50. Drinking in bar

"Man it ended faster than I thought" quipped Hunter while taking a sip only to stop when numerous glares were on him.

"Why did you open your mouth?" asked Bobbi while shaking her head to which Hunter only grumbled under his breath.

_______________________________

Grant was really hiding his tracks so it didn't take them much time to find him.

Standing in front of the Goldbrix Tavern, Grant looked around making sure that the cameras caught his face so that Skye and Fitz can find him, then he entered the relatively Upscale neighborhood bar. It was one he had frequented a lot though it wasn't a place that held many fond memories.

Skye had already tracked him down half an hour ago after which she had sent the coordinates to the Bus. Skye wanted to go with them but May ordered her to stay and keep watch over him which May took, Bobbi, Hunter, and Trip with her.

As Grant's eyes adjusted to the dark interior, he saw the bartender a tall burly bald-headed guy who looked like an enforcer of the mob — appeared to be the only person in the room. That Butch the Bartender looked exactly like what people expected him to be never failed to amuse Grant. while Hydra of often operated like a mob, it was more interested in world domination than mere wealth and Butch totally got with that worldview. Those who knew him personally appreciated Butch's vast array of knowledge on world history political mechanisms and psychological methods of persuasion. he also knew a great deal about the finer things in life and had an enviable collection of Great Literature, excellent wine, art, and music. Thus his rough appearance and job as a "bartender" were quite ironic.

True to form Butch slam down his used newspaper Grant worked in. Despite Butch's refined skills he was dressed as a bartender in a usual t-shirt and vest. Grant smiled to himself after seeing his actions. "I will give you a choice," Butch told him truffle in a low voice. "Columbia necktie..." he leaned threateningly on the bar, "Or a bullet in the head"

Grant looked down and chuckle like he found this really amusing when he thought this was really stupid. Butch who he was; Grant knew who butch was. The two of them had spent several hours together planning missions, playing chess, and discussing history in various languages since Butch was a polyglot too. So the whole codeword thing was ridiculous but Butch was rigidly insistent upon protocol and he wasn't someone to be trifled with. Grant has a memory of him killing a man with literally just his thumb. "Bullet in the head..... on the rocks" he answered casually taking a seat at the bar.

Butch busied himself making a drink. Though Grant wondered whether he was still a crappy bartender as before. He recalled past visits in which Hydra newbies mistook Butch for a bartender and we're regretful when they tasted the drinks he made for them. Grant suspected that Butch, secretly despising his role, purposely refused to make good drinks, especially to those he didn't like. A Bullet in the Head was different though. Since it was the codeword of high-level operatives. Butch made certain he knew how to make a good one. He finished mixing the drink, placed the glass on a napkin, and glanced fully into Grant's face. Grant knew that hi. being captured by SHIELD was already known by some Hydra leaders so if news of him being out was known to them then they would most likely think that he escaped rather than him following SHIELD as there was no way they would trust a traitor like him.

"On the house," Butch said with a ghost of a smile, "Welcome back"

Grand said nothing, just tilted his glass in a toast and drank deeply. Talking was always a risk since the smallest thing could trip you up. It never fails to amaze him just how many spies forget this basic rule. The conversation was how most operatives got their information but that went both ways; talking could just easily trip you up. In this respect, the memories of the life alone in the woods since Grant was more comfortable than most with silence. As such is it was an easy decision to talk as little as possible to Butch and hope that the other man would believe he was on a mission and not engage him.

As he finished his drink the impact of all the hard liquor washed over him and he sent a thought of gratitude to John for his training in alcohol tolerance. Grant used to never appreciate hard liquor- he had seen too much effect it had on his parents when he was a child- and he would have given it a miss had it not been for John.

He remembered the first time John had offered him a drink of hard alcohol like it was yesterday. He and John drank beers regularly together but when John brought out some whisky Grant declined. "No thanks... this.." he waved his hand around to indicate his campsite..., "may look easy but maintaining it's a bitch. I can't afford to drink. Besides, I saw what it did to my parents when they drank."

John nodded seriously but after Grant's refusal poured more whisky into the whiskey into the cup he had taken out of his backpack. Grant figured it was for John so he was surprised when John got out another cup poured whiskey in it and then placed the first cup firmly in Grant's hand. "People drink alcohol for a lot of reasons son. Some use it for escape but others use it for bonding or intimidation. If you refuse to drink or worse if you can't hold your liquor, then a lot of doors are going to close for you. I can't afford that so drink up!" John drank out of his own cup and grinned when Grant coughed after trying to do the same. "Just think of this as your alcohol education: Drinking 101, a class they should- but never will - teach at the academy "

Back in those days, he did whatever John had wanted him to do, so despite the horrible taste and the effect he knew it was going to have on him Grant dutifully drank the whole glass. Thankfully John was gone soon after leaving Grant to throw up what he could and chase the taste of his mouth with lots of water. After that John had brought more had liquors and insisted that Grant build up his tolerance against them.

'Thanks for this kicking bastard'