The banquet hall slowly settled back into its rhythmic cadence as the heavy silver platters of the main course were cleared away. Waiters moved in near-silent efficiency, replacing wine glasses and pouring dark, aromatic coffee to signal the end of the evening's formal proceedings. The waiters began replacing wine glasses with small cups of espresso.
Leon, who had been uncharacteristically quiet for the last hour, stood up to adjust his cuffs. "I'm going to step out for a smoke before the closing address. The ventilation in here is terrible."
"Don't take too long," Adrian said, checking his watch. "People are already starting to leave. We should head out before the main lobby gets packed."
Leon nodded and walked toward the eastern exit. The long corridor leading toward the terrace was relatively quiet, lit by low wall fixtures. Just as he approached the glass doors, the private service exit at the very end of the hallway pushed open.
