6. Chapter 6

The bell above the door chimes as I push through it, the scent of coffee hitting me in the face and I sigh in appreciation.

The noise in the cafe is a dull murmur of conversation, blending with the sounds of the baristas at work behind the counter. I navigate through the crowded space, weaving between tables until I reach the far back corner. Here, the atmosphere changes, the soft glow of dim lighting strategically placed and vibrant greenery that fills the space separating the tables and its occupants.

I appreciate the privacy the corner provides, allowing me to approach the occupant of my target table without drawing attention. As I step up to the table, the man sitting there doesn"t appear at all surprised to see me. A smirk tugs at his lips as he meets my gaze.

"Jason," I say, acknowledging him with a nod.

"Ash," he replies, his voice low and smooth. "Or is it still Angelica?"

I narrow my eyes at him, a flicker of annoyance crossing my features. I want to snarl and say something savage in return, but I know I need to tread lightly. "You know exactly what my name is at the moment," I reply calmly, sliding into the seat opposite him. "And you also know not to be so vocal, or I"ll be happy to return the favor."

Jason continues smirking at me as he leans back in his seat, unfazed by my warning, safe in the knowledge that he could disappear more easily than I can. Flagging down a passing waitress, he orders us coffee before turning his attention back to me. Strands of his brown hair fall forward into his hazel eyes as he leans forward, his gaze intent on mine.

"You won"t though," he says confidently. "But you can"t tell me your heart didn"t skip and race a little when I said your real name."

I suppress a sigh, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he got under my skin so easily. Instead, I meet his gaze head-on, my expression composed.

His smirk widens slightly, as though he already knows, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his arrogance. "It"s good to see you," he says, his tone casual.

I nod in response, keeping my expression neutral. "It"s been a while," I reply evenly, unwilling to give him any more ammunition.

A strange look enters his eyes as he hums in response, a sound I can"t decipher. Instead of dwelling on it, I change the subject. "How is your sister?" I ask, attempting to steer the conversation towards safer territory.

Jason chuckles, flopping back once again in his seat. "Ah, my beloved twin sister," he says nonchalantly. "While I went left, she went right. She decided she was too high class for the military and opted to join some government agency. I forget which one, not that it really matters, since we don't talk."

I cringe inwardly, however before I can formulate a response, we are interrupted by the arrival of our coffees.

After the waitress leaves, Jason"s intense gaze bores into mine. "You didn"t come here to ask about Jessica though," he says, cutting straight to the chase.

I raise an eyebrow, not surprised by his perceptiveness. "No, I didn"t," I admit, taking a sip of my coffee to buy myself a moment to gather my thoughts.

Jason leans forward, his expression serious. "You went to a lot of effort to find me. Did you miss me?" he teases.

I resist the urge to make some snarky remarks toward him. "Let's say there's this network of people, like a web of contacts on the less than legal side of things. And that web has a need for someone with your particular set of skills," I reply, ignoring his teasing and keeping my tone neutral.

Jason leans back in his seat, his smirk fading slightly as he regards me thoughtfully. "Alright, Ash. I"m listening," he says, his voice more serious now.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts, knowing that every word I choose could have consequences. "I need identification. Good enough that they could help me with certain... situations. Maybe for certain contracts, and maybe for other people in the future," I explain vaguely, careful not to reveal too much in such a public setting.

Jason"s expression becomes more guarded as he listens, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And what"s in it for me?" he asks, his tone tinged with skepticism.

I know I"ll have to offer something substantial in return for his cooperation. "Money, connections, assistance when you need it. I think I just proved you aren't as invisible as you want to be," I propose, hoping to appeal to his self-preservation instincts.

Jason"s gaze holds mine for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to my surprise, a hint of vulnerability flickers across his features.

"Maybe I didn"t want to be invisible to you," he admits softly, his tone more serious than before.

I"m caught off guard by his confession, the unexpected sincerity in his words giving me pause. We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of his admission hanging between us.

Finally, Jason nods before he masks it with his usual cocky demeanor, as though the moment were simply a figment of my imagination. "Okay, sure. Why not?" he says, his smirk returning, though it seems somewhat forced now. "What are you calling this merry band of misfits?"

I smile in appreciation at Jason, acknowledging his willingness to help. "The Fallen," I respond and he laughs softly. However, his expression quickly shifts as he tilts his head, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"What identification are you needing? Was what I gave you not enough?" he asks, his brow furrowing slightly.

I grimace, realizing I"ll need to elaborate. "Some of the jobs I"ve been given by the company I"m now working for require me to gain access to certain… government buildings," I explain, choosing my words carefully.

Jason raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "That might take some time. Just be mindful of running across a certain sibling of mine," he teases.

I shrug in response. "I"ll keep that in mind," I reply, but there"s another matter I need to address. "I also need some new names," I continue, shifting the conversation to a more pressing matter. "I don"t trust the apartment I"m in. Someone who knows who I am was able to find me there and threaten me."

Anger flashes across Jason"s face before he quickly regains his composure, his features settling into neutral lines. "I have some properties you can use. Not traceable to anyone, if you ever need them," he offers, his voice surprisingly sincere.

I smile gratefully at his offer, feeling a sense of relief knowing I have a backup plan if things go south. "Thank you," I say sincerely. "I might need to call on that someday, but I"d prefer to stand on my own two feet as much as I can."

Jason nods in understanding, his expression thoughtful. "I get it. Just know the offer's there," he says, a hint of warmth in his tone.

As I pick up my coffee and take a deep sip, relishing in its rich taste, I hum in appreciation, my eyes closing briefly. When I open them again, I notice Jason eyeing me a little more intently than usual. Placing the coffee back down, I meet his gaze, ready to continue our conversation.

"So, how do I get you the details of what I need? How do I contact you when I have work for you?" I ask, getting straight to the point.

Jason keeps looking at me for a moment, as if considering his response. "How good are your computer skills?" he finally asks.

I can"t help but scoff at the question. "I work with chemicals, not computers. I had to pay to have you found," I reply honestly.

He laughs and shakes his head before digging into his pocket, extracting his phone. He taps away at it for a few minutes before my own phone dings with a message. He puts his phone away and points a finger at my jacket where the sound came from.

"That"s the name of an IT genius that I"ve heard about on the dark side and their number," he explains. "I was thinking of reaching out to see if we could help each other, but if they can fill a gap for you, then utilize it. They will be able to funnel the information to me."

I frown at him, feeling uncertain. "Are you sure? I"m sure I could find someone else," I say, hesitating to rely on someone I"ve never met.

But Jason just nods and says, "Anything for you."

His words catch me off guard, and I quickly look down at my coffee, avoiding whatever emotion he"s trying to convey.

Deciding it"s a sign I should be leaving, I thank Jason for his assistance and tell him I"ll be in contact soon. With a nod, I stand up from the table and make my way back out of the cafe, feeling his eyes on me the whole way.

Once I"m out in the fresh air, I can"t help but wonder to myself how Jason found my phone number so quickly.