[center][B][U][I]The Broker[/I][/U][/B][/center] [center][img]http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t260/JTheGoblinKing/harry_hair2.jpg[/img][/center] [center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLA0vB9LCTM]Theme[/url][/center] There was a knock upon his door, well, it wasn't [I]his[/I] rather, it belonged to several orphan boys and their sister. The Broker allowed for them to stay in the shack, and made sure they were properly fed and compensated for the act. They would have been poor without him, but that was not the point. They were not the only ones. However, this was not because the man was generous, it was due to his intelligence and understanding of security. The boys, their sister, and any other manner of beggers who he would allow to live in the shacks that he called an extension of his..[I]home[/I] were guards, spies, informants, and considerably useful individuals in relation to hi activities. They whispered in his ears, they told him of the word on the street, and they informed him of his visitors. Not only that, but they were actors, and damned good ones too. They were intelligent, at least the children were, as the Broker tended to only help the children. It also endeared him to some of his more sympathetic clients, made them feel more at ease in a situation where they were forced to deal with a man who the idea of 'wild card' may very well have been derived from...if he were several thousand years older. As such, one of his pawns --for these children were three among a large crowd though the rest were elsewhere-- dashed into a corner of the seemingly dilapidated shack and applied specific intervals of pressure to a portion of the ceiling, which in this area arched down towards the ground, though could still not be considered a wall. A portion of the wood formed a crack and the young boy proceeded to pull it from its place gently. As he worked, his sibling, a younger girl of roughly eight, dashed to the door, pressing her delicate ear to it and listening. The third of the three stood halfway between them, taking cues from the girl, and whispering to the boy in the corner who whispered into a small phone receiver that was imbedded into the sunken ceiling. The girl responded to Domino's knock with a single rapping on the back of the wood. The wood rattled slightly and bent more than normally under even her small fist—it was rotten. The boy between the two in position moved to a small peephole on one side of the door, whereas the girl moved to the otherside and looked out as well. They were able to see their visitor's attire, his nervous scuffling and motions, as well as see a few other telltale articles on his person. Finally the peeping tom tiptoed to the door, standing just behind where it would swing open, while the girl hid in a corner, concealed beneath a pile of inconspicuous blankets. The other boy, who was the eldest of the three, spoke into the receiver, telling the man on the other end the details they had gleaned of the man. After a brief moment he received instructions and as such nodded to the boy behind the door. He opened the door, allowing it to swing open loosely, looking as if it might break. The boy in the corner had already risen and covered the receiver back in its hiding place in the ceiling. [I]“W-who're you,”[/I] the boy said, sounding afraid, though he appeared to be acting brave as he stood as tall as he could and clenched his little ten year old fists. --- Meanwhile, beneath the shack, a gruff man's expression shifted between a variety of emotions, sometimes anger or annoyance, other times happiness, but most often it rested on some manner of amusement. [B]“Fire is dangerous, Domino, and I reckon I toldya that the last time ya dealt with me, but here ya are anyways,”[/B] he said, talking to himself where no one but his sister would hear. Anastaesia, the aforementioned sister, sat in a chair, her legs over one of its armrests and her back leaned against a pillow that was leaned against the other, simply rolled her eyes. [U]“So are all the other elements, even the air we breath can kill us. Doesn't mean we don't keep breathing it,”[/U] she retorted to her brother, whose name even she had forgotten. At this Bree, the DealBroker, the DealBreaker, Broker, smiled, then grimaced, and then shook his head almost sadly. [B]“Sissy, don't give me that, wonderful little piece of-...dribble,”[/B] his speech seemed to interrupt itself, as if he had changed his mind three times in the process of saying it (he had) even though he continued to shake his head as if there had been no shifts whatsoever. [B]“Of course we do, well most of us. Some of us are inclined to sit in our little holes and hide, others are inclined to sit in their own little holes and kill themselves, commit what they think are sins, whereas even others don't care even the slightest and decide ta just leave the hole behind for more [I]stupid[/I] locations,”[/B] the Broker then nodded his head, as if he'd come to some agreement, though the entirety of his run on sentence spoke volumes otherwise...maybe. [B]”R'gardles, it hardly matters, he's here anyways, and I find that to be quite...interesting? Well, maybe more like annoying. I don't know, it's [I]something[/I] that's for sure,”[/B] he said, seeming a bit conflicted with himself. Anastaesia closed her eyes, sighing, as she decided to not even bother with him for the moment. [U]“Whatever, enjoy your little encounter, I'll be in dreamland when you need me.”[/U] The Broker smiled, [B]“Mmhmm, 'when' I need you,”[/B] he said almost sarcastically, almost. Shaking his head again, but this time with a vaguely bemused expression, the Broker stood from his chair, which sat behind a nicely furnished mahogany desk he'd [I]procured[/I] from some former clientele, and walked to what at first appeared to be a small ladder. This ladder was located oddly between two bookshelves, where there was a four foot deep alcove in the wall. However, upon his contact with two spots on the floor of the innermost portion of the alcove, the ladder revealed itself for what it was: an elevator. So, with no time for Domino to even properly respond to the apparently frightened boy, the Broker would appear directly infront of him, having risen to stand in the out of place, and abnormally tall, fireplace in the center of the room. If you're wondering why it's there, don't ask, you won't get any better answer than 'because I felt like it'. [B]“Are you nearly done child #22?”[/B] His tone was serious, though his expression held a smile that was both amused and playful, though the eyes spoke of some other emotion. The boy with clenched fists stomped the floor and frowned, glaring over at the Broker before sighing, nodding, motion to his siblings to come out, and dash to the door. He stopped right in front of Domino, looking him over as if he were judging his very soul, before turning back to the Broker and stating [I]“he's a crook,”[/I] after which he dashed past Domino—not bothering to specify which man he was referring to. His two siblings followed only seconds after, though they didn't stop to look or acknowledge Domino in the least. At the boy's response, the Broker seemed annoyed, for about one...two...three...four...five...six...seven awkward seconds before he looked up to Domino, smiled widely and spoke, [B]“Welcome, don't mind Tommy, he means no harm, though you might want to check your pockets. Anyways, what brings ya to my esteemed established Dom? No, dun answer that, come with me, we'll talk down below, it'll be more...comfy.”[/B] With that, the Broker turned sideways and gestured to the fireplace, [B]”Care to warm yourself up?”[/B] He quipped with a grin.