Jazz, dames and danger...

[starchilde_lost]

When; March 12th-13th
Rating; PG13 (but will update if necessary
Characters; Everyone's invited!
Summary; The Lux has become the most popular speakeasy in town, bring your molls, bring your guns, but you better bring your money or the bouncers won't play nice.
Log;

Welcome to the Lux.

In place of the birds and the plants is a neuveau-inspired palace where the well-heeled can cool their heels and soft jazz is played buy a man in a tux.

But beyond the facade is where the real joint lies. Under the fancy restaurant and pretty lights are a series of rooms that make up the real Lux. There's a bar in every room serving the best imported hooch in the City.

In one room, there's a show every night. Girls in beads, bobs and naught much else dance to the latest in jazz. In another is a gambling hall were you can loose your shirt and more if you're not careful. There are back rooms where offers are made that can't be refused, and offers are made that really should be.

Do the police know? Of course they do, but Rachel's made it her business and theirs to keep the money flowing, the drinks pouring, and the politicians in their pockets.

And speaking of Rachel, you'll find her most nights wandering all over the joint, keeping a watchful eye on it all. She's got bosses she reports to, but so long as the money comes in, she's the only law the patrons of the Lux need to worry about.

[ooc: There's a main thread for each day, post, tag, threadjack, it's all up to you guys. Use your subject line to let us know you're an open thread or not and we're all set. Enjoy and Rachel will try to come by and see you all. And here, have some Benny Goodman for inspiration. ]

Comments

March 12th

[starchilde_lost]

[open]

[starchilde_lost]

Rachel's been walking around all night, making sure the house was set, the customers were happy and there was enough hooch in the cellar to keep 'em that way.

Have some business with Rachel? Want to introduce yourself in the hopes she'll clear that debt of yours? Come on over, she won't bite... that's what bouncers are for.

[open]

[makesfolktalky.livejournal.com]

Ray frequents the Lux often enough that the bar staff will serve him without questioning payment, knowing if they do Ray will take his complaints straight to Rachel, and Ray's never been one to appreciate having to wait for his drinks, free or otherwise.

But before he heads off for a bit of gambling, Ray catches sight of Rachel an approaches. "All right, luv?" he greets her, exhaling smoke as he lowers his cigarette from his mouth.

[starchilde_lost]

"Hello, Detective." Rachel offers him a hand, to shake or kiss, she's ambivalent about it.

"How's your evening?"

[makesfolktalky.livejournal.com]

He kisses it, though being Ray, there's nothing gentlemanly about it.

"S'all right. Jus' startin' out, really," he replies. "'Opin' for some luck on the poker tables in a bit." He pauses, taking a moment to finish off the whiskey he's holding.

"'Ow're you doin' tonight, anyway?"

[starchilde_lost]

"The house is up, you should be careful Detective. Keep losing money like this, people might think you're bribing me."

She waves to the bartender to get him a new one and one for her as well.

Boots O'Neal [Open]

[jumpsinthepool.livejournal.com]

In the showroom, there is a band, of course, and in the band there is a young man at the piano, very carefully looking at his hands on the keys. Not because he needs to, really, but because he's worried that by catching the eye of anyone in the room, he's automatically going to offend someone. He fears the clientele.

There are breaks between numbers, and Boots does have some time where he doesn't have to play the piano. Feel like talking to him during one of those times? Or do you have a request? Or maybe you just want to scare the pants off him. He wishes so very much that he was on the right side of the law. But he's not. Oh well.

[starchilde_lost]

"Hello, Boots."

Rachel slid up to the piano and leaned against it with a smile.

"Having a good night?"

[jumpsinthepool.livejournal.com]

Easy chord progression. Boots had had to master the art of talking whilst still playing, or at least, while still playing some pieces.

"Hi, Miss Grey," he said, smiling at her. "Seems okay so far, thanks. I haven't--" Agh, break in the music for him to do something. He played a short riff and looked back up at Rachel. Lost his train of thought. "Uh. How about you?"

[starchilde_lost]

"Seem a little distracted there."

She leaned over to look at the keys over his shoulder.

"Don't make you nervous, do I, kid?"

elena gilbert [ open ]

[beganwithabang.livejournal.com]

Elena's not due to go onstage for another hour or so, but it never pays to not be prepared, so she's in the dressing room putting the finishing touches on her make-up and hair and making sure her dress is straight. From the looks of things, it's going to be a busy night and she wants to keep the boss happy, because if not for this job, she'd be living on the streets. Or worse.

She catches sight of her mother's necklace - it goes everywhere with her, whether she wears it or not - and sighs, thinking briefly about how her parents would react if they could see her now, working for people who were deeply involved in the kind of things they wanted to protect her and the rest of the city from.

Not like they can say anything about it now.

With that thought, she removes the necklace and puts it away in a drawer of her make-up case, making sure it's well-hidden. She's sure it'd go for a pretty penny in a pawn shop and she's not about to let it get sold if she's not the one to do it.

Not that she wants to sell it, but she doesn't exactly want to be doing what she's doing, either.

elena gilbert [ open ]

[jiyuna_togabito]

A slip away from the gamblers table, Aion stealthily managed to make it towards the back of the building. Of all days not to be cursed, it was interesting how the deities had decided on this one. It made him think of just how much they knew of his background, being from the same era as the City seemed to be cursed with. Roaring 20s. How nostalgic things seemed, having been stuck in this world for so long.

And with this knowledge, he was certain things were the same. Gangs and mafia wars. The black market and the underground operations that were being carried out behind the authorities back. He knew there had to be private dealings going on somewhere within this place. The City had a tendency of placing the most fitting citizens for those roles. He couldn't help but be curious to just who they may have chosen to be in charge of this whole ordeal. The sinner lurked down the hall when he heard a muffled sound of something closing and sensed someone near by. Dressing room. He carefully cracked the door opened to see who was in there.

Vicki Nelson [Open]

[acceptingeyes.livejournal.com]

Walking over to the bar, Vicki looks around the place and likes what she sees. Although busy, it seems like this is the perfect place for her to get a drink and keep an eye out for possible targets.

She knows she's going to have to be careful. Adjusting her short dress and her horn rimmed glasses, she sits down at the bar and orders her drink. Vicki knows she can attract the right attention with her looks, but she has to be careful not to get kicked out of here. Especially since she plans to come back the following night to make her month's rent.

Things would be much easier if my room mate hadn't moved out on me., she mused, sipping her drink slowly.

[justcautious.livejournal.com]

Flappers are real wild birds, apparently. 'Specially Yank flappers. Ray says they'll do pretty much anything. And Ray knows about birds. That's why Chris is here tonight, cos he said he'd go out for drinks with Ray and maybe Ray'd teach him how to pull.

Chris thinks maybe he can do this by himself, though. The flapper at the bar looks like a possibility. He just needs to exude confidence. Somehow. He tugs his vest down unnecessarily and heads over to lean in on the bar beside her.

"Hullo, there, luv," he says, his expression maybe just a bit too eager-to-please. "D'you come 'ere often?"

...yes, he did just actually say that.

[acceptingeyes.livejournal.com]

Bingo, she thinks at his approach. Her first catch of the night and hopefully it'll be a good one. Turning to look at him, she smiles a little as she sees what she's up against. He seems new to this and perfect for what she wants him for.

"Actually this is my first time. I'm..new to this area."

Which isn't exactly a lie since she's never done her work here before.

[justcautious.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah?" asks Chris, not fully sure where to go from here. "S'pretty nice, here." He gets up on the stool beside her. "I'm Chris. Y'enjoyin' yourself?"

Business Meeting

[makes-you-tick.livejournal.com]

Sylar had caused quite a stink last night, sending that message from Chuck. Of course he wouldn't return unarmed. He's got quite a few hiding places in his suit for his knives- he can probably come away with one or two even if he does get frisked. He imagines he'll lose his gun at some point, but he brings it anyway.

Funny thing is, he likes this place. It's bright, cheery, and it's been here for ages. But Chuck was the first one hiring, so that made the Lux another murder scene for Sylar. And as he had watched the blood flow out of the body, he thought it a shame they'd have to clean it up.

He enters through a side door, hand on the gun in his pocket and eyes out for security. Either this offer was on the level or he'd get a few more people to go after tonight- either way's fine with him. He sets about looking for Rachel.

Business Meeting

[starchilde_lost]

Security was quick to find Rachel when her guest arrived, heeding her orders not to interfere with Sylar unless he started something. It was always a risk, poaching talent but the man had managed to bypass her own security and take out her men and that meant he had some serious skill.

And he was new. That meant he hadn't developed years of connections and loyalties that could muck up the works.

She watched him move around silently, not without her own skill - there was a reason she was trusted to run the Lux after all - and decided to approach. "Mr. Sylar?"

[makes-you-tick.livejournal.com]

The reaction to his presence was promising. They all picked up and got out of his way. It was something he'd gotten used to in the past few months- people knew that messing with him was a bad idea. It was a respect he'd earned- the fact that he'd earned it so new to the job was something of a matter of pride.

He adjusted a cuff link as he caught sight of Rachel and gave her a smile. "That'd be me. Pleased t'meet ya. Rachel, right?" he asked, amiably. He held out his right hand, offering to shake hers.

[starchilde_lost]

She took the hand with a warm shake and a smile, "That'd be me, too."

She motioned toward some of the back rooms, moving next to him so she could take his arm, partly to flirt, partly to see if he had one of his talented little knives concealed. He was developing a reputation, after all. "Please, come join me, I have a private room arranged so we can talk without distraction."

[incendite.livejournal.com]

Seifer - for lack of a better word - lurks. Lurks with intent, yes, but it's basically lurking. It's in the job description, along with keeping an eye on the assorted people coming and going, to say nothing of actually dealing with the troublemakers after they'd made their intent clear.

But until his services are actually needed, he's quite content to drift and watch. He might even be willing to converse, under the right circumstances or to the right people.

[starchilde_lost]

Rachel approached the bouncer with a smile.

"Anyone I need to worry about tonight, Seifer?"

[incendite.livejournal.com]

"No one yet, anyway."

He won't discount the possibility of someone showing up later, but that's why he's here. That and it's one of the few jobs he can actually stand. He hasn't the patience for most things, really.

[starchilde_lost]

"Good to hear."

She hands him a piece of paper with a list of names on it.

"Some guests and high-profile customers that I'm expecting tonight. Make sure they're not hassled."

March 13th

[starchilde_lost]