Tags:
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Suspense,
Science-Fiction,
adventure,
Media Tie-In - General,
Media Tie-In,
Mystery,
Fiction - Science Fiction,
Science Fiction & Fantasy,
Science Fiction - Adventure,
Ghost Stories,
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Political candidates
button and ran his hands through his various pockets, searching for his room key as he glanced idly around the lobby. He could see that foot traffic was light at this early hour of the morning.
Just as Rudy found his key, something caught his eye. Across the lobby, the door to the hotel bar was ajar...and the lights were on. Could it be? Was the bar open at this hour?
The doors of the elevator parted as the car arrived with an electronic bell tone. Rudy looked down at the room key in his hand, then back at the door that led to the bar. Well, I guess I could just check whether they're open, he thought. Just out of curiosity.
Pocketing his key, he headed over to stick his head inside the open door. Sure enough, a bartender was standing behind the bar, polishing glasses with a white cloth. There was only one patron inside: an attractive, languid woman who was sitting at the far end of the bar.
He pushed the door open a bit more and stepped inside. The bartender looked up and saw him approaching. "Can I help you?"
Rudy climbed onto a stool. "Scotch and water, please. Neat."
The bartender smiled, but shook his head. "Sorry. We're not open. I'm just cleaning up." To punctuate his point, he gestured toward the chairs that were stacked upside down on top of tables around the room.
"You're not serving?"
"Can't. It's not legal, this early. I could lose my license."
Rudy looked over at the drink that was nestled in the hand of the woman at the end of the bar. She looked back at him, the corner of her mouth curling into a lazy smile. "Not even one last nightcap?" he asked the bartender. Or morningcap, or whatever?"
"Sorry," the bartender replied with a shrug. "'Course, if you were to help yourself to something while I wasn't looking, well, there wouldn't be much I could do about it, now would there?"
Rudy caught the bartender's knowing smile, and nodded. He started to ease himself off the stool, but the woman at the end of the bar raised a hand. "Don't bother yourself," she said, in the sort of throaty voice that often came with a little too much alcohol. "I'll get it for you. I need a refill anyway."
Thanks," said Rudy.
Watching her get off her stool and move around to the back of the bar, Rudy guessed that she'd had quite a few refills already. But then again, after the night he'd had, he supposed he wasn't really in a position to judge.
"Scotch and water, right?"
"Yeah, thanks."
Still, despite her blurry-eyed look, Rudy had to admit that she was a good-looking woman. Long hair and pale skin - maybe a little too pale, but no big deal - that was offset by a silky black dress, cut low across the front and slit high up the side, revealing just enough to keep him interested. He glanced at himself in the mirror behind the bar and straightened his hair with his hand.
"Here we are." She came back around the front of the bar with a pair of amber drinks in her hands. She set one glass down on the bar and sat down beside him.
Rudy raised his glass toward her in a toast, and looked deeply into her eyes. "To early risers," he said.
"Or late bedgoers," she said, slurring her words a bit.
They took a swallow from their respective drinks.
"So," Rudy said, "are you staying in the hotel?"
"Mm-hmm."
"In New York for work or pleasure?"
"Oh, working, unfortunately." She took another sip. Then, in a meaningful tone, she added, "Not that there's anything wrong with mixing in a little pleasure too..."
"I couldn't agree more."
"Really..." she said. "And you? Are you here with anyone?"
Bingo, Rudy thought. "Nope, just me. Finished off my sales quota yesterday. So now I'm all by my lonesome, looking for a little fun before I head home this afternoon."
"Lucky you. I've got miles to go before I hit my quota."
"Poor baby. What's your line?"
"It's...hard to describe."
"Technical, eh?"
"Something like that. But I could show you...if you'd like to come up to my room."
Rudy's heart was pounding in his