Chicago has always been known for its nightlife. If you went downtown, the lights and sounds would draw you in, beckoning to you with the promise of cheap booze and easy women.

And, down one of thousands of alleys on one of thousands of streets, there was a bar. It was dark, it was secluded, and it was Crowley's. Opened by Fergus MacLeod shortly after the end of Prohibition and named after himself, it had quickly become a staple of the Chicago nightlife. Sometimes, the line into the club would lead all the way back to the street, revealing the quasi-hidden gem to even more paying customers.

Inside the club itself was dark. With booths of a deep red that had high backs to give as much privacy to patrons as possible up against the dark walls. A single chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling to shine a low light over the entire room, making the whole place feel intimate. A dance floor was towards the back of the club, next to a stage that had a phenomenal music act play live every night. Sometimes, the dancing would transfer to back rooms that were available for use to only some of Crowley's most loyal and favored customers, where they were otherwise used for deals the employees knew better than to ask about.

Crowley's employees were, as a whole, wholly unhappy to be there. They were paid well enough, sure, but none had chosen to work there. Each owed a debt to Crowley, for one reason or another, and they worked off their debt to him.

The main attractions, however, were the band. The stars of the band were the piano player and singer. The man who hunched every night over the piano was a tall man that could only be described as beautiful. His dirty blonde hair was slicked back just for performances and left wild every other time. His green eyes scanned the room every time he entered, trained to look for threats and hasty exits. Except during performances. Then they bounced between his fingers dancing across the keys and his partner.

She was the newest to fall into Crowley's trap. She was to replace the previous singer after she disappeared about a month prior. After a stacked deal with the man himself, she found herself walking into the secluded club on a crisp March morning.