Violet stood outside the Carver Hotel in the dark. Shielding her eyes from the lamp overhead, she looked up at the monolithic structure. It was apparently quite old and quite ornate. Inside, her would-be assassin, Elene, awaited her. She hoped she wasn't walking into a trap. She could turn around right now and walk away. Strangely, she sensed that she needed to trust her. With resolve, she pushed through the revolving door and entered the lobby.
Several people in the lobby turned their heads to look at her. She was dressed in tight, light leather. They probably thought she was a hooker, or worse. She didn't care. Loose fabric threw her off balance, and she wanted to be ready for anything.
She walked up to the counter and placed her bag on top. A severe looking attendant looked at her with disdain and, with barely concealed disgust, asked "Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a friend. Room 514. Has she checked in yet?" she asked, ignoring him.
The man stared at her steadily for a moment, then turned and tapped on the terminal to his side. After a moment, he turned around. "Yes, she checked in half an hour ago. Would you like me to call ahead?" he asked, flatly.
"No, thank you. She's expecting me." She didn't want to tip her off if it was, indeed, a trap. A girl needs to be cautious.
With that, Violet turned and crossed the lobby, stopping in front of the bank of elevators. She jabbed one of the call buttons and watched the indicators above the elevators. A ding to her left indicated an elevator had arrived. She walked into the elevator, garnering looks from everyone. "Fifth floor, please," she said, as she entered.
On the fifth floor, she exited the elevator alone. A sign directly ahead of her indicated that rooms 501-510 were to the left, while rooms 511-520 were to the right. She turned right and walked down the hall. Her gaze scanned the doors on either side, until at last she came to room 514 at the bend of the hall.
She knocked on the door and waited. After several seconds there was no response. She knocked again. Still nothing. Violet felt something wasn't right here. She gingerly pushed against the door with her shoulder, as she slowly twisted the knob with her hand. She was ready to spring out of the way at the first sign of danger.
As the door opened, the sight that met her took a moment to register. Just inside the door sat two oversized recliners facing a large, flat panel television. One recliner was empty. In the other lay a slender woman, in a nightgown, tied to the chair, in the reclining position. She appeared to be completely immobilized. She had a large white bag over her head, fastened with what appeared to be a bungie cord. The bag rustled as the woman's chest rose and fell in deep breaths.
"Elene?" Violet asked out loud, still not grasping the situation.
"Violet?" the woman answered, out of breath.
Violet went on alert. She crossed the room quickly. "I'll get you out of there," she said, kneeling beside the recliner.
A gruff voice behind her said, "I don't think so."
Violet spun around, ready to spring into action. She found herself staring down the barrel of a handgun instead. She followed the gleaming gun up and back toward its owner. She didn't recognize the man, but he had gotten the drop on her, so that made him dangerous.
"Don't be stupid," Violet said, unflinching.
"Don't be stupid? Honey, I've got you right where I want you. And you are a hard one to find. Who's stupid?" the man answered, laughing.
"Then let her go, if it's me you want," Violet said defiantly.
"Give yourself up and I'll consider it," the man replied, waving his gun toward the empty recliner. She couldn't rush the man. She'd be shot, then Elene would die. She was too far away from the doorway leading into the next room. She saw her only possible option, and dove behind the second recliner.
Her attacker was on her in an instant, pushing her to the ground. Pressing the gun against her cheek. "And I'm the one that's stupid? I expected a lot more out of you. Carl!" he shouted over his shoulder.
A large man, with a shaved head, entered the room, wielding another gun. "You ready, Joe?"
"Yeah, tie her up."
"No!" Violet shrieked, as the two men lifted her from the ground. The gun was placed against her temple as Joe whispered in her ear.
"You give yourself up willingly and we'll let her go," he said. Violet only stared back at him, but after a moment quit resisting. If she could free Elene, then she'd only have to worry about freeing herself.
"Now, that's a good girl," Joe said. The two men pushed her into the second recliner with enough force to cause the footrest to pop outwards and the back of the armchair to fold back. Joe trained his gun on her as Carl moved to restrain her. She had no choice. She looked over at Elene. She was breathing heavily and didn't have a lot of time. It was the only way.
With a knife, Carl quickly bore holes through the thin material at the back of the recliner and weaved a piece of cord through them. He worked his way down to the wooden handles. He forced Violet's arm into the tangle of cord and pulled it tight. Despite its appearance, it held her like steel, all the way from the pit of her arm, to her wrist. He repeated the same procedure with her other arm. It was only a couple of minutes work, but to Violet it was taking forever.
Carl then tied each leg, at the knee and ankle, to the struts supporting the footrest. Violet struggled once she was bound, but couldn't move at all. Carl left the room, but returned a moment later carrying a clear plastic bag. He inflated it and placed it over her head, fastening it around her neck with a thin bungie cord.
"I'm going to do you like you do all your targets," Joe said, waving the gun, indicating the plastic bag.
She was completely in their hands. For the first time in her entire career, fear was taking hold of her. Even when she was with Elene, she didn't feel real fear. In a quivering voice she said, "Okay, you've got me. Now, let her go."
Joe stepped over and leaned down close to her face. "Now, now. Why would I do that? I've got two high paying targets right here, in my grasp."
"You son of a bitch. You promised!" Violet said angrily, tugging at her restraints.
Joe mimed confusion, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't remember promising. Carl, you remember me promising?"
"Nah, Joe, I don't think ya did."
"I didn't promise nothing. And since you care about her so much..." Joe pushed the footrest with the ball of his foot, folding it down and bringing the back into the upright position. He then pushed the bottom edge of the recliner, turning it to face Elene.