Rage and Ruin | 2

2 | 3

J A X O N

      I walked into the bar with swagger in my step. Jake had said that I needed to tell as many people as possible about my connection with Hunt; I might as well play a believable part.

      I'd been given a few looks that lasted moments too long when I entered the bar; I was only eighteen and I looked it. In fact, I could even feel a few stares on me now. But I could work my magic and make things work. I always did.

Pulling out a stool, I sat down at the bar. The bartender, a beautiful young woman with thick coiled hair, made eye contact with me. "Can I get you anything?"

"I'd say 'a date with you' but I'm sure you've heard that one a hundred times before," I stated, pasting a toothy smile on my face. I was trying to stall for time; no one sat at the bar with me yet. Plus talking with her didn't seem like a bad start to this night.

She let out an amused chuckle. "Yeah, you wouldn't believe how many times I've been hit on with that exact line."

"I believe it."

Her red lips pulled into a smile as she turned to get a drink for a man and woman who'd just walked in. "Are you from around here?"

"Would you hold it against me if I was?"

"I don't know," she drew out, handing the couple their drinks. "All the run ins with the local men have been quite unfortunate lately." The man and woman sat at the bar a few seats down from me.

I shrugged. "Unlike them, I know how to be a gentleman." One older man got onto the seat one away from me.

"Is that so?" She arched an eyebrow.

"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

The woman looked at me archly. "Are you even going to have a drink, or did you come here just to flirt?"

"Who says I can't do both?" I gestured to the scruffy man next to me. "I'll have what he's having."

The bartender placed the two mugs of beer in front of me and the other man. He took a big swig and I followed suit. When he was done, he let out a loud sigh and smacked his lips.

"Has a bit of an oaky aftertaste, doesn't it?" he asked me in a gruff tone.

"Yeah," I agreed, still feeling the taste on the back of my tongue. "It's very bitter. I'd take wine over beer any day."

"I just came back from a wine tasting this weekend," the man informed me excitedly. "My brother bought me tickets to a very exclusive little place in Sonoma, California."

      "And how does it feel to be back in the heart of New York City in this bar after that?" I joked, slurring a few of my words for effect, as if the alcohol I'd pretended to drink was already setting in. Normally, I'd take all the adult beverages I could get, but tonight, I needed to drink sparingly. Dangerous people could be here, watching me even now.

       "It's a different experience, that's for sure. There, it's all open fields and beautiful rolling hills. All we have here is traffic and too many people."

      "Well," I clapped the man on the back lightheartedly, "You're not the only one who had a luxurious weekend. A few days ago, my boss took me on an all-expenses-paid trip to Jamaica. He's very well known, and trust me when I say that the man is highly upscaled. I was stunned that he invited me in the first place." The lies kept coming; I was surprised that I was able to create them with such ease.

      "Oh really?" The man asked, his eyebrows raising in admiration. "Where do you work?"

      Here goes nothing. "I work in a high-up job with the ONNT, I don't know if you've heard of it. It's a very covert company under the United States government."

      "Of course I've heard of it. But it's kept very secret. I've heard crazy stories about what goes on there." Crazier than enlisting the help of eight enhanced teenagers to take down a world-threatening terrorist? I doubted it.

      "I can't say much about it, of course, having been sworn to secrecy. But my boss, Damien Hunt, is-" I stopped talking and widened my eyes in fake horror. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let his name slip."

      "Wait," the bartender said, leaning against the counter as she joined the conversation, "You work with Damien Hunt? I've seen him on TV lots of times before."

      I nodded. "Just last week, he was having a talk with the President. The man's always off meeting influential people."

      The bartender was looking at me with newfound respect. "And you work with him. You must get to travel and meet those people as well."

      "Yeah," I said, trying to be humble. "I'm very blessed with this job."

      She gave a short chuckle. "It sure beats this bartending one, serving people and fighting off creeps every night." She rested her palms on the countertop as she surveyed the bar.

      I gave her my megawatt smile. "You know what I'll do? I will bring him in here for a drink tomorrow night; Hunt and I were going to be meeting up anyway."

      She girl took a step back in amazement. "No, really? You're bringing Damien Hunt into my bar tomorrow?" She said it loud enough to make several people look up. That was better than what I'd been expecting.

      "Yes, all for you," I told her flirtatiously. "He'll love it here."

      "Wow, that will certainly be a day to remember," she said, tucking a piece of her curly hair behind her ear. "Thank you."

      "You're welcome." I stood up from my seat and looked down at the man sitting next to me. "You're more than welcome to meet him as well. Be here at eight o'clock sharp and I'll introduce you both." I turned to the rest of the place, where people from a few tables were staring at me. That was a good sign.

      After paying for both my and the other man's drinks, I strode out into the cool air. I tucked my hands into my pockets and made my way out into the car.

      As I walked down the sidewalk, a grin found its way onto my face. It hadn't been too obvious but I'd still gotten my point across. Jake couldn't have asked for a more smooth information plant.

I'd done the job, and I'd done it well. Now, all we had to do was wait for tomorrow to come and trap the assassin. After that, everything would be running smoothly.