A Fresh Start (Razgriz x Candira)

Lori listened, pleased to know that he was at least concerned about protecting regular people. "I understand that your job is a difficult one, Mr. Smith. I'm sure it's very trying to deal with people like me. But I think you're underestimating your charge just a bit. Please understand, I take great care to ensure the safety and well-being of my employees. I don't make any decision lightly, and I would appreciate you having some respect for my position and my time." She sighed and shook her head, crossing her arms. Just who did he think he was? The only person with job-related stress? The only person who felt like he was dealing with idiots every day? Did he even know what her job entailed?

"I have to run all of the interviews past the head of security and my boss to make sure they're all approved. I won't have a final decision until next week. The probability of our hiring him is fairly high, but I'm not the one who has final say. In terms of Tank living here, that's really up to him. Should he decide that's something he'd like, we'll go through the proper channels, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm not trying to say that Tank is fully functional--I'm not in the least bit qualified to make that call, and I'm willing to work with you here. I was merely making him aware of that option and wondering why you had a problem with his living here. After all, you're the person who works the closest with him, aren't you? I'm well aware that there's protocol to follow. I know it's not just you." But she wouldn't be surprised if he was the only one against it.

"As I am sure you do, given that you must control any potential conflicts from occurring in here and upsetting your consumerbase. Many of the men under my command come here to....have fun when they have leave" was Smith's simple reply; the hesitation in his voice signaled his inherent dislike for this venue. If people came here, that was their choice but that didn't mean he had to approve of it. To him, this place was for the indecisive and weak of will, seeking alcohol and female company to forget their troubles. But that was neither here nor there, and he knew thinking too much about it was a waste of time.

As she spoke of him being hired and how she was willing to cooperate in order to let Tank live here - something he'd expressed interest in during the interview with Lori - Smith could tell that she still believed that he had some kind of personal vendetta against Tank. Well, she was only partially right; truthfully, his hatred extended to all ATLAS subjects. But even if he didn't hate the ATLAS soldiers, there was still a large movement both inside and outside the military to keep the titans under lockdown and intense supervision at all times. The largest source of which came from the Federal Council itself; it just so happened that Smith agreed with them. "Clearly you fail to realize the true extent of the danger he poses to society, else you would see the necessity for any objection to his living off-base. Like you said, there's protocol to follow, and one protocol is that all ATLAS subjects must remain in a secure location where their status can be monitored. But I suppose we should just leave it as a difference of perspective and experience, as I see no point in continuing if it gets us nowhere".

And with that, he stood up from his chair and straightened his coat, "Now then; if we're finished here, I suppose you would like me to leave. You must have plenty of patrons that need supervision and attending to, and I have other business that I must take care of". He then turned and began to walk to the door; however, just as Smith put his hand on the knob he added "We'll be in touch. Good day to you and thank you for your time" before opening the door and letting himself out, the door closing behind him with a slight click.

Lori let Smith leave the minute he was finished. It was like talking to a wall at this point. "Very well. Have a nice day, Mr. Smith." She saw him to the entrance of the club and then made a face as he left. What a douche. A wave of disgust shot through her and then she was finished with that particular man. "Ugh. I can't say I look forward to our next meeting." She smiled at the bouncer and then went back inside to deal with her customers and make sure the club ran smoothly.

Later that week when Dell returned, Lori met with him and went over each of the interviews. They settled on a team of three candidates, and their favorite prospective employee was Tank. Dell was interested in helping with the rehabilitation of a veteran and the owners thought that he seemed like a worthy employee. He was just so sweet. Dell got to handle Smith this time around when he informed the man about Tank's new employment.

Any information they needed would go to Dell and Dell would pass it along on a need-to-know basis. "If he could report to us at the club on Wednesday at 8:00 AM for job training, we'd appreciate it. We'll do this for about a week and he'll get in a solid 40 hours until I think he's ready--then we'll put him into rotation. We'll take things step by step with Tank."

Lori listened in not far away, glad to know that their gentle giant would be working here.

Smith promptly returned to the base after the meeting; what a frustrating day. And she didn't even thank him for smacking Tank's hand away; she didn't seem to comprehend just how strong ATLAS soldiers were. Even under medication, he could have easily crushed her hand into powder; and if any attempt at reintegrating them were to be successful, they couldn't have the abominations injuring innocent civilians. After showing his ID to the guard on duty, Smith was let back into Echo Base to debrief General Johnson. And after checking in to make that Tank was secured and wouldn't cause any trouble, he went to the Base CO's office.

Again, he showed his ID to the MPs on guard and was allowed through; a grey-haired man of six feet in a traditional outfit possessing vibrant green hues and his face showing his age of fifty-seven years, the good General stood on the opposite side of the room facing a large map of country. On it were several red dots scattered all around the landmass, some of which were X'd out. "Sir?" Smith asked as he closed the door behind him; the General just nodded, keeping his back turned as he replied, "Have a seat, Smith". Doing so, the General then turned and asked, "So, how goes the reintegration of our resident ATLAS?" For a few minutes, Smith and the General talked about the interview and how it seemed like Tank would be hired to work there; it was when Smith brought up the issue of lodging at the brothel itself that silence hung over the room.

Johnson rubbed the side of his head, saying in a low tone, "That's a pretty risky proposition. You know of the initial reveal of the ATLAS soldiers..." to which Smith added, "Yes, sir. I do, and that's why I'm against it. That's a place that many people frequent; it would not do well to create that kind of a stir". The General let out a sigh and said, "Well...Perhaps this could be a valuable test too. We need to find out just how comfortable an ATLAS can be in a crowded environment if the reintegration effort is to be a success". "If that's what you feel is best, sir" was Smith's apathetic reply, to which the General said "I do; I'll get the process started". And with that, Smith was free to go; the Commander was clearly not happy with the decision to try and submit to the Council and the Commander-in-Chief to let an ATLAS live in such a high-density urban area.

*Later that week*

It took the entire week, and even then a definitive answer was not reached; the Commander-in-Chief was actually away meeting with some diplomats in Serbia, so he couldn't be present to cast his vote. A message was sent via e-mail, however, containing details of the inquiry and background information on who the inquiry itself surrounded. Even without him though, many on the Federal Council opposed Tank's move to live in the brothel itself, but it seemed a marginal majority did approve. But the fact of the matter was, they still needed to pass a majority vote with the President's approval. And so for now at least, Tank would return to the base everytime his shift was over until the man in charge said otherwise.

However, the call soon came in that Tank was called for job training; it would be the next Wednesday early in the morning, something the big guy was clearly excited to do. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet like a kid in a candy store; finally, he would get to meet with the people he was created to protect! He could show them that there was no reason to be afraid of him! He was given a complete outfit of custom-made clothing that was casual but not sloppy: A pair of blue denim jeans, a tight-fitting black polo shirt that hugged his massively muscular form, and brown leather slip-on shoes. When Wednesday rolled around, the soldier was transported to the Blue Moon for his training; he still couldn't believe he was chosen for this. Even if it was training, that meant that what Lori told him was the truth!

And with that, Tank stepped out of the car and after a few quick goodbyes, he was left at the brothel to do his thing. "Alright...Tank, your new life starts now! You're a soldier; all you need to do is follow directions! " he mentally fired himself up as he was waved through the front door, ducking a little to avoid hitting his head. He then just kind of stood there; they'd told him he would be met at the club, but they didn't exactly specify where. This made Tank scratch his head a little in confusion; was he supposed to wait here? Or was he supposed to try and find them?

Lori helped Dell with preparations for training the night before--she readied photo packets and contracts, forms for direct deposit and all the fun forms that came with employment. She smiled as she thought of the new candidates. All of them had been wonderful in their interviews, but she was most excited to deal with Tank. It was great to know that a man of his caliber would be working there. And they would be giving him what he needed to come back into society. She was just returning to the main floor when she saw the man standing there looking horribly confused.

With a chuckle, Lori appeared to him in her outfit for the day. "Well, hello again. It's nice to see you, Tank. Are you excited for today?" she asked, a smile on her face. She ran a hand through her dark hair and then twisted it up, securing it with a red clip. "Come on in," she said, offering him her hand.

Tank's face brightened considerably when he heard Lori's voice, his head turning to see the benevolent woman approaching him. "Hello, Mi...Lori" he corrected himself; seemed he still needed to get used to not adding prefixes unnecessarily. When she extended her hand out, Tank could only stare at it for a few moments as if unsure what the meaning of the gesture; however, her expression and looking back at him in general told him to grab it. Gently of course; last thing he needed to do was crush his employer's hand on the first day of training.

---

*Three weeks*

Tank was once again dropped at the Blue Moon Club and Brothel, a decision still not having been reached as to whether to allow Tank to stay on-site at his job site itself. This stalemate was, as per the contract signed by the Federal Council and the Army, communicated to both the head of security and owner of the establishment to disseminate to any of their personnel at their discretion. It wasn't that Tank minded having to be driven to work; well, he actually kind of did because he felt like a burden having someone shuttle him back and forth, but regardless he felt it would be so much easier and more exciting. It had been almost a month, hadn't it? He'd gone through the training and become a respectable employee; and to top it off, despite his immense strength even limited by the medication he took, he didn't hurt a single person. That should have been enough...right?

Even still, he knew he would just have to wait and see; each day he was so thrilled about the new shirt he'd gotten. Of course, given the rather large proportions of his body, it had to be custom-sized, but the design was the same: The entire shirt a navy blue color, "SECURITY" was written in big white letters across the front, and the words "Blue Moon Club & Brothel" printed in white in a wrap-around fashion surrounding the venue's logo. After clocking in and putting his lunch - a full-sized submarine sandwich normally meant for three to four people, appropriate given his size and appetite - he checked the schedule to see what portion of the club he would be watching over today. And based on the schedule, he seemed to be first scheduled to watch the door, then check for VIP passes at the side of the room where the main dancing platforms were located, then do VIP checks for the elevators leading to the upper floors; even after being here for three weeks, Tank still could not believe the enormity of this place. The main floor alone would make anyone think this was the entire club. But it wasn't; there were eight other floors, the upper two being the penthouse, plus a basement; he'd been warned by one of the veteran security personnel who helped in his training - Mike, if Tank remembered correctly - that he should NOT go down there. And while Tank would certainly heed his advice, he couldn't help but be curious as to why he would say such a thing; maybe during his break he would ask Lori what that was about. Tank would soon take his place at the door, letting people in and turning away people who seemed to be either underage or heavily intoxicated. Thankfully, his size made sure that no one caused too much trouble, but he saw that look a few times. That look of utter fear that he was going to tear them in half if they pissed him off. He tried not to let it bug him, but in truth it still hurt a little. But those that entered, their spirits high and ready to have some fun, served as more than ample recompense to brighten his mood.

The big man, now finished with the relatively uneventful doorman duty, then lumbered over and took his position just to the right of the thick velvet curtains; he was soon joined by another bouncer scheduled to be stationed here at the same time. One of the newer recruits himself, he stood at about five-foot-seven and had a lean frame, but certainly possessed the image of what a bouncer should be: Strong face, confident aura, and a 'don't mess with me' attitude. Dressed in the same attire as Tank - with the sole exceptions being the choice of grey jeans instead of black slacks, and white sneakers instead of brown boots - he possessed a full head of platinum hair and piercing sapphire hues that seemed to be able to both bore into someone's soul and grant them incredible comfort whenever he chose. This new guy was new to the building, but not new to the game; his resume was actually quite impressive. He'd run security detail at several high-profile venues across the country; various casinos and hotels, other clubs like Blue Moon (though even he admitted during this interview that the clubs had nothing on this place) and even a job as a bank security guard gave him outstanding recommendations. "Well, well, me and the big man...How ya doin', Tank?" asked the new bouncer, "Uhm...Doing well....Robert, right?" he then replied; Tank was still not very good with names, unfortunately, but he was getting better. The other bouncer nodded with a chuckle, "Yeah, that's me; and just call me Rob, alright? No need to be all formal among friends, ya know? And loosen up a little; I know you're a military stiff and a new guy and all, but we're here to help people relax, brotha. Let your shoulders sag a little". Tank just cocked his head, not really sure what Rob was saying but immediately replied in his gentle tone, "This...is me relaxed". Tank didn't mean to have his shoulders hunched up like that and his back ramrod straight; it was how his physiology was. He was designed to be a terrifying presence to hostile combatants, as well as grant him leverage when going up against hostile armored vehicles.

Rob just let out a small laugh, saying "If you say so, brotha; pretty nice we get set up here. Get a free show while we do our jobs, it's a pretty sweet gig. I know I said this, but still...This place is something else". Rob then noticed a rather stunning redhead walking past on the opposite end of the dance room and let out a low whistle; he then nudged his friend's elbow and said in a low voice, "Hey, check out that fine number...I wonder who that is. Probably one of the performers; I'd love to see her in action". Tank just shrugged; he didn't recognize the woman at all. This was his first real day here, and during training he was mostly put on door duty to help him get a feel for what most of his duties as a bouncer would be. He'd visited this section of the club and knew there were people that danced on the poles, but didn't really know them by name.

Lori usually said hi to the trainees on their lunch break if she was around. While the upper staff were away, she wasn't taking on clients, so acting as manager took priority. It warmed her heart to know that Tank was doing well. That he seemed happy made her smile. Today, Kelly had returned in all her glory, so Lori was free to take clients again as long as she told Kelly about it. The redhead smiled at the bouncer who whistled and sent a wink his way before she left their line of sight.

About ten minutes later, the redhead was back and she had Lori with her. As the two came near the bouncers, Lori smiled. "Hello, gentlemen. This lovely lady is Kelly, one of the owners of the club. She'll be using the VIP elevator quite a bit, so please remember her lovely face."

Kelly smiled at both men. "Nice to meet you both." She shook their hands and smiled up at Tank. "I'm glad you're both here. I feel much safer." With that, the redhead took her leave and sauntered over to the elevator.

"Aww, you got compliments. Good job fellas." Lori smiled up at Tank and patted his shoulder. "Good day so far? Any trouble."

Well, seemed like Rob was just a tad off the mark; he'd not seen Kelly before, but he was at least right in guessing that she worked here. Still, it was a bit embarrassing that he got it wrong, but he wouldn't put much thought into it. "A pleasure". "Hello" were the near simultaneous responses to Lori's introduction; Tank then nodded as Lori explained who she was. When he would rotate to elevator duty, he'd be sure to let her through if she decided to come by. He was good with faces, but sometimes didn't get the names quite right. He knew Dell, Mike, and Lori quite well. Rob was clearly interested in Kelly as he took a bit longer than Tank in watching her leave; though with a figure that good, any man would have to be nuts or on the job to want to look away.

Still, Rob smiled at Lori as she remarked on their getting compliments; giving a small chuckle, he just commented "We'll do what we can, ma'am. You got the A-team on your side". Tank just nodded in confirmation; he'd do his best to make sure that everyone here felt safe. This was, as Rob said, a place of relaxation and Tank knew that people wouldn't do such a thing if there was any discomfort. As Lori then asked Tank if there was any trouble, he just shook his head and replied, "Nothing much as of yet. Had to turn some people away at the door...Some were too young, and some seemed to have bathed themselves in alcohol". Rob had to stifle a small laugh; he wasn't laughing at Tank, but was amused by his formal tone and non-usage of slang.

Just then, a loud 'Whoop!' was heard, followed by a loud "Don't mess with Seattle, baby!"; Tank and Rob looked across the way to see some cheering from a few people watching football on the big screens. "Oh yeah, the Seahawks game's on...Good thing I got my DVR recording it. I got some big money on that game" Rob commented, turning his head to Tank and mouthing 'Ten grand' before giving a wink. It was also here that a platinum-haired man in a grey suit, a white button-up underneath and black tie, began walking up to Rob and Tank. His blue hues wandered between the three, looking briefly at Tank before asking, "Is this the VIP section?"

Rob was the first to speak up, "Indeed it is, sir...You have your pass?" The man chortled, "Pass? I'm an esteemed member of this club, surely you've seen me around before". Rob cocked his head and just shrugged, motioning between himself and Tank with his index finger "Sorry, mister...New guys here. And until we get better acquainted with the familiars, we're going to need some identification. Standard policy". The man seemed offended, adding in a boisterous tone, "I don't believe this; I am a VIP! I should not be treated this way!" At this, Tank stepped forward a bit and replied, "Sir, all we're asking is if you have your pass. If you do not, there are still plenty of other areas of the club for you to enjoy" The man then snapped at Tank, "I'm sorry, I don't believe I was talking to you, was I? Such rudeness, I demand to see your manager!" What Rob and Tank didn't know was that this man hadn't actually purchased his pass, but both did look at each other in slight bewilderment; Rob just grinned though, which made Tank a bit confused until he realized that Lori was in fact standing right there.

As always, Tank was a good example of what military training could do; he was a well-disciplined man with the courtesy to use more formal language in the face of his superiors. Though it was appreciated, and a sign of respect, Lori found herself wishing that he would loosen up just a little bit. Still, he was happy, so why rock the boat? She smiled and nodded, glad that nothing out of the ordinary had happened. It was then that a man approached who she didn't remember seeing. He was asking about the VIP section, however, so she was curious as to who had sold him the pass. It would have had to have been managerial or owner status, and she'd just been with Kelly.

Tilting her head, Lori watched in fascination as the situation played out before her. It was quite possible that he did, indeed, have a pass, but the fact that he was putting up such a fuss made her think otherwise. Still, she supposed it was her job to quell his outrage.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm the person you need to talk to. My name is Lori. Why don't you tell me yours and we'll see if we can't get this straightened out. Although, if you do have your pass, we could take care of things much more quickly. These fine gentlemen are correct in telling you that you need the card to access the VIP area. In fact, you can't get there without one." She smiled pleasantly, and turned on her tablet, ready to look up his information. "Of course, failing that, I can let you in if I have your information."

The man seemed quite shocked when the woman to his right had turned and explained that she was in fact the manager; well, this was fantastic. He'd thought she was just another club/brothel employee. There went his little plan; almost every other club he went to, he managed to intimidate the employees there and trick them into letting him in, where he'd enjoy all the comforts of being in said section. For what seemed like the longest time, he just stood there with his mouth somewhat agape, his eyes shifting between each of the three. "So...Are you gonna tell the lady your name or....what?" Rob finally stated, breaking the silence between the group.

At this the man snapped back, agitated by his lack of success, "Excuse me, but do I rush you when answering a question? I don't think so!" Rob just sighed; he knew what this guy was trying to pull and he was just buying time to see if he could find a way out of it. He'd dealt with plenty of people like this, and the scheme was all the same: Scope out the club, see when they have any new faces on duty and go try to scare them into getting fired so that they can reach the more exclusive areas of the club. "Sir...All she's asking for is your name. If you give her that, she can certainly help clear this up" Tank then added, seeming a tad confused at the man's lack of coherence; he didn't feel anything particularly dangerous about him, so this man must be confused himself.

Eventually, the guy knew he was sunk and said, "OK, fine....Since you all seem hellbent on keeping me out, I'll just go enjoy the other parts of the club. Maybe I'll actually get some respect around here". And with that, he gave a 'Hmph' and turned to walk away, heading over to the bar area. Rob just gave a snort, saying "Tch...Some people". Tank just scratched his head, adding "What was that all about?"

---

(Sorry it took so long to reply...School got busy real quick and I was kind of stuck on this one)

Lori waited patiently for the man to identify himself and took a picture of him with her tablet as he stood there looking like she'd just called him Mary, Queen of Scotts. The man was obviously not a VIP member, nor was he willing to pay to become one. In fact, she'd heard stories from other club owners about a man intimidating his way into VIP areas. Either way, she didn't like this guy. God bless Rob for trying to speed up the process, but the man's face was priceless. After a short amount of waiting and another polite interjection by Tank, the man gave up and stalked off to the bar. "Hmmm, nice work, gentlemen. If you have any other problems tonight, feel free to buzz me. I'll be happy to take care of it." She smiled at them both and crossed her arms. "I'm so glad we hired you both. Listen, if you can, keep an eye on that guy. I don't trust him. If he causes trouble, one of you kindly escort the man out."

She looked at Tank when he asked about the situation. "Well, dear, some people think they can get whatever they want with no consequences. When they don't feel like working for something or paying for it, they attempt to bully others or pretend that they're more important than they really are in order intimidate those people into getting what they want. That man is a clear example. I don't want him in the VIP area because he seems like the wrong type. Seems like an entitled troublemaker to me. You did absolutely the right thing." She smiled and patted his arm. "You, too Rob. Keep up the good work." She gave them a wink and then headed off onto the floor to mingle and make sure people were enjoying themselves.

Rob grinned at Lori as she complimented his and Tank's handling of the situation; he'd handled these types before. Didn't really matter what their motive was, as they were all the same: They felt like the world revolved around them and they deserved everything they set their eyes on. Though he had to admit, having someone like Tank here would definitely help keep those occurrences to a minimum. Funny, more often than not, they talked all that good stuff until someone bigger than them told them to knock it off. The man they just dealt with didn't seem all that intimidated though, which led Rob to reason he'd dealt with bigger workers in the past and somehow his little tricks worked on them.

"Not a problem, boss" was the smaller bouncer's response; Tank seemed to beam as Lori patted his arm and nodded his confirmation that he would do the same. As Lori walked off to mingle, both the giant and Rob watched her; the latter had an admiring gaze aimed at that perfect butt of hers, whilst the former was merely a content smile. It wasn't that Rob was a pervert; a man couldn't help but notice when a beauty such as that was in view. Tank pressed a finger - gently - to the earbud he wore and spoke "Everyone, watch for a blond-haired man in a grey suit and black tie currently sitting at the bar; don't know much, but he might be a source of trouble later on". The other security personnel acknowledged his advice, and then it was back to business.

---

*Meanwhile, upstairs*

Dell O'Brien was busy in his office; people often said he was a bit of a recluse, but running security at an establishment like this took all the effort he could muster, even for someone like him. Still, often when people did speak to him, he was always polite and at the same time straightforward. Standing at an even six feet, his shoulder-length dark brown locks were neatly combed and his toned figure dressed in a rather exquisite Armani suit, the head of security filed through some documents on their newest acquisition. He'd only just gotten back like Kelly did, though his arrival was a few days earlier; thankfully, he knew he could count on Keane and Eli to help him out. God bless those two and their dedication, he thought. Though now it would be him to field most of the work alongside Lori, Kelly and Kate, though he hadn't really seen much of Kate. Then again, he didn't exactly ask; he'd ask one of the other two lovely ladies at some point.

Still, he needed to check a few things out about this 'Tank' fellow; like Lori, he utterly detested the giant's handler even if he could understand his reasoning. ATLAS specimens were incredibly dangerous, but they weren't animals needing to be put down. Past all the psychotic - and in his opinion, inhumane based on what he'd heard through some rather high-ranking friends of his - trials and experiments, they were still human. However, he soon heard a loud ring, causing his sea-green orbs to wander from the papers to the phone on his desk; picking up the receiver with a curt "Dell O'Brien, Head of Security....". A pause was had as the other end of the line spoke, their voice muffled to anyone who might have been a third party. Dell's eyes narrowed a little before he replied, "Yes, he's currently...Really now? When did...Never mind, I'm sure he'll be thrilled". Another pause as the voice spoke again, Dell finally saying "OK...Thanks for the heads-up. Have a good evening". Hanging up the phone, he tapped his fingers on the desk and ran a hand through his hair; he'd need to find Kelly or Lori. Standing up and brushing the wrinkles out of his suit, he then made his way over to the elevator and went down, soon arriving in the club itself. He blended in a bit as he made his way through the small crowds, his head turning every now and again to search for either of the lovely ladies.

Kelly was attracting many new VIP clients. She had a following whenever she came down. It was almost inspiring to Lori, really. Her business skills, not to mention her way with men, were enviable. But Lori was no slouch. She was bringing in business and keeping people happy, but the assistant manager did wish that she could find someone to love for herself. That's really what Kelly was in it for. And sharing her body was a pleasure, or so she had told Lori. Well, the brunette could hardly disagree with that.

In any case, Lori was having fun working here, doing what she did, and she was happy to keep things going as they were. The floor show had changed to more choreographed dancing than strip teases, and some burlesque performances tossed in for a bit of variety. She was just going to make the rounds when Dell came out of the elevator. Curious, Lori wandered over to see what was up. It wasn't often that their head of security was on the main floor.

"What's up, Chief?" she asked, cheerful, if not wary.

Dell wandered around the floor, his eyes scanning for Lori or Kelly before stopping in a relatively low-traffic area of the main club. However, the lights hit the nearest stage, signaling the start of a show. At this he decided for a moment on watching the current group of dancers strut their stuff; it really was an art form, people being able to do this. The ability to function as a whole, and yet still maintain individuality...It was something that many people seemed to notice but not really pay attention to. And while the strip teasing that occurred here was certainly also an art form in its own right, being able to rouse a man or woman's desire like that, Dell always appreciated the finesse of fine choreography.

Though he started a bit when he heard Lori's voice; seemed his old days of 'hunting' really were behind him. But that was neither here nor there, and focused on Lori herself. "Oh there you are, Lori. Good that I found you" was his warm-hearted reply; he then gave a small cough and added, "So, listen...I need your help with something. Just got a call from our new friend's supervisors...They're willing to do a trial of letting Tank stay in a room here at the Blue Moon. Only condition is that they have a military-approved physician to remain with him. Keane's dealing with personal business and Eli's on vacation, and you worked with Tank the most so far. So, what do you think, Boss? I'm all for letting him stay, just in case you wondering".

Lori smiled and fell into step with her head of security. His news was a surprising turn of events. Tank would certainly be pleased to live off-base. It was a service they offered to every employee. It would take some time to special order furniture for the big guy, but it would be nice to have the guy off base and in the care of people who seemed to like him. She smiled and nodded. "The physician should be easy to accommodate if he wants to stay. He seemed to enjoy the idea of living here during the interview." She smiled at Dell and then shrugged.

"Well, I have no problem with it. It has to be his decision, though. I'll talk to him about it. Was there anything else you needed?"

"Of course, of course; though I'd assumed he was already willing to live off base, hehe" was his cool reply; naturally, he would reconfirm with the big guy if his desire to live at the club was something he still wanted to do. They had more than ample space to do so; the club was huge, and that wasn't even including the Brothel on the floor above or Evelyn Carnate's Underground Lair below ground. Though it didn't really seem Evelyn was in all that much, not that he'd witnessed anyway. But when she was...All the pain seekers came out of the woodwork. Not that Dell minded; people liked what they liked, but he found it amusing that they were so attuned to when she was in and when she wasn't.

"But no, that was pretty much it for me. Just wanted to keep you in the loop...And of course, to let you know my door's always open" he then replied with a bit of a sly grin; as much of an introvert as he was, even he had his moments where he came out of his shell. But with that, Dell gave Lori a friendly grin and turned to head back to his office.

"I'm sure he'll be happy to hear about it," she said with a smile. The assistant manager smiled at Dell as he wandered away and she gave him a little wave. With that, she went back to her rounds and smiled when she saw Tank heading off to take his break. Now was as good of a time as any to mention the idea to the man, but she felt like that might be something Dell wanted to do. So she wandered over to his office to drop the hint and see what it was like.

Dell didn't realize that Tank was going on his break already; time was really flowing here, apparently. Then again, this was one of the most active joints in the area and they usually did get a lot of traffic. So when Lori stopped by, he was a bit taken by surprise; honestly, he'd have thought she would want to handle it but he had no problem doing it at all. Besides, part of him wanted to see how the big guy would react to the news; based on what he'd heard, Tank had been offered this before but his handler was adamant about him staying at the base. What a cretin, he thought; the guy wasn't some violent thug, for crying out loud. He was a soldier who let himself get screwed with in both body and mind.

Regardless, Dell thanked Lori for the heads-up and put a call out to Tank to meet him in the security office; eventually, the characteristic heavy foot-falls could be heard and soon enough the door opened to reveal their large-boned friend at the threshold. "Is everything alright, Mr. O'Brien?" Tank asked; Dell just waved his hand in a 'come-hither' motion and replued, "Don't worry so much, my friend... Come on in. There's something I need to tell you. Don't worry it's nothing bad; in fact, I think you'll like it". This certainly got the giant's attention, his eyes looking at the security overseer curiously as Dell made his way to stand in front of Tank, who maneuvered his way into the relatively compact room - well, compact for him anyhow.

"Well, I got a call earlier Tank, and if you're still up for the offer you can live here at the Blue Moon...." he started to say, but soon found himself being death-hugged by a very happy ATLAS soldier. "Do you mean it? I can finally see what it's like to live off-base?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" was Tank's overjoyed reply, meanwhile Dell was struggling a bit to try not getting crushed by the giant's strong arms. He could her his bones creaking and his back popping a few times, his voice stuttering, "Y..Yes, Tank...Please, let...go...You're gonna...break me" Tank paused and eventually released Dell, who stretched himself a few times to make sure everything was back in place. The head of security was thankfully a sturdy fellow, his former profession made sure of that, but damn this guy was strong. And to think this was him at reduced power. "S..sorry, Mr. O'Brien..." was Tank's somewhat meek statement, to which Dell responded, "It's fine...It'll take some time to get everything we need, but it shouldn't be too much of a wait".

Lori smiled as she saw Tank head into Dell's office. She gave them a few moments alone together before strolling to the door and popping her head in with a cheery knock. "Hello, hello boys. Sharing good news are we?" She smiled and looked from one man to the other, noting that Dell looked a bit ruffled. Seemed like the big man was pretty happy. She looked up at Tank and wondered if he had decided to stay now that his handler wasn't choking the life and individuality out of the man. Judging by the expression Tank wore, he was going to be moving in as soon as possible. "Have you made a decision?" she asked, though she knew it was probably more of a formality at this point. She could hardly imagine what it must be like for him to go back and forth between the club and base each day. And now, he was free to stay here. He could live off-base, decorate his living quarters, have furniture that fit his massive frame and supported it, and not have to commute to work.

It would be nice to see the big man around the club. She liked seeing his face, and found that she enjoyed his company whenever she found the free time to chat with the bouncers in the club.

"Yeah, great news..." Dell replied with a somewhat pained grin; giving a roll of his shoulders, he felt the last of his stiffness leave his body as he then sat back down. Tank just grinned meekly and rubbed the back of his head, "Ah, sorry again, Mr. O'Brien....Sometimes, I forget". Dell just gave a wave of his hand and replied, "Think nothing of it; you were probably eager to hear what they had to say on the matter". Honestly, Dell was glad the guy was getting a chance to live on his own; he wasn't a rabid animal.

When Lori asked Tank about his decision - even though it was plainly obvious - he turned towards her more to let her see the goofy ear-to-ear smile he wore. "Yes...If you'll still have room, I would very much like to stay here". Dell spoke again, "I'm sure that won't be a problem; we'll have to set up a room, but that's not too long of a process". Of course, getting custom-made furniture would be a small snag in the plans but it would be worth it. "Is there...anything I need to do?" Tank then asked, to which Dell responded "No, just keep doing what you do, Tank" Dell then turned his attention to the beautiful manager, asking "Lori, is there anything you want to add?"

Lori grinned as Tank said he'd like to stay if they could accommodate him. She had no problem with that. They some empty rooms in different areas of the building, so he was free to choose the one he liked best. She'd have to get to work soon on ordering custom, reinforced furniture for him with Kate's help soon, but it could wait for a little bit. When Dell said it wasn't a problem, he was right. It was just a question of timing. Good thing the apartments here had high ceilings and doors--Tank would need them. When he asked if she had anything to add, she smiled warmly at their newest resident and said, "Welcome home. Stay after your shift is over for a bit. Kate, our designer, is coming in tonight and she'll need to ask you some questions to get started on your room. We're happy to have you here."

(Sorry this reply took so long; was getting ready for finals and honestly at a loss on what to write)

---

Tank was beyond happy when Lori told him 'Welcome home'; before she might be able to react, Lori would find herself in a bear-hug as well. His arms wrapped tightly around her and lifted her off the ground a little, his voice converying his elation as he thanked her over and over again. Eventually, Dell stepped in and said, a slight grin on his face, "Hey, hey, easy big guy. Don't squish her now". Tank came to the realization of what he was doing and put Lori back down. "Eh-he....Sorry" he then replied meekly to her; Dell just patted his back and replied, "Don't worry. Like Lori said, just stay behind after your shift to talk to Kate. Now, how about you get back to it, eh?".

Tank nodded in reply and after saying, "Thanks again...Both of you, for everything", took his leave to go back to his duties as a bouncer. Dell just chuckled after their gentle giant left, "Well, having him stay here will certainly be interesting". He then looked to his fellow coworker and asked, "Hey, you alright? Didn't squeeze you too hard, did he?"

(These things happen from time to time)

---

Lori found herself being lifted into quite a hug, her whole body pressed tightly against the big man's chest. She laughed a little, hugging him back since she had her arms free. She did her best, but damn if she wasn't being held just a little bit too tightly for comfort during this rather long stretch. Still, she couldn't deny that it felt nice to have a strong, sweet man pressed against her. And she couldn't help but notice that he smelled quite nice. She was just about to ask the gentle giant to let her go when Dell stepped in, amidst all the gratitude.

Once she had her legs back underneath her, Lori smiled and patted his shoulder. "It's alright. You just got excited." She smiled and chuckled, waving to him as he followed Dell's suggestion to get back to his shift. When the big man was gone she smiled.

"I'm okay. It wasn't too tight. Not terribly comfortable, but I wasn't being crushed. He just got excited. What a sweetheart." She turned her attention back to him and held up her hand. "I know I need to be careful, but I promise, I'll scream if I'm in pain." She laughed and put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry too much, okay?"

That evening, Kate entered the club, looking luscious and beautiful and blonde as always. She wore a tight green dress and black fishnets and dangerous looking heels. The pretty thing walked straight toward the tallest, strongest man in the room and smiled, holding out her hand to him. "Hi, handsome. I'm guessing you're Tank. My name's Kate. I hear you'll be staying with us here from now on. Do you have some time to talk to me about that?"

Dell just chuckled; he knew that Lori was a very upfront girl, but still...He couldn't help feeling somewhat protective of her. And it wasn't just because he was head of security at the brothel; his former profession didn't really allow for deep relationships to be formed, since that could possibly compromise the integrity of his work.

But ever since working at BMR, he managed to break the shell a little; he still preferred to keep to himself though. "I know, Lori. You're a smart, beautiful woman; someone like me just can't help making sure you stay safe".

---

As the evening wore on, the number of patrons continued to flux; sometimes there were groups of customers coming in, wanting to watch the different shows. Others came looking to finally use that VIP pass they bought, and others still just wanted a nice place to drink socially with friends. There were a few disturbances: people who had gotten too rowdy, and even someone who tried to get a little too 'friendly' with one of the performers.

But that was then; Tank looked down as he heard a rather pleasant voice speak his name, seeing a young blonde woman looking back at him. "Uh....Yes, that's me; nice to meet you, Kate" Tank replied in a somewhat shy tone as he gently grasped her hand and shook; he wanted to comment on the beauty of her voice, but Commander Smith's words rang in his head: "Tank, you don't need to comment on every single thing you hear or see; just because it's new and exciting to you doesn't mean everyone wants to know it". "Of course! But....how does this work exactly? Oh right, that's what we're going to talk about, haha" he then added, feeling a tad embarrassed.

Kate had been told about Tank's special circumstances, but she hadn't been fully prepared to deal with him. She had been friendly at the start because that was the professional thing to do and the decent way to behave with a stranger. His befuddled reply and cheerful disposition, however, were what made her decide that she could continue the friendly route with no problems at all. He was just too cute, and too sweet.

The blonde smiled at him and took back her hand. "Oh, don't worry. Everybody has their days." She chuckled and led him over to one of the club's many alcoves. "Have a seat," she said, sitting on the end of the booth. There was only a small standing table that could be pushed away if necessary. "Let's have a talk about what's available and your living needs. I understand there's a doctor who's going to need to be on call, living with you, so you're probably going to want a two-bedroom unit. Currently, We have space enough to build you a unit with two bedrooms on a few floors, and some pre-existed two bedroom units on the lower floors, closest to the VIP area. That said, they're not very big because they're mostly transitional or meant to house people who stay on-call overnight."

She pulled out her iPad and showed him what she meant and the dimensions. "Now, I realize that you're used to making due with smaller rooms and furniture, so if you really wanted to live here right away, we could get you into one of these spaces right away, but the wear and tear on standard-build furniture is going to be a lot considering your build." She kept her tone friendly, but business-like. It was free of judgment--a point she liked to pride herself on as a decorator.

"That said, what I would like to do is put you on one of the upper floors, away from more of the noise and in a larger unit that would be built to your specifications--extra tall and wide doors or arches, or maybe an open floor plan, depending on what you like. A shower that would be built for someone of your stature--maybe even open-bay, if you're into that. It's easier to clean and put in, and that way you never have to worry about a bathtub, unless that's something you're interested in..."

She pointed out several more advantages to this before she moved on to specially made furniture that she could order to fit the space--reinforced chairs, beds, etc., that were more comfortable than what the military had been offering. Things built for someone his size. She figured him for simple, clean lines since he was used to an orderly existence in the military, so she kept his arrangements simple for the purpose of her floor plan and design so that he could change whatever he wanted and personalize it. "It's just an idea, but I think you'll be happier here than in the transitional housing we have on the lower floors. What do you think?"