"Do we have too? It's not every day that we have to do this sort of thing, you know that right?"

"You make it sound like your pops is going to enjoy heading before a hearing, you be quiet and keep your head out of the clouds. We don't need you thinking you're hearing voices, aye?"

Snorting to himself, Joyner didn't want to say much but he was going along with it for the sake of appearances, he and his father were never that close and so it bothered him to do this, to reach this level and he hoped that maybe, he would be able to bring himself out of this little family squabble. 

Calming himself down, he followed after his father's guard, he didn't know his name, come to think of it, he didn't know any of their names. It was a bit sad on his part, his father's guards had been the one to take care of him for the majority of his years, even now, it wasn't something that he forgot and so he formed a close bond with a few of them. Some even stating that if the worst were to happen, they would assist him. 

He didn't know what that meant but he kept his head low and simply supported them for right now. 

"Hey, what did I say?"

"Huh, I wasn't really listening, I've just been focusing on the scene in front of me, you get that, right?"

The guard stopped walking the cold New York streets, even now it was a bit nippy in the air and for a moment he decided to give the kid some advice, it worked for some people, maybe Joyner was one of those few. 

Kneeling, the guard placed a hand on Joyner's shoulder getting the kid to meet his eyes and for once, he didn't see the heir to a family legacy at the very least. For his thought, he wondered if this would have been the correct choice on the father but he wouldn't question his boss' orders. 

"Listen, kid, that's a good idea you got there but why not think three moves ahead, then, find a way to anticipate the moves of your opponent or whatever trials and tribulations you may face. You should have this kind of thinking, thinking in the present often has you missing threats that may crop up in the future, understand?"

Lucas, as he was, hummed for a moment before shaking his head. He didn't want to believe in that stuff, it made his life too difficult and often got him paranoid, he knew the way others lived and he knew that living that way, often led to blackmail, death, misled information and how other types of bullshit that would have been better left to those who simply wished to live that way. He knew it wasn't his style after all. 

He shrugged to the guard, he was a good guy and he wasn't even going to deny that the advice was sound and had some backing, in the form of various moves that could have been looked at beforehand but if he did that, he was no better than his old man. He didn't want to be that type of person, he wished to be better at the very least and that is how he was going to go throughout his career in the world if he ever thought of having one. 

"It ain't my style, the reason being that I don't want to end up paranoid if I think that guy across the street is an enemy, what am I to do? Kill him? For all I know, that could set off a chain reaction that sees my head mounted on a wall for the world to see, I am a person who does not fear the future, my friend. I just embrace the present, it's not a git, it is just how I see things."

Humming himself, the guard didn't focus on his thoughts, the kid had his ways and who was he to talk down to the kid who had figured his own way around the world for right now, he was a legacy in a way that people didn't realize yet, maybe he would in the soon enough world if his father called them for something meaningful, the guard knew what it was...

Of course, that soon changed as screams came down from the streets, acting on instinct, the guard grasped Joyner and dragged him into the alley, pulling his piece out as he did so...

The guard peeked his head out of the corner and grasped Joyner tight before rushing down the street, what they found was horrifying, a few feds had arrested Gavin, 'Geek' as some had taken to calling him. Of course, the man locked eyes with his son, the two seemed to share something before the feds took him away, for the last time, that would be where things changed.... 

"Tell me, your name is...Abel, right?"

The guard, hearing his name went wide-eyed as he turned to give Joyner a small look of surprise, seemingly shocked that the kid knew his name of all things. Of course, that wore off as the two continued down the street, barely glancing at the gambling hall that Gavin had been arrested at. 

Humming a yes, Abel walked side by side with the kid, wondering what his plans were as Joyner accepted that as they came across his father's former bar/social club, it was meant to be one of the brightest spots in New York. People indulged in the place and it turned out to be pretty....cool if he said so himself. 

"Can you gather all my father's associates, guards, and a few of his trusted people across the country, there's going to be a shift in how we do business."

Abel nodded, before turning to face Joyner, the boy had an easygoing look on his face, seemingly accepting the role that he had...inherited...

"You ready?"

Turning, Joyner locked eyes with Abel and for a moment, he was sure that he saw Geek in those brown eyes of his before shaking his head and listening to the new boss? Yeah, that sounded...right, for now. 

"Is anyone ever?"

Joyner left it at that, leaving Abel as for now, he was going to take up his residence in his father's office and make sure that his family name wouldn't be forgotten, it was time to play his role, at the very least, for a while.