<div class="floatleft">(http://i45.tinypic.com/2eztcma.png)</div><strong>Name</strong>: Gabe Alvarez<br/><strong>Location</strong>: Franco's Apartment, Freemont and 4th, & the Row<br/><strong>Tagging</strong>: NPCs, Nette<br/><strong>Date</strong>: July 28th<br/><strong>Time</strong>: Nearing 8am<br/><hr/><br/>Gabe smiled contently as he wandered through the halls of the Row, another cigarette between his lips while he passed old friends and said hello, stopping occasionally to talk, ask how business was, what shipments had come through today, who was working tonight and where.<br/><br/>After asking and checking the time on an expensive gold plated watch one of the thieves had slipped off the wrist of some rich mogul up in the business district, he headed to Franco's apartment in order to discuss the payment of one of the cops who would turn a blind eye on all the on-goings a Desolation Row provided they lined his pocket.<br/><br/>"'Sup, Franco?" Gabe slurred slightly around his cigarette as he nodded to Lila and gave a big grin to year 2 and a half year old, Rory who grinned back and bounced excitedly yelling 'Gabey'.<br/><br/>"Gabanti, my man," Franco greeted warmly as Gabe settled himself awkwardly on account of his various aches and bruises beside the short Italian. "What happened to you, huh?" he asked, motioning at the blood and black eye on Gabe's face.<br/><br/>"Difficult customer," the 20 year old said with a shrug and a lop-sided smirk. Franco frowned slightly, disliking the idea of the young man getting himself hurt but nodded all the same. Everyone at the Row knew each person took risks with clients and with their jobs and Franco especially knew that Gabe had a bit of a temper.<br/><br/>"Well, commilitone, here's the cash," Franco lifted the mattress beside him as he spoke and pulled a wad of cash from a hole underneath it, "and the merchandise," he dug in the inside pocket of the coat he wore and pulled out a brown paper package tied thickly with dental floss.<br/><br/>"Half a pound of coke, right? The premium shit too, sí?" Gabe question as he stuffed the cash in his pocket and picked up the package.<br/><br/>"Sí, sí, ragazzo," the older man said with a roll of his eyes, "he'll be on the corner of Freemont and 4th as usual, now go."<br/><br/>Gabe nodded and headed out but was stopped by Lila calling after him, carrying Rory who held a packet of baby wipes. Lila took one from the packet and wiped the dirt and blood from the least sore looking part of Gabe's face.<br/><br/>"Thanks, beautiful," Gabe said softly, affectionately and kissed the top of Lila's head and then Rory's who giggled happily. Lila smiled and patted Gabe's chest gently, a look of worry showing in her eyes before she turned and headed back to the apartment she shared with Franco.<br/><br/>Stuffing the package up his shirt, Gabe set off at a brisk pace to the usual meeting spot and ignored the ache in his ribs, reminding himself that it wasn't so bad with the smack in his system. He reached the corner of Freemont and 4th in around five minutes and sure enough, reliable as always, the cop stood there under a broken lamp post.<br/><br/>"Hey, handsome," he leered at Gabe as the young male approached.<br/><br/>"Jimmy," Gabe nodded in greeting, trying to ignore the stench of onions and sweat that came from the officer.<br/><br/>Ever so subtly, Jimmy slipped the package out from Gabe's shirt as they embraced each other in fake affection like they always did. At the same time, Gabe slipped the wad of cash from his jeans and slid it into Jimmy's pocket. The exchange was so seamless, so well practised, that no one would have been the wiser. Not that there was anyone to care in a neighbourhood such as this.<br/><br/>"So, Gabey, when are you gonna let me ride that sweet little ass of yours again, hm?" Jimmy asked with a husky voice, a question he posed frequently.<br/><br/>"You know my prices, you know my area," Gabe replied with a roll of his eyes. It was the same answer he always gave to the man. The man who just so happened to be married with two daughters older than Gabe was.<br/><br/>"Maybe I'll see you later, kiddo," Jimmy licked his top lip and the young man tried not to act too repulsed.<br/><br/>"Lookin' forward to it, Jimbo," Gabe answered with a mock salute before turning and heading back to the Row, lighting a cigarette on his way.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>The Latino arrived back at the apartment complex about ten minutes later, his pained ribs having got the better of him and forced him to walk slower than usual. Catching his reflection in a cracked window, Gabe saw a wide cut on his cheek had opened up again, a fresh flow of blood on his face. He sighed and sat down, wincing as he did so then pulling his sleeve over his hand and wiping at the cut, smearing blood on his bruised face.<br/><br/>As per his usual routine after dealing with Jimmy, he pulled the wrap of drone from his pocket and set it out on the paving slab in front of him, using the razor blade he kept handy to quickly and efficiently cut out two neat lines. After greedily snorting the powder up, he wiped the excess from the paving slab with the of his thumb and wiped it over his gums, licking his lips and smiling at the taste that overtook his mouth and the drip sensation at the back of his throat.<br/><br/>Gabe ran over his mental checklist as he stood and figured it was about time that Nette would be awake for a quick breakfast and so he started to wander through the Row, wide eyes sweeping around to try and spot her.<br/><br/>It wasn't long before the buzz of the drone and his hyper activity bested him and he grew impatient of trying to find her. Instead, he chose to make her aware of him in the best way he knew how.<br/><br/>"<strong>Ay, Nette? Where are ya?</strong>" he yelled out from the middle of the Row, standing in the slim alleyway that connected the two sections of the apartment complex by a series of bridgeways on the upper floor. "<strong>AY, NETTE. GET YOUR PRETTY LITTLE ASS HERE,</strong>" he yelled out even louder, a charming grin on his face.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;">Translations:<br/>Comillitone - fellow soldier, comrade<br/>Ragazzo - boy, youngster</span>