Oblivious to Chester’s latest trick, Dumas continued his speech.  “Recently, we’ve had trouble with some freelancers trying to deal here.  Fairy Dust, Shadow Buzz, Brain Ice -- party drugs, mostly.  Now, Red doesn’t have any problem with light narcotics being sold at the club, as long as she gets her cut.  Any authorized deals will happen at the bar.”  To emphasize his point, Dumas slammed his hand against the bar counter, rattling numerous glasses and creating a boom loud enough to startle a nearby server.  Looking sheepish, Dumas mumbled a hasty apology to the young lady.  Then, with his tough guy image only slightly damaged, he turned back to Samuel.  “If you see anybody dealing somewhere else, you take them out in the alley for a little<span style="font-style: italic"> chat</span>.”<br/><br/>Pausing to take a breath, Dumas noticed that his audience seemed a little distracted.  Samuel was watching the people moving around them with a bit more concentration than they appeared to deserve.  Was the new hire just trying to do an especially good job on his first day?  Then Samuel tipped his hat at nothing and a small smirk curled Dumas’s lips.  If someone was seeing things that weren’t there, or not seeing things that were, then only one person could be responsible.  “I’m not quite sure how,” Dumas admitted, “but I assume you’ve just met our resident trickster.  I hope he didn’t grope you anywhere inappropriate.  He usually saves that until someone’s been here for at least a week.”<br/><br/>Truthfully, Dumas was both impressed and amused by Samuel’s nonchalant reaction.  Chester wouldn’t like that at all.  The magician lived to astound his audience.  Or, if that failed, to at least provoke them.  What would he do when he achieved neither?  Dumas wasn’t sure, but he had a feeling that it would be amusing to find out.  Unless Wonderland got destroyed in the process.<br/><br/>Of course, Dumas was rather fond of Chester, who made always made his job more interesting.  And that affection had recently been joined by a deep sense of gratitude.  But that wouldn’t stop him from enjoying it if their master fuckster finally got a little bit fucked with.  “He’s an absolutely amazing magician,” Dumas continued, leading Samuel around a corner and onto the main dance floor.  There, he paused, pointing towards a large stage at the far side of it.  “That’s where he does his official act.  You should check it out tonight, if you get a chance.  Maybe you’ll be lucky and he’ll bring out the jabberwocky.”