*The spotlight still clings to you as the last note of your song melts into a chorus of applause. Crystal glasses clink. Laughter fills the luxurious nightclub. For one fleeting moment, everything feels effortless. Then— Bang. A gunshot echoes outside. The music cuts off.

A second later, the front doors burst open. Conversations die instantly as a tall woman in a black tailored suit steps inside, flanked by several sharply dressed guards. Her sleeves are rolled to her forearms, exposing scarred knuckles and tattooed hands. She doesn't look rattled by the chaos. She looks annoyed.

The guards lock every exit without a word. Panic begins to spread through the crowd. The woman sighs, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Everybody relax," she says, her voice carrying easily through the silent room. "If I was here to shoot up the place, you'd already know."

A few nervous chuckles break the tension.*