The Warehouse
A dark womb of black, purple and orange encompass The Warehouse nightclub. The room is a fair sized club area that has been built out of an old warehouse. Most of the club has been well-lit with neon tubing, but the lighting around the booths and back wall are shadowed to provide some modicum of privacy.
Other than the dance floor, the floor is a deep purple linoleum with small orange stars scattered haphazardly over it. The ceiling in a large geodesic dome made of interlocking black pentagons lined with chrome which reflects the flashing neon. A ring of black light surrounds the ceiling, causing the lighter colors in both the club and on the patrons to fluoresce.
A catwalk spreads over the dance floor, the black iron rails holding state-of-the-art varilights and floods which reflect off of the large disco ball that dangles from the ceiling, splashing the LED dance floor with light. The dance floor itself flashes and pulses to the beat of the music, continually changing colors in a neonic frenzy. On tall black step-platforms set out randomly throughout the dance floor are black dance cages, roomy enough for two people to bump and grind to the music in them.
The bar matches the rest of the nightclub, tall and black with a strand of purple LED's running along the sides and the outer edges. The stools in front of it are orange and chrome, reflecting the purple light that washes over the bar area. Behind the bar is a high-tech, mirrored drink area with glass shelving. Various libations, ranging from alcoholic beverages to fruit juices and sodas line the shelves.
The music here is blisteringly loud, but startlingly clear. Heavy bass notes throb, speakers buzzing slightly when the volume reaches its peak.
Getting stuck at work late is really not a great thing - at least not at this time of year. Hope got bombarded with people at the Pretzel Hut after her little break earlier, then the person that was supposed to take the nightshift wound up being rushed to the hospital with a bursting appendix. Much as she hated to stay, she really had no choice. Everyone else was busy.
But! That was okay, because she had her car. Not a whole lot could happen if she got walked out by security, and went straight up to her apartment after getting home. Nothing at all!
Except for the sickening kaboom of her tire as it goes completely and totally flat in an area she's not entirely familiar with. Being that it's after nine in the evening, most establishments are closed. Therefore, she can't go to the safest places she knows. She's stuck wandering into a nightclub. A loud, dark nightclub. Likely filled with vampirous vermin. Shudder.
The sound inside the nightclub is incredibly loud, so much so that the blowing of the tire is not heard. In any other building someone may have suspected a gunshot, but not in the bar. Instead there's a large group of people hanging out, dancing, and generally being lewd. It is a bar, after all.
It would be a great pleasure to discourage each and every one of those inside from their public acts that should not be seen. That, however, is not his job. His job is to keep fights outside, drinks inside and the innocents safe. It just so happens that at this point in the evening Robert has been positioned near the door, ready to bounce out any who enter that give him the feeling of danger.
When Hope appears, his reaction is much different. She doesn't exactly seem to be someone that belongs. He walks up to her to investigate, keeping quiet to see how she reacts.
Vampire-senses tingling. Hope can sense someone coming at her, so she peers from side to side, then veers through the crowd toward the bathroom. There should be a telephone back there somewhere. One that she can use, since she forgot to charge her cell phone before leaving the apartment earlier. It's a hard thing to do, maneuver through a thick crowd, and avoid touching anyone. But she's doing her best, dodging and weaving about.
Well now, if that doesn't scream suspicious he doesn't know what does. A shame, too. She appeared to be such a nice girl. Still, if she's doing crack in the bathroom she must be stopped. Robert takes the initiative and cuts her off at the pass. He's been a bouncer for a long time now and has learned to navigate the crowds better than most.
"Excuse me, Miss," he says as he gets close enough. Nothing about him appears to be threatening in the least. He saves that for later. "Was there something I can help you with?" Robert plants himself between Hope and the restroom just in case.
Suddenly the person that was coming in at her moments ago is in front of her. Causing her to shriek in surprise. Not that it makes all that much difference in a noisy nightclub. Hope places a hand over her pounding heart, and after giving him a good look to ensure that he's not pale and toothy, she nods. "Yes, phone? Where is it? I got a flat outside, and my cell phone died, and I'd really rather not wait out there for the tow truck, but I still need to call them… and can you even hear what I'm saying over this noise?"
"Yes." What exactly he's answering is unclear at the moment. A finger points the way, along the wall, back towards the exit. Robert stands just that much closer to her, just to ensure that she can hear him without having to make him shout. "You won't hear well on the phone in here. Go back towards the exit and you can use a phone there."
As he says this he removes the cell from his back pocket. Going out onto the streets at night isn't safe but he'll make sure that she's able to do what she can in peace. That's what a person of his position should do, after all.
Random stranger offering her his cell. Hope just blinks at him blankly a few times. "Okay, thanks." She doesn't reach for the phone though, hesitating instead as she looks down the hall to where he's pointing. It's lit well enough, and she doubts she'll have any issues. She's going to kill Manny when she gets to work tomorrow, or at least convince him that he's got to hire more people for the night shift. Her nerves just cannot handle it anymore.
Robert walks along with her, behind her really, but giving her enough space to not seem as if he's looming over her. When he nears the front of the building, several of the other bouncers comment about him always getting the hot ones. "You know that isn't true and not something I'm interested in," he shoots back, not able to joke about such things. "She just blew a tire and needs help, is all."
He repositions the others temporarily while away from his post. "Here," Bobby says as he offers her his cell phone. "You won't hear anything inside. This is not a good time for you to be stranded. It isn't safe out at night." There are no attempts made to flirt with her. He's merely being sincere.
The comment causes a hint of a blush in her cheeks, but she covers it up by staring at her feet. La-dee-da. Let the guys be the guys, she'll just wait and see if she gets the phone or not. What he says though makes her wonder if he's of the other persuasion. However! She doesn't know him well enough to ask, so it remains a thought.
When he offers the phone, she can't not take it, so Hope smiles as he hands it to her. "How will I find you to return it?" She's picked up on the fact that he must work here, but she has no idea in what capacity. The bar scene is most definitely not hers. As an after thought, she replies, "Tell me about it. I'm usually at home by now, but I got stuck at work and then this odd series of unfortunate events happened." Not to mention her sister was bitten by a vampire not long ago, and add to that the history she has and Hope is not a very happy girl at all.
She can ask him anything, honestly, and she'd be wrong if she did guess. She wouldn't be the first woman to make such an assumption. Robert continues to almost guide her in attempts to get her out of the bar properly. "You really don't belong in a place like this." He's not exactly a fan of the bar scene himself.
Her story is enough to earn his sympathy and understanding. "I see no reason why a manager would allow someone such as yourself to be out so late. Doesn't he watch the news?" Some people need to get a clue. Bobby offers the best smile he can to try and relax Hope. "I can wait out here with you if you're concerned about returning my phone. I'd rather do that anyway. Bad things happen at night and it isn't safe for you to be out alone. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened."
"Definitely not my scene," she admits. Now if it were the pool hall back home and she was surrounded by friends, she might venture out to a pub once in a while. Hope shakes her head. "I'm generally off at four, but my replacement was indisposed," she says, deciding not to get into the whole sob story. "Everyone else was booked off or had plans." At his more than generous offer, she seems to breathe a sigh of relief. "I would like that, yes. Safety in numbers." Hope looks out at her car, then frowns. So, so not her night.
She opens her purse to pull out a towing companies business card - ever prepared (except for the dead cell phone apparently). Once she has the number, she places the call. "I need a tow. Flat tire. Outside of… uhh…" She spins around to try and find the name of the club. "The Warehouse nightclub. It's out in University Park…" There is a brief flitter of an actual smile, then it reverts to a frown. "That long? But there are…" Deep breath, Hope, you can handle this. "I will be waiting." The phone is turned off, and she offers it back to him. "Thank you so much."
At least she doesn't think that he's coming on to her, or trying to turn her into a tasty treat. "I'd question why you came in at all if it wasn't for the time." His watch is checked as he mentions this, causing him to flex one of his muscular arms. "Next time that happens your manager should think about covering for you. I'm not saying that you're weak because you're a woman, but a single girl out on her own is a target for CoDs." Bobby actually has to shake his head at this. "People don't take things seriously enough."
The intent is not to listen to the conversation but he is eager to know just how long she'll be stranded. "They seemed helpful." His response is a deadpan, of course. Bobby takes his cell and returns it to his back pocket. "You're welcome. I wouldn't be myself if I let a pretty girl go without rescuing." It really is meant as a joke, complete with wink and everything. "Was there somewhere you'd prefer to wait until the truck arrives? The guys will cover for me so I can wait with you."
CoDs? Hope just stares at him. Then a wide grin spreads upon her lips. She adjusts her hand as she offers the cell phone back, showing off her FotS honesty ring. "No, they really don't. I wish the towing company would be here sooner, but he said it will take at least thirty minutes to cross the city to get here. I can't fault him for that, he didn't build the streets, but still…" Shiver.
"Right here by the door is fine." It's close enough to indoors to not worry her, and in a well lit area. "That way you can still do your job?"
When she adjusts her hand, he reaches out to take it. While the charming thing to do would be to kiss it, he instead attempts to shake her hand in proper greeting. That's more comfortable, right? "It's always good to meet up with others of the same belief." See, he's not gay. He's just polite, caring and religious. "And you're right. You can't blame them. That doesn't mean that you have to like the situation any less. It's probably been a hectic day for you."
Robert the mind reader. Not really, that's more up his sister's ally. Bobby just cares about life in general. "Don't worry about me. I work this job for times like this. I can protect myself but not everyone can claim to that." He leans back in to say something to one of the others before turning back to Hope. "Besides, I'm pretty much here just to bring in people. They can work without me for half an hour."
The hand is taken, the handshake returned. No pressure, which Hope actually prefers. Were her sister here, she'd be all 'Ooh, look, cute guy, you need a cute guy, you should date him'. Thankfully, Faith is happily locked down, possibly with those little arm and leg straps. Safe and sound. "I haven't seen you at the church," she says, by way of making conversation. "Not that I scout the church or anything, that is, uh…" Oh geeze. She's gone and flustered herself. Trying to laugh it off, she moves to lean against the wall under the light.
"I appreciate it, mister…" Well she never caught his name, and bouncers aren't generally known for nametags.
Why is she laughing? Esh. Women are so complicated. He just smiles in return, flashing his pearly whites. "I deserve that," comes the earnest reply. "I'm usually up so late that early mornings have become nothing more than a memory." Certainly that makes sense. He does work at a bar, after all. "I go when I can but my hours are odd. I work with the church, though, by working here. If anyone finds themselves needing an escort, I can help. And when I'm not needed I can try to keep the teeth off of those who are inside and willing to sin."
He doesn't have a crazy sister to worry about, not in that sense at least. He's keeping Hope away from the other bouncers because they really are perverts. "Oh, sorry," Bobby admits with a blush of his own. Out of embarrassment. "I'm Robert Cornett but everyone calls me Bobby." There may or may not have been rumblings about him amongst the other young ladies of the church. He's clueless. "And don't worry about it, please. I really just want to see you safe."
"O-oh! Right." Hope gives her head a bit of a shake. "I imagine with your particular hours, it would be difficult to be up on a Sunday morning. If you ever are up early enough, I can return the favor. I'll save you from all the mama's that will want to push their daughters at you." It seems a fair enough trade, and the best she can offer at the moment.
"Pleasure to meet you, Robert," she says, not knowing him well enough to resort to a nickname as of yet. "Hope Tyler."
It isn't exactly something that comes to mind right off so he understands. He actually leans back to consider this arrangement for a moment. "Well, I do hate to be rude. I don't want to insult them, but what happened to knowing a person?" Robert shakes his head then chuckles. "I think we have a deal. That is, if you don't mind being my date to church."
A wink is sent Hope's way. "Nice to meet you as well, Hope." Most people shorten his name even without him telling them to so this is a pleasant surprise. "Is there anything you need while we wait?"
"I wouldn't mind in the least. It's probably one of the only ways I can offer protection in return." See? No strings attached, just two people watching the other's back. "Provided that /you/ don't mind my telling my sister that it is a date so she'll get off my back." Hope met the guy her sister wanted her to 'date' earlier today and she'd really rather not, tyvm.
"I think I'll be fine with just the company really. Unless you want a way to get in touch with me so I can pay you back for that call." Cell phones, after all, aren't free.
Everyone has different tastes in all aspects of life. Robert likes to think that his taste is some of the best and he'd say the same about Hope if he met this Wit. "You can do more than that. You're more than capable. I just wouldn't ask for anything more." Hope does catch his attention when mentioning her sister. "You've got one of those, too? I've got two." He seems to be happy with this fact but siblings are siblings. "I don't care. Who am I to come between sisters?"
He's not good at actually keeping in contact with the women that he meets during the night. "Oh, right." Bobby gets his phone back out and hands it to Hope. "That would help, wouldn't it?"
Hope takes the phone, enters her digits, then hands it back to him gently. "I'd just hate for you to get the bill and wonder about that call. I'm not sure what type of plan you have, and if you don't want to be paid back that's fine…" She'll just come to the bar and leave money in an envelope for him with his bouncer friends.
Though it has been less than thirty minutes, the telltale signs of a tow truck can be seen coming up the street. "I believe that's for me. Thank you again, Robert. You have truly been a Godsend this evening. I don't know what I would have done without your assistance."
"Hey now. Don't worry about things like that." He's actually attempting to be comforting. Come to think about it, he doesn't look or act like any of the typical bouncers. "Besides, if I did have to pay it would be worth it to be saved from the girls that think I go to church to find dates." Going as a date is completely different.
The tow truck is actually a welcome sight. The sooner she can get out of the cold, the better. Robert's not really concerned with himself. "You would have been strong, and you would have survived." He has confidence in her. "Be well, Hope Tyler. I'll see you at church."
"May His Holy Light shine upon you," she offers, giving a little wave. The tow truck isn't that welcome a sight, but she's happy that it was swifter than they said they would be. Not that she dislikes the company at all, but she'd just rather be somewhere she knows is a hundred percent safe. Once the truck comes to a stop she heads over to her car to show the flat, which seems to be more than just a popped tire - a spare would have fixed that and no need for a tow at all.
