First Player/Small Victories

Miles pretended to flick through the headlines of the newspaper as he waited in line for his coffee. Whenever she wasn't looking he stole a few quick glances at the pretty barista as she prepared a latte for a guy in front of him. Her skin was a light shade of caramel brown, which seemed to glow as the sun poured into the coffee shop through the bay windows. The light grazed her delicate features and highlighted her pillowy lips. Her dark hair was pulled into a soft updo, with strands that fell loose just slightly at the nape of her neck and about her face. Her name tag read 'Melody' and Miles made a mental note to start stopping in for coffee more often.

He wasn't actually holding a physical newspaper; it was a tablet computer, one of his own design, that displayed a virtual newspaper. He scrolled down the touch screen with a finger, his eyes lazily scanning the lines of print as people came in and out. Miles noticed a man in a gray suit enter, rather hurriedly, with a brown leather briefcase clutched tightly in his hands. He was an older gentleman, thin, graying around the edges of his slicked back hair, steely blue eyes, and a no-nonsense type of attitude as he hurried up behind Miles. He pushed past both Miles and the guy being served in front of him and leaned over the counter quite aggressively to speak with Melody. Miles couldn't make out what he was saying as the man lowered his voice to a whisper, though it was clear he was upset about something.

The pretty barista named Melody was getting equally flustered as she responded quietly, then gestured toward the door to the kitchen dismissively. The man moved past Miles without looking at him and hurried behind the counter, flinging the door open and storming into the back room. As she regained her composure, she handed the guy in front of Miles his change and still offered a wide smile as gave him his coffee.

She reached under the counter, snagged an 'On break' plaque, and set it in front of her. She offered Miles an apologetic smile while the second barista, a frizzy-haired young blonde offered to take care of him in the line next to his. From the look on her face as she watched Melody hurry into the backroom, it was clear to Miles that she was concerned as well. He clicked off his tablet and slid it into the backpack he was wearing. He raised a finger to the blonde before he could take his order, "You know what? Rain-check." Miles interrupted. He tapped the counter as he turned to leave.

He was halfway out the door when he spoke again, tapping the wireless earpiece in his ear. "Hey Rog, you up?"

"Always, Miles." an electronic voice answered.

"I need an audio amplification. Level five, yeah?" Miles turned the corner, circling around the building towards the back exit.

"Performing some early morning reconnaissance?"

Miles shrugged reflexively, Something like that."

"I hope you're not spying on anyone illegally." The robotic artificial intelligence on the other end spoke up. "Do you remember what happened the last-"

"Hey, shut up, I'm here." Miles interrupted. He pressed his ear up against the side wall of the coffee shop. Much like a human ear, his earpiece (also of his own design) felt vibrations, but to a much more refined degree, so much so that when powered Miles could hear through just about anything.

"I'll have it soon, Eddie, I promise."

"Mr. Hasko." the man corrected. Miles didn't hear Melody say anything in return. She must not have been that intimidated. The man continued. "You better. That three grand's gaining interest every second you make me wait." Miles heard a thump, then snapping and realized the man was opening the briefcase he'd been carrying. Melody squealed. "This belonged to the last guy who didn't return his... "investment" in time. I want my money by the end of the week." He threatened. Miles could only imagine what was in the briefcase, but he was dangerously tempted to intervene. He haited loan sharks. Then he heard shuffling, then doors being pushed open. He peeked around the corner of the building and saw Hasko saunter out the back exit into the alley, sans briefcase. He lit a cigarette before walking off down the block.

A few minutes later, a visibly shaken Melody exited the back of the building as well. She carried the briefcase under her arm as she hurried over to a dumpster, flung open the lid and tossed it inside. Miles saw her dry her eyes before walking back inside. Miles glanced around to make sure he wasn't being watched before he turned the corner and jogged over to the dumpster. He lifted the lid and pulled the briefcase out of the garbage, unsnapped then opened it. A severed human hand was the only thing inside.

"Wow, what a cliche." Miles scoffed. Years of watching crime dramas on television had totally desensitized him. If anything, Miles resolve was only strengthened by the hand. "Roger, pull me up everything on Eddie Hasko." he whispered, as he closed the briefcase back up. He set it on the pavement, swung his backpack off his arm and pulled out his tablet computer again. Displayed was a line of mug shots, every one belonging to Hasko.

"Wow, what a rap sheet. Racketeering, aggravated assault. Extortion..." Miles responded in awe as he read through the file Roger had sent him.

"What are you planning on doing?" Roger inquired.

"Ask me again in about an hour or two."

"But you have an afternoon meeting with SlyTech executives about your 'Slice' prototype. They're very anxious to see the pro-"

"If they're that anxious..." Miles cut in. "Then they'll reschedule."

"Very well." Roger added with a sigh. He muttered something that sounded vaguely like "damsels in distress".

"What was that?" Miles questioned quickly.

"Nothing, Miles. Nothing."

Miles entered the coffee shop in the exact same manner he did the day before, but this time with an actual newspaper. Melody was working the bar again and Miles entered her line, despite the opposite line being shorter. He waited patiently, but on the inside was giddier than a four year old on Christmas morning.

When he reached the counter Melody took his order again. He couldn't tell if she recognized him from the day before or not, but when he went to pay he purposefully set his paper on the counter and sneakily watched as her eyes drifted downwards to the page.

The headline read "Legitimate Businessman Is Anything But" and pictured was a big, brand new mugshot of Eddie Hasko. Melody almost spilled his coffee. Miles played it off but on the inside he was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Weird, huh?" he nodded toward the paper as Melody snatched it up. "Police found a human hand in the trunk of the guy's car."

The look on her face said it all. She was speechless.

"Looks like he'll be going away for awhile." Miles went on. "It's a good day for anyone he's been hasslin yeah?"

She must have realized she was holding up the line as she finally looked up. She titled her head, furrowed her brow, and it was clear she had just now recognized Miles and was about to question him. But he lifted his coffee in a quick toast and added "You can keep the paper, and the change."

Beaming, he turned and left his place in line and exited the coffee shop. It was the small victories that really counted, he thought to himself.