It Happened in Vegas

Chapter XIV

"I'm sorry for being an asshole earlier." Dalia apologized, stroking Elise's back.
"I forgive you, D. I guess... I'm sorry too." Elise smiled as Dalia planted a kiss on her forehead. The motion of Dalia's caressing was putting Elise to sleep.

The annoying sound of a Facebook messenger call was chiming from the bathroom. They both growled in annoyance. Elise got up to see who's phone was making the sound.
"D, it's someone named Jeremy! Please say we can ignore it." Elise groaned as she brought the phone to Dalia.
    "Nah, its the party dude." She answered, before turning her attention towards her phone. "Hey, what's up?" Dalia answered. "You and your plus one are the only ones from the list that's not here yet. Still coming?" He shouted through the phone over the loud music.
Elise giggled at his choice of words. "Yeah, we're still coming." Dalia smiled. "We lock up in about one hour so make it snappy." He replied.
"Ok, be there soon." Dalia ended the call.

*******
    Elise exited out of the bathroom in a white halter top and white boot cut jeans that fit her as though they were custom made. Her hair was down in perfect natural curls. She'd applied eyeliner and lip gloss as make up. She put on a black belt, black leather jacket and black Timberland high heels, that matched Dalia's Timberland combat boots.
Dalia pulled her into a kiss. "You look great." Dalia complimented.
"Thanks, you look... Like you should get some color in your wardrobe, seriously... Do you always gotta go black and grey?" Elise joked and kissed Dalia back. "You look Delicious." Elise smiled. "Thanks." Dalia smiled, shrugging into her leather jacket. They grabbed their freshly charged phones, the key cards, Dalia's wallet, and headed outside to meet their Uber.

  The ride to the secret location was short and full of comfortable contemplative silence. Man, this girl is more than I imagined...but I can't get too attached to this idea of us... Or maybe I can. We have known each other forever. I trust her with my heart... Maybe.  Dalia's thoughts battled as she glanced at Elise who was staring out the window taking in the lights and flashiness that is Las Vegas.
    The Uber stopped directly in front of Eddie's Tow Garage. Dalia and Elise exited the car and thanked the driver as he pulled off. This location was slightly quieter than the rest of the parts of the city that they'd seen or driven to.
  "Okay, so apparently we go behind this building, knock on the gate 5 times and say, 'How would you like your eggs?'" Dalia explained from the message she'd received from the party host.
  "This is so juvenile, and that is a ridiculous key phrase," Elise said, following Dalia toward the back of the building.
  "Yeah, I know but it's kinda fun." Dalia knocked on the gate 5 times and she and Elise muttered the phrase in unison. The gate opened slightly, revealing a 6'4" muscular black man with a bald head and a long, deep but not totally ghastly, scar on the side of his head. "You Dalia and 'Plus One'?" He asked, his voice a deep grumble.
   "Only my friends call me 'Plus One' you can call me Elise and yes, we are them," Elise answered, slightly insulted that the man didn't know her name.
  The giant topless man opened the gate and gently but hurriedly pulled them in and locked the gate behind. Dalia and Elise would have been nervous if they hadn't heard muffled music and laughter beyond the gate.
  "Sorry, Ms. Elise, that I didn't get your name. Can you guys empty your pockets open your arms and legs for a security check?" The man said picking up a metal detection wand.
   They complied and emptied their pockets, Dalia was sure to let the guy know she had a blade on her, he collected it, put it in a small metal container and locked it. He handed her the key, "Here you go, you guys are good to go. We keep weapons of any kind in personal lockers up here. I'll never leave it unsecured and you will have the key so you can get it on your way out."
    He snapped his fingers and another tall, muscular, topless man escorted them further to the back of the building down some steps. As they were approaching a plain grey metallic door, the music grew louder and so did the sound of the crowd.          
     Their escort opened the door to an underground room where there were at least 70 people jumping, dancing, gyrating, and dripping with red, yellow, and green. They recognized the fog-covered, reflective dance floor with the strobe reflections bouncing off of it. It was like everyone was dancing on flashing clouds.
    The DJ booth had the same colorful speakers, and the crowd looked pretty similar to the photos taken, all the way down to the group of people in all white and black in the far corner.
  The nameless giant that escorted them inside, led them easily past the crowd to the corner with everyone else that was wearing black and white. "This is pretty awesome," Elise said, taking the whole room in.
  "I can kinda dig this, I guess," Dalia replied, smiling contently at Elise.
   "Good to hear. You must be Dalia." A familiar voice said from behind them. They turned around. Dalia recognized the goofy-looking, 30-year-old guy from his uploads of the event invite.
   "Yep, and this is Elise, all her friends call her 'Plus One'." Dalia joked, shaking his hand. Elise elbowed Dalia as she took Jeremy's outstretched hand. She noticed he was dressed up from head to toe in green. He even had green glasses and a fake green mustache. 
   He smiled, "Elise and Dalia, please follow me, we are just in the middle of signing NDA's and other waivers." He explained, releasing Elise's hand and leading her and Dalia to a table in the corner not far from where they were just standing. Around them, people dressed casually in neutral colors.
Each person had their own packets, clipboards, and pens. As far as Dalia could see, everyone had their heads close to the pages trying to read and sign papers in the poor lighting. What the fuck have we gotten ourselves into? Dalia thought as she looked down at the packets that Jeremy had just handed them.
   "Okay, since you guys came in a bit later than expected, I'm gonna give you guys the rundown." He handed them pens and clipboards and moved to the side to reveal two open seats that had been waiting for them since the start of the event.  They both took seats and paid close attention to Jeremy.
   "Okay, now that I've gotten your attention, I'm gonna tell you what we are all about," Jeremy said in a salesman's pitch.
  This better be good. Elise thought, sharing a slightly nervous glance with Dalia.