BETRAYED BY LOVE, number five

twelve.

[-]

The elevator doors dinged like before, letting Hargreeves and his army of children walk out. Everyone looked around, trying to see some difference from the previous hotel, but saw nothing, it seemed exactly the same. Maybe some colors were different, but that's it.

"It's magnificent," Reginald happily exclaimed as they walked down the stairs to the lobby. 

"You guys should've stayed here," Ben told Diego and Lila. "This place is way nicer."

"Lila and I barely got out alive last time," Diego reminded him. "Remember?" 

April looked around herself, raising her head up at the ceiling. "I see no difference."

"Maybe the difference isn't visible," Five told her with a sigh, slowing down his pace. "Stay close."

The girl furrowed her eyebrows at that. "What happened to letting me go free?"

Five put his hands in his pockets and turned to her. "Last time you almost got killed the second I let you go from my peripheral vision. Don't you think you need to take some hints?"

"I'll take my chances," April innocently shrugged, only to get an eye roll from Five. "Kidding. I will, don't worry."

"Alright," Diego raised his voice, getting everyone's attention and making the two kids walk over to the rest. "So, whatever you do, do not ring this bell," He pointed at the reception. "Unless you want to lose a finger or a tentacle."

"I'll take my chances-" Sloane tried to walk toward it.

"Don't!" Before Lila stood in front of her and stopped her from coming closer to it.

Sloane's eyes lit up with anger as she turned to Lila. "Get out of my way."

"To take out this thing, we need to be in the right state of mind," Lila told her.

"State of mind?" Sloane repeated in disbelief. "Do you mean, am I angry? Yes, I am angry," Her eyes began to water with tears. "I wanna kill whatever it is that hurt Luther."

"Luther isn't the only one that's gone," Viktor reminded her. "We lost Klaus too."

Listening to their conversation, April noticed Five disappear from her side and saw him walking to the exit. He stopped right at the end, looking through the glass doors if there was a universe outside.

"Don't even try it, Five," Diego told him. "Doors won't let you out."

"So, we're stuck here?" April crossed her hands on her chest. 

"This place is a test and a trap and a means of salvation, all at once," Reginald replied, walking over to Viktor's side.

"Does anyone know what that sign says?" Viktor pointed at a card set next to the bell.