Once Devante had received that message, he moved with purpose, not stopping once to explain where they were going.
They had used the android to transport themselves back to ground level, then they were picked up by a hover car that had been waiting for their arrival.
The car they were riding in was tinted black and with high class seating; Zain couldn’t see their driver this time, but he didn’t think it was Cherry this time. The atmosphere was tense as silence hung in the air.
From his quick glances at Javier and Devante, he could tell that they were in their serious mode. Almost as if they were preparing for battle, they silently rechecked their papers. Seeing this stoical side of them was almost unnerving, and a sense of foreboding made the goosebumps on Zain’s skin prickle.
It was not long before they came to a stop, with the car doors automatically opening for them.
Devante sucked in his lips to an almost pucker, inhaling deeply as he exited the car. His nerves looked to be getting the better of him as he stood at a slight angle whilst holding his stomach.
Javier looked no better, keeping a flat expression as sweat began to bead on his face.
The building they were now looking at appeared to be similar to a casino hotel of sorts, with flashing screens advertising gambling tables and a 24-hour bar in the lobby floor; Extravagant fountains decorated the outside, marble statues dotted in the courtyard, and luxury cars circled through the driveway.
Instead of going through the front entryway, they were ushered through a separate entrance, surrounded by a wall of suited body guards. They were quickly ushered inside, with them going down a series of hallways, lined with velvet carpeting and porcelain vases. Devoid of doors or windows, it continued at a downward angle, with the sound of running water heard faintly through the walls.
Finally, reaching the end of the tunnel, they entered an exclusive area, which looked to be a club lounge for VIPs; the lights were dimmed and sultry music was being played by a live band in the center. Attractive women were relaxing within the club's confines, engaging with guests and talking amongst themselves.
Wow…I think I would turn to mush if one of those ladies talked to me…
All of the women looked like models, Zain was flabbergasted how so many beauties could be concentrated within one area. Maybe having beautiful women socialize with you was one of the services offered here?
Devante continued to lead the way, heading towards particular doors on the far side of the lounge. However, when their group tried to enter, two guards emerged from the walls.
Yes, from the walls. Zain almost fell on his ass in surprise, but the other two seemed unfazed. One of the guards spoke, ignoring Zain’s previous yelps of shock.
“Only Devante is authorized to enter, no outsiders.”
“We cannot grant access to those not previously vetted or approved by Madame Cuddy. They may wait in the lounge until your meeting is over.”
Devante’s face dropped, as if he had not foreseen this, with panic briefly flashing on his face.
Javier firmly placed his hand on Devante’s shoulders, bringing him back from his thoughts.
“You’ll be okay. You have the information, we just have to convince her. Remember the goal. You can do this!”
In response, Devante nodded, then he straightened his back and moved forward. The double doors opened, with the guards melting back into their place in the wall.
Javier waited until the door was shut, then slumped his shoulders. “Shit. There goes that plan.”
He glanced at Zain, who was giving him a wide eye stare. It would seem that he had forgotten that he was there as he immediately tried to justify himself. “Ah! I didn’t mean it like that….” He looked around the room searching for a way to be as delicate as possible without sounding like a complete asshole. “..It’s just that…Mrs. Cuddy is really, REALLY scary. It’s almost impossible to convince her of anything without sound arguments. And let’s just say, Devante is not the best with his words. He’s charming in his own way, but convincing his wife to let him go back into enemy territory is…almost impossible. He’s never won an argument against her…I’m not confident he can win this one…”
The man deflated, letting out a long sigh as he accepted defeat.
It’s not like it mattered to Zain. He didn’t know these people, but…he couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit sorry for them. There wasn’t really anything he could say to comfort Javier, but he still tried anyway. “Devante is stubborn. He’s not letting this go without a fight. “
Javier snorted a small breath of air through his nose, then smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. Well, we can’t just stay here moping. Let’s wait for him to finish at the bar. I’ll buy you a soda or something.” He motioned to the circular bar at the center.
They walked side by side, with Zain making sure not to stray too far away in this unfamiliar place.
At the bar, once they sat, touch screen menus appeared on the table itself. All of the selections were of course off limits to Zain, so he opted to look at the appetizer menu. However, since this was a high end establishment, most of the dishes were unfamiliar to him. They had strange, fancy names and were made with weird, foreign ingredients. Because of this, he decided to play it safe and order off of the kids menu.
Javier ordered a strange drink, called the mermaid;The bartender mixed in various liquors and mixes into the shaker before using ice magic to freeze it all as he prepared the cocktail. Once he finished, he poured the frozen mix into a salt rimmed glass, then added a blue liquid to the top, creating an ombre effect.
There was quite a bit of showmanship for a lot of the cocktails being made there, so Zain just watched as the bartender made various drinks, some using magic as a flair during the assembly of the drinks. It was as his attention was away, that his vision went dark.
No, rather, someone had placed hands over his eyes. The culprit smelled of floral perfume, and had delicate, small hands.
“Ooooh~ did you bring us a treat, Javier?”
“Can we play with him, he’s soooo cute~”
Zain’s heart began to beat vigorously, his blood felt like it was raging as a scenario every boy dreams of was happening right in front of him.
The hands that playfully held him, let go, revealing several women to be sitting around them. The one who had obscured his vision, lingered, wrapping her arm over his shoulder, flashing him a gentle smile as she met his eye.
KEEP CALM! DON'T FUCK UP!!!
There was a time in every man’s life, where he would be met with great opportunity, an opportunity so great, that it would be a great loss if it was squandered.
Sadly this was not one of those times.
“Sorry ladies, he’s only 16…”
It was that simple piece of information that shattered the illusion; in an instant, the women all lost interest, some even frowning in disgust. The playful woman let go of his shoulder, walking away as she sat far from him.
“Aw, that’s too bad. Sorry, we’re not into that..”
It was like someone had poured a bucket of cold water on him.
Javier was not a man’s man. On the blacklist, he was at the top, Zain was sure that he could never forgive this man. He didn’t even try to hide his motherfucking anger as he glared at him, but this asshole only snickered as he sipped his cocktail.
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Zain was seething as he ate his chicken nuggets, frowning as he looked at Javier.
“Actually, we were trying to meet with Cuddy, but me and this kid aren’t authorized to enter. Devante went to meet with her alone.”
The women all collectively gasped, nodding in silent understanding.
“Yes we heard. It’s all the girls down here are talking about. Cherry told us some stuff to…It’s not looking good on your chance to go back. Sorry, Javi…”
The girls all gave sad, pitiful glances at the two.
Zain wasn’t all too sad about not being let in, but Javier was definitely bummed about it. He listlessly played with his coaster, sighing to himself, lost in thought.
“Yes it would have been good if one of y’all could’ve gone in with Devante…who knows what that dumbass will say…” A woman dressed in dark clothing chimed in, her eyes obscured by her hair. “Fate would’ve smiled better at you if he was accompanied, but now it does not treat you kindly.”
Javier hit the table, frustrated at his powerlessness. “DAMMIT! We were so close!”
The dark clothed woman rose from her seat, walking over to Javier in order to rub his back. “It is alright, I’m sure things will work out, if you will it.” She glanced over at Zain, her pupils swimming like snow in a snowglobe. “Hmm…maybe it would be best to send your companion to the playpen, so we can discuss things in greater depth.”
Zain didn’t like being lumped in with a bunch of kids, but knowing more about what they were discussing was not in his best interest so he didn’t argue. Plus, because they wanted to keep him occupied, they sent him off with some tokens that could be used at the machines.
In a small area, off to the side of the lounge, were slot machines dedicated to serving underage patrons. There was only so much they could bet, with rewards being smaller, but it still allowed those not of age to enjoy the casino, albeit as smaller stakes.
Zain went for a few machines, getting the hang of things after a few tries. Some of the machines operated off of strange rules (like a game that had werewolves or another with cats, most of them with matching numbers in a row), some he didn’t fully understand, but winning made the confusion all the more fun.
That didn’t last too long as he lost all of his winnings to a scuba game; he thought he was doing well (even though the rules were confusing) but then after a few bad bets, his winnings went down to just a few credits.
Not possessing enough for even the minimum bet, so he was forced to throw in the towel.
Zain wandered around the room a little, not wishing to go back to the lounge where all of the adults were.
Kids of many ages played on the machines and socialized with one another. Some cashed in their earnings for tokens that could be used to buy toys and prizes in the center of the room. The less fortunate, like him, either played on machines which did not require tokens, or were throwing hissy fits after losing their earnings.
A few droids were stationed around to make sure no one was making too much trouble and often played babysitter for certain spoiled children.
“Fate does not smile on you, does it?”
Zain had stopped near a water fountain that looked like a mirror wall when a small voice had spoken to him. The voice belonged to a small girl, who wore a black lolita style clothing; her eyes were obscured, but he could tell that she was speaking to him.
Where did she come from?
It was kinda creepy that he had not seen this girl until she had spoken to him, which was even more odd because she appeared in front of him but he chalked it up to her being so short. The girl giggled, then jumped gracefully on the edge of the fountain.
She teetered on her little heels, waving her hands as if she was going to fall at any moment.
“WHOA! BE CA-”
“Like a rock that dangles over a cliff’s edge, the faintest of winds is to determine its fate. Shall it tumble down to the unknown? Or shall it stay anchored to the same spot, never knowing what lies beyond?” She twirled gracefully, humming softly as she circled the fountain’s edge.
Oh, I get it…this kid likes to play pretend.
She probably liked acting dramatic or something, but the other kids most likely saw her as weird. Maybe that was why she was alone? For a second, Zain pitied her over his made up backstory for her; Zain didn’t know why none of the babysitting droids were watching this kid playing dangerously on the edge, but he wasn’t gonna be blamed for a rich brat hurting themselves in front of him.
He walked the edge with her, hovering his hands mid-air in order to catch her when she inevitably fell. “Okay, that’s enough playing. Why don’t we play over there with the other kiddos, huh?”
The girl stopped on the other side of the fountain, which had a deep basin; water swirled around, falling towards a hole in the center, similar to a drain in a sink. “You remind me of a man I know. Fate does not smile upon him either, even though he is a good man. I wish fate would smile upon him, but she does not act with kindness unless there is consequence.” She turned towards him, cocking her head to the side; her bangs shifted enough to reveal her eyes, black with a swirl of particles shifting with her gaze.
It was as if her eyes could see through his very being; it was a ridiculous idea, but Zain couldn’t help but feel as if this was the case, and this caused his body to get the chills.
She gave a small smile, “If you had to choose to save yourself or someone less fortunate than yourself, who would you save? If saving the less fortunate person meant causing yourself strife, would you still do it?”
This question felt as if it came from nowhere. It was so out of the blue that he stumbled a little answering, but he of course answered truthfully, “I would save the less fortunate person, obviously.”
The girl covered her mouth, giggling to herself. It was for such an awkward amount of time, that Zain thought about leaving, but just as he was about to, she hopped off the edge.
She twirled, dancing until she was on Zain’s other side. At least now she was away from the fountain, but she was still being creepy. Maybe kids were into that these days?
“I think the same. So, consider me the breeze.”
“Wha-”
Before he had time to question her, she had pushed him full force into the fountain. How a small, petite girl had the strength to do this was the least of his worries as the whirlpool pulled him to the center. He barely had time to hold his breath before he was pulled in.
The suction pulled at his clothes, tossing him in every direction; His vision was darkened, so making heads or tails of his position was nigh impossible.
For what seemed like an eternity, he was pulled into what he could only guess was the water system of the fountain. The breath in his lungs dwindled as time loomed on, his eventual drowning seemed imminent.
Then, he could hear again. The gentle splashings of a tasteful fountain display were interrupted by his coughing and sputtering.
Apparently, the fountains in this area were connected and he had just ended up in a different room.
It took some time, but after catching his breath and clearing his eyes, he was able to gain his bearings.
He was now in a dimmed room with black tilings and delicate furnishings all around. It looked like a rich person’s living room, so was it possible that he ended up in one of the hotel rooms?
“Zain?!” A familiar voice called to him.
Dread sunk to the pit of his stomach, as Zain looked up to see Devante staring at him. The man looked utterly baffled as to how he had made it there, and, in all honesty, Zain was just as confused.
Damn! That little girl tricked me!
Was that her intention when she questioned him? It was all so confusing, but how could she know he would end up here?
Zain heaved out of the water display, drenched in water which splattered on the floor all around him.
Devante had risen from his seat, checking Zain like some worried mother. “You okay man? How the hell did you get in here?!” He placed his palm on Zain’s chest, then gave a gentle push. All of the water that had weighed Zain down earlier was now separated from his clothes, now pushed back into the fountain with Devante’s magic. It was rather impressive manipulation of the elements, but Zain had bigger things to worry about.
“Ummmmm, did you finish your meeting?! Sorry, I didn’t interrupt, did I?”
Devante shook his head, “It hasn’t even started yet. My wife isn’t here yet, she had something to take care of before she could meet me.” He gave a small sigh, loosening his shoulders a tad. “Honestly, I’m glad you’re here. I could use the help.”
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
How the hell was he going to help? He didn’t know this woman, what good could he do in this argument?! Zain could hardly hold up an argument with himself in the shower, how was he expected to fight with this woman?
Suddenly, the clicking of heels could be heard coming from the other end of the room. Both of the men scrambled to their feet, hurrying to where Devante was seated before.
Zain wanted to hide somewhere, but there was really nowhere he could reasonably hide and not be found immediately. The furnishings were much too minimalist for them to hide a full grown boy, and he was not going to drown in the fountain again.
The sound of her steps grew louder and louder; they were steady, unhastened, yet so intimidating.
Zain sat with his hands in his lap, sweating like a pig even though all of the water clinging to his body had been purged just a moment before.
From the hallway came a petite woman; she wore a pink, feathery boa that almost touched the floor. Her hair was a similar shade of pink, in a style that reminded him of Betty Boop. Her white dress clung to her small figure, contrasting the bright pinks of her outfit.
The woman walked to the bar, smiling gleefully as she began to make a drink for herself, not yet looking at the couch where Zain and Devante sat.
“I’m so glad you’re back sweety~” She clinked a chunk of ice into her cup, pouring what looked like bourbon into her crystal glass. “I know we haven’t been able to see eye to eye on this issue, but I know you can be reasoned with.”
Her voice was sweet, it was almost hard to believe that she was difficult to deal with. She hummed, finally turning towards the couch.
As soon as her eyes looked at Zain, her whole demeanor changed. Her expression fell flat as her smile slowly faded from her face.
Clutching her glass, she began to question Devante, with her sweet voice still artificially remaining in place, “Honey….Who is this?”
The man nervously hesitated, but then straightened up as he resolved himself to continue the argument. “This is Zain. He helped me realize that I absolutely need to return to save Koa!”
The air felt as if it thinned, making it extremely difficult for Zain to breathe; A cold frost prickled his skin and the hackles on his neck stood on end. The dread he had at the bottom of his stomach spread to his legs, then his fingertips, causing him to shake in place. Every fiber of his being was telling him danger was imminent.
The woman was now making eye contact with him, staring intensely with her gold eyes almost appearing as if they were glowing with rage.
Zain came to the emphatic conclusion that he was going to die for a second time.
