We entered the bricked walls of the venue's parking space, arriving just in time to find ourselves a spot. The engine hushed as I opened the door and placed my feet on the concrete foundation - cold air and a starry night sky receiving our arrival.

"Well, on the bright side, we made it."

"Yes, but I didn't think we'd start the night by having to carry someone," Myla replied as she walked to my side.

"It would've gone smoother if we distributed the load better,"

"Firstly, don't call our client a load. Secondly, there was no way I was letting you choose where to hold Lily."

We almost fell over four separate times.

As our arguments ceased for a brief moment, I opened the white door to welcome the object of our bickering to the event awaiting us.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience I caused." Lily apologized with a lowered head. I chuckled a bit, causing the young woman to face up, slightly confused.

"Don't worry. We've gotten past higher hurdles and argued over tinier matters." I reassured the young woman and faced my dear partner with a goading grin. Myla shook her head, disregarding my remark and turning to the building.

"For now, let's just go inside." She began walking the laid-out path to the entrance. I turned to Lily - and with a quick jerk of my head towards the doors, began following the soft footsteps in front of us. We arrived somewhat late, meaning the place was already alive with people and shimmering lights. There was luminescence lining every window sill and shrub. And I could see pairs of suits and dresses join the crowd within the reception area.

It's like an exotic bird exhibit. Penguins and parrots. Look, that one's even walking like a penguin.

As I kept my observations and insensitive jokes inside, I heard a familiar voice call out to us, causing me to end my pace.

"Hey, guys! L, B, M! The party just got started. Good to see you weren't late. See what I did there? Instead of nicknames calling out your initials works, right?"

At least consider the order, man.

"Hey, Nash. Good to see you're in high spirits." I greeted back to the young man with a camera hung around his neck.

"You guys look great! You almost look like trained assassins in an action movie or something." Nash mustered up the best praise he could give and remarked with an enthused smile.

We're most likely to kill each other, though.

I thought to myself as I searched for a compliment of my own to give him. The outfit he wore hailed from the same brand as the ones we were wearing, so quality was a guarantee. His top consisted of a plain white cotton long sleeve with a large red cravat tie slotted into his collar. The shirt, while loose, still emphasized his musculature. Over it, a black vest lay, which bore long lines of intersecting and interlocking royal blue threads, creating almost fractal-like patterns on the garment. His bottom wear was a far more straightforward mix of dark blue breaches and smooth black ballroom shoes. Topping it all off was, fittingly, a black tophat with a belt around its base dotted with silver buttons.

He looks almost steampunk. Guess even the world of steam-operated machinery has advanced quite far if they have digital cameras.

As I instead applauded a fictional world's ingenuity, I could feel the faint presence of the voiceless siren behind me begin to move to greet her better half.

"It fits you nicely. I hope you don't mind me choosing it for you." Lily said with a soothing tone as she admired her partner.

"Aw, don't say that! Even if you didn't offer, I would've still relied on you for this. You look fantastic too, by the by. Besides, we have other things to worry about later, so let's enjoy ourselves!" Nash replied with anxious excitement. I looked at the two with Myla beside me as a similar unease crept into the back of my head. They entrusted us with more than we usually bargained with, and I wondered if meddling with such things was justifiable and if what we had arranged could even help them in any way. Noticing my uncharacteristic contemplative mood, Myla turned her gaze towards me with a curious expression.

"Welp, umm, let's go inside and discuss the schedule. No point standing around here, right?" I managed to voice out as I calmed myself and began walking to the entrance. I could hear two sets of strides follow, but the lightest and farthest of the steps took a moment before beginning. I wanted to bring up my concerns with Myla, but not at this time when we both had a procedure to follow and composure to maintain. Even so, she's not a surveyor without reason, and I knew she was beginning to catch wind of my doubts,

It's like a higher-ranking officer suspecting you of becoming a turncoat. Please, sir! I have a family! Well, no, I got drafted the moment I left high school.

We walked to the front entrance and up the short flight of stairs to find ourselves in the venue's lobby. Amber hues shone from the overhead lamps on the small pockets, and pairs of people were preparing themselves to enter the main hall, which I could already hear was buzzing with life.

"Righty-o, gameplan," I said, turning around to the three who had just entered.

"The opening ceremony has already concluded. The banquet should be starting fairly soon." Myla stated, walking past me with closed eyes and a regal air as she let her coat's tails glide in her wake, stopping suddenly and placing her hands on her hips after twirling around to face us.

She likes that outfit, doesn't she?

"Yep! I've already had to take a couple of photos of the mayor's speech about, uh, I already forgot."

I'm not sure whether to be concerned over your memory or the quality of our city official's words.

"You have to manage a stall, right?" Lily managed to bring Nash back to us with her question, simultaneously earning us the other half of our plan.

"Yeah, but for now, I have to go around a bunch of tables to document the banquet, so I'll be busy almost all night." He replied apologetically, lowering his head a bit towards his partner. The young woman shook her head, seemingly understanding that it was less he was worried about his job but rather about her.

"Don't worry, Nash, if you can promise us you'll be fine. We'll make sure Lily gets to have fun and meet some new friends, 'kay?" I reassured the worried photographer, causing his face to light up with confidence even in the dimmed space.

"I'll be a-okay! Besides, they look intimidating, but most of them are actually pretty friendly!"

That's how they lure you in, and next thing you know, bam! You're part of the rich's underground shadow organization.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Well, you are interacting with them in a work-related context, so you already got the first part of socializing down, an excuse to talk."

"Yes, you may not come out of this experience with new companions, but just knowing how to start a conversation properly will be a boon. As for later on, I presume you'll be free during the social dance?" My dear partner finally snapped out of her proud and royal stance to join in on the conversation.

"I've already asked, and they said sure. So I'll come to find you guys when the time comes." And with that, he faced his partner, who was quietly observing his words. She walked up to him and held his hands in her own, giving a tiny smile on her usually impassive expression - one a war could be fought over for, wishing luck upon her better half. The young man's face glowed red even in the dark room, and with it, he inhaled a deep breath and straightened his posture, his large frame and outfit making him seem almost knightly. And with a quick nod of farewell, he began walking to what looked to be a different entrance to the main hall.

See, he can look presentable if he tries.

I cheered him on in my own mind as the remaining three of us turned to walk the long limestone-bricked hallways of the building. This time, however, instead of the pitter-patter of our shoes on the cedarwood to accompany us, subtle murmurs and classical music filled the halls leading up to the social keep. We reached the large marble arches of the doorway, and I turned to the two behind me who awaited my go. One stood stalwart and cold, most likely wondering why I wouldn't just open the door, and the other masked her anxiety within with a face of grace and tranquility.

And all I got is some stubble, slightly gelled back hair, and two bottles of caffeine inside me. Yippee ki-yay, let's go.

I placed my hands on the door, and with a proud push - we had officially joined the party. It was wondrous. The cream-colored walls of the place took many hues as chandeliers filled the area with a soft luminosity, giving the wooden floors and ceilings a sheen to go along with the lights. Every window revealed the nighttime sky, each opening painting a picture more beautiful than any brush could craft. And now, every pillar, awning, and the many vines and bushes had long strings of LED lights intertwined with the asters and chrysanthemums, only adding to the splendor we had witnessed days prior. And yet, even with all of this, the most significant change from our first visit didn't come from the decor or the aesthetics. It came from the life that now filled the space. Music from strings, brass, and keys filled my ears in a jazzy rhythm. People cheered, toasted, and conversed among themselves - no crowd, group, or pair resembling the next. At first, I wondered if we may have overdressed, but it seems in that respect, the building itself had us beat by a mile.

Look, I've been tough on the wealthy mainly as a joke. But, wow, they can throw one hell of a party. I'll still eat them, though.

My last jab at the rich stuck in my mind as I saw each table topped with plates of different cuisines. Now, as a culinary master of the instant and microwave meal section, seeing such an array of metal trays of tempting hor doeuvres powered up an almost animalistic instinct in my lizard brain to consume all in sight.

Food. Fancy food. Must have.

I began taking a few steps toward one of the empty tables when I suddenly got strangled as something caught the back of my collar.

"Focus." I could hear a cold voice hit the back of my neck and chill my spine. Myla freed her grip on me, and I turned to her, caressing my throat.

"Even without a car, you find ways to delete my inertia, dontcha?" I asked as I saw my dear partner's dagger-filled glare staring right at me. It seemed she knew what I was going for and acted accordingly to stop my advance. Lily was behind her, turned away, seemingly to hold back a laugh for my sake.

Good to see we're still a class-act comedy duo.

"Come on, loosen up a little. We're here as guests!"

"We're here as chaperones, albeit we are dressed more like guests." Myla looked down at her outfit, which, while less flashy than Lily's, still had an air of class.

"It's alright. As long as I know you're both near, I don't mind whatever title you carry." Lily interjected with a kind tone, not resolving our petty quarrel but giving us both a reason to behave.

"Understood. We'll find you a table, and we'll sit nearby. Having the two of us standing beside you might intimidate the guests."

"Or we could just sit down with her-" I was cut off as Myla stepped briskly past me, looking over her shoulder with furrowed eyebrows.

"Alright, alright. Come on, Lily. We'll be right behind you, don't worry." We weaved through the many guests and solid-white tables, all filled with color from the variety of outfits and meals each one housed. We reached two tables adjacent to one another and stood beside the seated Lily.

"Okay, the tables are getting filled, so people will eventually go here, and best case scenario, sit with you. We'll be close by, so if we sense a problem or problematic person, we'll come right away. Or you can just wave us over."

"If no one decides to join you before then, we can also try looking for a vacant chair with a different group." Myla continued as we both stepped towards the other table. I gave Lily one last look of trust, and with a soundless nod, she was ready.

I make it sound like it's a big deal, but we're literally ten feet away.

Still, this method was the equivalent of kicking a chick out of a bird's nest and asking it to fly, so it wasn't like there was no reason for us to be so nearby. We had to have contingencies, which from what I heard from other surveyors, is something they usually prepare for large-scale events like weddings or honeymoons.

Door-to-door-matchmaker-couple-counselor-chaperone-event-planner-surveyor is quite the job title.

In the case that Lily was to find herself in too awkward a situation or struggle to continue the dialogue, Myla and I could step in as her friends to try and smooth out the conversation. It wasn't much, but it pays to be prepared. As I did a final rundown of our plan one last time in my head, I placed myself onto the cushion of the seat and my arms on the soft fabric of the table, only the decorative flowers and soft lamplight radiating from above us on the empty table.

"Right! Where's the food?" I asked while rubbing my hands together in eager excitement - eyeing the many tables surrounding us.

"Are you seriously worried about that? Right now?" My dear partner questioned me with an exasperated and sullen look.

"Well, since we've been with each other the entire day, I'd like to ask you, have you eaten dinner yet?" Myla's eyes widened in response, and she turned away ever-so-slightly, trying her best to not make the answer obvious.

"Look, you don't need to keep up the stern office lady face, even if you really want to match the woman to the clothes in this situation." The truth in my words made her grumble a bit, causing her to exhale a wearied sigh and raise her hand to flag a server.

Atta girl. Also, can you ask them if they could remove the tomatoes from my salad? I don't like their texture. Oh, also-also, I saw some appetizers with bread. Could you request the crust to be removed? What do you mean they only do that with sliced bread? Where's customer service? I'm filing a complaint.

As I readied my nine-page long protest in my head like a respectful citizen who's never had to work retail in their life, a server saw Myla's signal. He went off to get a trolley filled with a collection of delights I yearned for. The waiter came back shortly with a metal tray of appetizers, bearing a combination of skewered meats and fruits, cold seafood cocktails, fresh salads, and sharp and light cheeses alike. And my personal favorites of deviled eggs and an assortment of bread with different toppings. The variety was high, but the amount for each was low, ensuring you'd get to taste everything and request more of what you liked. Before I could indulge myself in the table of bite-sized cuisine before me, however, the server clapped his hands and asked,

"Ah! What a lovely couple. What wine would you and your date like?"

"Oh, why she usually prefers very spicy and rich wines. But, I think a nice filling glass of hemlock would do her finely tonight." I replied with a pure smile, which the fellow in front of me for a moment nodded his head in agreement and suddenly had his face covered in horror as he did a double-take.

"S-sir! It's not pleasant to joke about such things! Especially in front of your partner. Miss, what would you actually like?" Having realized I wasn't worth it, he turned to Myla, whose face remained unperturbed despite my proposal, and with her delicate hands under her chin, she replied,

"Please, double his order. I don't want him feeling left out." My dear partner replied with closed eyes and a raised head, making her remark seem like an honest declaration. The waiter was now turning to Myla and me over and over again. Trying to make sense of the pair before him as he slowly backed away and exclaimed,

"I'll just get the both of you a Shiraz! Please, do enjoy yourselves!"

"You too!" And with that final quip, we had our fill of fun at the expense of the poor soul who had the gull to assume we were romantically involved.

"This is why one of us has to maintain a level head and serious disposition."

"Don't lie. You're an accomplice in this crime too." I replied with a teasing smile earning me a subtle smirk that my dear partner hid by taking a tiny bite out of one of the cheeses on the table. However, it seemed we were a bit too preoccupied, as turning back to our client, a small group of women now stood around her, seemingly conversing with our voiceless siren.

And so it begins. I haven't even touched my food yet. Come on.