Well, I do believe I forgot Halloween was makin' its way along. Seems the mistake is mine, friend.

Well... yeah, the hell else would it mean?

It just ain't right, dammit, ya gotta stand up for yourself! Lissen, you need a gun?

Whoa, hey– you can't just let people call ya that an' get away with it.

I ain't reforgin' a damn thing, kid. Or... bug, or whatever you may be. I take care of me an' mine, and I get paid enough t'do it. That's [my] world. Has been for a long time.

Damn shame.

Gimme caps.

For now, his eyes needed to stay on the task at hand, especially in the snake's den.

"Surely makes a man feel welcome when someone like yourself knows his worth. But I doubt you came here to shine my boots. How 'bout I light that cigarette you invited me for and we get to business?"

"An' I do surely appreciate the hospitality, Mr. Gecko." Happy to bleed it dry, scrounging for every favor or cap sent along their way.

But it's been a good job. He hasn't had to search the corners of his pockets to pay his tabs for a while. Who knew what doors this might open?

Instead, he makes his way up to the indicated suite with a better whiskey in hand than he's had in months. Kyra tried, bless her heart, but fewer and fewer traders wanted to route to such a high-risk settlement.

He takes a few sips in the elevator, finding a comfortable buzz just as he knocks.

Well....

[She probably doesn't want his lived experience, because the answer he'd give would be "sibling."]

...I guess you never know, do ya? Anyway, the work's a little complicated. For now, I sit tight and wait for the rest to line up right. Pay ain't bad in the meantime.

Sometime, sure. For now, th'work's here, so here I sit.

Boone, huh? Can't say I know the name. You want, I could test the waters a little, see where his head's at. Can't be that annoyed if you ain't run him off yet.

...If y'don't mind my sayin' so, miss, he'd have t'be dumber'n hell to miss what you might call a hint. Who's the fella?

And... eh, I usually do travel, maybe that's why I feel so damn cooped up these days. Been here longer than I've sat put in ages.

There's like two damned bars here and I live in one of 'em.

Granted, I ain't really wandered to the other.

Y'd think, wouldn't ya? And yet...

I ain't had a date in five.... nah, seven....

Lissen, it's relevant.