The artificial rain plagued the dark streets of Mars, gnawing at the bones of the rats and homeless people who sought refuge in the middle of the alleys and the garbage.

It was after midnight when Spike entered one of his favorite bars: "El Solitario". Mars had a lot of them scattered around, most of them were decadent and dirty, located randomly on the streets of the poorest neighborhoods. The place was dark and smoky, the air thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and the sound of jazz pouring out from the stage. At least the liquor and the atmosphere were good, live music was one of the most pleasant things on that dry and harsh planet.

And then there was her...

It had been more than a week since Spike had left the Bebop almost mechanically just to visit the bar, have a drink or two, and wait for her to play. He didn't even know her name, but she had cast a spell on him, with her way of playing the saxophone and with that smile. He knew that it was foolish to think that he had a chance with her - she was way out of his league - but he couldn't help but find himself falling harder and harder for her with every night that he spent listening to her play.

Spike was always drawn to beautiful women, and he couldn't help but feel a tinge of attraction for the girl. Still, he knew that he couldn't let his desire for her get the better of him, not with the dangerous world of bounty hunting that he lived in. But as he sat there, listening to the sexy, sensual beats of the jazz music, he couldn't help but feel his pulse quicken and his heart race.

Spike used to watch her from a lonely corner that for some reason no one else wanted, he had noticed that she smoked too. He liked classic, flavorless cigarettes. She used to drink red wine or vodka, either, she always ordered two or three drinks before and after playing.

So beautiful... He muttered to himself before taking a long sip from the glass of whiskey in his hand.