The morning sky was cloudy, and the air was slightly cold. For the first time in two weeks, a certain redheaded pickpocket was walking down the streets of the city. He wore a dark green hoodie over blue jeans, and his trademark black shoes with green laces, hands stuffed into the pockets of the hoodie. Over his eyes were a pair of blue aviator glasses which covered his fading yet still visible black eye.

He didn't know what he was doing out here, then again his time spent alone at Sanctuary didn't exactly turn out so well. He knew with everything in him that he needed to go see his girlfriend and his sister, and let them know what happened and that everything was okay. But everything wasn't okay. he was still brooding, still angry. He didn't want to face anyone. He told himself he was only out here to replenish his funds, since he'd been robbed of them before his little bout of alone time.

So, every now and then, he'd bump someone, then pocket their acquired wallet. Stopping in an alley, he pulled out his leather bounty, and went through the three of them one by one. One dollar, Thirty bucks, and...nothing. Shaking his head, the man put his 'haul' in his own wallet before tossing the other three down the alley.

When he started back walking, he found himself going a very familiar route. On he didn't think he was ready to travel, so he ducked into a pawn shop. Once inside, he saw a knife that reminded him of something that was stolen from him. Green handle, yellow tiger painted on it. It wasn't a huge knife, but it was a pocket-knife that seemed to be well-taken care of and hardly used. Slapping the twenty dollars on the counter, he exited the store, pocketing his new purchase.

Sighing to himself, he continued his trek down the street, this time the way he came, snatching a wallet from some unsuspecting pocket as he walked by.

Jacob had been cut off… twice… and it caused him to miss his parking spot near the pawn shop that he knew had the cables he needed. He had called ahead, and assured that they had a small fiber cable capable of transmitting video from the built in SmartScope that he had on his pistol. He was going to begin contruction on it as soon as he got back to the shop, but he needed that one last part first… and since he had to park nearly a block away, he had to walk from his 67 Impala along the sidewalk… and he was in the midst of doing that when he noticed a young man bump another, and his hand stealthily, and skillfully, grab the wallet out of his pocket. A typical pickpocket, Jacob did not let on that he knew.

He was wearing his typical clothes… a pair of tan combat boots, blue jeans, t-shirt and his leather jacket. He had his pistol on one inside pocket, and his favorite pocketwatch in the other inside pocket. His wallet was in his back pocket, and he wondered if the kid would try him as well. He decided to take the initiative though, and as he drew near, he stepped directly in front of him, reaching out and grabbing a handful of his shirt so he couldn’t slip away. He was a large guy… well built and 6’ 3”, he was an imposing figure. “Wanna tell me why you just stole that guy’s wallet?” He had dealt with someone who got their living from stealing last week, and he thought this might be a similar situation. Regardless… he had been able to set her straight-ish… she was going to give it a full effort to stop stealing, in return Jacob had offered young Tses a job.

A lot had happened directly after that offer though… and Jacob sadly had killed another human being with his own two hands. He hoped that this one kid in front of him was a lot more simple.

Ty was shocked when a large man grabbed him by the collar. Over six feet that well towered over Ty's 5'8. Due to recent events, however, Ty was pretty well calm, looking the man in the eyes through the shades he not too long back had bought when out with his sister. However it seemed as though this wasn't the man to screw with.

Ty shrugged. "Hoping there's money in it, I guess," he said before donning a less serious smirk. "You know you can tell alot about a man from the contents of his wallet. How much cash they pack, credit cards, phone numbers. How often they do or do not get any...It's an interesting trade, really." He brushed his hair out of his face.

"Or maybe I took it because I'm flat broke," he said flatly.

Colt relaxed a little bit, the young man being a little bit of a smart@$$, but nothing he couldn’t tolerate. He wondered for a moment what his mentality was, why he was driven to steal instead of work for his money the good old fashioned American way. Still, he was going to try to use the strategy that steered Tses in the right direction, a very simple logic… attack his pride, make doing the right thing a bit of a game, and hope it paid off. “You see… I’m not really the type of guy to turn a kid like you to the cops, but I’m also not the kind of guy to watch someone steal and do nothing. So I tell you what… Give that guy his wallet back, say he dropped it and you are returning it for him. I bet you 20 bucks that you won’t and you will try to run.”

Simple as that. Jacob was more than ready to chase him down should he attempt to run, and he had a pretty good feel for the signatures in his pockets… he could sense a Zippo and a small folding knife. He would be able to track him pretty easily using those, but he was hoping that his strategy would pay off.

Ty blinked at the man's offer. So he could run and likely end up with nothing, or he could do the right thing and get the money he spent for the knife back. "Lemme get this straight, you'd bet 20 bucks as to whether or not I give the wallet back and do the right thing," he replied, thinking it over. He had 11 bucks on his person, and he didn't know what exactly was in the wallet, making this quite a gamble. But in the end, it wasn't that hard to figure out.

"Well, I hate cops, and not exactly in the mood to deal with them. So what I'm thinking is, you've got yourself a bet. I'm even going to do you a favor. I'll leave the money in it when I do give it back." Normally, Ty would have exploited this loop hole to his advantage, but for some reason he just wasn't in the mood to do that today. Besides, maybe this could prove interesting.

Ty pulled his right hand from his pocket, sporting the fingerless leather glove Tses had given him, then extended it towards the man. "So, we got ourselves a deal?"

This kid was at least smart… he had to give him that. He saw the loophole that Colt had left open, which had been intentional, none-the-less, and was willing to do the right thing. He had hope in him yet… perhaps this strategy was good against all the pick-pockets. Still, it had room for the face that the young man could be lying… which wouldn’t work out well for him, should he decide to take that route. He got a distinct lock on the mechanical items in his pockets with his ability, just in case he decided to go against him, and stayed on a few steps behind him, feigning interest in the nearby shop window from where the young man was supposed to be returning the wallet, and using his peripheral vision to keep an eye on him.

"Sounds like a deal. My name is Jacob... what's yours?" he asked, shaking the young man's hand.

If he decided to steal the cash out of it, he would chase him down when he tried to bolt… but then again, he had a slight optimism that wondered if he would do the right thing, simply because it was the right thing to do. His position set, he waited to see what would happen, but while he looked like he was just being idle, his muscles coiled and tensed, ready to take off after the kid if he decided to run.

Ty nodded as the man accepted the handshake and introduced himself. "Ty," he answered before releasing the hand and making his way toward the man from which he'd stolen the wallet. Luckily, he was engaged in conversation and didn't make it very far. This was going to be the easiest twenty bucks he ever made. Unless...

As he walked, Ty sneakily cracked open the wallet, assessing how much was in there. It was a nice stack, but at close glance, single on one end, single on the other, so there was likely nothing but ten to fifteen ones. Oh well, that wasn't worth tiring himself out and losing five bucks over. He tapped the man on the shoulder. "Hey, uh...I think you dropped this." The man's eyes narrowed as he took the wallet, then smiled as he opened it, counting his money.

"Thank you," he said pocketing it. "You're an honest young man." Reaching into his wallet, he gave Ty one of the singles, and he saw something he knew very well. It was a hundred. The man was loaded and Ty'd just given it back! Turning around, Ty was feeling mildly defeated as he made his way back to Jacob. He'd fallen for one of the older tricks in the book.

"See? I returned it, happy? Man even gave me a dollar...." he muttered. From what Ty could gather so far, in terms of money and stealing, honesty sucks...

Colt stood there, keeping an eye on Ty, no rhyme intended, and thinking. Was this the same Ty that he thought it was? The one that he had stuck his neck out in order to keep him safe, and Tses from being the puppet to a now deceased Gang Boss? It was only a week ago that this occurred… and while he was sure that there was more than one Ty in the Big Apple, especially including all the nicknames… how many were there that were also pickpockets? Perhaps this was how Tses got started, or perhaps this Tses is how Ty got started stealing from others. The countless possibilities rang through his skull, and he pushed them aside when he noticed Ty take a glance inside the wallet, still considering the chances he guessed.

He returned the wallet, and got a whole dollar in thanks, but from the look on Ty’s face as he returned, he was almost depressed. That could only mean one thing; “the guy had a lot, didn’t he?” It was a simple question, and low enough that the man couldn’t hear him. Regardless, he grabbed his wallet, and grabbed the twenty, holding it in Ty’s direction. “Before you go… I got another 50 bucks that’s yours if you answer some questions for me.” It would be a simple exchange, and Jacob still had his wallet out, open, and ready to give should he get the answers he needed. “Is your full name Ty Fisher?” He was watching for lies, his eyes drilling into Ty’s own.

"I thought he didn't, but he did," Ty said with a light sigh. "The old one dollar bookends. Ones on the outside, big cash in the middle, so it looks like a stack of straight ones." Ty took the twenty, slipping it into his pocket, then blinked as the man had more questions. But hey, fifty bucks? Nice. This was looking like a pretty decent day after all.

"Yeah, my name's Ty Fisher. Before we continue I need to know why. Let's just say the last time somebody hunted me down it didn't bode too well for yours truly." This was said more darkly as he slightly shuddered with anger at the memory. For emphasis, he lowered his shades, showing the still healing shiner he'd gotten for his trouble.

Jacob chuckled a little bit as he explained about how the man had cleverly disguised his money to ensure anyone at a glance wouldn’t know he was loaded, and considered doing the same himself. You never knew who you would run into, especially the young kid whom Tses held in such high regard that she was willing to steal for a gang member to keep him safe. He wondered if the kid had visited her yet… she needed to be with him, especially right now. He looked towards the black eye and he mentally bristled, wondering who would do that to a kid, unless it was someone who had been pickpocketed.

“Ouch. You don’t need to worry about me though. I am a friend of Tses’.” He paused, and allowed that information to sink in. “Have you talked to her lately? She was worried about you, regardless if she said it or not.” It was true… he could tell that she wanted him there when they were dealing with Kystler and all the work and drama that happened with all that. Truth be told, there was a start possibility that Jacob had saved the young man’s life, and his girlfriend from a life of enslavement. The kid owed him, and didn’t even know it yet.

Ty jumped slightly at the mention of Tses, then his head hung. "I....haven't...." he murmured. "I had some...personal crap come up. Long story, but it ended with me getting jumped from behind, knocked out, and robbed blind...I stayed home, brooding, trying to find myself after that. Today is my first day going out since then..."

He leaned up against the wall. "I need to see her. I...I want to. But I'm kind of....scared to. She's sort of a loose cannon and I don't know how she'll react. Especially after I disappeared like that...just as I was starting to get through to her, too..." He sighed, pushing his shades up.

"Is she doing okay? I mean...she's not hurt or anything is she?" His eyes showed worry, mixed with that sudden realization that he probably screwed up big time. "I don't even know if she'll want anything to do with me now."

Jacob wanted to laugh at this comic display of young love… he didn’t, mind you, but he definitely wanted to. The young man was so uncertain of himself… so worried about not being accepted, and unsure of Tses’ reaction. Truth be told, he wasn’t blaming her for that… Tses was rather volatile, but you had to persist through that to see the heart that was behind the barbed wire and flames. Still, the young kid needed some assurance, and was obviously worried about being accepted by the turbulence that was Tses. Good… that means he would respect her for the individual that she was.

“She’s OK now. Had to help her with something about a week ago, but I would rather her tell you about it than me. Tell you what… stick with me long enough to get this cable I got to get, and I’ll give you a ride to her place. She needs you more than she will ever admit, especially right now.” It was a friendly offer, one that he would be a fool not to accept… but he decided to lay in the little extra incentive. “And since I haven’t asked all my questions, it might be wise to stick around so you can get your 50 bucks.”

Ty nodded as he explained. The redhead was warming up surprisingly fast, but this guy seemed okay, and anyone who was cool with Tses had to be alright. She wasn't exactly easy to get close to, as he well knew. "Yeah...I kinda owe her an explanation, anyway...." he muttered, looking at his shoes. He nodded at his offer, even before he mentioned the fifty bucks. He'd sort of forgotten about that. But what the heck, maybe it'd be nice to have another guy to hang around that wasn't Miles. Not that he'd seen the kid in awhile but still.

"Sounds like a plan to me. It'd sure beat walking everywhere. Besides, I gotta talk to her sooner or later. The longer I wait, I imagine the madder she's going to be. She probably thinks I ditched her...but that's not what happened." he rubbed his temples a little, thinking everything over.

Jacob noticed that the young man seemed to relax a little… not wanting to push his luck yet, he still stayed on his guard in some way, keeping an eye on him in case he decided to try to pick his pocket. It wouldn’t work out well for him if he did, but that didn’t always stop everyone and habits tended to linger. They moved back to the pawn shop, and after a quick exchange of words, he had the cable and the man’s word that he would be happy with his purchase or his money back. Considering it had set him back $70, it had better, or if he went back on his word, Jacob would probably break his hand. He didn’t like liars much.

After they had gotten out of the store, he started walking back towards his car, Ty in tow, and began the questioning, but not before a statement. “You are right about that. Tses isn’t like a fine wine… more like a lit fuse. The more time you give it, the more likely she’s going to blow up.” That being said, it was time to inquire. “So, who gave you the shiner?” Simple enough, but considering that he considered the young man under his protection already, he wanted to know who had hurt him.

Ty followed him back to the store, watching the exchange of words and the purchase of the...cable. It was quiet enough, and then he found himself following Jacob again. "Yep, we're talking about the same Tses," he replied with a soft chuckle. "She's a sweetheart, deep down though. Real deep, but I've seen it. Just don't tell her I said this or she'll deny every bit of it and probably kill me afterwards, heh." He shook his head, smiling a little. She was rough sometimes but he loved that girl to bits. Only now she thought he abandoned her, more than likely...

He flinched a little at the next question. Well, the least he could do was tell this guy why he and Tses were in the mess they were in and why he seemingly left Tses to face her problems alone. "Well I guess I do owe you an explanation, huh? So...a couple weeks or so ago, my old man decided to track me down, though he lost custody of me when I was ten....He and some..investigator or something found me and scheduled a meeting. He made it seem like he was asking forgiveness, but I wouldn't have any of it. In a nutshell, I grabbed him by the collar, aiming to punch his teeth down his throat. Next thing I know I'm hit from behind. When I wake up, they're both gone, my jacket's gone, and my wallet's slap empty, save for my ID. I was angry, hurt, humbled, even...so...I kept to myself for awhile--or tried to, anyway. I thought some time alone would be best for me, but turns out I was wrong. Now I gotta make things right with those I hurt in the process before it's too late." He sighed. "If it isn't already..." His voice trailed off and he looked away.