freakaheadofthecurve:

Jack nodded, still sizing the other up. He knew, of course, the importance of survival over smarts. He hadn’t lasted as long as he had thus far in his life not to know what it was all about. Especially in Gotham. He had learned a long time ago how to survive and he fought every step of the way to do so. Of course, smarts always had to come into play. That was a given. 

Sure, he was young — a lot younger than half the guys doing the kinds of jobs he had been doing for a couple of years now. Age, as he saw it, was just a number. It didn’t much at all to him. Most of the time, he didn’t even keep track of his. After all, he’d had now choice in growing up fast. He’d been taking care of himself for most of his life. Childhood bliss had been a luxury he never had. 

“I haven’t, ah, I haven’t lasted this long by being stupid, either.” He shifted in his seat, leaning forward a little. Dark eyes remained fixed on the other man as he continued to speak. “Cutting to the, uh, to the point? Who is the right question. Now, this job is important. I wouldn’t, ah, wouldn’t have sought you out if it wasn’t and I thought I could handle every aspect of it myself. Survival and smarts, y’know.”

He arched a brow, turning his lips into a quick, wide smirk. He reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a folded paper and sliding it across the table to the man across from him. “Here. The guy’s name is Maroni.”

Most of the time Eames could get a good feel for a person within the first few moments of talking with them. It was his speciality, after all; knowing how to read people, to manipulate them the way he needed them to be. This particular one, on the other hand, was anything but easy to read. He could see bits and pieces, knew that there was definitely more than met the eye. But he couldn’t put his finger on just what it was about him that made the other so difficult to read. It probably should have put him more on edge, should have had him looking deeper to see if agreeing to meeting him here hadn’t just put him in some sort of danger. Then again, if he constantly did that he’d not be where he was – one of the best criminals in the business.

"Stupidity tends to keep the potential pool quite small,” he pointed out, smirking. Eames hadn’t said the other was stupid. Even he knew better than to say such a thing. He’d seen just what happened when someone dared make such a statement to someone in a position of power. It wasn’t something he ever wanted to see again. “Business is business. You didn’t ask me here to have a bit of a chat. Figured it’s best to get right down to it. Easier on us both, yeah?” And his curiosity was getting the better of him. Just what did this bloke want? A murder for hire? Needed something forged? Or did he need something stolen? Most of the time people hired him to forge documents or lift something from another. Every once and a while they asked him to do the impossible – make someone disappear.

He scoffed at the idea that this job was more important than any of the others. Everyone always assumed their job was more important and as he tapped his fingers on the table, he waited to hear the details. Without them he couldn’t tell the other yes or no. Though he was leaning towards no. His instincts had never gone wrong and at the moment they kept screaming at him to walk away. But what if he didn’t? What if he agreed? Eames knew he hadn’t gotten to where he was without a little bit of risk. So maybe he would take the job and see just where it lead him. It wasn’t like he’d made that much of a home in Gotham. It worked for him because no one knew who he was. But if this went south? His name would be out there as a failure and he couldn’t live with that. Not when his name meant everything to him.

“Maroni, huh,” he said, taking the paper and unfolding it. The name was one that held a lot of weight in Gotham. But not as much as others. “Not one for subtlety are you. Going after him’s quite a risk, you realise. It goes south… ” Well, Eames was certain the other knew just what would happen. But he’d never like the bloke, thought he was far too much ego than actions and maybe ridding the city of him wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

1. fxrgxr-archive reblogged this from freakaheadofthecurve
2. freakaheadofthecurve reblogged this from fxrgxr-archive and added:

   Jack’s gaze met the man’s across from him. He’d listened carefully and gave a nod. The guy had the gist of it and there...

3. forgerextraordinaire reblogged this from freakaheadofthecurve and added:

   Information. He’d been dragged out to the café to dig up information on the city’s influential crime boss. Had he known...

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