A large, luminous moon languished in a sea of stars high above the sparsely populated Hollowlight District in Zaun, where a diner known as Bacon and Hex was bustling with activity. A garden variety sample of the city's populace occupied the different booths inside the establishment, ranging from a homeless man who had just enough to afford the cheapest meal available to a cleaner grabbing a bite to eat after work, a late night patrolman on a lunch break, and even one of Renata Glasc's street soldiers.
Despite their differences, an unspoken rule stood that no disagreements would be settled at Bacon and Hex. Like a church to a demon, this diner seemed to be divinely protected when it came to keeping trouble out. If someone even thought of starting something here, the other patrons themselves would put an end to it. Of course with this place being as near to heaven as most lifelong Zaunites would ever experience, Darla, the waitress that was currently inside running plates of food to and fro, was the closest thing they had to an angel.
"Here you go, sugar," the slender twenty-eight year old with the curly red hair cooed as she set an extra bowl of soup and a biscuit down in front of the homeless man.
"Thanks Darla," he replied graciously before digging in.
Taking off her apron upon glancing at the clock, she shouted back to the kitchen, "I'm off, Charlie! Suzanne should be in in a bit!"
A round, pudgy face appeared in the window. It was the chef and sole proprietor of Bacon and Hex. Smoke from the grill in front of him billowed up as he shouted back, "Be safe gettin' home, ya hear?"
"You know me," she chuckled. "Always lookin' for danger."
Moments later, Darla stepped out of the warmth of the diner and into the brisk night air. A heavyset black woman in an identical uniform to hers was walking up to the entrance. Across the street, a lone man stood reading a newspaper as he waited for the shuttle. Loose foot traffic of friends, couples, and workers on their way home flowed down the street opposite to the one Darla had to walk down, which was completely empty.
"Hey Suzanne," she said upon greeting her coworker.
"Is it packed tonight?"
"Nah, just a few of the regulars. Boring night."
Suzanne smiled at this, commenting, "Ain't it always? Later girl."
"Bye Suze," Darla chirped.
Her red curls bouncing with each step, the exhausted waitress crossed the street and disappeared down an alleyway. It may have been safer to take the long way around, but in Zaun, quicker was safer. The way she figured, the sooner she made it home, the better. There was no way for her to guess that this would be the night she was wrong.
Almost as soon as she was out of sight, two men appeared from around the corner of a building at the far end of the empty street. The pair wasted no time, taking strong deliberate steps up the road until they reached the mouth of the alley. After a quick glance around to ensure that no one was watching, they followed after her.
Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching them. A large form shrouded in shadow standing on the rooftop of one of the residential buildings suddenly ducked down out of view. Loud metallic bangs rattled down the side of the building to the street level, where something spilled out of the rain gutter and made its way across the road and down the same alley. Satisfied, the man on the corner folded his newspaper and casually strolled after them.