21 Chapter 20

Daru, now in a cab, looks out to the streets.

He knows these parts of the city are way out of the scope of the guys that he used to work with and for. Not a lot of low-level grunts know him.

Being the top-level distributor of the organization, he started off high up the ladder, having never mingled with the low grunts of the organization.

Still, to be on the safe side, he usually stops at some distance from any of the houses of the Modern Family.

Like right now, "here."

With the cab coming to a halt, Daru gets out. Turning around, he hands the money to the cabbie and watches him drive away.

Out now, he stretches. It's not easy to take so many detours and always be on your toes, not to be recognized.

crack

"Ha, that's good." He sighs, with the relief crack of his back, he twists from side to side.

Left to right, to the supermarket on the left end and a pub on the right end.

He has a bit of familiarity with this place from roaming one street after another, searching for Gloria's house.

He looks up at the sky, to where the sun just went down.

"It's still pretty early," he said to himself, looking at the pub.

Daru looked to the right end of the street, to the pub, then makes his decision.

Crossing the street, Daru goes into the pub.

Walking in, he looks from one end to the other, doing a once-over of the entire pub.

It's a very open and spacious pub; you can practically see everything from his standing place near the entrance.

"Hmm…"

Daru gives a wry smile and scratches his head.

"I guess it still will take time for me to integrate fully."

For a long time, this has been his habit, or to say skill. Once he visits any new place, he gives a look over to scout out and note all that he thinks is important.

To him, this skill had come a whole lot naturally. It was very easy for him to acclimate it into his system and subconscious.

It was like he already had a frame of the skill, and he just had to work to make it his own.

Surprise, surprise. It turned out to be exactly that.

A lot of his skills, from slight of hand to this observational skill, came easy and very much suitable to him because of the work he had put in his last life.

You might think the most logical output when the two experiences of his past and present life meet is, well, the seamless integration of the skill.

Making it more solid, increasing his hold, proficiency for the skill.

But no, you see, the problem is that for the same thing, two people will have two different outlooks. And though in essence he is the same person, people undermine the effect the surrounding conditions and inherent goals have on the mindset of a person.

The result? The skill is not sharper and crisper but a jumbled mix.

The past him used this skill of his for a totally different thing than what he had used it in his new 'life.'

While past him targeted women, rated them with all the different parameters, and then selected the most 'profitable.'

This life he has to be on the lookout for danger.

So you could say that his mind is having a bit of a hard time to think about what to see.

He closes his eyes and massages his temples.

A few seconds later, he again gives the room a look over, but this time he goes slow, taking note of all the things and noting things in importance.

The danger.

Is obviously the first thing he is going to see if there is anything potentially threatening for him here.

Then the people; who is he kidding? Then he looks at the hot women.

He spots a group of girls, five girls sitting in a corner, talking and giggling.

At one point, one of the girls notices him, followed by their whole group.

There is something about having company; when you are backed by your friends, you become more bold, your emotions become more projected. Your face and body flush with activity.

All this leads to actions you would not do when you are alone.

He has seen this even in the delinquent men.

They rave and tease and harass any female passing by. But when they are alone, they turn meek.

Because most of the time it's not about the other; it's not about the guy or girl you are bitching or cursing about. It's being there and showing a side to your friend that would usually be repressed.

So, he didn't really mind when the girls seemed to ogle him while passing some hushed comments objectifying him.

'The hypocrisy of feminism.' [An: no shots fired, just a stray.]

Daru nods towards the girls; two bold ones wave back at him while the rest just giggle.

Then continuing, he looks towards the counter, the bartender behind it.

Two dudes that looked to have come right after work, then a man sitting alone, and then…

'Wait… is that not Manny's father, Javier or something.'

Daru looked more closely at the man as he walked forward.

He did look a lot like the actor who played him, like the rest of the Modern Family cast.

Daru thinks back to the show, how his character was portrayed, what was he like.

He was the one to fill Gloria's oven; he sure is 'interested' in the guy.

'He doesn't really look that good,' Daru thinks to himself.

Walking to the stool next to Javier, he sits down, while calling the bartender with a raised hand.

"A Bourbon…" [An: I don't drink, so I just wrote the only other drink I know, except martini, would beer have been better?]

Daru then turns to his left and says, "Hey, don't see you around here…"

Javier, being called out, looks at Daru then squints.

He doesn't usually see men more handsome than him.

Not that he thinks he is the best looking in the world, but he is way above what you would find in a regular crowd.

He knows this as he has used this to his advantage a whole lot of time.

Now looking at Daru, he knows he is more than a level better than him.

'With a face like that, it would be a whole lot easier…' thinks Javier, a bit jealous of Daru.

"Hey, because I am not from here…"

"Ahh…" Daru lets a light exclamation as he takes his drink and nods at the server.

"Sorry if I am disturbing you, but do you see those girls at the back corner."

Daru said while slightly jutting his chin towards over his shoulder.

Javier, slightly brushing his hair, turns his head naturally and looks to where Daru was indicating.

'It's not his first rodeo.'

This he could already tell by the sleazy look on his face.

He was not much different than his past self, but death will come first before Daru accepts this fact.

"Sorry if I am disturbing you… I just saw some pretty girls over there and I thought it would be good if I had some company, ha…"

"And," asked Javier, tilting his head and squinting his eyes in question.

"They are five; I am one. I thought it would be better if I had some company."

Javier looks to the corner Daru is pointing at and sees a group of five girls talking.

"Well, I'm not so sure…"

"Hey, come on… I mean, you are the only good-looking guy around here… we could be good wingmen for each other… and the red dress is mine…"

"I mean… okay, I take black…"

Compliment a guy, and you can get a lot of stuff done.