Svetlana led the ladies a little further down the hallway. Staggered along either side of the hall were thick glass doors, with heavy wooden frames, each obscured with varying levels of steam. Several smaller hallways branched off at various points. At the far end, the slim hallway opened to a spacious, round chamber with with a domed glass ceiling and mosaic tiled floors and a recessed pool of clear, crystalline water glinting invitingly in the softly filtered light.

The group paused before one of the few doors that remained clear. Svetlana opened the door and ushered the women in. The room was absolutely sweltering. In the center of the room was a low pedestal fitted with a large, hammered copper bowl. Svetlana gave the women a brief rundown, explaining that the stones in the bowl were heated from beneath and would create steam when water was applied. She demonstrated once, ladling a small splash of water over the rocks from a nearby wooden bucket. The stones hissed to life, sizzling and popping as the room filled with steam. The Russian smiled fetchingly, disguising the urge to chuckle as the women reacted. 

With a smirk she handed Billie the ladle, who passed it to Kate with a look of bewilderment. Before Svetlana left she instructed the women to choose a seat on one of the elevated benches around the room. Higher would be hotter, she indicated before leaving the women to sweat it out. 

Billie blinked. She hadn't mentioned anything about the robes. Did they stay on? Quietly she shrugged and took a seat on one of the higher benches, looking to follow the lead of the other two women. 

Kate blinked as she walked into the room. The heat hit her like she was getting punched in the face- something she was unfortunately familiar with, considering her recent fight in Vegas. Kate grinned as the steam started spreading throughout the room, but she also started to feel uncomfortably warm. Although she supposed that was the point. Kate moved forward and splashed a sizable amount of water on the hot rocks, probably much more than was needed. Steam started to obscure the room and, although Kate could clearly hear Billie, the women couldn't see through the steam to the other side of the room.

Kate, now invisible to Billie, winked at Mercedes_Kompressor and climbed up on one of the benches on the other side of the room from Billie.

"Nothing personal, Billie. Just don't want you to get too good a look at me. Most people just faint, and it'd be a pain in the ass to find a new capo while you're recovering. Not that I have much experience, but I'm pretty much melting over here and I figure that this a thing for... pores.. or whatever. So I'm going au naturel."

Kate leaned back, hesitant for a moment. She'd never been in a spa... sauna... thing. But fuck it. She'd done a hell of a lot worse in her life and she was feeling good, after last night. And she'd made enough goddamn steam where the women couldn't see 6 inches in front of her. She shrugged the robe off, placing it on the bench next to her with the handle of her gun within reach- then sat down, crossing her long legs, and enjoyed the feeling of the heat on her skin.

Billie shrugged out of her robe, laying down to sit on top of... seemed cleaner that way. With a chuckle she called across the room, "You know normally I would kiss up with some snatchy comment, but I'm afraid I might miss in all this steam. I'd hate to land on the wrong set of lips." 

She was down right cocky since she didn't have to look Kate in the face... yet. 

With a groan Billie stretched out on the plush bathrobe, "And now we wait... "

Kate snorted, once, from across the room. She considered cocking her revolver in faux outrage as a signal to Billie_Faegan... but decided to just close her eyes and try to relax. She sighed, content.

"Better watch yourself, Billie. Or I'll tell Svetlana you've been misbehaving."

Mercedes, having listened to the exchange while disrobing and taking a seat along a free spot against the wall, barked laughter. It was nice, listening to people comfortable enough around each other to jest and talk about something other than work. She tried to inhale deeply but the steam was so thick that it caused her to cough. Already she could feel sweat running down her back, so she spread out the robe beneath her a bit more and laid back on it, tucking her hands beneath her head and closing her eyes. 

Leaning back and trying to relax, Kate threw out a question to Mercedes_Kompressor and Billie_Faegan.

"So... how's business going for you guys? Any exciting developments there?"

"Yes, actually," Mercedes replies from behind a curtain of fresh steam. "Thanks to John_Scalise_Jr, I believe I can ship damn near anything in or out of Detroit. I thought the whiskey barrels were pretty clever, but he's come up with some sort of liner that waterproofs whatever you're shipping. Hell, he's developed lined containers of all shapes and sizes. If it weren't for the actual sale of whiskey, I believe he'd run me out of business," she says, jokingly. She knew John would never put her in that situation; he was a sharp businessman, but he was also a gentleman whom she'd come to consider a friend. If she could put out the good word and drum up some more business for him, she'd be more than happy to do it.

Kate smiled invisibly in the steam, proud of Mercedes_Kompressor. 

"That's great, Mercedes. Sounds like things are going really well. I'll have sit down and meet Mr. Scalise soon. Sounds like a good contact to have."

"And what about you, Miss Billie_Faegan? Any exciting business developments? Or too busy with Mr. Noto?"

Kate, in a rare position of relaxation, had a hint in her voice that sounded more like a gossiping seventeen year old girl than she ever did when she was actually seventeen.

Billie laughed out loud, "Oh fucking hell. Yes to both, I suppose. John got me a gig in Paris."  She paused a moment waiting for the inevitable heckle. "I thought we could use the opportunity to forge some new business ties. I don't have the specs yet, but I figure I can take a small hand-selected group with me and see what comes up. Maybe your Mr. Scalise might have two cents on the matter, Hm?" She tilted her head in the general direction of Mercedes voice, lounging lazily in the heavy steam. 

As the steam started to fade a bit, the dim outlines of the other women started to come into view, although their modesty (if they had any) was still preserved.

"Paris? Shit. Congratulations, Billie."

Recrossing her legs in the other direction, Kate leaned back and rested her elbows against the top of the bench behind her. She stretched her head back. God, had she ever been so relaxed? This would have to become a weekly exercise, if not a daily one.

"That'd be a long trip, though, and whoever did it would be out of contact for what? Several days? A week? It'd be tough..."

Kate sat back, pondering. Obviously Billie_Faegan would have a say over who accompanied her, but...

"I mean, I'm not questioning that you're going. Of course you're going. And Noto, too..."

Kate furrowed her brow.

"Fuck it. You only live once. Billie, I'm coming with you to Paris. Mercedes_Kompressor, I don't suppose you'd like to join me?"

Mercedes replays what she's just heard inside of her head. Had Kate just...asked for her companionship on a trip to Paris?!? Right there, in front of Billie? Maybe she'd misheard, or misunderstood...better to err on the side of caution. Even if it did make her look like an idiot.

"Paris. Wow. Can't say I've ever been. Gotta be some pretty lucrative business opportunities over there, right?"

"Sure, but I think we could take some personal time for ourselves, as well. Take walks around the Eiffel tower. What else do you do in France? Do some shopping. Go out to fancy dinners. Hell, I'll even wear a dress. Don't think that's something I've done in... fifteen years now?"

Kate in a dress. That was crazy talk. She'd definitely heard wrong. 

"Well I'm in. Not sure I'll ever find the time or opportunity to make it to France if I don't get while the getting's good," she says.

If she's not mistaken, she can hear Svetlana approaching the steam room to usher them into the next phase of their spa visit.

As Kate heard footsteps, she quickly slipped her robe back on and haphazardly tied it, placing the towel to cover her gun again. She really didn't expect trouble here- but you never know. But she could hear Svetlana's voice, so Kate started to relax.

Billie hopped up and re-robed herself, smiling at the two. "Hey, we could make a double date of it one night." She was beaming a little more than she meant to, her caramel skin all dewy from the heat, her curls mated to her forehead from the humidity. "I mean, I'm already used to the looks people give 'different' couples so it'll be totally natural." Billie bit her lip. She didn't mean that like it may have sounded. "I mean... not that... just cuz...." she gestured at her self, huffed, and facepalmed, taking a deep breath. "Wow... leave it to me to fuck that up... I am so sorry." 

Billie rubbed the middle of her forehead, silently thanking whatever powers that be that Svetlana was already at the door. Svetlana led them out the door, and Billie hung her head as she followed the woman out and a little further down the way. They hooked a left at the next hall and were lead into smaller marble room with a single HUGE shower head in the center. Mounted along the walls were several shelves and cubbies, positively brimming with a plethora of various exotic skincare products: oils, salts, scrubs, muds, masks, creams... brushes, loofahs, pumice stones, all arranged win some unfathomable order.

Svetlana explained that this is where the scrubbing and exfoliation comes in as she moved around the room activating several valves, turning them on one by one and adjusting the temperature.  Suddenly, like a summer monsoon, the shower in the center gushed to life. Svetlana took several products from the shelves and cubbies around the room, setting three or four for each woman into individual caddies. Each one had four numbered slots, so that each product had a number. Svetlana tried to explain what each of the products did, and why she chose that particular order for each woman, but honestly it was all about as clear as mud to the ladies. With a tired looking smile she gave up on explaining and instead simply instructed them to use them in order, and rinse in between. "Now," she said looking serious, "you scrub. I can do for you, you can do for you or..." the smallest hint of a smile tickled her lips, "you can do for each other."  

She lingered for a moment, awaiting a choice from the women. Billie, looking bewildered, simply tossed her hands in the air and looked at the other two. She was SO not making that call. 

Kate chuckles softly, confirming nothing as Billie comments about double dates. Kate, imagining Paris and finally able to make eye contact with Mercedes_Kompressor, flashed her a wide, genuine, excited smile. She mouthed "Paris" as Billie walked in front of them, but the gleam in her eyes faded a bit as they walked into a giant room with... a single shower. Oh goddamn it. Kate shot a glance at Billie: obviously no one knew about her and Mercedes. At least nothing official.

To be honest, Billie_Faegan had put Kate in an exceedingly difficult situation. And it was entirely new to her. A week earlier, Kate would have already tossed off her robe and moved under the shower, not giving a shit. Now, however, she was worried. Goddamn it. In the other room, Kate had been more relaxed than she'd been in months. Maybe years. And now she felt stressed and torn about what to do.

Old Kate would have had all of them under that shower in a heartbeat. Maybe talked Svetlana into joining, too.

New Kate would love to get Mercedes in a shower, but not with Billie or Svetlana there. New Kate was also worried, if she stripped and walked into the shower, about seeing the reaction in Mercedes' eyes. New Kate was worried about... was she jealous of other people seeing Mercedes'. I mean, she'd have to deal with it. They'd talked about how to appear in public... but she'd never expected a test like this this early.

Kate, who'd killed men without blinking, ordered the deaths of others, and stared down the barrel of a gun without flinching... froze.

Relationships were fucking complicated.

Billie cleared her throat, "Um... Svetlana, do you think you could... um... do me..." that sounded awkward, "somewhere else..." more awkward, "Y'know, alone...?" 

This conversation was getting more and more horrible. Luckily the woman was a professional. She snickered at Billies obvious discomfort and nodded silently, "Zis way, miss." She held the door as Billie moved out into the hallway, turning back to the other two, "I vill be back momentarily." She pulled the heavy door closed behind her, leaving KateLogan and Mercedes_Kompressor alone in the shower room. 

They'd all join up again later... 

Mercedes drops her robe beyond the reach of the water's spray. She wasn't particularly modest, and frankly, Kate had seen the goods. What bothered her was having to think twice about perceptions and assumptions. Yep, relationships were fucking complicated. 

Standing under the stream of almost unbearably hot water, Mercedes grabs the bottle marked No. 1 and squeezes a healthy dollop of what feels like rough grade sandpaper into her palm. Apparently Svetlana thinks she needs to lose her epidermis.

"If I had alcohol to blame, you'd be in trouble. Shower sex, with the risk of getting caught? Right up my alley. But I'm completely sober, and I'm more than a little terrified of Svetlana," she says, looking down at her freshly scrubbed skin. Was it supposed to look like she'd been dipped in a deep fryer?

"This...thing we've got going...I guess I'll just follow your lead, Kate. I don't know where the lines are."

Kate stared at Mercedes for a moment, grinning and nearly tossing her robe in the air behind her... until she realized she had her gun in it. Shrugging off her robe, Kate placed it outside the water's reach, but close enough to dive for if there was trouble.

"Merc, I've never had a real relationship. Sometimes I'd fuck someone over a weekend instead of a night... or a month later... I just never wanted to complicate my life like that."

She walked up behind Mercedes and traced a finger from her lower back to the front of her hip. 

"Well, 'til you. Which... I'm sorry I'm not exactly subtle. I told you I'd try to keep this incognito- keep you safe...

Kate shrugged as she ducked her head under the stream of water, pulling her hair behind her shoulders as it darkened. 

"... but I'm pretty sure Billie just figured something out, with all my Paris talk there. She's not dumb... she practically sprinted out of here. I don't think we're going to be able to keep everything a secret. So I'm thinking that we don't exactly advertise it- if people figure out that you occasionally come over my penthouse and we fuck each other's brains out, so be it. But we both keep acting like we normally would. Which means, if I read some of the signs correctly, that we'll be jumping in a pool later. So let's just be normal, like we would a week ago, and jump in with Billie. Let's flirt with whoever we want to. And if the other person feels jealous? Or guilty? Well... we'll make that up to each other in private- to the other party's complete satisfaction"

Kate leaned forward and gave Mercedes a single, long, wet kiss before raising a shoulder and pushing her away and walking to pick up one of the bottles. 

"Nope. Can't start that. Or we'll be in here for two hours and scandalize the staff. Now, you do me first. No, not like that. With the scrubby stuff. I'm the boss, remember?"

Turning, she grinned over her shoulder at Mercedes.

Not sure she'd wish this on her worst enemy, much less Katie Logan, Mercedes hopes Kate's  No. 1 isn't as brutal as hers had been. She's relieved to find a much finer grain. Trying to remain somewhat clinical about the process in order to avoid getting carried away, she runs her hands over Kate's back and shoulders. 

'Difficult' didn't quite cut it as a descriptor. Her hands wanted to go everywhere else.

"I don't think you even need this stuff. You've got great skin. If they try to sell you a bunch of product, I'm calling bullshit," she says, smiling.