Rough, calloused fingers tapped a steady beat against the cool windowsill, precisely in sync with the soft ticking of the second hand on his watch. The room was dark, and cold. The same had often been said of his own eyes. He didn't mind it. When you hear enough insults, enough criticisms, it's not long before you begin to embrace them as your own. Concentrating on the sound of the ticking watch, he stared blankly at the city twenty stories below. The windy city. Chi-town. The city of big shoulders. The second city. The big onion. For some reason, he had begun mentally listing every nickname he'd ever heard for this overly congested nightmare of a city. The city that works together. He snickered. At least that would be true soon enough.
As he peered out he couldn't help but notice the commotion in the streets. Hundreds of cars, thousands of people, pushing and shoving past each other, all trying to reach their destinations. Did any of them matter? Everything was so small, so…insignificant. And yet, up here in this mediocre, yet surprisingly clean, hotel room, he towered over all of it. He was a giant. He was in control. And this time, he would have the upper hand.
The thought made him laugh wickedly out loud.
"Soon…" he muttered.
The shrill ringing of the phone beside the bed startled him from his thoughts and he turned and looked at it. It rang another three times before he decided to get it up and answer it, closing the curtains as he left the window.
"Yes," he answered in a quiet tone.
"It's done."
The man smiled, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he heard the two words that made his entire night complete. "Excellent. And you weren't seen?"
"No."
"You learn quickly, son," he said.
"Sir, I'm not absolutely sure I want to be involved—"
"Don't be ridiculous!" The older man yelled, cutting the younger off. "You'll get just as much satisfaction from this as I will. Think of it…"
There was a long moment of silence before either spoke again.
"What do I have to do now?" The younger man asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"You stay put. Until you hear from me. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good." A knock at the hotel room door caught his attention and the clever grin appeared once again on his face. "I have to go." He hung up the phone and took a few quick steps toward the door. He took a quick glance out the peephole before unlocking the deadbolt and slowly opening the door.
A tall, slender, sophisticated brunette stood in the doorway, adorned almost entirely in black and wearing dark sunglasses, despite the fact that she was inside and it was dark outside.
"Hallway a little bright for you?" He asked, stepping to the side to allow her to walk in.
The woman did not appear amused. "I'm not interested in jokes," she stated bluntly. "You told me to come here, and I did. Now what is it that you want?"
"Right down to business, huh? I like that in a woman."
"Well then, let's get to it." She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to make his point.
"I have a proposition," he explained. "It can be quite profitable for all of us."
"All of us?" she enquired.
"Yes," he said. "But until I know you're with me, I'm not about to tell you who that includes."
She sighed heavily, taking a seat in one of the chairs at the table. "What makes you think I'd be interested in a proposition from you?"
He snickered to himself, walking slowly around her and taking the other chair at the table, staring intently at her face. "Does the name, Ben Gates, mean anything to you?"
The woman took a long, deep breath, and gradually raised a hand to remove her sunglasses. As her eyes met his, the intense look of disdain in them said it all.
The man smiled. He had her too.