#thread: zac x viv 01

[writermuses]

closed starter for @marimelwrites

Zachery pinched the bridge of his nose as he hung up the phone, checking the room number and seeing that it was supposed to be a single female guest. It was never going to be a good night when a call came in that screams were heard. Mid-week pre-summer reservations were light and Zac had intentionally kept the night shifts light to avoid hemorrhaging capital. If it wasn't for the magnetic badge with his name and the manager key card on his lanyard, Zachery wouldn't have expected anyone to answer when he knocked. But the door opened a smidge, not enough to see who's behind it. "Hey, sorry to knock in the middle of the night but we got a wellness call at the front desk. I'm the manager." Hearing the huff of ragged breathing akin to a person having a panic attack or crying, Zac leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "You checked in alone. Is someone there, hurting you? If you need to say yes, tell me that you do want the complementary nightcap." It wouldn't be the first time he had a guest have a night terror or panic attack that needed someone to hold their hand through it, but if there was some lunatic in the room, he hardly thought they would make the victim answer the door.

[writermuses]

The financing of Zachery's hotel was less than amiable, but in a scenario like this there was a definite perk. "I'll get that for you in just a few minutes then, ma'am." Zach gave her a wink and, instead of walking quickly away, walked slowly, texting Wolfie as he moved at a leisurely but inconspicuous pace to the elevator. The message was simple: Emergency @ hotel: Need the guys to take that staffing issue, NOW! Unsurprisingly, Wolfie asked no questions and simply responded: 5 minutes.

The trip back to the lobby wasn't long, but it may as well have felt like a year knowing that the guest was being held hostage or worse. All the while, he watched the cameras, trained on her room to see when and how many people were there. It was only one and Zach could only hope numbers would win out. The Russo's henchmen marched in and Zach told them the little information he knew. Their instruction was simple, get her to open the door, shove in the car with the 'nightcap' and pull her to safety, they would take care of the rest. Running a worried hand over his face, he nodded and led them upstairs.

Having them flank the door just out of the view of the peep hole, Zach knocked and smiled as casually as possible while he waited for the door to open. His palms were sweaty with anxiety, but he kept his motions fluid. "Evening, I'm just delivering that complimentary nightcap." The moment the door was unlatched, he shoved the cart in with his foot, wrapping an arm around her waist and rolling her into him, against the wall of the hall as the other three men rushed into the room. "Hey, you're okay. They're going to take care of that mess. Why don't we wait in the office downstairs?" There wasn't any pop of gunfire, but the definite thump of skin pounding skin.

@marimelwrites

When Vivienne had made this trip, and agreed to stay at this hotel instead of one she would have been much more accustomed to, she hadn't considered that this would be her outcome. She was there to help, as a sponsor, to a charity that was having an event. Growing up with wealth, and having everything her entire life, she generally stayed in the nicest hotels. Vivienne didn't see the point in flaunting that wealth when she was coming to help with a charity event. A hotel wasn't a permanent residence, and all she needed was a decent bed to sleep in, and a place that was clean. This supplied those things for her. What she hadn't expected was someone breaking into her room, and threatening her for money, and anything she had that might make them a decent amount of money.

The initial shock had scared her into screaming before the threats to her had stopped the screams and turning them into cries. Her back remained against the door while the thief busied themselves with her things. When the knock on the door came, she jumped, only to see the same man turn and face her with a threat to hurt her again. "Open the door, but don't let them in." He instructed in a low, menacing tone.

Vivienne nodded, and opened the door but kept her face behind it. Her breath was coming in shallow, shaky gasps. "I-I'm okay, sorry. Just... just spooked myself," she answered loudly enough for the thief to hear before also adding, "But I do want that complimentary nightcap." She couldn't imagine what the manager could do, but if there was a chance of her making it out of this alive and maybe with any of the items she brought along with her. Some had been family heirlooms passed down through generations. Pieces that told stories of the wealth they'd acquired back in the Golden Age, and that same wealth that survived with her. Plenty of people would find that reasoning pathetic, shallow, selfish, but she hardly knew what her life was worth without the history of her family.

[writermuses]

Zachery had a lot of questions. Who was the person in the room? What had they said or done to her? Who was she? Though he offered up a soft smile, it didn't quite reach his eyes, eyes that were studying her with curiosity and concern. Rather than letting himself be read, Zac went to the mini-fridge in his office and pulled out an eight ounce orange juice bottle and passed it to her, gesturing to the more comfortable office chair before sitting at the edge of his desk. "You shouldn't have to thank someone for doing the right thing... but you're welcome." His main concern remained that his own enemies might be heckling the people staying in his hotel, though it seemed unlikely because she wasn't asking him to call the cops. "Do you know who that was or what they wanted?"

The minutes that ticked by after the manager had left and each one that passed felt like a year. Praying hadn't been her thing, not for a while, but she found that it was the last resort as she waited. Nothing else was going to make this nightmare end if the man didn't return. Either way, she hardly felt as though she would leave this room alive if the man rifling through her belongings had any say over the matter. It was a strange thing, waiting to be saved, and thinking of all the things that she hadn't done yet in her life. All those things she never accomplished.

Finally, the knock came, and she opened the door trying to remain as calm as possible before a flurry of movement changed everything. Perhaps it was the quick act of pulling her into him, or the relief that washed over her as the stress of the situation she had been in resolved, but Vivienne felt dizzy and weak all at once. The man's reassurance cleared her mind enough for her to focus in on him and nod her head in response to his suggestion while she tried to even her breathing. She was likely hyperventilating, but that would do her no good now.

All she could do was follow him to wherever the office was that he mentioned. Either way, she slowly felt herself relaxing in his presence, and returning to normal. Finally, finding her voice again, she breathed out, "Thank you," only loud enough for him to hear.

[marimelwrites]

The minutes that ticked by after the manager had left and each one that passed felt like a year. Praying hadn't been her thing, not for a while, but she found that it was the last resort as she waited. Nothing else was going to make this nightmare end if the man didn't return. Either way, she hardly felt as though she would leave this room alive if the man rifling through her belongings had any say over the matter. It was a strange thing, waiting to be saved, and thinking of all the things that she hadn't done yet in her life. All those things she never accomplished.

Finally, the knock came, and she opened the door trying to remain as calm as possible before a flurry of movement changed everything. Perhaps it was the quick act of pulling her into him, or the relief that washed over her as the stress of the situation she had been in resolved, but Vivienne felt dizzy and weak all at once. The man's reassurance cleared her mind enough for her to focus in on him and nod her head in response to his suggestion while she tried to even her breathing. She was likely hyperventilating, but that would do her no good now.

All she could do was follow him to wherever the office was that he mentioned. Either way, she slowly felt herself relaxing in his presence, and returning to normal. Finally, finding her voice again, she breathed out, "Thank you," only loud enough for him to hear.

The financing of Zachery's hotel was less than amiable, but in a scenario like this there was a definite perk. "I'll get that for you in just a few minutes then, ma'am." Zach gave her a wink and, instead of walking quickly away, walked slowly, texting Wolfie as he moved at a leisurely but inconspicuous pace to the elevator. The message was simple: Emergency @ hotel: Need the guys to take that staffing issue, NOW! Unsurprisingly, Wolfie asked no questions and simply responded: 5 minutes.

The trip back to the lobby wasn't long, but it may as well have felt like a year knowing that the guest was being held hostage or worse. All the while, he watched the cameras, trained on her room to see when and how many people were there. It was only one and Zach could only hope numbers would win out. The Russo's henchmen marched in and Zach told them the little information he knew. Their instruction was simple, get her to open the door, shove in the car with the 'nightcap' and pull her to safety, they would take care of the rest. Running a worried hand over his face, he nodded and led them upstairs.

Having them flank the door just out of the view of the peep hole, Zach knocked and smiled as casually as possible while he waited for the door to open. His palms were sweaty with anxiety, but he kept his motions fluid. "Evening, I'm just delivering that complimentary nightcap." The moment the door was unlatched, he shoved the cart in with his foot, wrapping an arm around her waist and rolling her into him, against the wall of the hall as the other three men rushed into the room. "Hey, you're okay. They're going to take care of that mess. Why don't we wait in the office downstairs?" There wasn't any pop of gunfire, but the definite thump of skin pounding skin.

@marimelwrites

[marimelwrites]

When Vivienne had made this trip, and agreed to stay at this hotel instead of one she would have been much more accustomed to, she hadn't considered that this would be her outcome. She was there to help, as a sponsor, to a charity that was having an event. Growing up with wealth, and having everything her entire life, she generally stayed in the nicest hotels. Vivienne didn't see the point in flaunting that wealth when she was coming to help with a charity event. A hotel wasn't a permanent residence, and all she needed was a decent bed to sleep in, and a place that was clean. This supplied those things for her. What she hadn't expected was someone breaking into her room, and threatening her for money, and anything she had that might make them a decent amount of money.

The initial shock had scared her into screaming before the threats to her had stopped the screams and turning them into cries. Her back remained against the door while the thief busied themselves with her things. When the knock on the door came, she jumped, only to see the same man turn and face her with a threat to hurt her again. "Open the door, but don't let them in." He instructed in a low, menacing tone.

Vivienne nodded, and opened the door but kept her face behind it. Her breath was coming in shallow, shaky gasps. "I-I'm okay, sorry. Just... just spooked myself," she answered loudly enough for the thief to hear before also adding, "But I do want that complimentary nightcap." She couldn't imagine what the manager could do, but if there was a chance of her making it out of this alive and maybe with any of the items she brought along with her. Some had been family heirlooms passed down through generations. Pieces that told stories of the wealth they'd acquired back in the Golden Age, and that same wealth that survived with her. Plenty of people would find that reasoning pathetic, shallow, selfish, but she hardly knew what her life was worth without the history of her family.

closed starter for @marimelwrites

Zachery pinched the bridge of his nose as he hung up the phone, checking the room number and seeing that it was supposed to be a single female guest. It was never going to be a good night when a call came in that screams were heard. Mid-week pre-summer reservations were light and Zac had intentionally kept the night shifts light to avoid hemorrhaging capital. If it wasn't for the magnetic badge with his name and the manager key card on his lanyard, Zachery wouldn't have expected anyone to answer when he knocked. But the door opened a smidge, not enough to see who's behind it. "Hey, sorry to knock in the middle of the night but we got a wellness call at the front desk. I'm the manager." Hearing the huff of ragged breathing akin to a person having a panic attack or crying, Zac leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "You checked in alone. Is someone there, hurting you? If you need to say yes, tell me that you do want the complementary nightcap." It wouldn't be the first time he had a guest have a night terror or panic attack that needed someone to hold their hand through it, but if there was some lunatic in the room, he hardly thought they would make the victim answer the door.