Page 67 of Ride Forever
“Then you better keep your head down. I’ve got a fabulous new do.”
Following Chaser’s advice, I lowered my head, and we walked hand in hand into the casino. In the immediate foyer were a few clothing boutiques, a lingerie store, and several restaurants. Then the slot machines began to take over. Rows upon rows of flashing lights and electronic beeps assaulted our eyes as we were jostled by thousands of gamblers elbowing to find the perfect machine. I saw one lady kiss each quarter before she put it into an Ancient Egyptian themed machine, and I wished that winning a jackpot was the most of my worries.
When we made it to the main gaming floor, we glanced toward the mass of roulette tables and caught a glimpse of a scuffle erupting between staff and a few men. Security guards were rushing over, shouting and talking into their walkie-talkies. Someone picked up a chair and flung it, the metal crashing into a table, sending chips flying. Chaser grasped my arm and tugged me in the opposite direction as a brawl erupted. The mayhem crew was coming through.
“Head down,” he murmured as two men sprinted past us. They didn’t even glance our way as they rushed to break up the fight, which was getting louder by the second.
I caught a glimpse of Hopper in the distance, bolting down a row of slot machines to join in the madness.
Finally, we made it to the foyer of the hotel and stood in front of the bank of elevators. I pressed the call button, and as we waited, the revolver felt heavy against my back. When an elderly couple stood near us, I swallowed hard. There was no way they would know who we were, but I didn’t like lingering. I glanced at them out the corner of my eye, but they weren’t even looking at us. They were watching for the elevator.
A ding signaled a car had arrived, and a set of doors swished open to our right. A few people exited the car, laughing and chattering, and didn’t bother looking at us.
I darted into the elevator, keeping my head angled toward the floor. There were cameras in here, likely in the roof, but I wasn’t looking up to find out.
The elderly couple went to step into the elevator with us, and Chaser held up his hand. “This one’s taken.”
I jammed my finger on the close button as they blinked at us in confusion. The doors slid shut, and we were alone. They had no idea they were staying at a hotel owned by a madman, but then again, the deeper you went into this place, the more perverted it became. Dark sexual fantasy knew no bounds.
Chaser pressed the button for the penthouse, but it wouldn’t light up.
“You need the right keycard,” I said.
Chaser grunted and pressed the button for the floor below. The button shone red, and we began to rise.
“How are we going to get up there? You don’t expect me to scale the…” I shut my mouth, suddenly anxious the cameras had ears, too.
“Hopefully, there’s someone I can shoot who has one,” Chaser murmured.
I swallowed hard and watched the numbers on the display go up. When we reached thirty-three, the car came to a stop, and the doors slid open. Peering down the hall beyond, Chaser gestured for me to follow. The plush beige carpet muffled our footsteps as we moved forward, but the decor was otherwise bland and uninspiring. The long line of hotel room doors were closed, and nothing moved. I couldn’t hear a sound other than our own movements.
A wave of uneasiness came over me, and I reached for the Glock under my shirt.
“No one’s here,” I whispered.
We moved on, rounding a corner. More rooms and another empty hallway, though at the end was a glowing exit sign.
“This is too easy,” I said. “I expected there to be more men.”
Chaser grimaced, and I knew he was thinking the same thing. Up until now, the Hollow Men had always been one step ahead of us. They knew what we were doing before we even thought to do it. Something was wrong. We shouldn’t have been able to get this far without a hotel keycard.
“We can’t go back now,” he said. “This is our one chance. We’ll have to play it by ear.”
I nodded and tightened my grip on the revolver. The only way left open to us was forward.
“Try another hall?” I offered.
Chaser nodded, and we went back the way we came. The moment we turned the corner, we stopped in our tracks, and my heart twisted and stopped beating. I literally died for a full thirty seconds as everything came crashing down. I didn’t believe it when people said their lives flashed before their eyes in a near-death moment. I still didn’t believe it because nothing happened when I saw my mortality staring at me down the barrel of several guns.
A group of men blocked our way, their guns pointed directly at us. Behind them, several hotel room doors were open. I turned, only to find more had emerged from rooms in the hall we’d just been in.
Ambushed.
“We really suck at this,” I said, raising my hands. “Like epically.”
Chaser grunted. What else was he supposed to say during a moment like this?
We were screwed. Check-fucking-mate.
