marcus_or_ellis (marcus_or_ellis) wrote in _fracture_, @ 2014-01-17 23:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | chapter 1, ellis, marian, the regent hotel |
Charm to spare
Who: Ellis and Marian
When: Late afternoon
Where: Halls, elevator
Nothing seemed wrong when Ellis first woke up, though he would’ve needed help noticing if the bed was on fire with how he was feeling. There was a vague hangover from the previous night’s drinks, a delicious ache in his muscles from the woman he’d shared them with, and once the sleep was rubbed from his eyes? Far less confusion than he should’ve felt. Sure, it wasn’t his room, or even a room that looked anything like the hotel he and Caleb had checked into. But for all Ellis knew, he’d stumbled into a cab with… whatever her name had been, and ended up at her hotel instead.
That was a theory he could’ve bought more readily if there was a her anywhere in sight, or any signs of another person sharing the room at all. Sadly, it was also a theory that didn’t even touch on Ellis’ mind until halfway into his shower, making him belatedly realize he’d passed one bag in the room itself, and it was his. Once he knew something was off? He started getting together fast, almost fast enough to make up for wasted time. He cleaned and dried off, emptied his bag on the bed, inventoried all of it.
Clothes and shoes that were definitely his, his pistol, bullets, camera, nose candy, and a fresh carton of cigarettes? It was like he’d packed this himself, except Ellis knew otherwise. His gun had been in the car, after all… But for whatever answers he lacked, the waiting note from the people apparently running this place didn’t help one bit. The Regent Hotel, and an extended stay? That just sounded bad. So, freshly dressed and packing his cigarettes sharply against one palm, Ellis ducked out into the hall with the slightest hesitation before he fumbled through locking his door, then started to his right determinedly.
Panic was the first feeling. Marian had woken up and things didn't feel right. This wasn't her apartment. This wasn't right. She'd almost crumbled under it. Almost. But just as she did with everything, she moved on. She shoved the concern down, digging into a suitcase she didn't remember packing and getting dressed. She had a pretty floral dress, converse and a beanie, and then let her curiosity take over. That note? Very curious. Meet her neighbors? That had potential.
So Marian set out. She was covering floors, looking at the decorations, working her way to the main floor. She'd stopped a few floors down from hers, just stepping out of the elevator when he came out of his room. He was the first person she'd seen and instantly she froze, nervously tugging at her hair, wondering what he would do next or if he'd notice her.
It really did seem like Ellis had stepped back in time as he studied the hallway around him, moving for what he hoped was an elevator. And hope was confirmed as he heard the little chime preceding the doors, then saw his first sign of life within the Regent. “I’ll hazard a guess that you don’t work here,” Ellis greeted with an easy smile curling his lips before he tucked a cigarette between them. “All the same, you’re quite a sight to see… you my guiding angel, maybe?” he teased, sucking down an errant curl of smoke as the familiar charms flowed over Ellis effortlessly.
Marian found herself rooted in her space, staring at him. Angel? Was she? She looked over her shoulder, sure he didn't mean her. His smile was intoxicating, the kind of thing that curled in her stomach, and made her cheeks pink at that alone. "I don't work here," she finally managed.
That had his lips purse tight in amusement, one hand raising to both cover the expression and pluck the cigarette away as llis breathed in the smoke. He was waking up, though a drink wouldn’t have hurt the process. But… this definitely wasn’t where he’d been; even without windows, the climate felt wrong. “And you got a note in your room?” he ventured, wondering just how many ‘neighbors’ were waiting.
“Well, in the spirit of playing along in strange damn days,” Ellis offered, intent on Marian as he took a few steps closer to offer his free hand, “I’m Ellis, 214.” He jabbed a thumb back at his door, head turning for a drag off his smoke.
"I did," Marian said, still somewhat staring at him. There was something about him. He sparked a thousand questions in her mind with a look alone, but the same look left her speechless. When he offered her his hand though, something kicked in, the friendly waitress perhaps and she took it, smiling despite the blush that wouldn't go away. "Marian. I'm up a couple floors. I was exploring."
He’d been wondering how long it might take for the daze to snap, but Ellis wasn’t going to say anything. It was as deliberate on his part as it could’ve been. She looked like she could be fun… “Find anything so far beyond more rooms?” he asked, withdrawing his hand, “Like a window, maybe?” The where of all this, that was nagging at him. Was this some cartel shit?
“Just rooms so far. All the floors look like this one, like something out of a different decade,” Marian told him, trying her best to sound more knowledgeable and comfortable with the situation than she was. He seemed to value the information she could give and maybe she could learn more from him. He seemed liked someone who would know something.
“Yeah, I kinda thought I’d wandered into the wrong hotel at first,” Ellis agreed, “Then the wrong year. Had to wonder if I was going soft in the head…” Obviously not, unless Marian was a very convincing hallucination. “And if you’re exploring, how’s the company of a total stranger sound?” he asked then, giving a brighter, more charm-focused grin. “No telling what’s down the next few floors after all, I’d be lax letting you go off into it all by your lonesome.”
“You were in a hotel?” Marian asked. She hadn’t been. She’d been at home, but then suddenly wasn’t. “I’m fairly certain we’re not dreaming. Or I’m not dreaming. I’ve pinched myself enough times just to make sure.” She hadn’t quite made her mind up if she wanted company while she was exploring, but that smile was just too damn nice to say no to. “There hasn’t been anything worthy of concern yet, but you’re more than welcome to join me.”
One thing Ellis liked to pride himself on was knowing when to skip a line. Things like “I could give one more pinch” were just beneath him, too obvious and lacking in any style. You saved stuff like that for the post-coital jokes, not the time convincing a woman that you were safe company. Though, to be fair? Ellis mostly was. “Yeah, I was on a road trip,” he said instead as he returned his smoke to his lips, “Heading down to Arizona. Where’d you get swept up from?”
Marian headed back towards the elevator, unconsciously trying to smooth the parts of her hair that were trying to escape from the beanie. “My apartment. At least that’s where I remember going to sleep last night. Because it was the first day this week I wasn’t falling asleep at my desk.” She’d been busy with work, picking up the slack for a coworker on vacation and as a result was pulling double duty, but the night before she’d definitely managed to get home. She remembered that. And then she woke up here. “What was in Arizona?”
“You a reporter or something?” he asked, giving a cheshire grin as he moved with Marian towards the elevator, easy in his stride despite the situation. “Just a tease, angel,” Ellis assured her with a little shake of his head, “But I was going down for some legal matters, gotta have the right permits to conduct business along the border. Bail bondsman business, since I’m betting you’ll ask.”
“Well, actually,” Marian said, smiling, but it went straight to blushing when he called her angel. Yes, he’d referred to her as such, but to use it like that? So easily? Who did that? No one she knew. She tugged at a loose strand of her hair again smiling slightly. “I’d think you’d get more people trying to jump bail along the border,” she said, gently giving him room to tell her more without asking a question. “Seems...counter intuitive.”
Ellis laughed when she confirmed her career, eyes twinkling with clear amusement. He could make it infectious, but doubted he’d have to try when he saw Marian’s cheeks flush. “Most people do try it down there,” he told her, nodding lightly at Marian’s thoughts, “Which is why I register with local sheriffs and make sure I’ve got insurance in the state for my agents.” They always ran for the borders, north or south, and if Ellis could keep the law playing nice? Caleb always caught his targets.
Marian smiled and nodded even if she didn’t make eye contact with him. He was charming, and she was starting to think that looking directly at him was like staring into the sun. “Agents?” she asked, not sure on the finer points of bail bondsmanship.
“Bounty hunters,” he clarified, the smile turning to a smirk for a moment as Ellis stepped into the elevator. “It sounds a little less rough to say ‘agents’, right? Or ‘skip tracers’ maybe. Anything that doesn’t conjure up the kind of guy who hunts an escaped convict.” Because Caleb may have had their family looks on his side, but the others weren’t ever going to win a beauty contest.
Marian chuckled a little to herself, following him on the elevator and pushing the button for the lobby. “I suppose it does sound better. Of course all I think about is those guys with the long hair and leather vests from the tv show,” she said with a smirk, looking over at him and hoping to get another one of those charming smiles.
“Some contractors do go for that look,” Ellis confirmed, leaning back against the elevator wall almost invitingly. “No one I employ, though. It’s professional work, given that it’s my investment on the run.” And his ‘investors’, but that wasn’t something for polite company. Or a reporter. “And it’s usually pretty boring on my side, case in point; going to Arizona for insurance licensing.”
He had to wonder if maybe he shouldn’t be so at ease here, so ready to stop the elevator and… Ellis gave up the smile she was hoping for, imagining a very different way the next few minutes could go as he grinned at her. “So the reporting. Freelance or affiliate somewhere?” he asked, feeling the floors shift beneath them as the elevator dropped.
Marian couldn’t help the fact that she was drinking in the sight of him, just lounging lazily like that, like everything about him screamed for her to drift closer. And she got a step or so there, turning so she was facing him more and a step closer. “Boring except you’re dealing with criminals. Or are you the type to only bail out bored housewives arrested for shoplifting?” He might be the type. And everything about him screamed that he could just clean up if that was what he wanted. Then he was smiling again and Marian didn’t quite care if he’d slept with every convict that came through his doors. “Local paper,” she said, ducking her head a little to hide some of the blush. “I mostly do boring stuff, but they’ve started letting me cover concerts, so there’s that.” She shrugged a little, but there was something in her tone that said she was proud of herself. When she didn’t think she was going to graduate from college, she’d started to worry she’d never made it. But she’d persevered and actually had some measure of success.
“Every reporter starts with the boring stuff,” he teased warmly, tipping his head back to look Marian over and drink in the blush she was hiding, “But you never know when it’ll get interesting. Here and now qualifies, don’t you think?” Or it could if he wanted, most likely. But this was probably a perfect example of when not to get caught with his pants down. “And you’ve got me, I do deal with criminals, but not on a close level. I… give them an interest rate or approve collateral. Opposite of exciting.”
His eyes ticked away from Marian to the numbers over the door, watching the ‘2’ drop away. “If there’s any trouble down here, stay back, okay?” Chivalrous, especially for a guy who’d left his gun back in his room. But Ellis wasn’t expecting trouble. This wasn’t like the people he knew.
“That’s what they keep saying,” Marian said with a smirk. “And it’s going somewhere, I’m just happy I’ve gotten this far.” She looked up at him when he explained his job, shaking her head. “I think you’re downplaying it,” she told him with a tiny smile. She did raise an eyebrow at him when he offered to protect her, but she didn’t fight it. She just nodded and shifted, moving back so that when the doors opened, he could easily move in front of her. “You really think there’ll be trouble? Nothing seems to indicate that.”
“I don’t know there will be, but that’s no reason to go in lazy,” Ellis explained, moving into the space she’d freed up and lingering close as the elevator descended. “Can’t be a small effort to move people around like this, so even if there’s not a threat? It’s worth staying sharp and sticking together. You said you were up on the fifth floor?” It wouldn’t hurt to know in case this place was safe and Ellis wanted distraction; and it was always easier to sneak out than to share his own space.
That sort of changed everything about how she was thinking about the situation. It had been just a thing but now it seemed like a bad thing and Marian felt the fear and panic she’d felt when she woke up rise in her. She forced herself to try and take a few slow breaths, focusing on his question, which she had to admit seemed out of place, but needing something to keep her mind working that would do. “Fourth floor. Four-oh-two.”
“Got it,” Ellis confirmed with a little nod, set on the details now. And one way or another he’d pay a visit, he just hoped it was the kind that ended with a shared smoke. He held anything else as the elevator doors chimed in time with the carriage stopping, tensing a little as the doors pulled back to reveal… “Huh,” he offered, frowning at the sight of an apparently-mundane lobby. “I think I was expecting worse, but it… kinda looks like that note might’ve been legit.”
Seemed a strange thing for him to want to know, but Marian didn’t focus on that. Instead she looked past him, then moved past him, hand trailing along his lower back as she walked into the lobby and looked around. “I think you’re overreacting.” She found the whole thing puzzling though, the way it looked like it came out of a black and white movie only it wasn’t in black and white. “What part of the note was legit? That we’re guests in a weird hotel?”
“The hotel part,” Ellis answered, quelling a smile at the feel of her hand. He was easy with how he caught her own before it trailed too far, keeping some measure of closeness. “Guest implies an invite and acceptance, this is kidnapping. Retro or not…” he trailed as they moved, “Wouldn’t be surprised to see a shoeshine and a cigarette stand. My folks had pictures of places like this.” Which, kidnapping aside, just made it all feel benign somehow. “We shouldn’t be here long anyway, this is something of an area of expertise for my people. They’ll be looking.” Caleb would be looking.
Marian looked back at her hand in his, surprised, but she didn’t pull back. How could she? That was a nice and she didn’t want it to stop. “An area of expertise for your people? Finding missing people?” She considered that then shook her head. “Right bounty hunters. Makes sense.” Marian’s focus was back on the room lobby again, taking it in slowly. “I’m looking for a fifties starlet really. I keep expecting one to come around the corner in a fancy fur coat and gorgeous dress.”
“Don’t know I could manage much for expectations,” Ellis confessed, glancing back over his shoulder to look for any vantage behind them. “But so far I won’t complain over what’s in front of me.” Not when it started with Marian and led to both a front desk in the lobby and what had to be doors out. To where, who knew, but it was more information to work with. But if he ran, did he take her with? Or ‘scout’ ahead without? “How brave we feeling?” Ellis asked almost quizzically, fixing a little smile on Marian before glancing from desk to doorway.
Marian looked over her shoulder to see him smiling at her and realize he was standing behind her. Which meant her. At least somewhat maybe. “You want to try leaving?” she asked, looking towards the doors, and then back at him. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to figure out where we are…”
“Leaving or ringing the desk bell, yeah,” Ellis confirmed, thumb brushing along the back of Marian’s hand before he continued. “Seems like the options we’ve got right now, angel. Look outside, find Lurch or whoever runs this spot, or… head back upstairs. Show me your room,” he listed off, the smile Ellis wore turning devilishly intoxicating with the last option. This wasn’t cartel, but he wasn’t going to expect it to be so easy that he could literally walk out the front door and leave. ‘Guest’ meant someone wanted him here, Marian too.
Marian wasn't proud of it, but she shivered a tiny bit when his thumb grazed over her hand like that. It was something so tiny, but so more than strangers. His options made total sense, at least until the last one and she was staring at that smile, cheeks heating up pink, eyes wide. For a long moment she forgot how to speak. She knew that she should suggest that they ring the front desk bell or look outside, but when he smiled like that and said what he said, she wanted that option. That wasn't really like her, but men like him didn't smile at her like that. That was once in a lifetime right? Maybe not but when she found her words, they weren't the right decision but what she wanted. And Marian rarely asked for what she wanted. "I could..." She started, hoping he'd take on the rest and move them in a direction that wasn't her rooted where she stood.
“I’m just gonna take a peek outside, and if it’s not any worse than in here? We could try for some roof access. I like a view,” he shared, stepping back with that same easy grin as his fingers threaded hers before parting. He’d have to be careful, but… Ellis was never too careful. Where was the fun in that? “Try the bell, I’ll be back in two.”
“Pretty sure the roof isn’t the view you really want,” Marian said, watching him go and surprised that she’d found her voice again. Maybe it was just as easy to shove the flabbergasted as well as the scared and the nervous. She watched him as she headed towards the front desk.
Ellis’ smile bunched wide at that, genuine amusement lighting his eyes up as he gave a slight laugh. “Some ladies might find that flattering,” he shot back lightly, plucking his smokes from his coat. Ellis tucked one in his lips with a little wink at Marian, turning for the door out of the hotel. How bad could it be?
“I never said I didn’t,” Marian countered, though her cheeks were hot pink as she said it. She had her voice but there was no way he didn’t make her blood boil a little. She was smiling though as she leaned on the counter and rang the bell, looking past the front desk to see if there was anyone further behind it and out of most views.
He didn’t come back, and all Ellis knew in those first few minutes was confusion. From the front door to who knew where, the only thing that seemed reliable? Was that it was worse out there, even if it only lead back.
No one came to the desk right away, giving Marian long enough to see Ellis leave through the door. When she looked back though, there was a woman there and Marian jumped out of her skin looking at her. She didn’t say anything, just stood there in an ugly flowery dress waiting on Marian as if she’d been there the whole time. “Oh um…Can you tell me where we are and how we got here?” Marian looked back at where Ellis had gone and was surprised he hadn’t come back.
“You’re at the Regent Hotel,” Sally explained. “And you checked in. As for how you arrived here at the desk I’m assuming the elevator. Can I be of service?”
Marian glanced back, making a face. “That’s not a real answer. I want to know what I’m doing here.” That was weird and frustrating. What had been unclear about her question?
“You’re a guest. And as I’m sure you’ve seen the note we’ve left for our guests, you’re hopefully meeting the other guests.” The woman smiled tightly and Marian nodded.
“I got the note but...that’s it?” she asked getting nothing but a nod from the woman. Marian turned away, looking for Ellis again, not sure if he was coming back or not yet.