“Oh, I certainly don’t mean too.” He laughed lightly, his first genuine laughter in days, “Things have been...well, they’ve been. Trying to find my way in this world and what not.”

Dick tried to hide himself away a bit, even though he was more than comfortable around her. He wanted to tell her everything, let it all out in a rush of everything but something was holding him back. He received specific instructions to keep his mouth shut and that was exactly what he intended on doing.

And then he saw her face.

And her smile.

It all melted away before his brain had a chance to think otherwise.

”It is good to see you.” He couldn’t hide the attraction in his voice even though he tried as hard as he could, “Everything has been going in a direction. Not sure if I’m comfortable with that direction but, it’s better than sitting stagnant.”

Cassi listened intently as he spoke, ignoring her drink for a moment. She knew something was on his mind, but she wasn't going to push. Their line of work was hardly something to write home about. And even sometimes there were things they couldn't even share amongst themselves.She smiled as he tried to give her the standard answer most all of them used. And there was the shift. 

"It's great to see you. I'm so sorry to hear that you've been facing some difficult decisions. It can be that way sometimes, in this life. Just remember, if you don't like the direction..." She smiled as she picked up her glass and took a sip. "You are the captain of your destiny. You can change your course at any time. That's the beauty of choice." She took another drink and then popped an olive in her mouth, smiling brightly. 

“I wish it were that easy.” Dick rubbed at his eyes tiredly. He had been asked to do things. Maybe asked wasn’t the right term for it. He was told to do things. It all came back to him being good at what he did. If he was just another fuck up, he’d be off somewhere on his own, living whatever life he wanted to.

But this was different. It wasn’t only his livelihood on the line, it was the entire family. He had no problem putting himself in danger, he had been doing it since he was a child. But there was a line that you just didn’t cross and Dick was taxed with straddling that line. 

His shoulders slumped slightly as he leaned closer to her, “I really should be ok with it. I don’t know why it rattles me so much. I think it’s the alternative really.” He let his words trail off for the briefest of moments, “If anything happened...to any one of you. I don’t think I could live with myself.”

Cassi sighed softly as she listened. She placed her hand over his and squeezed. It hurt her when people she cared about struggled with the things they had to do, sometimes even just to survive. There were things she had seen that she would never, could never tell another soul. But she always reminded herself, this was the life she chose. 

"Sometimes, the choices suck. But it's what we do in the end, to protect those we care for the most, that really matters. I have faith in you. Things may seem worse than they really are. Maybe you're overthinking. Maybe..." She grinned and downed the rest of her drink. "We need more drinks."

He couldn’t help but perk up as she mentioned more drinks. Truth be told, that was probably the absolute last thing he needed but, he found himself slipping into quiet comfort faster than he thought he could. He had always kept everyone at an arm’s length but this was strange and different completely. She was completely different. 

He soon found himself racking his brain. Asking all the what if questions that would surely drive him mad. What if she had been there the whole time? Would he still have gone through what he did? Would he have taken the risk if she was looking over his shoulder? Would any of it been worth it?

He fought within himself to push those thoughts away, instead focusing on the way her hair sat on her shoulders, outlining her face. 

”Maybe, just maybe, you are completely right.”

He let out a genuine laugh as he leaned his elbows on the bar. He was in far too deep at this point but, the strange thing was, he couldn’t think of anywhere else that he would rather be. 

Cassi grinned as Dick laughed. She felt as if those kinds of laughs may be few and far between for him. She ordered them another round of drinks and then turned back towards him, still smiling. It was nice to have someone to talk to. 

"I have moments of brilliance. Just small ones though." She gave him a wink, reaching for the fresh martini that the bartender placed in front of her. She took a drink, keeping her eye on him, making sure he was relaxing. 

“Aww, thank you dear. The next one is on me though.” Dick sipped slowly at his drink. The absolute last thing he needed was for her to see him completely out of control. It was rare that he got to that point but nothing about tonight seemed average. He was playing in a different ball park altogether now.

Dick shifted in his seat, trying to hide the fact that he couldn’t help but keep stealing glances of her eyes. He didn’t know why or even what drew him towards it but all he wanted at this moment was to get lost in conversation with her. Sure, there was plenty to do but, for whatever reason he didn’t care in that moment.

”Ya got a safe place for the night? I haven’t spent much time in this city yet but I know enough not to be out when one or two o’clock rolls around.”

Cassi smiled, eating one of the olives. She wasn't sure what it was about this night, but she was more relaxed than she had been in awhile. She could barely even remember what she had been stressing over all day anymore. She nodded as she took another drink. 

"I've got a nice suite just up the block. It's very cozy. I've been here a couple of days. My... business is taking more time than I thought it would. I guess I'm not always as charming as I'd like to believe."

She laughed and raised her glass to him. "A toast. To friends." She smiled as he clinked his glass with hers. "And how about you? Do you have somewhere to go? I could get you a room at my hotel."

Dick thought it over for a moment as their glasses clinked together, glancing down at his watch, “I was going to catch the next train home but, truth be told, I’m not much in the mood for traveling right now. Even that short distance to Chicago.” 

He took a slow sip off of his drink as he debated with himself. Another night or two here wasn’t going to do any more damage. No one had seen him early, no one would be able to point the finger at him. It had been a clean shoot. 

”If it isn’t too much trouble. I don’t want to put you out. ‘It’s a little chilly out to be sleeping at the train station. Even if it is one of the nicer ones in the country.”

Furious had to get a drink, he had been out in the cold way to many hours this december-evening in detroit, it was cold as ice out this evening so time to get some warm in Drunk Phoenix Pub, he sat and drank hos bourbon slowly and at the same time he felt the heat coming back to his body, he had to drink another drink before getting back to normal again which he really were glad to get to. He pays up for his drinks and then gets out again to see if any opportunity occurd for him to sharpen his gun.

Dick really was only looking for some place quiet to have a drink. He wasn’t really up for much conversation but he supposed he wouldn’t be against it if he found it. He was still trying to cycle through all the new information he had received in the past few weeks. Most of which, the more he thought about it, the more his head hurt. 

Moving towards the bar, he asked for his usual whiskey and a pint that he always did before settling in a seat. Dick finished the pint quicker than he has planned and slowly began sipping at the whiskey in front of him. It helped a bit to numb things from time to time but it wasn’t anything that he was comfortable turning into a habit. That wouldn’t have ended well for anyone.

Athena quietly walked into the pub before moving to the counter. She had been having a rough go at it lately with all the things happening in her personal life. Friends seemed to walk in and out of her circle, which often made her question, what made a friend actually a friend? As she approached the bar, she figured something harder than a glass of wine would do her some good. 

"I'll take a screwdriver, please. High shelf vodka, orange juice." 

Athena said as she took a seat and wrinkled her nose. She could smell cigarette smoke, which was unappetizing to say the least, but she dealt with it because it was not her establishment. Once Athena was handed her drink, she quietly gave the man a $20, telling him to keep the change before she drank half of the alcoholic beverage and glanced around, wondering if she would see any familiar faces. 

By the time the train pulled into the station, Dick’s eyes were dry and his head hurt from reading the same damn file over and over again. He just couldn’t help himself though, he didn’t want to take the risks of not having all the information in front of him.

He needed a place to take the edge off and quickly remembered the Drunk Phoenix. He had enjoyed his time there when he was last in the city. The place felt familiar and he didn’t need anymore surprises this time around, there was still so much to be done. 

Dropping his cap onto an empty table before pulling his old leather jacket off of his shoulders and hanging it on the back of his seat, he gave a polite greeting to his server, asking for a double of whiskey. 

After his drink came, he got himself lost in the paper work again, going over each and every detail in his mind once more. He should have been more aware of his surroundings but he didn’t even notice when the front door opened again. The place was usually somewhat busy so he didn’t think anything of it until he heard his name from close behind.

”Excuse me, are you Dick Grayson?”

<font color="#D7D7D7">Dick closed the folder with his back still to the voice. It didn’t sound familiar so he turned slowly, he didn’t know all that many people in the city so it really only could have been a few people, “Yea, I’m Grayson. Do I kno-“</font>

Before he could finish his sentence, the man moved with a speed that Dick wasn’t prepared for, the blade in his grasp slamming into Dick’s side, sending a white hot pain that knocked the air out of his lungs. 

Dick’s eyes flew wide, out of shock more than anything else. He didn’t think he had any enemies here but he was clearly wrong. The attacker twisted the blade tightly as he leaned close, pulling at the back of Dick’s neck as he did. “Mr. Alcave sends his love.”

As Dick gasped for air, the man pressed a heavy fist against his chest, sending him backwards, knocking over the table with his half finished glass of whiskey shattering to the floor.

Dick’s mind went spinning. He had killed Sebastian, brutally, in Seattle. There was no chance he could be sending any messages to anyone, not from where he was. The more he tried to think the more his grip began to slip. The lights faded a bit and all the sounds around him seemed to dissipate. He tried to push himself up but there wasn’t any strength left there. He could feel the color draining from his face, Jason and Emma’s faces flashing in his vision before everything faded to black.

Mekhi had landed in Detroit. Not sure why but he was dead set on stopping by the Drunk Pheonix pub. Before he enters he takes another drag of his joint and puts it out. He enters the location and he could see a few familiar faces which made it that much better. He steps up to the bar and takes a seat. Looking over he could see Cassi and DickGrayson in the spot chillin. He places his order and when the tender brings his shot over he hold it up in respect to his two fellow mobsters

Cassi looked over, spotting MekhiMusso sitting a few chairs down. She smiled as he lifted his drink in salute. She raised her glass back and took a nice long drink. She motioned for him to come over and join her and DickGrayson. It was always a pleasure to run into family, especially when out on other business. At times she felt lonely when she was away from her city. No one to talk to except the gruff, cold businessmen she dealt with, whom she suspected often had trouble with the fact that she was a competent woman. And smarter than most of them. Just not smart enough some days... She took another drink as she waited for Mekhi to join them.

Mekhi grabed his ashtray and drink and moved over to where his fellow mobsters were chillin. 

"So hows the evening for yall"

he says as  lights his blunt and takes another shot of his drink.  Mekhi only had a short time to relax and kick his feet up, due to the line up of work he had to move on, which involve a variety of product. He was heading west, to meet up with a dealer on some new product he was going to be moving. One of his budddies had a spot out on the coast where they could use as a headquarters to make moves out of. 

It had been a little while since Dick was back in Detroit. He guessed that a stabbing was a solid way of keeping him out of the place but there was still business to be done, regardless of if the stitches were healed up yet or not.

Dick moved slowly, not wishing to bump into anyone and have that white hot pain return. It was bearable at the moment but that could change at any second if he wasn’t careful. Best to not take the chance.

He found a seat off to the side of the bar, a little bit of distance away from the other patrons. Ordering a whiskey along with a glass of water, he sipped at the whiskey as it arrived before sliding a few bills to his server.

Phoenix Pub were a place there many get drunk, but so far hasnt Furious getting drunk in there and were sure to neve rbe it, mostly he just drank 2 drinks and that way he stayed away from being to drunk and manage to get back to his hotel in one peace without any bad things happened during the way over there to his night-place in Detroit. He sat and slowly drank the scotch he bought, listens to the people in a corner what they were talking about, not anything important so he finish up his drink and thanks for the company when he talks to the barman.

It was a very sad day here in Detroit, many lives were taken and lost, but in this life you never know when it ends. Judas walked into Drunk Phoenix Pub and looked around. No familiar faces he saw and took a seat. He was sad and devastated. Few of his good friends died today. He needed a drink. He sat behind a free table and ordered a bottle of scotch. Pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lighted one up. Waitress brought his bottle and glass. He poured some into the glass and drank. When he finished the bottle he was pretty drunk and it was time to get home. He paid for his order and called a taxi. Drove home and went to sleep.

With some small time left for a drink btween all important things taking care of here in detroit he gets into Drunk Phoenix Pub to get a helping drink so he stays in full mood to do more hours of work before leaving Detroit later on for anothe rmission back home or anywhere else, he hadnt decided yet where to go and where it will be can just the gods know really.

he sat there in the pub and drank slowly his bourbon and ate some salted peanuts, it felt good to relax in here for a while, pretty cold outside so good to get some warm into him before heading out in the cold wind again in the streets.