Distraction and Observation (Manifesto)

[Edwin]

It was a strange feeling to want solitude but also crave company at the same time. It was how Eddie felt that night as he found himself in Manifesto. He wasn’t as rich as some of the people here, but he was certainly well off. He approaches the bar. ”Id like a scotch please - old enough to order its own scotch.”

The drink was brought to him and he turned around to watch the other club goers in their nightly activities. People came to places like this for a multitude of reasons, to escape, to meet people, or to find some one night fling. For Eddie, tonight was a distraction. Sometimes in life you needed a change of pace. That was Eddie, and now he needed a break from contemplating the choices he could make. 

Eddie thought he knew what he wanted. He had sent in his resume. The only thing left to do was wait. So he waited and observed. For now it would suffice.

[Nhysa]

Natalie was in London and Nhysa was not required to follow her there, where she would instead be under the watchful eye of her family. Usually such downtime might be occupied commandeering the attention of her beloved in rather more intimate a setting, but the inconvenience of having an “official” identity was that sometimes it required things of her. Since the assignment was private and not black ops, and since it involved no death or other such questionable activity, she thought nothing of mixing a little indulgence in with the obligation though. In the ethereal light and eroticism of Block 1 it was a pleasurable enough compromise.

Li looked especially delicious tonight, and she made no effort to hide her roaming gaze as she pulled him onto the dancefloor. There was always something predatory to her intense nature, and she ever enjoyed the sparks between them and his fascination of her in turn. Of the two of them he was the only affluent one, but clearly Nhysa did not lack for resources. Her dress clung to her body in smokey swirls, mesmerising with the movements of her body as she moved with him. She was shameless and unrelenting in the foreplay, though Li knew she was here for a job. It didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy themselves in the meantime.

She had subtly positioned them with a clear vantage of the bar. Li did not know secrets too dangerous to share, of course, but by now he knew her line of work was in security – and probably a bit more than that, though they never broached the topic.

“My mouse is here,” she whispered into his ear with a grin, some time later. She wouldn’t tell him who she was watching; Li was clever, a hunter himself, though of monsters rather than men. But their sorts of work overlapped enough that she could play this game with him, and he had a fair chance of identifying who she was here for.

[Tan Li]

Oh that dress! Li could not take his eyes off his beautiful dark flower and she teased and taunted him with every move. His attire wasn't nearly as sexy, not that he couldn't pull something off like that -- he most definitely could, but the suit was fine and tailored and spoke of his fame and fortune. It fit in all the right places and his love had taken a fine interest in the details. But she was the pinnacle of their pair. He was proud to flaunt the women on his arm. She was his and that's all that mattered, he doubted anyone else could handle his dark flower.

She was here on business, Li didn't ask questions. He understood, and he was careful in every aspect of their relationship. They avoided the idiot photographers as much as possible, and her identity was never confirmed. It helped they tended to stay in. Their form of fun and games was much more a duo act than letting the rest of the world see. The places they did go favored anonymity over fame any day so that was a plus all around.

The floor was filled with others dancing and Li only had eyes for her. The way she moved and that dress oh he couldn't stop with the dress. She whispered in his ear over the loud music playing. He chuckled. There was always some sort of game they could play, winner takes whatever they wanted. It was a fun challenge. "Is that a challenge? The usual stakes?" He grinned as he whispered the words into her ear teasing just a little before he finished the words.

[Edwin]

Taking a sip of his scotch (tasted like Johnnie Walker Blue it tasted like), Eddie observed the room. Certain aspects of training never went away, even if you were trying to relax. From his vantage point, he could find multiple points of egress, and a pretty good view of the room. It wasn't completely open, but you couldn't ask for much better. As a specialist in urban operations, it was a common enough to look for such things, and it was a habit hard to break.

Reading people, however could be another matter, it took skill, especially if they were good at keeping themselves from hiding eyes. An environment such as this thrived on anonymity, but it was easy to see who were just common drunks, rich people who came her to elevate their status by showing off, and those who were here for fun. One couple did catch his eye, a woman with a smokey dress and a affluent man, dancing and whispering to each other. Something about the way they moved spoke predator to his eye, but they looked to be having an enjoyable night out.

Eddie finished his drink, satisfied with his observations for now. He was about to order a second when a woman in a red dress approached him. "Dance with me?" she asked, eliciting a smile from Eddie.

"Only if you insist," he said, a teasing manner in his tone as he offered her his hand in a gentlemanly manner. She took his hand and he led her to the dance floor. He was after all here for a good time and not for work.