Things That Go Bump: Part 1

This is a fic I am doing for Halloween, (hope to have it finished by then anyway.) Hope everyone enjoys.

It was mid morning of All Hollow's Eve at the five star Blindview Estates, one of the best hotel chains in the realm, of Atlas City. Maid Martina was making her normal rounds through the hotel. She was now in front of room five hundred and twelve of the second section of floor six. She knocked on the door and politely asked, "Is anyone in there, Maid Service."

When there was no answer she unlocked the door and went in. It was dark, very dark, you wouldn't of even known someone had stayed in it, but someone had. She turned on the light and stopped dead in her tracks. There on the bed lay a body, bloody and everything, right out of a horror movie. Martina turned and ran screaming down the hall.

Lina Inverse, the best detective in Atlas City's police department, pulled up to the hotel in her unmarked car. She stepped out of the car, letting her red glowing hair, and dull beige trench coat flutter in the wind. Another day another crime, she thought dismally as she walked towards the main door. She flashed her badge to a few officer blocking the entrance, they pulled back and let her pass into the building. Once inside Lina saw a girl with green hair in, and an odd looking maid's outfit, clinging onto another maid for dear life. She must have been the one who discovered the body. I will have to talk with her later. Lina made her way to the manager, and owner of the Blindview Estates, who was talking with some other officers. "Hello, I'm Detective Lina Inverse, I have been assigned to investigate this little occurrence. Could I have you name sir?"

"Its Rezo," said the tall, lavender haired man as he shook hands with Lina.

"Now sir, did you or any of your employees notice anything strange within the past couple of nights," Lina asked as she pulled out he notepad and pen.

"No, everything was running as usual until this morning," Rezo sighed.

"I see, now who found the body and when?"

"It was Martina," Rezo pointed back to the panicked maid. "She found it while making her rounds at about nine o'clock this morning."

"Do you know who was in that room last night?"

"I'm not sure, we do so much business that it is impossible to keep up with names," Rezo said wryly.

"I see. Does anyone patrol the place at night? You know like a security guard?"

"Why yes, Gourry patrols every night," Rezo answered while pointing to the blonde man being questioned by some more of the investigative team.

"Follow me please, Mr. Rezo," Lina more commanded than asked.

Lina walked up to the man and began questioning again. "Now Gourry, did you see anything unusual last night."

Gourry put a finger to his mouth and began to think. About five minutes later he answered, "You know, I can't remember."

With that everyone in the room facefaulted. Lina regained her composure and turned back to Rezo, "Could you show me the room please?"

"Of course, follow me," Rezo motioned towards the elevator.

While on the elevator Rezo explained the set up of the hotel. "The hotel is so large that each floor is broken up into different sections. They are numbered one through five on every floor. This makes it easier to assign housekeepers and alike."

"I see. Where is the room where the body was found," Lina asked sticking to her normal unemotional tone.

"Lets see, ah yes: third floor, first section, room five hundred and twelve," Rezo answered as if he knew this by heart.

Lina took note of this a wrote down a note in her pad. The elevator reached the third floor and the occupants stepped out. Rezo showed Lina to the room, it was already crawling with forgeinsic scientist and others, when they got there. Lina began to look around, while not interfering with the other teams, looking for any clues whatsoever. "If you'll excuse me Detective Inverse, but I have to get back to my post," Rezo said as he made his way back out the door.

As Rezo walked down the hall a dark smile overcame his normally stern face. They will never figure it out. Don't worry my boy, I will help you soon enough, but the police have to go first. One way or another I will find your cure. With that Rezo stepped into the elevator and went back down stairs.

Lina looked at the body as it lay on the bed where it was found earlier. It was a young girl no older than twenty years old. From the look of her things she was a business woman, but now she looked like she had been mangled by a wild animal. As she looked over the body for clues as to what happened she noticed something. Her neck had two small puncture wounds that looked like they had healed over. She called one of the scientist over to get an opinion. "Hey, she would have had to still be alive for it to scab up like that wouldn't she," she asked as the man looked at the wound.

"Yes, she was still alive after these wounds were made. The other lacerations to the body where made a while after she suffered these. Whoever did this didn't kill her right off."

Lina pondered over this, What kinda maniac did this? After a little think Lina went back to checking the room for clues. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

Lina walked out of the room and back down straits to talk to the maid that had found the body earlier that day. She found the poor girl in the lobby, still staking from the shock, and mumbling to herself. Lina sat down in front of her and asked, "Martina is your name, correct miss?"

Martina nodded her head once while bringing her head up to look at Lina. "Yes, that's my name. I didn't do anything, I just found it when I went to clean the room," she said uneasly.

"I'm not saying you did anything. I just want to know if you know anything about what happened," Lina said reassuringly.

"No, I just found the body in that room, that cursed room," Martina mumbled the last part of her statement thinking no one would hear.

Lina did hear and questioned, "What? Has something happened in that room before?"

Martina bit her lip, Rezo told me never to mention that, Oh, his going to kill me, and then decided to come clean. "That room is cursed, its haunted by by an anger soul that wants nothing but blood."

"What do you mean," Lina asked somewhat unnerved by the maid's words.

"About five years ago Rezo and his grandson ran this place. They were very happy with the way the business was going. But, one night a young woman came in seeking a place to stay, and they gave her room number five hundred and twelveon the sixth floor in section two. Well, to make a long story short, the grandson carried the lady's bags up to her room, time went by until Rezo went to see what he was doing. When Rezo got to the room he found it untouched, and his grandson had vanished with out a trace. Its odd that the it should be that way. If you line up, and pair the numbers correctly, you get twenty-six, five, and twelve. The twenty-sixth letter of the alphabet is 'Z,' the fifth is 'E,' and the twelfth is 'L.' That's what everyone knew him as 'Zel.' Some say that the room is haunted by the spirit of the grandson, as he is seeking to avenge his disappearance and murder, by killing any young woman who sleep in that room. That's why we hardly ever let anyone stay there, but somehow that poor girl got the room," Martina finished as she broke down in tears.

Lina got up to leave the maid alone, she need to be by herself, and went to look for Rezo. Why didn't he mention anything like this, one side of her mind asked and the other rebutted, Because, people would think you where a quack to blame it on something like that. Lina continued to look for Rezo, wanting to get his side of this story.

Man what a day, Lina moaned as she plopped down in an easy chair in the lobby. She had been searching that room all day today and not a single clue. She was about to give up and go home when she overheard some people leaving. "Well I'm not going to be staying here anymore. You know I heard that another person was mysteriously killed in that room about two years ago. There must be some kind of crazy homicidal killer loose in this place."

All of a sudden Lina remembered, there was another case just like this a year ago, and she knew this wasn't a coincident. The last case had all the same markings, the only reason she didn't remember right off was that was her first year on the force. Yes, Lina had climbed up the ranks quickly in a year, and now she had a chance to solve a big murder mystery in the making. She recalled what the maid had said, the last case had a young girl involved, and in that room. She started thinking of a plan as she looked around the lobby, her eye caught something very odd. It first landed on a portrait of Rezo, this wasn't odd, but the portrait opposite of it was. It was of a young man with sapphire blue eyes, lavender hair, and a pale complexion. Lina studied both portraits for any hint on why the other one was there. She when noticed that the young man and Rezo looked a lot alike, Must be part of Rezo's family, is this the Zel that Martina mentioned, Lina mentally asked herself. Lina was comparing the portraits when she heard a noise. She turned to see Rezo looking at her, smiling happily at her.

Rezo had been watching the young detective from a secluded place in the lobby. Earlier, as the police were busy else where, Rezo had slipped into his study and began looking for the cure he needed. He hadn't found any full cure, but he had found one that would help out in the long run. He had everything that was called for, every ingredient accounted for, except for one virgin's blood. Now Rezo didn't know everything about the petite detective, he had only been watching ever since he found the partial cure, but he was willing to bet she could provide the blood. She is the final piece of the puzzle I need. Now all I need is to coax her into the room and we shall have her. I wonder if he likes redheads? Rezo stepped into the lobby, purposely making a noise, and smiled at Lina as she turned to him. "Why Detective Inverse shouldn't you be leaving soon. I'm sure you are quite tired after today," he stated quite innocently.

"Yeah I am but I still have a few more question, do you mind," she asked while looking back at the portrait of the young man.

"No I don't, go ahead and shoot," Rezo answered.

Lina looked at the portraits once more and noticed one last detail. While Rezo's was on a bright sunny day, the young man's was on a dark starry night. She looked back at the young man's portrait to see a blood red moon behind him. Man, the artist must really have had a morbid taste, she mused as she turned towards Rezo. "Who's that," she asked motioning toward the portrait.

"Oh, that's my grandson," Rezo's answer was more depressed than his last.

Lina took note of that, he seemed to be sorry that he was missing, and she started to rule out Rezo begin part of his disappearance. She began to act like she had no clue, not wanted to reveal she already knew the story, and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

Rezo sighed and looked at her, "No, no you are alright. It's just he disappeared about five years ago. I haven't heard a thing since then."

Lina looked at Rezo and let he poker face drop for the first time all day. Poor man, first his grandson disappears and now his business is plagued with these occurrences. "I'm sorry. I have a favor to ask of you. Would it be ok if I stayed in that room tonight," Lina asked sweetly.

Rezo looked at her and smiled, he couldn't have planned it better, "Of course, I only fear for your safety. Who knows what might happen."

Lina flashed him a victory sign, "That's what old fireball is here for," she said as she patted her hip. In her gun holster was a berretta with the name 'Fireball' etched on the side.

Rezo led Lina to the elevator, "I trust you know how to find it," he asked as the doors came open.

Lina nodded and stepped in, "I'll call you if anything fishy happens."

Rezo nodded as the door closed, leaving him alone again in the lobby. Yes Lina Inverse, Fireball may be there, but not even Fireball can help you. He isn't affected much by modern weapons, and tonight I will hopefully be able to bring him back. Rezo smiled as he walked towards a book case. He looked all around, making sure no one was there, before pulling on a book just to have the bookcase slide out to reveal a hidden passage. Rezo slipped in, shut the bookcase behind him, and headed towards his study. He was going to need some other things for this to work. I just pray he can control himself long enough, Rezo mused as he opened the door to his study, and shut it behind him.

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Authors Notes:
1) Yes I know Blindview is a major oxymoron, but what can I say couldn't think of anything else.
2) I thought that sense Halloween is known for strange things I would have Rezo and Zel actually get along. I always liked Rezo, and I did believe the theory that Rezo truly didn't turn Zel into a chimera, but Shabernigdo did.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to findelhe@hotmail.com