The Night Shift (Open)

[tess]

1st November, 2008


It was Saturday Night and Tess was at work. She worked as a bartender for one of the many bars located in Lower Manhattan. It was a rather decent bar with a pool table, juke box, and some tables where she would watch some guys play poker or blackjack. There was also the usual bar brawl that occured when two guys were so drunk that they started fighting for no reason. Although, sometimes there was a reason like someone cheated during the poker game or someone owned money. If Tess had to be honest, the bar fights or brawls were pretty much the highlight of her nights working the bar.

It was around 8p.m. or so when Tess came in to start her shift. She waved at Roxanne who was the bartender whom she was taking over for and then she waved at Billy who was owner of the bar. He wasn't a bad-looking guy, but he wasn't really one that Tess would go after. Tess went to back to get ready for her shift. She and Roxanne had some small talk before Roxanne finally clocked out and was on her way back home to see her kids.

Tess came out and saw that the place was a little packed then again it was a Friday. As Tess was went behind the counter, she knew that at least in this place she was normal. Of course, she knew the truth; she wasn't. However, it was sort of nice to pretend. She went up to the first person she saw and asked the age-old question, "Can I get you something to drink?"

[thecoolcadaver]

Erik Keane didn't know how long he had been here. Hours turn to minutes when you have a nice cold one to keep you company.
Hiding from his former employers had certainly brought out the darker side of Erik. He was forced to separate himself from everyone he had ever known... Everything that he had ever known. He had been pretending to be something that he wasn't for so long that he wasn't quite sure who he really was anymore.

Not to mention how paranoid he had become. Any time when Erik felt the Company's shadow looming over him, he would flee to another town, another city... Soon, probably another country. He had done his best to alter his appearance day to day. Using his power to altar his age, in conjunction with a varying wardrobe, Erik changed identities every few weeks, or whenever it was necessary. Right now, he appeared to be in his mid twenties, and was dressed casually. It was almost amusing to see what he had looked like when he was a teenager, or what he would look like 20 years from now... That was, if he lived that long.

And now, here he was, in a small bar in lower Manhattan, trying to drown his damn problems instead of solving them. He needed help. some sort of accomplice to take the Company down He also needed time, and to someone like himself, he should have had all the time in the world... But the truth was, he felt pressed for it, like something,or someone was on his heels.

Just as this thought entered his mind, a voice shook him from his inner contemplation, startling him.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

He just barely managed to catch his glass that had began to topple from it's perilous perch.

Glancing up, Erik saw that the voice belonged to a young blonde woman with startling blue eyes.

"Um, I'll take another Pint of Guinness, pretty lass." Truthfully, Erik hated the stuff, but it was numbing and helped him relax.

Erik answered quickly, wanting the girl to move away, before he did anything rash, like start a conversation. He was trying to lie low after all. Half of his mind wanted the company of someone to talk to, while the other half was obsessed with his mission.

[tess]

Tess had been a bartender for a couple of months and she was getting quite good at her job. So, good in fact that she started analyzing people by the kind of drink they got. A man who ordered scotch was having troubles. His troubles were so bad that sometimes that there were times Tess could've sworn that they were sobbing. Then those who ordered just a simple beer where not really the dangerous kind of guys. When a man ordered beer they wanted to play it safe and play it cool. Then there were the ones who ordered the strong drinks for example a Guiness. Those who ordered a pint of that drink were kind of drink were mysterious and sort of always had something to hide. So, when Tess heard the man in front of her ordered a pint of Guiness, she pretty much started analyzing.

"Okay, one pint of Guiness, comin' up." Tess said as she pretty muched turned her back to the guy and reached down for a pint glass and the Guiness. Once she got those two items, she turned back around and set the pint glass down. She then started pouring the bervage into the glass. While she did that. she decided to start to some small talk. A lot of people didn't like small talk, but Tess sort of liked it. Mostly, because it was the one thing that kept her somewhat sane. Besides, it was always nice to just talk to a normal person for once.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Tess asked and then pointed out, "The whole 'pretty lass' comment sort of gave you away which by the way, I thank you for because it's much better than being referred to as a 'hot piece of ass.'" Tess then handed the guy his drink. She really didn't know if this was the kind of guy that actually enjoyed conversations. If he didn't then it was alright there were other people to talk to in the bar.

[thecoolcadaver]

Erik smiled, took the drink and nodded.

"Well, you're quite welcome."

Erik was unsure whether he should really continue. The beer had dimmed his senses, but it didn't dull his mind. If he was trying to keep a low profile, maybe he should just keep quiet. But talking, expressing his thoughts and feelings, it was natural for him, and although he had been hiding from the company for over a month now, he still wasn't used to silence.

Anyway, what harm could a bit of small talk do? He was in the depths of Manhattan, in a small bar, talking to an attractive bartender. Erik hardly thought that this would be the kind of place that the Company would be keeping tapps on.

With only a moment's hesitation, he added, "Yeah, I'm not from around here. I... I'm from Wales, England. Moved to America about seven years ago, though I've only been in New York for about a month. Suprisingly, my accent's still intact, for the most part, anyway."

He hadn't given the reason why he moved to America, and he prayed that she wouldn't ask about it, though he guessed that she probably would. He was a terrible liar.

Erik took a sip of his drink before continuing.

"What about you? Have you been here long?"

Erik guessed that she had, but wanted to keep the conversation up. It was one of the things that reminded him of the life he used to have. But life before the Company seemed like some kind of alternate universe that Erik would never be able to reach again.

[tess]

Tess listened as the man explained to her where he was from. She could tell that he hesitated at first to answer her question which added to Tess's theory that this man was indeed hiding something. Of course, she could be wrong since she has been proven to be wrong on many occasions. Either way, she returned to paying attention to conversation.

"So, why the move to the States? Was the weather bad in Wales or something?" Tess asked knowing that her curiousity was getting the better of her. Maybe she was curious because she never really met anyone that was from out of the states before. Well, except her aunt Marie who lived in Paris.

Then when he asked about herself, Tess knew she had to respond. A conversation worked both ways. "I've only been in New York for a couple of months. I'm originally from New Jersey. I don't know how long I plan on staying here. I'm a bit of wanderer, I just don't like to stay in one place for too long." Tess was pretty much telling the truth. Of course, she left out the fact that she was actually running from a company that kept her father in a cell because he had a dangerous ability; her ability. The man in front of drinking, didn't have to know that little detail.

[thecoolcadaver]

Erik smiled to himself.
"The weather in Wales isn't any beter or worse than it is here. I moved here for buissness reasons. My career was going slow in Wales, so I packed up and moved here, hoping for more activity."

He paused for a moment, and took a sip from his glass.

"Turns out, the diffrence between buisness in the U.S. and Wales is the same as the difference in weather."

Erik didn't know how he was going to explain what excactly his "buisness" was. He didn't realy have a constant income. In fact, most of the money that he possesd was from a raid of one of the Companies facilies in France.

He was suprised that the young bartender wasn't from New York, as she had seemed very comfortable and used to the environment. Well, it wasn't the first time his intuition had failed him.

She almost reminded Erik of himself before the Company had entered his life. He used to just travel around Europe, going place to place. It was easier when there wasn't a maniacal Company on your trail. He realized that he didn't yet know her name.

"I don't think I caught your name. I'm Erik Keane."

Erik had tried using aliases before, but he found them annoying, and quite useless. It was easier to change his appearance or just travel to another city.

[tess]

So, Tess got her answer. The guy in front of her moved to the States because of business. That was reasonable. A lot of people do that. It was only natural for her to be curious about that that business was, however she knew she had to draw a line. She knew that if she asked that question that it would lead to a series of questions. Basically, it was like playing 20 questions and eventually those questions would lead to personal questions. Tess was not so great when it came to those kind of questions. Tess knew her curiosity had a tendency for getting her into trouble. Tess did not need that at the moment. Her life was going good now. The last thing she wanted was for something or someone to change that.

"I don't think I caught your name. I'm Erik Keane."

Tess was about to respond when she heard a commotion coming from one of the tables in the corner of the bar. She looked to see that it was the Waterman brothers arguing, again. Of course, that arguing that those twins did always lead to the same outcome... a downright bar brawl. Tess knew she had to stop it since she didn't see her boss, Billy, anywhere at the moment.

"I'll be right back." Tess said to Erik as she jumped over the bar to head straight toward the brothers who were now shouting and out of their chairs. Each brother was pointing accusatory at the other as one of them committed the ultimate betrayal. Tess wasn't really listening as she found herself thinking, This can't be good because this is only going to lead to... Tess's thought was interrupted when she saw that one of the brother had already tackled the other brother and had him pinned to the floor. The brother was already punching him and shouting profanities. Tess really didn't care what the fight was about , but she could already see the other people in the bar start to worry and some of the others were looking to join on the action.

"BOYS! BOYS!" Tess shouted as she was getting ready to pull the first brother off the other. The brother that was doing the punching was about to punch again when Tess grabbed his arm in mid-punch. She could tell that the man wasn't that big. Sure, he was about six foot, but it didn't look like he worked out much. He was average at best. If thing got any worse at least Tess knew she could take him.

"Let go of my arm! I'm done beating him to a bloody pulp." He explained. Tess could tell that the man was quite angry. Did that scare her? Not really since she sort of guessed that he couldn't do what she could if she was the one that was angry.

" I don't care. You need to stop doing whatever it is you're doing cause I'm not in the mood to put up with it." Tess's voice with downright serious. She really wasn't in the mood for trouble.

"What if I don't stop? How is a little girl like you going to stop me?" He challenged her. Tess didn't really like it when people challenged her. If this man was looking for a fight he was about to get one, but not from his brother who was bleeding from the punches his other twin had caused.

"You want a fight? Fine." Then Tess did something a little irrational. She let go of the man's arm and the man looked up at her a bit confused until Tess gave the man her best right hook. The man managed to stumble a bit just enough that he managed to get off his brother. Tess then instantly help the other twin get up from the floor. He didn't look to bad just a black and possibly a bloody nose. Tess looked at this Waterman brother and just told him to leave which he didn't argue. He left while his other brother was still surprised that a girl hit him.

"Now, I suggest that you follow your brother's example and leave right now. Unless, of course you want me to punch you again." Tess said with a small smirk. She had to admit punching the guy felt damn good. She knew her mother wouldn't be so proud of what she did; Her mom was always telling her that she had anger issues. Tess did, but that was why she had punching bag in her apartment to take all her anger out on. Tonight, this man just happened to be the punching bag that challenged her.

Obviously, the man didn't need to be told twice as he left the bar as well. Tess saw that she had a number of eyes staring at her. She sort of just shrugged it off and headed back to her place and occupation. Billy showed up since he had been doing some inventory in the back. He saw that there was some damage in the bar. "What the hell happened here?" he asked.

" It was those stupid Waterman brothers again, Billy. This time, I actually had to punch one of them." Tess explained to her boss who simply shook his head and went to the back to get a broom to keep up the mess.

Tess found herself back where she was originally, standing in front of Erik who pretty much saw what everyone else saw."I'm Tess by the way. Tess Landers."

[OOC: I got really bored hence the very long post and the unexpected bar fight.]