Raina skipped out of the bustling casino as she headed toward her next destination, the sun was already bordering the horizon and the sky glowed a warm pink and orange.
In front of her, a giant apartment complex filled her vision. The same sleek building in which she had lost her first bet.
Raina took a deep breath as she headed inside. The bright LED lights on the ceiling filled her vision as she took a glance around the minimalist apartment lobby.
To her right, a cluster of sofas and couches littered the ground in a chaotic pattern as around six people sat doing their own thing. The silence was filled by a quiet soft music played out from three small black speakers mounted high on the wall.
"Are you here to book a room?" A monotonal voice pulled her out of her daze as she turned to the receptionist behind the counter.
"Yes, please." Raina smiled as she hopped over, her eyes skimming through the prices.
"50 Tokens for one night. Another 25 for a room upgrade. What would you like?" The receptionist chanted in a script-like tone.
"I'll book for 7 nights."
"7 nights. No upgrade. 350 Tokens."
Raina nodded as she held out her card, tapping it on a small display that indicated for her to pay.
"Room 442." The receptionist slid over a room key before sliding their chair back and leaning back, shuffling a deck of cards in their hand.
Making her way up the elevator to the fourth floor, she very quickly found her room, the key slipping into the keyhole and unlocking smoothly. Within, the room was rather small. A single bed was stationed in the corner of the room with a desk and an adjacent bathroom to the left. A small closet rested behind the bed as Raina plopped herself on the mattress. Her back lightly sank into the soft memory foam.
"Mmm," She let out a stretch as she sat back up, "I need to test out my new abilities first," She yawned, hopping back onto the wooden panelled floor.
She had already tested out the [Super Speed] ability, which accelerated her thought and movements.
"[Hair Manipulation]," She brushed her hair to her shoulder as she willed it to move.
Slowly, strand by strand, her hair began waving around in the air, swaying right as she willed it, then swaying left as she tilted her head, "Wow," She murmured as she raised an arm up, the hair resting on her palm.
"How about…" She glanced around the room, locking onto the small wooden alarm clock by the nightstand. She pointed her finger in hopes for better accuracy, and just like that, the hair rushed forward, becoming longer before wrapping itself around the clock and bringing it back to her.
"That's impressive…" Raina muttered as the clock dropped into her hands, she fiddled with it before letting her hair place it back onto the nightstand.
As she retracted her hair back to its original position, the echoes of footsteps suddenly entered into earshot, the soft thumping growing louder before stopping. Knock. Knock.
The door thudded behind her. Raina turned around slowly, she wasn't expecting visitors, especially not at this hour.
"Open the door." A familiar voice called out. It's low resonance piercing into Raina's ears like gunshots in a silent night.
Raina felt her body freeze on the spot as a cold sweat ran down her back, her breath accelerating as her hands gripped tightly to her side.
"I said open the door." The knock grew louder.
She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath in, then out; calming herself.
Raina made her way to the door, turning the knob as the figure slowly revealed themself. Their short back hair and dangerous brown eyes gazing at her with malice.
"Lezlo." Raina muttered,
Ah, blondie." Lezlo smirked, he slammed his fist against the door, forcing it wide open as he strolled in.
"What-" Raina blurted out as she flinched backwards.
"Alice… right?" Lezlo said as he sat down on the wooden seat, "I've grown curious."
"Curious enough to break into break into a married woman's apartment at this time of night? Alice mocked as she crossed her arms by the entrance.
Lezlo leaned forward as his eyes squinted, "You've grown quite an attitude since the last time we met."
"Really? I haven't noticed." Raina rolled her eyes, "How'd you know I was here,"
"I own this building. I have eyes everywhere." He said with a shrug, "More importantly, I've been wondering what kind of ability you had that could be worth 2 million. No matter how much I think about it, there's no sense for an ability to be worth that much."
Raina blinked, "I don't know what you're talking about. But, I think that door there looks very welcoming. Why don't you step through it and never come back."
Lezlo chuckled, "I've come to make you an offer."
"Offer?"
"At this point, you've been probably wracking your brain to somehow procure 2 million tokens and buy back your ability, but earn it too late and someone else can buy it out. So here's my offer. Work for me for 1 year and it's yours."
"1 year? You must be kidding me," Raina laughed in disbelief, "You need another lackey running around backstabbing people for you? Where's Martha? Got bored of her?"
"That's not the kind of work I have in mind for you," Lezlo grinned, "I swear. 1 year and that ability will be yours again."
"How do you know it's not going to be bought out before then?" Raina frowned.
"I'll buy it now. Keep it safe."
Raina squinted her eyes, "You… you've already bought it, haven't you?" A small smile suddenly etched up on her cheeks,
Lezlo let out a slight flinch as he straightened himself again, his eyes staring straight back at her.
"Ohh." Raina raised an eyebrow as she walked forward slightly, "Something happened! You tried to use it but got rejected."
Lezlo's eyes darted to the said as Raina took another step forward, "So you gave it to Martha…" The smile on her lips widened even more, "Where is she right now? What happened to her?"
Lezlo turned his eyes back to Raina with a grim expression, "She's dead. Exploded."