A female Chicago firefighter is feeling cheated that she never gets promoted to Lieutenant. She's been passed over for that position several times and it is really put a chip on her shoulder. The men in the firehouse joke about it constantly.
When she goes to the local watering hole, The Inferno (the place got that name because of how many firefighters hang out there), she opens up to the bartender who has a soft-spot for hardluck cases. He listens intently and offers advice all the time.
On this particular occasion, the bartender offers her inside information in return for "a price". He hooks her up with an "associate" who can guarantee her promotion if she is willing to do certain things in return.