A/N - I'm so sorry that its taken me so long to get the next chapter
written - I had major writers block and real life and a new job kind of got
in the way! I'm not sure about this chapter so please bear with me, I may
take it off and edit it again at some point but I just wanted to get the
damn thing written! Thanks for all the reviews, its so good to know that
people are reading my stuff and having a response to it in some way.
Warning - drugs are mentioned in this chapter - if it ain't your bag, baby, then look out!
Chapter 8
The heavy door swung open, flooding the two men's faces with light and their ears with the steady rise and fall of conversation. Lex had to pause a moment, one hand shading his eyes, as he adjusted to the contrast between the darkened hallway and the bright daylight of the room in front of him. As his eyes got used to the change, he saw that this was the kitchen of the apartment, and remembered that he had been in this room once or twice previously. Full length windows wrapped around the outside walls of the room, as they did throughout Warren's penthouse. Glorious views of Metropolis stretched in every direction, but it wasn't this that captured Lex's interest. He felt Warren's half amused gaze on him and turned his own widened eyes to meet it.
"Gluttony." Warren said simply, unable to contain his smugness at his own cleverness in inventing this entertainment for his friends. Lex turned back to the scene in front of him, his eyes darting around the room, trying to take in everything he could see.
The normally austere stainless steel kitchen had been transformed into a bacchanalian pleasure ground. A fountain running with red wine stood in the centre of the room, around which comfortable chaise-longues were arranged. There were piles of food everywhere, tables groaned under the weight and trays were carried from place to place by gorgeous youths of either sex wearing togas and little else. Neither were these the only choices as far as gluttony was concerned. Lex was confused to notice a bowl of white powder seemingly float past him.
"I couldn't resist. Remember that old story about Queen?" Lex made out a retreating set of short legs under the bowl, and soon the rest of the body came into view, also swathed in white fabric.
"It seems that Queen had a party, and everyone who was anyone was there. The whole thing was completely debauched, and involved alleged dwarfs carrying platters of cocaine around to all the guests." Warren gave Lex a look from the corner of his eye. "Seemed like a good idea."
"Warren this is stunning. I can't believe you've done all this." Lex's eyes took in a group of cross-legged guests enjoying a hookah in the corner. Other guests, including Cleopatra, Elvis and a variety of literary characters slouched on golden cushions or across couches. Young men or women were feeding several as they lay with their heads in their laps.
"Come on, Lex, you know I never do anything by half measures. Besides, as the actress said to the vicar, "you ain't seen nothing yet."" Warren pulled the door closed in front of them, and led Lex a little way down the passage. "Did you notice that the people serving food all wore a gold bracelet on their upper arm?"
"No. I didn't really take in the details." Lex felt a broad and genuine grin slide across his face, and received one in return from Warren.
"See, that's the key to the kingdom. Everyone wearing one has been instructed, and paid handsomely, to oblige your every wish. They've been culled from some of the best and most exclusive escort services around the world. All clean and willing." The sheer scope and vision of this caused Lex to let out a low whistle.
"That's it. You've finally outdone me!" Warren laughed appreciatively and put his hand on his friend's shoulder as Lex continued, "you're going to be a force to be reckoned with when you start running the family business. I'm going to have to be careful."
"Glad you finally noticed! Oh, one other thing."
"Yes?" Lex answered cautiously.
"There's the rule that I told you about, the one that all your actions must be appropriate to the room that you are in?" All of a sudden Warren's mysterious pronouncement started to make sense, if Lex's conjecture as to the themes of the other rooms was correct.
"I remember."
"Good. It'll all become obvious in time." Warren suddenly pushed away from the wall he had been leaning on. " Now there's still a lot to show you, so quit dawdling about in the corridor!" Lex smiled broadly and answered with a quote from one of his favorite plays.
"Lay on, Macduff!" Warren was all too glad to oblige.
"With pleasure." Pushing open the door to the next room, the two men were greeted by a seemingly endless expanse of white softness. One side of the room had been converted into an enormous bed, complete with fluffy pillows and snowy quilts. Here and there near naked guests were being given massages and relaxing beauty treatments by professional looking men and women who none the less wore the same gold bracelets as the waiters had done in the kitchen.
The other side of the room held several hot tubs, with Japanese women in traditional dress carrying out the duties of cleansing and entertaining the guests in authentic Gion bathhouse style. Having partaken of the pleasures of that district on several occasions, and speaking fluent Japanese, Lex recognized several women of his acquaintance from one of the finest establishments in Kyoto. Some returned his smile, but were too busy to leave their posts to greet him. Lex looked at Warren and they both said simultaneously,
"Sloth!" Promising himself a long visit to that room later, Lex followed Warren out of the door and towards the next room.
"I take it that I've already been in the 'Pride' room." Lex thought aloud, bringing Warren up short.
"Ha! See, I knew you'd get this. No-one else has even noticed that there are only six themed rooms in the apartment, and you work it out before I even finish showing you around!" Warren shot Lex a glance full of admiration, for the man he secretly termed 'his mentor'. Of course, he'd never let Lex know quite how far his hero worship extended.
"So, I'm right. The elevator with all the mirrors was 'Pride'." Lex smiled with self-satisfaction at his quick reasoning, then felt the irony of that and laughed.
" I think we can skip 'Greed', I get the feeling that it wouldn't interest you tonight. I had the dining room set out as a casino, with ridiculously high prizes etc, etc. You know the kind of thing."
"Of course. But you're right, there are other sins that appeal to me more tonight."
"Come this way." Warren's eyes sparkled with mischief as he pushed the next door.
Warning - drugs are mentioned in this chapter - if it ain't your bag, baby, then look out!
Chapter 8
The heavy door swung open, flooding the two men's faces with light and their ears with the steady rise and fall of conversation. Lex had to pause a moment, one hand shading his eyes, as he adjusted to the contrast between the darkened hallway and the bright daylight of the room in front of him. As his eyes got used to the change, he saw that this was the kitchen of the apartment, and remembered that he had been in this room once or twice previously. Full length windows wrapped around the outside walls of the room, as they did throughout Warren's penthouse. Glorious views of Metropolis stretched in every direction, but it wasn't this that captured Lex's interest. He felt Warren's half amused gaze on him and turned his own widened eyes to meet it.
"Gluttony." Warren said simply, unable to contain his smugness at his own cleverness in inventing this entertainment for his friends. Lex turned back to the scene in front of him, his eyes darting around the room, trying to take in everything he could see.
The normally austere stainless steel kitchen had been transformed into a bacchanalian pleasure ground. A fountain running with red wine stood in the centre of the room, around which comfortable chaise-longues were arranged. There were piles of food everywhere, tables groaned under the weight and trays were carried from place to place by gorgeous youths of either sex wearing togas and little else. Neither were these the only choices as far as gluttony was concerned. Lex was confused to notice a bowl of white powder seemingly float past him.
"I couldn't resist. Remember that old story about Queen?" Lex made out a retreating set of short legs under the bowl, and soon the rest of the body came into view, also swathed in white fabric.
"It seems that Queen had a party, and everyone who was anyone was there. The whole thing was completely debauched, and involved alleged dwarfs carrying platters of cocaine around to all the guests." Warren gave Lex a look from the corner of his eye. "Seemed like a good idea."
"Warren this is stunning. I can't believe you've done all this." Lex's eyes took in a group of cross-legged guests enjoying a hookah in the corner. Other guests, including Cleopatra, Elvis and a variety of literary characters slouched on golden cushions or across couches. Young men or women were feeding several as they lay with their heads in their laps.
"Come on, Lex, you know I never do anything by half measures. Besides, as the actress said to the vicar, "you ain't seen nothing yet."" Warren pulled the door closed in front of them, and led Lex a little way down the passage. "Did you notice that the people serving food all wore a gold bracelet on their upper arm?"
"No. I didn't really take in the details." Lex felt a broad and genuine grin slide across his face, and received one in return from Warren.
"See, that's the key to the kingdom. Everyone wearing one has been instructed, and paid handsomely, to oblige your every wish. They've been culled from some of the best and most exclusive escort services around the world. All clean and willing." The sheer scope and vision of this caused Lex to let out a low whistle.
"That's it. You've finally outdone me!" Warren laughed appreciatively and put his hand on his friend's shoulder as Lex continued, "you're going to be a force to be reckoned with when you start running the family business. I'm going to have to be careful."
"Glad you finally noticed! Oh, one other thing."
"Yes?" Lex answered cautiously.
"There's the rule that I told you about, the one that all your actions must be appropriate to the room that you are in?" All of a sudden Warren's mysterious pronouncement started to make sense, if Lex's conjecture as to the themes of the other rooms was correct.
"I remember."
"Good. It'll all become obvious in time." Warren suddenly pushed away from the wall he had been leaning on. " Now there's still a lot to show you, so quit dawdling about in the corridor!" Lex smiled broadly and answered with a quote from one of his favorite plays.
"Lay on, Macduff!" Warren was all too glad to oblige.
"With pleasure." Pushing open the door to the next room, the two men were greeted by a seemingly endless expanse of white softness. One side of the room had been converted into an enormous bed, complete with fluffy pillows and snowy quilts. Here and there near naked guests were being given massages and relaxing beauty treatments by professional looking men and women who none the less wore the same gold bracelets as the waiters had done in the kitchen.
The other side of the room held several hot tubs, with Japanese women in traditional dress carrying out the duties of cleansing and entertaining the guests in authentic Gion bathhouse style. Having partaken of the pleasures of that district on several occasions, and speaking fluent Japanese, Lex recognized several women of his acquaintance from one of the finest establishments in Kyoto. Some returned his smile, but were too busy to leave their posts to greet him. Lex looked at Warren and they both said simultaneously,
"Sloth!" Promising himself a long visit to that room later, Lex followed Warren out of the door and towards the next room.
"I take it that I've already been in the 'Pride' room." Lex thought aloud, bringing Warren up short.
"Ha! See, I knew you'd get this. No-one else has even noticed that there are only six themed rooms in the apartment, and you work it out before I even finish showing you around!" Warren shot Lex a glance full of admiration, for the man he secretly termed 'his mentor'. Of course, he'd never let Lex know quite how far his hero worship extended.
"So, I'm right. The elevator with all the mirrors was 'Pride'." Lex smiled with self-satisfaction at his quick reasoning, then felt the irony of that and laughed.
" I think we can skip 'Greed', I get the feeling that it wouldn't interest you tonight. I had the dining room set out as a casino, with ridiculously high prizes etc, etc. You know the kind of thing."
"Of course. But you're right, there are other sins that appeal to me more tonight."
"Come this way." Warren's eyes sparkled with mischief as he pushed the next door.