"So, you gonna tell us about this job that has you missing for days?"
After waiting for him to work through some of his food, Jonah came forth with the obvious question. Dante turned to him with slight surprise, some noodles still hanging from his mouth. He slurped them in and quickly chewed, swallowing before addressing the old officer.
"Let’s see... I had to look for this one guy recently. That gig wasn’t so difficult." Steering the contents of his bowl, he thought for a moment then added. "I also had to show this rich girl around. She was a real piece of work."
"Oh really?" Ross leaned back and looked at him with wide eyes. "Was she cute, at least?"
"Aren’t they all?" Dante shook his head with a grimace. "Unfortunately, she wasn’t my type."
"Didn’t take you for the picky kind," Glenn said, dipping his noodles a little before bringing them to his mouth.
"You don’t swing the other way, right?" Ross cackled.
"What’s wrong with that?" Dante pointed his chopsticks at the officer beside him. "Mr. Johansson here has been doing just fine."
The man in question didn’t waste a second smacking him.
"I might be divorced, but I ain’t playing for the other side." He said. "And don’t point with those. It’s bad manners."
"Do you want another smack?"
A round of laughter resounded from the counter, then everyone focused on their food for some time.
"Well, as long as you aren’t doing anything dangerous." Said Jonah. "You should get yourself a stable job, kid. Those gigs won’t take you far."
"I made 25k in a day," Dante said.
Ross broke into a coughing fit while the office worker beside him turned to stone, chopsticks held halfway to his mouth.
"Maybe I’m in the wrong line of work." Glenn sighed.
"Damn, kid." Ross coughed. "Way to make the rest of us feel poor."
"Bah! Get your act together, people. The kid just had a big payday." Nobara scoffed. "It’s not like he’s making that much every day."
"Yeah... It all depends on the client. Even normal gigs are few and far between, let alone ones that pay well."
Exhaling a satisfied breath, Dante wiped the sweat beading his forehead. Somehow, it felt like his food was much spicier than what he remembered. He shrugged it off as a result of not eating it for days and dived right back. He even ordered a second bowl once he was done with the first.
Dinner went like usual. Ross talked about the old tunnels and how some looked like they would collapse soon. Glenn mentioned how his company wasn’t doing well in the stock market and the chances of him getting laid off. Jonah talked about the outsiders roaming the nearby streets and warned everyone to be careful. At some point, Nobara turned on the TV and they started discussing whatever was playing.
[After months of relentless investigations, Neo-Vatra’s department of law enforcement has confirmed the complete disbandment of the notorious criminal organization known as Caligo.
The breakthrough came as a result of a coordinated effort with the Bureau of Enhanced Operations, which led to the arrest of the organization’s core members-]
"And another one bites the dust," Jonah said in a resigned tone. "How long before another pack of rats takes their place?"
The old officer held the cigarette he had just lit up to the ashtray and tapped it twice. Glenn had already left while Ross was swimming in his own thoughts while holding a beer can in one hand. Dante stared at the screen in silence. After some time, he turned to the old officer and asked
"By the way, what happened to that Riot bunch?"
"Hm?" Jonah raised an eyebrow, as if clueless about who the name refers to. A look of recognition brightened his expression a moment later. "Ah, you mean those small timers? They got their asses kicked by the local rats so they’re lying low for now."
"That was... slightly underwhelming." Dante frowned.
"Well, they didn’t really have the firepower to begin with. The leader might have escaped, but most of his followers... well, the ones that mattered, at least. Most of them were rounded up a couple of months ago."
"I heard they clashed with one of them heroes." Leaning back, Ross took a few gulps from his drink. "A new one moved into their territory and went to work immediately."
"It’s exactly as you say." Jonah exhaled the smoke in his lungs.
"Another hero, huh?" Dante muttered.
Ross clicked his tongue.
"The land probably changed hands recently." Said Nobara, sounding somber. "The new owners are probably doing some cleaning to raise the property value."
"Guess it’s gonna get crowded around here soon." Raising his cup, Dante stared at his reflection in the dark soft drink. "Good thing I got a new lease."
"Hah, I don’t know what I would do if this place gets pricier." Said Ross.
"Can’t believe I’m saying this, but..." Jonah shook his head and let out another white cloud. "I just hope they don’t send one of them heroes our way. I won’t get to retire if that were to happen."
"Retirement is a dead dream, Jonah." Nobara sealed the point with a tap of her pipe.
"You said it, grandma." Ross emptied his can in one go.
The word slipped out of Dante’s mouth, and as he continued to stare at his drink, the noise in the old noodle shop gradually grew quiet. A smack on the shoulder jolted him out of his thoughts, however. Looking up, he saw Ross giving him a wry smile.
"I want to say you don’t have to worry about it yet, but... well, better start saving now." Saying that, he pushed himself up. "As for me, I’ll be retiring to my bed for the night."
"I’ll get going as well." Jonah pressed the but of his spent cigarettes into the ashtray.
"Going already?" Nobara said, sounding surprised. "I thought you had tomorrow off?"
"Had." The old officer groaned as he stood up. "Two of our guys were relocated the other day. I won’t be having any free time till they send some replacements."
"Ah, I see." Shrugging, the old woman put away her pipe. "Guess I will call it a night as well. No one will come by at this hour anyway."
Taking that as his cue, Dante got up as well.
"Good night, old hag," Dante said.
"What good night?" She scoffed. "You’re clearly heading out somewhere."
"Be sure to text if you’ll be taking long."