done in a collaboration with camnstarr4eva. She is awesome! One of the best if not the best writer I've ever had the privilege to meet! she's gonna be famous one day. just watch! this story was supposed to be 50/50 work between us. but she pretty much wrote the whole thing. i only came up with the idea. so 99% of the credit goes to her. make sure you all PM her and tell her she is awesome. because she totally is!
on to the story.....
She liked him best. They were all fit guys, but the other three seemed so serious. 'Eagle' (either a nickname or the result of eccentric parents, she'd have to check the computer), 'Eagle' was relaxed. He came equipped with a cheeky smile, a reel of banter, fingers that hopped up on down on the desk like an impatient toddler's, and eyes like melted chocolate.
Not that he was the only one she was keeping an eye on. At an average of $100,000-a-night the hotel catered only to the wealthy or any less fortunates who wanted to splash their life savings away in a luxury twenty-four stop over. Which meant almost every male in the building had the credit to support a compulsive shopaholic. One box checked. Weed out the over thirty-fives, and the ones who dressed badly... and there were still a good dozen currently residing who she would favour with a special smile when they passed the reception desk. Most were too austere or too rich to pay her any attention. But Eagle was different. He dropped her a wink as he passed her by, often wandered up to have a chat till one of his friends dragged him away. He wasn't handsome, exactly. Ears stuck out just a little too much. Nose wasn't straight. But his smile was mischievous and crooked and his expression was lively, and she loved that. He'd been headed for the front doors just as she'd begun her shift this morning, so she was looking forward to his return.
The doors slid back just as her thoughts were drifting away, and in he came. She beamed, but he was distracted. Well, no, the opposite, he was actually focused for once. His eyebrows knitted together, striding across the foyer purposely, eyes intent on the door head. Hand in his pocket covering something. Face grim.
She sighed in disappointment and returned to the list for dinner. He was like a man on a mission.
Eagle was on a mission. He jabbed the elevator button and shrugged his shoulders a couple of times as he was welcomed with a ding and the shush of the doors sliding apart. An elderly woman in a hideously expensive purple suit stepped out, followed by an entourage of assistants. Eagle waited politely, face impassive. Then the lift was his. He chose his floor and allowed the flap of his jacket to sway slightly. Good. His gun was easily accessible. He could feel the weight. Measure the time in his head that it would take to flip it into his hand and shoot.
He blew out his breath is short puffs, steadying breaths, watching the numbers go up. He was inwardly nervous. His fingers felt jittery. He tried to keep his mind focused on the task on hand, preventing it from escalating into 'what-if' scenarios.
He was ready for this. He would succeed.
Eagle would have liked to say that he was fearless. But this wouldn't be true. He openly admitted to being scared of many things: lions, tigers, bears, Godzilla, Bigfoot, T-Rex, green jello, and blue grass, just to mention a few.
But this was so much more dangerous. And he knew it.
The lift dinged and he stepped out onto plush blue carpet, into the corridor. No backing out now. He walked carefully, not too quickly, precise steps, making all attempts to disguise his anticipation. He checked the gun again as he walked.
He passed by a middle aged couple, strolling towards the lift, with no apparent desire to get there in a hurry. Second honeymoon, Eagle guessed. Or first. Or wild affair. They clung onto each other, giggling like drunks, rolling along the corridor in a fashion normally associated with gorillas. She had freshly blonde hair and pancake makeup, clothes the height of fashion, but only for younger, thinner women. She looked ready to burst. He was balding and overweight, buttons straining on his cotton shirt. Eagle permitted himself a small smile. They weren't going to remember him passing by.
A quick turn at the corner. Almost there.
Two men approached him. Both in their twenties and built like soldiers. The skinnier one had fair hair and murmured to his companion in a Scottish accent. The companion had dark hair cut short, square features and thoughtful eyes. They passed Eagle. A short nod was exchanged. Eagle brushed past the dark haired one, and felt the device being slipped into his hand as they walked by, pace seamless. Eagle weighed the device in his hand, keeping it at his side. He checked the gun again. He was nearing his destination.
The corridor was silent. But suddenly Eagle heard the click of a hotel guest leaving his room. A man about his own age, dressed in a gaudy tourist top, clutching his laptop like it was baby. He looked at Eagle warily, seeing the determination on his face. Eagle smiled, trying not to grit his teeth. This would be the worst time...
The man said nothing. He walked on towards the lift, following the direction of the two young men. Eagle breathed a sigh of relief. He walked up to the door across the hallway, his destination, and gently slid a card through the slot. The light flicked to green and the door unlocked. Holding his fingers steady, Eagle gently drew the gun from his waistband and ventured forward, feet padding gently against the thick carpet, every movement meticulous.
Fredrick MacKinnon had forgotten his watch. This was troublesome, but he simply could not get through the rest of the day without it. So he tucked his laptop under one arm and hurried back to his room, only to see that same suspicious young man slipping through the door across the hallway.
His body jerked as he heard a muffled roar on the other side of the door. His shaking hand reached for his mobile.
The young man dashed out, and noticed his presence. There was a dripping fluorescent green water gun held in one hand, a camera in the other.
"Mission accomplished" the young man whispered to him with a conspiratoral wink.
"Eagle! I'm going to kill you!" The door handle rattled furiously behind him.
Grinning, Eagle ran for his life.