I walked down the alley, my hands in my pockets and boots clicking on the stone floor. It smelled like urine and alcohol down here. Luckily I didn't need to stay here for long.
Shops advertising women and men lined the back of these streets, all with dimmed lights and barbed windows. I cringed, adverting my gaze. I was not here for that. My boss was watching my every move. My every step, breath, thought.
I was just another stranger from a long time ahead.
I can't tell you a lot about why I was here. I can only tell you what happened. What I thought. What I felt. That's how stories go, do they not?
I approached the speakeasy. I hoped dearly he was here, or else this would all be in vain.
It was the prohibition. That meant that bars like these were closed off and moved, to back alleys. A whole line of workers were cut off from their jobs and working in secret.
I opened the door and immediately skimmed the room. It smelled heavily of smoke and alcohol. Slow jazz played while people sat at the bars and in the booths. The bartender eyed me. A new face, he must've been thinking.
According to my boss, he would be here any minute with a gun in his pocket and the intention to kill. For now, I just needed to order a drink. After all, I'd need something to drink before I did this.
The bartender moved over to me with a tired look on his face. "Well? Are you going to order something?"
I put my elbows on the bar. "Old-fashioned."
"Absolutely."
As the bartender turned, I looked back to the door. I did my homework. As the clock ticked my eyes flashed to the door. If I did my homework correctly, an attractive lady would sit next to me and order a drink.
She did. To be fair, I did side-eye her for a little too long. She looked at me and winked, then ordered a drink.
Cling.
The bartender set down my drink. He noticed how we met eyes. "Banks closed," he scoffed, probably thinking I was going to start something.
I smiled as I mixed the ice cube around in its cup. If I wasn't here she would've been dead in a couple of minutes. I took a sip.
I stood up after a bit, catching the eyes of many other speakeasy-goers. "Hey, this isn't some bootleg, you bird. You gotta pay for that," the bartender spoke.
I ignored him as I stood in front of the door. Waiting. The door slowly creaked open as a fairly young and well-dressed man came in. His eyes stood out like a sore thumb, though. Dark around the edges and light blue in the middle. He looked to be sleep deprived. This assault was premeditated.
"Good evening," I said, peering to his belt. "Have any business here?" Every word I said was practiced, unbeknownst to the murderer.
"You better get outta my way or else I'll make ya."
His hand lowered as he took a step forward. "Don't do this.”
Before I could say anything else, his hand was reaching towards his gun. I scowled and punched him in the jaw, making his head ricochet on the doorframe and on the floor.
People gasped at the sudden violence. One lady even screamed. I turned my head towards her, which was a mistake. Not a big one. Just a mistake.
Boom.
A bullet went straight into my foot. I winced, glad I had taken the shot earlier. Turning back to the man, his eyes were crazed, and his gun was up, although he was down, his jaw a bit unhinged.
I smiled. This is the kind of man we need.
I leaned forward and kicked the gun out of his hand. I then walked toward him, one hand still resting neatly in my pocket, and dragged him out of the saloon and into the alleyway. He managed to get up, but I restrained him against the wall.
“Listen,” I commanded as he was struggling against me. “Listen!”
He stopped.
“Hey, don’t be all sad. If I wasn’t here this would’ve gone according to your plan. You would’ve killed that beautiful girl who rejected you a couple weeks ago, and a couple other people who stood in your way.”
He just stared, huffing and puffing. “How did you-”
“We don’t have much time,” I continued, pulling out a blue bracelet and clasping it on his wrist. He looked down, a bit dazed. “All you need to know, is that we need you and your crazy plans. You have great potential. And you would be of great use to us, if only you would listen.”
I emphasized the ‘great use’ to him, knowing all his life he had felt useless and unwanted.
I stepped back and pulled out the silver pen. “If anything feels tingly, tap twice on your bracelet.”
He must’ve thought this was a dream because he kept opening and shutting his eyes. The lanterns above us swung from the wind.
He didn’t even get to ask what happened before he was sent to real time in a fury of blue bolts. I sighed and put the pen back in my pocket. I continued walking out of the alley way.
I tapped on my earpiece once I was far enough from the whole scene “Boss? You there?”
“Good work, Solo Hawk. Our agents just received him now.”
“Am I needed anywhere else in the 20’s?” I asked.
“No, but there’s a woman in the 70’s I want you to take care of. I’ll message you when you’re there.”
There was a beep when my boss left the call. I had always wanted to visit the 70’s.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8oeZaB23b
As I walked out of the dim alley way I thought, I forgot to pay for the drink.
ns 15.158.61.18da2
