VaiaPlus Fundraiser Open House

[Ascendancy]

Stefan Kruger smoothed shoulder-length hair down the back of his head as he emerged from the town car. His attire was current fashion but not overstated. Under a sleek blue suit he wore a white shirt open at the collar. He was in his late thirties, handsome, tall, blonde. The perfect sort of man to have a line of women ready to be on his arm yet tonight he was without a date.

The fundraiser was everything it should be. He recognized a number of faces while identities of the others were revealed by quick pictures and internet searches. Of course, the guest list posted at the entrance to the fundraiser helped narrow the field greatly.

With his tall frame, he had to wait a few moments to have enough room to approach the bar. He could have squeezed in but a woman with long brunette hair in a green dress beat him to it. Now, he was never one to dissuade pretty women from drinking, but he hovered behind her shoulder to take her place when she stepped aside. Which of course led to the inevitable.

"Oh I am so sorry. Were you next?" She asked, champagne flute in hand.

Stefan flashed a brilliant smile. His accent was crisp and throaty, "Please, fräulein. Open bar. The sooner we drink the better this boring party will be." His smile was lighthearted despite the harshness of his accent.

He offered a hand to shake, "Stefan Kruger. Doctor Stefan Kruger."

She seemed impressed, and her smile turned coy when he kissed the back of her hand.
"Robyn Henderson," she replied as she snagged a freshly poured champagne and offered it to him.

"Thank you," Stefan said as he pulled them away from the bar. They clinked glasses and shared the moment before he broke the silence. "What do you do, Robyn?"

She shrugged. "I am an analyst for one of the companies investing in VaiaPlus." He of course knew that already, having searched her name online before even walking up to the bar. He noticed how her eyes roamed across his chest.

"That's a beautiful necklace," she said. "What is that symbol?"

He pulled a short, silver chain out from beneath his shirt and held it out for her to see. "A gift from my mother when I was a boy." Women always responded well to that particular spin on the truth. He twisted the charm so she could better see the engraved symbol. "An hourglass."

"It reminds me that we are always working against time."

"How interesting," she said, sipping her drink.

If she only knew, Stefan thought.