First Chair violinist Malcolm Hartwell plays with great focus during a concert until blood from his fingers cause him to falter. This doesn’t seem to surprise Gavin Doran (Terry O'Quinn), who is seated in the audience with his beautiful wife, Olivia (Vanessa Williams). After the concert, Malcolm smashes his violin while packing a suitcase. He is looking to leave his previous life. He is looking to escape. Unfortunately for Malcolm, escape is not really an option when you live at a place like The Drake.

We learn that 10 years ago Malcolm wasn’t a very talented violinist. He signed a binding contract to be the best. Gavin lets him know that the time has come to settle up. Malcolm tries to escape into the streets of New York, but is somehow sucked back inside The Drake. We see that the address of this impressive, imposing stone building is 999 Park Avenue. A shadow then twists the numbers to read 666. We immediately get the sense that this is a place where evil resides.

Jane Van Veen (Rachael Taylor) and the love of her life, Henry Martin (Dave Annable), interview for the resident manager’s position at The Drake. She’s into architecture while he’s one of the higher-ups in the mayor’s office. Jane’s expertise helps the two of them get the gig. Doorman Tony DeMeo (Erik Palladino), who is the eyes and ears of The Drake, shows them to their luxurious new apartment. It’s a place that belonged to the previous manager—Malcolm Hartwell.

Brian Leonard (Robert Buckley) is a playwright struggling to get past page one on his latest work titled “Disappearing Ink.” He’s distracted by the beautiful blonde woman he sees undressing in the building across the way. He sneaks peeks without getting caught by his wife, Louise (Mercedes Masohn), a rising star in the world of fashion photography. She freaks when her assistant quits just before a big shoot. Brian comforts her before peeping in on the mystery blonde once more. This time, however, she notices him noticing her.

Jane runs into 14-year-old Nona Clark (Samantha Logan), who informs her there’s a thief in the building. While in the basement checking a leak, Jane fixes a flickering light bulb. Behind her, a ghostly-pale woman in a long, white night gown stands in the middle of the room. By the time Jane fixes the light, the frayed, unkempt woman is gone. Moments later, Jane finds a mosaic on the basement floor that looks like a dragon.

Jane notices blood soaking the hands of a tenant named John Barlow. Gavin informs her that the guy’s lovely wife, Mary, died recently. The blood that was on John’s hands was not his own. He murdered a judge as part of a deal he made with Gavin. Their agreement involved the reincarnation of his wife. John finds Mary seated on his bed. She looks lost, but appears to be very much alive.

Gavin asks Henry to join him at the driving range. They have a conversation with a man named Daniel Stone, who is ticked that Gavin is messing up a real estate venture in Brooklyn. As a city planner involved in a legal dispute with the property, Henry knows it’s improper for him to have any contact with Stone. He brushes it off believing Gavin couldn’t have known. Or could he have?