He took another drink and downed it one go while 001 continued sipping his first one slowly.
"Why are you so slow?" he asked as he waited for a waiter to come their way with more drinks.
"Why are you so fast?" asked 001.
"Well, I don't drink for the taste, I drink to get drunk. I am a soldier, not a sissy rich bloke." he said as grabbed another waiter who was passing by and picked another drink, downing it just as quickly as he did the previous two.
"You can hold yourself well." complimented 001, he still wasn't done with his first one.
"Must be the Scandinavian blood in me. I have Viking ancestry you know." he said proudly.
"You seem very open to a stranger like me." said 001.
"Oh come on, we exchanged contacts and names. We are already friends." he said laughing.
Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, Jakob noticed a waiter pushing a food cart. He had checked the schedule of the event before, it still wasn't time to serve the food.
"Check the waiter, six o'clock." he said as he set the glass in his hand aside.
001 looked behind and observed the waiter who was still pushing the food cart around the guests.
"There is still time to serve the food, I checked the party's schedule." said Jakob.
The two immediately began walking towards their clients without a word. 'He is very good.' thought 001, that was a small but crucial detail he had missed.
He immediately pulled Sylvia aside who was slightly tipsy from all the drinks she had consumed by now.
"What is it? I am not gonna leave right now." she said irritably.
The waiter who was pushing the food cart skerved it in their direction and began walking towards them.
He looked for Jakob who was already taking the old man and his wife aside, the two locked eyes for a moment when the waiter came dangerously close to him.
"Pardon me sir." he said startled as he stopped the cart from just hitting him.
001 and the waiter locked eyes, in the split second, he noticed the waiter's hand which was underneath the cart. He picked the fork on the cart, bullets were fired from underneath the table, he managed to plunge the fork in the waiter's throat and fell backward as the guests gasped and screamed.
The gunshots were loud, the bullets definitely hit him, he could feel the kevlar layers underneath his suit punctured, question was just how much? Did they manage to stop them from getting pierced in him?
He looked down at his suit which had three bullet holes, all in the abdomen region, quickly sticking his finger inside the hole to check the damage.
There was no blood. He sighed slightly and got up to look for Sylvia. She was calm and composed. It was a good sign. It meant she wasn't hurt and experienced enough in these type of situations to not cause a scene and act rashly.
The guests started scattering, being escorted by their respective bodyguards. Jakob walked towards them after making sure he had sent his client to safety.
"You nicked?" he asked calmly.
"I am ok." replied 001.
"Then start leaving already your briefcase should probably at the entrance I think." he said now looking at the waiter who was holding his neck, losing blood with each shallow breath, his wind pipe getting blocked with it.
"Good reaction speed." he said deeply impressed.
"Thanks for the heads up." nodded 001 as he grabbed Sylvia's hand and began leaving when there were more gunshots, some guests had barely managed to escape while the other lot rushed back in, scared.
"Why is that idiot coming back in!" said Jakob in alarm as he saw the old man ditching his wife who had fell on the floor due to the commotion and rush back in with the rest of the crowd to look for cover.
With a few long strides he reached her and picked the old man's wife in a princess carry and set her behind the stairs of the building which led to the second floor. He pointed the place out to 001 who hid Sylvia with her.
The two men then turned and cracked their necks and knuckles, straightening their backs before 001 rushed to the entrance to retrieve his suitcase while Jakob went back in the venue to find and secure the old man.
001 carefully made his way as he just passed two people with rifles in their hands.
Were the security outside involved? That couldn't have been the case. These men looked something else, not your everyday people in security firms. Probably paid mercenaries. He looked outside the window and his suspicions were correct, he could see a few dead guards outside.
He looked at the entrance, it was being guarded by one man. He then caught a glimpse of his briefcase which rested behind a counter. He needed to get past him and get his hands on it.
Fate seemed to help him as the assailant was suddenly alarmed by sudden gunshots from inside the venue, he left his position to check if they needed his assistance.
001 got his hands on the briefcase and took out the M4, he unlocked the gun and removed the sight. It was going to be close quarters. He needed the gun to be as light as possible for the ease of mobility. He put the two handguns in his pocket and ran towards the place where he had left Sylvia.
But he was startled by the now loud gunshots in the venue and the audible screams of the people inside. He paused. If they really just wanted to make this whole ordeal more profitable, they wouldn't kill the rich, keeping them hostage would be more sensible. Why would they shoot so randomly? Or shoot on someone? Their bodyguards? But only one crazy guy came to his mind who would fight all of them here, when the odds were stacked against him, the Jaeger.
'I am dead.' thought Jakob as he was pinned behind a column. Bullets whizzing past, landing near his feet. One had already grazed through his right lat. His client sat beside him, shaken to the core, trying to make himself appear as small as possible. He heaved a sigh, clutching his side. The few guards who had tried to help him fight the attackers off were already dead. The others had already surrendered, cowering with the other VIPs. He coughed slightly, blood leaked from his wound, this wasn't how he wanted to die, he hoped he would get to die lying beside multiple beautiful women, or just this old man's wife, she was smoking hot after all, being a retired famous actress.
He looked at the exit of the venue where he had earlier entered from and attempted to leave with his client only to get stuck in this.
Now the attackers had completely blocked off the way and were advancing closer to him. Worst of all, he had nothing to defend himself with.
Suddenly one of the attackers was shot down with a bullet to the head, then another. The rest scurried for cover as the hostages' scream enveloped the venue. He peeped from behind his column only to find 001.
"Sunny. Over here!" he managed to call out.
The two locked eyes. 001 threw a handgun at his direction, which landed near his feet.
'This bastard knows I am injured. Yet he handed me a gun. Oh god, I know I asked for a miracle, but not this.' he thought chuckling to himself as he picked the SIG. He heaved another sigh and shot down an assailant who was in his sight.
001 quickly gained ground, his shots precise and he reached the centre of the venue, controlling the area.
The attackers were all killed.
He walked towards Jakob.
"You nicked?" he asked.
"I am ok." he croaked still clutching his side. He grabbed the hand he offered and got to his feet. His white tux was already ruined.
"I owe you a big one." said Jakob.
001 nodded and injected some morphine on his shoulder.
"Woah, a little heads up next time." he said.
"Tell me an exit with which I can leave without being held up." asked 001.
"Enter the men's washroom behind that kitchen. It's used by the staff. I know the lay-out, opens straight in a street, walk straight ahead and you will appear on a main road." he pointed.
001 nodded and a few minutes later came with Sylvia and the old man's wife who was with her.
The woman was visibly worried seeing Jakob's wound but he motioned her to stay away.
The old man tried holding her for some comfort. She looked visibly disgusted, remembering how he had ditched her and ran away earlier.
001 ditched his weapons, held Sylvia's hand and left for the exit.
Sylvia was quiet. She was irritated by him so much, but now he actually proved that his worth. She hadn't seen him killing those attackers but she was sure it was him. He was the only one who was carrying a rifle after all.
He brought his attention on Sylvia, he needed to get her clothes changed. The assailants could be still around, observing every road for a sign of her.
He sat down for a moment, the second last people he wanted to run into were the law enforcement. If they are booked for questioning and led to a station, they would be like sitting ducks. It wouldn't be too hard for those assailants to infiltrate such a place given that they are so desperate.
"What now?" asked Sylvia nervously, noticing him sitting.
"I am thinking. Wait." he said calmly.
'What would Lucy have done in this case?' he thought. She was better than him in these things. She was the best in the entire organisation.
'Use anything you have at that moment. Everything you possess could be used. If you don't. Steal. Or barter.' she had told him once in the past.
He reached for his pockets, he didn't have anything of value at the moment, just his wristwatch, but he wasn't going to give it up. He had already dropped his phone when he had first fell back in the venue when attacked by that waiter. He looked at Sylvia.
"Do you have cash? A phone?" he asked.
"I dropped my phone. I don't carry cash." she said shaking her head.
Suddenly his eyes fell on her brooch. This would be useful. He asked for it.
"What? No!" she said startled as she held onto it.
"We don't have time!" he said irritated.
She slowly removed it, the top her dress opened up, the brooch was keeping it in place after all. Clutching onto the top tightly, trying to cover up as she handed him the brooch.
He removed his blazer and put it on her.
"Hold on. I will try to arrange for something." he said.
Holding her hand and walking, while she desperately tried to keep up, holding on to her dress, walking in her heels wasn't easy, but she wasn't complaining, this wasn't the time for it.
Peering at the main road, his eyes scanned for an empty shop which ultimately fell on a sweet shop just across from where they were standing.
The two quickly went in, mostly unnoticed, other than a few passing glances from the people who were around them.
The store clerk was surprised to see them enter like this.
A woman clutching her top trying to keep herself covered being led by a guy who seemed to have bullet holes in his shirt.
"Look man, I am not trying to get into trouble. You should leave." she began cautiously.
001 put the brooch in front of her on the glass counter.
"Probably worth more than what you will earn even if you worked for 50 years." he said cutting her off.
The clerk gulped. After a few seconds she put up the closed sign and locked the doors.
"Oh my god I would have never done this if I wasn't so desperate for money." she cursed herself audibly.
"I will need cash. Your phone and some clothes for her. Just get a t-shirt for me." he instructed.
The clerk went inside the kitchen and came out after some time clutching some clothes. She handed them to Sylvia who took them and went in to change.
001 took off his shirt and vest and threw them on the floor, straightening his back again as he wore the t-shirt she had given him.
It was tight on his lean physique but it would have to do for now. He looked at the print on the shirt which read, 'Too good bakery'.
"What? I have nothing else to give you." she said noticing his questioning glance.
"Cash and your phone." he said.
She opened the cash register and collected whatever was inside. Then opened her wallet and handed him a sum of $82 and 4 cents.
"That's all the money I could scavenge, you can search for more if you want" she swore.
She then handed him her phone. It was an ancient android whose screen was too cracked and responded after he jabbed his finger on it very aggressively.
"This is why I agreed to this shit ok? Not many people are so well off." she defended herself.
He sighed and made the call to Matthew.
"Who is this?" he answered.
"It's me. We were attacked." said 001.
"Is Miss Stone alright?" he asked worried.
"Your Miss will die if you don't send help." he snapped.
"I am already trying to reach the place with our boys. But we are stuck. The police has sealed all roads. Plus the envoys of those other VIPs are crowding the road too. It's a fucking mess. Send me your location and hold tight. We will come." he said.
"There is no time for that. I am taking her from the subway. Come to the Grand Central." he replied as he ended the call and shoved the phone in his pocket.
"Hey. I would need that." said the clerk.
"Get a new one with that brooch for fuck's sake." he said.
The door of the kitchen opened and Sylvia appeared wearing the clothes of the clerk. Ripped jeans and an over sized t-shirt reading 'I 💓 New York'.
"Not a word of this to a single soul. I trust you will get rid of the CCTV footage too. Get rid of the clothes too." he threatened.
"Yes." replied the clerk meekly.
He took her cap and put it on Sylvia.
The two exited the shop and started walking towards the nearest subway station.
He held her hand gently, leading the way, looking around to check if anyone followed them.