Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind
Chapter 8: Spears & Snakes
Original POV
I found the hotel manager's answers vague and knew I would have to go there in person. Looking up at him breaking the silence I felt my jaw part and eyed him like he was crazy. I couldn't believe what I just heard and had to find my voice to in fact question that very thing I thought I heard.
"Excuse me?"
Willy smirks smugly despite clearly not caring of my answer one way or another. "I asked if you would come back to the factory and do your old job." He said watching me closely.
"Why ask me that now when you know I can't?" I surrender leaning on my fist staring up at him impatience my weapon of choice. "I don't want to play your head games."
He expected this. "I need you around to help keep me in line." A simple answer that I didn't expect.
"Bullshit, all you want is someone to cater to that dark side of yours and I'm not the one. I'm going to the hotel getting the proof and going back to my life. I'm sorry." I stood gathering the folders I had into a black tote at my side before tucking my cellphone into my pocket. "I will see you with the papers you need before I leave." I start out of the office hearing him do nothing to stop me this time.
I made my way to the elevator shaft despite my best efforts of wishing to avoid it. I go in and sit down after pushing the chocolate room button. I get to the colorful paradise and see several workers waving in greeting before pausing at the exit into the optical hall. Charlie stands there looking confused and worried but seems relatively confined I'm there for Willy's sake.
"Good morning Ms. Laverne." The teen greets brushing at his worn brown pants and neat gray sweater; I find his nervous fidgeting adorable.
"Arctura," I correct seeing him blush slightly. "Good morning to you Charlie, what's up?" I lean back on the balls of my feet anxious to be out there and soon out of the factory leaving bad memories behind and trying to keep the good ones in my heart.
"I wondered if you needed any help?" I shake my head looking down at my files and then up at the worried teen. "Willy's become touchy and I hoped maybe getting out for a bit would help me deal with the change better. Can I please come?"
His pleading look is pathetic even by standards I qualified with Willy. Seeing the youth is desperate to get out of the factory and knowing his family approves of me is abundantly clear. I despite feeling it's a bad idea nod smiling when he looks up excitedly. I watch him sprint off to tell his mother who he's going out of the factory with and glance at my watch trying to factor out a time limit before I can get the hell out of dodge so to speak.
A half hour later we're both outside the tall gates, I wince hearing them slam behind us before looking back at the towers of forgotten memories wondering if he's watching us from his office. Shrugging I start down the broken walkway into town passing familiar building of a mix of diluted browns, tans, and other washed out colors. In about another half hour we're standing outside a tall brightly colored off gray building with several windows and a long path underneath a red cover that leads to double glass doors.
I walk to the hotel pausing long enough to take in the large lobby staring up at the chandelier and flinch disliking the idea of how easy it would be to make the object fall. Charlie seemed to sense my discomfort and smiled leading the way to a long black check in desk where I saw a tall thin man with glasses much too small for his long nose and tiny blue eyes, he smiled showing slightly crooked teeth before I wondered if his mustache was meant to be an oversize broom to make up for the lack of a upper lip.
His suit was a rich olive tone neatly pressed with a black tie and a small name tag that read 'manager' with his name. "Good Morning Mr. Quinn, I'm Arctura Laverne. I spoke with you on the phone about security measures?" he looked around his face turning pinkish at the attention I brought to the nearest people staying.
"Yes, this way to my office please." He excused himself leaving his vice manager to deal with confused customers.
I find the tiny door behind the counter a bad method of security but nevertheless keep it to myself. I look around the small square room with tan walls and grayed once white tiles. He settles behind a tiny brown desk full of paperwork and a computer before I sit in the uncomfortable hard plastic chair across from him thankful Charlie had opted to wait outside.
"I have the security videos here Ms. Laverne and want you to better refrain on any future visits out in the lobby." Growled Mr. Quinn with a movement that made his mustache appear to be sweeping his face, I stifle laughter at the imagery the stern look gives me and nod. "We have the videos like you requested but there's a problem."
"Who is paying more for the better story?" I ask knowingly seeing his eyes lower in a way that means I've touched on a sore subject but it was in fact true. "I figured that would be part of the problem. I had a visit from Mr. Slugworth, the young one this morning." He seemed interested in this.
"It seems your boss is in a very big mess, why should I help you and make your job easier when they're making mine better?" I smile showing no humor and gently lift a small pen out of my bag twisting it casually around seeing I have his attention.
"Because this tiny thing has recorded everything you've said and I will use it if I have to." I warn seeing his tiny eyes narrow to almost being invisible among his bushy eyebrows. "Clear? Or should I rephrase it so you can better understand the method?"
"You Ms. Laverne may very well be the most manipulative person outside of your boss that I have met." Said Mr. Quinn sourly unprepared for my tactics. "Here are the images you need and the other papers you requested. If you will excuse me I think I should prepare to find another job." I smile taking the papers though I take no pleasure in costing him a job.
"They won't take your job; they know I can use that against them to." I feel just a bit bad knowing finding jobs aren't easy in the small town. "Thank you for your cooperation." I stand to leave finding his words haunting me all the while when I exit into the lobby.
Charlie stands from a bench near the doors and smiles waving my direction before I'm aware of someone watching me closely from within the ballroom where they are currently serving meals and tending at the bar. I see Lena Prodnose sitting in at the table closest to the entryway with her green eyes narrowed on me warningly and a folder neatly placed on the table. I get the feeling this would be a good time to send Charlie back to the factory with the papers in my briefcase just to be safe.
I reach into my pocket sending an emergency text to the factory knowing a limo would be there post haste to get Charlie back there safely. I hand him the things telling him I have some errands in town to run and to go back ahead of me. I instruct him to give Willy the folders and information in my case and watch him get into the factory limo before daring to take my eyes off of him.
Turning I make my way into the ballroom glancing around at the neat glasses and fancy tabletop décor of china and silver. I account that each table has an expensive red rose in the center of it for decoration and sit in the high dark wood chairs placing my hand on the ivory linen cloth.
Lena sits up her long nails moving gently in a circular motion on the envelope before her eyes narrow on me. She is wearing a ruby red dress suit of a fine cut with a V-neck white silk blouse underneath and a delicate string of pearl wound around her throat. She shoves the envelope to me and waits as I regard it with curiosity seeing 'Arctura Laverne' written in a feminine loopy scrawl.
"What's this Lena?" I ask familiar with her from past encounters when I was with Willy.
"A piece of advice and a kind word." She said her voice like a soft tinkling of glass ready to shatter the peacefulness of the room around us.
"A bribe?" I ask smirking knowing she would do this just to keep her claws into Willy which I found at best a reminder of what a real pest she was. "I don't do bribes, I'm only temping for Willy and I don't plan on sticking around long."
"Why did you come back and ruin my careful plans if you have no intention of being his personal whore again?" I resented that with every fiber of dignity I had.
I pushed the envelope sharply back to her and lean forward in my seat. "I've never been a whore or his in any fashion. I worked for him and was his friend. Nothing more and if you so kindly would refrain from accusations without grounds it would be appreciated. Now if you can excuse me Ms. Prodnose, I am going." I stood turning to leave and paused.
"Wise decision Arctura; he wouldn't love someone so real anyway." She laughed not knowing how much that really did sting, the woman was beautiful and I wasn't sure it was at all natural. "Real pathetic."
It was a pity she wasn't as pretty on the inside as she was the outside.
