His Stepping Stone, Their Entrance.

It took a few hours for Gregor to reach the States via helicopter. He and Gunslinger had worked for months finalizing this prototype, faster than any other helicopter on the planet, faster than most commercial airliners as well. Problem was, he still had to find Gunslinger. His current predicament was bad, obviously, but the desert was large, and their lab remote. There were no real coordinates, only rough estimates. But their were few ghost towns left in the US by now, especially near the lab. However it was still a guessing game. All Gregor could do was fly on until he spotted some sign of the Gunslinger's location.

Gunslinger put the laptop aside, Hopefully Gregor got the message. He took another sip, this one extended and intended to finish the mug. Gunslinger slammed the mug down. He felt funny, a little tipsy from the booze. He decided it was time to try to relocate his shoulder. As he applied pressure, a sharp pain could not give him the resolve to fully relocate it. Gunslinger yelled in pain, letting go and falling down on his good side. He was miserable. The booze helped a little bit, but it also drove him to sleep.
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A few hours later, Gunslinger heard a small sound outside the ambient sound of whistling wind. It was soft at first and Gunlinger dismissed it as he stirred over to his bad side. Gunslinger jumped awake screaming in pain. He rubbed his shoulder trying to soothe it.
The booze did well to act as a painkiller but this would have to wait. The out of place sound grew louder and at this point was identifiable. It was a helicopter. Hopefully it was Gregor on his way to help. Gunslinger put back on his sock mask and went upstairs. He looked around for something to make a fire with, the tables and chairs were screaming firewood for him. But he had to find a slight source, he looked at the bar-table. The cash register was of an antique model. It was mechanical and would not light anything. But behind it was a lantern. Perfect. Gunslinger rushed over and picked it up. Pulled out his gun and shot the middle of it, It was worth wasting a bullet for. He had only three left plus 12 in the M4, He had enough for whoever was in that helicopter. Gunslinger took the parts of it, the lighting Flint and steel mechanism that lights it, and the bowl that held the oil. gunslinger pocketed the flint and steel and his gun, grabbed the bowl with his bad hand, and grabbed the nearest chair and dragged it to the saloon doors. Gunslinger kicked it open, knocking the rotting wood right out into the middle of the street. Gunslinger put the oil down and threw the chair onto the the broken door and went back inside. He proceeded to throw three more chairs out. By now, the helicopter was getting pretty loud. Gunslinger rushed outside and grabbed the oil. There was not much in it, but it would have to do. He spread it around the wood, and threw the can in there for no reason. He then pulled out the flint and steel, and lit the wood. It took off ablaze. Gunslinger rushed back in, looking for something that would make more smoke. Looking down he saw a large rug. That would do. He dragged it out with some painful effort due to him resorting to use his bad arm. He threw it on the now raging bonfire. And soon enough, it created a pillar of smoke. Hopefully Gregor would see it.

Bliss watched as Chelle came back from the trance she gazed off into faded into a re-imagining of reality. The smile Chelle wore morphed into a grin as Chelle turned back to usher herself off. The details of the deal still sat covered in a fog of confusion and innuendo, but Bliss held no resentment to what was going on. Percival was just another man; another power hungry man looking for his shot at control. Bliss stared motionlessly at the desk in front of her. The politician needed power because in reality his office gave him none; he tried his whole life in politics for whatever bravado he thought would spill forth, but only found a jewel encrusted leash holding him to a mystery man; a man with control. A man who planned and coerced his way to controlling others.

Bliss came to as Chelle mentioned her. She looked up and glanced her eyes over to the exchange. She waited for Percival's gesture to her leaving before interjecting. "I'm your girl for the next few months. " She avoided letting him know that she knew nothing of the deal, or of her employer for that matter. "I'd like to see where I'll be staying, and if you could get me some dossier as to what exactly my job will entail." Bliss stood up and stretched; meetings always made her stiff, regardless of how short they lasted. She locked her hands behind her back and popped her shoulders. "And don't make me wait too long, okay."

Percival's hand grasped Chelle's not too tight, but firm. "It was a pleasure meeting you." he said in a smooth voice, he smiled until he heard Bliss speak then his face turned plain as he looked over at her and released Chelle's hand. "Why of course, did you really think I would leave you in the dark?" with this he approached Bliss and put his arm around her shoulder, he nodded towards Chelle to signal a departure, both her's and theirs alike. Percival then looked over at Bliss, and spoke quietly "You will be staying with me. Is this okay?" he asked her in a calming voice barely above a whisper.

"Your invitation sounds most promising." Bliss whispered back. "I hope to see the settings that a man of your stature caters to." Bliss walked forward with Percival to his destination. His grip felt relaxed, but powerful, laying upon her shoulder. I felt as though he gently sought to control her, like a frog being boiled alive. His smile stayed plastered along his face, as his eyes moved Chelle away from their engagement. "I think it would be best if you filled me in on what exactly you need me to accomplish for you."

Percival's smile faded as his eyes moved to Bliss, "In due time my dear." he said as he walked to the door. "First thing we must do is get you settled in, there is no need in worrying about things that have little relevance" Percival moved his arm from Bliss's shoulder and buried them into the pockets of his dress pants, and fumbled with the keys that sat in his pocket, on his way out he would need to speak with his personal bodyguard. His mind wandered for a moment as he thought of his plans for Bliss, she was essential so he needed her to be on board with him before he revealed anything to her.

Bliss stood at the door, watching Percival converse with one of his hired men. The agreement constantly threw aside her ability to see past the motives of the players involved. The constant deflection of questions, the use of middle-men, and the fake smiles that faded as quick as they materialized all forced her to focus on the flaws of those she viewed. Her gaze caught the simple dialogue the two men shared. The back and forth, idle chatter that permeated the passageway tapped on her brain like ticks of a time bomb. This man contracted her for something; he knew the deal, but wouldn't let her know.

This was the ignorance Bliss hated, vehemently; the ignorance that hid itself from her. The kind that kept her in the shadows and never told her the necessary information that she needed to know. The same kind of misinformation she knew through her adolescence; the same misinformation that killed her mother. Bliss clinched her fist and focused on the the quotidian chatter. As her fist grew tighter and tighter, the light bulbs above her shattered. She regained her composure as glass rained down upon her and littered the floor.

"I'm not a very patient girl, Mr. Percival."

Percival finished his conversation as Bliss spoke to him. "I can tell, but patience is a virtue my dear." he said to her as he gave her a quick nod. "I am sure you can understand that the information is for your ears only, and I would prefer to speak with you in a more....private situation." as he spoke he reached his hand into the inside of his suit, his hand returned with a pack of cigarettes that rested in a white box with golden trim. "Would you like one?" he asked as he looked down at the cigarettes in his hand, as he looked at them he popped one out and placed it between his lips, before flicking his lighter a few times before finally getting a flame and setting the tip in a slow burning ember.

The enticement of the cigarette sticking out as a symbol of the grave consequences of this dealing rang ironic. Too ironic to pass up. She took the cigarette and ignited the tip. Bliss inhaled the smoke into her lungs, letting it sit and fester within her bronchials. "A private meeting would always be appreciated." She slowly turned her head towards the guard and let loose a spray of smoke in his general direction. "You're excused; go walk the premises or something." Bliss walked behind Percival and stood behind him taking another drag. The height difference between the two could easily be ascertained in the mise-en-scene they created. She crossed her left arm over her torso and let it rest along her right rib cage. "I'm not sure as to the situation your privates lie in, but I'm sure you will be wanting to keep them to yourself around me." She brought the cigarette back to her mouth. "Are you going to call a car?"

Percival smirked and let out a chuckle, "That I will." he said simply as he lead Bliss out of the large building, within a few moments they reached the front entrance. Percival raised his hand and an old style limo pulled to the front, Percival walked forward and opened the door for Bliss. "After you." he said with a smile and a nod, the doors to the limo where inverted, opening the opposite way, a bit awkward looking, but Percival wouldn't have it any other way, the ride would take them out of the city but it wouldn't take too long.

Bliss took Percival's hand and took her seat in the limo. Her cigarette fell upon the ground, as she slid across the seat. She waited for Percival to get into the vehicle before beginning any conversation with him. She gazed through the windows and examined their quality. She couldn't tell if they could repel bullets or if they were normal; she could test that easily, but would refuse the offer. She turned back to Percival. "Once we get to where we need to be, I'll need to requisition a few items for my quarters. Now, what are my primary goals while in your employment?"

Percival slid into the limo after Bliss, he shut his door softly, it was a nice limo, brown leather seats, curtains for the windows, and a small bar consisting of nothing but assorted brands of scotch, and a tinted window between the two sitting in the back and the driver. Percival's cigarette hung loosely in his mouth as he held his arms out and smiled. Percival grabbed the cigarette from his mouth and tapped on the glass to signal the driver to progress. "This." he said simply as he grabbed a crystal container and popped the top of, he poured himself a glass of scotch. "I will be paying you to stay with me, to change your persona, and to go with me to th- Help yourself by the way." he interrupted himself and pointed to the bar. "To go with me, and do as I do. Whenever business with F.E.A.R.E. calls, you will be there, by my side. And should there be a time when danger presents itself, I will personally see to it that you are one of the three that for sure make it out of there alive." Percival raised the glass to his lips as he sipped the strong alcohol. "I am basically paying you, to act in a position many would kill for." he said as kind of a summary.

"A position many would kill for? I hope you mean the death protection and not the personal assistant job I'm taking." She lifted her hand to pass on the alcohol. "So, besides always being at your side in public...wait, why only in public? I hope you're trying to pass me off as your adopted daughter or something, and not some sort of trophy wife." Bliss's body language grew defensive. "I don't do fake relationships with guys who need to look like their into women, okay."

Percival rose the glass to his mouth and shook his head, "You misunderstand, not an assistant, and not only in public." he spoke after swallowing his drink. "We will become great friends you and I." he said as he rested his hands on his glass. He rose his hand for a moment, "If your job description changes I will let you know."

Bliss tapped on the glass gently with her fingers. "I plan on gaining more than material wealth out of this." Her head cocked to the side to look at Percival. "I don't know anything about your organization, and I don't want to. You don't know anything about my plans, and you won't. The relationship will be at a working surface. A superficial surface. If you want friendship out of me, well, let's just say its in short supply." She still held onto the locket Adriano gave her weeks ago. She kept it out of sight, but always close to her. "Don't worry though." She cut off the next part of her sentence. "Just don't worry; I'm here."