Well before six, Gibbon sent a message to the team. >>Table reserved for 6PM, under the name Escobar.<<
The Tahia’ Embrace was located in an older residential building that obviously needed some renovation. The back of the ground floor was occupied by the restaurant, with the entrance opening directly on the street.
Strong smells, of cooking and spices and tobacco, and the noise of chatter in an unknown language greeted those entering. Opposed to what could be seen outside, the inside was well-maintained and mostly clean. The entrance room was the biggest, several doorframes leading to other rooms, and a big swing-door separating the kitchen. Near one of the doorframes there was a small counter for checking in. Next to it, Gibbon was speaking to a small, plump human woman, obviously of Indian descent, in rapid Hindi.
When the dwarf noticed Kitten entering, he finished the conversation shortly, though not impolitely, he then greeted the magician. “Hey, glad you could make it. We got lucky, we have one of the rooms completely to ourselves. Come, I’ll show you.” With that, he stepped through one of the doorframes, checking if Kitten followed.
They went through a series of interlocking rooms – the place was a warren –, some accommodating three or four tables, some only one, most of the tables occupied. Gibbon led Kitten to one of the one-table rooms, which only had two entrances that could be closed by curtains. The floor was covered by thick carpets, and brightly colored cushions were scattered around the low table. A big hookah was in one of the corners.
