Blaine finally arrived at work, "God, I hate this place." he mumbled to himself as he walked inside the Luxor hotel's doors, to the employee locker room to get changed into his ridiculous uniform. "Man I cant wait to pay off my father's stupid gambling debt and get out of here." he sighed as he went to his post. Then a customer drove up paid him handed them their keys and walked in as he went a parked their car and walked back. "The process was so simple couldn't people do it themselves, I mean it would save them money and my energy." Blaine complained in his mind. That was the consistancy of his job back and forth back and forth, the only real reason he took this job was because his mom was now pregnant and on maternity leave, so she couldn't work so he decided to help out.

Ah, Vegas. Sin city. What happens here, stays here. All the amenities of modern society, in a habitat unfit to grow a single tomato. Where luck, more than anything else, decided a man's fate more then even the keenest sense of logic and reasoning. This was Polk's kind of town. Hell, this was any man's kind of town.

His Phantom glided quietly along the road as it slowly rolled to a stop at the front entrance of the first hotel Polk would come across: The Luxor, a resort hotel and, of course, a casino, with live entertainment almost every night, and every opportunity to have the time of one's life on a daily basis. Truely glorious. The engine purs smoothly as Polk steps out onto the paved sidewalk, his neatly-trimmed beard shimmering as the silver veins catch the bright lights of his surroundings. The engine continued to run even as the man takes the keys and walks towards the young man standing nearby, his outfit and nametag clearly indicating that he was one of the Luxor's valets.

Polk smiles warmly, the few wrinkles in his chestnut skin exaggerated, slightly, around his face as he takes the boy's hand in his own, shaking it firmly. His voice was smooth and soft, with melodic undertones that would put even the most on-edge personalities at ease. "Evenin', son. I need you to take good care of my baby, now, you hear?" He turns and points to the very back end of the parking complex. "Put her wa-ay out there, away from all of this.." he makes a sweeping gesture towards the other vehicles. "Riff raff.. can you do that for me?" He turns and smiles once more as he sets his keys in Blaine's hand, along with the usual payment for the valet service. "Of course you can. There's a good lad. Oh, and, for your trouble.." Polk reaches into his pocket and withdraws five twenty dollar bills, folded neatly together as he slips them into Blaine's own front vest pocket, patting the outside once the action is finished. "That there is for you, son. Keep up the good work." and, with that, Polk lightly thumps his hand on Blaine's shoulder as he walks past him into the front entrance of the Luxor, without even giving Blaine a chance to respond.

That was Polk. Helping out the little man. Or so his mood took him, for now.

Aundrea walked along the streets. She had a large sweatshirt on, covering her black wings. She wore a mini skirt and large sunglasses as well. She looked up at the Luxor and giggled. She walked in and went up to the counter. "Where is that damn Blaine?" She shouted her voice upset and then switching to happy. "I need to tell him how amazing he was when he helped me bring my luggage in, what a nice gentleman." She smiled, a thick English accent. She looked around the hotel "Blaine?" She called. The receptionist smiled at her as she wandered around the hotel looking for him. She wandered up some stairs and saw an employee sign. She popped her head in and whispered "Blaine?" She waited a second and nobody responded. She shrugged and continued walking.

Eric stood outside in a back alley, close to a two bit gin joint ran by local thugs.
It was the kind of neighbourhood, even after dark the cops didn't dare show up there.
Hardly the place you'd expect to see a man in a top hat, suit with matching tails and a cane.
Tonight however was about business, the kind of business it's best that no one sees.
He leaned heavily on his cane awaiting the presence of the mayor.
Politics and dirty money run hand in hand and for a "small fee" it had been agreed Eric could run his business as he saw fit with little to no interference from local law.

As the mayor arrived he was without his usual array of security guards, not even so much as one of his suited monkeys to escort him.
Only his limo driver showed and the driver was left far removed from what was sure to be a discussion of a most sensitive nature.
As Eric stood and bowed to the official.
The Mayor growled at him and said "I have no time for formalities.
If you do not have my money, you are wasting my time.
Let's get this over with."

Eric smiled and laughed darkly as he said "Indeed you have a neon coated sewer to run and I have... work to do."
He handed the mayor a briefcase loaded with cash.
So much cash it even caused him a strain to lift it.
As the Mayor turned to walk away Eric said to him plainly.
"You should come see my show sometime.
Or perhaps just some of my performers.
We may have some cannibals there that would love to have you for dinner.
I shall take this acceptance of tender to mean I shant be hearing from you for a month then?
Not that your star badged bell hops would bother me any but they could harm my business you see."

The mayor walked off without a word he was not comfortable with dealing with this demon to start with.
But cash is king especially in this day and age.
As the mayor's limo rolled out of the alley, Eric turned his thoughts to his brother who still had an axe to grind.
Who had been getting more noticeable in his efforts as of late.
Things were getting messy.
Hiding his fight was getting to be difficult at best.
He hated public scenes and for anyone to know anything about him was something that not only annoyed but could very well unhinge the demon king.

Blaine smiled at the mans request on where to put his car he smiled even more oat the tip he gave him. "Thank you sir, you are more than oh. So generous, you are helping me a great deal" Blaine admitted as he took the man's keys, "don't worry sir I'll take care of it sir,you have a wonderful stay at the Luxor, and thank you again" Blaine said as he went to park the mans car.

On his way back to the door after parking the car Blaine saw his girlfriend Aundrea walk into the hotel, and he told his co worker to cover for him for a few minutes, then he followed her. Blaine was her whole performance at the counter then followed her upstairs. He then cleared his throat and tapped her on the shoulder. "I believe you are looking for me Miss." he chuckled.


=======
Jayde was at home resting, she was on maternity leave, being 8 months pregnant and looking as if she was about to pop. She groaned as little Saphire kicked. "Calm down honey, I know I know its cramped in there and you cant wait to get out, neither can I." she said rubbing her stomache.

"Goodness Blaine, Don't scare me." She said smiling, her accent still thick. She coughed and her normal voice was there. She wrapped her arms around him. "Well hello stranger. You are so cute when you are working." She looked up into his eyes. She looked down the hallways. "I don't want to get you in trouble, I just figured I would stop in." She smiled and kissed his nose.

Violanis scribbled out the last bar of music, brow furrowed with concentration. He threw his pen across the room angrily, tired and annoyed at the complexity of the piece. Making good music was easy, but layering spell-work inside it while keeping it melodic was the hardest he had done in quite some time. "Damn and blast the conclusion, I can't do this anymore!", he hissed as the music flowed and twisted away from his intentions. "All I ask of you, you accursed parchment, is that you just accept the ink! Why won't you do that?"

He grabbed his jacket and stormed out the door. Inspiration always struck him as he traveled, especially along the neon and glowing streets of Las Vegas. Such interesting characters hung around, especially the people he thought his companions. As he exited the elevator, he hummed a scrap of music and smiled. Tonight seemed like a good night to hit the casinos, maybe charm a few ladies or gentlemen into paying for his tab...

Blaine chuckled a littled and hugged her back, "you mean I look cute when I'm exhausted and pissed?" He laughed "well I can't say I'm too pissed this really nice man just gave me a very generous tip, I just need about a hundred more of these to pay off my dads debt." He sighed. As he kissed her forehead, "sadly I must get back to work" he said as he took her hand leading her down stairs.

Swaying her hips and walking provocatively Christie kept the façade of utmost pleasure on her mask she wore. Treading each step carefully, she took a long sip and surveyed the area. It was usual lot here today, the frat guys gawping over at breasts with glazed looks in their eyes, the curious (or one or two lesbian) girls, the business men on their company tab and just the average Joes.

Placing her drink down Christie could feel her wings trying burst through the restraints she had them in. If anyone saw her true body under this, they'd kill her without a second thought. For now she was safe, this is why she refused to strip to, because the risks of anyone seeing her were too unfathomable to even dare try.

The pulsing music with garish light shows were nothing compared to spectacular work done in 'Timeless Delights' in fact this club was pretty much unknown, she'd only chose it due to proximity of circus. Otherwise she hated it. Grabbing her drink and downing it she slammed it down immediately regretting it as the force shattered it.

Just as her frustration was growing she felt a small tap on her shoulder, as she swung around in alarm, she saw it was a customer. It was one of the business men, leading him into private she began her usual speil, "Hello handsome, would you like me dance for you."

The man nodded and handed the money, her well kept hair and sharp suit seeming to glow.

Leading him in, she sat him down and began, waving her ass and carefully preforming an erotic dance while he just watched and she made him more aroused.

Then without warning he touched her glasses and she lost it.

Stopping and replying, "No touching!"

He pleaded, "But I wanna see your eyes."

"Do you want me to continue or not?"

He nodded and she continued for another ten minutes before standing up and leaving.

Signing out for now, she decided to return to Circus and see if anyone needed help.

She smiled and hugged him before slipping a tip inside his pocket. "There ya go." She patted the pocket and kissed him before running off. She wandered the streets and had a small smile on her face. Blaine was her world, she wished she could see him so much more. She wished he didn't have a job. She pulled her hood up over her head and popped her headphones into her ears and turned the music up. She soon was at the circus. She sat down on a bleacher and watched the happenings.

Seven. Seven. Cherry.

Polk sighs as he loses out on a jackpot roll on one of the slot machines. Oh well. That was the game, after all. You play the odds and, sometimes, the odds play you. No matter, he had managed to all but break even, so he hadn't lost very much money. Polk stands aside and replaces the stool that, ordinarily, one would sit in while one gambled. Polk knew, however, that they were only there to make one feel comfortable. The perfect mood in which to lose more money. Besides, it wasn't the slots that had brough Polk here..

His gaze travels around the room as he heads for the elevators. Time to get cracking.

Vahn had just gotten off of a long shift of helping people with their medications. Stretching and cracking his neck after it being so stiff from counting pills for hundreds of people. He had also managed to sit in an uncomfortable chair. The people at work didn't like him very much, they knew he was different. Very different. And they didn't like different. He sighed softly as he gave a small snap of his fingers, a spark of lightning very subtly able to be seen. He gave a shudder as the lightning acted like a drug. Giving him a high like weed. Walking back to the circus for his home and show. Taking his time as he enjoyed the cool air.



=================


Raziel Revolger stood in a dark alleyway, black trench coat and hat hiding him. Holding a pack of heroin, weed, and coke all inside his pockets. Waiting for his usual customers to show up. It was a dark buisiness....but it was lucrative....and he needed lucrative. Whatever didn't get bought got either used by himself or trashed. Raz hated his job. But for one with such a big gambling debt it was one of the better....and yet worse....ways to get money. Better because he could charge higher prices for better quality. Worse cause well....drug dealing isn't exactly legal. His customers showed up as he smoked a small joint. As all the other drugs were bought. Smoking it and waiting for the high to go away before he went home to Jayde and Saphire. A sad smile as he walked through the door."I'm home sweetie!" Setting the crumpled bills into an old pickle jar that had been cleaned out. Labeled the Raziel Gambling Debt Repayment Fund. He took off his trench and hung up his hat."I hate my job." He muttered under his breath as he went to look for his beautiful pregnant wife and soon-to-be daughter.

Blaine smiled at Aundrea and kissed her cheek, he loved his girlfriend with all his heart. She had been so supportive with all of this, she even volunteered to replace his mother in their act while she was on maternity leave. Once he got this debt paid for he was going to take her on the worlds best date, but for right now he had to get back to work.


=========

Jayde was just coming from the bathroom from another bout of "morning sickness" she brushed her teeth and looked up and saw Razeil, "hey baby" she said walking over to him. "How was your day?" She asked as entuhsiastically as possible.

The card slid smoothly into the slot just above the handle. After a brief moment, the little red light blinks green, and a quiet, almost inaudible Snick! would sound, indicating that the door was now unlocked. With a turn of the handle, the well-oiled door swings inward to reveal the suit. The bed was well kept, complete with a small mint chocolate on the pillow. Polk steps further into the room to spy the window, which faced out over the city.

Beautiful.

The lights seemed even more vibrant, from this perspective. Below, hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny headlights could be seen, the different hues of yellow, blue, and even purple or green forming sets of two lines which trailed up and down the busy streets, while almost uniform lines of crimson ran in the opposite direction.

Polk turns his attentions back to the interior of the room as he makes his way towards the bed. He sits on the edge, his weight offsetting the perfectly folded and pressed sheets as he reaches down to untie his dress shoes, carefully unlacing them all the way to the bottom. The leather strips which make up his shoelaces, he sets on the nightstand next to him, while the shoes, he sets neatly nearby.

A place for everything, and everything in it's place.

Polk sighs as he turns his head to gaze up at the small vent over the head of the bed. It had to be there, didn't it? He grunts as he stands up, again, turning to lift up his right foot before setting it on the bed as he lifts himself up to stand on it. In one quick stride, he stands before the vent over the bed. He reaches a hand into his suit jacket to withdraw his .44 Raging Bull revolver. No one had told him he couldn't have it, after all. He taps his fingernail on the bottom of the grip, catching the small, almost unnoticeable groove as he slides a small compartment aside to reveal a tiny pocket knife concealed within. Taking this in hand, he replaces the revolver in his jacket pocket before sliding out the thin blade, inserting the tip into the slotted head of the screw on the vent. With a few deft twists, the screw would fall down to the bed. He repeats this with the other three screws and, within a minute, the cover to the vent was removed and placed on his pillow. He looks into the dark vent and can just barely make out a suitcase a good foot and a half away.

Wasting no time, Polk reaches into the vent to withdraw the suitcase, turning away from the vent to lower himself, carefully, onto the bed. He sets the suitcase aside as he takes a few seconds to wipe the dust from his sleeve. The suitcase had been left by the previous guest, a man who had been under Polk's employ for several years. Recently, he had sent him here, to Vegas, to keep a close eye on the mayor, who had been rumored to be behaving strangely, of late. Here, within this suitcase, was the supposed evidence of said behavior.

Here, within this suitcase, could very well be Polk Florence's greatest exploit..

Raziel pouted just a bit and sighed."Borring as usual. Gained about $300 though...so I guess it wasn't too bad." He kissed Jayde and sat down on the bed. His legs hurt from standing in one place for 5 hours."How was your day sweetie?" He asked with a tired but happy tone as he gently rubbed Jayde's belly to feel for Saphire.


====

Vahn looked around and sat down in his tent. Sighing relaxedly as he sat down and gave himself a bigger jolt than before. Shuddering softly as he slinked into his chair from the pure ecstacy. His eyes rolled back as he had moaned from the experience. Passing out in the chair he began to snore throughout the rest of the night. Not waking up for anything. The first really good sleep he has had in awhile. Trying to cut back from the fix he was on was extremely hard for him.

"You're daughter is angry or something" she said laying down on the bed "She's been kicking me furiously all day long, non stop. We are giving birth to a kick boxer." she sighed. Jayde rolled over "Please calm her down" she begged.

Polk's face shone pale in the glow of the laptop, which still sat inside of the suitcase. The wrinkles upon his face were more pronounced as he focused intently on what he saw, his body otherwise unmoving. A soft click would sound as he plays the video back for the third time, his expert eyes searching for any signs of forgery or editing tricks. While there were many, many tricks available to the average, computer savvy, Joe, there has yet to be an altered video capable of escaping Polk's attention. This one was genuine.

The video showed the major of Las Vegas climbing into a limo. The cameraman starts up his own vehicle, nearly a block displaced, and pulls out just as the mayor does. For whatever reason, the mayor is without his usual motorcade of law enforcement, something which struck Polk as oddly reckless. A man of the Mayor's position was always in danger, especially in a city like Las Vegas. To go anywhere without protection, in the mayoral limousine, no less, seemed downright suicidal.

The cameraman continues to follow the limo, at a distance. During this time, he seems to make several verbal notes to the camera mic, including which street they were on and occasionally noting on how slow the limo in front of him was going, often slowing below the flow of traffic. So, they didn't know where they were going. The driver didn't, at least. His destination had to be one not often visited by the mayor. After a few minutes of this, the limo pulls over. The cameraman continues down the street for half a block before parking on the opposite side, quickly gathering up his equipment as he makes his back back towards where the limo had been parked. The limo driver stood, alone, next to the vehicle. The mayor had, by this time, already exited and headed off towards where he had been going.

The first time around, Polk had feared that his man, the cameraman, had lost the mayor. After one a few moments, though, this would prove false. The camera shifts focus as it zooms it past the limo and down the nearby alleyway, revealing two shadowy figures in the distance. Quickly, the cameraman switches on the night vision, revealing both the mayor and a strange fellow Polk had never seen before. This man wore strangely formal clothing, given the setting, immediately discrediting him as a common thug. He also carried a medium-sized briefcase. What was inside, Polk could only guess, but he would bet anything that it was a large sum of money. A bribe, then? Or, perhaps, a discrete campaign contribution? The election was coming up, soon, Polk remembered.

The camera shakes as a loud rustling can be heard before all is quiet. Not even the cars moving along the street can be heard. Then, as quickly as it goes, the sound returns, only this time, Polk hears exactly what he wants to hear.

"-deed, you have a neon coated sewer to run, and I have... work to do." the strange man hold the briefcase out before him, offering it to the mayor, who quickly takes it, straining for a moment with the weight.

That clever shrew.. he had used a listening device capable of amplifying noise at great distances. What's more, he had used a localized damper to cancel out the noise of the street, leaving only what was important.

The mayor says nothing as he turns to begin heading back towards the limo. "You should come see my show, sometime. Or perhaps just some of my performers. We may have some cannibals there that would love to have you for dinner. I shall take this acceptance of tender to mean I shant be hearing from you for a month, then? Not that your star badged bell hops would bother me any, but they could harm my business, you see."

Interesting. It was a bribe, then. But, for what? Performers.. cannibals.. a definite aversion for law enforcement. It was something illegal, then. Normally, that had something to do with narcotics, but, then, that doesn't explain the performers.. Very interesting..

Polk closes the laptop gently and sets the briefcase neatly next to him as he strokes his beard with his free hand. Perhaps it was time to pay the mayor a visit.

Blaine checked his watch, and he had thirty more minutes till he could get off work and he couldn't wait. The time passed quickly then he got his car and went to find Aundrea, whom he knew to be trapsing around the city somewhere. "Man where could she be at this hour, she knows I don't like her outside alone at night." Blaine said worried sick about her.

Aundrea was walking along side a large park. Her hood was up and her headphones were blasting a rock song. She was jamming out when she noticed someone on the lake area of the park. She hid behind a tree and watched them as they did what looked like a ritual. She felt a shiver go down her back as she turned around quietly and walked back up to the road. Her tight jeans made her cold with the chilly breeze that was blowing. She pulled her sweater tighter against her as she kicked rocks on the dirt road.

Blaine drove past the park and found her, knowing shed have her headphones in she called her phone hoping she would feel it on vibrate. "Come on baby pick ups cuz I can see you" he said laughing at her softly as she didn't even notice him.

Aundrea continued walking until she saw a car. She held up her arm trying to cover the headlights as she felt her phone vibrate. She pulled out her headphone and answered it without looking at who it was "City Morgue, how may I help you?" She asked walking away from the car. She fixed her cramped wings, stretching them a little, but they were still covered by her sweater.

"Hey baby it's me and the car your hiding from is me also?" Blaine laughed as he unlocked the door. "Come on, get in." he said opening the door for her.

She giggled into the phone and kept walking. "What are you doing?" She smiled and brushed her hair from her face. She pulled her sweater off and stretched her wings out, now knowing who it was she wasn't scared of him seeing.

The city was just as vibrant from behind tinted glass. So luminescent were the lights, they would turn the night into day.

As Polk glided through traffic in the Phantom, his mind wandered back to the video he had just seen. Corruption was everywhere, and Polk should have guessed it to be no different, here, in Vegas. Still, he had read about the current mayor's election campaine, where he vowed to end corruption in the city. Many had called him crazy, and others believed that he would fall victim to his own vices, in the end. Seems as though they had been right, after all. Perhaps on both accounts.

Still, this whole thing didn't sit right, with him. It would be a simple task to send the file to every news station in the state, just to shake things up, but Polk had the sneaking suspicion that he could, perhaps, delve just a little bit further. Who knows, perhaps there would be more fun to be had. Polk had ruined his fair share of politions, after all.

Time for a change. Time to aim higher.

Polk would arrive outside of the mayor's private home, parking right in front of the gate as he walks up to the com. He pushes the button and awaits to be addressed.

"Seriously Aundrea please get in the car you are being ridiculous" Blaine said driving along beside her the door wide open for her. "Please!" he asked politely.