i hired a hitman on myself // joshler [✓]

XIV

after the near heart-attack inducing experience, ashley gave me directions to a properly located motel in my hometown. it was better to have a place to stay than to live in petes car.

it was a 45 minute drive, but i made it in one piece and parked the car in the rather empty parking lot. i put my phone in my jean pocket and walked in to be greeted with a vacant common area and a blonde-haired woman at the front desk.

i went over and set my stuff down only to look up and find her big blue eyes warmly welcoming me,
"hello! and welcome to the colombus motel! how long will you be staying?" she asked me.

"3 days, give or take." i informed her, she nodded and began typing something into the computer. she then turned to look at me again,

"that'll be 300$." she stated, i took out the money and handed it to her in all cash, she looked rather surprised but took the money anyway.

afterwards, she handed me a room key that said "2-93" engraved into the metal of the key, "enjoy your stay," she smiled, "and if you need anything, call room service."

i thanked her kindly and took the elevator to the second floor in search of room 93. once i found it, i used the key to unlock it and walked in to find a rather spacious room.

there was one bed, a small tv that was on a dresser against wall and across from the bed. the kitchen was conjoined with the living area and it was fairly small, but i didn't mind seeing as i wasn't staying long. also, there was a small hallway that was opposite from the kitchen that lead to the bathroom.

i locked the door behind me and set down my stuff next to the bed, while then proceeding to collapsing on the bed, letting the rather soft yet springy mattress to catch my fall.

"hey josh? you in?" i heard ashleys muffled voice from my pocket. i took out my phone and laid it next to me on my bed and stretched a bit.

"yeah i'm in." i told her, immediately after that, she spoke up again, in a rather confused and frenzied tone.

"something weirds happening." she informed me, "tylers trackers acting up."

"what do you mean?" i stopped my stretching session, now interested in what she had to say.

"it says he's in one place one minute," i heard keyboard clicking from her end of the line, "and then when i refresh it, he's in a completely new location."

"well it's showing you where he is," i didn't understand her concern, "isn't that what trackers do?"

"well yeah," she dumbfounded my question, "but it should show me him traveling and his movements. instead it just freezes and doesn't show me him moving from place to place." ashley further explained.

"hm, that's weird," i agreed, "but could it be that your computers lagging?" i suggested to her, she sighed.

"maybe... but i don't know." she still wasn't convinced, but still proceeded to move on from the topic at hand.

after a minute or two of silence, a question popped into my head, "hey ashley?" i sat up from my previous laying position, "you said you were a guide for the deep web, right?"

"yeah...?" confusion raised in her tone, "why?" she pursued the conversation.
"well... you've only been guiding me for the last few days-- n-not that i'm complaining but--"

i was cut off by her chucking, "business is slow, josh. it's not everyday people just happen to stumble upon deep web." she explained.

i laughed a bit too, "i guess that's true." i agreed. i stood up and decided to walk over to the kitchen in hopes of finding food, but to no avail. the inside fridge was empty, i assumed i needed to call room service for food.

i sighed and decided against eating for the night, so i got back into the bed and rested my head on the pillow,

"hey ashley, i'm gonna get some shuteye, if anything happens, you know where to find me." i took a deep breath and shut my eyes.

there was nothing said from her end of the line,
"ashley?" i yawned, awaiting a response from the other line.

"huh? oh okay. goodnight josh." ashley finally answered, her voice sounding very uncertain, almost distracted.

i didn't think too much of it, i was more glad to hear that she was still with me on the phone. and so i put my phone on the nightstand next to the bed and got comfortable afterwards.

i knew i needed as much sleep as possible if i wanted to outplay a hitman.