Chewed up Pork Knuckle inside their bellies and a new round of beer on tabletop, you could now look around The Boar Hall and see the dinner crowd start to fill in.

The late afternoon folk, the early drinkers, cast an entirely different atmosphere than those who had made dinner plans. The difference went beyond the fact that one type dressed better, and beyond the fact that one type ordered food as a subsistence measure while the other ordered off the menu as a social measure. The main difference came in the fact that the late afternoon crowd always looked to be running from something. They were taking refuge inside dim establishments, within the comforts of frosty libations, agreeable music, and an even more agreeable staff who wouldn't judge you for drinking at 3PM.

Berkan knew this pleasure all too well. In fact he'd gotten sick of even the idea of making dinner plans and showing up looking all proper. He'd rather go out ruffled mid afternoon right around the time his brain crashed for a drink and a large meal. It didn't matter if there was nobody to go with. In fact, he liked going alone. He liked how quickly the beer arrived and how nobody bothered him as he looked around. He considered himself a sitdown flaneur.

But on this day he felt different. He felt excitable. He tried remembering the last time he felt this way. He tried remembering why he stopped feeling like this. But before he arrived at the answer a waiter came around to ask if he wanted another beer.

"No." Berkan said looking into J's eyes. "You like whiskey?"

J nodded.

"Two Baz-Livets please."

"You got it."

The waiter came back within twenty seconds.

"So you were asking about Gabriel?"

"Yeah. You said he'd be really pissed at you?"

"He'd castrate me!'

"He sounds like an intense guy."

"He is. He is."

Berkan extended the glass in his hand towards J. J reciprocated.

"To my new friend. From nowhere. J."

After taking a drink Berkan wiped his mouth and let out a silent burp.

"You don't happen to have any plans tonight do you?"

"None at all. I just arrived remember?"

"Would you be open to meeting Gabriel than?"

"Sure."

"His name is

GabrielGreco

. I warn you though. We'll have to go to a... more shady part of Streak City."

"Oh?"

"It's not far though. It's just shady. It's okay if you don't want to go. But don't make your decision just yet. Let's enjoy this scotch while I tell you about it."

Berkan took a deep sip of his whiskey, eyes closed. 

"I won't want to go there for another..." he looked down at his watch. "hour or so anyways."