Jack rolled out a bunch of things, and she just sat and stared. What could he offer to hook her?

.... uh.

What could he offer?

She blinked again and her brows pinched in a way that made it obvious she was thinking about his question. Friendship wasn't something she typically went for, least of all when it involved like, crime stuff. Yeah, she had friends who weren't exactly on the same side of the law, always had, but that was a thing that just happened like.. naturally. Right?

Moreso, what was she after in life?

Juniper blinked, looked away, and stared a bit vacantly in a different direction as she inwardly bluescreened for a moment.

She... didn't have a plan or anything. She the closest she got to that was known a few days in advance whether or not she was working a ZeroGraviy, and when. She didn't have any goals, or concrete wants in life aside from just comfortable survival, and honestly couldn't see past where she was currently.

Eventually, she just sat up and shrugged, and looked back at Jack.

"Shit, I dunno man. I just do stuff when I feel like doing stuff, or if I need to do something. I've never really been the type to.. seek stuff out, I guess."

So... where did that leave then in regards to this conversation?

"You want me to work for you? That's fine. I take on jobs when I need to, but I'd rather be at home with my cat." She shrugged again and reached for her cup, downing it one go.

"So... what? You want my number? Shoot me a text when you've got like, work or whatever?" She paused for a moment, and then added, "Oh... and I guess if this is gonna be a professional thing you could call me by my working name, Specter."

She looked for any hints of recognition for the name. Even though she had typically only hit up smaller banks on her journey, the various news outlets along the way had latched onto the moniker easily, and it had spread fairly far. Lots of people wanted to know who the East United states was, and where they might strike next.

He nodded, a knowing expression on his face. A drifter then. Not surprising. “Well, you’re still young. Can’t say I had much of a plan at your age either.” Other than survival, though he expected that his had been a different type of survival that of today’s young adults. Rent money hadn’t been much of an concern when he had been crawling through muddy, corpse filled trenches. “Besides, there ain’t no shame in living in the now.”

And, just like that, it was done. “Pretty much.” He smiled. “What’s your cat’s name?”

He reached into his coat, pulling out a pen. Grabbing a napkin from the dispenser, he wrote down his number with the name Jack, tore the napkin in half and slid the pen and paper across to Juniper.

Jack’s brows rose in genuine surprise as she dropped her working name. “Huh. You’re the Spectre? Well no shit... I thought you’d be older.” Now this was something! He’d heard the name. First in the various news reports. Then from Aion’s various contacts. Mostly in speculation as to who Spectre could have been, and how handy it would be to have someone like that onboard for business. Jack chuckled softly to himself. He shouldn’t have been surprised that she’d fallen into his life. Coincidence didn’t exist.

It was always a pleasant surprise when the Universe brought things into alignment.

“No wonder you’re not aching for cash,” he said, a newfound respect in his expression.

Oh no... he was talking down to her like an adult. She gave him a strong case of side-eye for a moment but said nothing. "Blue Berry. He's a stray like me." She fished out her old phone to show him the home screen, which was Berry's blown up and derped out on catnip.

Instead of writing her own number down, she just typed his into her phone, added his name, and then send him a SFW ghost relate meme she had laying around among the various NSFW ones she had in her files.

"Yup. That's me. Been doin' it since I was 15."

The cash comment earned a grin as she put her phone back in her pocket. "Those never last long, actually. It's not like I clean the places out or anything.... and rent here is three times what it was in North Carolina."

Juniper nudged her empty cup away, "... but a bunch of mobsters that tried to murder me had a duffle bag full of cash in the back of their van, and that's mine now, so it's all good."

She did, to a degree, wonder what had happened to the lug who had been sent skiing down the road on his face. Had he turned his life around, or was he just out there... plotting revenge with a gnarly case of road rash?

... if he still had a face, that is.

He grinned at the stink eye she was tossing in his direction. Oh, the righteousness of youth! It always amused and inspired him. When enthusiasm outweighs experience and time on life’s scales, He leaned forward to better see the photo. He gave a loud laugh, genuine admiration in his expression. “Oh he’s so handsome!” Jack cooed. This was the most emotion he had shown all night. “Aww! What a sweetie!” He looked up from the phone and smiled. “Strays look out for each other, and by the looks of it you’re in good paws.”

The portrait was beginning to flesh itself out. Girl from small town nowhere, committing bank robberies from the age 15, yet only what she needed. Fifteen. He gave a huff of laughter. “Good age,” he muttered, almost to himself. The same age he’d been when he’d enlisted. His phone vibrated in his pocket, but he didn’t bother to check it. They were having a conversation, and he found it distasteful to fiddle with his phone while having a conversation.

He chuckled at her remarks. “All my life, two things have never changed in New York. Ridiculous rental costs and half-assed mobsters. Serves them right.” He raised a curious brow. “So are they still breathing?”

Jack sat back stretching his arms across the back of the booth. “I’m curious, have you ever killed anyone?” he asked casually. Like asking if she’d ever played baseball, or visited the Statue of Liberty. He was on the fence as to whether she had or not. She had the brass, he was sure of that much, but whether she had used it was a mystery.

Strays look out for each other

Oof. That rang true in so many ways and was painful in others.

Strays tried. They tried to look out for each other. Sometimes it didn't work out.

"I dunno, probably. It was me and another guy and I just didn't wanna waste time in a gunfight. Didn't stick around long enough to find out if they survived the aftermath or not."

She glanced at him, eyes owlishly round for a second, before pointedly looking away.

"...eh.." Juniper chewed on the inside of her lip for a moment, really considering it. "Not like, with my own hands."

She thought back to all of the times people had died around her. Some of which she took the blame for, some of which she didn't.

"I've seen a lot of people die, and I've considered it a few times, but never.., actually done it. Makes me feel weird inside when I feel like I have to."

“Ain’t nothing to be ashamed of,” he replied, nodding in understanding. He didn’t frown, didn’t grin. In fact, he looked rather understanding for a man who had committed murder this evening. “That’s a bridge you can’t uncross once you’ve gone over it.” God knows, he’d spent a lot of time trying throughout his life.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I was younger than you when I killed my first man. Different circumstances, but still... It’s strange how easily you can get used to dead bodies.” He sniffed. “Easy enough to make them, too, after a while.” He tapped his index finger to the side of his head. “It’s the living with yourself afterwards that’s the hard part.”

That, and admitting to yourself that there is a certain kind of pride in a kill well executed.

“Thanks for your honesty by the way,” he said. “I think it’s admirable that you hold to your principles. I dare say you’ve come across your share of psychopaths and lying scumbags in this line of work. It’s refreshing to be able to speak frankly.”

...was that a compliment?

She blushed a little, a tiny bit of pink seeping into her cheeks, and decided she was just gonna... ignore that. Yeah. This was a tough situation with scary topics, she didn't need to go getting bashful because she didn't get complimented like that a lot.

She shrugged lamely. "I don't get to be honest a whole lot of the time, so when I do get to, why not?"

And that whole thing about her principals or whatever...

She slapped her hands on the tabletop. "Aaaaanyway." Too close to touchy stuff. Feelings and complications and stuff she had buried. Juniper didn't wanna think about what her principals were or where she'd gotten them, or why being honest was nice.

"What's next then? We've swapped contacts, so... now what." The phaser grinned widely.

She was tempted to swing her 'jo around and start playing, but there was already nice music floating around so... that left her hands without anything to do.

"I don't wanna go home yet. I was supposed to play a set for a few hours. Maybe I'll hit up a different bar and find someone fun for a while."

She pointedly looked over at Jack, "Unless you wanna be my fun person."

What was next?

He had to admit, she did a pretty spectacular one-eighty from bashful to bold. That was a question he hadn’t been expecting, for sure. Did he want to be her fun person? When was the last time he had partaken in that particular indulgence? He did a quick mental calculation. Shit... Had it really been that long?

He was getting old...

He smiled slyly, taking the time to let his eyes roam. He coudn’t deny that she was gorgeous. Maybe a bit scrawny for his tastes, but that was hardly a problem. Young, too. Part of him, the reptile brain, took pride and was somewhat flattered that, at the age of 94, he was still getting attention from sexy young blondes. Mind you, it probably helped that he was currently wearing his younger age...

So the question now became whether he wanted to mix business with pleasure...

His roaming gaze met Juniper’s and he held her eye, letting his lips curl into his most seductive smile. “My place, or yours?”

———————————FTB———————————

He closed the apartment door gently behind him, coat cradled in the crook of his arm. He ran his fingers through his messy hair, trying to tame it somewhat, before checking the time. He was nearing the limit of this form, and would have to age again soon.

Then, he’d have a good rest!

He glanced at the ID he had taken off Juniper’s hands, reading over the name and address. He’d let Davis spread the word for the night. That should be enough to spread the idea that Aion had a ghostly new associate. Now, it was time to clean up the loose ends.

He slid the ID into his pocket, checked that Juniper’s door was securely locked, then walked towards the exit. He offered a polite nod to a young dark haired girl passing in the opposite direction. Slipping his coat on, he slid his hands into the pocket, feeling the cool touch of his pistol. With a whistle on his lips and his head held high, Jack walked out into the early morning.