THE UNDYING | TWILIGHT

19. Housekeeping

The veteran came to a stop about halfway through the doorway. "And one more thing," he said. "Don't forget to lock the door on your way out."

"But what for?" asked the rookie. "They're not getting out, and certainly nobody wants to go in."

"Hotel policy."

"Of course. Hotel policy."

Sluggishly, the rookie made his way out of the cellar and then closed the door behind him. Pulling off his latex glove, he went to the keypad and started to enter the numeric code which only those of his faction possessed. He'd entered five of the six numbers correctly but was struggling to remember the sixth.

"Shit."

"Silvio!" called a woman in a cheerful tone. Still dressed in her maid uniform, the young brunette approached him and asked, "Are you heading home soon? I need a ride home."

Forgetting all about his plight, the rookie gave the woman his complete attention, at least until he noticed just how revealing her top was. She had a habit of wearing uniforms that were a size too small for her busty frame, but none of her male employers had the heart to tell her it was inappropriate. Silvio was no exception.

"Yeah," he answered, "my shift just ended, actually. I can give you a ride."

"Oh, thanks!" Squealing, she threw her arms around his shoulders and pressed herself tightly against his chest. "You're a lifesaver," and then she kissed his cheeks and strutted off toward the service elevator.

Entranced by her swaying hips, Silvio thoughtlessly abandoned the unlocked door and chased after the beautiful Italian woman. Moments later, the keypad reset itself with a quiet beep, waiting for a code which would never be entered. The door remained closed until Christopher pushed it open and stealthily began his escape.

Slinking around every corner, Christopher, in an attempt to hide from a passing employee, made his way into the laundry room. There, amidst the rumbling, tumbling machines, he found baskets full of blood-stained sheets and clothing. He also found extra uniforms lying on the shelf. During a stroke of genius, he donned one of those uniforms and reemerged as a hotel employee.

Inside the elevator, Christopher was busy fiddling with the remaining buttons on his vest when another employee entered the car. In his uniform, he looked the same as Christopher, but he carried himself with an air of sophistication that Christopher lacked. Most importantly, he had a name tag. Raul was his name, and he was an assistant manager. At first he seemed skeptical of Christopher, especially when he noticed the messenger bag he carried over his shoulder.

"Going home?" Raul asked.

"Uh, yeah. It's been a long day. Sometimes you can't help but wonder, is it worth the money? Am I right, or am I right?"

Raul gave an indifferent nod. "Room 310 requires immediate service. Since you're just loitering around in the elevator, I'm sure you have the time to take care of it." Before Christopher could respond, Raul pressed the third-floor button and stepped off at the lobby. "Ensure that she is left satisfied, or it will be your neck."

Christopher's jaw dropped as the elevator doors closed. Suddenly, his bow tie felt unbearably tight, so he pulled it off and tossed it away. Having little choice, he got off on the third floor and made his way toward Room 310.

With a heavy hand, he knocked on the door. "Housekeeping."

Before he could execute his fourth knock, the door opened, making Christopher stumble forward. Upon catching himself, he came face to face with a striking woman who seemed to have stepped right out of an old black and white film. Her curvaceous, five-foot-ten frame was sucked into an off-the-shoulder black dress, but she was classy enough to cover up with a fur stole when Christopher arrived.