[of our own device]

Who: Justice, Katya, Nisha and Cameron
When: 6:40 pm
Where: the other elevator car!

Justice’s schedule had gotten off track again. Although, as he’d often pondered during his decades here, what difference did it make when he did what? He’d slept most of the day away, and after getting up and taking a cursory shower—his hair was barely toweled dry and stood up damp and spiky on his head, and he hadn’t bothered to shave his scruff, but he was clean enough—he’d left his room and padded down to the elevator. Time for some food. It was dinnertime, but he hadn’t eaten since about 2 a.m. He didn’t especially care what he had, but he was feeling a bit overdue for nourishment of some sort.

There were other people getting onto the elevator when he did, but he wouldn’t have to endure them for that long, Justice thought as he got on last and poked at the button for the first floor, which was already lit up. He was aware that punching the damn thing wouldn’t make the door close faster, but he always felt inclined to do it anyway. Finally the door eased closed and the elevator started to move. It was business as usual until, with an abrupt jolt, the car stopped halfway down and the lights went out, leaving them illuminated by a faint red glow.

Justice, with his superior sense of patience, rammed the heel of his hand into the control panel. “C’mon, fucker,” he demanded.

Who: Seth, Finely, Lucien, Lina
When: 6:40ish
Where: one of the elevator cars

Any time at all spent doing nothing - just being lazy and trying not to deal with her current situation - made Lina feel restless. The absolute worst kind of restless, too, and one that physically affected her. It got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore, and if she wasn't trying to figure out how the hell to get out of here, she was still trying to keep busy. So she had decided to go to the gym. Nevermind the fact that she'd been there for two hours this morning, working out just made her feel better. She'd changed into her work-out clothes, went downstairs to grab a bottle of water, and headed back to the elevator. She didn't pay any attention to the other three who got on with her, just hit the two and waited. The doors slid closed, and Lina would have guessed they were damn near directly between floors when there was a boom and the elevator stopped dead. Things went dark and the car wobbled slightly, and Lina instinctively backed into the corner and readied herself for a drop.

It didn't come. Nothing happened. The lights had gone out, the dimmest of red lights popping on instead. The car didn't move. The world seemed deathly silent without the hum of electricity. Lina sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling. "Ah, fuck."

WHO. Daniel, Ashling & Aiden
WHERE. Lobby
WHEN. Early Morning

Daniel didn't park the car well, but then, when dizzy from blood-loss and heat and panic, parking wasn't the strongest concern. The hotel had appeared as a God send and Daniel was muttering beneath his breath, every prayer he could think of to Jesucristo and all of the Saints. He managed to push the car door open and he stumbled out of it, leaving his bag in the car. He hit the lock on his keys right before hitting his knees, dust and sand pluming up into the air. Blood dripped down his hand and he groaned, pushing himself up as he staggered towards the glass doors at the hotel entrance.

He didn't want them to call the police. If they called the police, he was going to go to jail. He had drugs in his car. Money in his car. If he went to jail, he'd be killed there. The cartel would find him and kill him. He wasn't important enough to bail out. Not even if Rodrigo had managed to make it out.

Rodrigo. His brother.

He fell down in front of the doors and turned over onto his back. His shoulder was throbbing, leaking blood onto the sand. He felt the sun beat down, the heat unbearable.

Was this Hell? He deserved it.

"Dios te salve, Maria, llena eres de gracia..."

WHO. Finley, Christine, Jai, and Charlie
WHERE. Main Lobby/Front Desk
WHEN. Early Evening

( She was thrilled to know that she was so close to shelter; she wasn't even paying attention to where she was stepping. )