The Nexus

The city life was like usual on a late Tuesday afternoon. People were in a rush to get home after work, or to go out for their daily drink. Cars lined up the streets, angry drivers yelling at one another. Pedestrians trying to cross the street before the light changed colors, some even still crossing afterward. Yes, it was the typical Tuesday for this busy city.

The downtown area was full of bars, and partial brothels, though one wouldn't openly call them that. But the women inside were more than willing to take a few extra bucks to fulfill a fantasy.

The Raven was a small bar, nestled on the corner of Park and 5th, and it was just before their busy time. They had several patrons, but not nearly as many as they would see in the next couple of hours.

The blonde behind the bar was already busy, mixing drinks for the few men that had sat down before her. She was quick, and knew how to entertain while putting the beverages together.";

He was still shrugging on his jacket as he strode through Madison Square Park, face all smiles. Luckily, his hair was the type that didn't betray the fact that there had been hands all through it a few hours previous. He flipped the collar of the blazer he was wearing but let the man tailored shirt underneath hang loose from his suit pants. Recon in a business building had been a lot of fun, but the secretary had been more so. As soon as he was able, he would get out of the stuffy outfit and chill out. A few blocks away from the park, he crossed another bar and couldn't resist.

It was drink time! He entered the bar at a trot and plopped in a stool. Laying his palms out on the bar he grinned at the blond behind it. "I love Tuesdays. Give me a shot o' your best bourbon."

The woman grinned at him. "Sure thing," she said with a wink. She turned, pulling down a glass, and raising the bourbon bottle to it, and poured it half full. She slid it in front of him, and leaned forward. "Haven't seen you in here before. Of course, I'm new, so that might be why." She leaned back, looking at a man that was asking for an Ameretto Sour, and she waved at him. She started to mix the drink, still speaking to the newcomer.

"So, what is your name?" she asked, setting down the bottles, and dropping a cherry into the drink, sliding it over to the other man, before returning her attention. "They call me Melissa... if you were wondering." She continued to smile, as she ran her hand through her blonde hair.

His face split in a big smile. "If you'd seen me before, you'd remember Blondie." He winked at her and leaned away from the bar. "I'm new here me-self. Just rolled into town." Well, he had rolled into town last night, he had only just rolled out of bed. But not his bed. Should he tell Blondie that?

"Name's Blaidd." It sounded something like blythe with a heavy accent.

"Interesting name," she smirked, before she pulled back from the bar. "Well, if you need anything else, be sure to call for me." She winked again, before she made her way to the opposite side of the bar, texting her friend while she started to clean glasses.

A big man came from the back, glancing around the area once, before he grunted and bad his way back into his room. Apparently, Melissa had known the timing of when her boss came to check up on things, and didn't want to be caught just casually talking to a customer when she had a few things to clean.

Texting on and off, Melissa finished her glasses, and went to serve the other patrons again if they needed it, all in about a fifteen minute time frame. Another man would walk in, older; and then a young woman, with wavy brown locks and pretty features would make her way in. A V-cut shirt, maroon in color, with dark blue jeans, and black fur boots.

She made her way for the bar, and Melissa immediately noticed her, walking over and leaning in to whisper. She would give a glance to Blaidd, before she turned back to her friend and they laughed at what she said. The dark haired girl would pull away, smirking as she made her way toward Blaidd.

"Isabella! You better not!" the blonde warned, blushing bright red. But her friend didn't stop.

"Excuse me, but... believe it or not, my friend rushed me down here to tell me about you. Since this hardly seems important, to pull me away from my work, I am going to embarrass her. Would you be a good sport, and help me out?" Her voice was low, but also obviously accented.

Blaiid knocked back his drink in true shot-drinking fashion and leaned on the bar. "It's Welsh." He replied to her comment on his name. And then she was off, doing other bar things. he tried to go over what he was going to be doing for the rest of the day and if he should have a few more drinks. He decided, yes, he should let himself drink until content.

He started to chew on one of the toothpicks provided on the bar counter and signaled for Blondie to make her way back over to him. However, his drink order was forgotten as two people entered the bar. He hadn't thought to look at them until the dark haired girl began to talk to him. His smile was all the wider.

"Now look at'choo." He visibly checked out this girl called Isabella and cocked his head to the side. "I think I could help you out." He quirked his brows and one might wonder just what he was offering to help with. "I really like Tuesdays."

There may have been another expression mixed in with Isabella's smile, but it wasn't distinct enough to be able to tell. "Ah, good. Maybe now she won't call me in every time she sees a handsome man." She turned, waving her friend over, who seemed to still be embarrassed.

"I think you owe him another drink, no?" Isabella said, putting her hand on her hip. "Or should I tell Simon you are slacking off." Melissa quickly made her way over, pouring Blaidd another bourbon.

Isabella smiled. "Your accent is very different, hmm? Where are you from?" She turned to look at the man.

"His name is Blaidd," Melissa added, and Isabella rolled her eyes.

"I was going to get to that."

He watched the exchange and dropped back the shot. He winked at Melissa as he said, "Scotland. I travel a lot for business." He slid the glass back to Blondie. "Now let's get back to this handsome man bit." He smiled charismatically.

Melissa turned red, and shook her head, just as someone shouted at her from the back. "Melissa! Get in here now!" The blonde let out an 'eep', before she glanced between the two of them, and made her way toward the back. Isabella frowned, as she was left alone with the man, her master plan seeming to be ruined.

"Well, that didn't exactly go as planned. Maybe if she did her work, she wouldn't be called into the office so much." She gave a shrug, before she pulled out her phone, starting to text. About halfway through her message, she spoke to Blaidd again.

"Scotland, hmm? You come from there recently? You sound fresh enough." Message sent, she put her phone into her bag, and stood up straight, looking back for Melissa, hoping she wouldn't take forever being yelled at.

Blaidd was intent on Blondie's back end as she disappeared, and seemed to dim when he no longer had a view. Isabella was texting when he looked back and his buzz was being sufficiently killed. Women with phones were just no fun at all.

"I told ye, I travel a lot." He quirked a brow, not that her attention was on him anyhow.

"Oh, right! Silly me," Isabella said, tapping her forehead with her palm. "Sorry, I'm just texting my brother, who I haven't seen in forever, so forgive me. Dios, mantenerlo a salvo. I probably should have asked when you had been there last, no?"

She offered an apologetic smile. She put her phone away, and turned fully to him, placing her hand on her hip. "Well, just a tip. She's interested in you, but to seal the deal... she finds big tippers the best thing in the world. Terrible to say, but it is true."

A glance was given over her shoulder as Melissa made her way back out, nearly looking like she was ready to cry. Isabella frowned. "Ese hijo de puta, ella está llorando otra vez." She quickly made her way over to the girl, and began to comfort her.

"Here, you help Blaidd here, and I will serve drinks to the others, okay? Don't you worry your pretty little head." Isabella quickly went to help her friend serve drinks, while Melissa wiped away her tears and put on a smile, pouring Blaidd another drink.

Blaidd listened to her talk and actually yawned. Well, that was probably rude, but he'd been up all night and this woman liked to talk. When Blondie came out again he perked up. She was more fun to play with since she clearly gave reactions to these sorts of things. However, Isabella was going off in Spanish again and he understood not a single word of it.

He tapped the bar to indicate he'd like another drink. Fuck it, he wasn't going to be working again until after business hours and what was more fun than a drunk hunt? Besides, the more drinks he bought, the bigger his tip would be and the better the pay off when Melissa was off her shift. "Ello, beautiful. I'd like another." He grinned at the blonde.

Melissa looked at him and then grinned. She planned on pouring him as many drinks as he would like. Isabella was kept busy too, but was shooed off by Simon because... well because she didn't even work there.

"Hey! You should be happy, you know? I am giving you free labor!" Isabella yelled, as she started making her way out the front door. She turned quickly, looking back at Melissa. "Be safe!" She gave a wave and was gone from the bar.

Blaidd watched her leave, but only for the wiggle in her walk and because it was her back side. When the door shut, he turned back to Melissa with a wider grin before. A hungry grin.

"When do get off, Blondie?" He thought about telling her he could get her off right now, but she seemed the more shy type who would be flighty in response to that forwardness. He spun the empty shot glass on the bar counter, his head a buzz with the drink. When she told him the time, he glanced at the clock. He would have enough time to enjoy himself before Mr. Business Man got out of work. He paid for his drinks and motioned Melissa over with a finger.

"This is for you, Blondie." He held the bill out. When she stuck her hand out to take it from him, he would slide his hand up her wrist and pull her towards him. Blaidd brushed her cheek with his and whispered into her ear. "This can be for you too, if you want it." With that he gave her a lick on the cheek and leaned back, all smiles and seduction. He was standing in a moment and fixing his jacket.

When he pulled away from her, she was blushing, but she seemed far more interested now. She glanced around to Rebecca, who had just come in for the shift change. "I'm leaving now," Melissa said, quickly grabbing her coat and her phone, before she made her way around the counter.

"I live not far from here," she said, when she was close to Blaidd, starting to walk for the door. "Hope that's fine." She winked at him.

His arm wrapped around her shoulder to hug her towards him. The warmth of her body made his blood stir and he could feel himself stiffen. "Lead the way, Blondie." He followed her out and to her home and barely walked through the threshold before he was working his mojo. Shirt gone, pants gone, undergarments gone and hers as well. He would pick her up and do the deed against the wall, on the floor, on a counter. Didn't matter.

Sound asleep after all the fun, Melissa laid on her bed, her phone next to her going off as she got a message from Isabella, saying, "Hope you are still alive."

It was late enough that, that the few business men who were too engrossed in their work, would be leaving to head home.

One man was on his phone, waiting on the sidewalk for a cab. "No, no. I'm not ignoring her on purpose. I've just been busy. Just tell mom I love her and everything, and that when I get time off, I'll come visit her. I've just got to get these... plans out before the end of the month."

He sighed, deciding that it was taking far too long for a cab to come up, so he began walking down the sidewalk. Tuesday nights, the streets were far less busy around this time.

Blaidd stretched like a cat and gave a mighty yawn. His day was proving to be somewhat exhausting without sleep. His bourbon buzz had worn off by now and with Melissa asleep, he was free to leave and get on with his business. Eying the clock, he felt a rush of urgency. He may have already missed Mr. Business Man. He had enough time to make himself a piece of toast before exiting the house. He found himself an alley to strip off his business attire, showing he was wearing your typical runner's outfit underneath. He pulled a folded draw string backpack from his coat pocket and shoved the more elegant outfit inside after extracting an ipod. He fitted the buds into his ears and began at a trot out of the alleyway.

It wasn't far that he had to go, but people usually didn't notice runners in parks. There were so damn many of them everyone looked the same! Blaidd made his way through the streets at an easy pace, not winding himself in the least. Though, it was much easier to do this on four legs rather than two. Business Mark wasn't going to mind if he was less furry for this kill. He found him on between buildings trying to hail a cab again. Blaidd made his move, pretending to accidentally slam into the man as he ran by. Business Man was knocked on his arse and Blaidd stopped to help him.

"So sorry man," he said in his best American. "I just get so caught up in the music, ya know?" He held a hand out to Business Man and helped him to his feet, pulling him into the space between the buildings which housed nothing but garbage can and an over sized load bin. "Oh, you dropped your case, man." He pointed further into the alleyway where he had discreetly kicked the man's dropped briefcase. Business Man nodded his thanks and still flustered, walked to pick it up. Unfortunately for him, Blaidd was just behind him.

When Business Man bent to grab his case, Blaidd loomed over him and wrapped his hands around his neck. It was easier to break his neck rather than used a weapon. Much more messy when blood was involved. He deposited the body in the dumpster and shook his head. "Shouldn't have messed with the wolves, buddy." He took to running again out on the sidewalk.

Her phone went off once, ringing the whole time, before it went to voice mail. She had attempted, sort of, to answer it. Or maybe turn it off. But she gave up halfway through, and turned over in her bed. Again, it went off. And again.

"Por el amor de Dios. Can't you call me at a decent hour?" Isabella said, reaching out to her phone and answering it. "Hello..." she said, and after just a moment, she quickly sat up. "Yes? You traced the call's location already? He spoke normally at first, but after he killed... Uh huh, right."

She frowned to herself. "Wait, you aren't even sure if he is dead? This guy just basically wants me to check on him... I'm not a baby sitter. What if he is dead? Do I go after someone, and if so, who? I need more detail than that. Text me when you get more, I'm going to go out, and have a look near where he went missing. The police don't know yet, right? -- I hope you know, I'm going to request time off after this."

She quickly hung up her phone, and got dressed quickly, wrapping bands around her upper arms. She raised her hand, and her guns flew right into them and she holstered them on the bands. She threw on a designer coat over it, and made her way out the door, not before throwing a knife into the side of her boot as well.

It was more than suspicious that she was out so early in the morning, but when a job was called... you didn't question it. Whoever had hired her group, seemed rather insistent of getting this job done. Of course, if someone had killed her brother, she would do the same thing.

In just a few minutes, she was walking down the sidewalk toward the area that her client's brother had died. Best to take a look around before authorities were alerted.

She stopped at an alleyway, and glanced around, to make sure no one would be paying attention as she slipped in. She looked around, and found a shiny phone behind a trash can. "So, this is the right place, but where did he go?" Her eyes glanced at the dumpster and she frowned.

He was actually enjoying his run now, taking his time as he paced through the streets of the city, turning any time he hit a light instead of waiting for it. With his job completed, he was free to leave the city whenever he wanted. But he was actually rather tired from his sleepless night and the adrenaline rush of killing Business Man. He was sufficiently lost in the city an hour later and needed to find a place to actually sleep for the night. Though, he did contemplate finding someone else's bed to crawl in. Maybe Blondie wouldn't mind a revisit? But most woman didn't enjoy being played with and forgotten without a word. More like she'd be waiting with a smack.

Hotel it was, then. He found the first one he came across and money was no barrier. He got a room on the first floor, just in case and littered his clothing on the floor as he walked to the bed. Stark naked, he crawled under the covered and let out a long breath. He had been wrong. Sleeping in someone else's bed was the smarter option.