She was going to go deaf, she just knew it.
The pulsing bass was so loud that Montoya could actually feel it vibrating the table. She could see the contents of the drinks shaking within their containers. Lynsey and Aurianna were out on the dance floor, having a grand time by the looks of things. They had been dancing and drinking all night. Summer and Tamalyn were seated, for the time being, with Montoya at the group's table. The three had been chatting and guarding the table from newcomers.
The women were putting away a considerable amount of alcohol in a short time. Summer and Lyns were already trashed, each having at least 8 drinks apiece. Tama and Aurianna were not as eager to get toasted and were only on their 5th drink for the night. Montoya glanced at her own beer, number four for her. She was not overly concerned. She had been able to out drink her own brother on several occasions, and he had at least forty pounds on her. Still, she wanted a clear head, and decided that her fourth would be her last.
"So," Summer piped up, her voice shrill. "How'd ya end up in Gotham anyways?"
"I couldn't stand it in Florida any more…I got on a bus in North Port…that's where my folks are, and just kept riding until I ran out of money." Renee had a whole cover story ready and it slipped from her lips easily. She shrugged, as if actions like just hopping on a bus and taking off for parts unknown were commonplace.
"Wow…I'd never have the guts to do that…. Worst thing I ever did was date a loser!"
Renee shrugged and took a sip of her drink. "I was trying to make it to New York City. This is just a pit stop. A few months to get some money together and I'm outta hear."
"Hey, Bell? What did you do to get hired at the Hearts, anyway?" Tamalyn entered the conversation after being quiet most of the night. She had seemed to be having a good time, yet she was noticeably distracted. She had been glancing over at a table and scowling at someone all night long. An ex-girlfriend, she had told Renee.
"What did I do?" Renee looked a bit confused. She, in that instant, got the distinct impression that there were several things that Morley had neglected to tell her about. She would have to play it by ear, and have a talk with her "boss" later. "You know…the usual." She hoped that being vague would help her situation, by making it seem like she didn't want to talk about it. Lyns and Aurianna both came to sit down with a tray of shots. After sitting the glasses of red liquid down Aurianna spoke.
"Come on. It's ok. We're ALL screw-ups. You can tell."
"How about a shot per story," Lyns added. "Whoever finishes the drink last has to tell their deep dark story!" Renee was intrigued by this time. What kinds of things DID one have to do to get hired at the Two of Hearts? She looked warily at the red beverage in front of her.
"What is it?"
"A Red Headed Slut!"
All the girls burst into laughter then; as if it were the funniest thing they had ever heard. Must be a private joke, Montoya thought.
"What is in it?"
"Jagermeister, Peach Schnapps, and cranberry juice."
Great! Just what I need, to be mixing drinks while on a case. Still Montoya was confidant that she could hold out against the girls, at least long enough to concoct her own story.
And so, the drinking game began.
*****
Four shots and twenty minutes later, Montoya had a handful of knowledge and her head was swimming. She wished it were just from the overload of information that she had processed. However, her upset stomach and headache told her otherwise. At least she felt secure in her knowledge that no matter how trashed she was getting; her companions were far more toasted than she was. They had all seemed to even forget what they had been doing, content to talk amongst themselves or outrageously flirt with passer byes. This was a good thing, for Montoya had yet to come up with a suitable story for her hiring at the Two of Hearts yet.
Lyns had been the first to tell her story. She'd run with a rough gang, the Blue Devils. Being a girl in a gang like that meant that she had to be tough. She'd been busted during a gang war with the "School Boys", a preppy gang who specialized in drugs. She hadn't been actually involved in the fight, just a lookout. Still, she had gotten a month in jail for her actions that day. She had only been out a few days, and was being pressured to reenter the gang, when she had been approached to work at the two of Hearts. The Boss, who to Montoya's amazement wasn't Morley, had told her he would give her a chance to straighten her life up. She had grabbed at the chance. The stories that Summer and Aurianna told were similar in the respect that they both had made unwise choices, and were being given a second chance as it were in life.
Montoya had lots to think about. She really needed to get back to her hotel room. She knew she wasn't at her peak, but had learned much, and felt it would be worth the inevitable hang over in the morning. Feigning illness from to much drinking, she excused herself from the party. The women hardly noticed she was leaving. Quickly she hailed a cab and returned to her hotel. She had to be up early in the morning to check out the club before the other employees got there and desperately needed to crash.
As she slid her key in the lock for the second time that night, she noticed something…odd. The door wasn't locked.
Carefully, she pushed the door open. Standing at one of the windows, was a figure, his back to her. The light from the streets only half illuminated the man's features, but it was enough for Montoya to identify him. As he turned to look at her, Two Face spoke.
"Hello Renee."
The pulsing bass was so loud that Montoya could actually feel it vibrating the table. She could see the contents of the drinks shaking within their containers. Lynsey and Aurianna were out on the dance floor, having a grand time by the looks of things. They had been dancing and drinking all night. Summer and Tamalyn were seated, for the time being, with Montoya at the group's table. The three had been chatting and guarding the table from newcomers.
The women were putting away a considerable amount of alcohol in a short time. Summer and Lyns were already trashed, each having at least 8 drinks apiece. Tama and Aurianna were not as eager to get toasted and were only on their 5th drink for the night. Montoya glanced at her own beer, number four for her. She was not overly concerned. She had been able to out drink her own brother on several occasions, and he had at least forty pounds on her. Still, she wanted a clear head, and decided that her fourth would be her last.
"So," Summer piped up, her voice shrill. "How'd ya end up in Gotham anyways?"
"I couldn't stand it in Florida any more…I got on a bus in North Port…that's where my folks are, and just kept riding until I ran out of money." Renee had a whole cover story ready and it slipped from her lips easily. She shrugged, as if actions like just hopping on a bus and taking off for parts unknown were commonplace.
"Wow…I'd never have the guts to do that…. Worst thing I ever did was date a loser!"
Renee shrugged and took a sip of her drink. "I was trying to make it to New York City. This is just a pit stop. A few months to get some money together and I'm outta hear."
"Hey, Bell? What did you do to get hired at the Hearts, anyway?" Tamalyn entered the conversation after being quiet most of the night. She had seemed to be having a good time, yet she was noticeably distracted. She had been glancing over at a table and scowling at someone all night long. An ex-girlfriend, she had told Renee.
"What did I do?" Renee looked a bit confused. She, in that instant, got the distinct impression that there were several things that Morley had neglected to tell her about. She would have to play it by ear, and have a talk with her "boss" later. "You know…the usual." She hoped that being vague would help her situation, by making it seem like she didn't want to talk about it. Lyns and Aurianna both came to sit down with a tray of shots. After sitting the glasses of red liquid down Aurianna spoke.
"Come on. It's ok. We're ALL screw-ups. You can tell."
"How about a shot per story," Lyns added. "Whoever finishes the drink last has to tell their deep dark story!" Renee was intrigued by this time. What kinds of things DID one have to do to get hired at the Two of Hearts? She looked warily at the red beverage in front of her.
"What is it?"
"A Red Headed Slut!"
All the girls burst into laughter then; as if it were the funniest thing they had ever heard. Must be a private joke, Montoya thought.
"What is in it?"
"Jagermeister, Peach Schnapps, and cranberry juice."
Great! Just what I need, to be mixing drinks while on a case. Still Montoya was confidant that she could hold out against the girls, at least long enough to concoct her own story.
And so, the drinking game began.
*****
Four shots and twenty minutes later, Montoya had a handful of knowledge and her head was swimming. She wished it were just from the overload of information that she had processed. However, her upset stomach and headache told her otherwise. At least she felt secure in her knowledge that no matter how trashed she was getting; her companions were far more toasted than she was. They had all seemed to even forget what they had been doing, content to talk amongst themselves or outrageously flirt with passer byes. This was a good thing, for Montoya had yet to come up with a suitable story for her hiring at the Two of Hearts yet.
Lyns had been the first to tell her story. She'd run with a rough gang, the Blue Devils. Being a girl in a gang like that meant that she had to be tough. She'd been busted during a gang war with the "School Boys", a preppy gang who specialized in drugs. She hadn't been actually involved in the fight, just a lookout. Still, she had gotten a month in jail for her actions that day. She had only been out a few days, and was being pressured to reenter the gang, when she had been approached to work at the two of Hearts. The Boss, who to Montoya's amazement wasn't Morley, had told her he would give her a chance to straighten her life up. She had grabbed at the chance. The stories that Summer and Aurianna told were similar in the respect that they both had made unwise choices, and were being given a second chance as it were in life.
Montoya had lots to think about. She really needed to get back to her hotel room. She knew she wasn't at her peak, but had learned much, and felt it would be worth the inevitable hang over in the morning. Feigning illness from to much drinking, she excused herself from the party. The women hardly noticed she was leaving. Quickly she hailed a cab and returned to her hotel. She had to be up early in the morning to check out the club before the other employees got there and desperately needed to crash.
As she slid her key in the lock for the second time that night, she noticed something…odd. The door wasn't locked.
Carefully, she pushed the door open. Standing at one of the windows, was a figure, his back to her. The light from the streets only half illuminated the man's features, but it was enough for Montoya to identify him. As he turned to look at her, Two Face spoke.
"Hello Renee."