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Neon lights lit up a colorful street, illuminating extravagant storefronts that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. Raucous laughter filled the air, and a myriad of people roamed around with bottles of liquor in their hands.

The men wore impeccable, silky black and white tuxedos, while the women paraded along in skintight red and black dresses that rode up their thighs and revealed an abundance of cleavage.

Khalani crossed her arms over her chest, intrinsically aware of how out of place she looked in her dusty beige pants and oversized shirt. But the people strutting on the street ignored them, taking long swigs of their drinks and bumping into one another.

As she followed Spade, blinking neon signs in front of the strange shops caught her attention.

Stella’s Sweet Delights. Queen of Hearts Bar. Othelia’s Outfits. Sultry Sin. Laken’s Liquors. Dance with the Devil.

The sights, the smells—everything was an assault on her senses.

She gazed up at the dazzling lights and buildings, a strange dichotomy to the massive stone cavern Hermes resided in.

Khalani jumped as an inebriated couple pushed past her.

The man wore a crisp white suit as he hoisted a blonde woman into his arms. Her long legs wrapped around him, and she tilted her head back in bliss while he unabashedly sucked on her chest in front of everyone.

“You’re looking a little lonely. I can help with that.” A young man with baby blue eyes and long brown hair tied in a ponytail sidled up to her, the smell of liquor on his clothing overpowering.

Khalani tried to back away, but he tossed a heavy arm around her shoulders.

But in the next moment, he was abruptly shoved away,crashing to the cobblestone in a drunken heap. Several onlookers started cackling hysterically while the guy belched and struggled back to his feet.

He wasn’t even aware of the 6’5 Captain standing over him.

“Let’s go.” Takeshi didn’t waste another second and grabbed Khalani by the arm, steering her around the couple who started ripping each other’s clothes off in the middle of the street.

Once they were safely behind the group, Takeshi quickly released her.

Spade subtly glanced back, making sure they were still following, and continued to move forward, completely immune to the scenes of gluttony, sex, and debauchery surrounding them.

The contrast between Apollo and Hermes was evident in every square inch of the city, especially in its residents. Khalani and her companions were rigid and cold, a product of their harsh environment, while these people were carefree and reckless.

A boisterous crash sounded to her right.

She flinched as an older man in a grey suit punched a short guy wearing a black top hat clean off a barstool.

A few of the women stopped to watch, the grins on their faces widening as they giggled, whispering to one another. The men openly appraised the fight, shouting words of encouragement, and no one interfered.

“Ladies’ Happy Hour is now!” a woman in a black lace bra announced from behind the bar, ignoring the havoc around her. “Buy two shots, get the third free!”

“Win your chips at the casino in style, gentlemen! Wear Deluxe Tuxedos, and you’ll have winner’s luck, mark my words!” a man with platinum blond hair shouted from the other side of the street. His silver suit sparkled like the moon as he stood outside a colorful store where hundreds of shimmering suits were on display.

“Don’t stop,” Takeshi reminded her, gently pushing her forward.

Khalani was too shocked to do anything but obey.

The endless line of stores, bars, and drunk patrons seemed never-ending until Spade turned into another dark alley.

There were hardly any people in the alley, but the few who were present all nodded at Spade as he passed. They approached a smaller building with a modest sign hanging above the entrance.

The Black Heart

Her brows pulled together as Spade approached the steel door, pushing it open, signaling them to enter. The interior felt like a warm, ancient castle that Winnie had once told her about in books.

The walls were made of stone, and the space was more expansive inside than it appeared from the outside. The large room was dimly lit, with a long bar to the right.

A few men sat on barstools, their white sleeves rolled up as they spoke in low tones.