Log Title: Beers and Business Dealings
Characters Involved: Hydro-Man
IC Date: 7 Jan 2012
Where: The Bar With No Name - Hell's Kitchen - New York
Brief Log Summary: Hydro-man gets a job offer
Rating: PG
-==[ The Bar With No Name - New York ]==------——
A dark, dank, and dingy place. This isn't a place for the uppity-up's to come for a brew and a laugh. The air is musty and the stench of cheap cigars loom in the air that resembles a foggy haze on the bay. The far left wall of the room is a large fake wood bar with many tattered bar stools always occupied by the mercenary and bounty hunters that fill up his place. In the center of the room large tattered pool tables cover up most of the rotted out wooden floor.
Over to the right of the room, several old tables wobble around as chipped wooden chairs seat men and woman alike of the crooked kind. The very back of the room hosts a large caged area. Within the cage a phone, fax machine, and computer are constantly on the go as jobs for the Mercs come pouring in. There is a small window on the front side, and this is where Patch hands out the assignements and snatches his cut.
The atmosphere is low and grim, shouting continues through the day and night as 'naughty' words splash against your ear drums. Large amounts of people come and go here daily, large and small, skinny and fat. Dressed in dingy and grungy clothing, packing large weapons and looking grim and gritty. This isn't a place for the weak of heart or the good of soul. If you don't fit in…run NOW!
Hydro-Man is at the bar, in the bar with no name…one of the few places that a someone like Hydro can hang out without having to be too much on guard. Resting one elbow on the bar, a glass of water. Shocking, isn't it? In the other hand. Mostly, just listening to local talk of those around him.
The door to the bar opens, granting entrance to another figure. Bundled up due to the excess winter cold outside, the man shakes his wrists a bit but he does not make any movements to adjust the scarf that covers the lower half of his face, nor does he remove the hat. Oh yes, like that's not suspicious. Glancing around the establishment, his glance sets on Hydroman for a moment before he moves towards the bar to make a request of the bartender. Drink retrieved, he moves towards a table as far away from the bar as he can manage and sits.
The bartender approaches Hydro-Man, setting a beer in front of him. "From scarf-face." The bartender explains, chortling at his own joke before he goes back to tending the rest of the bar.
Hydro-Man looks up, turning to look at the bar keep as the beer is put down infront of him. Leaning his head back quickly, downing the water in his glass in one long gulp. His left hand moving to pick up the beer. "oh..i see, really now…" Glancing over in the direction of scarf-face sitting in the far table. He doesn't need to stand up from the stool. Instead almost flowing from a sitting to a standing postion. Taking on the appear of blue on blue water for a few seconds before returning to a more human appearance. Walking over to the table, "a beer…do i know you, owe you something?"
The scarfed man shakes his head, ignoring the drink he has in front of him. It's unsure if he's even planning to drink it or if it's more for atmosphere. "Think of it as more of a request to hear me out for a few minutes." He replies, gloved fingers lace together as he leans forward, setting his hands on the table. His head tilts to another chair at his table, "Would you care to join me?"
Hydro-Man nods slowly, "Sure…i got nothing happening right now, plus you got me a beer so i give you five…" he doesn't bother pulling the chair out from the table to drop down into it. Instead, just phasing moving his form through the slots in the back of the chair till he is sitting in it. Lifting the beer, taking a swig from the beer bottle, pointing it towards you. "Do i know you?"
The scarfed man remains quiet as he watches Hydro-Man take his seat before shaking his head, "No, you do not. But for simplicity's sake, you may use Gabriel if you need a name. It should be sufficient being that I'm the messenger." Although the scarf hides it, it seems that he's smiling under there based from the tone of voice, "The one I'm speaking for would like to offer you an employment opportunity."
Hydro-Man drinks from the free beer, nodding his head. "Gabriel..i see, sure sure i guess that will work" Looking at you, listening as you speak. "Employment…i see, well i think my record and abilities more then speak for themselves…what kinda of job" Voice lowering alittle, "breaking in and stealing something, perhaps accident?" making an air qoute with two fingers as the words finish.
"That they do." The man replies, "The opportunity is more of a series of tasks. It appears that the person that typically gets used for them has run into some, complications. Ones that are hard for him to compensate for so we need a, how would you say it? Ringer? For the things he can not do?" He pauses, "You would, of course be paid by the task and the one that the person I speak for is wanting is something rather simple for the likes of you."
Hydro-Man looking at you, as you are speaking draining the last of the beer. Putting the bottle down and hmmms softly, "Ok sure…i am listening and just so you know i am not doing this for charity, there is a fee of course. I am in demand…in case you didn't know" Pausing, then nodding "yeah…alot of demand, so why tell me about the tasks and i can tell you how much it cost…cash only of course"
The man glances down to the bottle but does not slide his over, nor does he sip from it. Perhaps he's saving it for later. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement on price. The one I speak for will be willing to allow for you to pass on future tasks so, I will only let you know what the current one is. If that is a dealbreaker for you right there, you're free to walk away right now."
Hydro-Man looks at you, studying as if trying to see through the scarf and nods his head slowly. A glance at the bottle untouched "are you going to drink that?" Moving a hand to take the bottle as his question is finishing. "You are not dealing with a green horn here…i know how the business works, let me hear about the first task and I will tell you if i am interested…"
"It's simple theatrics really," The man replies, starting to slide over the bottle as Hydro-man inquires about it, "Causing trouble, possibly endangering but not killing a certain person. The more press that results, the better." He moves his hand back, "The manner in which you do it would be left entirely up to you."
Hydro-Man nods slowly, taking the bottle…taking a long swig from the bottle and then putting it down. Nodding again, "that is something i can do…is there a place you want this to all go down?" Hmmms, "Central park…time square, some place like that?" Leaning back in his chair, leaning it back slightly.
The man shakes his head, "As I said, the manner in which you do it is left entirely up to you. But the more press, the better." He glances to the bottle for a moment before continuing, separating his hands from each other to allow for him to tap on the table a bit. "If you decide to take this job I'll provide you with more information about this person so you may pick your place more effectively."
Hydro-Man nods slowly, "ok ok…i am interested…" grins alittle, "i am always up for roughing someone up and getting to have some fun, plus making press is always good. Don't want people forgetting about me" Then grins broadly, "Ok i am in…so lets hear the rest of the details"
The man nods, "This person will likely give you plenty of opportunities to have press nearby to make use of but he has made some… unusual friends. Some you may have run into before. The Invisible Woman, The Thing, and the Avenger, Sandman. He also has befriended some type of teleporting mutant as well. So knowing this, perhaps we should discuss price."
Hydro-Man hmmms and nods, giving a low growl. "Yeah…i am familiar with all of them, none of those chumps are push overs i will have you know…" Turning bottle slowly in his hands as he thinks, gears turning slowly in his head. "I am not saying i won't do it…just that it will take alittle brains if there is a chance i will be having a run in with those guys…"
There is a pause as the man moves one hand off of the table to reach into his pocket, tugging out a folded sheet of paper to glance at it before tossing it over to Hydro-man. "I'm sure when you look at the amount written there you will see that the one I speak for has accounted for this with the amount written down."
Hydro-Man drains the last of the beer from that bottle, putting it down. "I will be the judge of that…" taking the paper, unfolding it for a second to look at you. Showing a grin and coughs and clears his throat, putting a serious look back onto his face but clearly liking the amount. "yeah…it seems like that ammount is within the range I was looking for, perhaps alittle bit on the low side but i am willing to cut you a break on the first deal…"
Your generosity is gracious," The scarf faced man replies with a nod, before he leans forward, "Alright, lets get down to details then…"
