Hobbes was surreptitiously moving toward another door that had gotten his
interest. Slowly, he became aware of two rather large, rather muscular
specimens that flanked him. He tried to move out of their range, but found
himself being held fast on either side. They were moving him toward the
door he wanted to investigate. "He we go," he thought, as he allowed
himself to be escorted to wherever they were taking him.
He found himself deposited in a beautiful room, far from the sounds and images of the club. The thugs had silently withdrawn. He was alone now, and he continued his systematic observations. The décor was still in Art Deco, but was light and airy. There were lamps with tassels, and flocked wall paper, gushing velvet curtains with giant golden tassels, but some how everything looked fantastic in this environment. Guess it's a matter of context.
Suddenly a vision made her entrance like a silent movie diva. She stood atop the stairs to the sunken living room and posed for effect. She was every bit as lovely as Darien's "girlfriend" from earlier, but her countenance showed a womanly maturity that Hobbes found quite intriguing. Her floor length gown reminded him of an Erté painting with its lines and sequins dotting its satiny white surface. The image was further punctuated by the crystal ball she held balanced at the tips of her long manicured fingers.
Hobbes' breath was taken away for a split second.
"I have been vatching you, Monsieur." she stated in a melodic alto.
"Oh yeah?" he gulped involuntarily.
"Oui. You are vedi intriguing. Vedi, vedi handsome." she stepped closer, her light and lovely cologne wafting through his nostrils as her hand touched is cheek.
Hobbes flushed as she floated closer. "Get a grip", he thought. "What's wrong wit you, Hobbes, old boy!"
"Do you know vat I see in my crystal? Huh?" she walked around him hypnotically waving the transparent ball around the room.
"Um, no ma'am. I don't."
Without thinking, Hobbes' followed the ball with his eyes. At first he saw only the room magnified through its lens effect, like staring through a droplet of dew. But then a familiar image began to emerge. She draped her arm over his shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her breath caressing his neck.
"The Ouroboros."(4) She said in a hushed reverent tone. "It's an ancient symbol and vedi powerful. It evokes powers of life and deasths and transformation. He who bears zis mark and uses it is both blessed and cursed. Blessed wid friends but cursed wid ze threat of madness. He treads a dangerous course."
In a daze, Hobbes was beginning to discern the outline of Darien's tattoo within the crystal. Most of its segments glowed blood red. He flushed and then just as suddenly he was chilled to the bone. Was he really seeing this?
"I am Madame Zaza. I am the owner of zis club. And, I make it a point to know, everysing that goes on in my humble little night spot, especially ven intriguing and I might add beautiful boys make their way here."
Hobbes' head was spinning. His sluggish brain recalled the few swigs of beer he'd had in the club, just to tease Darien about the gag with the drink. "Aw.crap." he thought.
"Ah, but vere is your floppy little copain?" she breathed. "Ah yes, ze cards say zat he's wisiting an old friend. You see Monsieur Hobbes, I've been hoping to see you here. Ze cards foretold your wisit. They see all and show all to those who can discernt zeir messages. And, Arnaud has told me such zings about you."
"Sonnofa." he intoned, shaking his head as he realized the web they'd just walked into to.
"Ah ah." she scolded, wagging a talon tipped finger. "Zere will be none of zat. Zis is a joyous occasion, a reunion of opposing forces. The planets, zay are in perfect alignment."
The two planet sized soft-stepping thugs had returned. If Hobbes hadn't been the agent he was he would not have known they were ready to escort him to the next party. Or carry him, as the drugs took their toll.
He found himself deposited in a beautiful room, far from the sounds and images of the club. The thugs had silently withdrawn. He was alone now, and he continued his systematic observations. The décor was still in Art Deco, but was light and airy. There were lamps with tassels, and flocked wall paper, gushing velvet curtains with giant golden tassels, but some how everything looked fantastic in this environment. Guess it's a matter of context.
Suddenly a vision made her entrance like a silent movie diva. She stood atop the stairs to the sunken living room and posed for effect. She was every bit as lovely as Darien's "girlfriend" from earlier, but her countenance showed a womanly maturity that Hobbes found quite intriguing. Her floor length gown reminded him of an Erté painting with its lines and sequins dotting its satiny white surface. The image was further punctuated by the crystal ball she held balanced at the tips of her long manicured fingers.
Hobbes' breath was taken away for a split second.
"I have been vatching you, Monsieur." she stated in a melodic alto.
"Oh yeah?" he gulped involuntarily.
"Oui. You are vedi intriguing. Vedi, vedi handsome." she stepped closer, her light and lovely cologne wafting through his nostrils as her hand touched is cheek.
Hobbes flushed as she floated closer. "Get a grip", he thought. "What's wrong wit you, Hobbes, old boy!"
"Do you know vat I see in my crystal? Huh?" she walked around him hypnotically waving the transparent ball around the room.
"Um, no ma'am. I don't."
Without thinking, Hobbes' followed the ball with his eyes. At first he saw only the room magnified through its lens effect, like staring through a droplet of dew. But then a familiar image began to emerge. She draped her arm over his shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her breath caressing his neck.
"The Ouroboros."(4) She said in a hushed reverent tone. "It's an ancient symbol and vedi powerful. It evokes powers of life and deasths and transformation. He who bears zis mark and uses it is both blessed and cursed. Blessed wid friends but cursed wid ze threat of madness. He treads a dangerous course."
In a daze, Hobbes was beginning to discern the outline of Darien's tattoo within the crystal. Most of its segments glowed blood red. He flushed and then just as suddenly he was chilled to the bone. Was he really seeing this?
"I am Madame Zaza. I am the owner of zis club. And, I make it a point to know, everysing that goes on in my humble little night spot, especially ven intriguing and I might add beautiful boys make their way here."
Hobbes' head was spinning. His sluggish brain recalled the few swigs of beer he'd had in the club, just to tease Darien about the gag with the drink. "Aw.crap." he thought.
"Ah, but vere is your floppy little copain?" she breathed. "Ah yes, ze cards say zat he's wisiting an old friend. You see Monsieur Hobbes, I've been hoping to see you here. Ze cards foretold your wisit. They see all and show all to those who can discernt zeir messages. And, Arnaud has told me such zings about you."
"Sonnofa." he intoned, shaking his head as he realized the web they'd just walked into to.
"Ah ah." she scolded, wagging a talon tipped finger. "Zere will be none of zat. Zis is a joyous occasion, a reunion of opposing forces. The planets, zay are in perfect alignment."
The two planet sized soft-stepping thugs had returned. If Hobbes hadn't been the agent he was he would not have known they were ready to escort him to the next party. Or carry him, as the drugs took their toll.