[Fort Frolic, Cocktail Lounge] The End of the Work Day

Evelyn was tired from another long day at work. Being an Eve’s Garden girl certainly wasn’t easy, especially since she had to resort to climbing up walls and doing acrobatic flips off them to keep the customers entertained. They didn’t come to see her dance; of that she was certain. She left that task to her busty co-workers.

Evelyn sighed as she considered her occupational dilemma. There was no helping it, though. She was unable to get work elsewhere, so it would have to do. What she could do, though, was take a little time to herself after work and check the sales at Sophia’s Salon. Her taste for high fashion was gratified by the clothing exhibited there, and she occasionally was able to purchase an item or two to enhance her wardrobe.

Sophia’s Salon was, in fact, where Evelyn was currently heading. She walked happily through the Southern Mall, admiring the beautifully inlaid wood flooring. The pattern was a delightful combination of ebony, rosewood, and some other, lighter wood, worked into florid patterns resembling oriental rugs. It was a lush environment which made her feel like she was in a high class area. Add to that the embossed metalwork which was so common along the halls of Rapture, with the repeating arches capping double v’s, and the atmosphere of high society was complete.

Evelyn glanced up at the bright white lights of the “Sophia’s Salon” sign as she neared. There was quite a crowd in the store, and she might have a rough time getting in tonight. She took this as a sign that there must be a particularly good sale, but one which would probably be sold out by the time she made it in. As she walked, Evelyn listened to the familiar sounds of life which echoed daily throughout Fort Frolic. Women talked brightly and laughed melodiously all around her, while men held conversations in sonorous tones. Fort Frolic was a popular meeting place for people. Everyone needed entertainment, after all.

Shrugging her way through the crowd, Evelyn sought out the comfortable Cocktail Lounge nearby. It would be a good place to wait until the crowd had died down a little, and she dearly needed a rest from being on her feet. The music from the jukebox, “How Much is That Doggy,” wafted out to her as she approached.




((Freelance, Open))

Fort Frolic

Bonus:
A place for fun and festivities. What goes great with having fun? Why buying things, of course. There are extra Circus of Values here. They also have the greatest selection anywhere in Rapture. If you can buy it at a Circus of Values you can buy it at Fort Frolic!

Selection & Prices

Spoiler:

Fort Frolic saw a lot of traffic, and so it had two bathysphere stations. The craft creaked horribly as it surfaced, but it always did that, and so Murdoch found himself unconcerned. The water ran off the top over the windowed hatch as it released itself. With a loud squeak it opened and Murdoch stepped out into Fort Frolic. With so much neon running through this place, it's no wonder everyone seemed to have a good time here, they were all light headed! Murdoch grinned and turned toward the atrium.

As usual, Fort Frolic was bustling. People stood about the atrium talking, laughing, and having an over all good time. A man cheered as he won on the slots behind Murdoch. His wife gave him a big kiss on the cheek. How quaint. He looked in the direction of Poseidon Plaza, but figured between the casinos, liquor, cigars, and women, there would hardly be a place to stand, much less sit and relax.

Moving through the crowd, Murdoch finally made his way over to the double arches which would lead toward the much less crowded Southern Mall. The security camera clicked as its light washed over him. He hadn't made enough of a splash at work to be noticed by the scrutinizing eye of Ryan yet. It whirred and scanned in the other direction as Murdoch walked through the first arch glancing toward the restrooms. He decided to stop in while they were on his way, so he did and made it quick.

Coming out, he saw that a crowd had gathered outside Sophia's Salon. Great. Never enough space in this sardine can. Murdoch made it through the crowd and happily walked down the stairs to his destination. This little corner cocktail lounge in the middle of the Southern Mall. Not much to it, but they had some comfortable seats and a great view of Rapture. That was about all he wanted right now. And perhaps some company.

Spying a woman standing outside the lounge, Murdoch approached her. "I can't imagine a dog surviving down here long, you know?" he said to her, commenting on the song coming from the jukebox. "Are you just passing through or would you be so kind as to join me? My name is Danny Murdoch, and yours?" he asked, smiling to her.

Evelyn cautiously eyed the well-groomed man addressing her. He looked like a nice enough guy, but she'd dealt with enough men at work. His smile, however, and the polite tone in his voice, convinced her that here she might find a man worth conversing with. Besides, it would be wonderful to be treated like a woman, rather than a performer. He even had a delightful sense of humor! She laughed, and then grimaced at the thought of a dog trying to survive down here. Somehow the cats managed, but dogs seem like they require so much more energy and life, and the ocean would probably smother them.

"I would be delighted to join you, Mr. Murdoch," she chirped. "My name's Evelyn Romero. It's a pleasure to meet you. Shall we continue into the lounge?"

As she spoke the last words, she strolled into the Cocktail Lounge. The place was a stark contrast to the bustle of the crowd outside Sophia's. There were a few people scattered at the bar, and a young couple sat at one of the coffee tables near the window. They looked like they were enjoying the atmosphere. And who wouldn't? The lighting wasn't too bright or too dark, making the lights of Rapture shine all the more vibrantly through the thick window, the music was playing at a volume not loud enough to prevent conversation, but loud enough to be heard, and the drinks were real works of art, served with swirls and olives and all the fancy garnishes one can imagine.

Though quite appreciative of the work put into the drinks here, Evelyn passed the bar and crossed the slick black-and-white tiled floor towards a coffee table on the opposite end of the window from the young couple. She had initially hoped to sit on the comfortable blue-green couch by the jukebox, but didn't want to encourage this gentlemen to sit too closely to her or make advances. Talking was fine, but she wasn't looking to continue her workday. Luckily, he didn't seem like the type who would do those things. He was tidy and polite. A real gentleman!

Evelyn glanced back as she walked and gave a brilliant smile to her new companion. "What brings you to these parts?"

Murdoch smiled and extended his arm toward the lounge. "After you, Miss Romero. I was just about to sit a spell here myself," he said. He followed her into the lounge and was more than satisfied when she took a seat in a big, comfortable chair near the window. He sat down opposite her and propped his left ankle on his right knee. He exhaled a sigh of relief and interlaced his fingers.

"What brings me down to the hustle and bustle of Fort Frolic?" he said, repeating her question. He hadn't really thought about it. "Well, I said I would be meeting a friend of mine down this way in a bit. He's up at Medical getting fixed up about now." He couldn't help but return her smile.

"Oh, I beg your pardon," he said, hastily taking off his fedora and placing it on the table between them. "So, how about yourself? What brings a pretty girl like yourself down to this side of Fort Frolic?" he asked. "Oh, can I get you a drink also? I'm not much for alcohol myself, but I'll grab a cup of coffee if they've got it."

Evelyn smiled yet again, pleased that her analysis of this man's character had thus far proven correct. His gentlemanly offers gave her a warm, happy feeling of being respected as a lady.

"You're welcome to get me a drink if you'd like. I've just gotten off work, and I'm quite ready to relax a bit," Evelyn replied. "I had rather hoped to catch the sale over at Sophia's Salon, but that crowd would dissuade even the most avid shopper." She adjusted the broad cloth belt that was attached to her pale yellow dress as she spoke, thinking of how she would have enjoyed finding a new dress at Sophia's. She rather thought blue would be a good color on her.

Looking up again at Mr. Murdoch, Evelyn quickly spoke in an effort to hide her slight disappointment. "I hope your friend won't be unhappy to find that you're not alone, Mr. Murdoch."

Murdoch raised his hand toward the bar and waved the bartender over. The man came over in a moment and bowed slightly so he could hear. "What can I get for you, sir?" he asked. "A cup of coffee for myself and something sweet and pretty for the lady, my good man," Murdoch replied. The bartender nodded and strode away to fill the order.

"Ah yes, Sophia's Salon. I haven't actually been in there, myself, but I hear it's the hottest new fashion store in all of Rapture. Then again, I heard that months ago, so I don't know how true it is. Though, I'll admit, I was surprised to see a crowd of that magnitude down this way. Usually this part of the Fort is desolate. The high brow gents taking in the finest smokes Rapture has to offer down at Le Marquis D'Epoque usually stick to themselves, and by this time of the day no one's really up for shopping around, so... like I said, I'm surprised to see this place as full as it is."

The drinks came, delivered by a waitress. "Coffee, for you, sir. Chocolate martini with a twist, for the lady," she said. "Thank you very much," Murdoch said as she walked over toward the couple who required her services. He was impressed with the martini Evelyn had. It looked quite good, but then he remembered the beer he had down at the Fighting McDonagh's. Not much for it. Best to pass and try one another time.

He sipped at his coffee, realizing it was too hot, and set it promptly down on the table. "I'm sure it won't break his heart to find me here in your fine company, Miss Romero," he said. "So, you just got off work? And what do you do for a living?"

“It’s true, Mr. Murdoch,” Evelyn replied. “Usually this area isn’t nearly so inhabited. It’s often nice to enjoy a quiet evening browsing at Sophia’s. There must be a particularly good sale on tonight. That or the advertising was better than usual.” She crossed her right leg over her left and gave her free foot a few irritated twitches. What were they doing crowding up the store on her shopping night, anyway? Perhaps it was for the best, though. This way, she was able to enjoy the company of this nice man, and she got a drink out of the deal, too.

The waitress approached with drinks, and Evelyn became immersed in the admiration of her chocolate martini. The glass itself was fancy, sporting a twisted stem. Inside was a light brown liquid accented by a swirl of chocolate syrup around the glass. The entire affair was garnished with curls of white, dark, and milk chocolate and an elegant twist of orange peel. Chocolate and orange – a fantastic combination. Evelyn hesitated to drink her martini, struck in awe of its splendor. However, not wanting to appear out of her element with such a refined drink, she hazarded a small sip. The flavor matched the appearance – incredibly smooth and delicious.

As the waitress took away a pair of empty glasses from the young couple, Evelyn’s eyes drifted out towards the lights of the city. Mr. Murdoch’s question gave her a bit of a shock, but she remained looking out as she carefully considered her reply. She had dreaded this question. If she told him where she worked, he was sure to stop viewing her as a lady. However, if she lied, he would possibly see her at work and discover the falsehood. Evelyn decided the safest thing to do would be to tell the truth. Giving a mental sigh of capitulation, which happily was not noticeable outwardly, she turned towards Mr. Murdoch.

“I work at Eve’s Garden. Though I’m not the ideal girl for the job,” she added with a melancholy smile, “I do what I can. It’s a job, at least, and that really counts for something in Rapture. How about you, Mr. Murdoch? Such a fine overcoat certainly doesn’t come with one living in the Poor House. Where did you find employment in this grand city?” Though some might have added an ironic tone to the last sentence, Evelyn believed Rapture deserved her respect, and chose not to accuse the city for the lack of employment opportunities.

Part of Murdoch's training as a psychologist taught him to keep his emotions in check, especially with regard to his facial expressions. Thus, when he heard about Evelyn's occupation, he calmly tilted his coffee back and sipped at it. He would not judge her, for she spent the better part of her day being judged. No, he was merely thankful to have company on this night. If she knew about half of the tests he performed under the direction of Dr. Suchong, she might very well be the one looking down on him.

He was pleased she was enjoying her drink, and after a second of silence, he decided to speak plainly. "Well, I'm not certain what you mean by 'ideal girl', Miss Romero, but seems to me that you'd fit the bill quite easily. Jasmine had better watch out, or you'll be headlining the place in a week. I suppose there's money to be had in the business? If it's worth doing, you might as well get paid for it," he mused thoughtfully.

"As for me, miss, I am a simple doctor working for Fontaine Futuristics. Now I know what you might be asking yourself. 'What does Fontaine Futuristics employ doctors for?' Well, do you think they'd trust just anyone to develop those tonics and plasmids everyone's so hopped up to use? Got to have the top minds working on it. And they do! I'm just there to bring them coffee," he said with a wink and a smile.

"How's the drink? It looks delicious," he said, slightly wishing he had one of his own. Still, the coffee was good and sobering. The fight had left him swimming and this was just what he needed to put his feet back on the ground.

-A bittersweet feeling swept through Oliver, like the wind from cold winter nights in New York so long ago, whenever he stepped foot in Fort Frolic. He spent his first night in Rapture here, and he was never the same after it. For some reason the glamorous side of this place didn't soften the blow; the irony of it seemed to make it worse. However he couldn't deny the influence this place had had on him, or the many thrills he's had here.

Pleasures, usually of the sinful sort, were to be had. Whether it was sex, gambling, alcohol, drugs, or even just furthering the free market a little more than you should, Fort Frolic had your vice. Oliver noticed someone carrying a rather large tray of casino chips with him. At a glance he could see that the chips were all of lesser denominations; Oliver was already familiar with the colors. This is why Oliver decided to bump into him. The chips rattled in the tray in the man's arms, and his expression immediately took one of anger, his eyes in a glare towards Oliver, who had both hands opened in front of him apologetically-

Whoa, sorry, so clumsy of me.

-Oliver pocketed a black chip; it was worth several hundred dollars and Oliver had not had it when he first entered from the Rapture Metro-

Lucky night, huh?

-Oliver offered conversation, his tone suggesting he was apologizing, but really he didn't give half a damn-

"Yeah! I hit the jackpot at Sir Prize. This isn't the first tray I'm cashing in... or the last!"

-How quickly the man's disposition had changed. Such was the way with any given person in Fort Frolic. It was odd to see so much joy and misery in one setting-

Hey, that's great! Here's hoping your luck continues...

-Oliver pulled the black chip from his pocket, flicking it to the man with his thumb. The chip flipped several times in the air, landing perfectly on top of the stacked chips in the tray he was carrying. When you've spent hours with the "tools" of a gambler, you become rather dexterous with them-

...just remember, easy come easy go.

-The gambler beamed at Oliver and continued his way to the front desk. Oliver shook his head and continued on. He could hear a crowd of voices, much louder than the dull roar you heard constantly here in Fort Frolic. He saw it coming from the Southern Mall, and approached. He knew Murdoch wouldn't be in a bar tonight, not after what had happened earlier. So Poseidon's Plaza was out of the question. Maybe he'd find him somewhere in here.

He walked through the entrance, hearing the mechanical sound of the Security Camera turning above. It stopped to focus on Oliver, and Oliver smiled at it and waved. He knew this pissed Ryan and his cronies off; they knew who he was and what he did but could never manage to prove it. He continued walking, noticing the elaborate wooden designs that made up the floor beneath him. Ebony, rosewood and was that... birds eye maple? Pretty fancy stuff for an oversized submarine at the bottom of the ocean.

He continued walking by, avoiding the sale at Sophie's Salon like the plague; he didn't believe in such chaos for something that had seasonal value, no matter how good the sale was. And Rapture didn't even have seasons! As he went further into the mall, looking to the left and the right, he noticed a familiar face in the Cocktail Lounge.

Oliver's face would be familiar to Murdoch but there was definitely something different worthy of an extra glance or two. Two bandages crossed over one another as they adorned his nose, which still looked crooked at a bad angle from his fight earlier in the day. This was an uncommon sight in Rapture, as Steinman had made sure any common imperfections like those were easily corrected-

Hey buddy! Those guys at the Dandy Dental get faster and faster. Its very impressive...

-Oliver looked over and noticed the woman sitting across from Murdoch, then cut himself off to address her politely-

Forgive me, its not often I see Murdoch with lady friends! I'm Oliver...

-He took her hand gently enough that she could pull it away if she felt it necessary, kissing the back of it in respect-

I'm friends with this barbarian looking lummox.

-He grinned the conflicting contrast, with his casual clothing, unkept hair and now the bandaged up broken nose so plain that it was ridiculous-

((Check your PM box), Demos)

Smiling pleasantly at his compliment, Evelyn uncrossed her legs and leaned forward onto the table, bracing herself on her right forearm. “I suppose you could say there’s money to be made in my line of work. Jasmine will be secure for a while, though.” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she thought of how little she wanted Jasmine’s fame. “I’m a fairly recent arrival here in Rapture, and haven’t exactly learned how to work the crowd. But, you were saying?” The young couple at the table on the opposite end of the window was preparing to leave, and a solitary woman had sat down at the bar. Soon Evelyn and Mr. Murdoch would be isolated at their coffee table.

Mr. Murdoch related a description of where he worked, throwing in a clever joke at the end. Evelyn listened wide-eyed, and laughed gently at the joke. She had never before spoken with anyone who worked for one of the big giants, as she termed Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine. Those two seemed destined to battle eternally down here in this caged-in oceanic city. And this man, Mr. Danny Murdoch, must be stuck right in the middle of that. She wondered how that affected his daily life. Thus far, she had managed to stay under the radar, and working at Eve’s Garden would probably only help her there in respect to Ryan. He favored the place, and didn’t usually target the dancers. Luckily, he also didn’t often notice anyone besides Jasmine when he occasionally showed up, so Evelyn was likely to remain anonymous. That was how she preferred to be for now.

Before she could respond to Mr. Murdoch’s question regarding her drink, Evelyn noticed a rather bruised-looking man approaching and heard him call out to her new friend. She gathered that this was the man for whom Mr. Murdoch had been waiting. He approached and took her hand, which she allowed in surprise. He looked rather rough around the edges, much more like someone she would meet in Eve’s Garden than Mr. Murdoch, and yet he still used certain polite formalities. It was another one of those instances which proved that people are often different than they appear.

Recovering from her surprise and bringing back her smile, Evelyn nodded to the newcomer. “Hello, Oliver.” She felt slightly strange calling him by his first name when they’d only just met, but that was all he’d given her to go on, so she would just have to assume familiarity. “If you two don’t have anywhere pressing to go, you’re welcome to draw up another chair. Mr. Murdoch and I were just getting acquainted.”

"Oh, you're new here?" Murdoch asked. "I feel like I'm just getting used to the rhythms of this place, and I've been here slightly over a year." Still, it grows on you, once you get used to it. He sat back a moment and looked out the window at Rapture. Amazingly, they attached advertisements to the outsides of the buildings. He spied one for the Kashmir Restaurant, which he had heard was a great place, but he had never been there. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from the hallway and he turned to see a poorly bandaged Oliver.

Murdoch blinked slowly a couple times and finally smiled. "Oliver, if you would just go to surgery one of these days, you wouldn't have to spend half your life with your nose bandaged like that. It's only making it worse, you know," he said. "Well, anyway, yes, pull up a chair, man, and join us. Miss Romero here is waiting for the crowd to die down around Sophia's so she can get in and see the merchandise."

Murdoch turned back to Evelyn, "Yes, he's the friend I was talking about earlier, the one I was waiting for." He checked his watch. "Yes, we have plenty of time. We were going to meet an old friend of ours over at Sir Prize for a round of pool, but... he won't be off work for a couple hours yet." He gave a friendly glance toward Oliver before taking another sip of his coffee. It was finally cooling off.

Nah, Murdoch. Like I said, my nose was broken before I got to this place and I sort of like the way it looks on me. I met that new nurse by the way... gave her the picture I keep in my wallet of what my face looks like before it gets smashed in, with the particular crook in my nose that I'm fond of. She managed to push it back into place just right.

-Oliver pinched his nose gently, as if checking it. As he continued on his experience at Medical Pavilion he grabbed a chair and sat down on the side of the table between them-

She was very nice. But it sure got under the Steinman's wig. He didn't say anything but you could just tell. Its like my willingness to accept my imperfections bothers him, you can see it in his face every time I come back in. Which is a lot, as you know...

-He gave Murdoch a grin, but then remembered they had company-

...that is to say I'm very clumsy.

-He smiled politely to the woman, then gave an apologetic glance to Murdoch. He didn't want to intrude on his first meeting with this young lady with unmentionables-

Anyway they fixed my tooth up well and good. They did it in an amazing amount of time. You gotta hand it to those doctor people, much like yourself, Murdoch.

Evelyn smiled as she listened to the exchange between the two men. They seemed to have known each other for quite some time. When Oliver had finished his explanation of the Medical Pavilion visit, she looked rather incredulously at him and said, “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who would rather have a crooked nose than a straight one. Although, if it’s something you had before coming to Rapture, I think I might understand a desire to hang on to it. I occasionally feel like it’s too easy to “get fixed” down here. If anything it wrong, just head over to Dr. Steinman!” She shifted in her seat and looked thoughtfully out to the ocean again. After a second or two, she recalled herself to the current moment and returned her focus to the two gentlemen.

“Don’t get me wrong, I think the advances in technology are extraordinary! I picked up a few handy tonics myself. I guess I’m just old fashioned when it comes to appearances, though.” She looked at the floor and shrugged carelessly. The lone woman at the bar caught her attention again. She was dressed to the nines and looked like she was waiting for someone. With a get up like that, it must be someone important.

“Forgive me, gentlemen,” Evelyn sighed. “I must have over-extended myself at work. I keep getting distracted. You mentioned going over to Sir Prize, I believe. What’s it like there? I walk by the place all the time, but have never dared venture in.” Her face had assumed a settled appearance, and she had obviously regained her composure. She casually sipped her once-intimidating drink and felt its relaxing effect. A nearby air vent created a slight draft, and Evelyn folded her right arm so that it rested along her body and ended with her hand on her left arm, protecting it from the chill in the air.

Murdoch nodded at Oliver's approval of the nurse. "I didn't know they'd have the nurse look at it. By looks of it, she did a mighty fine job. And those guys down at Dandy Dental are amazing! I went down there about a month back for a regular cleaning. I must've been in and out of there in fifteen minutes. But now don't you go grouping me in with those workaholics, I may be dedicated to my job, but I know how to cut loose every once in a while too," he said casually. The bit about Steinman didn't surprise Murdoch either. "That crank thinks if you're not beautiful you're not worth half a damn. Ironically, he surrounds himself with the ugly all day long."

Murdoch sipped his coffee, which was almost gone, as he listened to the dialogue between Evelyn and Oliver. She made a good point, and Murdoch raised his eyebrows over his cup as he finished his coffee. He'd have to remember to go back and look up facial disfigurement as a coping mechanism in his literature. He wasn't sure it was there, but it could potentially be a window into Oliver's thought processes.

"I must agree with you, Evelyn. Steinman's motto must be, 'With ADAM you can look just how you want! Like everyone else.' What a great day it'll be when you don't have to worry about what you look like, since you'll be a copy of a copy of a copy. I mean, doesn't the man ever get tired of doing the same thing over and over again?" Murdoch wondered aloud.

He smiled widely, "I'm shocked that you work down here in Fort Frolic and yet haven't been in to the Sir Prize. I kind of like it there, actually. They have a good selection of slot machines, like the ones you'd find over at Pharaoh's, but they also have some pool tables. I think Pharaoh's might have some too, but I prefer the decor of Sir Prize much more. Pharaoh's is too bright and gaudy for me, plus they've got some pretty tight security over that way... must be for the high rollers."

Murdoch waved off the thought with his hand. "Ah well, point is, it's the 'shady casino'. Though, I like to think of it as 'authentic'. Speaking of 'authentic', have either of you seen Sander Cohen's newest show? It got good reviews in the Tribune, but to them Cohen can do no wrong."

Well, its a part of me... part of my identity.

-Oliver faced to the right, so that his left cheek faced them. This brought his gaze over to the fancy dressed lady at the bar. His pause in his gaze looked like something from the outside it certainly wasn't; his inspection wasn't from attraction so much as curiosity-

...just like this. I could've had Steinman remove this as well. But this one's a reminder. The nose... I keep for a bit of character and nostalgia.

-He nodded in agreement of all that was said to Steinman. He took the moment to listen and watch rather than speak, but his observation couldn't be determined from the outside-

I don't know whats the best part about Sir Prize, the place itself or the people you find there. Never before have I been somewhere that people wore whether or not they were wolves or sheep on their sleeves so openly...

-As Miss Romero and Murdoch talked back and forth a certain part of what they said caught his attention. He had kept with the conversation to respond to what Murdoch had read in the paper, but he still had the question on the tip of his tongue as he agreed passively-

Cohen... he's just a big fish in a small pond... but... Miss Romero, was it?

-Oliver looked to her, though his eyes still looked unfocused. He paused, finding it odd that he now knew her on last name basis, and she knew him by his first name-

You work here, in Fort Frolic? Its been a while since I've visited... did you start very recently?

Evelyn nodded enthusiastically when Mr. Murdoch talked about Dr. Steinman’s alterations making everyone the same. She was glad she wasn’t alone in thinking the surgeries took something unique out of people. It strengthened her resolve to stay away from the Medical Pavilion, at least on that account.

Murdoch next explained the difference between Sir Prize and Pharaoh’s. Evelyn contemplated the comparison. She wasn’t much into gaming, and if she went to such a place, it would probably be to people-watch, as she often enjoyed doing. If that were the case, Pharaoh’s might be the location of choice. It would be interesting to see the different fashions waltzing through the room. On second thought, though, security might think her suspicious if she sat watching people, so perhaps Sir Prize would be better after all.

A nervous blush passed fleetingly over her face as Oliver (must she continue calling this man by his first name? It was an added embarrassment) mentioned her work in Fort Frolic. She hoped she wouldn’t have to go through the explanation of where she worked yet again. Luckily, she was safe for now. He only wanted to know if she had started recently. This gave her an opportunity to attempt a change in topic after her answer.

“Oh, quite recently. I’ve only been in Rapture a few months, really. There’s so much to learn about this place!” Giving only a momentary pause – not enough time to allow anyone else to speak – Evelyn leaned in a bit and directed the gentlemen’s attention toward the woman at the bar. She had just gotten up, looking quite dismayed, and proceeded to walk out of the Cocktail Lounge.

“Do you suppose she was waiting for someone? She looked awfully important,” Evelyn pondered. A passing waitress happened to hear her question and stopped by to share a juicy gossip tidbit.

“Oh, don’t you know, miss? That was Ms. Diane McClintock! She’s Ryan’s dame.” The girl smiled and winked at the group of people, proud that she was able to tell them something they didn’t know. “She comes in here to meet Ryan every so often, but lately he hasn’t been showing up!” As she spoke the last bit, her face drooped into a sad expression, and she walked away mumbling, “Such a shame…”

Evelyn turned in surprise to her companions. They had been in the presence of Ms. McClintock! Her eyes were wide, her mouth agape, and she sat in stunned silence looking from Mr. Murdoch to Oliver and back again. Rapture always seemed so new and exciting!

"Too true, Oliver. Almost makes me wonder what could bring a guy like him down to the bottom of the sea," Murdoch said. Still, he was here, and Ryan put him to work as a poor hack, spouting the preeminent glory that is Rapture all over the radio waves. Luckily some music filtered its way down from the world above, otherwise Murdoch would probably go crazy himself.

Murdoch, who was not facing the bar, did not notice the dressed up woman who Evelyn was talking about. He leaned back in his chair to look as she walked away from the lounge. He could see why Ryan fancied her. Nice set of legs on that one. Ryan had better have a damned good reason for leaving a woman like that on her own tonight. Still, as she turned the corner Murdoch was able to catch a glimpse of her face. Beautiful as he expected, but there was an unmistakable mix of disappointment and frustration on her face.

"Your eyes are keen, Miss Romero. I'd say that she was waiting for someone, and if we are to believe our waitress, then we may have very well seen Andrew Ryan grace us with his presence tonight. Have you ever seen him in person, miss? I haven't, but truth be told, I don't know what all the fuss is about. Sure, he built Rapture, but that was years ago, right? And yet, he's the only god damned, forgive me, but he's the only celebrity we've got. Girls in the office get giddy when they eat in the same restaurant as him. Guys in the office get star struck too, joke about playing him in a game of golf," Murdoch said quietly.

He smiled at her awe-struck nature, it was an endearing quality that he hoped she would never lose. As for him, he supposed seeing Ryan's squeeze was just as good of a reason as any to be excited. Still, silently he empathized with Diane and her pain. Just another person slowly left behind.

-Oliver's eyes went back to the woman that walked past when the waitress informed them who she was-

Ryan's girl, huh? So Diane gets Ryan's upper half and Jasmine gets the lower? I guess that's the price for that particular caliber of a man...

-He left it up to them to ascertain whether or not this was a disapproving comment-

As for them being celebrities, they're normal people, just like you and me. They're brilliant, but flawed. The only difference is their names come across more lips. Besides, Miss Romero; if you were wearing her clothes or her aura of personality would you feel any better about being stood up? You have company tonight... now there is a relevant difference.

-Oliver stopped there, eye still looking more though the confines of his mind than at the doorway he was directed at. He was better at listening than he was speaking-

The plan had seemed successful – everyone was at least temporarily distracted from the subject of Evelyn’s work. She smiled complacently and sat back, listening as her two companions bantered about what they had just seen. As Mr. Murdoch began talking of Andrew Ryan, though, her eyes became narrowed and her smile faded to a gentle frown.

“I hope I never see Andrew Ryan,” Evelyn scoffed, ignoring the usual formalities she used when referring to people. “He may have built this city, and perhaps he was once a great man, but he’s causing problems for it with his ‘great chain.’ He’s probably the reason there’s so much unemployment. He brings people down here with his promises of glory and then leaves them in the poor houses!” She spoke quietly, taking advantage of their solitude to voice her opinions. After speaking, she realized that she may have been led into a trap, and that these two might be Ryan's men. Their lack of violent reaction reassured her, though, and her features, which had clouded with worry at that thought, resolved once again into pensive complacency.

Oliver’s comment brought a smile back to Evelyn’s face. “You’re quite right, Oliver. I have company, and there’s definitely something to be said about that.” Her smile brightened as she looked happily at the two men. How lucky that there had been such a crowd at Sophia’s! These two really were quite nice, and she was enjoying their presence. Even this Johnny-come-lately, who had at first seemed a bit more rough around the edges. He was quiet, but he said meaningful things when he did choose to speak.

She gazed off again in the direction Ms. McClintock had taken and said dreamily, “There’s just something so compelling about that woman. Maybe it’s the things I’ve heard about her. She seems to have her head in the right place.”

Murdoch was surprised at how quickly Evelyn's demeanor shifted when Andrew Ryan was mentioned. Despite being down here for, what she said, was a short while, she seemed to have strong feelings about Ryan and his lordship over the populace. He wondered if she felt so strongly because the lack of employment opportunities was the reason she summarily became a dancer at the Eve's Garden. She had a point, though. There was definitely no lack of candidates to be found down at Fontaine's Poorhouse.

"My sentiments exactly," Murdoch said. "I wonder how many actually are doing what they love down here, because by my count, there's only two. And they're so busy circling one another that no one realizes that Rapture itself is circling the drain."

Murdoch's brow furrowed as he dwelled on this for a brief moment, but as Evelyn brightened so did he. He relaxed and ordered another cup of coffee, which arrived shortly. He followed Evelyn's gaze back toward Sophia's. "You think so? I haven't heard much about her. I'm not even sure she does for a living other than being Ryan's girlfriend. And how do you know Ryan is stiffing around Jasmine's yard, Oliver? I hadn't heard anything like that, have you, Miss Romero?"

Nathaniel walked into the bar, and collapsed into the first chair... he winced as his arm hit the arm rest as it had only been about 4 hours since he had had it half crushed trying to help fix up Ryan's "inpenetrable" securtity door.
it had been a long day at work, and now his left arm was sore as hell.
he wore his usuall clothing, a brown pair of pants, a brown leather belt, a plain (blue) shirt and his grey jacket.

-he brushed back his light brown hair and hailed the bartender- "give me the strongest drink ya got" the bartender didnt say anything he just walked off to the bar. Nathaniel rubbed his throat, it was hurting badly like his arm.
he soon returned with a bottle of Moonbeam Absinthe, -Nathaniel looked at the bottle in dismay-, he had expected something strong, but not Sander Cohens favourite drink, and the last thing he wanted was to be associated with Ryan, because as everybody knew, Cohen and Ryan were good friends.

he popped the lid and gulped some of it down, sattisfied he noticed a security camera aimed at him and he frowned for a moment. "christ!" he thought, "Ryan still does'nt trust me, he still thinks he needs to keep a camera on me" Nathaniel got up with his bottle and looked around there were only three spots that the camera wouldnt be able to see, one was where a group of gentlemen in suits sit gambling, another option was to blend in with the crowd -Nathaniel dismissed the two and instead looked at the third option, a small group of people two men, and one lady were on a comfortable looking lounge, as much as Nathaniel didnt want to intrude, shooting out the camera with his pistol which was lodged firmly in his belt at the back under his jacket just was not a good idea so he started making his way over to them.

"excuse me kind sirs, Madam, do you think I might be able to take a seat here as to escape the hairy eyeball that Ryan is giving me"?

-in the background the camera was trying to follow him but had reached it's turning limit, Nathaniel stood just three centimeters from its light, waiting for a reply-

-When Murdoch mentioned the two circling eachother, Oliver cut in-

I'll drink to that...

-He pulled a bottle of Chechnya Vodka from his longcoat. Murdoch might notice that yet again the contents were significantly more blurry than the sharp clarity of typical Chechnya Vodka. He drank some then set it on the table, continuing to listen as they started to talk about Ms McClintock again. But when Murdoch posed his question, a stranger approached, with an odd question.

Oliver stood before he was very near... he had heard the difference in the whirring of the security camera, and knew it had focused on something. Just as the strange man left the light, Oliver grabbed him by the front of his jacket, forcing him backwards a step or two and into the Security Cameras line of sight-

...why is Ryan watching you so closely?

-His tone was oddly polite, contrasting his actions-

((Since E.Bouncer just joined, here's a friendly reminder of the turn order. Next is Selene, then Demos, then E.Bouncer, then me again. Selene-Demos-E.Bouncer-AspiR. There you go)

The talk of Andrew Ryan and Jasmine made Evelyn slightly uncomfortable. It was true that he came and visited Eve's Garden occasionally, but she wasn't about to start spreading rumors. That would be quite uncouth. She was spared from answering Mr. Murdoch's question, however, by the approach of a man in a plain (blue) shirt. She had noticed him come in - the sparsely populated Cocktail Lounge allowed for easy recognition of newcomers - and watched him look around in contemplation. When he finally chose to head in the direction of the coffee corner at which Evelyn and her companions sat, he asked what seemed to be a reasonable question.

When Oliver jumped into action, Evelyn became worried. Maybe this wasn't the kind of company she would enjoy after all. His polite tone was indeed confusing, since his actions were far from peaceful. Not wanting to provoke him further, she nestled timidly into the back of her chair and looked nervously at Mr. Murdoch. Perhaps he knew what was going on.

Before his question could be answered, a newcomer approached Evelyn, Murdoch, and Oliver. Murdoch's eyes swept over the figure before them. He looked as though he had seen better days, but Murdoch paid him no mind and turned back to Evelyn. However, with Oliver's sudden actions, Murdoch thought perhaps that it would be best to be leaving Fort Frolic soon.

"Oliver, what the devil, man?" Murdoch demanded. "He's just a guy looking to get out from under his superior's eye for a bit. You don't have to go being all grabby with the fellow."

Nevertheless, Murdoch was also confused by Oliver's sudden change in tone. He gave Evelyn a reassuring look and held out a hand in an effort to let her know that everything would be fine. Or so he thought.

Nathaniel Gasped in pain, it was not the fact that the man now holding him by the collar was nearly chocking him, Nathaniel remembered quite clearly earlier on that day being told by a nurse that just happened to be in Hephaestus when his arm was crushed.
she had told him.
"Ok Mr Spenston, it's all bandaged up!, now if you dont want to go seeing Dr Steinmen -she gave a dissaproving sniff- then under no circumstances are you to do anything that might shake up that arm ok, especially no sharp jolts"

Nathaniel heard the snap in his left arm, and he fealt the warm blood slowly dripping down and through the half unravelled bandage, dropping to the floor, and he knew the bone had snapped and there was now a fragment piercing his skin. He hopped that no one else would see the slight lump now coming from his jacket sleeve, or hear the blood dripping to the floor.

-He started to answer taking a deep breath as he did-
"You want to know why I am trying to get out from under Ryans god damned eye!"?
"well it just so happens that I have the misfortune to work for that son of a bitch"!
-he paused gasping for breath, the blood now starting to pool next to his foot under his limp hand-
"and I dont mean I see him once and never again, I mean that whatever the hell he wants, he tells me, and I do it"
"he wants a drink of water, I get it, he wants his golfing set, I get it, He wants his damned securis door fixed, I fix it, if he wants to go out, then I'm the bodyguard"...

Nathaniel Trailed off, he knew if he didnt get one of his first aid kits out soon, then he would either be going to steinmens or ending face up in a ditch.

-Nathaniel looked over at the Securtiy camera that was aimed at him, he smiled weakly and gave a wave and a hand gesture to indicate everything was alright-

He thought for a moment that maybe the man had had a little to mutch to drink, as he had heard the other asking the guy holding him Oliver apparently, what he was doing.

Nathaniel hoped that this Oliver fellow would at least have the sense enough to get him out of the Camera's light, as Ryan would probly be wondering why he was being held like this with his left arm completely limp and bent slightly backwards at a bad angle.