04-21-2014, 12:20 AM
Takeo's title was not entirely inaccurate, but certainly misleading in his situation. His upbringing had been anything but privileged, though he'd made a name, and a fortune, for himself since. Today, it was true, he was a man of means, but his recent coronation had not completely obliterated his hero's journey in the public eye. Not yet, anyway - which was precisely why Brandon had tapped him, and why so many people thought of him as their advocate among the inner Sphere.
It was not unusual for people to recognize him on the street, even here, even while "slumming it". Takeo made no grand show of surprise, nor did he feel it, at Aria's words. They were more confident, more certain somehow than the usual woman unwinding at even this dive after work, or before her night shift, as was often the case. Of course, few were as attractive as her, either. Takeo remained facing the bar, and luckily she turned away in time for him to study her back, and that long, smooth neck, for a minute before catching the bartender between orders. "Asahi,"
he said, loud enough to cut through the quickly growing collection of feminine voices.
The bartender shook his head, no more comment than that to let him know they didn't carry that brand. Not unusual, he supposed, though they weren't that far from Chinatown. Another ironic name, considering China was one of a very small minority that had not yet jumped at the Ascendancy's generous offers. Ironic as well in that very few of the shops in that sector were actually run by Chinese. Asiatown or DIVtown didn't exactly roll off the tongue as easily, however.
"Klinskoye Svetloe,"
Takeo said, turning from the beer ogre to favor a position similar to that of the woman beside him. She wore a long trench, and carried herself with a relaxed air that would have had most men offering to buy her a drink. Of course, she had approached him, and Takeo had no intention of changing his plans tonight to chase this bunny down the hole.
"I grew up on this side of the tracks,"
Takeo said, and finally turned his head to face her. She was an interesting creature, and one that obviously did not want to be seen speaking with a Privelege such as himself.
But, just then, there was a chirp in his ear, followed immediately by a second. As he spoke, obviously sarcastic, "I heard this place had the best service,"
he discretely rubbed the tips of his right hand thumb and middle finger, as if cleaning some beer from them, but actually activating his Tips. He then scratched a spot on his jeans with his thumb, his eyes casually taking in Oriena as she walked over, and his ear turned on - though not before he caught her mention her name. Oriena. Now he did know where he knew her from.
It was Jun's voice he heard next. "Something happening in the street." They had a tap on a bus stop a few blocks away, and a feed crackled quietly into Takeo's ear. The audio was already filtered and no doubt recorded, the sounds of cars and sirens lowered to a dull moan. Above that, he could just hear a scuffling, grunting, and a scream. Takeo himself made no visible reaction, though the audio had his attention, and a bit of surprise in the form of a rush of adrenaline and a slightly elevated heart rate, which he worked to subside.
That was enough. It could've been anything - a mugging, a woman tripping in the street, a lover's squabble - but Takeo had heard enough dying screams to film a Tarantino trilogy. And, though he spread his wealth across a "diverse portfolio of ventures", he did not make it a habit to take stock in coincidence. He definitely needed to leave.
As his bottle arrived, he took a long pull, dropped a few dollars on the bar, and plucked a pack of cigarettes - a pack of Kasumi's cigarettes - from his back pocket. He offered one to Aria, and took another drink. "Smoke?"
he asked, hardly the eloquent Privelege from the news stations, and nodded toward the front door. Whether she accepted the invitation or not, he pulled a cigarette for himself and grabbed his beer to take with him. He hoped she wasn't a smoker - it would make for an easier getaway - but he had a dearth of excuses all lined up for this one.
Edited by Takeo, Apr 21 2014, 12:22 AM.
It was not unusual for people to recognize him on the street, even here, even while "slumming it". Takeo made no grand show of surprise, nor did he feel it, at Aria's words. They were more confident, more certain somehow than the usual woman unwinding at even this dive after work, or before her night shift, as was often the case. Of course, few were as attractive as her, either. Takeo remained facing the bar, and luckily she turned away in time for him to study her back, and that long, smooth neck, for a minute before catching the bartender between orders. "Asahi,"
he said, loud enough to cut through the quickly growing collection of feminine voices.
The bartender shook his head, no more comment than that to let him know they didn't carry that brand. Not unusual, he supposed, though they weren't that far from Chinatown. Another ironic name, considering China was one of a very small minority that had not yet jumped at the Ascendancy's generous offers. Ironic as well in that very few of the shops in that sector were actually run by Chinese. Asiatown or DIVtown didn't exactly roll off the tongue as easily, however.
"Klinskoye Svetloe,"
Takeo said, turning from the beer ogre to favor a position similar to that of the woman beside him. She wore a long trench, and carried herself with a relaxed air that would have had most men offering to buy her a drink. Of course, she had approached him, and Takeo had no intention of changing his plans tonight to chase this bunny down the hole.
"I grew up on this side of the tracks,"
Takeo said, and finally turned his head to face her. She was an interesting creature, and one that obviously did not want to be seen speaking with a Privelege such as himself.
But, just then, there was a chirp in his ear, followed immediately by a second. As he spoke, obviously sarcastic, "I heard this place had the best service,"
he discretely rubbed the tips of his right hand thumb and middle finger, as if cleaning some beer from them, but actually activating his Tips. He then scratched a spot on his jeans with his thumb, his eyes casually taking in Oriena as she walked over, and his ear turned on - though not before he caught her mention her name. Oriena. Now he did know where he knew her from.
It was Jun's voice he heard next. "Something happening in the street." They had a tap on a bus stop a few blocks away, and a feed crackled quietly into Takeo's ear. The audio was already filtered and no doubt recorded, the sounds of cars and sirens lowered to a dull moan. Above that, he could just hear a scuffling, grunting, and a scream. Takeo himself made no visible reaction, though the audio had his attention, and a bit of surprise in the form of a rush of adrenaline and a slightly elevated heart rate, which he worked to subside.
That was enough. It could've been anything - a mugging, a woman tripping in the street, a lover's squabble - but Takeo had heard enough dying screams to film a Tarantino trilogy. And, though he spread his wealth across a "diverse portfolio of ventures", he did not make it a habit to take stock in coincidence. He definitely needed to leave.
As his bottle arrived, he took a long pull, dropped a few dollars on the bar, and plucked a pack of cigarettes - a pack of Kasumi's cigarettes - from his back pocket. He offered one to Aria, and took another drink. "Smoke?"
he asked, hardly the eloquent Privelege from the news stations, and nodded toward the front door. Whether she accepted the invitation or not, he pulled a cigarette for himself and grabbed his beer to take with him. He hoped she wasn't a smoker - it would make for an easier getaway - but he had a dearth of excuses all lined up for this one.
Edited by Takeo, Apr 21 2014, 12:22 AM.