The two of them entered the Man in the Mirror bar.
As they pushed open the heavy oak door, warm yellow light spilled out along with the strains of jazz, revealing the glittering nightlife of uptown Gotham.
This was one of uptown Gotham's more upscale bars, with an atmosphere more purely devoted to pleasure than the Iceberg Lounge.
Colorful drinks sat on dark mahogany tables, while gorgeous men and women lounged on red velvet booth seats.
A jazz band played on the stage in the corner, accompanied by a female singer in a sexy dress crooning languid, suggestive songs.
The bar required reservations. Standing at the entrance, Ririko handed the waiter the two complimentary tickets Dick had given her.
The waiter wore a white shirt and black vest, his hair slicked back until it shone.
He took the tickets and stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter.
The waiter led them to a booth in the corner.
Their backs were to the wall, facing the entrance. They could see everyone in the bar, while other people would have trouble seeing what they were doing.
Ririko sat down and opened the drinks menu.
"One Midnight Nightmare." Ririko closed the menu.
"Certainly. And for you, sir?" The waiter turned to Victor.
Victor didn't look at the menu. He simply stared coldly at her. "Same."
The waiter glanced at him, then at Ririko, as though checking that this stunning beauty hadn't been forced to come drinking with some thug.
"Still here?" Victor grew impatient when he noticed him studying Ririko.
Clutching the menu, the waiter hurried away.
Soon, two cocktails made with rye whiskey, absinthe, and cherry liqueur arrived, each glass rimmed with black salt.
Victor took a large gulp without saying a word, his eyes constantly shifting between Ririko's face and the