The Goblet is a large Art Deco nightclub in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, near Social Proof and Ben Etxina’s home. Kane brings Ben to a reserved bottle-service booth there while Ben is looking for information about Homonoid’s missing AI.
The evening’s performer is Christy, known onstage as Bulbawhore. She has green hair and wears little clothing, performing sexually explicit rap with two backing dancers in fluorescent skirts and bras. Kane supports her sexual presentation but shouts abuse at the dancers. At the booth, Elle discusses Agentic Builder Group’s recruitment business, and a server supplies Kane with cocaine as well as drinks.
At the bar, Ben encounters a man he takes to be a federal employee. The man complains about Homonoid’s defense contracts and suggests its leaks come from disaffected staff. Slim Zerk, a journalist, interrupts, believing Ben is trying to steal his story. The dispute becomes physical. Ben restrains Zerk in a headlock and is ejected by staff.
Lin Jiao later identifies Zerk by name and says he has gathered eyewitness accounts for a long article portraying Ben as Dante Amōgos’s fixer. She describes dealing with him as part of her work during the investigation.