"Move your big head!"

"Be quiet, here they come!"

Roman and Neo strolled around the corner, Roman laughing at some joke that was told that Mercury and Emerald didn't hear. They had been tasked by Cinder with keeping an eye on the pair to make sure they were still trustworthy after botching the job at the White Fang rally.

"Finally we might see something interesting. I swear, those two have been up to nothing all day. We could have had much more fun back at my place," Mercury said, unabashedly showing his true colors.

"We have a job to do you pervert, try to focus on that instead of staring at my breasts when you think I'm not looking."

"Oh, you caught me! Please don't hurt me!" Mercury retorted mockingly.

Emerald shot her companion an evil look, "Just pay attention. They're going inside."

The two watched as Roman and Neo disappeared into the diner. How Torchwick thought he wouldn't get the cops called on him as soon as he walked through the door was beyond Emerald. Yet, somehow, no activity. They were just sitting there ordering lunch.

After 5 minutes or so, an elderly gentleman exited the diner, looking nervously back inside, then out to where Mercury and Emerald were sitting. After checking the street more times than necessary, the old geezer hobbled across the street and to the park bench where the couple was sitting.

"Eh…" said the old man.

"What do you want you buffoon?" Mercury spat.

"Er… Eh…" the old man seemed to be very simple minded, but gestured back to the diner. Emerald looked back through the window to Torchwick's table.

"That son of a bitch."

He was waving at them.

Mercury had apparently seen it too. He sprung up and pushed the old man to the ground. Emerald rose from the bench and offered him a hand.

"Sorry, he's a bit a jerk sometimes – well, most of the time," she said, pulling to his feet.

She turned and sauntered to the diner where Mercury had already sat down at the table with Roman and Neo. The old man followed her, still concerned about the criminal and his three friends who were casually sitting in his diner, but too afraid to do anything. He never noticed his wallet was missing.

"Ah, so good of you to join us! Your little punk friend here was telling me all about how Cinder ordered you two to follow me and Neo around all day," Torchwick greeted Emerald as she sat down, a smug smile stretched across his handsome face.

"She wanted to see if you're still trustworthy, which I hardly think is true after seeing you waltz around in broad daylight while every cop in the city is looking for you," Mercury retorted.

"…"

"I know! The nerve of kids these days! Did your parents not teach you to respect your elders?"

"…"

"Oooh, you're right Neo, these street rats don't have any parents."

"…"

"Hahahahaha, that's a good one!" Roman laughed at the joke only he could hear, as all the other two could see is Neo opening and closing her mouth, not even forming words.

Emerald shot Mercury a confused look, but he just shrugged, unable to make any sense of what was going on.

"So what are we doing here Roman? Shouldn't you be out stealing candy from kids or something?"

"Now, what use would we be if we didn't eat, hmm? Crime when you're hungry is only fitting when you have to steal food. And we are absolutely famished, aren't we Neo?"

"…"

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

"You've been wasting all of today strolling around downtown! You haven't done anything!" Emerald almost shouted in frustration. He and Neo hadn't done anything, and Emerald hadn't gotten to eat breakfast. Crime was hard to do on an empty stomach, and she knew exactly how bad stealing food to live was, her stomach grumbling at the very thought of it.

"Well, it's seems someone is a little ungrateful for having been invited to lunch!"

"Spare us the condescending bullshit. What's your game? What are you planning for tonight? Cinder wants a report, and she's not going to be happy with any of us if we say all you did was take a walk," Mercury replied.

"…"

"What? Was she talking to me?" Mercury said, blinking in surprise.

"…"

Mercury shook his head in confusion, "What is she saying?" he directed to Torchwick.

"She said you're blinder than she is mute. We robbed 10 stores on that walk."