Chapter 8

-Suspicion at Sunrise

"If you could please sign here," the elderly desk attendant pointed at various spots on the papers for Vex to sigh. He handed her a quill and slid the documents to her.

Otto continued to roll on the floor, drool escaping his mouth at how comfortable he was. The old attendant stared at Otto; casting Vex a questioning look. She shrugged without looking up and continued to inspect the papers.

"Certainty absolute… no intruders?"

"You've seen our security… also remembering the history… you created in this place." Bushy white brows furrowed over his dull grey eyes. "Coasted me half my life… had every reason to cut you down where you stand—but… if it wasn't for some of the trouble… we wouldn't have half the attractions we do now. You've created much history for this place that'd bring any nosey tourist running… so guess the hell you caused me worked out in the end."

The old assassin signed the papers and handed them back to him. Her sharp eyes dangerously narrow.

"Abducting my adopted son…" her mane furrowed at the memory causing an angry vein to protrude from her forehead. "Be thankful… did less… then forcefully out your teeth…"

"You also put me in a wheelchair," he lit a cigar and blew a ring of smoke at her. Agitating her as he grinned darkly at her. "Funny… an individual like you sparing victims after inflicting that level of damage… what's the point? That's worse than just ending their life."

"Yet… here you sit… safe and beyond… wealthy."

"I didn't say it never worked out for some." He laughed, spitting a wad of saliva in his drink. "But I can see life has also caught up to you! Heard some rumors you've been executed… no wonder you look so different. But I know those dark eyes from anywhere… so what happened to ya?"

"Be shoving nose in… another's business…" Vex hopped down from her seat and marched to the door. But stopped when the old man cleared his throat to catch her attention.

"Don't worry, as much as I despise you… I also have come to appreciate you." He twirled his drink around, the goldish brown liquids reflecting his insane milky eyes. "Don't see me as an enemy… I have no beef with you—just as long as you behave yourself here… we won't have a problem."

"Not me… you must… be worried for." She growled before slamming the door behind her. Even with emotions shot, she still felt an overwhelming sense of frustration with him. Even in her youth, she questioned why on earth she spared a psychotic man like him. He deserved far more then the punishment she inflicted.

"Green one…" she gently called to Otto but paused to see him passed out asleep on the floor. Sighing, she knelt and gently flopped him over her shoulder like a load of laundry. His snores rattled her ears as she took the elevator up to their room. She gently rocked him to ensure he was not woken. Her mind still running a million miles per hour. But the past had to be forgotten, this man knew his place and what she was capable of. Forgiveness would not keep her back forever if he kept pushing it. So, she made a mental note to ensure he knew she had the means to ruin his life completely rather than just momentarily.

"Be thankful…" she hissed to a nearby camera she knew was watching them. "Have learned… is not my place to elicit judgment… but one of Holy nature will not… let you continue. Take my warning and go no further…"

The camera's light immediately turned off. Whoever was controlling it obviously got spooked. Vex chuckled to herself before heading into the room and tucking Otto into bed. She spied the empty spot to the right of Antauri with Chiro on his left. Exhaustion made her yawn, but mild stress was enough to argue the reasons why she needed to stay awake.

Going up to the bed, she slid by Antauri, letting the robotic male hook his hands onto her claws. His whole posture seemed to relax as his body's internal gears whirred down to complete rest.

~Sun Rise

Antauri's optics whirred on, taking an immediate notice to the bright lights nearly blinding him. Unplugging his charger, he noticed his team crammed in front of the TV. Even his wife stood in the far back of the room, watching the scene before her.

"Team?" Antauri called as he slapped his helmet back and hovered up to them.

"Shh! We're watching this movie," Sprx shushed his superior before pressing his bloodshot eyes back to the screen.

Antauri crossed his arms and stretched his fingers out, causing the screen to become fuzzy. The team whined in protest as the wise monk ushered them to pay attention.

"Team, this is day one of our trip… let's start off with a family activity."

"Uh, TV IS a family activity if you're watching with your whole family!" Sprx argued.

Rolling his eyes, the silver primate pointed a finger to the door. Everyone groaned and moved from their spots and headed to the door.

"So, what's first on the agenda?" Chiro asked while closing the door behind everyone.

"I believe a trip to town would be a good first activity," Gibson scratched his chin.

"Agreed," Antauri nodded in approval of the statement. "When we're finished, we may return and finish a movie."

Otto stopped, eyes widening as he turned back to the door. "Oh no, I forgot my camera! Sorry, you guys go ahead, I'll meet you in the lobby!"

"Be quick, please," Antauri responded while pointing to the elevator. "We'll wait till you return before heading off."

"Thanks!" Otto ran back to the room and shut the door behind him. He scratched his head, "now… if I were a camera… where would I be?" He rummaged through everyone's bags, tossing hats, clothes, and other items around. Not finding a trace of his camera, the mechanic crossed his arms and huffed. Thinking long and hard before an idea suddenly hit him.

Rushing to the closest, he dug around everything till he found what he was looking for. Vex's bag, a leather class with chain straps circling it. Quite small compared to the rest of their luggage, but hey, it was Vex, she never brought anything she deemed important. Or so he thought.

"Maybe she has my camera!" He typed in the code to the lock and opened the case. Eyes hungrily scanning every item in the bag. Till a strange brown satchel crossed his eye. Tilting his head, Otto grabbed the strap and hoisted the small bag out of the case.

"This is a weird-looking bag, wonder if my camera is in here." He unclicked the cross-shaped lock and dug his greedy fingers inside. Feeling over every nook and cranny till he felt something odd. Sharp and square, but small. Otto blinked in surprise when he pulled out a small wooden statue.

"Huh… wonder why she has this," he tapped the statue with much curiosity.

The statue was extremely detailed. Carefully carved, its shape looked something like a monster dying in a flame. Strange, he wondered what it meant while poking the bottom of it.

"Otto!" Nova yelled while slamming the door closed. "Where are you? Sprx had your camera!"

Gasping in shock, Otto dropped the statue. The impact to the floor shattering it into a million pieces. He gawked in complete horror, mind not registering what he did while fumbling to clean it up. Oh no, no-no-no… this was not good…!

"Uh, uh, uh… b—be right out!" Otto yelled while quickly shoveling all the pieces back into the bag and locked it shut. He stood up and tossed everything back into the closest before Nova came in. Sweat drenched his forehead as he smiled all sheepish.

"S—Sprx has my camera? Are you… um sure?"

"Yea, he was just too much of a dimwit to remember what he grabbed to take to town." Nova titled her head as she noticed some stray wooden pieces on the floor. "Uh, what's going on here?"

"N—nothing! I uh…" his mind raced to find an explanation. Vex was going to kill him, she never let anyone touch her stuff!

Nova seemed to know something was up but chose to ignore it as she helped him clean up the splintery shards.

"Don't go around breaking stuff in our hotel room now, you know this aint a cheap place." She snickered while slapping him on the back. "Now hurry up, go downstairs, everyone is waiting!"

Not saying a word of rebuttal, Otto gave a shaky thumbs up and beelined out the door. Nova laughed as she put away the broom and followed the green monkey out into the hallway.

Both failing to see a strange blue mist swirl up from the few splinters on the floor. Disappearing into the walls. Deep laughs whispered through the air till falling quiet.

~Downstairs

Nova and Otto eventually found their way downstairs. He as white as a ghost while she just snickered at his face.

"Relax Otto, so you broke something, no biggy!"

"Y—yea… n—no biggy," he twiddled his thumbs, sweat pouring down his green fur. Heart pounding so loud it could almost go along with a drum.

"About time!" Sprx snapped while throwing the camera to Otto. "Sorry, guess I meant to grab mine. Don't know why we need more than one camera anyways."

"Maybe because more then one of us would like to take pictures," Gibson hissed at the red pilot's arrogant comment. "I swear Sprx, be mindful of everyone else please."

"Shut it," Sprx waved a fist at the gabby blue simian before covering his ears to block out any of the scientist's rebuttals.

Otto kept a tight grip on the camera, the tightness almost breaking the lens. Vex noticed this as she extended a claw to rest on his shoulder.

"All is… well?"

"Huh? Oh! Yea, yea! Everything is super!" Otto laughed like a maniac while quickly moving away from her claws. "Don't wanna waste any daylight, so come on, let's go, everyone!"

No one said a word about the mechanic's eagerness and followed suit. Vex lingered in the back, watching the group a good long time before deciding to catch up. Something… she didn't know… something was amiss. A chill that didn't belong to her ran down her spine. Or some kind of… agitating itch she couldn't pinpoint the cause.

She shrugged it off and caught up with everyone. Hoping today was going to be good rather than bad.