He'd gotten his food for free. Odd, but Jake wasn't about to turn down a free meal. The strange man left soon afterward. Had his paranoia been getting the better of him? That was probably all their was to it. He'd taken every precaution he could conceive of to protect his alter ego, and his efforts hadn't failed him yet. He calmed slightly more when yet another shifty looking person entered the store. It was probably just the area he was in, the people around here were odd. That was probably why this place didn't have much in the way of business.
Still, he ate his food quickly. If this was, in fact, a bad area, he still didn't want to hang around. Just because it was a preferable alternative to his identity being discovered didn't mean it was a good thing, after all! Especially when that shifty looking guy spazzed out, left his drink unfinished - did he even pay, Jake hadn't seen - and booked it out of the store. So, he quickly finished his food, left a small tip, thanked the waitress, and left, bag of comics under his arm again. He was never eating here again, even if it was a cheaper place.
Outside the store, it was quiet. Not a comforting sort of quiet, an oppressive blanket that smothered all signs of life. After glancing around to make sure he wasn't about to be attacked, Jake hurried off in the direction of his home. This was embarrassing, he was Doppelganger, creator of weapons that could kill a man six different ways before he blinked, along with numerous other gadgets that wouldn't have been out of place in your average sci-fi movie. And he was also fleeing for home with his tail between his legs, metaphorically speaking of course. At least it was good cover.
When he arrived back at his place, he locked the door behind him. He leaned against the wood momentarily, letting out a sigh of relief. He hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something was going wrong out on the streets, but he hadn't run into anything. Okay, the time for being a wimp was over now, he had to get ready for work. He lived in a small apartment in a block of other small apartments near downtown. The money he made from selling gear covered his rent pretty handily, though it occasionally left him with little wiggle room if he wasn't having a particularly good month. His living area featured a bookcase, which was, naturally, where he kept his stock of comic books. The issues he'd just purchased were added to this collection, then he returned to the door, picked up the duffle bag he'd left for himself there, and exited back out into the city.
He was on his way to the old industrial district - where Doppelganger operated out from. It was a bit of a hike, but the distance from his home was another method of giving himself cover. He'd probably spend the night there, he usually did these days. The streets were still mostly abandoned, but he was starting to slip into character now, so the oppressive silence was no longer as big of a bother. If there was anyone Jake was good at fooling, it was himself. About midway through his walk, he ducked into an alley, letting the shadows cloak him. He hadn't run into anyone yet, which was a good sign. Hopefully his luck would hold out.
