Henry Savant VIII tugged on the collar of his shirt, freeing his throat from the constriction of the bowtie that was affixed around his neck. He looked horrible in the tuxedo, like someone had stapled a bat to his throat. His slight gut was pressed tightly against the belt that kept his slacks from falling down, and he was just incredibly uncomfortable. He hated dressing to the nines, but as he stood in the corner of the Empire Ballroom he thanked his lucky stars that he at least had his anonymity intact.

He'd been asked to attend the party by his boss - his childhood friend - Quentin Cordova. He'd been in attendance for over an hour, and he still didn't know why he'd been asked to come. He'd watched through eyes half closed by boredom as Quentin made his way through the people that had paid their money to be seen amongst Atlantic City's high society. A famous actor, the one from that movie that Henry had been forced to endure but just couldn't understand why dames loved it, had already made a drunken embarrassment out of himself. A politician, one that he couldn't help but believe to be way too conservative for his old friend's tastes, was giving out handshakes like they were hundred dollar bills to anybody that chanced a glance in his direction. Cordova seemed to be perfectly at home amongst them all, smiling so broadly that it just couldn't have been genuine, swimming through the sea of people like a shark ready to feast at any moment.

And then there was Henry, who was perfectly happy being ignored. A slightly tipsy model had been the only one to attempt a conversation, but Savant brushed her aside with barely a grunt. Not enough meat on her bones for his liking, he'd reasoned, but that wasn't it. Not the real reason, anyway.

"Weren't you in that movie?" the girl had asked, her arm clumsily slipped around his, her drink sloshing out onto the floor with each broad movement of her hand. "You know, that black and white one that came out a while back?"

Cover by Mike Rasbury

by Chris Munn

- ixnay0002@aol.com

#0 - AA: Prelude "Prologue"
Chapter One: "Baby, Is This LUV For Real?"
Chapter Two: "The Devil in the Dark Blue Suit"