Guess what'll happen next ;)
Chapter Ten – The Party
Tintin adjusted his white bow tie one last time in the mirror before putting his mask on. He was almost surprised to see how he looked in a tuxedo, since he so rarely wore one. Before he went to the door, however, he tucked a discreet revolver into the holster under his jacket. Just in case, he thought.
Locking his door, he walked down the hall to Eva's with a quiet sense of apprehension. What if something was to happen to her, he wondered, thinking of the gun at his side. If he was bringing one, others most certainly were as well.
He gave her door a knock, and after a moment he heard her call "Come in!"
Tintin opened the door, and stopped in his tracks. Eva stood in front of a long mirror, putting in earrings. Her delicate gold mask was on, framing her blue eyes. Her golden locks were piled onto her head, making Tintin briefly wonder how she learned to arrange it so. But her dress – her dress was what took his breath away.
It was as red as blood, and stretched all the way to the floor. It was strapless, and the fabric of the skirt layered over itself in such a way that Tintin followed it to the floor and could not decide where one piece started or ended. It was a beautiful confection, and as she moved to face him it swirled as if it had a life of its own.
Mesmerized, Tintin struggled to choke out words. "You – you look – how did you fit that dress in your suitcase?"
She came close to him and chuckled. "Always the logical one, aren't we?" She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and a wink, and that seemed to break his hypnosis.
"Lovely." He finished with a smile, loosening up. "You look lovely. Shall we?" He offered her his arm as they proceeded to exit her room.
Eva locked the door as Tintin spoke. "Unfortunately, we have to go find Marshall before we go."
"Right! Marshall, I forgot to mention." Eva locked the door, and in a blink, Tintin saw that the key was gone. She took his arm as they began to descend the staircase. "He stopped by earlier while you were out – said he'd meet us there." She gave him a smile. "Although I must say, I'm not going to complain about that."
"Don't forget what you promised me Eva – we're after a story. And if weapons get involved –"
Eva sighed as Tintin betrayed his anticipation. "I know I said I agreed. But –"
"Eva." Tintin paused. "I just don't want you to get hurt."
Eva looked up at him and nodded. "I know." She faced him, and pulled back the side of his jacket to reveal the holster and the gun within it. "But I have one of these too."