Ask Show Me The Money

[Matias Vale]

Matias strode through the streets with his long stride, his gait quicker than usual with the news he had just received. His contact had confirmed the route and the time their target would be moving, a week of patience finally coming to a successful close. The notice for muscle he had also put out earlier had already been taken, the coordinates to the bar sent to the mandalorian. That's all he knew about the hire but the reputation they had was good enough for him to not even question their credentials.

Arriving at the bar, The Smoking Dragon, Matias pushed the swinging doors open to a half-filled establishment. He didn't need to take a scan of the room, the patrons being regulars that made the place their second home. The entire floor had an uplifted mood with the assistance of alcohol, the music bouncing off the walls. Matias would push through the small crowd, his gaze fixated on his com-pad as he walked, the floorplan and chairs already memorized by him enough to know the way to the back.

As he continued, the older man behind the bar checked the cashier drawer before slamming a fist down on the counter, "Why the fuck is it twenty short Bino!?!" Matias couldn't help but smirk and finally look up, "Easy Henry, you'll blow a gasket." Reaching into his pocket, he tossed twenty credits over to Henry to make up without interuppting his stride. Right as he was about to make it to the door, the prime suspect Bino stepped out from a nearby hallway and into his path. Instantly, an arm was thrown around the kid's neck and constricted tight as Mastias whispered against the top of his head, "Stop stealing fucking money from the drawer." Bino would be gently pushed away by him, the kid rubbing the back of his head before apologizing, "Sorry, Ty. I can't help it, ya know?" He apologized and retrieved the twenty, slapping it into Matias' hand. "Thank god you're an honest thief," he replied to Bino before walking on with a chucke.

Opening the door in the back halfway, he turned his head toward the lobby and let out a sharp whistle. Different heads would turn in recognition, immediately stopping whatever they were doing and making their way over. They would file down the stairs, the last one stopping momentarily to ask, "Where's the hire?" Matias clasped a hand on his shoulder before nudging him, "On her way." A grunt would be the only response he got but it was good enough. He closed the door behind him and went down the stairs with the rest.

@Sreeya

 

[Shale Vizsla]

She strode in a moment later, decked out in her usual obsidian armor. The familiar dent on her helmet was still there. She had taken the job, but there was no description. It paid higher to keep the description quiet, so she expected this was something unsettling. However, she was committed now and she would see it through.

The Mandalorian drew a few curious glances, but no one said anything. She studied her employer quietly, the T visor fixed on him for far longer than he would have expected. She tilted her head.

“You messed with one of my people some time ago,” The mechanized voice stated. The air grew tense even though she didn’t move a muscle just yet. She hadn’t realized who this was, but word got around very quickly in Mandalorian circles. Her tone didn’t indicate where she stood on, but the statement hung in the air all the same.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

The stairs creaked under the weight of the small group that had formed downstairs. Matias sat at the table in the center of the room, a couple of the others joining him, the rest occupying various spots in the room. There were five of them total, and each was selectively picked by him. They were in his own little gang in a way, and it almost made him laugh how fast he returned to this life when he swore to his father he wouldn't.

The one closest to Matias, Don, leaned back in her chair before asking excitedly, "Did little birdie finally sing a song back to us?" All of them leaned forward, ready for the answer, but a new arrival seized the room's attention. Matais' gaze would snap toward the stairs and lock on Shale, tracking her the entire way down as did the rest. The stairs practically whined in pain with each of her steps from the amount of equipment she carried.

When she arrived at the bottom and spoke her first words, the tension in the room became palpable. The others would straighten, their weapons not drawn but each of their hands closer than they were before. The only one who hadn't reacted in the same way was Matias, who instead reached for a cigarra and lit it as a puff of smoke escaped from his mouth. He knew immediately who she was speaking of, the Mandalorian that had gotten him off the hellhole he knew as home, Raya. He had no clue what became of her, but obviously she was still alive enough to share the tale.

Matias' gaze would be unflinching as it stared right back at Shale's. Despite appearing the youngest in the room, his eyes held a weight and maturity within them. After a brief exhale of smoke, he responded, True, it's unlucky she crashed on my home planet. I prevented her from being assaulted and killed by my previous gang." He didn't want to dive into details in front of the others, so he kept it short and sweet. "You care to thank me by doing this job for me while making a shitload of money, or are we going to have an issue?" Matias would rest his boot on the table, appearing to relax more, but she would notice the bottom of his leg holster was aimed directly at her. The only reason he wasn't sweating bullets right then was because he spoke the truth completely.