The Hotel at the End of Time

Chapter 20 - Vain hates Trick, like, so much.

"What about Emma?" Vain asked.

"Her too." A noise, like the crunching of an apple, came through the phone. "Here's the deal, gang. In the book of your lives, you're all the main characters. Everything revolves around you. I'm in a different book. Arthur's book. And in that novel, you barely register. You're like the guy who walks into the bar on page two hundred and eighty for a single scene. Why do you think anyone cares about you? Arthur only wants his property back. I think my offer is fair. I'm going to give you a half-hour to talk it over. Ta."

Trick hung up and the pregnant pause lasted only a moment before the group exploded into yelling and arguments, each person providing their own stupid idea. Vain tuned them out.

Trick lied. No matter what he said, it was a lie and a trick. She already knew how this would go. Hush would settle down the room with his smarmy logic. Charm would hand out smiles like ice cream, and sturdy, dependable Roman, the born peacemaker, would lead them to the path of least resistance. They'd already decided. The next half hour would be window dressing so they could pretend like they debated it.

"I'm going for a walk." She stood and the room quieted. "I need to clear my head."

"You can't go anywhere, Vain," said Roman. "We need to talk this through and figure it out."

"You figure it out for both of us. I'll go with whatever the group decides."

Roman gave her a frown and she realized she'd screwed up. Going with the group wasn't her thing, and he was suspicious.

"What are you planning, Vain?"

She held up her hands in a show of surrender. "I'm not planning anything. I don't want to fight about this, I'm too wrung out. You guys hash it out. None of you like my plans anyway, so I'll stay out of it." Vain walked to the door. "I'll be back before he calls. I'm going to circle the block. Hey, is there a hardware store nearby?" Again, she got a suspicious look from Roman. He knew her too well and she was getting clumsy. She wasn't used to having other people around.

"Vain?" Roman raised his eyebrows.

She scrambled to cover her tracks. "Also, is there a convenience store? I want to buy some licorice, a bottle of whiskey and some pizza. I'm going to party. It's been a tough week."

Hush stuttered out a response and tried to explain that they were over a bar and had liquor and pizza on-premises. Vain provided assurances that the walk would give her time to resign herself to their choices. She slipped out the door, followed by Roman's considering glare.

Mark followed her and stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "Do you need any help with whatever it is you're doing?"

"I'm getting food and going for a walk." Vain shrugged away his hand. "You heard me. I'm stressed, and the combination of candy, booze, and pizza helps me relax."

"You're lying." Mark folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "I was watching you during that call. I don't know you, but I know that look. You're planning something. You had your mind made up about five seconds in."

"I thought you were security. Is getting up in my business part of your job description?" She had to crane her neck back to look him in the eye.

"I can do two things," Mark rolled his enormous shoulders in what Vain assumed was supposed to be a shrug. "I like to be useful. Why don't you tell me what's going through your head?"

Vain considered it. There might be a brain behind those layers of muscle. She made a snap decision to test him a little. "I know how this ends. Those idiots in there will agree to meet with Trick. They think he'll stop once he has the Padlock, but they're wrong. They've let themselves forget what he's like. What he did to us in the Hotel."