16th Exploit: Standoff at Jacobs Five Star Bar & Diner

A Chapter by Jeffrey J Dotson

Stopping by famed Jacobs Bar & Diner, Antonio and Co. celebrate their victory at Rose Mali Park, but its short lived as a hated rival of Tony's past comes in to greet him after three long years

Zaine crosses his left leg over the right and nods his head in intrigue. A small, but eerie smile creeps over his face. "Well, mister boss man, that's a pretty extreme setup for just a couple thousand buci worth of damages." Clark grimaces briefly.

"Its the principle. Your old 'school friend's' broken TC property, MY property, and he'll damn well pay for it in one manner or another. If you have an issue with my approach-"

"Hey hey, no issues little guy! Nothin's beneath me when it concerns to Tonio!" Zaine smirks as he clenches his fists. Smoke seeps between his knuckles, which Clark does notice. "I'm just glad to be given this opportunity to smash that loser around some!" Clark appears pleased to hear Zaine say this and smiles. He looks down at the active smartphone.

"You get all that Bo? The plan kicks in as soon as Sarah and Antonio are separated. She'll be heading here so Zaine will deal with her, you just make sure they get the message when the times right!"

Bo, whose vehicle is parked across the street from Jacobs and hidden behind a public mailbox, speaks into his phone. "Understood." Bo gulps. He still can't get over the godawful aura that came off of the guy who walked into the Diner just a moment ago. "I'm ready to tail them when they leave."

"Good, good." Clark grins. "If things go right, we'll be all set and ready to get things going in three hours time! As soon as I call you back you give that damn green hair the message ASAP. His pals will want to follow-"

"I know." Bo holds in a sigh. He lets a small smile escape from the left side of his mouth. "I'll make sure they won't."

---

Inside of the diner and bar everyone who isn't directly involved with the standoff is either trying to stay as small as possible or has hidden behind something, all save the co-manager who had scurried out from the back as quickly as he got the message that 'That damn Paul is at it again'. This is Oswalt Ferdeli, dressed in a suit that actually looks less sharp then the associates working for the restaurant. His hay blonde hair is tied in a ponytail that hangs just above the back of his neck. This is the co-owner of Jacobs, and Jacobs closest friend.

"Now wait-" Oswalt speaks with a hint of hesitation. "We've just fixed up the bar a month ago and we don't need-"

"Shhhhhhhhh!" Paul flashes Oswalt a look of death before quickly bringing his eyes back to Clarice's blade. "I'm not interested in talking about that past." Paul glares deep into Clarice's eyes with a deliberate carnage behind them. "Nor do I care for your misplaced righteousness little girl. All I want is him!"

Antonio says nothing. A great rage threatens to take him but he refuses to let it win. Jason steps forward; sparks skipping across his horn and hands. Sarah isn't able to bring herself to move. This Paul is much more threatening then the one she'd remembered from the past.

"Hey." Jason speaks. "I have no clue who either of you are but we're about to enjoy a well earned meal." Jason looks past Clarice and at the menacing Paul. "So perhaps maybe you could-"

"Quiet, before I rip your mouth flap out from under that scarf and decorate your ugly horn with it, static cockroach." Jason's eye twitches. His aura clashes with Paul's as he places his right hand into his pocket. Paul looks almost impressed. Clarice hasn't moved an inch, keeping adamant about locking Paul's movements with her blade but is just a little uneasy to be between two such frightening fighting spirits. Her own aura intensifies in response. "Oh, oooohhh, so the bug isn't a weakling! Interesting, and the girl here's pretty dangerous too!"

Antonio finally lifts his head up. He grits his teeth and speaks as calmly as possible. "Jason... Clarice." Both acknowledge Antonio but, of course, refuse to give Paul any sort of an opening. "That person... That thing isn't worth the attention. He's a piece of garbage best left to his own madness." Tony pauses. "Glad to see you're still in good health Clarice, please lower your sword." Clarice, who doesn't obey, stares blankly at Paul. Paul looks as though he's about to have a mental break down.

"Still a coward eh?!" Paul's eyes widen in hate. "STILL NOT WILLING TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY EH TOOOOONNNNNYYYYY!?!" Paul makes a move but Jason steps next to Clarice and the two look ready to cooperate against this man. Paul acknowledges that their combined ki's rival his. He growls in frustration. "At least the coward found himself a pair of friends, rather then those wimps years ago, eh Sarah?!" Sarah flinches as Paul turns his terrifying gaze upon her. Paul laughs lividly. "Fine. Fiiiiiine. You enjoy your little 'well earned meal' Tony. I won't spill your blood just yet." Paul's eye begins to twitch. "Just knowing you're actually alive gives me a new lease on life." Paul's aura finally fades out. He takes a step back and glares at Jason and Clarice. "Now I get the chance to kill you personally, like I should've three years ago. We'll have a more personal meeting eventually, Toooony. I hope you wear something a little more dignified by then."

Paul turns his back on Jason and Clarice. He laughs angrily as he begins to walk toward the exit. Neither Jason nor Clarice are willing to lower their guard until he's out of the restaurant. As soon as the door closes behind him they both lax their postures and allow their fighting spirit to fade. Jace, who fell unconscious after Paul yelled at Antonio about responsibility, slips from his chair and falls onto the ground as the two turn to face the table. Sarah is on the verge of tears.

"I hate him." Sarah begins to tremble. She hugs herself, still overwhelmed by how much stronger his aura has become since they'd last seen each other. "Why can't he just leave you alone Tony?!" Antonio coldly looks up at the ceiling and frowns.

"I don't mean to pry-" Jason speaks up. "-but there's definitely a story between you two. I have not once ever felt such hatred and malice in my life." Jason takes his seat. He sighs and tilts his head toward Antonio. "Id have never expect it to come from you, Tony. Being trapped between two people who despise each-other that much, what in the hell happen-"

"Please, don't bother asking. " Antonio grits his teeth. "Maybe I'll have the heart to talk about it one day, but not right now. Our issues are ours to handle, and no one else's." Antonio looks over at Clarice, who has sheathed her sword by now, and forces himself to wave his hand. "Hey, you! Why don't you pull up a chair and join us?"

Clarice looks over at Tony and eyes the two others. Jace, of course, still being on the floor, begins to stir. He gets up from the floor and looks scared. Clarice recognized Jace and smiles. She takes her stool that she was sitting on and her mug of liquor and places them between Jace and the rather curious Jason. Antonio picks at his ear and pushes the event with Paul to the back of his head as best as he can.

"Really surprised to see you again Clarice, especially so soon after you stopped by Inizioville-

"Hey!" Oswalt speaks up. Antonio raises his head irritated as the others look at the co-owner of the establishment. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I want a chance to give you guys my thanks for not letting that turn into a big fat brawl, and bouncing that psychopath out." Oswalt lets out a 'hmph' and crosses his arms. "He's a common nuisance around here, actually made a mess of things not too long ago either."

Clarice raises her head up and gives Oswalt a smug look. "If hes such a troublemaker perhaps you ought to bar him from the place?"

"Well, we tried that once but he just comes in whenever he pleases regardless. Bouncers don't work and security fear going near him, so we just tolerate him. Either way, thanks for not leaving the place in shambles.

"Well, it was more a matter of circumstance but you're welcome regardless." Jason flashes an 'okay' sign with his hand as he say's 'you're welcome'. "Anyways, could we perhaps get some menus around here? All that tension worked up an appetite."

"Of course!" Oswalt snaps his fingers twice. A waiter is quick to the table and has five menus, including a kids menu for Jace. Jace, speaking of which, finally realizes Clarice at the table after gathering his bearings.

"Ahh!" Jace begins to blush. "C-C-Clarice?! When did you get here!?!" The table shares a laugh.

"Drinks?" The waiter asks.

"Boch's Light" Jason says.

"Coffee." Sarah exclaims. "You have butter bean?"

Antonio sighs. "Water's fine."

Jace furls his brow. "Peach Juice, and get this kids menu out of here. I'm almost sixteen pal."

"I'm still good." Clarice lifts her mug and gives a casual wink. No smile, just a wink. The mug is half filled with a thick dark liquor, very bitter by the looks of it. "This'll last me."

The waiter nods. He takes back one of the menu's and hands out the rest of them after jotting down the drink orders. As he walks away Sarah leans forward and begins to speak to Clarice. The shock of seeing Paul has subsided.

"So, Clarice was it?" Clarice nods as she sips her bitter beverage. "I take it you're a swordstress, and judging by how you handled yourself earlier you're pretty damn good too."

"Hmph, don't make me blush." Clarice lets out a small chuckle. "But yes, Ive been a student of the blade all my life, got a bounty hunter's license so I wouldn't be suspected of vigilantism. Do you want to see my license for clarification?"

"Oh no, no I'm sure you're properly registered. I was just a little curious."

"Hmm?"

"Usually one who lives by the sword also lives in isolation, but you seem to know these rascals-" Sarah waves her hand past Jace, who is still shocked to see Clarice sitting next to him, and Antonio, who has his hands behind his head and is leaning back in his chair. "-at least a little well. How'd you all meet?" Jason smirks under his scarf, remembering a similar conversation he had with Sarah when they first met.

Clarice sets her mug down. "They helped me out in a pinch." Sarah smiles reassured. "I hope to repay the debt someday."

Sarahs slight suspicion subsides. The waiter returns with Jace's menu as well as the drinks they ordered. "Are you all ready to order?"

"Give us a bit more time." Antonio speaks with a slight smirk. The waiter nods and walks off. "Jeez." Tony lets his chair fall back down and wraps his hand around his glass of water. "Kinda a busy day. To think I'd bump into both you and Jason again in the span of one day." Tony smiles at Clarice. Clarice smiles back, but seems to have finally noticed Antonio's odd choice of attire and immediately stops smiling. Tony's smile turns into a frown. "Didn't expect to see him too... small world eh?" Antonio drinks his glass of water down to half. His eyes have gone vacant as he thinks of Paul, and how much he'd like to see the mans head on a pike.

"Well, all that aside-" Antonio snaps out of his train of thought. Jason is pointing his thumb behind his head, at the monitor hanging above the bar. Its showing footage of Rose Mali Park. Antonio tilts his head and lets out a 'huh', still getting used to seeing a television, and absolutely didn't expect to see himself on it. "-we might be famous now."

"Famous?" Antonio raises his eyebrow as he sees himself tell off the camera to 'Get that damn thing outta his face'. "Good god those clothes are horrible." Clarice nods in agreement before picking up her mug of liquor again.

Sarah scratches the back of her head and laughs nervously. "Sorry, it really was the only pair I could find."

Antonio shrugs. The image on the monitor shifts from the Park to a broadcaster who is standing in front of the portraits of Antonio and Jason. "The vigilantes in question had little to say as far as the aided apprehension of arsonist and serial theft Joao was concerned. Its assumed the aim may have been the price on his head; 17'000 buci. However the two left without confirming their reasons with the law enforcers-"

"Heh, well damn." Antonio runs his hand through his hair and tries to hide his glee. "I came to the city to find myself, not make a name for myself." Jason scoffs.

"Yeah well either way they're roping me in with you, so 'thanks' for that." The two share a laugh. Jace finishes off his peach juice while Clarice continues to savor her beverage.

"Vigilantism is a little frowned upon here." Clarice speaks as the mug is still on her lips. She lowers it and looks toward Antonio with just a pinch of concern. "This seems to be the first time you two have been on the news, so the law won't moan too much about it, but if you're intending to make a habit of fighting with criminals you may want to get yourself a bounty license. Even if you're a licensed martial artist that's usually not good enough for the law." Clarice's cold demeanor breaks as she smiles. "Knowing your luck and capabilities first hand I'd advise you get one regardless, Tony."

Jason smirks under his scarf and leans forward over the table, almost accidentally knocking over Sarah's coffee. Sarah glares at Jason.

"No kidding." Jason speaks. "This is technically your second time on the news, at least since we've met, and you've got a face that they can recognize now. Couple that with your brothers well known infamy, and-"

Jason shivers. He looks over at Sarah who is giving him the stink eye from hell for almost knocking over her drink. Jason was intending to also bring up Clark, but decides against it to avoid any added suspicion from Sarah. Jason nods to Sarah in apologies concerning the coffee before turning back to Antonio.

"-and besides, being a bounty hunter has its perks. I was on the fence with getting one myself."

Sarah sighs. "This guys rudeness aside I'm not entirely against it. I'd prefer you go for a more lawful profession, like James did, but chasing high end criminals legally beats doing it illegally."

Antonio quietly nods to himself. He's not really that interested in chasing after bounties or dealing with criminals, but he's certainly interested in not having to fill out unwanted paperwork or dealing with the law questioning him.

---

"PLEASE!!!" A horribly beaten up ruffian writhes on the ground next to a worn out Mory Danidson Motorcycle, pleading in agony to its owner. The ruffian's left arm is shattered and there's blood drooling from the side of his busted lip. His jaw isn't broken, but definitely looks like its been worked on. "I'm sorry I tried to steal your ride, just please stop-"

The owner, an enraged Paul, lifts his arm up and points his palm at the would be auto thief. His arm begins to vibrate as a sinister ki wraps around it. The thug is incapable of seeing the aura, not having trained his body a day in his life, but he sure is able to feel its foreboding presence. The doomed thug reaches his unbroken arm toward Paul's palm, almost more curious then frightened at this point.

"Wh-Wh-What is this?"

His arm collapses into itself and his chest forms a cavity through to the back as a thin, darkish purple aura beam blasts through the now dead ruffians arm and chest. It craters the ground behind his back. Paul seethes as his arm twitches.

"Don't think I'll forgive you Tony..." Paul grits his teeth as his eyes flash with malice. "Hide behind Luke! Hide behind a forest or your friends! It won't matter in the end for I will END you!!! I'll never forgive how you ruined my reputation BOOOOOOY!!!!!"

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