•.. The Captain and The Detective

7.

CHAPTER SEVEN.
Gorilla Wars.

"Clearly, this changes things." Captain looked around at the group. James was still recovering after being walked through twice by the same woman within a few minutes. He sat on the seat beside where the Captain stood. "By some quirk of fate, it would seem the New Lady Button—"

"She's no lady, and no button." Fanny spoke up from the opposite of James, a look of slight annoyance on her face as she corrected the man.

"Well, whoever she is, she can now both see and hear us, which opens up some intriguing possibilities — chiefly the potential for a full-fronts assault." Captain continued. "Order them to leave. Face-to-face."

"Yes!" Mary called out suddenly in agreement from beside James, causing the man to jump. "Well, conversings with the dead be witchcraft. People been burned at the stake for less." She said as a cloud of smoke erupted from the top of her head.

"Well, she's not really doing that though, is she?" James shrugged from where he sat, arms crossed.

"Exactly." Thomas agreed before a look of slight sadness washed over his features. "She may give ear to my overtures, but alas, she is yet to respond... to any of us."

"She spoke to me." Robin pointed at himself causing all eyes to him.

"What? No, she did not." Thomas disagreed with furrowed eyebrows.

"Did." Robin nodded. "Said..." he let out a similar scream to what Alison did earlier.

"That- that's not..." James shook his head looking toward the caveman. "That's not a word, Robin"

"'Tis. I had a cousin, that's all he said." James raised his eyebrows with slight surprise before turning to the banging which came from upstairs.

"Will he shut the fuck up? I've got a ghost headache." James muttered as he gripped a hold of his head. A hand gave him a small pat on the shoulder.

"She's not conversing because Mr Sledgehammer up there has convinced her we are just figments of her imagination, which is why we need a change of tactics. We work in shifts and campaign of attrition. Guerilla war." Captain nodded toward them all as he removed his hand from James's shoulder.

Robin shook his head looking toward him. "Gorilla always win."

"No, he said— I give up." The Detective shook his head once again.

"Why is it always about war with you?" Pat anxiously laughed as he looked toward him. Both James and Captain scoffed at the question, the man was literally a war captain. "What's wrong with a nice 'hello'? Maybe show them around. Then we could all sit down and have a nice friendly chat about this whole hotel business."

"Is it nice to be friendly." Kitty smiled with her usual happiness which could brighten up any room.

"Ideally more than friendly.." Thomas muttered, daydreaming.

"Befriended by you lot?" Captain looked around at the group. "I can't think of anything more annoying. In fact, you know what? Do that! Yeah, good plan. That'll send them running."

"Perhaps I should handle the negotiations." Julian spoke up causing Pat and Robin to move to face him. They all looked at him with disbelief and confusion. "Well, I did, after all, resolve the Arabian crisis of '91."