The hotel that Gulf found for Nina is a definite downgrade from the Mandarin Oriental. The room is smaller, but there's a queen size bed, a mini bar, and free cable and internet. In other words, perfect for your run of the mill tourist.
Not that Nina's complaining. She knows perfectly well that Gulf wasn't obligated to help her in the first place and the fact that he did is something she should be grateful for. At the very least, no one has tried to kill her in this place. Yet.
Before Gulf took her to the hotel, she only took a backpack with a couple of days worth of clothes, her passport, wallet, and her phone. She'd given her laptop, along with everything related to the files on the USB to Silo, who had taken them back to Pattaya. Before he left Silo had told her that this time she should stay the hell out of sight. And this time, Nina had listened.
A whirlwind of emotions has been chasing through her head for days. Usually, Nina can tamp down these emotions, bury them until she has time to deal with them. Only she never has time to deal with them. Until now, sitting awake and alone in the middle of the night in a three star hotel room.
She pushes people away.
She craves control.
Is that why she's in the mess she's in now? If she'd been completely honest about everything from the start, would she have the bruises on her neck and a target painted on Bel's back as well as hers? Or if she'd stayed in New York and just taken the USB to her superiors instead of running away to Thailand, would there even be a target on her back in the first place?
Nina knows these are questions that can't be answered now, because of choices, she's already made. But that doesn't mean they don't chase around in her head all the time. For now, she's safe. For now, there are other people who are looking after both her and Bel. For now, there really is not much else she can do.
Only Silo and Gulf know where Nina's hotel is.
Only Silo and Gulf know which hotel room is hers.
So why is someone at her door right now?
The digital clock next to the bed reads midnight, and Nina can't stop the shiver that runs down her spine. She's ready this time, standing behind the door as it opens and a man comes in. Nina lets him close the door before she tackles him, throwing them both bodily to the floor.
The man gasps as the air is knocked out of his lungs, and Nina presses her forearm hard against his windpipe. Her assailant is squirming underneath her, and she pushes her forearm harder against his throat. Any minute now, he'll pass out. Any minute...
"T--Tink--"
The syllables are forced from her attackers lips, and Nina freezes, just for half a second. Long enough to hear him try to speak a second time.
"Tin...ker...bell..."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nina's arm goes slack. She scrambles off the man who attacked her. He pulls himself upright, sucking in air like his life depends on it, which it does.
"What did you say?"
Nina turns on the lights, then stares at the man on the floor--someone it was probably not a good idea for her to antagonize.
Kam's eyes look like burned coffee, and they're shooting daggers in Nina's direction. "I said, 'Tinkerbell, get your fucking hands off me'."
Fair enough.
"How did you get up to my room?" Nina asks.
"I told them I was your fiance and locked my key card in your room," Kam's voice is flat, but his eyes are stressed. "Night porter was stupid enough to believe me. I found you because you share your location with Bel, which is equally stupid, considering the circumstances, but actually helpful tonight. Someone put a bullet hole in your brother, and he told me I had to find you. Do you have any more questions or can we go now?"
