LUNA

III - CARMINE

PART 3 — CARMINE
Welcome to The Audit.

7:16 — The Audit, Reception — August 27

The two lurch backwards, surprised by the sudden break of silence. Someone's at the reception desk. A person with long hair, a crimson suit with a tie, and a fake eye. There's also a drone to their right; the sounds of whirring are presumably coming from it. Their sharp and serrated scowl trumps even that of Detective Luna's. The Audit is not a place to mess with, it seems. "Oh, uhm..."

"Good morning. You're here early," the person says, monotone and cold. She's staring into their souls. Lee starts shivering, and it's probably not because of the temperature.

"Uhm... good morning, sir," Soony says, still a bit far away.

"So, what is it? Newcomer? Or are you here to talk to someone?" they ask, their expression and tone still deadpan.

"Oh, uhm... we're actually here to investigate the uh... the crime scene."

The receptionist slowly cants their head askew. The receptionist's slow movement emphasizes how eerily still they are. It's as if he's a robot. "Uh huh, I see. Who's asking?" they ask. Lee turns to Soony.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Lee looks incredibly anxious. It is completely fair, though, because one look at the receptionist stirs worry.

"Uhm... Detective Soony Caruso. I'm with Lee Calvun and Detective Michael Luna," Soony says, turning to look at the receptionist. They're still trying to keep composure. Granted, they're doing it well, but that facade might crack if the receptionist keeps staring like that.

The receptionist's expression changes to one of suspicion, which feels like a ball hurling to a window to Soony's composure. "Who sent you?"

"Concord Lazuli, sir."

Soony and Lee's eyes widen, shocked. So Detective Luna was already inside. The receptionist turns to look in the direction of that voice. "Oh, I see, sir," the receptionist says, careening to the two still standing idly. The duo is still a bit intimidated by them, but no matter. When they go inside, they can forget about them.

"You may come in, then, detectives," the receptionist says, their sharp tone slightly dulling. The duo sprints into the main casino, and... What a sight to behold.

The rest of the casino is a spectacle. Lines of slot machines, roulettes, pool tables, poker tables, and other games fill the entirety of this massive space. The building is tall, with multiple floors connected by one titanic elevator. Nearly every wall, floor, surface, and object is a carmine red, with black and white accents scattered. The clamor of gamblers and the rolling of die envelop the entire building.

In the other floors lie more valuable gambling tables, coated in gold and silver as if it were taunting the superior low-lives. Not much people are up there, at least from the duo's view, which probably means nobody bothered signing up to be a "premium" gambler—or rather they can't.

"Woah, this place is so... so big! How the hell did they set this up?!" Lee says, astounded. Soony, as with earlier, still looks at the place with a horrific sense of disdain.

"Probably no legal means," they claim, looking away from the main room.

Lee chuckles. "I mean, yeah, that's a given, but it's still cool, right?" he says, smiling like a devil. Soony groans.