The Elite (Editting)

Chapter 26: Exit, Stage Right

"Xenia, we've got to find another way out of the hotel," I said. I had bumped into her as she was trying to get on the elevator at the same time I was trying to get off. 

"Why? Earlier today you said it'd be fine if we just walked out the front doors," Xenia said. "I'm starting to think maybe you're the one who isn't trustworthy." 

"Xenia," I started, running a hand through my blond hair. "My mother has it out for Donatella and I couldn't live with myself if she ever got hurt and I had a chance to prevent it." 

"And your mother is so important because?" 

"Because she's Athena. Athena is my mother and she's gone crazy. She's on some power kick and is out to destroy any and everything that makes me happy, including Donatella. I can't lose her, I love her too much. If I lost Donatella, my life wouldn't be worth living." 

"No need to be all melodramatic, Loverboy, this isn't a life-or-death situation," Xenia said, stoping to place a supportive hand on my shoulder. 

"You're right, it's a death-or-death situation. If we are found by my mother, Donatella and I will die. If we escape my Mother, it's only a matter of time before she hunts is down and kills us." 

"So how, pray tell, are we going to get out of here?" Xenia asked, pressing the call button for the elevator. 

"I'm not sure. Maybe there's a secret passage--" 

"This is a hotel, the closest thing you'll get to a secret passage is a laundry chute," Xenia said, allowing the elevator doors to close after we has stepped in. A man with a three-piece suit and a stripped fedora was standing in the corner of the small room. She pressed all of the floor buttons in an odd secession before turning to me again. "We're getting off on the next floor." 

"But Don--" 

"Yes, it is past dawn but we will still make our appointment," Xenia said, giving a gentle nod on the direction of the suited man. "Henchman." 

When the door dinged open on the the next floor, Xenia and I stepped off the elevator; the man with the fedora did too. We started walking to the right down a hallway, staying close to the elevators.  

'Take a left.' I told Xenia telepathically. She looked at me, confused but turned left behind me anyway. 'Don't ask, just do. I can hear your thoughts so if we need to change our route, just think it and I'll hear it.'  

"Yeah, I got 'em in my sights now, Boss," the man who was tailing us said almost inaudibly. 

'I think we should take the laundry chute to get out, walking is taking too long.' I heard Xenia say to me mentally. 

"Secret passage it is," I mumbled. Xenia grabbed me by the arm ad pulled me behind her into a janitor's closet. "I thought we were taking the laundry chute." 

"We are," I turned to see Xenia clearing an aisle of mop buckets and cleaning supplies. "This is the chute." 

"How did you know, I could have never found it," I asked, helping her clear away the last few objects that were blocking our way.  

"It's my gift. I am, for lack of a better term, an escape artist," Xenia said, pulling open a metal door. "I'll go first, they aren't on the lookout for an orange haired giant, they're looking for you and Donatella." 

"Right. Just give me some sort of sign when you've hit the bottom," I said. 

Xenia gave me a final glance before jumping down the air duct like chute. "Look out below!" Her voice faded away until I could no longer hear it.  

I gave Xenia a few minutes after her voice faded to throw myself down the slim, silver chute behind her.  

'God, whoever or whatever You are, please keep her safe, bring my Belle back to me.' I prayed silently to the same higher power that Donatella believed in. I only hope that whoever Donatella trusted would come through for us and reunite us again safely.