Unknown

6- Lost and Found

I woke up on fresh white sheets the next morning.
Am I back at the hotel? Was this all just a terrible dream?
No.
"Hello Trouble." A warm and almost too familiar voice drew my attention. It was Quel.
I yawned, ignoring her. "Where am I? Don't tell me my lungs burst again."
"Haha, very funny." She teased, smoothing the sheets at the foot of the bed and sitting down.
I was in an all white room - white sheets, curtains, walls- with polished wooden floors and a couple of tidy little wooden cupboards and a dresser.
I stretched my arms out beside me and only then realised what I was wearing.
"What the hell is this?"
"You're just full of questions aren't you Mick."
Clinging to my skin horribly, I flung the sheets off my legs to reveal a pair of black tights over my boxers and a granny style night gown that only reached my thighs.
I instantly felt my cheeks growing hot.

"The others took all the suitable 'guys' stuff I had, this is all that was left."
She smiled, holding back a laugh.

"But what about my luggage? My clothes were in there!"

"Couldn't find the key."
"What do you mean? Someone should have woken me up! Wait!  Who dressed me in these?" My cheeks grew hotter and I could tell I'd gone red.
"You did."
"Oh so I was 'awake' enough to dress myself up but not to find the key to my luggage? Sure."

I heard footsteps coming around the corner and towards the door.

Tirrean, Hayes, Billy, and Tony (all dressed in my clothes, from my luggage) came running in, laughing and screaming hysterically.

Yep, this is just what I need.

"Care for some breakfast, Nan?"
Tony, the international idiot, cooed.
"Granny can't get up, her back's weak," Billy nudged Tony and said quietly, in a 'concerned' voice. "Don't worry, we'll bring you breakfast."
"Maybe some porridge? Ol' Toothless left her dentures at home." Hayes added.

I felt paralyzed. I couldn't move. I couldn't even blink.
They continued to roar hysterically and even Quel couldn't resist a chuckle.

"Alright. I think he's-"
"She's." Tony interrupted.
"He's had enough," Quel said. "You guys go downstairs, I'll find him some clothes."
I jumped out of bed like I was 'young again' and ran after the boys.
"I know where to find my clothes."

"Careful, Nanna, wouldn't want you to break another hip." Tony called over his shoulder, though he was still running for his life.

Just wait till I get my hands on you.

I tried to run faster but struggled horribly. Tights are so fricking uncomfortable.

I ran around another corner to find the door to Quel's suite open.
The boys had gone.

I thought for a minute. It was about 6:00am. Not that many people would be up and about. At least not at the hotel I was at.
Just go for it.
But first..
I peeled the tights off and let the cool air hit my bare legs.

A few minutes later and we were all sat around a large round table (dressed appropriately) at a breakfast buffet bar in the hotel.

"Mm. Haven't had a breakfast like this in a while." Tirrean said, holding his tummy but staring longingly at the empty plate in front of him.
"Well I sure hope it was worth it." Billy said, staring scaredly at the bill.
"It's on Quel." I winked at her.
"Um, no it's not."
"Seriously, I didn't bring any cash."
"Spent it all on booze did you?"
"Er, I haven't got anything on me either." Hayes said, feeling his pockets.
The others seemed to be in the same situation.
Quel rolled her eyes. "You're such gentlemen." And she went to the desk to pay.

"Awh, Nana forgot her purse." Billy hit Tony's arm lightly and said.
"Seriously, what the hell happened last night? With the clothes I mean."
"We wanted to get back at you for cutting the night short." Hayes shrugged.
"Well, nice timing." I smiled sarcastically.
I'd just been thrown out of my hotel, meaning all my money was burnt, and now we were 'squatting' in my almost ex girlfriend's hotel suite just down the road. Perfect

"Let's just focus on getting the files, and get out of here." I grumbled. "I'm sick of this place."
"You sure?" Tirrean raised his eyebrows.
I wasn't.

Quel came back. "You owe me £20 each. And you sir," she placed her hands on the arms of my chair and lent in till her face was right in front of mine. "Owe me a new pair of tights."
I flashed my usual cheeky smile. "You'll get your twenty quid."

She smirked and drew away from the chair.
The others' eyes were all trained on us.
"What?" I said under my breath.
"Nothing." Hayes said and made a face.
Honestly.
I shook my head. We got up and left the restaurant.

Tirrean and Billy took a head start upstairs, but the remaining four of us decided to have a look around.
Our last stop was the pool.
"We have to come back here. Maybe later today?" Quel smiled.

Why was I even talking to her? As far as I was concerned, I wanted nothing more to do with her. So why now, was I comfortably eating breakfast and walking around a hotel with her?

"Um, no. We can't."
"Why not?"
"Look who's full of questions now. We have to get back on top of things. We're falling behind."
"Ugh. More of that stupid gang business." She sighed.

It wasn't stupid gang business. Thomas had lost his life because of this and we would be next if we didn't get a move on. And she had the nerve.. 

"Mick?" She tapped me. I shrugged her off and we carried on walking.

Hayes and Tony were happily chatting and laughing behind us.

I fell back and joined them while Quel stormed ahead.
"Hey, what's up man?" Hayes questioned.
"Nothing. I just, I don't want to hang around here anymore. Not with her."
"What changed your mind?"

Well for a start, I was 100% drunk last night, meaning I'd have done just about anything to find a place to sleep. And, being so drunk, I completely forgot I was trying to distance myself from Quel.

"I just really don't want to fall back in love with her."

Why did I say that?

She stopped.
I didn't realise she could hear us!

Turns out she couldn't.

"Stupid what, Princess?" Soyer and Cameron were behind her, armed.
"Thanks sweetheart," Soyer kissed her forehead then shoved her aside, making her lose her balance and fall.
"Just the men we're after."

"Oh, crap!" Billy sighed.
Quel struggled to her feet only to be tripped up again by Soyer. Jerk
I reached for her hand but Cameron stopped me.
"Ah ah. I wouldn't."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"She's coming with us."
I looked at Quel. She looked at the floor.
"Quel? You're with them?"
She didn't speak.
"You know what, screw you. You're a waste of time anyway."
I could see my words had hurt her, but to be honest, I was probably more hurt than she was. She was on their side? How? My chest burned with fury and it spread throughout my body and heated up my veins.

"So what, you're just gonna shoot us dead?"
"Do you want to die quickly or painlessly?" Soyer said tediously, reloading his gun.
I rolled my eyes.
"Only joking. No need for any of this. Whole hotel's going up in flames in a minute."
"What?!"
"Dont think we didn't clock your friends upstairs. None of you are getting out alive."
"Just came back to take what's mine."
Soyer threw an arm around Quel and drew her in.
I suddenly felt ill.
"Just giving you a little experience."
"What?" Hayes demanded.
"Well, you're gonna need some practice for hell. Heard it's pretty tough."
"Yeah, you would know."
"Did Satan himself come to tell you that?"
"Naah, he came to ask if he could be his heir." Tony muttered to me and Hayes, purposefully loudly.
Though this was no time for jokes, I couldn't help but laugh. Tony was a complete and total fool, but he was a funny one.

I heard someone pouring a great mass of liquid and then yell "Light it!" from around the corner, and in an instant, fire arose from the corridoor.
"Hell, yeah?" I laughed. "See you there!"