a gent of good intent who's content to be ( OPEN )

[checkingin]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The initial arrival rooms, the main lobby, all over the place.
When: March 3rd
What: Welcome, newbies.

ARRIVAL.

you wake up when you hit the floor in a dark room, and the air is knocked out of your lungs. the carpet is threadbare, worn with use, kind of dusty. and you're not the first person to endure this crash landing. nor will you be the last.

once your vision rights itself, you can see the well-lit hallway through the doorjam straight ahead of you. not to say there’s monsters in the shadows, but something propels you towards that door and out into the bright hallway beyond.

and once outside your room, you can hear it: the steady thrum of rain outside.

MAIN LOBBY.

there's a staircase at the end of the lengthy hallway you tumble out of. grab your suitcase and follow the dull green exit signs on the ceiling until you reach the disappointingly bland stairs that lead you down to the ornate old fashion hotel lobby.

to your left is a warmly crackling fireplace, to your right is a lobby desk. straight ahead are three large sets of doors, though only one of them is open to the public. and outside the few (curtained, permanently dark) windows is the continually steady hiss of rain. once you leave the hallway you wake up in, you won't be able to return.

welcome to the hotel.

FRONT DESK.

though there is a bell and a plaque designating the desk to be the main desk, the customer service desk, there are currently no staff members behind it. none shall answer your calls, either.

terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

SCREENING ROOM.

on a long pull-down screen, a silent version of the phantom carriage will be playing on loop. at the back of the room, between the neat rows of fold out chairs, mounted on a wobbly table is the old-timey projector, and mounted on the walls are some rather old speakers that warble out "terrifying" old music.

along the curtained windows is another long table, with a large bowl of popcorn and a large hot drink dispenser full of hot water, but without any tea or hot chocolate packets around.

OTHER.

the ballroom is currently closed, and the grand doors locked.

there is no main door leading to the outside, good luck trying to find one.

the doors to the courtyard and breakfast hall are unlocked, but looks like you've missed the morning meal. sucks for you.

ROOMS.

you've a room key with your assigned room number on it. all the new guest residences will be located on floors three and four. while there is an open elevator in the main lobby, and the buttons light up inside, the doors will not close. all in all, you'll be better off taking the stairs.

while they're the same stairs you undoubtedly came down to get to the lobby, the door to the endless hall everyone woke up in will not reappear between the main floor and the subsequent residential halls.

there are twenty rooms per floor. feel free to get to know your surroundings; or your neighbors as they trickle in around you.

EXISTING GUESTS.

it's late when the newcomers arrive, there's a good chance you'd been about to go to sleep (or just waking up, who knows, your mom's not here to tell you when to go to bed or get up). but if you're paying attention, you might hear the hustle and bustle in the lobby below; or maybe you're just drawn there because your gut told you to go join the commotion. whatever the case may be, go mingle!

Comments

[thisisgood]

Leela, having changed from her wet skins into jeans, a sweater, and decent boots, was finally having a go at the lobby area herself after her adventure in the rain. It was not particularly enlightening, as there was no one besides a gentleman in a good suit who did not seem like he was here by choice.

She leaned against the front desk, watching him. He was no Capa. She knew a hunter when she saw one and it made her glad. This time, she had the electronic tablet with her, which she set on the desk to keep her hands free.

"I have seen no one that qualifies as staff, either," Leela said folding her arms. "But there is fresh rain out on the courtyard. The rain has not stopped, I do not think it will for a very long time."

[suspense_kills_me]

That was an interesting speech pattern, was Red's first thought. Most people didn't speak like that, and most people didn't make observations about the rain worded quite like that.

"How do you know it won't stop?"

[thisisgood]

"If you go outside, there is nothing but dark cloud and the air is thick with it," she said, frowning. "It is a heavy storm and the weight of it lingers." Leela shifted slightly to gesture. "Also, the pattern of the drops says it will not stop soon. They are not the kind of drops that are small and large or that have stopped and started. It is a rain that has fallen for a long, long time."

Another gesture at the ceiling, at the windows.

"It does not vary, if you listen. It just pours as if it will never end."

[suspense_kills_me]

Red took a minute and shut his eyes just to listen to the rain falling around them. She was right, it was a torrential downpour, something that usually last minutes. But it did, in fact, show no signs of stopping.

"You're right."

Someone with observation powers like that deserved an introduction. She might be useful in the future.

"I'm Raymond Reddington," he said before offering his hand for her to shake, "Miss?"

[thisisgood]

"I am Leela, warrior of the Sevateem, presidential bodyguard to a very misplaced president of Gallifrey," she said, her handshake firm. It was a custom to show no weapons were present, and they were not only because this place had taken them from her.

It was true, Romana was nowhere, Leela would have found her if she were in this hotel.

Leela half mouthed his name, nodding. It was long, but it was a good name.

[suspense_kills_me]

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Leela, Warrior of the Sevateem, presidential bodyguard to a very misplaced president of Gallifrey."

He hadn't heard of Gallifrey before, but that was a question for after introductions.

"I do hope Leela's fine, your name and title would be a bit of a mouthful."

[thisisgood]

"It is," Leela said with a laugh. "I was Leela before I was either warrior or bodyguard. So, I shall be Leela again. It would be amusing if anyone were to attempt the full of it more than once." His name was long, but not so long as her name and title combined, and was a good kind of mouthful.

"Yours is less of a mouthful," she finally settled on after finally saying his name aloud. "But it is fun to say. Shall I call you all of it or some of it?"

[suspense_kills_me]

"Most people call me Red."

Which wasn't true at all. Most of the people lately called him Red. It was a very small, but discernible difference.

[thisisgood]

"Do you wish me to be most people?" she asked quietly, curious. She would call him what he preferred, but 'most people' called her savage or a variation on the theme when they did not call her Leela.

[suspense_kills_me]

"I don't know you well enough to make that determination, but considering you thought to ask that question, I'm leaning toward no."

That kind of question wasn't one that most people would think to ask. They would just accept the name given to them. To do so meant that she approached life a little differently than most other people.

[thisisgood]

Leela's eyes found his, steady as she studied him. He was a clever man who thought and planned and looked beyond the surface of things. This she could see.

"You will know me in time," Leela said matter-of-factly, for it was the truth. "This place we are kept makes that certain, and then, you will find your lean without question. You will be Red until you wish me to call you another name."

[suspense_kills_me]

Red wasn't used to being studied quite like Leela was studying him at the moment. He was sure it happened over the course of his life, but nothing quite as close up as this.

"Oh, I have no doubt that we'll all be rather close."

But he nodded, somewhat surprised at her phrasing. He might wish her to call him something else, if he got to know her that well.

[thisisgood]

"It will be difficult," Leela said absently, "to trust all who arrive, but so far, I seen none I would not protect if needed." He did not look as if he needed protection - he was like her, the hunter, this she was sure. This she could feel. "I may yet meet someone who does not fall under this, but I shall see in time."

She shifted just to move, uneasy as she scanned the room. Her eyes always came back to him, though, her clear blue gaze sharp as if she missed nothing.

"I was running," Leela said after awhile. "When I was taken, I was running for my life. I expect to run for my life again in this place. It is how these things go."

[suspense_kills_me]

"I'm sure there will be some that are decidedly untrustworthy."

For the most part, Red would put himself in that category. But he had no reason to be untrustworthy yet, least of all to her.

"Usually, when a number of people are abducted, someone tries to break free. Then the others follow."

So far, he agreed with Leela 100%.

[thisisgood]

"True for both," she said. "It may be that the exit has yet to be identified. As I said, outside, it is just a courtyard and rain. I cannot tell if there is more beyond. It is just gray with no visibility. I cannot tell what else may be there, but there are no other sounds but water hitting the building. It is not good for anyone breaking free unless someone attempts to jump the side."

Leela sounded as if she were going to contemplate trying it.

[suspense_kills_me]

"It seems as though whoever selected the location for the hotel decided to make it as much like a horror movie as possible. If we find a closet full of chainsaws I'd suggest we steer clear."

Though to Red, the idea of jumping out of the building wasn't the best course of action.

"I think I would prefer to find out a little more information as to why we're here before we try to escape."

[thisisgood]

"Saws on chains?" Leela looked unimpressed. "That sounds like a stupid weapon."

She made a face and peered over the desk she was leaning against, looking for...information, really. There was nothing.

"We should investigate. That is what we do."

[suspense_kills_me]

"Well, saws with chains on them. But I agree, they don't have much of a range."

Leela didn't pick up on the slasher movie reference, not that she should considering her title. It all sounded very foreign.

"Yes, we should."

[thisisgood]

Leela looked suitably confused about the chained saws. She just could not picture such a thing. Perhaps they were best seen to be understood, which meant she just gave him a wondering look for a few seconds before poking about the desk a little more.

"It is too much to hope for a clue in the open, I suppose," she said dryly.

[suspense_kills_me]

"I doubt if they went through this much trouble to bring us here, they'd make finding out about them simple."

Red knew he wouldn't, so he doubted anyone else would either. As or the chainsaws he was just going to let that go.

[thisisgood]

"So it would seem," Leela said and if she looked a bit cross, really it was the whole situation. "We will have to be observant, then. I do not quite know where to begin with this...this inquiry, but I will take apart this desk if I must."

[suspense_kills_me]

Red didn't blame her for being cross, if he let himself think about it, he'd realize he was too.

"I doubt that will get us very far, if it gets us anywhere at all."

[thisisgood]

"Perhaps not," Leela said, "but it would make me feel much better." She shrugged after a long moment of searching around as if something more would be gained. "I do not know what to do with myself. I have nothing to hit except wood and it is not satisfying nor does it give answers."

Kicking it would do nothing either and it would be far less satisfying for her foot. Instead, she just glared at the desk as if insulted that it existed.

[suspense_kills_me]

"Is hitting things really that important?"

Red had his own theories about using violence for violence's sake, and none of them were good.

[thisisgood]

"No," she said, quietly. "It is not." Leela turned away, rubbing at her face for a moment. "But this is a cage and it is the bars that need to be rattled."

She fell silent for a long while before she turned back to him.

"Tell me, then. What shall we do?"