Missing Piece

Chapter Three

I am standing in front of the Hotel Obsidian, wearing my hood and holding a coffee in one hand. I finish it and toss it in the trash bin and walk into the hotel, feeling a sense of familiarity since I spend quite a lot of time here when I just want to get away from the siblings drama and the stress of the missions, or the media and the fans. I am treated like everyone else when I stroll through the hallways here. I walk over to the counter and spot Mr. Pennycrumb. I ring the bell and begin petting the puppy. He was happy to see me, as I could see his tail wagging.

"Miss. V is good to see you again," I heard, and when I looked up, I could see Chet already standing in front of me. I smiled at him.

"Chet I have told you it is just V, and I know it has been a while. I just need a break. Could I get my usual room?" I ask as I take out two hundred bucks and place them on the counter. Chet nods, grabbing the money and turning to get my room key and handling it to me. I take a hold of it and pet Mr. Pennycrumb one last time. "Thank you, Chet."

"My pleasure, V. The Obsidian is always happy to host you." I smiled and blinked to my room. Leaving the key on the table, I took off my jacket and placed it on a chair. I looked out the window and closed the blinds, knowing the view was a Sparrow poster. I lay on the bed, breathing out, unsure of my next move. Should I seek solace in a drink or surrender to the warmth of the sauna? The latter won—the sauna. At least there, I didn't have to worry about Alphonso complaining about his face or seeing Fei's scars. I undressed, put on a bathrobe, grabbed a towel, and headed toward the sauna.

As I left the room, I turned and bumped into someone. It was Vanya; her eyes widened in shock, and so did mine.

"V?"

"Vanya?"

"Shit, did you guys come for a second round?" I looked at her, confused.

"Mmm... well, no... at least not while I'm just wearing a bathrobe." She took in my appearance. "I'm actually heading to the sauna; wanna come?"

"Wait... what... mmm, no thank you, but I don't get it. How did you find us, and why aren't you looking for a fight?"

"I mean, do you want us to fight?" I asked, leaning on the door behind me.

"No."

"Good, because neither do I. As for your first question, I'll just call it coincidence or destiny. I'm not sure, but I'm a regular at the Obsidian; it's the only place where I can have some personal time without being bothered by my siblings or the fans."

She nodded, and we remained in awkward silence for a while until she spoke again. "You really not looking for a fight?"

"No, I'm not, Vanya. I have to mention that my siblings—some hot-headed ones—do want to kick your asses again. But I just want to relax first, then get some answers from you all before deciding whether to fight or not."

"Makes sense, I guess."

I nodded and smiled at her. "So where are you headed, since you don't want to come to the sauna?"

"To take a walk and think of what to do. I really don't want to fight you guys again. Listen, you have something we need."

"And what would that be?"

"A briefcase."

"A what?"

"Yes, a black briefcase that helps us travel in time to get back to 2019. We need it back. Did you see it by any chance?"

Yes, I had, but she didn't need to know that yet. "No, sorry, but I'll keep an eye out for it." She smiled and prepared to leave.

"Vanya, if you want to make an impact on the Sparrows, I recommend you speak with Marcus; he wants to keep you guys under his control."