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It has been days. Ashley was over it. That last death, it's not like he is completely over it, but the difference is there. There's a bit of light faded in his silver eyes, a little bit of his innocence removed. He has steeled himself. He has been able to push it down. Yes, he wasn't able to stomach his lunch the first day. But then he started eating again out of need.[break][break]

That's the thing about the human body. It still eats. It still has needs. It still goes on. Ashley got through it.[break][break]

Ashley walks in his own suit, though the suit jacket is taken off, the purple dress shirt beneath it, with tie undone. He wore his own facemask, but his black hair was starting to become silver once more, the roots silvering just a bit. He'd need a haircut and to fix that meddlesome issue.[break][break]

Today, upon the infamous Night Market, between the vendors, the hustle and bustle, was today's target. The only consolation was that he didn't need to kill anyone this time. He was good at bullshitting. He knew he'd never have to shoot them dead. Thusly, standing outside the building now, he would wait for Zev. With a slightly colder gaze, he responds with a tone to match as Zev approaches him. "I am."[break][break]

He knew this place. Not this place in particular. Gambling wasn't for him. A gambling hall. Everything from the slots, to blackjack tables, likely a bar. All of it grand, however run now by a man who was a stupid, idiot sandwich, with condiments that befitted his stupid half-witted brain. And one he had recalled in Kanto.[break][break]

Today, was about money collection. In his shirt pocket, a pistol. The same he used in that job with Felix Gallagher .[break][break]

There's no gloating. No bullshit this time. Just Ashley, and what he's willing to do. His talk with Gavin reaches every corner of his mind. That bar talk. Not to fall too fast. He just had to keep himself in check.[break][break]

"Shall we begin?"[break]

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Gambling halls, and the smell of hope. The endless pursuit of millionaire status, reaching that 7-7-7 spread that leads someone to the shower of coins that will inevitably turn their night from shit to amazing. Or the card tables, where the dealer is either cheating, lucky, or some combination of the two. It's sick. Dice too, somehow loaded to roll a the number the want.[break][break]

It sickens Ashley, but with Zev taking the initiative, and the hostess giving them the location of Mr. Raptis, Ashley would nod, stepping forth towards the stairwell. The moment they were in the stairs, Ashley begins peering for cameras. It's likely their target would have them, to keep an eye on them.[break][break]

The weight of the pistol in his jacket is heavier. That's the guilt though. Always adds a few pounds more.[break][break]

He wants to check it, make sure everything is at the ready. He has a couple of cards to play in mind. As he passes through the door to the second floor, his breathing is a little more stilted, as his eyes read door after door of this carpeted hallway, the art lining the walls to distract the mind, Ashley intending to look for Mr. Raptis. One track mind. He takes a breath in. He needs to keep it under control.[break][break]

"I'll be sure this is quick." He says by the time they reach the assigned door. Unlike the body they buried, if death wasn't on the line, it was all about channeling Kanto Rocket. Channeling THEO BECKETT . The office that would, very soon, show Ashley if he had the moxie to keep this up.[break][break]

Wavering conviction makes it difficult to pin down, but he assures it with one look. A deadpan, tired look of a Rocket way too done with this shit. For once, he thanked Theo for such a trick.[break]

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Cocky. Just like Ash when he was young. Meaning he needed to be tempered properly. But, Theo has taught him a lot back then. In order to do this properly, he remembers well the one lesson that would be used here.[break][break]

Nothing ensures loyalty more than fear. A lesson THEO BECKETT had taught him during Kanto Rocket.[break][break]

One moment passes, and he has it at the ready. Ashley's pistol fires into bodyguard's left kneecap. Superfluous man. It pains him he has to cause this level of pain, but he doesn't even bother to speak to the old bald brute. Mr. Raptis needed to see immediately that his hired help was worthless.[break][break]

Loyalty by fear is palpable.[break][break]

"Mr. Raptis?" His silver eyes are focused, as he looks for any firearms on the bodyguard to dipose the clip of, turning his head towards the goal. "Name's Sawyer. As in, saw-enough-of-yer bullshit. Your hired help looks to need medical. Don't imagine you provide insurance, do you?" He's casual with it. He can't be Theo, he knows he can't. But he can be himself, while taking what he can.[break][break]

It wasn't killing the guy, but the bodyguard wasn't his target.[break][break]

"We represent an organization your father worked with. Do you know of us? Because that'll save us a lot of time if you do." Silver eyes stared with a hint of frustration. He wanted to help the guy next to him, bleeding from his leg. Guy probably wouldn't walk again, but...[break][break]

He can't look at him, or the whole façade ends. The curtain is called. So he keeps eyes ahead at Mr. Raptis.[break]

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Zev was already on it, and that let Ashley be at ease, as the younger Rocket listened. The way Giorgo Raptis spoke, the way that he acted so entitled, it didn't even phase Ashley. The man who screamed and whimpered on the ground was much more concerning to Ash than the one who stoo up and snarled like a rabid dog.[break][break]

Some dogs needed to learn who held the leash.[break][break]

"Wonderful, you do know. Good boy." He now was treating him like one, and wow did he learn well from Theo. Where the heck was this coming from? "But you did invite us, Mr. Raptis, when you decided you no longer needed our help." Craning his neckt o the side to see the man with the shot through kneecap, Ashley swallowed down the bile that wanted to come up.[break][break]

I can do this. Keep it up.[break][break]

Sweat trickles down his neck, as silver eyes turn back towards the idiot son. "We're not demanding you. Think of it as... an ultimatum. You can listen like a good boy and sit back down. Or. I can acquaint you to a newfound appreciation for the number eight, and then you'll sit down anyways." His pistol still in his hand, his threat was loaded, all he had to do was make good on his promise.[break][break]

"What's it gonna be? You want your treat now, or am I going to push your nose in the carpet for the mess you made?" After all, that knee was probably gushing on the carpet was Mr. Raptis' own doing.[break]

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His facial expression softens, as the young Raptis began to seat himself down, with a bravado folding faster than his Monday night laundry. Silver eyes watched him sit himself down, and he gives a tired, but still quite dominating smirk.[break][break]

"You do know how to follow directions. Good boy." he coos out, though the barrel of his pistol never once leaves its mark. The threat never ending.[break][break]

Now. The sell. This was the part that required him to retain as much as he could of his composure, while also readying every counterattack. A man in his position had no room to negotiate. Therefore, this should be rather easy. At least, he's hoping it is.[break][break]

Clearing his throat with his free hand, Ash makes his pitch. "Your father knew his place. You should have too, and you failed him. As such, our protection fee will raise five percent from what we asked your father. That's the warning to you. Then, after you say yes, you're going to drive your bodyguard here to the hospital, tell them his gun misfired because he left the safety off. Idiotic move, really, but hey, that's the subpar hired help you put in your midst. Then you're going to pay his hospital bill in full as well as his therapy, considering this was your blunder to begin with. If either of you mention Rocket caused this well... to ensure you don't get any funny ideas-"[break][break]

Ashley fires his pistol again, aimed for Mr. Raptis' left pinky in an attempt to blow it off.[break][break]

"-next time-" he stops, in case Mr. Raptis screams. "-be quiet -next time you even think to do something this moronic again, look really hard at your hand there and remember; could have been eight. Worry about it. Are we clear?" He waits for the response. Silver eyes flinching only a little. Shit...[break][break]

Where the hell was this coming from?

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Ashley felt okay. He shot off quite literally the smallest part of the man's hand. There was just a stub there, and instead of letting his lunch hit the floor, he rose a brow and just smiled. He was fine?[break][break]

"Good boy. You do understand how to follow directions. Looks like your daddy really did train you well." Seriously, wherever this smartass side of him came from, he didn't know if he liked it or not. He just kept rolling with it. "If you still want your pinky to be reattachable, I'd recommend you get to the hospital. Now. Make sure to help your bodyguard up too. Clocks ticking, Mr. Raptis. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock."[break][break]

He sure as hell wasn't going to, and as he kept the gun trained on Mr. Raptis, more than just a threat, he turns to Zev. Almost like looking for his approval.[break][break]

Theo really did teach him well.[break]

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The moment Mr. Raptis leaves, Ashley nearly drops his gun, only to look at it. He still stands in shock, yet when he sees Zev's nod of approval, he doesn't feel good or bad. No, quite the contrary.[break][break]

He feels empty.[break][break]

Was this what Cillian Quinn meant? Not to fall too fast? Some time ago, he had offed a hiker on a trail with Zev, and barely could sleep for days. Today, he doesn't even kill, and he feels nothing. No shame. Nothing in his chest, beating and telling him to stop. He just nods to Zev, and follows. His eyes are on the gun. White noise fills his mind.[break][break]

He just ruined some guy's life with physical therapy, and potentially made another an amputee. Was murder a mercy? He finds himself wondering... by the time they left the building, Ashley is so far in his head, that when Zev finally addresses him a block away, Ashley snaps back.[break][break]

"Huh?" Back to HQ? Right. The mission. He gives a nod, and says it plainly. "Thanks, Zev. Really." He nods, before turning on his heel. Was he making a mistake?[break][break]

That well of emptiness wasn't drying up anytime soon. He walks on.[break]

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