Miscreant

[Drake Martin]

"Your doppelganger was never this playful," he smirked. Maybe to Colette, he didn't know.

Oh shit, this better not be Basil under some mind whammy or we'll discover if gelatinous cubes eat dragons.

Still not bailing. This was an expensive whim.

[Basil Benson]

"Did you ask him to be?"

[Drake Martin]

"You and he are attractive, but no. Once I could see him, I never really saw him that way."

[Basil Benson]

"You are now.

Something change?"

[Drake Martin]

"You're not him, remember?" he smirked.

Damnit. Convincing myself this isn't Benson isn't working. And he has a girlfriend.

Stupid conscience.

He leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Don't say anything. If you're in some kind of trouble and you can't let on, blink three times. I know people who can help, though if I'm right you won't be here anymore by the time they arrive."

He leaned back into the sofa, smirking as if he had said something kinky.

[Basil Benson]

Cheshire remained collected, tilting his head ever so slightly as he looked back at Drake's human face and smirked. He took the other man's hand and laid it on his shirt collar. So far, he hadn't blinked.

"Would you like to undo the buttons yourself?"

[Drake Martin]

Drake noticeably hesitated as his meddling conscience continued to interfere. But he continued playing along for the camera, deftly undoing the buttons.

[Basil Benson]

When Drake took to undoing Cheshire's shirt, Cheshire himself leant into Drake to whisper something 'tawdry'.

"No one here needs your half-baked heroics, Drake with a dragon emoji. We've got everything under control.

Enjoy your remaining ten minutes and get out of my life. "

[Drake Martin]

Drake was actually impressed Basil was showing more spine. Of course, he was still angry over the slight. He just hid it well as he continued to go through the motions of sexy time.

[Basil Benson]

Cheshire played it cool, allowing Drake to undress him of his top layers, revealing what was underneath to be a vinyl onepiece that zipped up the side, under an elastic harness (likely easier to dance in than leather).

Cheshire however didn't intend to talk further to Drake. He only intended to finish up what he was there to do. As such, he kept the other young man at an arm's length once he'd allowed him to to deshirt him.

[Drake Martin]

Worst. Lap dance. Ever.

When in the end neither was satisfied, Drake got up to leave.

"Time's up, I see."

[Basil Benson]

"Yyyyyyyeeeeeep!" He replied, in a manner of snide enthusiasm that was something Basil's inner circle was familiar with, but Drake wouldn't be. Most strippers would do a client the courtesy of finishing out the song, but Cheshire didn't. As he stooped down to collect his shirt (the only article Drake managed to get off the other young man) his hair shifted to reveal a large black flat circle through his ear. It *almost* looked like a spacer. Drake definitely wouldn't remember Basil having a piercing. Beyond it being there, it didn't stand out in any particular way.

Cheshire threw his shirt over his shoulders and made his last remark to Drake.

"Don't forget to put your armor back on, cowboy. Wouldn't want anyone to see you naked."

Then, he stepped out as the music he chose continued on without him.

As he walked away, he went fully invisible and stole a drink off a tray of a waitress passing by. He would then make his way to idle about Alice for a lack of anything better to do.

[Drake Martin]

Drake returned to his preferred form and left the club.

He had to talk to someone about this.

[Alice]

Alice had been spending her time running drinks, just like she was supposed to do, and eavesdropping. So far she hadn't heard anything particularly interesting, mostly just talk about how hot a particular dancer was, or the occasional extremely bad business idea that someone was trying to get an investor for. When Drake was leaving the club she was just dropping off the last few drinks from her tray and getting ready to start her "route" again.

[Basil Benson]

Sitting at the end of the bar visible, he was drinking the glass of champagne he stole and staring off into space until she got near. He smiled vaguely at her, apparently lost in his thoughts.

[Alice]

Alice sat down on the stool next to Cheshire, laying out her tray and POS on the bar in front of her.

"So, part of me wants to make some kinda shining knight versus a dragon joke, but I'm not coming up with much."

[Basil Benson]

"Yeeessss." Cheshire replied. "But then again neither did he." He joked, still sounding elsewhere.

[Alice]

"Oooh, big oof." She said as she leaned onto the bar. "Wait, is that a manhood thing, or a wet blanket thing? Either way, still, big oof."

[Basil Benson]

"Mmmmmm...More like that boy hasn't decided what he wants exactly and a lot of my kind are going to suffer the consequences while he does." Cheshire leant in to whisper back.

"If we were looking for a serial murderer instead, that'd be the one I'd bet on."

[Alice]

Alice shivered a bit. "Jesus, that bad? Maybe you should tell the bouncer or something, so that they turn him away if he tries to come in again."

[Basil Benson]

"Might still, but don't think he'll be coming back tonight. Pointing out how weird he was acting made him incredibly uncomfortable, which is why he split I suspect."

[Alice]

"Well, I'm sorry your debut had to end on a sour note. And you don't think he has any sort of connection with... you know...."

[Basil Benson]

"Well, I'm sorry your debut had to end on a sour note. And you don't think he has any sort of connection with... you know...."

"No, i don't." Cheshire replied at a reasonable volume, so that 'Peter' didn't get too suspicious of their whispering. "Too blathering."

[Alice]

Alice let out a little sigh. "Sorry, kitty. Hopefully next time you'll get a hen party."

[Basil Benson]

"Unlikely." He replied. He knew who he appealed to, and it wasn't a group of 'good girls' looking to 'be bad' before shackling themselves down to a footballer.

Nonetheless he drained his glass and pushed away from the bar.

"Once more unto the breach!" He exclaimed with false enthusiasm, heading back to 'work'.

[Alice]

Alice gave Cheshire a little swat on the tush as he got up to leave, collecting her own things. "Go get 'em, tiger."

[Narrator]

The night the recon team arrived wasn't much different than any other night at Miscreant. Which was good, plenty of crowd to hide in.

Whenever they decided to step into the club, Basil of course wasn't anywhere to be seen. That would make everything smooth and convenient.

Instead, the performer taking main stage was a female with a lower torso like a snake, which some would probably call a 'naga', hanging upside-down by her own tail and swaying her arms 'in reverse' to the melody of the music pumping in the place.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez really didn't have any "appropriate" clothing to look the part of a woman out to have a good time, hoodies and jeans weren't really the norm at this sort of locale. It had taken her some time to practice getting more comfortable in her choice of attire, and while she was no longer red faced she was still not entirely used to the way it... behaved on her. She would have gone for something more tactilely familiar to her, but was acting on Colette's suggestion that this might better attract Basil's attention. With her hair done up in a pair of messy buns, she looked to the others. She was no stranger to bars, but this was her first time in a place like this.

[Will Stanton]

Coming in with green hair might make Will a tad noticeable. The fact that he wasn't known as a thing here as opposed to back 'home' didn't really cross his mind; when you go undercover, you go in disguise. Them's the rules. Besides, green hair might trigger Basil with somethin' or other; they had come across each other a couple times in the library. Better to take no risks and trigger any sort of mental relapse before it was time.

Mind you, if Will's attempt was to go unnoticed, he perhaps should have chosen something other than skin-tight leather trousers, leather gloves, a leather half-jacket and a leather collar (Not technically NSFW, but I wouldn't.) Then again, if Basil was the star attraction here, Will took a wild guess at the nature of the clientele.

The fact that it was just a tiny bit Miriam-chic may not go unnoticed by their third infiltration partner.

[Samantha McManus]

Sam meanwhile is out for rather specific quarry, and has to look the part. While she's still ginger, she walks in at six-three, boosted by stilettos that could kill a man. She has her hair up in a tight braid wound in a bun at the crown of her head, not a lock out of place. The outfit she's sporting is authoritative but risque, and she casts an appraising gaze as she makes her way through the crush.

[Hatter]

"Time again for that curious cat with the mesmerizing smile to take center stage. Cheshire, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight sending his love to the lovely Alice," DJ Hatter announced as a song faded in. There seemed to be a subtle tone of resentment in her voice.

[Will Stanton]

Will turned his attention towards the stage, ready to settle in for a long stakeout.

[Basil Benson]

Will barely had a chance to settle before what they were looking for happened in front of him.

As was the standard in this club, as Hatter made her announcement the next dancer came through a doors between stages, and 'Cheshire' was revealed to be Basil. Literally, because they could actually see him. Not just his clothes, his person.

His body had changed. The lanky but formerly soft boy with only vague muscle structure was now 'cut' in a way that he previously wasn't, which actually left him seeming even thinner than he had before. Probably all the dancing, as it did tend to give one a core workout. At the moment he was dressed fully from head to toe, a black dress shirt with a magenta tie, dance slacks, and a pair of platforms that made the already tall man just slightly taller. If Sam was looking to go for 'tall mommy from the internet' imposing, she was going to have to pull some fancy work while the crowd wasn't looking to kick it up a notch.

Currently 'Cheshire' wasn't paying any attention to her, Will or Jez, his own attention being engrossed with someone in the crowd that at first only he could see. As she passed close by the main stage with a tray of cocktails in her hand, he slowly his swung around the pole to glide in sync with her walking pace. Once he got her attention, he'd flash her a smile while he was upside down, his tie and curls both succumbing to gravity as he did, making the whole thing just a little bit silly to look at.

It didn't take a telepath to realize what he was doing. 'Hey, Alice. Look at what I can do. Watch how high I can climb on the jungle gym, Alice.'

[Will Stanton]

He seems happy enough. We're sure he's mind controlled? Will asked over the telepathic link.

[Samantha McManus]

"He's not performing for anyone here. He's doing it for someone backstage."

Sam starts making her way through the crowd, subtly increasing in height while mentally deflecting attention away from herself.

She stops when she reaches one of the terminals, and starts curving eyes toward herself and her new stature just as she waves her tip card on the terminal, turning to meet Basil's gaze.

[Alice]

Alice had, of course, heard Hatter's announcement. At first she thought she could just brush it off and not draw attention to herself, but to get to her customers she needed to walk close to the main stage. It wasn't the attention from Cheshire she was embarrassed about, it was that of the patrons who would put two and two together. Still, she slowed her pace a bit once she noticed that he was keeping time with her and drew close enough to reach out and give one of his locks a little stroke with her fingers. Strictly off-limits for patrons of course, but she wasn't a patron. And, to his credit, she was now smiling. But all good things come to an end, and she had to turn and leave the stage to deliver her orders. But that just meant she'd have to come by again soon enough.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez was very thankful that Colette had not accompanied them there that night. She may have managed to keep from throwing herself at Basil at the first sight of him, but Jez seriously doubted that she'd have handled the dance dedicated to another woman. She... might have to leave that detail out when telling her of that night's events. She stayed somewhat close to Sam, but not too close.

Another Jez found a spot close to the back of house where she could nurse a cocktail while keeping an eye out for any strange activity coming from or moving to the back. She feigned texting someone rapidly on her phone, like she was waiting for someone to come meet her.

The one in the van was actually rather pleased with her latex shirt, as it made it really easy to brush the bacon Frazzles crumbs off of her chest.

[Basil Benson]

Beaming at the attention, Cheshire didn't stop Alice from working. She'd be back.

From his upside down perch he did notice Sam's tip, and as expected went into a few more pole tricks in an attempt to please and keep her attention on him and in hopes of getting a few more. Now that he had a customers attention, he seemed to be focusing on business instead of pleasure.

[Narrator]

Another Jez found a spot close to the back of house where she could nurse a cocktail while keeping an eye out for any strange activity coming from or moving to the back. She feigned texting someone rapidly on her phone, like she was waiting for someone to come meet her.

From her spot staked out at the back of the room, the Jez that 'wasn't paying attention' could see a fair bit since the place hadn't yet gotten so full that things were blocked all the way to the back of the establishment. She could see Alice from another angle, dropping off drinks and then returning to the bar to get something for someone else. By watching them for a moment, Alice and the bartender did seem to know each other and there was a definite animosity between these two, though it was way too loud in here from her perspective to tell exactly what was up with that.

Basil and Alice were clearly close, and they were here because Basil had supposedly been brainwashed. Was this Alice woven into that somehow? And how would the bartender play in?

Closer investigation was going to be needed to figure that out.

[Will Stanton]

You've hooked the fish, Sam. I'd say turn on the charm, but I think they actually accept Visa here.