The driver honked repeatedly, before finally turning back to face me. “Looks like this is as close as I can get Byron, unless you want me to run over a few of these chromers. But the club’s just down the block.”

I sighed. This section of downtown was always busy, even in late winter with snow a foot deep on the roads and what passed for sidewalks. “It’s fine, Bart, a short walk and frigid air will do me some good. Don’t go far though, I don’t really have high hopes for tonight.”

I popped the door and slid out into the half slush, half snow. Good thing I had knee high leather boots on, even if they will need polished after this mess. I reached down and grabbed my red leather jacket, to cover the purple shirt dangling over my black leather pants. I scratched idly at the data jack sticking out of my neck. Damn plastic adhesive made me itch, no matter how often I used the cream on it.

Tonight I had died my silver hair into shades of green and purple, spiked down the middle. Totems be damned, some times Ihated this job. Fucking chromers had no fucking sense of shame or fashion.

There was a damn line to get into the club, gods knew why. I was hoping the band, but I doubted it. I walked past it, cautiously, since the majority were massive orcs and even larger trolls. Took up the whole sidewalk.

I walked up to the bouncer, who growled a greeting. “Line’s back there, pasty.” I smiled my charming best, and replied. “Johnny’s got a table for me,” and handed him my card. “Don’t care who you are, get to the back.”

I sighed again, it was going to be one of those nights. I triggered the minor spell embedded in the card, and a what looked like a electronic hologram popped up and a orc with a flourescent yellow mohawk said “Mr. Liam is invited, get the fuck outta the way, Donald.”

Donald the orc flushed, if that was possible in the freezing cold and with the stubble on his face. Apologizing profusely to the image, he turned to me and opened the door. “I didn’t mean nothing Mr. Liam. I can’t read,” he mumbled as I started to walk in.

“It’s alright Donald, I said. Just doing your job I’m sure,” I smiled and walking into the foyer of the club called Tainted Love.

I sooo did not want to be here tonight. I had homework, and was tired. But, well, biz is biz. One of the “hostesses” led me upstairs to the balcony overlooking the stage. A massive troll sat on a raised bench near the rail. “Byron, I am so pleased you could make it tonight.” The high pitched voice always made me want to giggle, but no one did that around Johnny Red Teeth. At least not more than once.

“You know, Johnny, I could have come down at a different time, during rehearsal or something,” I replied.

“No, Byron, you need to see them in their element.” I nodded, slid into a high back chair, and ordered a jakncoke. I wasn’t really in a position to deny Johnny. Oh, I could, I mean, Deviant Assault was on the rise. Sabre’s first album was on the charts, and the cred rolled in on the few shows he had done. But Johnny had steered me to one of the other two acts that we had signed recently, and the gutterpunk band “Chasing Elves” had just released their first original song. On top of that, Johnny owned parts of four different clubs throughout Aurora. He had contacts, and gave me breaks on the fees for scheduling some of the gigs. I just hated chrome rock. On top of that, this was his kid sister. Sometimes I hate the biz.

It happened during the second set of the night. I was surprised, I was actually semi enjoying myself. You don’t want to eat at a place like Tainted Love, but Johnny is surprisingly fair in the booze they put in the drinks. So, its a popular place, especially with the orc and troll crowd. But Johnny didn’t discriminate, so as long as you liked chrome rock, and paid your bill, you’d have a good time. Like I said, I hated chrome rock. Even better, Johnny’s kid sister was a stunner, and she played hell on the drums. Surprisingly, they had a human bass guitarist, and female elf lead singer. A trio of troll backup singers was strange, but somehow, it worked.

Johnny and I were talking terms, when I felt the presence. The lights flared up, and Johnny staggered to his feet. Trust me, lights at the Tainted Love, well, it doesn’t bother me, but its not a site for the faint of heart.

The singer wailed to a stop, before glancing at the door, and even up here, I could see her pale. I already knew who was here of course. She murmured into the mic, “We will be taking a short break while the fine officers of Temple Security perform an identification sweep.”

Johnny looked at me. I just waived a hand, as if to say null persp. But the sweat beading down my back indicated otherwise.

The single shot downstairs was almost expected, followed by the screams of at least two people. It was dangerous to be anywhwere other than the Lower Roohimp or out in the Awakened lands without papers, at least in Greater Aurora.

I turned around, and the Confsessor with this group had his face shield up. I shivered  every time I saw the face of my dead friend Donager. Of fucking course, this Inquisitor in command was a pet mage. I activated by PAN for the patrol officer doing the scans, and answered the prompts.

Byron Shane Liam. Registered Corporate Shaman, Talent Scout, Deviant Assault Musical Productions. Yes, Part-time Student at Chicago Technical Institute of Magical Theory.

Course, I was massively shielded too. I could tell this mage was low in power, so his astral scans would detect minor talent, one minor power foci, and dead tissue around this stupid fucking prop data jack on my neck. Yea, I had been practicing in the six months since the explosion at Cherry’s Fruit Saloon.

Maybe thirty minutes passed, while Temple Security found two more invalid documents. They left the body of the one for Johnny to clean up. Poor dwarf girl.

After the third set, which wasn’t nearly as good as the previous ones, no surprise there. I told Johnny’s sister Tracy to bring the band by on Thursday afternoon, to do a set for the rest of the office. Made all the appropriate caveats.

After I walked out into the street, I nodded to Donald, gave him my card again and said offered, “If you want to learn, let me know. I have some friends.” He smiled briefly. With his tusks, it looked like a grimace, but you get used to it.

Bart pulled up in the car, and I slid in. “Take me home, Bart. We can do the rest later. I don’t want to deal with Temple Security again tonight.”

“Sure thing boss.”

We drove home through the light snow falling. Six months. Relative peace, for me and the team. Still making cred, preparing. But I was ready. Ready for the rebellion. I only hoped everyone else was.