After yoga, Daru offered Claire a massage, but he didn't push when Claire rejected, though not without showing a bit of hesitation.
'All in due time,' thought Daru.
After that, he went to get freshened up and had some breakfast that Claire made.
Now, he walked out of the Dunphy estate to accomplish his tasks for the day. He had a lot planned.
It was time for him to get started on his revenge.
"First things first, I have to check my inventory."
Daru has three hideouts that he checks monthly.
He has three hideouts that are left for days like this.
He never wanted it to come to this. But he knows that this is part and parcel of this lifestyle.
He walked towards the bus station.
"I should first solve my transportation issue."
All three of the warehouses have different things stored. Money being common, each house has different itineraries.
Daru then went on a two-hour journey to get to his first warehouse.
On the way, he stole a bolt cutter. How... don't ask.
These warehouses are very isolated, and if you pay enough money, very private.
'All the things you need to stash away from everybody's eyes.'
It's for a reason warehouses are shown to be sketchy, a place criminals hide their stuff in so many shows.
Using the bolt cutter, Daru broke the lock on the warehouse.
Grappling hold of the shutter, he pulled it halfway up.
He crouched a bit and went inside.
It was very dark, but coming here every month, he is already very familiar with the place.
Walking towards a corner, minding his steps, he picks an electric lamp.
Turning it on, he looked around the warehouse.
The warehouse was not too big but also not small.
While 60% of the warehouse was used for the car, the rest on the other side were a few black bags and a suitcase.
Daru first walked towards the bags and suitcase corner.
He had kept the bags only if he needed to carry something out or to get something here. The suitcase, though…
Daru knelt in front of the suitcase and opened it.
As soon as he opened it, you could see two guns. Around it were four mags and a key just next.
They were resting on some fine suits.
Pocketing the key, Daru picked the guns out and laid them to his side.
Then he picked up the suits.
"Damn, I can finally have some good clothes."
From the day he came to Gloria's house, he has been wearing other men's clothes if not the ones he came with.
With one pair of suits in his hand, the bundles of money that were stacked below came to light.
While he had money in each of the three hideouts, each was only meant to last a month.
Well, that was for his old lifestyle, which if you ask any average guy, is a lot.
The other warehouse had guns, lots of guns.
While the last hideout was an apartment insulated from the eyes of the criminal and law just by being surrounded by a mundane environment.
He rents the apartment to house material he can use to blackmail some of his clients.
Neither of the two really was going to be of help with the people he is up against.
Not like he can do a John Wick of the whole organization. (An: Yet)
The people he is up against can't be dealt with money.
'And blackmail is not really an option when I am looking for their heads.'
He took a bundle of cash and the suits and stored them in a black duffle bag.
Getting up, he turned back with the bag in his hand, pulling the cover of the car with the other.
With the cover off, Daru looked at the ugly grey prease and wanted to break its windows.
While he usually drives around in his impala, now he doesn't really have the option but to be discreet.
And this car was such; he chose this, knowing that it will be lowkey and blend easily anywhere around the states.
Opening the car trunk, Daru threw in the bag.
While taking another set of clothes that were in the car's trunk.
Black loose pants, dark grey t-shirt, and a baggy black jacket. With the black hat and mask next to it, they were the stealth starter pack that he had stored for a day like today.
'Ugh.'
'This is so not my style. I will put an extra bullet in you, motherfucker, for making me wear this.'
Daru changes into the stealth kit.
It is still way early for him to go out.
He is already a dead man, so he has to be very lowkey and use this period of invincibility to its full advantage.
Changed into the noir suit, he gets in the driver's seat of the prease and relaxes his back into the seat.
This is a very deserted place, and not a soul knows of him having ever crossed this area.
So he can relax here till it gets dark outside.
He closes his eyes and thinks of today's goal.
'With what I know of the people behind Sora, they will never let the news of having 8 of their men killed against one get out. And with how much I bled in that shed, they probably think I died, not later.'
'But still, I need confirmation that they are still in the dark.'
'The only way is to look for that motherfucker. He would never be able to hide his glee with my death.'
Thinking of the short buzzcut guy, Daru gnashed his teeth.
He spent the rest of the time fantasizing various tortures on the guy.
Fantasize because if he gets the chance, he is putting a hole through his skull asap.
The sun set with the same speed irrespective of the mortals' anger.
Now with the dark covering for him, Daru rolled out of the warehouse.
He goes to the places he knows the scumbag hangs.
One, two, three…
"Fuck, where is this fucker."
After visiting 3 places and not finding his target, Daru grinds his teeth.
Turning the car to another place, Daru has nil hope of finding his target today.
Pulling up at the last location, a pub, Daru waits for another 30 min.
When he was going to call in the end of today's search in disappointment.
4 men come out the back of the club.
Daru's eyes hone in on the guy in the lead.
"Jason."
With fire in his eyes, he looks at the guy with baggy clothes, ignoring his druggy friends.
He is 99% sure that he is the main reason for his betrayal.
After all, he is the only one who has some pull with William Black, the head of the organization, to arrange that trap for him.
And all for what, cause he fucked his ex better than he ever could.
"Hmm." Daru snorted and turned his car around before he got any attention.
But the irony was not lost on him, as it was the same ex of his that warned him of the trap.
'Not now, not now, not now…' Daru controls himself as his anger seethes.
AN : I don't know why the inkstone site was buggy and didn't open at all, so the delay in upload.