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City of Vale, 273 Ironrose St.

One week later

York stood next to the wall on the opposite side of the entrance with paintbrush in hand, a newly painted symbol now drying on the wall. He wore a pair of blue jeans and black, square-toed boots, with a belt that now held his knife/grappling hook at the back.

"Agent York, I do not understand." Delta spoke, using the speakers of his armor and the projection unit to create his holographic form at full size next to the unarmored man. "Why have you just painted the Freelancer insignia on that wall along with the eagle and olive branch of the UNSC and old-fashioned scales?"

"It's my new symbol, something to change what it means to be a Freelancer. The Eagle represents what I signed up for, to protect the innocent and freedom itself. The scales obviously represent justice, which is what we're trying to do here, although perhaps in our own way."

"Oh, I think I understand. Because of these two added elements, it is somehow different from its original meaning to you?"

York nodded. "You got it, D."

The Freelancer looked around his new home. Up above were his living quarters, with a mattress Junior had been able to nab him and a small mini fridge stocked with food and drink.

Down on the ground floor, he had left it alone except for the new insignia, and a map of Remnant and a couple sections of Vale. Though Delta had catalogued these areas to his memory, York still needed a good point of reference.

Belowground, he had set up exercise equipment as well as other objects for training, including dummies and targets, all on the far side of the room, and had organized his workstation on the other, a workbench below a lamp with toolboxes, welding equipment, and other tools and contraptions surrounding it.

York had also invested in a rocket locker he had found in the forest when he journeyed into it once more the train against the Grimm.

When he returned with it, Delta hacked and rewrote the code to unlock it so that York could be anywhere and have his equipment available only a short flight away. He had painted the new symbol on the locker as well, to mark it as his.

Delta and York had been working on making the armor collapse for the past week, and York felt they were so close to cracking it. Delta estimated it would take two more days.

"Agent York, it is currently 8:00, and your first shift at the club starts at 9. I suggest you prepare for work." Delta spoke from the speakers, jolting York from his reverie.

"Thanks, D. Hey, can you look up any songs the crowd seems to like, maybe create a playlist? I want to make a good impression."

"I'll be sure to, York." Delta assured. "I'll also compile a list that has music from your downloaded playlists. You may also be able to get some money off of releasing these songs, as there's no copyright against them."

"That's a neat idea, Delta."

'Cole Vance' prepared for work, changing into the new uniform he'd received a couple nights before. From jeans he switched to black slacks before stripping off his shirt and applying deodorant and cologne before pulling on an undershirt and a white dress shirt, leaving the top couple buttons undone.

After adorning his tie, York then pulled on a black vest and dark grey gloves. He left his knife on a table but made sure his double-bladed sword was compact in his pocket before leaving.

It was a short walk down to the club, where a line was already forming, and he was immediately let in by one of the four bouncers. Employees were bustling about, in a rush of final preparations before the club's re-opening. The club, which was apparently named Rouge's Vibe, or just Junior's, as many called it, was finally set. York stepped over to the bar, where Junior was tapping away on his scroll.

York patted his own right back pocket, where his recent acquisition now rested. "Hey, Junior."

The man looked up from the clipboard he was going over before signing and handing it to a woman in uniform. "Go put them in the deep fridge, we're likely gonna need more tonight and we need 'em cold." Junior pointed. The girl nodded and started off. "Hey, Cole, you're early. Good. Shift starts in about twenty minutes, you ready?"

"Born ready, boss." York stated, stepping around the bar's end and joining the club owner.

"You look the part, Cole, I'll give you that. That double Windsor is a nice touch."

York shrugged. "I wanted to put up my best foot forward on the first day."

"Whatever works, Cole." Junior told him, then looked to see two women, York's guess was late teens, which looked very similar. "Ah, Melanie, Miltia! Come meet Cole!"

The two girls, one dressed in a white dress and the other in red, approached. Both had black hair and green eyes.

"Cole, may I introduce the Malachite twins, Melanie and Miltia." Junior began, "Girls, this is Cole Vance, our newest bartender. It's his first night."

"Hope you survive." The girl in red, Miltia, he assumed, joked with a smirk, the other rolled her eyes, and they walked off like they were nobles, noses upturned.

York grimaced. "They seem… nice?"

Junior shrugged. "They can be a bit uppity. They're my nieces, my brother asked me to watch them in case anything happened."

"Mind if I ask what happened?"

"He got thrown in jail for possession." Junior said nonchalantly.

York blinked. "Oh. Well, to each his own, I suppose."

Junior looked at him. "What about you, got anything on your record?"

York laughed. "Oh yeah. I'm a good locksmith, got arrested a few times in the act."

"Locksmith, huh? You any good?"

"I'd like to think so. I've made a living off it for a few years." York shrugged.

"Except for getting caught a few times." Junior laughed, then his face grew dark. "As long as you aren't breaking any of my locks…"

York went a bit pale, shaking his head. "Never, sir. It's not a good idea to steal from your boss, always goes south."

Up on the stage, the teddy bear DJ started up the music, signaling that the club would officially open in two minutes. York messaged a sore muscle, then cracked his neck.

Do you feel ready, Agent York? Delta asked in his mind.

York grinned. Come on, D. I've got you at my back. We've been through worse. I'm sure we'll be fine.

The first wave hit soon after that, and immediately, York found himself serving up drinks. He surprised himself with the speed with which he was able to dish them out.

"Whiskey, keep 'em coming." A man said as he sat. "I need to get this week off my mind."

York smiled, laughing at the irony of him being the listening bartender for once. "Bad one, huh?" He asked as he poured a shot glass full of the drink.

"I'm sure you don't wanna hear it." The man protested.

York shrugged. "Go ahead, I need a story to keep me entertained." He encouraged as he poured a woman wearing a white dress a virgin cocktail.

"So, at the beginning of the week, my boss asks me to do this project that'll be due by Wednesday of next week, so I say 'sure, I'd be fine with that' and of course, the other guy…"

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"…so then, of course, I find out about this other woman, and he just kicks me out of the house. The one we've lived in for the past two years!" A woman finally finished, voice raised to make herself heard over the music, downing a dose of alcohol. It was two hours into his shift, and his millionth story of a sucky life.

York winced, drawing in a hissed breath. "Man that stinks." He half-yelled.

"Right?" The woman questioned, "Hey, What's your name?"

"Cole, Cole Vance."

"My name's Kira Bliu." She told him. She looked at her scroll. "Oh, my friends are here, I'd better go."

York smiled. "Travel safe, hope things work out."

As the woman walked away, Junior stepped over. "You're a natural at this stuff, man. You ever work a bar before?"

"Nope. First time being on the other end, but I've seen them in action." York told him, then heard a man at the end of the bar call for a beer. He stepped away from Junior to go serve it, then saw a man step up to the bar and show Junior a picture, sliding lien cards across the bar.

The two men exchanged words, then the man left, taking his money with him.

York slid over to the barman and asked, "What was that about?"

Junior glanced at York from the corner of his eye. "Listen Vance, you seem like a good guy, one that doesn't have a clean rep, might not be changed. I run so underground stuff down here. People looking for people, or trying to smuggle something in? I'm your man, for the right price." He jerked his head in the direction on the retreating man. "He was looking for someone, but I didn't recognize him."

"Oh." York said simply. "So, I'm assuming your underground deals in some illegal stuff to, huh?"

Junior studied the new barman. "What's it to you, Cole?"

"Just wondering. In case I need something through… unconventional means." York told him with a knowing look.

"You need anything, come to me first. If I can't help you, I'll tell you who can." Junior affirmed.

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"Hey, bartender, another vodka over here!"

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