Nothing Less than Extraordinary

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Cheshire pushed his past so far out of the way that we had entered the building and gotten access to the Villa suite with no problem. Of course, bystanders wondered how exactly a couple of teenagers were gaining access to the most expensive floor to a partner hotel to MGM, but the manager just saw two wealthy siblings who lost their key to an adjacent suite thanks to Cheshire's illusive persuasions. We waited until there was no one waiting for the elevator when we stepped inside. There was nothing but annoying elevator music and an even more annoying anxiety rising between us about what would happen.

"I'm sorry," Cheshire finally spoke, seconds after the door had closed and we were already three floors up from the fourth floor lobby and still five away from the intended suite.

"What for?"

"I kissed you again," he reminded before the elevator doors dinged and he quickly stepped between the opening doors.

"It was nothing," I wanted to say, but nothing had escaped my lips as I followed him walk down the hallway. There were just two doors on the floor on either sides of the hallway and I figured since we had gotten the key to the latter, we knew which one the Society was in. But Cheshire froze at the sight of the door. He had already brandished his gun and aimed it at the lock, but now I watched his shoulders sink just a bit. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just..." I wondered if this was the same room. The same room he and Alice had been in. The same one he thought she was safe in. The same one he got wasted in. Before I could wonder about how much this was overwhelming Cheshire, a loud noise erupted from the gun and the lock had busted open. Cheshire, still with the gun in two hands, kicked open the door and hesitantly entered.

Entering the suite was like entering Tyler's penthouse on the top of the government building. Yes, it was expensive and excessive, but it didn't have an ounce of personality other than the innovation of the hotel. But I was reminded of Chevy's cabin and how one look around revealed a smashed TV with the fuzzy image of me and Zaine kissing. At this moment, I wished I could see the moment. Because of everything my memory remembered vividly, I couldn't remember kissing Zaine.

But instantly, we had determined the suite was empty. We still cautiously examined the Villa, much to Cheshire's distaste because I had split apart from him. After sneaking around to a master bedroom and bathroom, I was hearing Cheshire call out for me. Immediately, I turned and followed his voice, noticing now more than ever that I held no power to see sounds anymore. I had stepped out on the balcony and saw a faintness of scarlet on the marble floor as if someone had spilled a small amount of Kool-Aid and trying to rub it out only made a bigger mess. The balcony had a door to its right that was open and flowing out cream colored curtains in the wind. I entered and saw a spare bedroom which had another set of French doors leading to what I assumed would be a bathroom. When I entered, I was right. But instead of a broken TV, there was a broken Tyler, collapsed on the tile with a tub half-filled with water and a first aid kit that had dropped from the sink three feet out of Tyler's reach. He had a face full of bruises and a couple of cuts already scarring over. I didn't know why he was on the floor but I could presume that maybe he had a few broken bones or ruptured arteries.

Cheshire was already trying to poke at Tyler's face and call his name for him to wake up, assuming he was still alive. I knelt down opposite of Cheshire as he sighed and shared a look with me. Suddenly, Tyler coughed and opened his eyes, facing the way of Cheshire.

"Well am I not pleased to see you," Tyler mentioned in a cough. I smiled at the happiness that he was still alive.

"Yeah? Well apparently we're not here for pleasure," Cheshire retorted while trying to help Tyler up into a sitting position against the tub. He recognized that I was there as well and he didn't take his eyes off of me. "So where are your friends who did this to you?"