Young Writers Society

"After you? He's not hunting...yet. But watch your step or you'll find yourself in the same trap I did; and you won't even know you are until it's far too late. Stay away from my master if you value your life, your soul, your freedom."

Jeanine follows Cornyx. "So where do you come from?" she asks.

"That's a complicated question," he answers. "I'm from a place quite far from here. And you?"

"That sounds good for a suspect profile," Hades agreed with a nod. Though he had dealt with humans - living and dead - before, he admittedly had never helped solve a mystery. Ares and Athena were the ones who had their heads in mystery novels all the time; they would have been better in this situation. But he had watched a couple of mystery movies with the two of them, and his limited knowledge was telling him that Alex was probably the best lead they had.

"Master?" Li He's eyes widened. And here I thought they were friends or dating, or something. So there had been something far darker involved. To think Li He had almost been drawn into Cornyx's whole act.

Then her face hardened into grim resolve. "Thank you. I'll definitely stay away from him. And . . . I'm sorry, if you're unhappy about your . . . situation."

She just nods, face unreadable. "Don't let him know that you've learned; he is no fool...be wary."

She smiled. "Okay. And I'm not a fool, either. I haven't survived for over a hundred years just to be enslaved now."

Li He surveyed the scene once again. She and Raven were alone in the room, and she could see no use remaining here.

"I suppose I should just go back and sit in the lobby, if no one needs me," she commented. "Or maybe I'll go back to my room and lock the door." She glanced at Raven. "Would I be safer if I stayed away from you, too?"

She considers that, her crimson eye dimly luminescent in the dark room. "I shall not harm you...Unless he is near, I am safe."

Li He nodded. "I'm glad. Come on, let's get out of here, then."

She swings open the door, slipping into the hallway without a sound.

Jeanine nods, unsure if she should say anything else.

Jamed gave a half-hearted, "Good," as he led Hades into the kitchen. He hung up his raincoat at the door, and called out for the head chef.

"Ey, Charmane," he waved over to her, catching sight of her looking through the freezers in the kitchen. She looked pretty frustrated as she walked over to James.

"Why isn't the power back up yet?" She asks, visibly perturbed in the dim light of the candles in the room. "And who's this guy?"

"A friend," he replies quickly, "And I'm doing all I can about the power, but I don't think we'll be able to get it back up and running for at least the next 24 hours. The stator's busted on the emergency generator, and the power lines are down."

Charmane throws her hands up in the air. "Well there goes all the frozen foods! The freezers won't run with no power. I don't know how I'm gonna work this out. I pray to God we're not stuck here more than a day or two."

James sighed. He had no solutions for her. "I came here to see about Alex."

"Alex? He left early today, said he wasn't feeling well. You know, of all days."

James furrows his brows and looks at her more closely. Obviously Alex couldn't have left the hotel, since the roads were blocked. "Any idea where he is?"

"He checked out a room, I think." She recalls, putting her hand to her chin. "Why?"

"He lent me some money last week and I owe him. Wanted to pay him back." James lies easily, giving a casual shrug. "Know what room I could go to to give it and drop it off real quick?"

"I think it's second floor, room 53."

"Alright, thanks." James gave her a nod and turned back out into the hall. Once a bit a distance away from the kitchen, he speaks up to Hades.

"Wasn't about to tell her you were Hades the death god. Hope you don't mind."

"Where do you come from?" Cornyx asks Jeanine as they start down the stairs.

((Kara, I know it's technically controlling your character, but I thought it'd speed things up to assume they're heading outside, so...Unless I do something particularly out of character, is it alright if I do it this way?))

((Oh yeah, it's fine if you have her go outside. They ARE both doing so, so I don't mind.))

"A place I never want to go back to," Jeanine answers. "It's the place of all of my nightmares."

((That's what I figured, just wanted to double check ^_^))

"Where is it you wish to go, then?"