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The three of them turned to find a very tall woman in a bright red tight dress and flowy red hair strutting towards them. Her thick red lips were plastered in a wide smile. She reminded Alex of that sexy cartoon woman with that white rabbit or something.

Apparently Snowy recognized her too as she squealed and pranced over to her. They held each other by the arms, both bouncing up and down until the woman stopped, wide-eyed over Snowy’s shoulder.

“No. Fucking. Way.” She scurried over to Kana and peered down at her, grinning so hard Alex thought her face might split. “Sammy? Girl. Where have you been?” Alex realized this scantily clad woman was the one with the manly voice.

Kana waved nervously before the drag queen embraced her with a tight hug. As they were catching up, Alex’s phone buzzed.

Hal: We in

Hal: Backyard

Hal: garbage

Alex pulled Kana to the side when the drag queen and Snowy started talking up a storm. He leaned in and spoke over the loud music. “I’m going to the bathroom. You gonna be okay?”

Kana squinted at him in confusion, then her eyes widened. She got it. With a glance at Snowy— in her element, laughing with the drag queen—Kana looked at Alex and nodded.

Alex squeezed her shoulder once, then cut through the crowd towards the back of the house.

He crossed another foyer into a large kitchen. A wintry chill made its way from the open wall. In the sitting room beyond, an elongated fire pit sat in the center, flames dancing along smooth black stones. People lounged on the patio sofas, drinks in hand, some well past the point of conversation.

Making his way past the tiki torches, people sprawled across the large marble backyard. Half-naked people filled the rectangular infinity pool. Must be a heated pool since Alex couldn’t imagine who in their goddamn minds would go swimming in the middle of LA winter.

He slipped past the crowd and into the dark side alley between the house and the concrete wall, keeping clear of the glass where the second-floor lights could catch his reflection.

A muffled grunt came from the far end of the darkness. Alex’s hand was under his sweater before he finished his next breath, fingers wrapping around the grip of his gun. He pressed his back to the wall and moved towards the sound, each step deliberate.

The grunting stopped. Footsteps—two sets—approached. Alex’s thumb found the safety. His pulse hammered in his ears. A figure rounded the corner, and Alex almost drew—then Hal’s face emerged from the dark.

“Hey, man,” Hal greeted. “Sorry we’re late. Had to do some improvisation.” He stepped into the edge of the party’s light. He’d ditched the casual clothes and wore a full black suit now, earpiece coiled in one hand.

Alex pursed his lips. “What’s up with this getup?”

A thud followed by a groan drifted from the far end of the alley. Footsteps scuffed towards them. “It’s so small,” Ken grumbled as he joined them, fidgeting with the black blazer, stretching it across his abs.

Alex rolled his eyes. He gestured for them to follow him back into the chaos of a backyard party.

When they passed the fire pit, Ken grimaced at the scene around him. “Have you learned anything about the layout so far?” he asked, pushing his glasses up.

Alex shook his head, squeezing through the crowded kitchen, guests parting when they clocked the black suits and earpieces. “Only the main floor and the kitchen, since I had to come get your asses.” He pointed towards the far end of the corridor. “Stairs have gotta be on the other side.”

They crossed the dance floor—disco light spinning, bodies swaying to butchered Christmas remixes. Alex had almost reached the far end before he realized Hal and Ken weren’t with him. He turned. Hal had stopped mid-stride, mouth twisting like he'd bitten into something sour. Ken was frozen beside him, eyes locked somewhere in the crowd. Hal tugged on Ken’s arm to get him out of his daze.

“Your girl is fine!” Hal yelled over the loud music before dragging him off the dance floor.

They turned into a glass-walled corridor overlooking the city’s smog-hazed lights, and stopped at a lit staircase that split up and down.

Alex casually leaned his back against the railing separating the direction of the stairs, arms crossed. “Let’s split if we want to get this done quickly in this glass maze.”

He pointed up. “Heaven.” Pointed down. “Hell.” To his left. “Down yonder.”

“No point checking this floor,” Ken said, lowering Alex’s hand. “Too many guests.” He dropped his voice. “It’s got to be somewhere with less foot traffic.”

Alex licked his lips and nodded, hating to admit that the pig was correct. No wonder he was a professional. “’Kay. Into the fire.”

“I’ll go with you,” Ken offered. Alex almost tripped at his words—but the hardened look behind Ken’s glasses left no room to argue.

Hal sighed and glanced up. “Guess I got Heaven.”