Beastars: A Symphony of Life

Chapter 89: Hotel Hostage

Satsuki entered the building, running her hands along the shoulder strap of her handbag. Kneading the plastic, she nervously looked at the room number scrawled on her scaled hand along with the rest of the address. She had made it just before the curfew set in and was lucky to have left the club when she did. The lizard stepped into the elevator and took it up to the fourth floor. Room four-o-four, bad luck. Not that she believed in that kind of stuff, but she had friends who did. The basilisk lizard based hybrid was the only one willing to take the trip through the sewers. She wasn't the dainty kind. That was the reason clients kept coming back. She was born different from others.

The elevator dinged and she stepped out. The sign pointed to room four-o-four down the hallway to the left. She turned down the way and passed two doors, four-hundred and four-o-two, before coming to the hotel room. She knocked twice and waited. The door was opened, stopping on a chain. She looked in at an old badger. He looked out with an unamused, completely neutral look. He turned into the room.

"Your hooker's here," he said.

"That's such a derogatory term," Razor said through the door. "She has a name, please don't call her something she doesn't like."

"Well?" the badger asked, turning back. "What should I call you?"

"Just Satsuki is fine," she said.

The badger nodded before closing the door again. She heard the chain slide open and the door opened wide enough for her to walk in. She gave a sidelong glance at the badger, who, in turn, remained stoic.

"Satsuki," Razor said. "I'll be with you shortly. Take a seat while you wait."

The lizard sat in a chair. The hyena based hybrid was seated on the floor with his back to the far corner. He was sitting cross legged in jeans, a white t-shirt and his black boots were off next to him. His socks were black. It was odd seeing him this way, out of mask and leather. He looked too...normal. Aside from the web of papers and blueprints he had lying around him. Looking over the plans and notes with him was a red fox, dressed in blue pinstripe pants and salmon pink dress shirt. His suit and tie were thrown over the back of the swivel chair he was sitting in. He had a gold watch on, clearly fake to one who knew how to look.

"So as I was saying," the vulpine continued, pointing to pieces of paper and using his hands to talk. "He's in there nice and tight. The guard has the place on lockdown. There's only one way in and out for everyone visiting, and that's the main entrance."

"What about for workers?" Razor asked. "Police? Janitorial? Maintenance?"

"No good," the badger said, shaking his head. "They have a roster of all known employees and if you're not on the list you're turned away. No exceptions. And that's if you're lucky and they don't take you in for questioning why you were trying to get in."

"So security's tight," Razor nodded. "Got it. I've dealt with better. Any weak areas?"

The badger shook his head. His stoicism never faltered. Satsuki found it impressive.

"No way in or out," Razor said. "And you can't get deeper into the cell areas unless you're a cop, lawyer, criminal, or an aforementioned janitor.

"You can't get in as a janitor because you'd have to steal a name tag," the badger added. "There are no hyenas on the janitorial or maintenance staff. And they have a face for every name. Now you could go in as a lawyer-"

"The only problem is that I already went in for Shoji," the fox said, apologetically looking to his protégé. "So they know me as his lawyer. You could follow me as a paralegal, however that issue is the fact that I went in without one already and I don't think that'll work. Another issue with that idea is they'll ask to see your government issued license to practice. I could get one forged one for you, but they'll check the system for the license number which won't exist. So your only options are as a policeman or a criminal."