"His name is--"

Static.

Silence.

"Uh, his name is what?" spoke Luca into the prepaid, burner cell phone he was given by the Organizer expressly for use while on the job only to hear much of the same from the other end. Nothing but static, inter-cut with momentary silence before the white noise once again overtook it in its micro-war over control of Luca's right eardrum. Sighing, he rests his back against the wall of the quaint little cafe in the middle of scenic nowhere where he was currently situated and sighs. An action that draws the attention of a passing by waitress, who shoots a welcoming glance his way before making her way across the bustling little place to greet him. Spotting this, Luca closes his eyes and silently hopes for her to get caught up in something, anything so long as it would allow him to continue his eager wait for whatever interference it is that's blocking him off from his handler's instruction to pass by without prying civilian eyes trained on him.

"Err-kssssshh-Guh-kssssssssssh-ksssssssssssh."

"Yeah, can't say I'm catching that boss."

"KSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH-KSH-ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRACT!"

"Ow fuck!" he yells, pulling the phone away from his ear and cringing. This of course accomplishes the opposite of what he wanted as now, not only is the waitress approaching him looking his way, but so is every last patron, their expressions ranging from disgust to laughter as their eyes scan him up and down and subconsciously, his appearance is engraved in the minds of over a dozen witnesses.

"Can I help you sir?" the waitress asks in a cheerful voice, nodding over to a small circular table where he could potentially sit down.

"No, I'm fine," he says in response, shaking his head at her offer. "I uh, just needed to get outta that storm. It's brutal, let me tell you. Must be what's causing my phone to go absolutely bonkers." His lie came out with a chuckle and a hope that she both didn't look out the window to see the clear, sunny day or that she was stupid enough to buy it anyway.

"Sir, it isn't storming out."

"Oh, right. Of course. Wow, my head must be somewhere else entirely. Here, let me get outta your guys' hair, I'm really not here to buy anything anyway."

"Well, okay..."

He didn't even wait long enough for her to give a spiel about the specials for the door in a vain attempt to get him to stay. As soon as she said the words, he was gone; out the door and onto the country dirt road that he took to get to this backwoods location.

"Yeah, there's been some issues," he says into the receiver of the phone still emitting static.

"What issues?"

"Oh, of course you come back in after that."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"Well, your phone's staticky discharge took me by surprise and may or may not have caused me to yell at the top of my lungs in the middle of the cafe. With everyone staring at ya, it's hard to focus on the objective that's still a fucking mystery, y'know? So I split. I'm on the way to the car now."

"It doesn't work like that Lazarus."

"Of course it does. You can find another place for me to kill this mystery man can't ya?"

"And what if I don't? What if I leave you high and dry? Need I remind you, what you have at stake here? Me? I can just find someone who won't fail miserably."

"Shit, fine. Who the fuck is it this guy anyway? Anyone I would know or are you plannin' on giving me the rundown on his looks too because I'm in the dark here asshole."

"Definitely the former. Definitely."

"Then who is it?"

"Does the name Mero Duncan ring a bell?"

"Possibly."

"Good. Call me on this phone when the job's done and then immediately dispose of it."

"Alright."

"One more thing: look around and make sure no one sees you, then check your real phone. I think someone might be trying to get in contact with you."

Click.

Luca slides the prepaid into his pocket, before looking around and ultimately seeing no one. Laughing at his own paranoia, he pulls out his actual cell phone in time to feel it go off in his hand (that's what she said). Looking down at the number, only to see a foreign string of numbers staring back at him, he sighs and answers the phone.

"Look, I don't know who this is, but this isn't the--"

"Shut the fuck up you Shadow motherfucker."

Another connection to the Lazarus persona just decided to reveal himself. This time; the leader of the [GANG NAME EXPUNGED]. Otherwise known as the gang he was forced into the first time he was to don the Lazarus persona.

"Charming. May I ask who this is, so I can get your name when I tell you to fuck off again?"

"Right. Real funny, asshole. You're a real comedian! What the fuck kinda shit'd you think you were pullin', 'ey? Goin' AWOL and shit, I could and if I was near enough to ya would slice yer fuckin' balls off for shit like that."

"You'd think I'd let you do that?"

"You wouldn't be able to stop me gringo."

"Tell ya what Tough Guy; I'm in the middle of some real important shit right now. Maybe you can postpone your fuckin' intimidation fest provoked by your penile inadequacy for a couple days. Then I'll come to LA and make you end up shitting your teeth, K?"

"Fuck you man."

"Why? Can't you just ask your sister how my dick felt?"

"Oh, you sonnuva..."

Click.

Ding.

Luca doesn't even have time to slide the phone back into the pocket he pulled it out of before the chiming sounds from door let him know that there was now someone outside with him. One look up from his feet reveals the man's identity right to him.

Mero Duncan. He didn't look any different. Luca had the advantage there.

Slowly, he reaches into his jacket pocket and starts to follow his target. Instead of following the standard, hide in plain sight and don't be seen at all for risk of spooking the man approach, Luca decides to go with Option B.

Strike up a conversation. What could possibly be wrong with that?

"Hey man, how's it going?" he asks, pulling up right beside him as if he were his best friend in the whole world.

"Umm, fine," Mero responds, shaking his head.

"C'mon, I'm just trying to be friendly here. No need to act like I'm a creepy rapist or something."

"Look, no offense or anything, but I'm not in the mood to be talking to random people I don't even know. Okay?"

"And the reason for that is... ?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Now get outta my hair. Look, here's my car. I really need to get going."

Jogging now, he goes around to the driver's side of the black sedan that he claimed was his. Hopping in the driver's seat, he looks to the passenger's side to see Luca, pulling a gun out of the jacket pocket and aiming it at his head.

"Unlock the door."

Mero does as told. Luca pulls open the door and settles into the seat, pressing the gun against his head.

"Now, drive."