Chapter 101 Ash Falls
The car stopped in front of the same hotel Richard and Avalors had rented the last time they were here. It was night already and the girls were still deeply asleep. Richard pushed open the door and got out, circling back to the other door, he pulled it open and carefully lifted Melissa from it.
The Luna shrugged a bit but continued to sleep. Avalors and a half woken Beatrice had already gone out by this time to get the hotel rooms. He kicked the door shut and lifted her towards the hotel, he hadn't taken three steps when she jerked awake.
"Where are we?" She asked after a moment of silence.
"At a hotel," he said.
"Put me down," she ordered, inhaling deeply as he did. "Damn," she cursed.
"What?" he asked.
"I might have slept on my neck," she replied.
Richard chuckled. "Come on, let's go," he said.
Melissa and Richard walked through the hotel door and Avalors was waiting for them.
"Where is Beatrice?" Melissa asked before anyone could speak.
Avalors replied by pointing upwards. "She headed up first, she wants to take a shower or something like that," he replied and gestured for them to come forward. "This way."
He led them to the elevator that took them to the fifteenth floor. It dinged open and they walked out, the entire area dimly lit just enough for them to see but not enough to clear the sleep from Melissa's eyes. Richard and Avalors followed her to her room and waved her goodnight.
She and Beatrice were sharing a room. Richard and Avalors were in one room. "I am on first watch," Avalors said. "Sleep first," he said.
Both of them couldn't sleep at once with the Luna in the other room, even though they might have tricked whatever assailant with the double switch but they can never be too careful. The entire night went peacefully though, with nothing happening, the girls slept soundly
Soon it was morning and they all were sitting at Avalors and Richard's room, having breakfast while planning the day. The hotel had served them some exotic food that didn't necessarily go well with Beatrice, she ate two spoons and just shook her head.
The food was mostly seafood and a tiny amount of rice. Melissa giggled when Beatrice dropped her cutlery. "You don't like seafood?" She asked.
"I don't even like fish," she replied.
"Call the attendant again to bring something else," Melissa informed Avalors.
Avalors complied quickly and Beatrice was given a new dish mostly filled with different kinds of meat, cooked at different temperatures and in different ways with bread and a mash of veggies by its side.
After they'd finished eating they began to discuss. "Okay, first issue is, we don't want any of you to leave this room at all," Richard and Avalors pointed to the two girls.
"Why is that?"she said.
"Because we don't know how resourceful Infinite zoo is, and we don't know who would recognize you. We don't want any alarms raised," Avalors said. "We want this to be as discreet as possible, because there's a chance we are after the wrong person," he added.
Beatrice nodded. "Okay, so how do you plan to contact her?"she asked.
"I think if Richard can get her alone, she'd want to meet me," Avalors said.
Richard looked at him and shook his head. "I'd still prefer it if we knocked her out and dragged her here," he said. "Instead of basing our entire plan on the fact that you two might have had a romantic connection," Richard rolled his eyes.
"You are quick to dismiss that fact," Avalors said.
"It isn't a fact if it isn't real," Richard replied and shook his head.
Beatrice and Melissa watched as the two bickered in surprise. "Wait, wait…" Melissas said. "Avalors has a romantic connection with who?"
"Possible romantic connection," Richard corrected. "With Mageret, he claimed she liked him. The last time we came here, she was our ticket into the admin building," he said. "Avalors made contact with her to steal the key that will signify us as high level members and for some reason he came back with this tale of romance," Richard shook his head and chuckled.
"But I am serious though," he answered.
"Okay," Beatrice exhaled, facepalming. "So, Richard needs to somehow sneak in and kidnap her? Is that the plan?" She asked.
"It wouldn't have to be the plan if he'd just tell her Wayne was waiting for her," he said, “she would follow you.”
"Okay, first," Melissa said. "You can lead with that and if it doesn't work, get her here by force," she said.
Beatrice glanced at the both of them. "You seem to be waiting for someone?" She asked.
Normally, Richard and Avalors would have sprung into action considering the urgency of the situation. The more they stayed here, the more they'd risk getting noticed. But both of them were still sitting comfortably.
"Oh, we are not leaving you two alone here unprotected," Richard responded.
"Well, you didn't bring anyone back from home," Melissa complained.
"Of course not, we have contacts here, remember?" Richard said and as if he'd planned it a coded knock landed on the door.
"Ashfalls," Richard said.
"Code Magma," the person replied and Richard told them to come in.
Beatrice and Melissa turned to each other. "When did this happen?" Beatrice asked in surprise.
"I have been increasing her security details to span across the entire kingdom. They were the test run for the project," Richard said pointing to the door.
It clicked open and two people that Melissa recognized walked in. They were two of the bodyguards Avalors had originally suggested to her. Mr Muscle and the lady.
Melissa grinned as the two fell to their knees and bowed before them. "Your Majesty, Your Honors," they greeted.
"You know your mission statement,"Richard said. "There is a burner phone on the table, the speed dial is one, call us if anything surprising happens." He instructed and then gestured to Avalors that it was time to head out.
The two guards opened the door for them as they walked out.
"Richard,"Melissa called before he left. "Be careful," she said, then added. "Both of you."
They nodded and walked out of the room.