A long, shiny dark oak table sat in the middle of a large dining room, and seated around it were about twelve men and women of various ages and races, all of them slumped forward with their faces pressed to their dinner plates. They were dressed in fancy tuxes and bejeweled silk dresses with white napkins folded in their laps. Silver candelabras adorned the length of a delicate lace centerpiece on the table, their candlelight flickering inside empty crystal wine glasses.

There wasn't ...