Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - Act I, Scene III
Title: Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Rating: PG
Pairing(s): Stevie/Xabi
Disclaimer: This is fiction! Not true! However much I wish, I don't own the players or Hotel Dusk.
Chapter 3
Word Count: 1,314
Summary: Steven finds a clue that might lead him to Xabi.
“Huh? What’s this suppose to be?” Steven opened the box and got a little surprise. Instead of order sheets, clients’ lists and new household products, he found a single cassette tape inside the box. “This isn’t Rafa’s package.” He mumbled to himself. It didn’t take him long to figure out what was going on. “That moron Dagger brought me the wrong package!” And it was just like Daniel to screw up. How does Raul put up with the kid…
Stevie picked up the tape and examined it. There were no words on it. Just a black tape in a transparent case. He looked into the box but found nothing. No notes, no letter, nothing. A pity I don’t have a player with me now. He stopped thinking and grinned sheepishly. Nah, I’m not a cop anymore. Should learn to respect other people’s privacy and mind my own business. Still, he couldn’t shake off the suspicious feeling that surrounded the tape.
He tossed it back into the box and left the room for the front desk. Raul wasn’t around, but a familiar looking young man was ringing the bell. Steven looked around for any other signs of human life form, but found none.
“Can I help you?” He asked eventually. The ringing of the bell was starting to annoy him. Now he knew how Raul felt.
The younger man stopped tapping on the bell (thank god) and looked at Stevie. “Not if you’re the owner of the hotel, no.” He was going to go back to irritating the entire hotel with the bell ringing again when Stevie stopped him.
“Wait.” The man’s hand halted right above the bell and stared at him. “You’re that punk hitchhiking down the road, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, and you’re one of them bastards who refused to stop and give me a lift.” He leaned against the counter and smirked at Steven.
Arrogant punk. “So, you need a room?”
The man rolled his eyes and made a sound. “Gee, I dunno. What am I standing before a front desk in a hotel for?”
God, Stevie thought. This kid’s behaving like Raul himself! He gave the area one more look before deciding that none of the staff was going to show up in the next second or so and was about to leave when something on the younger man caught his eye. He wore a sliver chain with a metal tag hanging from it. Stevie squinted and managed to make out the word engraved on it. Mikel.
No way.
Xabi had a chain and tag like that! Never took it off unless Stevie made him - which happened only when they were having sex. Hell, it made him hot just thinking about a memory. He quickly wiped it from his mind. This was definitely not the time.
His attention shifted back to the name. Mikel was Xabi’s brother… whom Stevie didn’t manage to locate after he shot Xabi. In fact, come to think of it, Stevie didn’t see Mikel at all during the time Xabi went undercover.
“That yours?” He asked, pointing to the chain.
“What, this?” The man held it up then looked at Steven warily. “Yea… What about it?”
“Your name Mikel?” Not that this guy looked anything like Mikel Alonso, but Stevie had a feeling this was more than a coincidence. The fact that a ‘Steven Gerrard’ was here six months ago was beginning to sound very fishy as well.
The other man pressed his lips together and thought for a while. “… That’s right. My name’s Mikel.”
It all seemed too strange to Steven. Why on earth did he need to think if his name is Mikel? “Mikel what?” He asked some more, narrowing his eyes on the lad.
“Mikel…” His eyes darts all round the room, which made Steven all the more suspicious of him. “… Torres.”
“Where’d you get that chain?” Stevie was not going to give up on the only clue which might lead him to Xabi.
“Dude, what is your problem? Why’d you care where I got this from? It’s mine, alright? I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re saying. Why? This thing mean something to ya?” Mikel sounded and looked agitated. A little too much. Though he did look rather eager to know the answer to his last question.
“Hey,” Steven raised his hands. “Cool it, kid. I was just curious. Why’re you so worked up for… unless you got something to hide?”
“No.” Mikel avoided his gaze and tapped the bell again. “Where the fuck is everyone…” He murmured.
Just seconds after the bell rang, someone appeared from the lobby archway. He was all smiles, a stark contrast from Raul.
“Hi there. Can I help you, sirs?”
Steven wanted to speak, but Mikel did that first.
“Yes, I need a room.”
The hotel guy grabbed a sheet of paper that looked like the one Stevie filled in earlier and handed it to Mikel.
“Who’re you?” Stevie asked while Mikel started writing.
“Steve Finnan. The hotel cleaner and cook. You can call me Finna.”
Steven chuckled. “Raul can’t afford two people for the jobs?”
Finna smiled back. “Well… not many’s willing to come out this far.”
The pay must be crap then, Stevie thought.
“Done.” Mikel pushed the paper back to Finna who grabbed a key from behind the counter. He handed it over to Mikel and repeated a bunch of words which Raul had said to Stevie. As Mikel passed him to head to his room, Steven caught sight of the key-tag inscriptions. 213. Angel.
Angel, huh? Kid’s no angel.
He realised Finna was looking at him and remembered what he came down here to do in the first place.
“Yea, um. Name’s Steven Gerrard.”
Finna’s face changed from pleasant to excited in a second. “Oooh. YOU’re the man in the Wish room. What you wishing for?”
“Er…”
“Oh. Oh alright. Don’t tell me. Should’ve known better than to ask. Your secrets are your own. I hope your wish comes true, though.” He smiled again. “So what do you need help with?”
“Ah, yes, your bellhop delivered a package a few minutes ago. But it wasn’t mine.”
“Dagger brought you the wrong package? Sorry about that. I’ll look into it. Don’t you worry about a thing.” And there was that smile again. Steven was beginning to find it creepy when he thought it was likable a while ago.
The phone rang just before Stevie wanted to say his thanks. Finna answered it on the third ring.
“Hotel Dusk, front desk. Uh-huh. Wrong package? It’s for Steven Gerrard? That package should have been delivered to the guest in 215. I’ll come up and take it from you if you… Oh? Oh, you don’t have to do that, really! … Well, sure, but I don’t mind… Okay, alright. I’ll contact the guest in 215 then. Terribly sorry for the inconvenience.” Never once did his smile slip during the conversation.
“That sounded promising.” Stevie said after Finna put the phone down.
“Yup. Seems we found your missing package. Good timing, eh? That was another guest. He said he’ll just take it on over to your room. Terribly nice of him.”
“Works for me.” Stevie said, nodding. They walked towards the lobby and split at the stairs. Stevie went up. Many thoughts were flying wildly through his head while he walked to his room.
Who exactly is that Mikel Torres? He did not believe for one second that that was the man’s real name. That chain Xabi’s? Stevie’s hunches rarely failed him. If so, why’s it with this kid? So many questions but Steven had no answers to them. He stopped in front of his room and leaned his head against the door. Can’t get you outta my head, Xabi… I feel like I’m gonna find something big here. Will it lead me to you, Xabi?
Rating: PG
Pairing(s): Stevie/Xabi
Disclaimer: This is fiction! Not true! However much I wish, I don't own the players or Hotel Dusk.
Chapter 3
Word Count: 1,314
Summary: Steven finds a clue that might lead him to Xabi.
“Huh? What’s this suppose to be?” Steven opened the box and got a little surprise. Instead of order sheets, clients’ lists and new household products, he found a single cassette tape inside the box. “This isn’t Rafa’s package.” He mumbled to himself. It didn’t take him long to figure out what was going on. “That moron Dagger brought me the wrong package!” And it was just like Daniel to screw up. How does Raul put up with the kid…
Stevie picked up the tape and examined it. There were no words on it. Just a black tape in a transparent case. He looked into the box but found nothing. No notes, no letter, nothing. A pity I don’t have a player with me now. He stopped thinking and grinned sheepishly. Nah, I’m not a cop anymore. Should learn to respect other people’s privacy and mind my own business. Still, he couldn’t shake off the suspicious feeling that surrounded the tape.
He tossed it back into the box and left the room for the front desk. Raul wasn’t around, but a familiar looking young man was ringing the bell. Steven looked around for any other signs of human life form, but found none.
“Can I help you?” He asked eventually. The ringing of the bell was starting to annoy him. Now he knew how Raul felt.
The younger man stopped tapping on the bell (thank god) and looked at Stevie. “Not if you’re the owner of the hotel, no.” He was going to go back to irritating the entire hotel with the bell ringing again when Stevie stopped him.
“Wait.” The man’s hand halted right above the bell and stared at him. “You’re that punk hitchhiking down the road, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, and you’re one of them bastards who refused to stop and give me a lift.” He leaned against the counter and smirked at Steven.
Arrogant punk. “So, you need a room?”
The man rolled his eyes and made a sound. “Gee, I dunno. What am I standing before a front desk in a hotel for?”
God, Stevie thought. This kid’s behaving like Raul himself! He gave the area one more look before deciding that none of the staff was going to show up in the next second or so and was about to leave when something on the younger man caught his eye. He wore a sliver chain with a metal tag hanging from it. Stevie squinted and managed to make out the word engraved on it. Mikel.
No way.
Xabi had a chain and tag like that! Never took it off unless Stevie made him - which happened only when they were having sex. Hell, it made him hot just thinking about a memory. He quickly wiped it from his mind. This was definitely not the time.
His attention shifted back to the name. Mikel was Xabi’s brother… whom Stevie didn’t manage to locate after he shot Xabi. In fact, come to think of it, Stevie didn’t see Mikel at all during the time Xabi went undercover.
“That yours?” He asked, pointing to the chain.
“What, this?” The man held it up then looked at Steven warily. “Yea… What about it?”
“Your name Mikel?” Not that this guy looked anything like Mikel Alonso, but Stevie had a feeling this was more than a coincidence. The fact that a ‘Steven Gerrard’ was here six months ago was beginning to sound very fishy as well.
The other man pressed his lips together and thought for a while. “… That’s right. My name’s Mikel.”
It all seemed too strange to Steven. Why on earth did he need to think if his name is Mikel? “Mikel what?” He asked some more, narrowing his eyes on the lad.
“Mikel…” His eyes darts all round the room, which made Steven all the more suspicious of him. “… Torres.”
“Where’d you get that chain?” Stevie was not going to give up on the only clue which might lead him to Xabi.
“Dude, what is your problem? Why’d you care where I got this from? It’s mine, alright? I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re saying. Why? This thing mean something to ya?” Mikel sounded and looked agitated. A little too much. Though he did look rather eager to know the answer to his last question.
“Hey,” Steven raised his hands. “Cool it, kid. I was just curious. Why’re you so worked up for… unless you got something to hide?”
“No.” Mikel avoided his gaze and tapped the bell again. “Where the fuck is everyone…” He murmured.
Just seconds after the bell rang, someone appeared from the lobby archway. He was all smiles, a stark contrast from Raul.
“Hi there. Can I help you, sirs?”
Steven wanted to speak, but Mikel did that first.
“Yes, I need a room.”
The hotel guy grabbed a sheet of paper that looked like the one Stevie filled in earlier and handed it to Mikel.
“Who’re you?” Stevie asked while Mikel started writing.
“Steve Finnan. The hotel cleaner and cook. You can call me Finna.”
Steven chuckled. “Raul can’t afford two people for the jobs?”
Finna smiled back. “Well… not many’s willing to come out this far.”
The pay must be crap then, Stevie thought.
“Done.” Mikel pushed the paper back to Finna who grabbed a key from behind the counter. He handed it over to Mikel and repeated a bunch of words which Raul had said to Stevie. As Mikel passed him to head to his room, Steven caught sight of the key-tag inscriptions. 213. Angel.
Angel, huh? Kid’s no angel.
He realised Finna was looking at him and remembered what he came down here to do in the first place.
“Yea, um. Name’s Steven Gerrard.”
Finna’s face changed from pleasant to excited in a second. “Oooh. YOU’re the man in the Wish room. What you wishing for?”
“Er…”
“Oh. Oh alright. Don’t tell me. Should’ve known better than to ask. Your secrets are your own. I hope your wish comes true, though.” He smiled again. “So what do you need help with?”
“Ah, yes, your bellhop delivered a package a few minutes ago. But it wasn’t mine.”
“Dagger brought you the wrong package? Sorry about that. I’ll look into it. Don’t you worry about a thing.” And there was that smile again. Steven was beginning to find it creepy when he thought it was likable a while ago.
The phone rang just before Stevie wanted to say his thanks. Finna answered it on the third ring.
“Hotel Dusk, front desk. Uh-huh. Wrong package? It’s for Steven Gerrard? That package should have been delivered to the guest in 215. I’ll come up and take it from you if you… Oh? Oh, you don’t have to do that, really! … Well, sure, but I don’t mind… Okay, alright. I’ll contact the guest in 215 then. Terribly sorry for the inconvenience.” Never once did his smile slip during the conversation.
“That sounded promising.” Stevie said after Finna put the phone down.
“Yup. Seems we found your missing package. Good timing, eh? That was another guest. He said he’ll just take it on over to your room. Terribly nice of him.”
“Works for me.” Stevie said, nodding. They walked towards the lobby and split at the stairs. Stevie went up. Many thoughts were flying wildly through his head while he walked to his room.
Who exactly is that Mikel Torres? He did not believe for one second that that was the man’s real name. That chain Xabi’s? Stevie’s hunches rarely failed him. If so, why’s it with this kid? So many questions but Steven had no answers to them. He stopped in front of his room and leaned his head against the door. Can’t get you outta my head, Xabi… I feel like I’m gonna find something big here. Will it lead me to you, Xabi?