A/N: Whoohoo, I already got a review!
Disclaimer: TRINTY BLOOD IS NOT MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Abel's heart lay heavy with disappointment. He didn't know what they were searching for, but he still hoped that they would find something. But there was no sign of Stella ever had been there, except a red strand of hair on the dusty pillow, a faint outline of where she had sleep and what Tres had analyzed, her fingerprints on the curtains and bed. They had learned nothing except that the motel didn't get much business.
Sighing heavily, the trio marched back out to the lobby. The young woman who had first been there when they came was apparently off shift and was replaced by a white-haired balding man with an angry expression. As they crossed the hall, his eyes widened.
"Eh, you, are ya a priest?" he asked, his voice sounded as if he was struggling to sound as polite as possible.
All three turned towards him, and Abel answered. "Yes, we are priests."
The man mumbled something and started rummaging around the desk. A few minutes later, he took out a piece of folded paper. "Give this to a silver-'aired priest with glasses. Might be traveling with a man with copper 'air or a man with long black 'air." He read aloud. He appraised the three. "I don' see no glasses on ye."
Abel felt his heart flutter in his chest slightly-perhaps this mission was not to be fruitless. "My glasses broke." He said, reaching out for the note.
The man growled slightly, but handed the not over. He looked as if he was waiting for Abel to open it and read it aloud, but Abel signaled to the others and they left the disgruntled motel owner to curse alone in his greasy motel. They walked a few blocks before Abel took out the note. It had a bit of candle wax sealing it closed, so he would know if it had been read, he supposed. He opened it and was disappointed to find that there was only a short message inside.
I don't trust the motel owner.
I'll leave you a note at the Green Tree Inn.
Stella.
If seeing her name on the Beasly Motel register made Abel's heart beat faster, seeing Stella actually trying to reach out and make contact with him perfectly elated him. He handed the note to Tres and Leon, not trusting himself to not shout. They read it over.
"Aww, we're going to be tracking this girl around the city all day, aren't we?" Leon complained.
"Accessing information. Green Tree Inn is a small inn started by Sarah and Mike Illaman thirteen years ago. It is located across the city, approximately twenty blocks away from the palace." Tres said, cutting off Abel's cry of indignation.
"Right, let's go. Maybe Virgil has seen her." Abel said while walking quickly in the direction of the palace.
"Excuse me, but do you have a note for me. I'm Abel Nightroad." Abel said quickly to the motel owner. This motel was nicer, and cleaner. It was a little larger than the last one, but only had about three people there at a time. Somewhere Abel would have expected Stella to be.
The owner appraised Abel silently before saying slowly, "Me wife took all of hour papers home for the night, but I know there was a note meant for a silver-haired priest. Ye can wait till she comes back tomorrow with them." He said in a kind of drawn-out accent.
"Um… sure. I guess, one room with three beds." Abel said, turning to Leon, who had been put in charge of their funds, for money.
When they had settled in their room, which was a bit overcrowded because of the threes beds, Abel decided to make a call. He took a minute to remember the personal number before dialing.
"Hello?"
"Virgil? It's Abel Nightroad."
"Good morning Abel…."
"Vigil, it's night."
"Oh. Yes. Just a little tired. Vanessa's here."
"Good evening Vanessa. How are things with the Methuselah-Terran mixing movement?" Abel asked pleasantly.
A woman's voice floated over the receiver. "Everyone is cooperating except a few neighborhoods on the west side of the city. We're currently trying to wash the graffiti off the walls of buildings that are technically ours, but it keeps popping up more and more every night. Damn kids."
"Vanessa, blood pressure." Virgil's voice came warningly. "So what brings you to call, Abel?"
"Well, we're in the city and we're looking for Stella."
"She's still missing?" Virgil's worried reply came. "How's Demetry taking it?" Demetry and Virgil had become fast friends, but Virgil knew as well as Abel that the Leader of the newly named country, Kenpei, had been unreachable to any of his allies across the ocean. Last Abel had heard, Demetry was in a deep depression.
"His secretary says that he can barely pretend to be happy when addressing his citizens." Abel said sadly.
"Hmm. I'll be sure to try and talk to him." Virgil said musingly. "So what about Stella." Abel quickly explained what had happened in the past twenty-four hours and asked if Virgil has seen Stella. "No, I'm afraid I-"
"I think I have." Vanessa's voice said clearly. "Her voice was completely calm, a little high with a patient tone to it? It was three days ago. She was calling from the same extension you are on now. She was asking me questions about Methuselah and Terran disappearances. I told her that a few have gone missing on the west side of town, and when I asked why, she did not reply. The entire conversation lasted five minutes."
Abel sighed. "I'm worried about her and whatever it is she is doing. At least we know that three days ago she wasn't dead."
"Yes, but Abel, remember, death only takes an instant."
"Not with her. It takes hours." Abel said mournfully. Instead of assuring himself, he felt as if he had dealt himself a crushing blow.
"I'm sorry, Abel, but that is all we know."
"It's fine." He sighed. "I guess we'll just have to wait for that note she left us." He said.
He climbed into bed a moment later, for another sleepless night.
A/N: Why does it feel like this chapter took forever? Review!