The restaurant was the same as it normally was. Dingy looking but clean. The news was playing on the screen either as background noise for people talking or the main entertainment for those here alone.
"This place is a dump!" JB commented quietly.
"Maybe but the jobs that come through here are great!" Johan smirked. "Now go sit down! And remember the only reason you're here is because my mom reads way too many parenting books!" He pushed towards the tables. JB sat down at an empty table acting like he was waiting for someone to show up. With the messed up hair and wrinkled clothes he looked like he belonged. Johan walked up to the counter taking a seat on a bar stool. He sat right next to a grizzled old man, whose breath and bad teeth showed he never heard of toothpaste. His white hair and beard were almost brown with all the dirt in it.
"Hey bad breath Braydon. How's it going?" Johan put on the fake charm. He was acting very protective of the cup he was holding. No one liked Braydon, he was the biggest jerk in the place. The only reason he was kept around is because somehow he always had reliable information on just about any and everything. Johan had only talked to him a few times before when it was absolutely necessary.
"What do you want goggle head?" Braydon asked snidely.
"That's not how you say hello!" Johan joked. He took a long sip of his drink then placed the empty cup on the counter. Such a sad old man! But a sad old man with intel.
"You must really like that drink. How about I buy you another?" Johan baited. Braydon eyed him carefully but didn't object.
"Hey waiter! Another drink for the geezer here." Johan called out. First rule of the place, manners were only used when you wanted to get something. A muscled man with an apron around his waist came back and put a cup in front of Braydon. Before he could grab it, Johan snatched and slid it out of Braydon's reach on the other side of his body.
"Not so fast old man." Johan kept the cup in a firm grip. "Tell what I want to know then you can have it."
"Didn't your parents ever teach you to respect your elders?" Braydon grumbled and tried getting the cup again. Johan leaned to the side to keep the drink out of his reach.
"Yes they did. They also taught me that grabbing is rude." He pushed him back with his free hand. Braydon pulled back to his own space, letting him back up.
"I want to know about Rathbone and Interchonlogical Rescue. What are they up to?" The old man chuckled.
"My sources say that he's after some new one of a kind Elucidator. No one knows why. But if Rathbone wants it must be important. If someone were to sell it him, that person would be rich!" Braydon said excited by that last part. Or dead. Johan added.
"See was that too hard?" He gave him his drink. Rule number two, never show worry or fear. Johan slapped a few dollars on the table for Braydon to pay with and got up. JB caught up with as he left.
"Well?" He inquired.
"Let's put it this way. I knew we were in the dark but never realized how dark…So basically I just paid for an exclamation point for what we already knew." Johan explained.
The sun was warm and encouraged people to come outside. Everyone was minding their own business. Just a normal day in paradise.
"So what do we do now?" JB asked. Johan had no answer, that was reasonable.
"I have one, but trust me you won't like it." He dismissed it.
"Geo! Geo!" Someone in the crowd shouted his name. It was his friend and new crush Maci. She was the first non-bounty hunter friend he made here. The best and worst part was she knew nothing about who he really was.
"Geo, I haven't seen you in so long! How have you been?" She asked in her normal cheery voice.
"I've been fine, thanks for asking. This is my friend JB. JB this is my friend Maci." Johan introduced. The two exchanged greetings and shook hands.
"I glad to know Geo has another friend. For a while I was worried he didn't know how to make friends." Maci joked. Johan could feel his cheeks turn red.
"I know exactly what you mean. He can be a bit awkward." JB played along, making Maci chuckle. Johan turn even redder.
"JB!" Johan scowled embarrassed. You are seriously not helping me here! Maci's shoulder length light brown hair swayed with her subtle head motions. He avoided looking at her hoping that would help with the redness. She chuckled again.
"How do you two know each other?" Maci asked. JB opened his mouth but Johan beat him to the punch,
"He's known since I was a baby." He told him to play along with his gaze.
"How do you two know each other?" JB put his hands on his hips clearly enjoying this.
"We bumped into each other at the café two years ago." Maci explained.
"Well I better get going. It was nice seeing you again Geo. I hope to see you around more! It was nice to meet you JB!" She said politely and ran off. She wants to see me more often! Johan cheered. When she was out of sight JB swung a heavy arm around his shoulder.
"Johan, Johan, Johan. Whatever happened to poor Andrea?" He sounded smug.
"Dude, I've had two years to get over her." Johan replied.
"What took you so long?" Kid Mom demanded when they stepped through the door.
"We ran into one of Johan's friends." JB was smirking again. Johan elbowed him in the ribs. JB let him have his space still smirking.
"What about the whole getting info thing?" Katherine asked. JB and Johan's expression quickly turned solemn.
"Where still in the dark." Johan answered.