He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter One Hundred and Six - Night Life

"I am sorry I am late!" Adam pleaded guilty the moment he arrived at the rear entrance of the club Night Life. Lacey Birch, manager of the club, gave him a look of disdain before allowing him to enter.

"Don't do it again," she warned, her voice as bitter as her personality. "Or I will dock your pay."

"Understood, boss," Adam replied before making his way to the men's locker room. His 'uniform' was a tight fitting white shirt, which was to be left unbuttoned at the top and paired with a black waistcoat that fit just as snugly across his stomach. Tight fitted black trousers finished the look. Of course it was not only the male workers that would be dressed up to look like fine cuisine for the club attendants. Women had a similar fitted outfit, their's tailored to enhance curves. The uniforms somehow came across as tasteful rather than slutty... but it was a fine line in Adam's view.

The club and bar had not yet opened, so the lighting had not yet been switched to its neon settings. The D.J's were discussing their sets to one side, while the bouncers chatted with a couple of new female staff members, flexing their bulky muscles. Tina, a co-worker, rolled her eyes heavenward. "They wouldn't be so impressed if they had witnessed Cole blubbering like a baby at the Christmas party last year," she muttered as she wiped down another glass and set it amongst the others.

"You could always warn them," Adam mentioned. He knew that Lacey disliked her staff dating amongst themselves, she had lost workers due to break ups before. Adam also thought she hated seeing happy couples as she was currently single herself.

"I don't feel like it," Tina declared. Adam just chuckled. She probably would anyway, at some point.

"Okay," Lacey called her bar and waiting staff over. They gathered at her call. "Adam and Flynn, you are both working the high bar. Tina, I want you to show Callie the ropes down here in the low bar, while Sandra learns to work the floor with Jen. Ben, I want you working the upper floor and on standby for the low bar if it gets busy later. Got it?"

"No problem."

"Got it."

"Ah, I wanted to be trained by one of guys," Callie whispered to Sandra, who nodded in agreement. She wasn't so subtle that the guys couldn't hear her though. Adam shook his head inwardly. This was precisely the reason Lacey was making Tina and Jen deal with them.

The high bar was a small bar on the top floor where the club's dance floor was and the D.J's set. They only served bottled drinks up there. The lighting would be minimal, soft blue neon around the seatless bar and as a backdrop highlighting the large fridge of countless bottles behind it. This place would be loud with heavy beats, loud patrons demanding drinks and off key singing once the club was in full swing. The low bar would likely be just as busy, but the music was at a slightly lower volume on the middle floor and comfortable seating lined the walls and stools and tables were scattered. There would be soft, warmer lighting on this floor as well.

Adam and Flynn made sure the small bar was well stocked and that they could access additional drinks when needed. The D.J's began to play the first of the warmup tracks, music that got one in the mood rather that one that no one can resist dancing to. It was not long after the first few bars began to play did the bouncers open the doors and let the first customers in for the night. A small crowd of pretty girls came straight to the bar where Adam was working. He recognised them, they frequently came to find him on their nights out.

"Aw, you are up here tonight!" One said, leaning over the bar and squeezing together her assets in order to give him a show. "We were hoping to chat with you some!"

"What can I say," he gave them a small smile, keeping his tone polite. "I go where the boss tells me to go." Flynn rolled his eyes as Adam's fans crowded around the small bar.

"But it's no fun downstairs without you," another pouted. She had peacock colours dressing her eyes and her lips coated in pink gloss.

"Then stay up here and dance," Adam suggested.

"Well, it's not so bad," the first girl grinned. "At least for the time being, we have you all to ourselves!" The girls with her cheered and began to sway to the music, which had already begun to pick up the pace.

"Well, while you are here," Adam said to them, "would you like a drink?" They swiftly ordered varying alcopops and parted with their cash.

About an hour into his shift, Adam ended up moving to the low bar as the newcomer, Callie had become flustered and messed up somewhat. Lacey gave her an early break before having her take bottles of water to the D.J's and bouncers, but the bar remained too much for Tina and Ben to handle. Flynn was experienced enough to be able to handle to high bar for a short while on his own.

When the crowd downstairs eased for the dance floor was calling, Ben took a break and seeing as Sandra was fairly efficient for her first night, Lacey had Jen join Flynn upstairs. "So tired," Tina complained. Adam laughed at her exaggerated expression.

"Can I have a vodka and coke?" a tall, young brunette asked as she took a seat at the bar. She had vivid green eyes and although she was wearing a little black dress that hugged her figure, it suited her well and did not look trashy.

"By yourself tonight?" Adam asked as he measured the spirit. He knew all of the regulars, this girl was one, but she usually hung out with friends.

"Oh, my friends are all upstairs dancing," she replied. "But I stupidly wore new heels and have a blister the size of Everest developing on my foot." Adam chuckled as he passed her the drink she had ordered and told her its price. She handed him some cash and he returned the change and added a plaster (band aid) to the small pile of coins. She held it close and said earnestly; "my saviour!"

Adam's groupies appeared upon the stairs. "There he is!" a very drunk girl pointed out to her friends. Adam sighed, inwardly. It was going to be a long night.

*****

There was a bar in the game as well, which sold bottles of virtual alcohol. The avatars could get drunk, which made controlling them more difficult and the empty bottles could then be used as weapons. Of course, the moonshine in the bottles could also be used to make weapons, particularly flammable ones.

Since the bar was well known, it was a good place for players to meet up and plan a raid or Battleground... or discuss an upcoming convention. The only downside was that the verbal traffic could be just as overwhelming as when in a real bar.

"Did you really get a free ticket to the Apocalypse Convention?" a newer player, Almighty Shotgun asked.

"Yeah," Adam replied. Actually, he had received five. "From the sponsors. It seems they want us to put on a show."

"I heard other top players in other guilds received them too," Two Hands told them. The dude was such a gossip.

"Should we all meet up?" Shotgun asked. "We should all meet up right?"

"We were planning on it," Seven Chances told him, lazily. "It's a bit hard to arrange when we don't know the layout of the venue. But I'll be recording a podcast, so just message me via the site when you get there." Adam had passed him one of the freebies when he had received them, naturally he was planning on taking full advantage.

"Hey Trin? Will you be going too?" There was a slight drop in background chat when this question was dropped. It was not too surprising, there were not a large amount of female players in the game and Trinity Desertflower was one of the top ten players. Her greatest rival could be said to be Suffer the Wrath, the female player labelled as Requiem Knife's in game wife.

"I am," she mentioned in dulcet tones. There was a moments silence following her words. It was a happy silence.