Santi wasn't really paying attention as she moved to her seat, and yet a section of her mind tuned in to the young couple's conversation.  The reference to a hooker caught her attention for a moment --- despite that Santi hated that term, and didn't consider herself one --- but when The girl said it was some murdered hooker, Santi pretty much lost interest.  After all, it wasn't like she<span style="font-style: italic">knew</span>any of the street-walker girls herself, and from her experience with men not always paying --- and sometimes taking offense at the insistence --- she knew a girl getting murdered wasn't unlikely.  It wasn't like the authorities weould give a damn though... not for a prostitute.<br/><br/>Santi's mind, though stuck remembering that endless alley, was also vaguely following the conversation anyway.  The raised voice on the girl's part made Santi glance over, and she tried to recall the conversation she'd barely heard.  Jack the Dipper... a genetic freak?  swallowing people whole?  Maybe Santi<span style="font-style: italic">should</span>watch herself.  She knew a "client" without scrupules could make her disappear, and that a non-human one might have a "natural" way to do so, but if a<span style="font-style: italic">human</span>could do that... well, she'd have to be careful, but in her line of work one had to take risks.<br/><br/>That the boy --- Tim? --- had referred to Shari as a hooker seemed to be an exaggeration, but it didn't take much to figure out that Shari was the dominant member of the couple, and that she used that to her advantage.  Though he wore Velle robes, it appeared that Tim was a Ratio resident after all, following the fad of wearing Velle clothes, but in a strange way he looked more... appropriate, for lack of another word, as the one of the two to wear a loose dress-like garment.  Shari looked... well, tomboyish, if not masculine... dominant, really.  She surely called most if not all of the shots.<br/><br/>Santi had turned her attention to the couple by the time Shari lowered her voice and spoke conspirationally.  She wasn't being obvious about it, but she was listening by now, the endless alleyway a vanishing distraction at this unexpected soap opera playing out beside her.  Thus, when Shari revealed her secret desire, Santi heard it quite clearly.<br/><br/>She blinked, and looked over, surprised, her green eyes wide.  She'd had a passing thought of the young couple ending up as clients, but she hadn't expected it to actually present itself as an opportunity.  Maybe if she played her cards right, she might have a decent day today after all...<br/><br/>She turned slightly in her chair, swivelling it a bit, so that her figure might be visible from a slightly more front-on angle to the couple.  She took another sip of her coffee, then gave a slight cough, hoping Shari would at least glance her way.  If the girl<span style="font-style: italic">did </span>look over, she would see Santi smiling slightly, one eyebrow raised, her green eyes mischievous... and most important of all, the mischief wasn't faked.  A guy and a gal at the same time...?  Sounded like an experience to live, all right!