If anyone's cared to step into the ballroom lately, they'd notice several things. For one, there are a few tables to one side, covered in delicious looking food, appetizers, things to fill your plate with. On another table nearby there are plenty of drinks -- a full bar, in fact. While he may not have managed to get a small orchestra (he wanted ( Read more... )

Nick Naylor stands in the lobby, looking at a large poster that's hanging up. It advertises a New Year's party, specifying only a few things. Where - The ballroom; When - New Year's Eve (of course!); What - Formal-Dress Masquerade. It doesn't say who's hosting, though, or what time it starts. Nick assumes it's just one of those ... Hotel things ( Read more... )

There's a small someone in the lobby, seated at the piano.  He frowns at the keys for a minute, then hops off the bench and peeks inside to try and find some music.  He is successful, of course, as most people are if they're looking for the right things here.  He manages to scramble back on the bench and starts to play a simple song, probably ( Read more... )

When a spy is forced to retire, he has a lot of free time on his hands that he doesn't know what to do with. That goes double when you're stuck in a hotel with no armies to fight, no spies to spy on, nothing interesting going on ( Read more... )

( Cut for disturbing imagery )

There's another new person -- a young boy, about 12, poking his head in the lobby and looking very confused. This definitely didn't look like his mom's house in Washington, DC, nor did it look like his dad's. So he steps all the way in and looks around, with a slight shrug. "...Um. Hi?"

Typist: Presenting Joey Naylor, from Thank You for ( Read more... )

Without any warning, there's suddenly a man splayed out on the carpet in the lobby. He's pantsless, shirt ripped open, hands tied together with a zip tie -- and we should mention the fact that his chest, stomach and legs are covered with nicotine patches. His eyes barely force themselves open.

"... Ngh?"

Why is the room spinning, he wonders, and ( Read more... )