After the conversation finished, the groups split into two, one with Isabelle's crew, with Isabelle and her two minions, and Ryan's crew, composed of Ryan, Gwen, and Amanda.
Arriving at a club, Ryan saw a familiar sight of large male bouncers at the door in dark sunglasses.
Although Ryan detected one noticeable difference immediately, the line was full of women.
"Come, we get to skip the line," Amanda said, beckoning Ryan toward her as the three walked toward the front of the line, where the bouncer nodded at Amanda.
"He's with us, too," Amanda said, nodding to Ryan.
The bouncer only took a second before nodding his head.
Entering the club, Ryan felt the familiar popping music and loud environment of the clubs on earth.
The dim lighting mixed with the strobe lights created an almost hypnotic effect that made one want to either dance or puke.
'Ah, same old club.'
When the trio stepped a few feet in, a lady was already there, waiting to serve them.
"Hello, Lady Gwen, Lady Amanda, please come with me. I presume this is the new Master Ryan?" the lady asked, glancing at Ryan with a big smile.
"Isabelle called, didn't she?" Gwen asked.
The lady waved her hands, "She's already set up everything. All you have to do is come with me."
Following the lady, Ryan's crew entered the VIP backrooms that housed several 'dark rooms' as they were called on earth, since no cameras were inside.
However, the unspeakable acts committed in dark rooms were no stranger to Ryan, as strippers were a great source of information.
They dealt with the most high-profile people on the planet in the most intimate ways.
It was truly the only profession that brought such wealthy and powerful people to such vulnerable positions.
"This room is for you two ladies," the lady escorting Ryan's crew said, indicating dark room #4.
"And this one," she said, indicating dark room #5, "is for Master Ryan."
Feeling an itch at the back of his neck, Ryan wondered if Isabelle would try to get back at him somehow.
Perhaps a man would be waiting for him inside that room.
Perhaps she would try and poison him.
In any case, Ryan wasn't worried as he didn't believe she could do anything to harm his position so quickly that he couldn't fix it.
Walking into the room, Ryan looked around to see a bench, a stripper pole, and a large bed in the corner.
'Yep, this is a dark room, alright.'
Lying on the bed was a gorgeous brunette wearing nothing but a white slave collar, two thin pieces of black lingerie, and a white veil that covered her face.
Ryan frowned. 'This woman seems familiar.'
'Perhaps she was one from the BCN?' Ryan thought but felt he had seen this woman more recently.
Walking closer, Ryan tilted his head, trying to get a clear view of the woman's face.
As he stepped away from the door, it automatically shut behind him, and he heard an audible click indicating the lock.
'Something feels off.'
Ryan's senses were warning him that something about this situation was wrong, terribly wrong.
As he turned to leave, Ryan heard, "Where do you think you're going, Ryan Emerald?"
'That voice...'
Slowly turning back toward the woman, Ryan said, "Isabelle, I wouldn't have guessed you were a stripper."
"But I guess that checks out."
The woman lying on the bed was none other than the Dragon Empress's head of harem, Isabelle.
Isabelle laughed while removing her veil.
Her evil brown eyes stared mockingly at Ryan as she sat up on the bed.
"You know, you male dragons all think you're so great just because you're better than the human males."
"Pathetic."
Getting off the bed, Isabelle stalked toward Ryan, activating her A-Rank aura.
Ryan's eyes widened, and he prepared to activate his own aura when he remembered he was in the heart of the Red Dragon Empire.
Even though he might be able to escape, it would cause a huge scene, and Grand Empress Kheaweth would undoubtedly be notified, and his plan would be ruined.
'I can only act if she wants to kill me. Everything else is secondary,' Ryan thought, trying to think of the bigger picture.
Ryan gritted his teeth, trying to hold himself back.
Isabelle took his lack of action for fear and began laughing.
"It's so sad that the Dragon Empress has taken a liking to you. I would have loved to keep you inside the harem as a torture slave."
"But it appears that I'll just have to do things the old fashion way and frame you."
As she finished speaking, she pulled out a vile and handed it to Ryan.
"Drink, or I'll kill you."
[Do you know what's in the vile?] Ryan asked Yoko.
Yoko pondered, then said, [It's a paralyzing poison. It won't kill you, but it will make you unable to move. With this dosage, you'll be paralyzed for a week.]
[Can I break out of it?] Ryan asked.
[No, but if worst comes to worst, I can break you out, although if I do, it will take another month for me to hatch, and I'll fall unconscious.]
Ryan mulled over the possibilities before downing the liquid, but not before he said, "You'll pay for this."
Ryan discretely let a bit of the poison drop to the ground, hoping that Isabelle wouldn't notice, but she did.
As Ryan fell to the ground, the poison taking effect immediately, she took out a syringe and injected another dose.
"Your body is stronger than the average male, and I can't have you getting out of the trap I've sprung for you."
"Just like Master Kheaweth said, never trust anyone."
Ryan's face palled as he heard her words.
'Does she know that I'm subject one?' Ryan thought frantically.
'Is the Grand Empress already aware of my schemes and she was toying with me all this time?'
'Was Page in on it all along, and I've been made to look like a fool?'
"Oops, I guess I shouldn't have said that," Isabelle chuckled.
"But you'll be dead by the time this wears off, so it's not like it matters."
As Ryan was lifted off the ground and placed on the bed, Ryan asked Yoko, [Can you still remove the poison?]
[Yes, but it will cost me another month.]
Ryan mentally breathed a sigh of relief, 'At least I still have that going for me.'
As he was placed on the bed, Isabelle started to remove Ryan's pants.
'Wait, what?' Ryan thought.
'Lady, I know I'm handsome, but if you did all this to get my dick out, you underestimate how horny I am!'
Isabelle chuckled as she shook Ryan from his boxers, freeing his manhood.
"Now for the framing part."
Moving her panties to the side, she revealed her wet pussy lips.
"This makes me so wet. I love how helpless you are and how you can do nothing to stop me."
As she pressed Ryan against her opening, she looked into his emerald eyes.
"Before the Dragon Empress sentences you to die, I want you to know that the only reason I framed you was because I could."
"The only reason was that I wanted to."