This piece involves the opening night of an underground Brujah vampire casino in San Francisco. Dr. Robert was involved in a plot to kidnap a mortal boy who belonged to the vampire casino owner, the beautiful Lucy Noelle. Dr. R was planning to sing at the club that night.

10:30 p.m.

To the relief of the band, Dr. Robert decided to cut the rehearsal short. They all headed straight for the bar, grumbling a little about slave driving Mal-- er, Toreadors.

Robert knew the band wasn't going to get any better. They'd never be as good as his old band, the band he'd made a few records with in the '80's, but it was better than he'd expected on such short notice.

He thought about Nathan, wondering how the old man's health was faring without him. He missed his dear friend very much... At least he'd been living in splendor instead of holed up in this tacky place with a bunch of uncouth, mannerless Brujah.

Still, Robert thought, Lucy needed him. She was *not* in good health right now, and until she was better, he would stay with her. The first part of her cure was almost ready to be started...if only the damned casino would open for business. Still, it looked like tomorrow would be the night. He would call Nathan and let him know as soon as he was sure.

Dr. Robert looked at Carlo, sitting over in a corner of the casino by himself, smoking a cigarette, looking angry, and knew he'd be perfect for the role Robert had cast him in. Lucy's cure was becoming quite an elaborate production...he loved it.

Robert smelled food cooking and went to look into the kitchen. Tyler was eating a big plate of something or other that Susan had made, and she was putting more onto two other plates.

"Who's that for?" said Tyler with his mouth full.

Susan looked nervous. "Uh...some of the ghouls..."

"Oh. Hi, Dr. Robert! Do you want something to eat? Or...don't you...eat?" Tyler asked. He knew some vampires did and some didn't, and he'd completely lost track of why by now. He knew Lucy did not.

"Beautiful child, yes, I do eat, thank you, darling, but...I'm afraid I've grown quite used to other fare than what you've got there..." Dr. Robert smirked. "Susan, my beauty, where *are* you going...?"

Susan scurried out of the room with the plates. Robert winked at Tyler, then Obsfucated himself and followed Susan. Ah, yes...he'd completely forgotten about the twins he'd locked up in the back.

Robert watched as Susan opened the door. Jeff and Jody were huddled together in a corner of the room, clearly frightened. Susan put down the tray, smiled wearily at the boys and locked them back in.

After she passed, Robert went back to the kitchen, where Tyler was alone. Robert perched on the edge of the sink, sitting there, watching the boy finish his dinner.

"I really must get Nathan's honey-sauce recipe," the good doctor commented to himself as his phone rang. This comment tickled Tyler's funny bone (since he didn't understand it.)

Nathan heard the boy laugh over the phone and quickly disguised his voice in case the boy had some way of hearing him.

"Doctor this is the Duke of Dorchester. I called to check on the package you are to deliver. Do you have a time and date on that yet?"

"Darling, of course--" Robert began, but before he could go on, Lucy came tearing into the kitchen. Nathan could hear her in the background.

"Robert, I have to go to Chinatown RIGHT NOW. Nobody goes in or out of this place til I get back...and you may want to have another rehearsal, because the casino opens tomorrow night at midnight...who are you talking to?" said Lucy.

"Wrong number," said Robert, hanging up on Nathan.

Lucy shrugged and looked at Tyler. "I have to run an errand," she told him. "I'll come back and get you in an hour or so. Why don't you go help Susan straighten out the Rolodex?"

Tyler narrowed his blue eyes. "Sounds like a blast. Can't I come with you?"

But Lucy was already gone, yelling instructions to people as she went. Tyler looked over at the counter where Robert had been sitting, but he was gone, too. Sighing, Tyler went to find Susan...

As Lucy slammed her way out, Robert slipped into a private room in the back of the casino and called Nathan back. The phone went through the usual annoying series of transfers before they connected.

"My Lord Duke," Robert purred, "Come see my show tonight at the Casino. I'll get your package to you then. Gift wrapped. It will be handed off to you just before dawn, so you'll have all day to enjoy your new toy before its previous owner goes into a frenzy wondering where its gadded off to."

Nathan suddenly had a nasty, satisfied look on his face. A cruel smile tugged at his lips. "Thank you, Viscount, I shall see you tomorrow evening then. Do take care of the merchandise until then."

11:45 p.m.

They went into the main room, and Lucy enjoyed the reactions and wolf-whistles because of her dress from the staff. She held up her hand. "Thank you, people, enough. Where's Jesse and Carlo? I want a report on that party you went to earlier...then enjoy yourselves, boys. Yes, even you, Carlo. Just keep an eye out that my date here is safe," she indicated Tyler, "And you have the rest of the night off."

Dr. Robert strutted through the room, carrying his doctor's bag. He took Lucy's hand and kissed it suavely. He was dressed in an electric blue silk suit, with a lace scarf frothing out of one pocket. "My darling, you look incredible, simply incredible." His voice was low, so only she could hear it, "You will knock Nathan's socks off...quite possibly other bits of his clothing as well."

"Robert--" she started in a warning tone, but then she stopped. She leaned over and kissed her old friend on the cheek. "Dance with me later."

"Of course, darling, who else?" he said, wandering off.

The assembled krewe still seemed to be waiting for her to say something.

"Shall I open the doors?" Jake asked. His eyes seemed glued to her cleavage.

"Yes," said Lucy, with a grin, "Let the games begin."

A little after midnight...

Tyler wandered through the casino, wondering jealously what Lucy was doing in the office with Jesse. Although he was intrigued by the casino atmosphere, he was still feeling a bit...sad tonight.

He walked past the various tables, watching people lose money, and thought about putting a quarter in one of the slots, but he knew his telekinesis would set the machine off if he got the least bit excited, so it wouldn't be much fun to win. He would have to learn how to control his powers...he was getting better at it, but he still kept finding things floating in the air around him.

Suddenly, as if he'd appeared out of the air, Dr. Robert was there in front of Tyler, startling him. The Malkavian smiled disarmingly and Tyler relaxed.

"You're looking quite lovely tonight, Tyler, darling," said Dr. Robert, brushing his long white fingers against the curls of blond hair that tumbled onto the back of Tyler's neck.

"Thanks," said Tyler. "Uh, I'm looking forward to your show." The kid had learned quickly that compliments were the best way to deal with this strange fellow.

"Thank you, thank you. I promise you it will be a night you'll never forget," Dr. Robert said. "We'll be playing rather close to dawn. I do hope you'll stick around."

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," said Tyler, frowning.

Dr. Robert reached out and fondled Tyler's necklace. "A pretty thing. Think how lovely it would go with my suit. May I borrow it for the evening?"

"Lucy said I should never take it off...it's to protect me against...HIM."

They both knew he meant Roulan, who was allergic to white gold.

"Oh, you're perfectly safe here, m'dear," Robert said, taking the small white-gold pendant over Tyler's head. He put it around his own neck and smiled, despite the boy's protests. "Now, now, you'll never miss it."

And with that, he disappeared back into the crowd again, leaving Tyler bewildered. He looked around for the Malkavian, winding his way through the crowds of well-dressed gamblers, until he found himself at the bar. "Susan, have you seen Dr. Robert?"

"No, kid. Sorry. You want a drink?"

Tyler grinned. He wondered if she'd let him have a real drink, or if she meant a soda. Tyler had never had alcohol in his life.

"Vodka martini, shaken, not stirred," he said seriously, and then his blue eyes widened as Susan actually made it for him. She set the glass down in front of him and was called away by another patron. Tyler picked up the drink, feeling very grown up, and took a sip. "BLEAGH."

Mae, the ghoul bartender, laughed at his sour face. "Here, sugar, let me fix you somethin' a little sweeter."

She mixed something up in the blender and handed it to him, taking away the martini. Warily, Tyler took a sip.

"Mmm...this tastes like...ice cream," he said.

Mae laughed and winked at him. "Come back n' see me if you want another one."

Tyler took the drink and wandered back through the casino.

**

As the limo drove toward the city limits Nathan reached down and picked up his car phone. Robert needed to hear how his meeting with Sonny had gone. Nathan had a satisfied smile on his face.

Robert was sitting in his dressing room at the casino. It had been too close to dawn to go back to the mansion last night, so he had spent the night here with his childe, Clare. He was proud of her...she was very strong, and she would give him a hold over the Brujah clan if he could manipulate her properly, which could be done easily by just pretending to be this Martin, whoever he was. Subtly he had interviewed some of the older ghouls and the Brujah who were in his band...Jake, Ramone and Jeremy...about the deceased. Jake hadn't known him, but the others had...although nobody would remember talking to Robert about him, he thought with a satisfied smirk. Besides, affecting the dead Brujah's mannerisms might be amusing.

After his set tonight he would return to the mansion. He wondered idly if any of the larder had been left behind... but he knew they would have been packed up along with his Apple Annie and trundled back to Toronto to await their turns on Nathan's table. The Prince really did have a knack for making death beautiful, Robert thought, sighing.

Lucy and Tyler had gone out with the Assamite, and Clare was being taught how to be a Brujah, so Robert had little to do. Perhaps he'd go hunting... or perhaps he'd go introduce himself to the Toreador Primogen. It might be nice to be among his own kind. What was her name? Ianna? Lillie? He wasn't sure. He supposed he could manipulate an audience with the Prince if he wanted, but Ventrue were a stuffy lot...in fact, most Princes were, except, of course, Nathan. There was never a moment's boredom in his company.

His cel phone rang. Robert picked it up.

"Button Vetter, Metro Homicide," he said into the receiver.

"Hello, Robert."

"Darling! I daresay, based on what I've seen of this place, Monsieur Toussaint might benefit from sending someone with you to Toronto. See how things are done, eh, old bean?"

"I could probably teach him a thing or two." Nathan chuckled. "You be careful, Robert. Don't underestimate the young prince. He has some very powerful allies around him. Even more powerful than I had thought. Be careful of the new Tremere regent. Oh..and for some reason Gregory seems to be in town as well...you do remember the Pontifex?" Nathan said. then he waited to hear the fireworks.

Jezebel smiled to herself as she walked over to the table. So THAT was the infamous Lucy..interesting....

She sat down with Tom and Violet to wait for the show.

Lucy strolled across the room. She took her time, observing the different people who were here, checking out what was going on around the room, and enjoying the attention that she attracted with her stunning looks. Few of the gamblers realized that she was the one running this show. As she was passing the door, Jake stuck his head out of the hallway and said, "Things ain't going so good outside."

Lucy cursed under her breath then grabbed the nearest Brujah, Jeremy, Susan's man, and sent him out the back door to give Peter a hand. How could a Brujah and two ghouls all armed with guns have trouble subduing a small boy?

She took her time walking out back. She had to calm down. She didn't want the brat to see how enraged she was. Oh, she was going to drain him slowly and feast on every drop of his blood.

Robert came onto the stage just before Lucy got to the door which led out back. She stopped and decided to watch him perform one song before she went to deal with Chris. Let the child's fear build. She only hoped Peter didn't get trigger happy before she got there.

Dr. Robert took the stage. He had made a hasty arrangement with the swing band, since his Brujah backing ensemble all refused to leave the little tasks Lucy had assigned them to play. Hmph, Brujah. However, the swing band, despite the fact that they were kine, were all decent musicians and managed to play what Robert asked. He decided to start with a medley of James Bond themes.

"Meeting you with a View to a Kill..."

Robert looked at Jezebel while he sang.