[NULL] Havana's Jam [H4]

Adam

You make your way out into the world again, this time on your way to work a gig. You've been hired by a few sex workers to work security at this big gig they've been asked to put on for a bunch of middling management types. You were hired on the terms of secrecy since there are a bunch of illicit substances, and backroom deals going on here — you know, a "networking" affair. Your point of contact for the event is a young lady named Luu Cat — she's worked with you in the past, how do you feel about her?

A ping comes in with her name on it, "Hey hot stuff, we're meeting at 3419 39 street west, suite B — it's in the basement. Are you on your way?"

scott

Luu Cat is one of those all-positive club kids. Little bit snarky and casual on the outside, but she's hiding something dark by using and fronting. You don't get into this kind of life without some kind of hangup. Whenever she speaks to me it feels oddly ironic... I know her heart's not there.

"On the way Midori-cat," nicknamed for the drink, but also Japanese for the color green, "have we ever not met in the basement?"

I'm wearing a complicated veil of jewels in my hair, sparkling top and slick reflective material that makes me look like some kind of chrome doll. It's hard to see my silhouette in this outfit... the eye can't latch onto anything solid.

I wonder why we haven't heard from Nem yet... all I can figure is that Glitch must be a complicated problem.

Adam

Luu winks, and flashes you the peace sign. Her smile is wide, and beautiful, but it never reaches her eyes — to most people, that might not even register, let alone matter; but to you it could easily sour her aura in a way that is counterproductive to her trade. "It wouldn't be the sex trade if it weren't underground!"

A pair of tube rides, and 20 minutes of walking later, and you arrive at 3419 39 street west, or as the retro holo nameplate calls it, Golden Towers — whose name could not possibly be more inapt. It's part of a collection of ancient developments that have organically melded together to form a single, enormous complex. The exterior has fallen into a state of legendary disrepair, but the interior has been gutted, and evolved into a city in and of itself. Laws here are questionable at best, and the thick concrete walls play funny tricks on the veil, making it the ideal spot to get a shady deal done.


You enter the building, and are immediately greeted by the smell of street meat, sweat, and wet concrete. You make your way down the winding hallways to the basement level, and tucked between a bunch of retro arcade games you find the entrance to "Suite B". Your senses are bombarded with the smell of booze, neon red light, thick, cyber-stamped perfumes, and the low rumble of techno music playing somewhere in the back rooms. Some of Luu's girls are clearing tables, and cleaning the place up for the event. It doesn't look like anyone's arrived yet.

"Hey chickie," you hear from behind you, "you're looking hot! You sure you don't want to make some extra cash in the back room tonight?"

scott

I turn around with a smile, lower my shades to peer over them at her, "they couldn't afford me," I joke. And I make my living... well... not like that.

I let the boom-boom of the music pulse through me and I start to subtly move with the beat. Get my light show linked to the audio feeds and synced up. I become part of the scenery for a gig like this. Part of the show... but I'm also watching back.

"Expecting trouble?"

Adam

Luu shrugs, and offers you a drink. "Probably... I mean, I never hope for it, but it always seems to find me." She giggles in a way that's supposed to convey anxiety — but in reality you can sense it's more annoyance. "Mostly low-level guys tonight, bro-coding it up, and acting like douches... One of them might get a little too handsy, and you know how they get all wolf-pack when a woman threatens them. Need anything?"