alessandra ran her hands over the white sheets of her silk dress as they slipped over her shoulders, making her feel confident in all the right places. White and gold was the motif tonight. Very grand look.  Many people are having fun tonight, she thought to herself.

These people drowning in their vainglory about their businesses and possessions were really doing her head in as a matter of fact.

There was a grand staircase that she saw, almost looking like it was fit for a fairy tale. Her eyes quickly switched to some nicely tied curtains that were a deep shade of red, that hung near the window when you reached the top of the stairs. And chandeliers worth millions of dollars and the shiniest tiles you ever saw. 

A dream party.

When she looks around she starts to really absorb all the power around her. Every person she met on that night impressed her beyond limits because of their riches and human resources, not only in the business world but also in the underground society.

A dream party indeed.

It was a reunion ball. People who were prominent of their legacy were here, including famous celebrities, the extremely talented, actors, politicians and people who didn't play around when it came to the field of business in the underground society. The richest people in the world are here to perform a routine participation, which they have to attend. It only occurs once every three years. 

And there's only one person who's known to host these parties. None other than Emilio Santana, one of the greatest leaders in the business world. But while everyone is having fun, suddenly the door opened which was probably about 15 feet tall made from a type of tree wood which was said to be the most durable of all, thick and heavy as it weights 7,950 kilos. 

Then came through that door was a woman, wearing a mask. Her luscious black hair that came to her waist, and a very nice fitted gown she was wearing extended to the floor. alessandra could feel her beauty that radiated in the room that it was so much standing out from the rest of the women. She couldn't deny it, this woman was extremely beautiful, even though her face was covered. 

Almost everyone was looking. The music even stopped. There was only a few people on the dance floor and having conversations. Everyone stared at her. alessandra noticed some of the staff and organizers of the reunion ball stop with their duties to stare, with mixed astonishment. 

"Who is she?" 

"Wow.. shit man.. This is what I want!" 

"What business do you think she has?" 

"Is she one of the elite members?" 

One man dared approach adorned in a black suit, white shirt, black bow tie, white gloves, black fedora with a white satin sash, and a white mask. All eyes were so focused on the woman that most didn't even notice his approach. Maybe she hadn't either, until he stepped right in front of her.

Cold, blue eyes stared at the woman from behind the white mask. Now that someone had approached her, staff and musicians returned to their duties. Song struck again, and guests gradually resumed dancing.

He continued to stand there, not talking. After what seemed like a lifetime of silence, he moved. His hand raised up in gesture to take hers and lead her onto the ballroom floor, if she would accept...

A few people continued to stare and murmur amongst themselves in the background.

He waited.

People were muttering all kinds of rumors. alessandra could see all sorts of different reactions. Excited, curious, confused. I mean, who wouldn't be surprised to see a woman who you know is very sexy, but also wearing a mask? It wasn't even a masquerade ball. alessandra saw her hand reach out to the man in front of her. 

alessandra held her breath. She didn't know what to expect. She never went to these types of parties. But the woman did not decline. Instead, she gracefully put her hand in his and walked to the dance floor. alessandra smiled, almost relieved that the woman did. alessandra didn't know that man but she was interested as to why he approached her. 

The reason it was odd and unusual is because - no one. And I mean no one, would ever come up to that woman. alessandra was eager to know what his motives her, or what the womans motives were. 

But first, alessandra would have to introduce herself. So at random, she casually grabbed a man by his arm and made him walk her to the dance floor. They swayed for a bit, until they reached the mysterious man and woman. They tried to keep it low key. alessandras 'pretend' escort looked at her weirdly and looked like a stiff noodle trying to dance so it didnt really work. alessandra tried to listen in on their conversation.

Her hand lifted, meeting with his, and his fingers enclosed around hers. He bowed his head graciously and turned, leading her on to the floor. With a fluid motion, he spun the woman and made her dress flare out slightly before drawing her in to dance. His right hand slipped behind her to the middle of her back, and his left hand took hers, holding it out at about her shoulder level.

As the music continued, a waltz, he led her around the outer skirts of the dance floor; twisting and spinning alike. It almost seemed as if they knew each other, or had danced before. His frame was tight, and hers followed perfectly.

His head turned slightly as he noticed another couple moving across the dance floor, clumsily at best. A slight grin cracked across his lips watching the pitiful male partner be led by the lady. Shaking his head, he returned his gaze to his partner. As the two neared Alessandra and her escort, the only thing she heard was the male comment about someone needing a better dance partner... The female giggled, and it seemed that was the extent of their conversation.

Disorder arrived at the ball, dressed head to toe in the finest boiler-suit Wicks had in stock. Under his arm he carried a four foot length of the finest three-ply maple money could buy and a couple of ornate iron shelf supports from B&Q's garden center. In the other hand he carried his grey workman tool box. One thing was for sure, this man was here to party!

Striding proudly up the ostentatious stairs, he and several of the house staff managed to open the inhumanly heavy door. He walked in like a proper hero and surveyed the charming ball before him.

"HELLO THERE!" He yelled, loud enough to be heard over the quaint music. "YEAH DON'T MIND ME, WON'T BE LONG."

He set down his tools and the shelving and set to work. Out came the spirit level and the measure, the pencil made the marks and he was set to trot. With the reverance of a sniper, he took his Black & Decker powermaster drill from it's case. He plugged it in and held it up in front of his face, giving the trigger a playful squeeze, grinning at the hostess as the drill whirred. Then the flirting was over.

He squeezed again, but for real this time. The shrill whaling sound was incredible. The delicate glass cabinets adorning the walls all shook, the guests all stopped dancing and the music was way past drowned out. Fully focused, Disorder pressed on with his work. One hole and then another. Then another and the last. Finally the ear-bleeding noise subsided and the drill was put down. The sound of relief from all the party goes was audible. But short lived. Disorder then took four rawlplugs and started hammering them into the new holes. Very loudly. Seemingly oblivious to the alarm of the gathering, he continued with his work. Setting the iron supports in place and attaching the fine maple shelf to them with another abundance of noisily drilled screws.

Once he was happy with the attachment and level of the newly fitted shelf, he collected his tools and headed outside. The hostess walked toward the physics-defying front door only to be met by the large man heading straight back in past her. This time armed with paint, brushes, turps and and dustpan. he carefully swept up the drilled dust and filled the screw holes with fast setting polyfilla. After sanding the patches carefully with some 120 grit sand paper, also from Wicks, he set about carefully painting the shelf with Dulux finest self undercoating gloss from the dulux center on Liverpool road. 

Disorder was nothing if not proud of his work. he carefully finished up, tidied his tools and took a step back. Smiling to himself he looked at alessandra. Her horrified expression not even registering with the big man. Smiling, he clapped a massive hand on her beautiful shoulder.

"Now, you'll want to leave that a good 6 to 8 hours to get touch dry. I wouldn't Put anything too weighty on it for at least 10 or it'll mark and I'll have to come back and refinish it."

Finally noticing her disgust, he looked bemused.

"Whats your problem? It's fucking bob-on that! String as fuck!... You could sit on that, no problem. I mean, not now obviously, you'll put a white bum print on that lovely dress and this gloss is hell to shift. But it'll take your weight. Good shelf that!"

I bit put out at the lack of gratitude, Disorder gathered his things and enlisted the help of half a dozen waiters and staff to help him open the front door again. Walking back to his van mumbling something about people having no gratitude or sense of fun any more. Still, another inspired act of gorilla DIY accomplished. He fired up the old beast and drove off into the night, like a legend.

alessandra didn't really know what to say at that moment. She held her face in her hands. Before she even gets to say a word, Disorder walks out of the room and back down the stairs. Then she looked back at the shelf. What did I just witness, she thought. She would have thanked him for his amazing masterpiece but he rushed out. Maybe next time. She walked towards his work, remembering to keep her dress away from it. Then her eyes traveled across the room which finally landed on Emilio Santana. He was furious. The most furious hes ever been. alessandra panicked and stared. She never got to see him like that so it was kind of amusing. Then all of a sudden he comes stomping down the stairs from the huge balcony and looks like hes about to walk towards the shelf. alessandra quickly looks away, pretending to take a glass of wine from a waiter. She ends up chugging the whole thing. Santana is already standing beside her, maybe not so much admiring, but looking at what the man had done. 

He was clenching his fists real tight and alessandra tried to move away from him but just as she walked away he spoke. "You know who did this Madam?" He asked in a low voice. alessandra freaked out and shook her head. In all honesty, she didn't actually know that man but she was sure she had seen him in the streets before. Her legs trembled a little bit to the sound of Santanas voice. 

"Well get me someone who DOES know. Now. Then bring them to me in my office upstairs." He demanded. This time his voice was loud and angry. He turned his back on alessandra and made his way back upstairs. But then he paused. He came back to alessandra, who was still standing beside the shelf. Then he just started kicking his shoes but it was too late befor alessandra could warn him. She tried to hold in her laughter as she sees the paint mark on his clean, leather shoes that are probably worth a lot of money. 

alessandra couldn't believe how angry this guy could get over so little things.

Billie slipped through the ornate wooden doors almost unnoticed; an understated entrance befitting her understated elegance. She was supremely beautiful, but in an approachable kind of way; admirable but attainable. The kind of woman men were allowed to want.

She wore a form fitting, trumpet style evening gown in black sateen. The cowled, decollete neckline perfectly mirrored the deep, open-V back. Layers of bustled pleats, gathered just below the  plunging back, perfectly accentuated her curvature. Elbow length gloves sheathed her petite arms, while a double strand of black keshi pearls cascaded salaciously down her bosom. The whole outfit was topped off with obsidian curls, pinned into a luxurious updo and crowned with black Cymbidium orchids; the pink inner petals ever so subtly lascivious. Very Audrey Hepburn meets Jessica Rabbit.

A few heads turned, and those that did murmured softly to or betwixt themselves. Though by and large attention remained split between the previous two distractions, allowing her to slip quietly down the stairs and retrieve a flute of champagne from the nearest waiter. Leaning serenely in some shaded corner, she silently scanned the ballroom, making mental notes on the current inhabitants; marking targets for later, when everyone was well-liquored. Gatherings like these were perfect for gathering information through inebriated conversation. The right smile, a casual hand on the shoulder, a sympathetic ear, and even those highest on the social ladders would squeal like little pigs given the appropriate amount of bubbly.

She happened upon the nearly empty dance floor, and the sickeningly opulent masked couple currently it’s only inhabitants. Billie rolled her eyes incredulously, taking another sip of champagne. Reminding herself not to approach the man later – unless of course she could coax him into approaching her first – for some small talk. Perhaps he’d be willing, with the proper incentives, to divulge some valuable tidbits about his dancing partner, who seemed the perfect mark.

Making herself inconspicuous she continued watching, lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike; like a widow on the prowl for a mate.

It was a great night, alessandra could say. She didn't want to be a debbie downer, but there wasn't really anything for her to do. She felt the first trickle of sweat running down her forehead as she put her hands to her neck. She massaged herself, hoping the pain in her neck muscles would go away. She's been turning her head constantly looking and asking for people who knew the man that made Santana go off in anger. alessandra sat by the counter, and had a few more drinks. There was a woman who just appeared in alessandras line of vision. alessandra squinted her eyes, while holding her drink. Then she widened her eyes. She crossed her legs, swinging her glass around wondering who she was. She had a kind of understated beauty, perhaps it was because she was so disarmingly unaware of her prettiness. alessandra heard the waiter ask if she wanted one more drink. She shook her head no and thanked the man. Then she walked away to sit herself near the dinner tables but still keeping her eye on the woman. 

There was so many good looking people in the room. Speaking of which, she forgot about the couple on the dance floor. They were still there, swaying to the violins. alessandra wondered what it was that made her so captivated by certain people. Perhaps its the inner beauty. alessandra was still looking at the woman and could see her eyes that lit up when she looked around and her soft features. alessandra even felt herself smiling along, but then she slightly frowned. She thought about what it would be like to be in someones company where she would too feel like someone, that she had been warmed in summer rays regardless of the season. 

But the woman was eyeing a couple. alessandra couldn't see who, but when she edged closer Santana got in her way. "And where have you been? I thought I called you upstairs." 

Santana raised an eyebrow. alessandra tried to look over his shoulder. The last thing she saw before being dragged up to Santanas office was the couple on the dancefloor again. alessandra saw the woman dancing with the man. Her head was tilted back, eyes closed. She was just dancing, spinning, arms outstretched as if she was absorbing the whole world. Everyone stood around her trying to drink her vivacity but as alessandra watched her it was clear that she stood absolutely alone.

As she walked with Santana his office he suddenly gets interrupted by a man, probably one of his underbosses and whispers something in his ear. alessandra smirked, as a way of saying shame. Santana turned back around, but alessandra caught on already. "Yep. Got it. I'll leave now, I'll just go now. Farewell signore." She smiled and saw him with a glum expression. Then she walked back downstairs, everyone was still dancing and having fun. But the couple who was dancing on the floor had stopped. The man had gone to talk to someone else. The woman had slipped out of the crowd and everyone looked at her. alessandra couldn't understand how she could make everyone suck up to her like that. The woman began to walk. She was very sophisticated, based on her beauty and how she walked. She couldn't avoid the people who were staring at her, especially the men. 

She even captured the attention of some heavy people in the underground society, who you call Elite. Some reapers, assassins were watching across the hall because they felt the strange presence of the woman. alessandra could see they looked alerted because it seemed that they didn't have a good feeling about this females arrival. Maybe her aura was too dim mixed with terror that not everyone could observe. Well, true, because she kept her aura but it was still noticed by a few people who were watching her. 

The woman sat at in one of the vacant seats at a round table with five more chairs around it, regardless of some of the observers that turned to her. 

Billie accepted another glass of champagne from a nearby waiter's tray and moved to a nearby open table, lighting a cigarette on the way. There was a simple grace to her chosen ultra-slim 100, even without the  classic noir-chic elegance of the cigarette holders so many other women employed. Again Billie rolled her eyes as she scanned the room, counting the number of women who appeared to dainty to hold their own damned cigarettes. It was utterly ridiculous in her mind; unnecessarily ostentatious. She shook her head silently. So many of these high class socialites were too afraid to get their hands dirty, even with smoke. It made her pity them.

Billie crossed her legs and leaned herself against the table with practiced poise and class, eyeing the mysterious masked maiden from across the ballroom. It struck her as quite odd that no one seemed to have the gall to approach her. How silly. Even if she was 'someone', this woman was no one. In the end she'd be wormfood just like the rest of them. Perplexed, Billie searched the room for someone or something that might hint at her perceived status. 

Billie noted a number of mafiosos lingering in the woman's vicinity, and a number of eyes that seemed equally suspicious of her presence. Reclining in her chair Billie purposely softened her features, donning a warm, welcoming smile and nonchalantly positioned herself so that her stance at the table appeared naturally inviting. Taking note of her surroundings - of the man and woman, the 'elites' and the more dubious figures - Billie took a long sip of champagne and settled in to her chair. 

From across the room she noticed Alesandra, likewise scanning the crowd. And with a playful smirk gave her a fetching wink before turning her attention back to the crowd. There had to be someone here worth talking to... but who... should she approach the fancy bitch across the way, or the man who'd danced with her, or maybe the pissed off boss she saw earlier.... or perhaps the delicate little wallflower who'd just come back down the stairs... choices, choices. Taking a long drag from her slender cigarette, Billie silently weighed her options, hoping someone might make the decision a little easier for her. 

The night was still young. But alessandra was just thinking about laying in her soft and cosy bed. She felt herself yawn and then paused when she saw that woman again. There was something puzzling in this woman's gait, enough to send some dangerous thoughts into alessandras head. It was like something was weighing her down on one side and her muscles were struggling to compensate for her lack of balance. alessandra suddenly felt herself go dizzy, unable to handle herself when overthinking. But she never had much friends, so she might as well make a friend or two while shes here. alessandra was about to approach her, but she hesitated. Usually she would plan what she would say in her head but this time, she thought to herself why dont I just go with the flow. With small but bold steps alessandra walked towards the woman, who was holding a cigar at the time. She seemed to be looking somewhere else and alessandra thought of how to introduce herself. But the woman saw the shock register on her face before she could hide it. 

A small smile played on the womans lips. 

Then she said something but alessandra wasn't listening. It wasn't what she said that made alessandra zone out. But it was her words that were like vanilla pudding, sweet in their ordinary sort of way, it was the richness of tones - luxurious and warm.

alessandra spoke in a sly manner. "Oh... apologies. I just saw you across the room and wanted to ask. Why is a pretty lady like you alone on this fine night?" alessandras face was one of upmost confidence, hoping that she had made a good approach.