[i]15:23pm, Aster Javian's Penthouse, Los Angeles[/i] Aster sat slouched into his lazyboy chair, watching the news coverage of the Anti-Meta movements that had arisen after that strange pirate broadcast from the a few days ago. He had missed his meeting with Bobby due to the riots that had broken out but he was sure the Capo would have cancelled anyway. The Family are a cautious lot so chances are he'd have flown back to New York by now and taken Bobby with him. In a way he'd dodged a bullet, but now his work had suddenly dried up. It's funny, as an advocate of chaos, Aster somewhat welcomed to rioting but now that it was beginning to starve his means of income, he was beginning to resent them. He could join up with some of the other Meta's, offer his skills toward their plight? For price of course. [b]"Pshh! Who am I kidding?"[/b] He said aloud. He wasn't exactly fond of other Meta's, in fact, he wasn't even sure he liked being one himself. It was, after all, the main reason for him coming to L.A. in the first place. Somehow, he figured being amongst other Meta's would make him feel accepted or part of something bigger. But that was bullshit, he knew it as soon as he stepped foot in the city. He swiped his opened beer bottle from the table next to his chair and poured the remaining contents into his mouth then placed it back on the table. Grabbing the remote, he clicked a button to switch channels, having had enough of the media hysteria over the [b][i]Meta Crisis[/i][/b], which is what they were now dubbing it. Instead of the picture changing, the screen of his TV went blank. [b]"The fuck?"[/b] He questioned, sitting forward now. [i]"Aster Javian."[/i] The voice made him stand instantly, clenching his fists and suddenly scanning the open plan living area. [b]"Who wants to know?"[/b] He called out, still searching for the owner of the voice but not having any luck. [i]"It's not that I 'want' to know, I already know who you are."[/i] The voice sounded as if it were coming from the speaker system built into his apartment. [b]"And how can you be so sure of that?"[/b] He kept looking around, not moving from his position in front of his chair. [i]"You're a difficult man to track down but I have my ways. But then, you're not exactly a 'man', are you? Some would be more inclined to class you as a monster or a beast. Or even, a Meta."[/i] [b]"Okay, who the fuck is this?"[/b] [i]"My identity is nothing you need to worry about at the moment. The only identity you should focus on is your own, and what is likely to happen to you once I post your name and location online. Who knows, maybe you'll get a visit from a few Anti-Meta friends of mine?"[/i] [b]"Well, if that's the case, go ahead. Anyone who comes into this apartment is dead. Then I'll hunt you down and rip out your spine. I promise, I won't even use my abilities either."[/b] Aster dropped his guard now. The voice began to laugh. It was short and smooth and denoted a mild form of surprise. [i]"You really are as ruthless as your record states. And efficient, too, if these files from the Gambino Family are anything to go by."[/i] Aster was growing bored of this. [b]"Alright, okay. You're a super, fuckin', special techno-junkie, I geddit. Now can we please get on with this? I have beer to drink whilst I wait for this whole thing to blow over."[/b] [i]"I'm afraid that's not going to happen, Mr. Javian. This 'thing' is much bigger than a few mere riots."[/i] [b]"Oh really? How so?"[/b] [i]"Well that's where you come in. You're going to make it bigger. I'm going to give you a specific set of tasks and you're going to complete them to the letter, otherwise I leak your information to the world and you end up noticeably less alive than you are now."[/i] Aster stood and considered the offer he'd been given. Being held to ransom wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. No, he had a better idea. [b]"Yeah, well, that doesn't quite work for me. However, I see your offer of blackmail and I raise you an offer of my services...for a price of course."[/b] The voice was silent for over a minute, he obviously hadn't anticipated this. [i]"I must say, Mr. Javian, I had no doubts that you'd be following my orders, but as a service? You've caught me offguard there, bravo."[/i] [b]"You won't find out [i]everything[/i] about me in those files, y'know. So, how about it?"[/b] [i]"Well, you have always been a Mercenary, so I guess I should have seen it coming. But a Meta who would turn on his own kind? That's certainly unprecedented, indeed."[/i] [b]"Just 'cause other people have powers, that don't make them my [i]'own kind'[/i]."[/b] [i]"Alright then, Mr. Javian, your standard fee of Ten-Thou-"[/i] [b]"Fifty."[/b] Aster interrupted. [i]"I'm sorry?"[/i] [b]"That'll be Fifty-Thousand per job. Ten-Thousand for my standard fee plus Forty-Thousand for [i]'turning on my own kind'[/i]."[/b] [i]"My, my. You certainly are as ruthless as they come. Fifty-Thousand it is then. There's a PDA with all the information you'll need in the top drawer of your bed-side cabinet. We'll talk again soon."[/i] Then the voice was gone. The TV remained blank, however, so Aster just switched it off. He then made his way to his bedroom, rounding the king-sized bed and ripping open the top drawer of his bed-side cabinet. Sure enough, a slim, hi-tech PDA was the only item in there. A message flashed on the screen. Aster picked it up. As soon as he did so the message opened. [center][i]:// EYES ONLY: MR. A. JAVIAN \\: >111 S Grand Avenue, Downtown >18:00 Hours >Anti-Meta Protest Rally >Neutralize all protesters >Must Use Abilities >Type 'Y' when mission has been completed :// EYES ONLY: MR. A. JAVIAN \\:[/i][/center] Aster pocketed the device. 111 S Grand Avenue? The Walt Disney Concert Hall. There'd be hundreds of protesters. Not that it bothered him too much, a job was a job. He was fine with it, as long as he was getting paid. Just then and quick jingle came from the PDA. As he looked at it, his account was displayed on the screen, followed by an instant transaction of $50,000. Aster smiled. [i]"At least he's efficient."[/i] He thought before pulling on a shirt and grabbing his jacket, then making his way out of the apartment.