"Well, since he usually takes charge of getting illegal job applications, he would probably be in his usual antics," the man, which Rubi called Caleb, responded. His voice was firm yet gentle enough, like a soft melody. Though it lashes out such, the low tone of someone seems to be tired yet calm at the same time.
"Usual tactics?" She asked, then silently paused as she looked him in the eye. "You don't say..."
It's not usual for Weiss, the owner of one of the most illegal bounty and treasure hunting agencies in the face of America — to stay in one place for a day, considering that he was wanted for evading tax, and distributing illegal black market gigs or jobs.
Considering the last time he was almost caught, it was pretty impressive that he was somehow able to dodge the authorities. Yet, his usual tactics as Caleb implied earlier was mostly a diversion to his business activities. He's wanted, and given his circumstance, that might explain it.
"Or more likely," she murmured heavily, as she raised her arm, leaning her chin on her palm, as she moved slightly forward. "When will he return?" She inquired in a calm voice.
To be more exact, she wasn't that calm, she's not even properly calm, but she remained still. There's no way she could be this composed, knowing that she might get kicked out tomorrow.
Nothing beats a landlord, who's both psychotic and chaotic. If she doesn't find a job today, or by tomorrow morning, it will be a hell of a week for her, staying in the street like some kind of homeless person. The last thing she wanted was being scolded, and had to spend the night at the train station.
That was an experience filled with creepy things, because she had been harassed a couple of times, and some old men ogled her from afar. Not only that, she also had a kind of experience getting molested and enduring a homeless dude's story about a non-existent crisis.
Deeper than that is just her, pointing guns or dagger on them. It was her way of shutting people off their unusual tactics to young women like her on the streets of New York.
If anything, she could have turned and walked away, but with her being stubborn. She ended up spending a lot of nights in the street because of how strict and crazy her landlord is.
At this point, she might as well be surprised by her resilience to stay calm and composed, even though she's trying not to punch her landlord on the face.
"Talk about two to three days," said Caleb. "But, considering his history disappears for a week, we can't be sure."
Rubi scoffed heavily as she sighed. "Really helpful, dude," she sarcastically said, but disappointedly looked down.
He chuckled gently, it was almost impressive and admirable that Rubi was staying this calm, or without swearing at his face. "You're asking the wrong dude, then," he retorted before he slightly snorted.
"You are the most useless, second person in-charge in this hub," said Rubi, as she breathed heavily. "Can you just give me some gigs, or something?" She ran a hand on her hair, as she inquired.
Caleb shook his head. "There's still no available missions, considering that," he murmured, then he crossed his arm as he spoke. "He's been taking every gig in the list, like he didn't care for others who needed work."
At the mention of 'him', the young woman, Rubi, could not help but to be heavily frowned as she gleamed in disbelief and slight annoyance. "I'm even surprised, he could do six in one month, it's admirable and stupid at the same time."
He couldn't help but to chuckle at her kind mock, despite it being hostile, though he agreed with her. "Well, he doesn't, it seems like he's been taking in all gigs available, but in reality, he couldn't complete three of them, what off six gigs at once?"
That is so like him, she thought, but a small frown leaving her lips.
"Dammit, what about other agencies?" She asked, the slight twitch on her eyes has become evident on her eyes. She couldn't hide that desperation in her expression, despite how much she wanted to hide it.
She can't afford to feel pressured now, but there is nothing she could do, much less she might as well rob a bank. But at stake, she can't afford to be caught and jailed.
If she could have just grabbed one mission that pays well, but considering her situation. Weiss Shop doesn't have any available jobs at the moment, and it's not even the current. However, given her reputation to two agencies from before, it wasn't easy to visit them.
Should she just find or get a legal job?
She shook her head in a gentle manner, her eyes locked on the wooden counterpart as her fingers gently caressed the contours and texture of the table, feeling the subtle roughness of the wood on her soft and gentle hands.
A moment later, her eyes darted back, as she noticed Caleb shifting. His hands reaching down a glass of Jack Daniels, a whiskey, a strong one at that, with his careful shift, he added a shape of solid round ice.
"Why not visit Lady Meshels shop then?" He asked, then he moved his fingers, as he dropped a small portion of lemon on the glass, with a final touch before he slid it towards the customer at the other side of the counter a few seats away from her.
From what Rubi knew, it seemed that Caleb was indeed a talented bartender, with slick moves and technique, groping around with his skill set. The way his fingers work was smooth, and delicate, which is also elegant in its own way.
But, honestly, she finds herself asking a question whenever she is here, in front of this bartender.
Why is he working for an illegal pub? When he could be using his actual skills to be out there. Be normal, or work in a normal city club, where it's not connected to illegal activities with killers as his customer.
But whenever she wanted to ask him, words wouldn't come out and eventually, she couldn't do so out of respect to him. "Lady Meshel had a beef with me, remember? She even claimed I stole her man."
She then raised a look and sighed again. "That bitch is the worst whore in the book of clinginess," she added, her voice roughening in tight hostility, her lips pressed against each other, the annoyance evident on her face.
Caleb left a small smile as he chuckled, placing both of his hands on the edge of the counter, and leaned forward. "You can't blame the man for being attracted to you," he then leaned back and smiled. "You are a young beauty."
She rolled her eyes, as she pointed her fingers, tapping it on the table harshly. "It's not my fault, that man has weird kinks," she defended, as she leaned back, removing her arm on the counter, and looked at him.
Then she raised her left hand in a waving manner. "Besides, her man ain't even that worth fighting over. She just has a trash taste," she added, as her voice dropped to a low sass murmur.
He laughed heavily at her words, let alone, her tone that made it more hilarious. She is indeed a sassy woman, with brutally honest lips that makes others roll their eyes, while Caleb makes fun of it. "At this point, you won't be able to last a single relationship."
"It's not like, I'm desperate to be with anyone, plus," she paused, and then she pointed her fingers at him. "My brother would certainly agree with me in terms of having to tolerate men, and their notions."
It was obvious that she does appreciate her brother, and it was also understandable she would listen to him. "Not again," he shook his head and gleamed. "Not the infamous... 'Never trust a man for they are but a beast' quote from the book of your overprotective brother," he bantered, with a small huff, and chuckle.
She chuckled at his silliness as she shook her head. "Can't blame him for saying that, it's a wild world anyway," she murmured gently to herself, as she tilted her head, looking at the window in silent manner.
"Although, your brother sounds like a good man, saying stuff like that didn't taste good with men's reputation," said Caleb, as he followed her gaze, and they looked at the pouring rain outside.
"Yeah, despite being gone… He still has ways to piss someone off," she murmured to herself, as she softened and she relaxed a little bit.
Her gaze locked on the outside as she silently listened to the pouring rain, the thud of its simple rhythm giving away that flashing sensation inside of her. The simple gloomy sky, and even that ever so gently cold bite, twisting her skin off with something she could feel, but numb.
The simplicity of the rain, the white-gray cloud, the building outside had her feeling slightly shivered. Not because of the cold wind, or because of a sensation she couldn't get, but at the memories flashing through her like the speed of light.
It's like a readymade...
A feeling that so casually touches every string on her bones, every fiber of her being, casting at the sound of the pouring rain. The feeling of loss, and the feeling of lounging, irking inside of her body.
It was stirring of something she couldn't quite put, but she knew... She wasn't doing well, she wasn't in the right mind at the moment... She was expressing a lounging she would often feel and it dug through her soul.
But, within her silent grasp of reality, with her thoughts alone drifting to infinity. A sound interrupted her, broken her from ever so wondering, pulling her back to the current and covering her up to the words left unresponded.
The sound of ringing echoed, like the wailing of a child, and the sound of a pulse thrill, on the rhythm of repetition like a broken record on glitch.