In the crowded city streets, it took her an hour to make it to the Belmont Hotel, but she made it all the same.
The old hotel stood proud and tall on one of the old city streets, where decaying beauty reigned. The outside was beautiful; it had been thoroughly renovated and re-opened only a few months before. Somehow, through the renovations, the original character remained intact. It added to the charm of it all.
She surrendered her car to the valet and entered while the doorman held the old door open for her.
As she stepped inside, her gaze swept over the room. It was reminiscent of the 1920’s glory that it held so many years before; dripping chandeliers, ornate golden carvings.
She pushed away how impressive the interior was and went to the desk, as the instructions on the back of William’s business card instructed.
“I’m here for the William McKnaff party,” she said.
The woman that stood behind the counter gave Max a look of cool disdain.
“They’ve rented the entire tenth floor. Enjoy,” she said.
Max nodded and left, and headed down the hall to where the elevator stood.
When Max finally reached the tenth floor, the clock rang four o’clock while she stepped into the hall.
She looked around curiously. She was stepping out into a large hall. To her left lay a huge ballroom that must have taken up most of the tenth floor, and to her right lay a smaller hall with rooms attached.
As Max stood and looked around, a small woman fluttered into the hallway and spotted her. Max was almost alarmed as the woman made a beeline for her.
“Oh, good, you’re here,” she fluttered.
Uncertain of what to do, Max remained still.
“I’m Maverick. I’m here for the party,” she said.
Apparently this information was unnecessary because the woman tugged her down the long hall and to a room.
Max entered warily. It wasn’t a large room, but it wasn’t small either. There as a bed in the corner, a nightstand and a large desk with a mirror propped up on it.
It was a dressing room, Max realized, and it smelled of anticipatory makeup and hairspray. As she entered she saw a woman standing in the hall that led to the body of the room, blocking their entrance.
She had thick curls of blonde that reached her shoulders and dangerously red lips over sterling white teeth. Hazel eyes looked out at her with disdain as she licked her lips. Max immediately thought of an animal preparing to kill the prey.
“You’re the entertainment?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” Max said simply.
She stepped closer and looked at Max in disdain.
She was dressed too nicely to be a fighter like Max was, so she must have been in charge of something else.
“What’s your name?” the blonde asked.
“Maverick,” Max replied.
“Your real name,” Blondie demanded.
“As far as anyone here is concerned, that is my real name,” Max said coldly.
Her creatively plucked eyebrows rose in surprise, and she glanced to the woman who had collected Max from the hall as she snickered.
“Where did William get you?” Blondie asked.
