold water. I need to make sure I have my head right," as he scans the room with his cybereyes.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Bruce nods to Skye. “Null sheen,” he says. “Ain’t ’nuff a ya that I need staff fer it, and I weren’t leavin’ yet noways.”

“That’s a cranberry club soda ’n a bottled water,” the bartender says. “No one else wants nothin’?” He lets his gaze touch Headstone, Baby Blue, and Pacman, Revs, and Tears.

[Juramenta]

{Headstone}

Wants to order a bottle of water for Bobe Biter, but sees Bruce already taking care of it.
Smart thinking he thinks to himself seeing them order something non-alcohol to keep a clear head.
''Whiskey for me'' he answers to Bruce.

[shaidar]

{Revs}

Revs shakes head, "Nothing for me, thanks Bruce."

[CoyotesLuck]

{Pacman}

Pacman looks over the set up so far and nods in satisfaction before heading over to the bar. (Talking low so it doesn't carry)"Bruce, can you do me up something that looks strong but is completely devoid of booze, but with cheap loud whiskey and tequila rubbed on the rim of the glass so it smells heavy? Also an empty glass that looks like it was a first of the same?"

[Stirling]

Tears in the Rain


"Thirsty work negotiating kidnaps and whatnot. I'll take a beer.", she walks to the bar.

"I don't mind ... while you talk I can pour into glasses." If there is a bar gate, she will nonchalantly go behind, pulling down any glasses from shelves and checking the spirit bottles and ale pumps.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Headstone}

Wants to order a bottle of water for Bone Biter, but sees Bruce already taking care of it.

Smart thinking he thinks to himself seeing them order something non-alcohol to keep a clear head.

''Whiskey for me,'' he answers Bruce.

{GM}

Bruce nods. “One whiskey,” he acknowledges. He doesn’t bother asking for a brand preference. In this dive, unless the customer specifically orders by brand, the bartender just naturally assumes the cheapest.

{Revs}

Revs shakes head, "Nothing for me, thanks, Bruce."

{GM}

Bruce just nods and shifts his gaze to the next patron.

{Pacman}

Pacman looks over the set up so far and nods in satisfaction before heading over to the bar. (Talking low so it doesn't carry) "Bruce, can you do me up something that looks strong but is completely devoid of booze, but with cheap loud whiskey and tequila rubbed on the rim of the glass so it smells heavy? Also an empty glass that looks like it was a first of the same?"

{GM}

Bruce cracks a smile. “Sure thing, chummer,” he says with a low chuckle. “Ya know. I think this might just the the first time some customer’s ever asked me ta fake evidence ta looks like they’s drinkin’ when they ain’t. Usually, it’s the other way ’round.”

{Tears in the Rain}

"Thirsty work negotiating kidnaps and whatnot. I'll take a beer.", she walks to the bar.

"I don't mind ... while you talk I can pour into glasses."

{GM}

“I do mind, omae,” Bruce says.

If there is a bar gate, she will nonchalantly go behind, pulling down any glasses from shelves and checking the spirit bottles and ale pumps.

{GM}

As Tears starts to go behind the bar, Bruce moves to block her path. “From what I can see, girl, ya’s still got yer shirt on, which means ya don’t work fer me. Ya just stay on that side a the bar.”

“Ya wanna beer, frosty,” he says, trying to defuse the issue. But his eyes are hard, and his stance says he’s ready to physically handle the situation if words don’t have the desired effect. "But we all got our parts. I do the pourin'. Ya do the drinkin', ya slot?"

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Once the situation with Tears has resolved, Bruce moves back behind the bar and gets drinks for everyone who requested them. He doesn’t ask anyone to pay for them or even mention a tab.

At 2:55 AM, a knock sounds at the rear door. Bruce crosses the room and opens it, and Pandora walks in, sweeping her white cane before her. She has changed clothes, yet they remain in her typical eye-assaulting style. Her Spandex yoga pants have alternating vertical strips of electric orange and bright flamingo pink. They are tucked into a pair of metallic gold, fold-over, shark ruched boots. On her torso, she sports a jacket that was once black leather, but currently bears an explosion of neon colors – hot pink, turquoise, sunshine, fluorescent green, and tangerine. Something about them suggests that they might both glow in the dark and shine under UV light. The assault on the eyes does an amazing job of masking the glisten of the ballistic weave that infuses the leather. Once Bruce closes the door behind her, she unzips the jacket to reveal a slime green T-shirt with raised electric plum dots across her chest. Whether the team member knows the language, it doesn’t take much thought to deduce the dots convey Braille text.

The decker says nothing to the team. She moves in a small distance and then makes a slow circle, clicking her tongue. After two complete 360° circles, she heads towards the bar and sets her Stuffer Shack Extreme Cup and sets it on the counter. “Please fill this with ice and Fizzy Goo Extreme Umph.”

“Sorry,” Bruce says. “I ain’t got Fizzy Goo. But I got Rolla Cola.”

Pandora shakes her head. “What about Bubbly Blue?”

“Ain’t got that neither,” the bartender says. “Sorry. What about Big Blue?”

Sighing, the decker says, “What the soda you have with the highest caffeine and sugar content, please?”

“Decker, huh?”

She snorts. “That obvious?”

Bruce chuckles. “No one else mainlines caffeine ’n sugar as hard as deckers. All a ya should just walk ’round with an IV and caffeine drip.” Sobering, the bartender thinks a moment. “I got Cloudburst,” he says. “That’s ’posed wire ya up pretty good.”

Pandora winces a bit. “What flavor?” she asks.

“I got original and citrus blend,” Bruce says.

The decker nods. “Fine. Give me a citrus Cloudburst, please. But add about 6 ounces of simple syrup. That will make it almost palatable.”

“Ya got it,” Bruce says and quickly mixes up her drink.

Once he hands Pandora her Extreme Cup, she turns to face the table. Clicking her tongue again, she walks up and down the length of the table three times, pausing twice at the nook created by the U-shape. After the third pass, the decker frowns, narrowing her eyes and wrinkling her nose a little. Then she speaks to the room at large. “Where am I sitting?”

[Juramenta]

''Your with me'' Headstone says shoving the stool backwards located next to him, but on the side of him that will be away from were Dashiel will be sitting.
If she comes close and takes the seat, he places a hand on a shoulder even if it will be very briefly and whispers ''Thank you''.
Headstone won't be adding more to that.

[archolewa]

Baby Blue

"I'll take your second cheapest beer," says Baby Blue.

Her eyes widen, and she goes a little green when Pandora walks in. She sighs. Quietly. But loud enough for Pandora to hear. "Put her more central Headstone. We'll use you to dazzle the Amazon if she's got any ocular enhancements. Put them back on their heels."

She will perch on a stool in the corner, a bit pulled back from the table where she can see and hear everything. Close enough she's clearly a part of the group, but far enough to put her in people's peripheral vision when they're focusing on the people in the center.

[Juramenta]

Headstone nods and takes BB's suggestion guiding Pandora to a better located seat.