His head felt like a weight as he tried to prop it up more. He could feel a breeze on his face as it passed by his ears. His arms and mega moved before anything else did. Feeling that they were stuck he lifted his heavy eyelids to find himself strapped to a wooden chair, his hands and feet bound together by zipties. He took in the sight around him as he was hundreds of feet in the air on the roof of a building, inches from the edge. The night sky allowed for the lights all across the city to shine their brightest.
Seeing his captor approaching him for the corner of his eyes he struggled to escape from his seat.
"Don't bother moving, you will only risk going over." The man said, now standing in front of him.
"So here's how things are going to work. Your going to help me do a job, after that you can forget this entire encounter. Sound like a deal?" The man said, placing his hands in his pockets, slowly pacing back and forth.
"I already told you, I'm not interested in helping you in whatever gang this is!" He shouted.
"You will do exactly as I said!" The man responded placing a firm grip on the edge of the chair and leaning it back allowing Bell to see nothing but the long drop down below.
"Sound like a deal?" The man asked once more.
"Deal." Bell said through gritted teeth, trying to keep his cool.
His chair was slowly brought up right and released of the man's grip. Bell smiled as he quickly broke through the zipties and busted the chair apart, setting himself free.
He quickly charged towards the man, taking him off his feet. Laying in punch after punch, the man's face began to form streams of blood. Bell placed his hands around the enemy's throat, cutting off the oxygen flow.
"Wait! I'll let you keep... some of.. the money!" The man shouted, struggeling to breathe.
"Im not interested in some." Bell replied firmly, strengthening his grip.
"Keep... it all! It'll be in the alley way beside the Manhatten Cafe!" He pleaded. "3k! It can be all yours!"
Bell eased up on his grip some, letting the man speak. "Tell me more."
"I don't need the money, you can have it. I just need to complete the job or I'll have no protection from that other gang! Please just help me with this and you can keep all the money." He tried to convince Bell.
He looked up, seeing all the lights across the city. "What city are we in?" He asked
"Mannhatten." He replied tapping on Bell's hands for him to release.
"Consider this a one time thing." Bell released his grip on the man hearing him take in cough after deep breathes. "And I suggest you don't pull out that knife on me." He said seeing it on his belt.
"I wouldn't want to gamble my life like that." The man chuckled, rising to his feet. "Follow me, we'll need to go speak with man himself." He said, leading the way back downstairs to the apartment he was temporarily given.
"This yours?" Bell asked, looking out the large window seeing the entire city.
"No, they let me use it as a place to lay low until this job gets done. I told them it was urgent that I have a place where my old employers wouldn't find me. Speaking of which... you got a name?"
"A name..?" He asked, trying to think of a name that could fit him. "Alistair." Bell said recalling one of the names on the passports Park had given him.
"Well that'll be easy to remember, thats my brother's name." He said, picking up a glass and pouring himself a drink.
"What a coincidence.." Bell said looking at the floor.
"Our ride will be here soon, come on." He said setting down his drink, making his way to the door.
As they got off the elevator they made their way outside the building, waiting in the alley way between its neighboring building.
"So Alistair, tell me, how did you stumble upon our 'meeting' at the cargo containers?" The man asked, his arms folded and his brow raised.
"I .. uhm. I was an operator on one of the cargo ships. I had a few dissagreements with a group of men who were never fond of me. A fight broke out and I guess it didn't help that we had all had a few drinks. So I woke up, floating on a boat, alone. And now I'm here."
"Sounds like fun." The man said.
"Yea, thats one word for it." Bell scoffed.
Their conversation came to an end when the sound of a vehicle approached them, the headlights shining into the alley.
"Cmon, and when you get into the car, dont say a word. That goes for when you meet the boss too. Just keep your mouth shut." He advised Bell.
The ride was a bit longer than what he had expected but the location was similar to what he had imagined. The car stopped to let them out and immidiatly pulled away, leaving them to the door of the building. Two men stood by the metal entrance, Bell assumed to be bodygaurds.
Bell's new friend showed the men a small slip of paper, allowing them access inside. The large room was filled with lights as they charged to various colors. Bell could hardly hear his own thoughts over the loud music being played. As they made their way through the large crowds of people, he could feel eyes staring at him. Bell tried to keep his eyes to the floor, but his curiostity took over as he returned several gazes to people. Some simply looked and turned around, others pointed and whispered among themselves, smiling.
Making their way out of the crowd, they took a metal, rachet looking elevator down another level. "You didn't stare at any of them did you?" He asked.
"I didn't stare, but when all eyes are on you how can you not be tempted to look up to see their reactions?" Bell lightly protested.
"They must have a good crowd tonight. Most of the time they tend to pick fights with anyone who even looks in their direction." He said as the elevator doors opened into a large office.
There sat a man dressed up, sitting in a nice chair. His office was neatly decorated and everything about him screamed luxery and power. Standing by his side were four more bodygaurds, only one of which was equipped with a pistol. The man could certainly look intimidating to most people, however after years of experience he had delt with far worse. By the looks of him he certainly looked like he could certainly hold his own in a fight. But looks could be deceiving, Bell knew all too much about that. He was suprised at the mans appearence, most people he had come across who were in this line of work always looked to have never missed a meal, this man was fairly the opposite.
"William Bell." The man greeted without a smile. As Bell stood there silently he began to hear small tinging noises agitating his mind.
"Mr. Ronan." William greeted extending his arms.
"From what I'v been told you were the one to eleminate one of Barnes' high ranking men. In fact one that I very much wanted to see dead." Bell noticed the man's eyes give a quick skeptical glance in his direction as his friend spoke.
"Yes sir. However, what I came to discuss was a negotiation. Perhaps in return for my favor, you can offer us your long lasting protection from the Barnes' mafia."
Mr. Ronan chuckled. "You think that because you eleminated a target on my radar that you deserve my protection? Let me remind you Mr. Bell, that you are the reason for the death of our other inside man. And for that you should be dead!" He slammed his fist on the desk. "However, because of what you did, in return I'm allowing you to hold onto your life for just a bit longer." His tone became more calm again. "And who is this .. 'us'?" He asked looking over to Bell.
All eyes were on him as the room became silent, everyone awaiting his response. "Alistair, sir." He said clearing his throat. "Alistair Wayne."
"Well, Mr.Wayne, tell me how did you end up with... this poor soul?" He said extending a hand towards William.
Bell explained everything to him just as he did to his friend when they were in the alleyway.
"Hm." The man said skeptically, eyeing Bell up and down. "Your quite useless as well. You, Bell, have a record for countless of failed missions. You don't deliver, you never have." He reverted his attention back to William. "I beleive we are done here."
"No, I'm not leaving until we come up with a deal!" He shouted.
"Very well." He ushered for his men to take care of the two.
"Don't touch me!" Bell's new friend said as he went for a swing but ultimatly missed. Falling unconscious it was Bell against four of Ronan's men.
The first gaurd came from behind Bell, kicking the back of his leg, forcing him to one knee. The second drew his pistol and aimed right at Bell's head. Fortunatly he forced the gun centimeters away, into the other man's hip as it was fired before the pistol skidded across the floor. He collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain.
Another man rushed behind Bell, placing his arms around his throat, making it difficult to breathe. He struggled to release from the third man's grip as another laid a few punches into Bell's ribs. As the punching paused he threw the man over his shoulder as he landed at his feet. Bell rushed for the gun, shooting the man, leaving one standing. As the final enemy rushed towards Bell, he picked him up, but as Bell rose to his feet, he drove the man's back to the wall, gun in hand. With the barrel still hot, he planted it into the side of the man's face, causing the enemy to vocalize his screams of pain. Bell placed the gun to the side of his head, finishing him off. Finally seeing the first gaurd still lying there in his own pool of blood, he finished off the final man.
He quickly aimed his pistol at Ronan who had a sinister smile across his face as he watched everything occur. "Your no ship operator, are you?" He chuckled.
Bell remained silent not sure how to respond.
"No matter. I could care less what you were, what matters is what I could offer you." He said still smiling.