This Hotel Is a Safe Zone

Flashed before my eyes as I stepped into the lobby. The floor midnight blue and black marble swirl. The ceiling was three stories up with a broad stairway leading up to the second level. Stalls were set up around the room with vendors of all kinds. There were gun vendors, armor vendors, cyborg tech dealers, and resturants for every kind of foods.

Rested Perk available: +15% level up to all stats!

“How do I use that perk Tootsie.” I strolled around the room looking at the vendor stalls. A player that looked to be the same species as the egyptian dog men walked past headed toward the gun stalls. He had on cargo pants and a bullet proof vest with a rifle over his shoulder. Above his head floated Dog Father Level 76.

“You can’t afford the rested perk.” Tootsie answered, she flew beside me with a sodden look on her face.

“You have to pay for it?” I looked at the guns as I walked past. The prices started at ten thousand coins. An orc stood behind the counter holding up a pair of mini guns for the Dog Father to look over.

“You have to rent a pod here for eight hours. You rest in the bed you get full stats and a bonus.” Tootsie answered. “I doubt you can afford anything here yet besides some food and medicine.”

Another player Seedless Grapes Level 19 was buying stim packs from a sketchy vendor with blood shot eyes, scrawny arms and wild hair. The vendor looked to be some kind of rat creature. I looked over at Mia and saw her tail swishing from side to side as she glared at the vendor. Goar had wandered off to the gun vendor stall and he stood holding a rocket launcher up grinning nearly up to his horns.

“Would you like to check in sir?” A robot rolled up stopping just before my feet. “Or are you just shopping?”

“We’re checking in.” The kid said for me pointing at his chest with his thumb. “This orc is my bodyguard. Pay him big guy.” The kid nudged me.

The robot looked from the kid to me. It had tracks for wheels and a squared off body. It had the head of a man with a slit for a mouth and lit up eyes. “How much is a pod?” I asked.

“Twelve thousand a night per pod, sir.”

“Whoa!” I nearly dropped a loaf on the floor. “Flock of ducks! You gotta be shaving me!” Stupid auto correct. I looked around to see all the players looking back at me and the robot. Some were smiling. Others looked irritated. I looked down at the kid with a furrowed brow, “have you lost your mind kid. This can’t be the only hotel in town.”

“Only one.” The kid nodded and his golden hair bobbed in front of his eyes.

“We have tents, kid, why don’t you come stay in one of our tents for the night.” I knelt down and looked the kid in the eyes the best I could past his hair. “I bet I can even talk Mia into cutting that hair of yours.”

“But I like my hair, and that wasn’t what you said. You said I could stay in the hotel.” The kid crossed his arms.

“We can keep you safe from those boys. They can’t get past this bunch.” I waved my hand at my crew. The kid followed my gesture. Thurnar was puking in a potted plant by the stairway. Varren was watching Agatha at the clothing booth. She was twirling in a summer dress. Goar was trying to wrestle a hand cannon away from the gun smith. Flak and the other falconite were trying to tear open a cage full of rabbits while being beat over the head by an old woman.

“I want to stay in a pod. I want to get stronger. You promised,” he pouted.

“All right, all right.” I stood up and turned to the robot. “Give him a pod for a couple nights. Hermes said he will pick up the tab,” I tried.

The robot’s eyes flashed yellow a few times. “He has agreed to supply you with one pod for one day.” The robot said when his eyes turned green again. “You are in luck, a new patch will be downloaded as you rest. Patch number 07.23.KTVI.22, he wishes you good luck with your game and requires your bill to be paid in full before you finish your vacation. Here is your pod key. You are on the fourth floor. You may take the stairs or the elevators around back. Please have a wonderful time and be sure to try out our slot machines on the second floor before you go, Mr. Barker.”

Debt: $131,559

My new debt flashed in front of my eyes three times. I lifted my data pad and scrolled through until I could see the read debt added under my coin. Where was I going to get that much money? I looked around at all the stalls. “Can I steal from the stalls here Tootsie.”

“Although it is possible it is not recomended.” Tootsie said in a voice that mocked the robot.

“Glad to see your sence of humor coming back Toots.”

“No, seriously though. You should avoid stealing here. There are things worse than death.” She gave me a sideways glance that made me believe she at least believed it.

“What about the casino. Can we get ahead there maybe?”

“There is always plenty of money to be won at the casino.” Tootsie smiled. “The odds are highly favorable.”

“Finally, you give me some good news.” I watched Mido and Dredge straddle the handrail on the stairway and slide down. I smiled, I had brough a circus and my clan was being watched by all the players. Hoosier Dad was wrestling Vaegon on the floor, Bahama Mama slapped Elrindel across the face. Khan finished lapping up water from a fountain and hiked up his leg to pee on the Tech Vendor.

“If you are the owner of course. House always wins.” Tootsie said with a squeak in her delighted voice.

I turned to walk up the wide stairway to the second floor. The second floor was darker with plush gold and black carpeting. There was a wide open area down the middle then tables and slots on both sides of the isle. A large roulette sat to one side with a half dozen players standing around it. Men and women in black and gold suits carried trays of drinks around to the tables.

“Keep going.” Mia came up behind me and placed a soft warm hand on my arm guiding me to the next set of stairs. I climbed them as I looked back at the red headed woman in the tight green dress standing at the roulette wheel. She looked up at me with her bangs covering one of her green eyes. Her player tag over her head read Too Hot For You.

The third floor had training rooms for each attribute in the stats list including some that were not in mine. There were training rooms for skills as well. I wanted to walk the hall and read the signs hanging over the ornate doors. I watched a lizard man wearing black robes and hood open one door and walk in.

I looked down as the little boy continued up the stairs holding the key tight to his chest. I followed him reluctantly. The fourth floor looked more like a hotel with long hallways full of numbered doors. The carpet was short and decorated in the four suits of cards. I read the doors and found the way to the kid’s room.

By holding the key up near the door handle I saw a light blink on the black screen where the handle belonged and the door swung in. Inside a kitchenette complete with a stove and a bar dividing it from a broad living room with a wrap around couch. I walked through the kitchen and stepped down into the living room. A lit fireplace across from the couch cast orange light on the black couch. A wall of glass showed out to the city below with a patio outside. “Where is the bed?” I asked.

“There is a door over here.” I heard the door open behind me and turned as Mia gasped and ran to the hot tub in the middle of the bedroom. I stepped in and looked over to see a large bed and two deep closets. A door to my left stood open revealing a square glass shower in the middle of the bathroom. The floor was smooth stone with black grout. My voice echoed through the bathroom as I said, "This hotel is amazing." I laughed at the sound of my booming voice, "great acoustics too. Figaro, figaro."

Tootsie sang in the other corner of the bathroom and giggled.

"Look at this pod." Mia exclaimed from the bedroom. I walked out and looked over to the corner by the bed. There stood an egg shaped chair on a stand. It was carved out on top with a red reclined seat inside. I walked over and inspected the chair closer. It had a sleeve on the arm rest. Inside the sleeve I could see that it would attach to my data pad.

"Don't do it." Tootsie warned suddenly right in my face.

"Isn't this what you pay the big money for? I should probably use it. When will I have enough money to come back." I pushed on the cushion of the chair. It looked comfortable, like a high end recliner.

"It has the patch that will shut off the access to the tree." Tootsie hissed. "You will lose your advantage, you will bottleneck in a few levels and start dying." She covered her mouth and looked to the corner of the ceiling.

A little black globe hung attached to the ceiling. I looked over to the bed. "Well that's an invasion of privacy."

"Found it." Mia called jovially. She hit a button on the wall and the hot tub came to life. "Should I?" Her eyes grew wide.

"It's watching the pod." Tootsie whispered as if Mia could overhear her. "They want to be sure every player receives the patch. They know someone has been accessing the system."

"I don't even know how I'm doing it. Or what it is. I just go there and connect to the tree with my soul." I smiled at Mia and talked through my teeth, nodding. "But not yet," I said louder. "The kid is still awake." I looked at the camera from the corner of my eye. "Besides, don't you think we should party a bit first?"

Mia tipped her head at me and looked me over skeptical. "You actually want to do something other than bash people?" She grinned and her green eyes sparkled.

I looked around the room once more. "Yeah, I think we should have a furlough. One night to tear up the town, or the hotel." I winked.

Mia looked around the room then back at me. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, let's get some drinks and see what games there are in the casino. Then we can come back up and hang out here."

"Should I call the others then?" Mia gave me a knowing side glance.

"Yep, the more the merrier." I grinned, "Drinks are on Hermes, charge them to the room."

"What are you doing?" Tootsie scolded. "You don't want to mess with him. You certainly don't want to draw his attention."

"I already have his attention, why not mess with him too."