Vanish

The Masked One

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"Excuse me," Joe hit the bell on the desk.

A large, sturdy man in his early thirties came to the desk. Loosening his bold tie, he began, "Hello Sir, how may I help you?" His name tag read 'Ronald Getor- MANAGER'

"Well, this might sound a little bit strange, but, do you recall the time I checked in last night?"

"Well," he tapped into the computer, "Let's check the records shall we...name?"

"Granger, Joe Granger." Joe looked over the screen, eager to glance at the records.

"Oh, yes, now I remember you!" he looked at Joe and laughed, "Midnight. You checked in at midnight, a bit tipsy if you ask me!"

"You mean, I was drunk?"

"Well, you were certainly out of it."

"I was unconcious...?" if Joe was unconcious, it would certainly have explained why he had been lying on the floor in his flashback.

"If I recall, yes. That masked bloke carried you in."

"Masked?"

"Yes, all dressed in black, mask on his face. Silent type of fella if you ask me, didn't say much."

"Really?"

"Yes," Ronald racked his brains, "He came in here. Slammed a wadd of money on the desk. I passed him a key card and he took you to your room...don't remember him leaving though..."

"Oh, okay. Thank you very much..." Joe turned around and went to sit in one of the chairs. Masked? Why would the man be masked, and, where was Steve?

A sharp, parilysing pain shot down his back, freezing his whole body. He fell to the floor:

"God dammit Granger, get in the bleeding van!" the man screamed in Joe's face. 

They were outside of Steve's house. Steve watched cluelessly from his doorstep, a look of pure horror and disgust plastered across his anxious face.

The man pushed Joe aggresively into the back of the the van, knocking his nose violently. Joe couldn't work out who he was, it was dark and he seemed to be dressed in black. What did this stranger want with Joe?

"Get the heck off of me," Joe pushed back but wasn't swift enough. The man slammed the door, trapping Joe' s trousers leg. As Joe stuggled, his trousers began to split down the side. He banged his fists against the van walls, screaming for help...

Joe came back into conciousness, still traumstised by his brief memory, he realised that his flash backs were becoming a frequent article in his time of need. 

Suddenly, a thought struck his mind, if Steve witnessed the whole event, then maybe, just maybe he would have some information for Joe to find out how he got here. So, all he had to do, is go and visit Steve. Not too difficult now, is it?