The car finally pulled to a stop and the two filed out of the car, ready to face the client. "Now, Nate, clients are serious people to deal with, all right? You need to give off the essence that the guy can trust you. If he can't trust you, he won't pay you."

"All right, got it."

"No, no, I'm serious Nate. One little slip up and the deal's sealed. This is a very important client. He may act humorous, but just don't turn the tables on him."

So, jobs really were serious business. These guys didn't play around it seemed, these kinds of people play for keeps. Maybe he wanted out. Life or death just for a silly little treasure? Was it really the life he wanted? There was no going back now, anyways. They had already stepped into the Cuban bar.

"Victor Sullivan! Just the man we needed! Have a seat!" The man had a booming, raspy voice. Probably from the amount of cigars he had smoked, seeing how ashy his side of the table was. Sully and Nate both walked forward, Nathan coughing as he sat. Now he appreciated the fact that Sully smoked outside the apartment.

"You don't mind the smoke, do you boy?" The man asked as he tapped his cigar in his ash tray.

"I don't mind, just not used to it."

"Nate, this is Nicholas Ramone, best goddamn treasure hunter in the business." Sully was using flattery of course. Damn, how he much he really hated the man, but he did well covering it up. Truth was, Ramone was one of the first partners Victor ever had until Ramone had ditched him back at that abandoned archaeology site years ago back in Russia. Sully was the best goddamn treasure hunter in the business that was for sure. Now, here was Ramone asking him to recover treasures for him. How cute.

"This your kid, Sullivan?"

"More like my protégé. Talented kid he is." Nate could feel his face beaming. Sully truly acknowledged the amount of skill the kid had. He was talented in more ways than one.

Ramone dragged on a cigar. "Haha, well, I hope he likes a good sense of humor! Aha, what does it take to get a beer here?"

Nate took this as an opportunity to show off his talents to Ramone. If he could see how truthfully skillful he was, they could get the job for sure.

"Why don't you let me order that for you boys?"

Ramone belt out a booming laugh. "Unless you speak Spanish kid, they won't understand a thing yo-"

"Señor," Nate called to a nearby waiter, "Por favor, tráeme una cerveza. Y para los hombres, les dan..." Well, the man loved a good sense of humor, right? "…jugo de manzana."

The waiter gave him a strange look. "Una cerveza para ti y por los hombres, jugo de manzana?"

"Si, es todo." Nathan smiled at the group of men who stared at him wide eyed. "Is there a problem, gentlemen?"

Sully chuckled and lit his own cigar. "What did I tell you? Talented."

"So, what else can you do, boy?" Ramone seemed interested in Nathan's talents. 'The kid may not mean so much to ol' Victor as he'd like us to think. If he was dear to him, I don't even think he'd bring 'im here'

"Well, I can read and speak Latin and Spanish, draw a little, and I'm pretty quick on my feet, I guess." 'Don't act too arrogant.'

The waiter came back with the orange tinted drinks and served them to the men around the table. The beverages were all served in similar glasses, yet Nathan was able to tell which was his beer. He quietly waited for the other men to take the first sips of their "beer".

Nicholas Ramone took the first drink after dragging on his cigar long enough.

He had a look of disgust as he eyed Nate.

'Holy Hell, kid…"

"Apple juice?" He set the glass back down and smiled at the boy and began laughing. "I like you kid! You remind me of me when I was younger, pulling tricks and whatnot, such a classic!"

Sullivan let out an exasperated sigh. Goddamn did the kid almost screw himself over.

Nathan laughed and silently whispered to Sullivan. "I told you I got this." He reached for his beer, only to have Sully get it first.

"So do I. Don't think I don't understand your Spanish, kid." He chuckled and gave Nate the tall glass filled with apple juice and the kid sipped at it. When would he ever get his beer?

"…And that's where you'll find the artifact."

"Worth a fortune you say? And how much would the job be, all in all?" Sullivan was clearly at the edge of his seat, ready to hear the amount of money he'd get for such a simple job.

"2,000,000."

"2 goddamn million?" Nate almost spit out his drink as Victor repeated what the man said.

"Two million, you heard me. I just need that artifact in about 2 weeks time. It's a simple job, and I know you can pull through for me Victor. Now, my associate Michael Emmetts will be meeting with you tomorrow." Ramone eyed Nathan and moved in closer to Sullivan. "You be careful with that boy… A rival of mine is searching that same artifact. His men don't play nice. I hope you've taught him well, Victor."

"Thanks for the advice, Ramone, very insightful. Trust me; he knows everything I've taught him."

"Did you teach him how to properly aim and shoot?"

Bad subject with the kid. Sully knew Nate was a bit iffy with the gun business, but this was his kid. He didn't want him to immediately die if they got separated. Ramone was making a good point, which he rarely did.

"Uh, more or less." Sully stated weakly.

"You ready to go, Sully?" Nate. Underneath his happy-go-lucky attitude was an innocent little 15 year old kid. Oh God, just one look at the kid and the thought of making him shoot someone was unbearable. He didn't wanna put him through this shit, damn it.

"Yeah… of course."

Author's Note: Ahaa, sorry for not going into details about the artifact they'll be searching for! I don't have History classes until after Christmas break, so I have nothing up my sleeve for now, but I shall research everything! C: Thank you guys so much for the reviews, I promise to improve my writing (I'm more of an artist, which is why I suck ^^;) and, of course, I'll try not to abandon the story!