"I'm sorry, I have to leave, [i]now[/i]."

James turned his head to watch the girl as she walked away, even trying to take one or two steps to try to stop her from leaving. A hand wrapped around his wrist, and he turned to see his brother, arm outstretched, and shaking his head.

"Come on, bro, just get in the car. She has her own reasons for leaving. Don't get yourself, or me, in anymore trouble than we already are. There is no point in doing so."

Defeated, and without a word, James turned and got into the limousine, followed by his brother, then his father. Once inside, Henry turned to the glass divider, and knocked twice. The car jerked to a start, and drove off in the direction of they boys' apartment.

"I can't believe you two. I mean, seriously. I told you not to get into trouble, and what do you do? You get yourselves into fucking trouble. I swear, it's like you don't even listen to a word I say. Do you know how this case could've made me look? How irresponsible could you two be? Going to that lowlife club, hanging out with that lowlife girl-"

"You don't know her!" James interrupted. The inside of the limo grew quiet. Mason looked down at the floor of the car, James looked straight at his father. 

"Oh," Henry said, a small smile growing on his face. "I don't know her. I'm sorry. Did I offend?" He turned his head to Mason. "Mason, how long has the boy known that lowlife?"

Mason didn't even look up from the floor. "A day or so, pop..."

"Ah, a day or so.. So then, that means that James doesn't really know that girl either, does she?"

"Guess not, pop..." 

"So tell me, James, what makes you think you know her, as well? For all you know, she could have just been waiting for the right time to kill you, to kill your brother, and then take money so that she could her next fix. And don't look so surprised, you know in the back of your mind, that was a possibility."

An hour later, the car had reached its destination, and stopped in front of the apartment. Mason was the first one out, and James was on his way out right after.
***
Hours later, at around one in the morning, both James and Mason were at Solaris, a club much like Eclipse in Zone Beta. The music made the whole club beat with the heavy bass song that was playing, and James just stared at his drink as it rippled in time with the music. To anyone looking at him, it was clear he didn't want to talk. Even his brother had laid off him for a while, moving to another side of the club where he was smoking and shot-gunning the smoke into a very attractive blonde's mouth. After a few moments, James lifted the drink to his lips and downed the rest of it in a matter of seconds. He turned to leave when a soft hand stopped him. 

"And where do you think you are going, cutie?"

James turned to meet the blood red eyes of a beautiful brunette. She was rather tall, about 5'10" if James were to be asked to guess, but then again, that could have been the result of five-inch stiletto heels. Her teeth where as white marble, and lips as red as her eyes. Everything screamed out perfect, and she was interested in him. 

"I... I.. uh.. was actually just about to leave."

The female pouted slightly and shook her head. "No, no. Don't leave yet. You look like you could use a pick-me-up, cutie. Here, let me buy you a drink. What do you usually have?"

James stood there, silent, for a moment, then shook his head. "Uh, yeah, sure. Um.. I usually get the green star. Sounds girly, I know, but its mainly for the color. Green brings me a sort of, comfort." 

The girl, with a small smile, ordered two of the drinks and ushered the man back down. They talked about the weather, stuff going on in the city, mostly mindless chit-chat. He learned that the girl was a part-time waitress at some local restaurant, going to college there in District One. Her parents were some politicians who worked with James' father on some committee when he used to work in the legislature. The red eyes was due to some form of genetic mutation, but rather than being called a freak for it, her popularity in school sky-rocketed. Everyone wanted to be friends with he red-eyed girl. James listened intently, almost in a trance, as she droned on and on, taking a sip of his drink every so often. To be honest, he was glad he was able to have his mind taken off Vander and his father for a little while. Then his trance was broken when she asked him a rather peculiar question. 

"So, do you want to try It?"

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry. What? Do I want to try, what?"

"It. That's what it is called among everyone who uses it, other than that, it is nameless. The cops don't even know about this yet. It is this new drug going around, but It is only found in Zone Alpha. It's a great experience. Your mind's potential is like, fully unlocked, James. You are able to do things, think things, [i]feel[/i] things that you weren't able to feel, before!" Before James had the opportunity to politely turn him down, the young woman was already digging in her purse. She produced two, small, green, what looked like candies, and smiled. He dropped one in her drink, and the other in James'. As the pills dissolved, she turned to James once more. "Look. I promise you, I am not trying to roofie you or anything. You just look like you could use It." With that, the girl grabbed her drink and downed it. 

James, utterly confused, just picked up the drink. If it really was going to make him feel better than he was feeling, now, then why not? With a slight shrug, the man brought the glass to his lips and tilted it back, savoring the burn the drink gave as went down.

Nothing.

He felt no different at all. He turned to the girl, who was beaming at him, and opened his mouth to ask how long it took, then it hit him. 

He looked around and saw everything more clearly. He looked at one of the tables and was able to tell that the angle of the joints were actually 89 degrees, 99 minutes, and 99 seconds; only a mere second short from being a true 90 degrees. He could tell that the girl that Mason was shotgunning was actually not a natural blonde, and had bleached her hair rather poorly, something that would have been missed in the dim lighting of the club. He turned again and saw the notes of the music playing, flying around in the air. He looked at the dance floor and was able to calculate everyone's next movement down to the exact millimeter. A giant smile flashed across his face as he looked back at the girl. He could literally see her pheromones being sent out from her. He reached out his hand and could actually feel himself being displaced in time and space, and what a rush that was. The brunette, who's name was Amy, something he had forgotten when he wasn't in this state, reached out and grabbed his hand. She pulled him in close, and he could smell every single different scent on her individually, just like a dog, would. 

"You know, they say that sex feels a lot better in this state, as well."
***
The penthouse room of The Cosmopolitan, an almost exact replica of the ancient Los Vegas Hotel, burst open as James and Amy stepped inside. Just by taking once glance around, he knew the whole layout of the room, every nook and cranny, and went back to work, smashing his lips into Amy's pulling her closer to him. They moved to the bedroom, taking off garment after garment as they did so. Once in the bedroom, James pushed the woman down onto the bed and started his work, placing his lips on just the right spots up her leg, thigh, waist, stomach, breasts, neck, then back down; all thanks to the help of his now, infinite knowledge. They went at it for a good couple of hours, only stopping when they were out of protection.

As Amy took her time in the shower, James went to the front of the room and grabbed the pen and pad of paper provided. With his mind still racing, he drew out music sheets on a bunch of the empty pages of the pad and went to work creating a symphony. About halfway in, he placed the pen down on the paper and couldn't draw another note. In fact, he didn't even know what he was doing, only that it was sheet music, and there was music written on it, something that he hadn't even learned how to do. He suddenly felt horribly inadequate. He turned around and saw Amy and shook his head. 

"I know," she said with a small, reassuring smile. "That is the only down side to the whole trip." She reached into her purse and pulled out a couple of the "candies" and handed it to him. "For the road. Thanks for the great night," she said with a wink. She kissed him on the cheek and walked out the door. 
***
Twenty minutes later, James walked into his apartment where his brother was waiting. 

"Where were you? I went looking for you when I was ready to go and you weren't there. "

"I was out."

"With who? Did you finally listen to me and pick up a chick?"

"Yes. Now, can I go bed? I have a headache, and I am tired."

"Yeah, that's fine, bro. Goodnight."

"Night."