While Nicholas was plotting against Midnight Club, its owners were having a drink at the main space of the Midnight Hotel.
Most of the Hotel activities happened at night, and it was a few hours after Nicholas met Andrew so the festivities were about to begin.
The main space of the Hotel was on the mid floors of the building, on the 8th floor.
There were a few people seating at an illustrious table inside the private room, one of them was called Oliver Brown, a man suited in a stylishly dark blue suit, his face an oblong shape, coupled with a beard, and complexion that gave a middle-east look to his character. He is also a very well-known businessman around the city, which is shown by his accompanies.
Besides him was Joan Ash, Oliver's right hand in business. And surrounding a round table in front of these two was the mayor and a few other businessmen.
The mayor was called Eric Griffin, a white man with black, combed over hair. He had a square face and coupled with green eyes, was really handsome if not for the wrinkles and slight body fat that inflated his face.
The people in this environment could be noticed to mostly sulk up for Oliver, when looking at him, these men were all smiles, trying to please the man and make the room livid with their cheerful noises.
This is the Midnight Club.
A bunch of businessmen trying to please Oliver Brown. Though that's without expressing their circumstances because everyone here has one reason to be afraid of Oliver.
These people do receive money to work for him. But if they don't, it's over. Either their family or their own life is taken.
It happened before. The two last mayors and lots of other businessmen could be an example of that. That is only in New York City, though, there are many others outside.
Joan Ash, if not crueler than Oliver, is on the same level. Being in charge of dealing with most interactions outside the city and the rest of the country allows him to be much more active in applying violence to run their business.
"And Eric, I need you to go over some locations that Ash is going to send you. I need you to arrange for anyone living there to get out as soon as possible." Oliver said as he turned to his side and got closer to Eric, the mayor, and spoke in a rather low tone.
"I also need you to arrange the harbor for my new guests' arrival. I have no more time to delay this matter." Oliver spoke in a serious and severe tone.
"Y-yes, sir. The harbor is available for your personnel. Though... uhhh... The police will be a problem. The chief of police Lawrence Jennickins is rather honest, you see. He has a formation adopted after Deputy Director Andrew Tobug's request. They can't be corru-... corrupted, there's a new algorithm on the system that alerts them about any deviation, the bureaucracy inside the precinct is a new sky-high. I was even called to attend the Congress about the... uhh... implementation of this new system. To make things worse, the Police Chief doesn't answer the city but to the state, which means I can't bypass his orders freely." Eric Griffin answered nervously, his voice shaking and sometimes peaking in a high pitch as he felt pressed against a wall, every time he has to deal with Oliver.
"I suggest, sir, if I may, that the club uses its own people to secure the event of the arrival of our companions. If we try to push the Police Chief, it might cause conflict and attract unwanted attention." Eric continued.
Oliver looked at him with a frown on his face. Turning to his other side and nudging Joan Ash as he told what Eric told him just now.
Joan thought for a bit and then answered.
"Sir, it's possible that he is right. If we use the people we have right now, I believe the environment will be better controlled, and if we use Eric to give us a heads up on the situation, damage can be avoided." Joan's voice was low, as he refrained from speaking loudly and letting the others around the table listening.
Oliver shook his head for a moment and complemented.
"I will put a mole inside Eric's office, the police might be hard to infiltrate, but the mayor's office will be an open door. He clearly is trying to avoid getting caught, but if he betrays me, I will kill him like his predecessors." Oliver's slightly sinister voice reached Joan's ears. The latter grinning at the behavior of his boss.
Eric on the other side of Oliver was having cold sweat running down his neck. He saw Oliver's grin, and through his experience with this fox, one of two things happened. Either he found a big exploit to something, or he is thinking of killing someone.
Eric was just praying that this meeting was over.
Oliver turned back to the mayor and spoke calmly.
"I believe in you, Mr. Eric. I will send some people from White Chalk to deal with the matter, they will be pleased to work with you." Oliver's face had a smile at the mention of 'work with you', his smile couldn't be taken for gentle, nor evil. It was like it depended on Eric's behavior if it would be either one.
After downing a big glass of white wine, Eric excused himself from the party of executives, heading straight home to destress his mind.
At the Midnight Club, though, stayed Oliver and his friends.
After some time, another one of the businessmen got drunk.
This one, in particular, was a frequent visitor. If the party had alcohol, he would be present.
Oliver had become quite interested in him, so after some time, he called the man to talk in private.
The man, named Julian, was pretty excited. He was particularly good at bootlicking and saw this as an opportunity.
Getting inside an office on the same floor as the party, Oliver walked to the unique stylish desk in the middle of the further end of the room. He arrived close and sat at the edge of the desk, now looking at Julian.
Julian's importance in this little party wasn't much, even his business wasn't of much use to Oliver. Julian's company served as support to one of his trade markets around New York, but others also belonged to the same business and could easily take his place.
The thing that Oliver discovered about Julian, is that he didn't rise to the CEO spot of his company as usually someone does. Well, his means are not completely out of the path of a successful company president, but Julian seemed to take things to a path beyond the bootlicking.
"You know, Julian. I heard some things about yourself, I was curious. I never heard what happened to your predecessor. How did you assume his place?" Oliver asked calmly, his face was solemn, like his reason for asking the question was genuine.
Julian was taken by surprise, but as sly as he is, his smile was still on his face. He didn't falter one bit.
"Ahhh~... Mr. Barnes was rather tranquil with life, although successful, but he got to a point where he wasn't able to keep up with the stress from work. Then, he retired. A man full of conviction, him. But old age is unavoidable, right? That is why it truly is sad the life of a human." Julian spoke, his expression showing different emotions as if to emphasize the sadness about Mr. Barnes's condition.
Oliver was impressed, he truly admired Julian's ability to lie, even as drunk as latter is right now. Oliver walked closer to the man as if to listen better to the story.
"Then, as I had a pretty good relationship with that old man, it seemed that I had shown him... ways that I could be competent in administrating the company. That is why he gave me the role of president." Julian finished with a big smile.
Right now, Oliver was pretty close to Julian, almost too close.
"You know, I talked to Mr. Barnes. Although he didn't disclose the matter about his departure, he said your means are pretty amazing. I assume you can show me how you were able to rise to this spot like you did with Mr. Barnes." Oliver's face now had a sly smile as if he was insinuating something to Julian.
Julian being as obvious to the situation as it could get, smiled reciprocating the slyness in Oliver's smile. He walked even closer to Oliver, his frame being taller than the latter, was now looking down at Oliver as he was about to kiss him.
*KUUURTCH*
Julian suddenly heard a weird noise, as if a piece of cloth was being ripped.
Seconds later and Julian dropped to his knees, confused with what was happening. He looked at Oliver's hand that looked like it had dipped in a bucket of blood as it dripped the liquid on the floor.
"Wha-What happened?" Julian's eyes were wide as he tried to process the situation.
His body was shutting down. Firstly, he lost the strength in his legs and fell to the ground, then his chest looked as if he couldn't move it and completely lost balance as he laid on the floor.
His stomach had a huge dent, the suit was dirt with blood as it spreads to the ground.
Oliver now had an intense grin on his face, his eyes were extremely round as he assumed a crazed expression. He looked at Julian like he was looking at food, or it could be at trash, no one could tell.
Oliver suddenly took a deep breath, feeling the smell of blood travel through his nostrils.
He then looked at the dying body of Julian as he crouched down and in an out of rhythmic voice spoke close to Julian's ear.
"I knew you would try it. In the last few meetings, you were always livid, even touchy with the others. Then I received information of you trying to swindle the people outside, trying to make them go to your side. After Ash investigated you more fiercely, he found your matters with Mr. Barnes. Seducing the man and taking pictures of the old man while you guys slept together. His family wouldn't appreciate it, that's why you got the job." Oliver spoke, his tone was rasp as if he lacked water and possessed great thirsty.
"I just wanted to play with you. Attract you into it, just like you did with Barnes. In my case it was much easier, you are really obsessed with power, you are greedy." Oliver spoke with great delight.
Oliver suddenly opened his mouth and it showed greatly sharp fangs, he brought the hand that he used to punch through Julian's stomach and gave it a lick on the blood dripping on the floor.
Noticing the fading color inside Julian's eyes, Oliver continued his words.
"It just makes the meal even better." He then bit Julian's neck with great force as he sucked the blood with endless enthusiasm.