PINE STREET. 10:30 p.m.
The taxis honked abundantly, as crowds drifted along the sidewalks, most funneled toward the beacon of Six-Nine Mimic. Adriana Lopez stood apart from the chaos. Her presence was treasurable—her outfit caught many eyes. The velvet rope and the restless line of patrons came into focus, a funnel into the heart of the night. "This is either the best idea I've had—or the last chance I'll ever get." she told herself. Adriana stepped into the line, and her pulse quickened.
DELPHVILLE. 10:33 p.m.
Meanwhile, across the east side of San El Zorro, the streets of Delphville told a different story. The air carried a hush—quiet enough to notice. Kyle and Abigail walked together along the pavement. Suddenly, somewhere a dog barked."What are we doing here, and what's up with the bag, Kyle?" Abigail asked. "Came to collect a package for my mother." Kyle replied as typed on his cellphone. Abigail tilted her head. "What type of package would you want here?" she asked. "It's none ya'." he said. "None ya'… what the hell is that?" she asked. Kyle tucked his phone away, "None ya' business." he giggled. "Well, this kind of is my business—since I'm walking with you." she frowned. "Yeah, don't worry—we're nearly there. Just around the corner." he assured.
"God, I wish Tokyo were here." she murmured. "Well…why don't you run to her?" Kyle remarked. "First of all, piss off, jackass, and secondly… I can't—it's too far away. Plus, my phone died a while back." Abigail stated.
Eventually, they reached the end of the corner and turned onto Stacey Blvd. The street opened up to a secluded basketball court, nearly hidden beneath a canopy of trees. Parked inside the court was a small black sedan. Kyle flicked his flashlight briefly. Almost immediately, the sedan flashed its headlights. Kyle and Abigail walked into the court. As they drew closer to the black sedan, a tall, skinny man hopped out of the car. He wore a leather jacket, and dark sunglasses concealed his eyes. His light skin matched the color of his hair.
"Stop right there." the man said. Kyle crossed his arms. "Come on, Tyler… what's the hold up?" he asked. "The problem is that you were supposed to come alone." Tyler replied. "Yeah, I know. But she was with me the whole day, so I decided she should come along." he reasoned. "You and your fucking tricks, every time… I'm tired of your bullshit!" Tyler snapped. Kyle smirked. "If you're tired, why don't you go sleep?" he mocked. "You little piece of shit…" Tyler growled. "Tyler, wait." a mysterious voice called from the window of the sedan. A man stepped out, clad in a massive black polar jacket, and a cream Scottish hat perched atop his head, it partially shadowed his face. "Kyle." the man said. "Max." Kyle answered. "You're a little late, you got it?" Max asked. "Yeah." Kyle pulled a thick envelope from his bag and waved it. "Now my turn… do you have it?" he asked, Max clicked his finger with a firm nod. Tyler immediately walked to the car's boot. "How've you been kid?" Max asked. "Can't complain. what about You?" he asked. Max scoffed, "Busy as usual. Who's your friend?" his eyes narrowed on Abigail. "This is Abigail—don't mind her, I told her to tag along." Kyle replied. "Nah, don't worry. Thought your balls finally dropped—and you got yourself a girl." Max said. Abigail instinctively hid her face, and redness crept up her cheeks. Tyler returned with a black bag. "Boss." Tyler handed the backpack to Max.
"Now we trade." Max said. No words were needed; this was a test of trust and nerve. "How 'bout you give me the bag first." Kyle said. Max chuckled, "Come on, kid… no need for this childish bullshit. Let's not waste time." Max said confidently. "Yeah, right—as if I can trust slander man over there." he pointed at Tyler. "Fuck you!" Tyler growled. Max's hand flicked subtly. Instantly, Tyler fell silent. "Look… if I wanted to fuck around, I would've. But I'm a gentleman—and I don't like wasting time." Max closed the distance, their faces mere inches apart. Then he wrapped his arms around Kyle and hovered near his ear. "Don't you think I would've fucked y'all up by now? Now hand me the envelope, kid." Max whispered menacingly. Kyle took a step back. He held Max's gaze for a fleeting second, then handed over the envelope. Max gave him the bag. "See how easy that was. Tell AJ that I'll be seeing her." Max requested. Kyle shrugged, "Whatever. We're gonna' bounce." he said, then they left the court. "Wait! Have you heard from Toni, kid?" Max called out. "No… can't say I have. What about him?" Kyle asked. "None of your business kid." Max said. Abigail covered her smile. "Now, go home, kids. There are dangerous people out here." Max joked. Kyle and Abigail turned and left the court behind.
157. PINE STREET. 10:50 pm.
69 MIMIC.
After twenty minutes of waiting in line, Adriana finally entered the club. The bass hit her chest like a second heartbeat. Bodies swayed and collided. The DJ leapt behind the decks; his arms flailed around. Servers darted through the crowd, trays of drinks balanced with impossible precision. 'Where to start?' she thought. Her eyes caught the bar; an island shone of order in the storm. Multiple bartenders marched behind the counter like soldiers on parade. A shelf displayed every bottle imaginable. Adriana slid onto a barstool. She rested her head on the counter and waited. "Hey! Can I get you anything?" the bartender asked. Adriana looked up, "I'll take… something strong." she replied, "Surprise me."
The bartender smiled. "Coming right up." he said. Eventually, the bartender slid the drink across the counter, and Adriana took a slow sip, as the vibe increased.
69 MIMIC. 10:52 PM.
Third floor.
Antonio danced on the bar counter. The bass thumped around him, and Stephen lounged across the room on a couch against the wall, framed by luxurious paintings that stretched toward the ceiling. His pupils were dilated. Every subtle movement seemed measured yet unpredictable. Gloria sprawled across the couch. Beside her was a bottle of red wine. The deep crimson clung to her lips and streaked her fingers. "Steffy… you look very tired, darling." She giggled. "Maybe I am… maybe I'm not. But this feels amazing." he murmured. "Oh, honey, you don't even know the half of it." Gloria replied. Out of nowhere, Antonio loomed over Stephen. He snapped his fingers sharply. "Come on, Cowboy." he hissed. "Time to move."
"No. I was feeling good." Stephen responded. "Whatever… you'll feel better once we get the fuck out of here." he said. Stephen forced himself up from the couch. "Yeah… yeah." Stephen muttered. "Aw! Where are you two going?" Gloria asked woefully. "Don't worry about it, I'll see you in Liatropia baby. Just enjoy yourself here." Antonio replied hastily. "How can I… when I'll be left alone?" she asked. Stephen and Antonio didn't spare Gloria a glance. They left through the metal door. The massive bodyguard at its side gave a silent nod, then swung the door closed. They walked down the long corridor toward the main elevator. Once inside, neither of them spoke. They stood in silence; the bass throbbed as the music below boomed. The elevator chimed, and the atmosphere shifted instantly. Neon lights spilled across the floor. Stephen staggered, but Antonio caught him by the shoulder. "Hey, Ranger… you good?" he asked. "Yeah… everything's going to be alright." Stephen's words seemed to wobble on his tongue. Finally, they stepped out of the elevator. Antonio drifted ahead toward the main entrance, but Stephen stopped; his every step was uncertain. Sounds collided, and he was puzzled about a way out. Stephen stumbled upon the bar, and he sat on a barstool. Then his head planted on the smooth counter. Suddenly, a faint tap on his back, but Stephen let himself sink deeper into the counter. But the tap grew firmer, he lifted his head and gazed behind—abruptly his eyes went wide, as if he'd seen a ghost. Stephen blinked hard, but… Adriana stood before him, her eyes locked on his like she'd been waiting all night.