[Sodium_noir] Back to the store/enter a man in black

[Alyson Young]

Titus, Rachel
Lasombra and Gangrel

 > ' Panic?  Aye, well, I have something of a present for our little wizard;
 > define different, what's up with him?

 > 'Tell you, what, let me stop off at a photocopy place and then I'll meet 
you
 > at Suzy Wong's, you can tell me about it there.  I guess I can find it.'

"I'll grab Two-Tone and meet you there."

Rachel, Two-Tone
Gangrel and Lasombra (I Think)
Outside Titus' place, then Suzy Wong

Rachel leans slightly to the left, hits the brakes just so, and skids the 
bike sideways into a parking spot outside the apartment (Drive 2, Dex 4, 
Daredevil).  After a shudder of sheer pleasure, she grabs the keys and 
starts to head upstairs, only to find Two-Tone perched on the 
steps.  "Nobody home," he says.

"I know.  We just got off the phone.  We're going to Suzy Wong... it's a 
bar in Chinatown.  We're scoping it as a possible future base."

"I'd better drive," says Two-Tone.  "I don't have a helmet."

"Don't be a pussy," Rachel replies, straddling the bike.  "You're dead, 
remember?  All a helmet's gonna do is keep your brains in one place.  It 
can't save your life.  It can ruin your hair.  Besides, I've got a new toy."

Rachel kicks the bike into life as Two-Tone grabs her waist... tentatively 
at first, then with more enthusiasm.

* * *

Unsure of how Two-Tone will balance on the backseat, Rachel pulls to a 
somewhat more conservative stop outside the club.  The place is dimly lit, 
quiet, and with three open parking spaces in front despite the hour and the 
neighborhood.  "They've got to be closed," offers Two-tone.

"Read the sign," replies Rachel as she points to a broken LED sign that 
says "u E ."  "Open."

As she gets off the bike, Rachel finally notices the license plate (R AND 
P) and stops for a moment.  She blinks.  She licks an arm 
tentatively.  "Inside."

Inside, the club is almost as dark as it looks from the 
outside.  Accustomed as they are to darkness, neither Two-Tone nor Rachel 
has any problem seeing the dancer, halfheartedly gyrating before five 
suited businessmen who appear to be far more interested in their business 
than the show.  Neither do they have any trouble seeing the bartender - who 
Rachel vaguely recognizes as one of the faces from the Tong that ran the 
drug trade.  "Bingo.  Have a seat."

She pulls up a seat at the bar, and the bartender is immediately before 
her.  "We no serve you people here.  Get--"

A hand at his throat stops his sentence.  "Titus Khan sends his 
greetings.  I'm sure you remember me from last night.  Picture these tits 
in a kimono dress.  Familiar?"  The chink nods.  "Good.  Now make 
nice.  Fix me half a drink and put on a nice show.  The Khan is on his 
way."  Another nod.  She releases him.

"I ... apologize for my failure to recognize you, mistress."

"Can it."

Rachel and Two-Tone settle in to wait for Titus.

[i'd rather bleed with cuts of love than live without any tag]