Link

The day was hot, being about mid day as Alex stood on the deck of the less then reputable merchant ship he stood on. The sound of sea water slapping on the hull of the ship was prevalent as the ship broke through the small waves. Alex's hat kept the sun off his face and person, though his coat only hampered him in that regard to keeping cool. Not that Alex particularly noticed, ignoring the heat was something that he had long since learned to do since making his choice of fashion. Currently occupying his mouth was some off brand cigarette he managed to pocket off some schmuck before leaving Alabasta, hardly what he would normally use but desperate times call for desperate measures. Two suitcases accompanied Alex on his little cruise, one being filled with personal belongings, the other being full of payment to which he was to pay the merchant for the travel.

With a relaxed look on his face, Alex spoke in a just as relaxed tone "Ah, what a beautiful day today. Birds are singing, Flowers are probably blooming somewhere, On days like this make me really want to steal from a bastard." With a laugh that resounding around the deck of the ship, Alex drew the attention of the crew who were simply going about their business. Some didn't even bother looking up at him as their resting bitch faces continued about their business, others looked up at Alex like he was crazy fora moment and continued on as well. Alex simply dropped his fake smile and relaxed look and simply continued to stare out at the quickly approaching Baltigo. They would be there within the hour, meaning Alex could figure out whats been happening since he was last here. But more importantly, where the bastard who shot him in the back was. Literally shot him in the back as well, only he was allowed to betray people dammit!

With a frustrated sigh, Alex scratched the left side of his head. The very fact he was even going so damn far out of his way to do this was practically murder to his own character. Yes, he was betrayed and literally shot in the back. But so what? It wasn't the first time he was left for dead by someone betraying him, nor was it the first time someone stole his prize. So what made this one all the different...? Sighing once more attempting to calm down, it was all just so very frustrating. Looking back up at the quickly approaching island, Alex cast his thoughts back to Sandy where all of this started.


It was hot. But it wasn't like Alex had much of a choice to be here. Being practically forced into this deal by a Kingpin didn't exactly scream willingness to do a job. If a Kingpin asks you to do something, you damn well did it else found yourself six feet deep into the ground. "So, this is the place?" Alex said to the man beside him, currently with his hat off and fanning himself with it. Alex currently stood before a large opening into what at first glance could be called an ordinary cave, but upon further inspection revealed itself to have symbols above the cave entrance. The symbols had at one time been of the three eyed race's language. At one time because the symbols were so damn weathered Alex couldn't make heads or tails of it.

The man next to him who stood a good two feet above Alex grunted in acknowledgement, the man clad in a black and brown two piece suit with a black eye patch over his left eye. The man with blonde hair chewed on a cigarette, clearly now understanding that'll cause ash to fall into the man's mouth. "Our boys found this a few weeks ago, been looking to find out whats inside. Even brought in some egg heads who apparently knew their shit about the Three eyes. None of them lasted a week, place is riddled with traps." The blonde man said, motioning for Alex to go inside. "Come on, we'll head inside and show you the notes the egg heads got down." He said, not even allowing Alex the pleasure of entering first. Alex followed him inside anyway.


Alex was drawn from his thoughts by the ship hitting the dock of Baltigo's port. Alex looked out over the city scape before him, drawing in a large breathe through his nose and smelling the mess of smoke, unwashed bodies, and sea due to how he was still in the dock. It felt good to be back in Baltigo after a few months. Everyone here cheated each other, and it felt damn good to be back where he can cheat and steal with everyone else. Standing at the bow as he was, Alex turned around to look for the captain who would no doubt want his money for the ride.

OOC Player Notes:

Equipment:

OOC Battle Mod :

It's not like whoever Alex interacted with in the underworld would recognize him. In fact, they're probably more intimately involved in the proceedings of the devil fruit auction right now. They aren't personally on guard for a supposed dead man. Nonetheless, the island is displaying the rarest of devil fruits and security is at it's highest. Even if Alex wasn't around, security is high for anybody who wants the fabled devil fruit. The stability of the island and the residents were kept out of the know, but all sorts of factions had already made their preparations. In the background, CP9 agents bred from childhood to kill had already infiltrated the ranks of the underworld. Like in canon, the CP9 agents aren't suspected by even their closest "allies". As for someone like Alex arriving at the last minute: he stood out like a sore thumb.

Entry to the island could only be scrutinized so tightly at this moment and Alex's appearance would already be indirectly forwarded to his former associates. There wouldn't be anybody of note immediately willing to do the dirty task of detaining Alex though. For one, people wouldn't know who he is that quick or deem him any sort of a threat. Even if people were sent to scoop up Alex, they'd be equivalent to basic civilian thugs. For now, Alex still had a chance to cover his tracks and think about how he was going to participate in the fun. The island is bustling with activity perhaps as a side effect of the auction.

Indeed, the greedy fat bastard, who had more greed in his mind then sense, was slowly and what the fat bastard no doubt thought discreetly approached him. Back when Alex was securing transportation to Baltigo, he had sought out the greediest and most scumbaggist idiot he could find. Alex truly did out do himself. The man making his way towards him was the biggest penny grabber, money seeking, opportunity sniffer Alex found this side of Reverse mountain and damn if he wasn't the most gullible man Alex ever had the displeasure of meeting. The man had a natural musk that sent rats scurrying away in revulsion, and if that wasn't enough his fashion sense consisted of what were no doubt noble garbs, if the garbs had been thrown threw enough dirt and grime that a beggar on Batigo wouldn't touch for fear of fitting the part to damn well. That same man was now approaching Alex in the promise of the Beli that is promised to be in his suitcase. Dumbass didn't even check to make sure Beli was actually inside the suitcase after Alex slammed down a million as down payment, that just goes to show how dumb the penny pinchers could be... Damn waste of a Million Beli though. Also didn't help the man attempted to steal the case at every opportunity he was given, probably so he could cast Alex into the sea with less then his suitcase to stay afloat with. It was only due to keeping a constant watch on his suit case and a few choice words that hinted at a shoot out that stopped the captain from actually succeeding at his goal to rob Alex blind.

Alex turned looked down from the edge of the ship's bow down onto the docks of the Nil district, the best place to get into the island... At least for those that don't want to be known about. Kingpins of couse had people watching the Nil, who the hell doesn't? Doesn't change the fact it isn't nearly as watched as any the other districts. Putting his boot on the ship's railing, Alex would half turn to face the captain who is now quickly sallying up to Alex now that it seemed he would be leaving without paying. The man wouldn't make it half way before Alex threw the suitcase with his supposed payment in it. "Its been a displeasure sailing with ya Capt. I hope you enjoy everything you can buy in that suitcase." With a laugh, Alex would jump off the front of the ship onto the docks and start running into the crowd before the captain opened the case.

The captain instantly lost interest in Alex the moment the case was in his hands and was already jiggling at the switches to open the case to get his hard worked due. It actually took the man a few moment to jiggle it open, though what awaited the man sent him into a huffing rage. glued to the inside of the top half of the suitcase was a cartoonist picture of Alex's face sticking its tongue out. Probably didn't help the matter it looked like it was drawn by a child. "THAT BAAAAASTAAAAARD!" ...It certainly was amazing Alex could hear this even from within his hideyhole of an alleyway a good 50 meters away from the dock.


Of course Alex wasn't going to stick around to deal with the fallout of a murderously mad captain who would have no qualms about throwing his corpse into the ocean. Within moments of hearing that yell, Alex slipped back into the crowd and attempted to get as far away from the docks as he possibly could, and towards his, normally, safe hiddy hole of the second district. Course, no place on Baltigo was truly safe... Unless you counted the 9th district but no one in their right mind was going to touch that place with an eleven foot pole... Ignoring his inner ramblings Alex turned is mind towards the destination, the 2nd district. Alex had a good friend he had often gone to when he stole from some dude on Baltigo, one Madam Fae. A simple brothel owner who always got the good gossip from her girls or regulars, her own shop being the kind that let people take a couple girls with them to show off at parties or business deal or what have you. Alex, of course, fell into the Regular category whenever he was in town though he did on occasion have a girl with him when he needed to flaunt some wealth to some man he was going to steal from next.

If one knew their way around Baltigo, they could reach the second district from the Nil district docks in an hour going along the main roads. The second district is hardly that far from the Nil district, being one of the closer ones to it due to the unnoticed amounts of money being transported through the Nil district by pirates and revolutionaries alike. Baltigo, being one of the few places wanted men can actually walk out in the open without being attacked for their bounty, has plenty of people coming from he Nil district into all of the other districts bar the 9th. Wither Madam K knew this or not didn't really matter, but in the end she managed to attract plenty of costumers from the Nil district by her close proximity to it.

Alex himself was a prime visitor of the second district, always going there to celebrate on stolen money before getting the hell out of dodge for a few days, but he was always back after a couple weeks. Of course the only real way for Alex to get back on he island under the radar of most people is to get in through the nil district and make his way to the second. The winding paths that existed between the Nil and second districts were like a piece of his body, he traversed so damn much over his twenty-two years of stealing, cheating, and debauchery that he could make the journey blind folded... Of course walking bind folded on Baltigo is just asking to get robbed, shot, stabbed, mugged, or any other terrible thing that can happen in an alley. Course, Alex took a very strange path to get to the second this time. Alex didn't prioritize speed here, instead avoiding any and all contact with the gangsters, muggers, and homeless that littered the various alleys. He didn't know who exactly was in the Kingpin's pay, but he sure as hell wasn't going to take any chances. He considered anyone and everyone in the alleys a possible spy, thus his constantly ducking in and out of cover as he made his way through the Nil district. It actually took him a bit over an hour to make to where he was going, but as he stood across the street in an alley and looked at the one place on the island where the workers wouldn't sell him out. Looking up at the big neon side out front, Alex smirked before making his way over. To Madam Fae's House of Fun he went.

Equipment:

The crossing of the street to the doors of Madam Fae's was hardly the worst thing he had to do in the last week, surviving a damned booby trapped temple tended to top that list for him. Using the very busy streets, Alex made his way through the giant flood of bodies. The fact there were this many people here was strange, given the fact that Alex didn't believe the fruit would be on the open market making this very weird. Though Alex was going to complain, he slide a pack of cigarettes from the back pocket of some dude in a poor excuse for a suit as he passed and damn if he wasn't to learn they were actually a named brand and not some shitty off brand. Pocketing the pack into his coat, Alex pushed past the through the last person and stepped up the small stair that lead into the house. Throwing away the off-brand cigarette and its pack as he did so.


The inside of Madam Fae's was your standard fare, large stage with multiple poles that lead into a curtained back area, spot lights going down onto the pole plenty of tables and chairs, and of course a fully stocked bar that was closer to the entrance. The place was absolutely littered with customers today however, whether it was from the large influx of people on Baltigo or simply all these people won on a good horse race Alex didn't know. Baltigo tended to make it hard to differentiate between people who won. What did get noticed by Alex however, was how everyone was crowding around the stages where it looked like Azure and Sphinx were performing. Something Alex would normally join in at, but he had pressing concerns for now.  Alex ignored everyone however and instead went to the bar where only a man on the end was, but he was clearly just moping about something as he looked about to pass out and was complaining to some black haired goth met punk man with red eyes and black instead of that white stuff. Alex was never good with Anatomy when it came to anything that wasn't a woman. It was the woman behind the bar that held Alex's attention.


Madam Fae, proud owner of the current brothel/strip club/whore house and the one person on the island he trusted not to rat him out... Unless it threatened her girls then he was dead in the water. Didn't change the fact that she had saved his back more then a few times, and he had scratched hers by robbing a few of her... 'pushier' customers blind. It was a business relationship more then anything, but it left her with money he robbed people of, and it gave him a place to spend his ill gotten gains. Truly, he was a master in the art of making friends. Alex didn't take more then a second to take in his surroundings before making his way towards the bar counter, and with placing his suitcase besides a stool he took a seat before the madam who was looking towards her right at the girls on stage dancing. She didn't look up at him, even as he made his way towards her nor when he set down and put his suitcase down.

Alex's knock on the wooden counter however, was met with her turning her head to regard him with a soft smile on her face, and with her raising a wine glass, which she suddenly had in her hands, up to her lips and drinking. Alex reached into his coat and pulled out the pack of named brand cigarettes he had gotten outside and retrieved one from the carton and put it to his lips, while his left brought out his lighter. Pocketing the carton, Alex would hold a hand over his cigarette as he lit his lighter and brought it up to his cigarette and lit that as well. Flicking the cap back onto the lighter, Alex would pocket before leaning back and take a long drag, releasing all that smoke with a long sigh. After that the two just sat there, seemingly enjoying each other's company... That was until The man with red irises spoke neutrally without looking at the two of them. "How long are you two going to be overly dramatic." There was a second where nothing happened. Then the second that followed was where Alex and Fae snickered like school children. Before they were both laughing. "What a killjoy! My own employee as well!" Madam Fae said with a voice full of overly dramatic gesture of holding a hand over her hair and looked hurt. Alex himself was continuing to snicker as he watched Fae continue with her antics. "Yes, well I felt that if I didn't interrupt you two someone was going to get the wrong idea and assume you two were 'cooler' then you actually are." The man said with no apathy, still not even looking over at them instead his attention on a bit of something at the bottom of a glass he couldn't seem to get off.

Alex gave a soft chuckle at the man. The man in question was Anthony, someone Madam Fae had recruited a few years back to work for her. Alex didn't know the story behind it, nor did he want to. You didn't go asking about someone's past on Baltigo unless you were going out of your way to end them or steal from them. Alex dismissed the man from his mind as he leaned forward and put both his elbows on the counter top. Looking at Madam Fae with a serious expression, who met his eyes with her soft smile never changing. She did continue drinking from her glass of wine however. "So," Alex started. "what do you know about anything big happening on in the next few days?" Alex finished, never taking his eyes off Madam Fae. She just continued to meet his eyes with her smile and her glass of wine before taking her eyes off him and returning them to Azure and Sphinx who were going back towards the curtained off back room. She wouldn't respond for a few moments to let the tension build before she spoke again. "Word on the block was that you were offed. Considering you're here means that someone once again failed to kill you for good." Fae said passively. "Though the fact it came from one of Kingpin's men was a bit of a surprise." Returning her gaze back to him, she left the question of what he did unsaid. "To answer your question though, there are plenty of big names flooding into town. Have been for the last few days. A wealthy merchant has also asked for one of my prettier girls to show off at an auction. Wouldn't say what the auction was for. I assume you know though?" Fae asked innocently enough. Alex hummed in agreement as Anthony slide him a glass, which he picked up. "I have my suspicions." Alex answered as he took a sip of the drink. A small one to test for poisons, he was to on guard today to relax. Fae returned her gaze to the stage where Cupid and Flint Lock took the two poles and started their routine. They stayed that way for a good few minutes, before Alex sighed in a mix of embarrassment, sadness, and overall exasperation as his head fell into his hands. Slowly he dragged his hands down his face, before he looked up to meet Fae's eyes. "I don't suppose you could get me into that auction." Fae's smile turned devious, a grin slowly spreading across her face. "Why Alex," She started, already filling Alex with regret and growing despair over his decision.

"I'd hope you'd ask for my help."

Equipment:

OOC Battle Mod:

"And as much as it makes me happy you asked: I need a payment. What will you give me for risking myself? Whoever helps you in will be found out so what guarantees my safety?" Teasing rhetorical questions were presented to Alex. Fae's face suddenly turned into a sneer. It's not like Fae had 0 backing. With the nature of her business, her need for self-protection, and her experience she'd gained some allies sometimes even through seduction. But even if she had Alex sneak in as a man-toy bunny that would risk her girls. The second Alex did something wrong her girls would die and Fae herself might be next. She knows the Kingpins and the area better than Alex, yes. Unlike him, she hasn't made a mistake to date. Backing for someone like her only reached so far. This was one of the most profitable and political events for Baltigo in quite a while.

The more money the merrier as they say. Except, for this auction the most rarest of devil fruits is on sale. The main purpose of this auction is the devil fruit alone and that's almost enough. Rowdy and uninvolved parties like the regular A-lister aren't invited. It lowers the prestige of those present. Therefore, the "A-lister" was clearly lying. Someone so lucky wouldn't be in the open like this as well flaunting their wealth. "It'll be so great you have no id-..." Fae's bodyguards or perhaps somebody offended for the Kingpins picked up this guy and took him to who-knows-where. As shady and as similar to Kaito as possible, these dark-cloaked men left with Fae to the backroom. Signalling Alex to follow if he wanted to discuss business Fae had a casual smirk on. Fae left with her back to the floor while one of the guards looked back at Kaito. Using a higher perception stat than Kaito with his low stat total, they glared at the Mink directly and smirked before walking away.

Cost. Cost, cost, cost. God, how he hated that word. No matter who you dealt with, no matter who it is that you were talking to. Eventually you would have to pay them something. Money or otherwise didn't matter but it was always going to cost you. Course he was a fucking hypocrite. He made people pay him with everything they damn well owned, and even then took the cloths of their backs if it would get him laid with good beer and better drugs. Paying was just something Alex had to deal with, though it did certainly annoy him.

Alex looked at Fae as she motioned for him to follow, with the knowledge that she simply wouldn't request a fun time in bed Alex begrudgingly stood and followed. He grabbed his suitcase as Fae came out from behind the bar and went towards the door to the right of the bar. Alex through his suitcase of his shoulder, where he held it hanging down against his back with a loose grip. Alex followed Fae through the door and into a small hallway, hardly larger then one you might find in any common household if you didn't count how it curved. Fae lead him through a few winding corners and into a room with two couches and a small table which held an ash tray, something Alex immediately assumed was for him. Fae took her spot on the far side of the coffee table opposite the couch where Alex went and made himself comfortable.

One last drag of his cigarette and Alex crushed the head of it into the ash tray where he ground it out and left it there. "Alright, I got something to offer ya. In a place called Valley of the Kings on Alabasta is a temple where I got hired to investigate it. Well, long story short I did the job and inside I found a very special thing. A circular room with an alter in the middle with a big ol' murral going all the way round it. In good condition might I add." Alex said, making hand gestures to go along with his story and to attempt to sell Fae on the entire idea, as the room flashed in his head. The room he got literally shot in the back. "And I just so happen to know one person on Baltigo who would certainly buy a map to such a place and who might be willing to give their protection to said person selling." Alex said with the same neutral look he kept on his face the entire time since entering the room. They both knew who Alex was talking about. It was hard not to. The 9th kingpin Mrs. Ruins always shelled out prime money for locations of ruins or artifacts. Three eyes especially selling well these days. "So Madam Fae, hows that for an offer?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Alex wasn't lying about the mural either, it was in good condition... good condition for a scrap heap. Parts of the mural was cracked and overall was just crumbling away.

Equipment:

Lalalala this manly man had some nice tale to spin. Fae listened patiently to the whole tale with a straight face. She kind of blanked out a while ago after hearing she wasn't going to get any material gains. Fae twirled her hair with a finger at her sides. After a while Alex stopped and Fae figured there was nothing else interesting. "That'd take some time to confirm a "might". Sounds like a waste of time." Keeping a positive flow with kindly words, Fae wouldn't immediately reject Alex. Instead, she looked to the side to an approaching guard. This guard glared down Alex on his approach like he stepped on his mother's face. After approaching Fae fully the guard would look at Alex and spit at him. The guard had a pretty high perception and knew Alex wasn't fully sincere. What, was this guy the poorest friend in the world? "Well...In consideration of our relationship I'll check it out later and see if you wanted to harm me." Simultaneously to the guard spitting, more guards would in cue surround Alex in response to Fae's angry tone. Even if Alex had a gun, they were in an enclosed space with the guards 10 inches away. The room was relatively soundproofed and away from anybody to interfere. Each bodyguard tried to shake Alex down for his Beli (in the millions)+or his gun. If Alex didn't resist and knew his place, Fae's face would turn into a bright smile.

"I needed something to give to the auction hosts. Now, not later. Have a nice time at the auction honey. Somebody will escort you there when the time is right! You're super weak and it'd look bad if the Kingpin's guests got jumped. Even if you're going there as a boy-toy bunny." Before kicking out Alex, Fae would sincerely and nicely give him his instructions for the auction. The location wasn't disclosed to him for his own safety. And before the guards would kick out the boy-toy, Fae would place her layers of chubbiness under her dress against Alex. Her hand would sneak into his inner thigh and slap it tightly. Then, Fae left to return to the floor without a look back at the guards hopefully escorting Alex out.

Alex sat there, laying back in the couch as the men came into the room and surrounded him. He knew this was going to go one of two ways, either they were going to rob him or kill him... He didn't like either option. The loogey shot at him would impact directly onto his chest where his house's (fake) golden sigil lay, though it didn't get a reaction out of Alex. He had been through enough name calling, items throwing, and other general forms of abuse through his life. Such a little thing hardly mattered to him. Even as two guards grabbed him by his elbows and armpits and pulled him to his feat and started to pat him down, taking his jacket off so they can take Colada, its bullets, as well as its holster from him, and even went through his suitcase to take the seven million he had stored in there, Alex kept his neutral demeanor and even had to audacity to look bored during it all. Alex's only real reaction was an annoyed sigh, but that was the only real thing he did. Madam Fae did come forward to him through, still smiling that annoyingly cheerful smile, though Alex looked at her as if to ask if that was all she needed. He did spare her a raised brow at the slap to his left thigh before she left, considering she went under his coat to do it.

The guards gave Madam Fae a few minutes before he was grabbed by his elbows and dragged out of the room into the corridor. The men seemed to follow the same path Alex took coming back, even going out the same door to the bar floor though Madam Fae wasn't anywhere to be seen however. Anthony, however, was still cleaning that glass and said casually, without looking up from it, as Alex past to say "I added the drink to your tab." Before Alex was going past him with a grimace newly formed on his face. The front doors were opened and Alex was thrown bodily from the building into the main street. Alex landed hard on the back of his neck before falling backwards and landing on his stomach. Alex's suitcase hit him on the head, also being thrown from the building by one of the men, and landed besides him.

With a curse under his breathe, Alex would stand and swipe his suitcase up and follow the flow of traffic up the road. He knew to meet back up at her bar in a few hours, but that was all the damn information he got. Alex threw his suitcase over his suitcase as he started to think again. Baltigo was hardly a nice place to be without a gun or knife, being effectively robbed he was also out of money... There were plenty of loan sharks on the island... Alex shook his head before he split from the crown into an alley way. Alex continued down it until he turned left into another stone corridor, and leaned against the left wall. Setting his suitcase down onto the dry walkway, Alex took his hat off and scratched his head in annoyance before deposition the hat back on. After a moment Alex unbuttoned his coat to see if there was anything on his thigh Fae might of slipped him however. No matter if there was or not, Alex happily took out a cigarette and his lighter, which he was very glad Fae didn't take, and took a nice long drag and started thinking. He needed to do something...Drastic.

OOC:

'Ya know, this has been a pretty shitty week.' Alex thought to himself as he started to think up a plan of what to do. 'First I get shot in the back by the people I was gonna steal from and have to scramble to Baltigo. Then I get robbed blind by an ally.' He thought to himself as he stuck a cancer stick in his mouth and was in the motion of pulling out his lighter when a random man appeared in front of his person as he was stuck in thought. 'Oh, and there is apparently this guy.' Alex thought as he looked at the man with a bored and dull expression before carrying on with bringing his lighter up to the end of the stick o' death.

With a drag, Alex would turn his head to the side and blow it out before turning back to the man. "Never had a friend besides Mr. Daniels and Mr Tobacco. Don't care for anymore either." Standing up from where he was half crouched half leaning on the brick wall, Alex would look at the man once more and tip his hat to him with a smirk on his face before turning to his right and walking back down the alleyway towards where the main road was. Alex hardly acknowledged the 'Business Proposition' the man made before he responded with a sarcastic "Oh sure, but tell ya what, I got somewhere to be, tell ya what. Meet me here tomorrow at exactly nine o' clock and we can hammer out the details." with a smirk over his shoulder the entire time before turning forward once more with a neutral face on. The man was obviously some sort of con, they did tend to patrol the streets round here looking for a 'Joint business venture' to start a strip club or something before stealing all the money and disappearing. They were a dime a dozen and Alex had no need to deal with them right now.

'Auction'. Those were the words that sent Alex's mind working midstep. The fact that the man knew of the auction when only high level players did spoke volumes of what the man, if not his status then his information network... At least at face value thats what could be taken from it. Alex knew from a long hard life that you could bullshit your way out of plenty of situations by allowing others to assume things you didn't outright say, pick up hints you didn't even leave. A person's assumption was one of the greatest tools one could use against them, besides their personalities themselves... It really spoke of the position Alex  was in that he couldn't understandably turn away from this possibility.

With his right foot he placed on the ground without stopping his stride the entire time he thought, Alex would proceed to rotate three hundred sixty degree on the heel and start walking back to the man. His stride remaining the same as the man who spoke made himself a seat on the trashcan. Alex would give a seemingly happy small smile as his stride would continue until he was right next to the man, where he would stick out his right hand, which didn't hold his suitcase, in the gesture for a hand shake as he leaned down a bit so the man could shake it easier. "Why Hello there, I hear you had a proposition?" Alex said with all the fake, yet surprisingly convincing, happiness. Alex has had many years to practice his poker face no matter what form of face he was making. Hell, he could practically change the tone of his voice to be outright angry on the surface, yet wouldn't actually care for whatever had seemingly made him angry. Such was what was needed to con plenty of people out of their money.