Radiant Oddities (Anomaly Saga #4)

12

"This place doesn't seem right," Chandler muttered. "Not that it was right to begin with."

"We'll figure this out," said Alice, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I believe in us. We've gotten this far."

Chandler looked down at his stuff, steely eyed, and nodded. "Things just keep thickening. I guess that means we're getting closer."

Alice nodded, stepping away to further examine the room as Chandler did his thing. She slowly opened drawers and compartments, making sure to step away after each one in case a trap would spark.

In one of the drawers of the other night stand, which was relatively unscathed, she found a thick book. A Bible. Or, it looked like a Bible, but as she looked further, it couldn't be.

There were no words on the inside pages. Despite the title, and the little cross on the hard cover, nothing was inside. Nothing but another note taped on the first page of the book.

'I wasn't so sure you still believed in this kind of stuff, little brother, but I'm not so sure His luck is on your side this time. I hope this wasn't too discreet of a place for a note, and that maybe you got to read it before you suffered injury, but what's an investigation without puzzles and danger? Did you enjoy the little surprises? You've never been a great listener, but this is your last warning. Leave.'

Alice wasn't sure what to make of the note, or even of the book itself, but she didn't think Chandler would be in the mood to see it. Behind her, Chandler was nowhere to be seen. Chewing on her lip, she quietly stepped over and set it with the rest of his stuff.

"He ate the soap again! There's only crumbs!" Chandler yelled. "That's it! I'm going to give him a stern talking to!"

***

And that was how Chandler and Alice ended up knocking on Lavarre's door. After knocking on a few wrong doors and an intense search, of course.

Chandler pulled back a fist, ready to bang angrily on the door, but it cracked open before he got the chance to take another breath.

"Come in!" Lavarre exclaimed. He peeked his head out of the doorway, eyes darting down the hall, and then opened the door further. "I've been expecting you."

Chandler and Alice hurried inside, and LaVarre closed the door behind them.

The room was similar to Alice's and Chandler's, and it would have been normal if it weren't for the massive bookshelf filled with bars of soap in all colors.

Chandler instantly drew his gun and pointed it at LaVarre.

LaVarre put his arms up in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, hey, hey!" he exclaimed. "I only took your soap, man. I love soap. You see my shelf? You can take a couple bars back with you, if you want. I've got blueberry, blackberry, tangerine-"

"This isn't just about the soap," said Chandler, his brow furrowed. "Though that is annoying. You tried to kill me last time I was here. I don't exactly trust you."

LaVarre ignored him. "Coconut, mint, lime . . . anyway. I was a different man when I tried to kill you. I thought the Host would be happy with me."

Chandler kept his gun trained on LaVarre's chest. "The Host wants me dead?"

Alice touched Chandler's shoulder. "I don't think he's going to hurt us."

Chandler lowered his gun slightly. "I still don't trust him," he said.

LaVarre shrugged. "Honestly? Fair. But to answer your question, yes. The Host wants you dead like I want to try key lime pie soap. Which is something I really, really want to do. However, the Host wants to be the one to kill you. Bummer, I know."

Chandler grunted in response. "You work for the Host?"

"Only kind of. Lately, I've gotten the impression he doesn't like me much. Like, his voice changer makes him sound extra disapproving when he talks to me. Or something."

Chandler nodded. "Okay. What happened to the other agents who came here?"

"They died. The Host doesn't care about them. He was waiting for you."

At that moment, Alice heard the marching of footsteps quickly approaching LaVarre's door. She turned to face the direction the sound was coming from. "Do you hear that?" she asked.

Chandler froze. "Hear what?"

"Those footsteps."

Everyone became silent, and then Chandler holstered his gun. "Hide," he said. "And LaVarre, if you're behind this, I'll-"

"It wasn't me!" LaVarre exclaimed, exasperatedly waving his arms in the air. "I promise!"

Someone knocked on the door, and they knocked hard. It shook on its hinges.

The next blow knocked the door down, and in that moment, everything happened at once.

Alice dove underneath one of the beds, curling up the best she could. LaVarre jumped through the window, and shattered glass rained onto the floor. Chandler ran for the bathroom. Several men in suits burst into the room. They targeted Chandler.

Chandler threw punches, knocked a couple of them back-but he was outnumbered. Within seconds he was overwhelmed, and Alice watched as the men dragged the unconscious Chandler out of the bathroom, picked him up, and left.