DEATHWISH

Chapter 10

11c -- 3:01 am -- March 7th -- 2235 -- Location: The Sun In Motel

Eloise remained silent, catching only the slightest glimpse into the room before the door shut behind them. "What the hell is going on?" she asked cautiously, her eyes drifting down to the gun in Grayson's hand before he swiftly tucked it into the back of his belt. Then, her gaze dropped lower, landing on his blood-stained shoes and the bottom of his jeans.

"This place isn't safe. We had some visitors looking for spare parts," Grayson said coolly. "Care to join us for a little refund with the manager?" Without waiting for a reply, he walked past them, heading for the stairs—choosing not to repeat his earlier painful fall from the ledge.

Eloise shot a concerned look at Anya, who had stayed behind just long enough to process the situation. No words were exchanged, but in a silent agreement, the pair hurried after Grayson and Jalen.

Two rings echoed through the air as they entered the lobby. The same messy desk stood empty, devoid of the clerk who had been there earlier. The lights were completely off, leaving the room in darkness except for the faint blue glow of the computer screen by the entrance. The eerie silence settled in, wrapping around them like a cold, creeping mist.

Even in their determination, Anya, Eloise, and Jalen couldn't shake the unsettling feeling crawling up their spines. It felt as though they had stepped into a horror story, the shadows swallowing them whole. But Grayson? He walked forward without a care in the world, as casual as an Englishman strolling down a gray street on his way to the pub, umbrella in hand to shield him from the threatening rain.

They searched through storage cupboards and narrow corridors leading to more motel rooms before finally arriving at a door near the lobby, slightly tucked away, giving it a sense of secrecy. Grayson reached for the handle, but there was no give—the door remained firmly locked. A small digital screen under the doorknob flashed red as he tried the handle again, offering no comfort.

"Jalen, I think this is your area of expertise," Grayson said, stepping back and leaning against the doorframe. There was a faint sound—something distant and familiar—coming from the other side of the door, but he couldn't quite place it.

Jalen rolled his eyes at the comment, muttering under his breath about how Grayson would still be stuck in the year 2030 if it weren't for him. He approached the door, examining the basic digital lock, then carefully pried off the side panel to reveal a small cluster of wires and circuits.

Anya and Eloise took a seat on the nearby waiting chairs, only a few meters away, watching Jalen work. As they sat, Anya filled Eloise in on everything that had happened, her voice low but urgent, not wanting to overwhelm her but seeing no point in hiding anything anymore.

"What?" Eloise suddenly exclaimed, her voice rising as she stood, walking over to where Grayson and Jalen were. Even in the dim light, the fire in her eyes was unmistakable. "No. No, no, no. We are getting the hell out of here. Why would we go looking for more trouble?" Her voice grew louder with each word, but Grayson quickly raised a finger to his lips, signalling her to quiet down.

"Well, considering they've got Jalen keylogged, we're not going anywhere until we clean up the trail," Grayson said calmly, glancing over at Jalen.

Jalen, crouched and focused on the lock's circuitry, nodded without looking up. "Yeah, pretty much. Miss Gold definitely wouldn't be thrilled if we showed up at the location with a group of low life criminals tracking my data." His eyes briefly flashed a faint green as he continued working.

Grayson saw his opportunity and couldn't resist, a light chuckle escaping him. "Yeah, and God knows Jalen wouldn't want anyone stumbling across his endless hours of downloaded cartoon porn," he teased, giving Jalen's tensed shoulder a playful pat.