READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 64: Reservations
After blending in with the people around the main road, the team split up into two groups, keeping their distance but close enough to not lose sight of each other. The rookies, Groovy, Bones, and Cookie followed Indie through the right, with Scott and his friends not drawing as much attention as the rest of Crisis, who stuck close to the left side of the road in search of a spot to hide and talk in secret. They had to follow a straight line surrounded by houses, bars, and small locals that blocked their sides, leaving them in the open and forcing them to keep walking until they reached the nearest intersection.
The road finally diverted once they reached the commercial area, with the market found a bit higher where the road began spiraling and the rest of the buildings on the left expanding into the two big streets. Frost and Indie took the lead as they stepped into the first street, which was almost as big as the main road, with a smooth cement floor instead of the rocky foundation of the latter, though it was twice as crowded. As soon as they stepped foot on the street, they were overwhelmed by the number of buildings found on each side, as well as the huge masses gathered around certain popular locals.
While the sight was distracting, Frost quickly found a spot after looking around the very first building on his left, a small corridor next to a closed restaurant. He led Indie and the others into the dark and narrow alley, where they hid uncomfortably as the space could barely host fifteen people. They successfully evaded any witnesses around, but while the rookies kept a close eye on the entrance to the alley, the rest turned their attention to Indie and Frost and waited for some orders.
–Alright, what are we doing? Looks like we are about to have an orgy in here…– Nitro asked jestingly, but he was received with silence and a few weird looks thrown at him. He laughed nervously as he looked at Frost, but neither he nor Indie had an immediate response, prompting an awkward silence where their teammates looked around the alley to distract themselves.
–I’m thinking… We were supposed to be greeted by some landlord. They are one of the only ones that can keep us hidden for now and were supposed to meet us at the entrance and take us to our safe house, but clearly, they weren’t told by the guards or Snake…– Frost replied in reflection, rubbing his forehead out of frustration as he stared at Indie in search of answers, though she was in the same position as him.
–Can’t we just look for them?– Chappy asked apprehensively, as he was too far away to hear or get a good view of Frost, who was irritated by the mere sound of his voice despite not knowing who to look at.
–What part of staying hidden don’t you understand? We can’t be walking around with these clothes or carrying all this gear… There are too many people out there, we have to keep a low profile to not arouse any suspicion– Frost responded indignantly as he tried to focus on thinking again, exchanging a few stares with the rest of Crisis to get inspiration. Candy seemed eager to speak up, but as everyone else stayed quiet, she first grabbed Frost’s attention by stepping into view and pulling his shirt.
–I can go find them, I don’t have any gear and look the most normal here, so…– Candy suggested lightheartedly but remained fairly sheepish as she waited for approval. Indie already gave her permission, but as she stared solely at Frost to wait for his answer, he had to consider the idea for a second before agreeing.
–Yes, take Tricky with you and some extra bags as well, I’m sure you can blend in seamlessly– Frost replied indifferently and pointed at her sister standing right behind her. The rest of the team cleared the way for the two girls to leave the alley and begin searching for the landlord, but before they stepped out onto the street, Tricky turned around with one last question.
–How are we going to find this landlord?– Tricky asked directly at Indie, who had to pull out her notes from her backpack to find the information.
–Look for Lowe Street 87, that should be the address. Ask to speak to the owner, and then we’ll follow you one by one– Indie responded in a concise manner, and with that, Tricky and Candy left the alley, but not before checking to see if there were people around. Out in the street, they were just as crammed as in the alley, but they took advantage of this to search for the address calmly while lying low. The rest of the team waited for a couple of minutes in silence, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the little space they had to breathe. But just when they noticed more people hanging out next to the alley, Tricky and Candy showed up again with directions to the safe house.
–Alright, this way…– Tricky instructed as she took Indie and Frost with her while Candy led Nitro and Scott. They split up and headed in different directions, but ended up at the same point right away, as their safe house wasn’t far, only a few blocks further down the street.
They had to return to the alley a couple more times to bring every member of the team to the safe house, leaving the ones that could draw the most attention for last, like Panda, Cookie, Groovy, Bones, and even Shade. Surprisingly, Kiwy had no issue walking around the street; no one batted an eye at her presence or the rookies, though they struggled to focus with all the people and buildings surrounding them. They were curious to explore the street and even more intrigued by the variety of citizens. Cookie’s promises proved true. Rysemery was full of all kinds of individuals, but unfortunately, they didn’t get much time to get acquainted with the people as the entire team gathered in another alley, now waiting outside for the landlord and Frost to come out.
–That’s everyone?– Indie asked as she checked for her teammates, trying to count the rookies right as Frost finished talking with the homeowner, who was now opening the door to the small building in front of them, giving them a short glimpse inside the safe house. But they immediately focused on her instead of the house since their landlord turned out to be a small girl with short, brown hair, glasses, and, most peculiarly, pointy ears. The rookies gasped as soon as they saw her, causing mild concern in the girl, but as she approached Crisis to talk to them, she remained calm and comfortable despite the large number of people facing her.
–Hello, I’m Charlotte, I’ll be your landlady– Charlotte introduced herself with a genial smile before she stepped into the house again and gestured for the team to enter as well. Crisis didn’t hesitate, although Scott stayed behind with the rookies as they began discussing the strange appearance of their landlady. But while they chatted, Groovy, Bones, and Cookie grabbed all the baggage to carry inside, where Charlotte began to give a tour of the house.
–Follow me, I’ve reserved this whole house for you… It might be a bit small considering you will have to live here, but I’m sure you’ll find a way to fit in– Charlotte added in a carefree manner as she entered the house and showed all the rooms.
First, they walked through a hallway that connected with a large kitchen on the right and a normal bedroom with a full bed on the left, then they reached a staircase with a living and dining room past it. The rookies, Cookie, Panda, and Kiwy, were interested in the living room as it had four couches in total, a large, round coffee table in the middle, and a dining table in the back corner, opposite the seats. They left their bags in the living room, which already filled up half of the first floor, but Candy, Tricky, Frost, Nitro, and Indie followed Charlotte upstairs to check out the bedrooms.
–So, in total, there are five bedrooms– Charlotte claimed as she let the squad look around the hallway of the second floor, a narrow but long corridor that connected to five rooms, four of which were bedrooms. She opened the door to every one of them to show the interiors, and even though they appeared spacious, only two of them had bathrooms, with the third being the fifth room on the second floor. Indie also quickly realized that there were fewer beds than needed. The master bedroom had a king-sized bed, one room was quite tiny with a small bed, and the rest were double bedrooms with two large beds each on opposite sides.
–How many beds are there?– Indie asked with slight worry after already checking every room in the house. The landlady stopped before walking downstairs to think, and when she turned around to count the team members, she stared at them with some apprehension before regaining her composure.
–Seven, so most of you will have to share– Charlotte replied lightheartedly but slightly anxiously in anticipation of their reaction. The team did get upset and began looking at each other to choose who to share beds with, but since Charlotte was already downstairs, there wasn’t much they could do to protest.
–Alright, thanks for your hospitality. We’ll make sure to keep the place neat and tidy– Indie affirmed politely, forcing a grateful smile that Charlotte returned before heading for the door. While they talked, Frost began arranging some of the bags left in the living room with the help of Panda, with the rest of the team either doing the same or relaxing after a long trip on the couches.
–You're welcome, if you need any help, you can find me in my store next door. Good luck with everything!– Charlotte replied cheerfully before she walked to the kitchen, grabbed some keys on one of the counters, and opened the front door to leave, but not before turning around to give one last look at the entire team.
With a smile, she closed the door, and the entire house turned silent. They all waited until they could hear her walking away through the alley, and once they were sure she wasn’t near, they immediately began discussing the bed situation. The team burst into murmurs and quiet grumbles as they fought over the beds, but no one dared speak up or claim anything as Indie had taken control of their housing situation. She had the other set of keys for the house, but while she seemed to already have everyone assigned to rooms, she remained quiet to let the team settle their differences on their own. Her teammates were the most vocal in the discussion, but since they couldn’t come to an agreement, Candy got up on a couch to be the first to claim a bed.
–I was the one to find the place, so I’ll take the master bed…– Candy asserted confidently but playfully, becoming slightly nervous as she looked at everyone in hopes of a positive reaction. She got no objection or argument in response, as everyone seemed fine letting her choose a bed and continued debating about the other rooms. But as the argument persisted, she took the opportunity to approach Frost with a proposition.
–Do you want to share it with me?– Candy asked timidly and was already embarrassed while Frost searched frantically for the bag with his equipment. He was so distracted that he didn’t even notice her until she reached for his arm, but with his attention, the rest of the team turned their focus on her. They immediately protested, and by the time Frost turned to her and realized what she was asking, his teammates were already rejecting her idea and stepping between the two.
–No, no, no… Don’t let her near Frost, who knows what she could do to him!– Nitro exclaimed teasingly, playing distraught and panicked, receiving a severe, bitter stare from Candy in response. Panda pulled her away from Frost to play along, but the latter ignored them and went right back to searching for his stuff, leading Candy to turn to Indie for approval. She began considering it, and while she looked skeptical of her request, Candy’s embarrassment was looked over as her sister quickly responded to Nitro’s mocking comment.
–You are the one that can’t share a room with a girl, so you are stuck with Cookie– Tricky replied condescendingly, to which Nitro scoffed and turned to Indie smugly to reject the idea. However, he stopped laughing once Indie agreed with Tricky’s opinion and began nodding to her and Candy’s suggestion.
–Yes, you two can fit in that large room with Groovy and Bones… I’ll take the room downstairs with Tricky, and…– Indie ordered without a second thought, prompting Nitro’s jaw to drop in disbelief as he turned to Cookie, who just began laughing. Nitro stared at him in disdain while he ignored him, but with them having to sort things out, Indie turned to her other teammates, with Candy looking away to not draw much attention and risk getting switched to another room.
–What about us?– Ace interjected curiously but was slightly insecure when addressing Indie directly. Luckily for him, she didn’t pay too much attention, as she already had something in mind for the rookies, who listened eagerly with hopeful eyes.
–That tiny room with the small bed can only fit one of you, so I’ll let Zoey and Kiwy claim it, they seem small enough– Indie replied, turning to Zoey and Kiwy, who just so happened to be sitting next to each other. The former looked surprised, but she smiled with joy after being paired with the cat girl, who returned the gesture with a cheerful nod. She did frown a little when her eyes met Scott’s, who shared her disappointment but had become more eager to hear his pairing.
–And you four are stuck in the other double bedroom. I hope you behave and don’t cause much trouble– Indie added in a firm but cordial manner that prompted some mixed reactions. All four males nodded affirmatively and stayed quiet to hide their uncertainty, except Ace, who turned to Scott and Chappy with a nonchalant smile.
–We won’t… Wait, who is going to sleep with Shade?– Ace asked playfully before cracking up with Chappy and Scott as soon as he mentioned their rival, who stood far away and seemed mostly indifferent to the conversation. But as he still looked menacing to approach, Scott made the quick decision to pick his bed partner while Chappy was still laughing.
–Not me… We are sharing beds…– Scott replied in a hurry, grabbing Ace by the arm and pulling him into a forced hug to keep him away from Chappy, who took a second to realize that he was paired with Shade, and he was now approaching from behind. Chappy slowly turned around with a frightened frown, only to see Shade staring down at him with a malicious grin, getting a few mocking giggles from Scott and Ace as they watched Chappy gulp in nervousness and struggle to speak.
–Please don’t kill me in my sleep… I have to find some big booby cow girls before I die…– Chappy begged in dread and desperation, almost getting on his knees to plead for some mercy, which was such a dramatic response that even got Shade to laugh alongside the other rookies. But as the others continued discussing the situation with their respective partners, Indie waited for a minute until everyone had come to an agreement, and with the rookies already heading upstairs, she dismissed the group.
–Good, so everyone, unpack your things and store them well. Make yourself at home, but keep your weapons close just in case…– Indie declared before she grabbed her bags and brought them to the bedroom on the first floor, with Tricky following right behind with her own stuff. Shortly after, everyone else carried their belongings to their rooms, except Panda, who was left standing in the living room, all alone, confused, and concerned to see everyone going upstairs.
–Wait… What about me??– Panda asked in disappointment and a heartbroken tone, to which Nitro turned around, only to laugh at him.
–You are too big to fit in any of these beds. I guess you’ll just have to sleep on the couch then…– Nitro replied mockingly before running upstairs with the other guys after provoking Panda. But after everyone left, he sighed and dropped on one of the couches to begin resting, using one of his bags as a pillow in his makeshift bed.
Upstairs, the hallway turned crowded fast as everyone headed inside with their clothes and supplies. Zoey and Kiwy left their things in the living room since their room was so tiny, and since it wasn’t too late outside, they joined the rookies and their superiors to eat some lunch before going to bed since they had nothing else to do. The mess they had created in the hallway had been cleared fairly quick, leaving room for Frost and Candy to walk into the master bedroom and place their things down.
It was the only room left for them, and even though they weren’t assigned to it officially, Candy claimed it gratefully, as her first reaction was jumping onto the bed to roll around the soft sheets and the excessive mountain of fluffy pillows. Frost immediately placed his bags in the corner of the room before looking around, seemingly repulsed by the overwhelming decoration of the room. Multiple paintings and candles covered every wall and surface to create a warm, welcoming, and somewhat intimate atmosphere that seemed to get Candy in a good mood while confusing Frost.
–Should we go to sleep?– Candy asked cheerfully, with a big, lively smile, as she stared at Frost with tantalizing eyes that he ignored as he turned back to store more bags in the closet next to the door. She became nervous upon getting no response, but since it seemed like he had accepted the fact that they were sharing the room, she waited eagerly for him to turn around and give her a chance to pull him into bed.
–Not yet, you go ahead…– Frost replied dismissively as Candy tried to entice him with her frisky demeanor. But as he didn’t look back at her before walking out of the bedroom, she was greatly discouraged and didn’t insist. Instead, she became curious as she followed him out the door and stayed quiet to spy on him as he went downstairs.
With everyone locking themselves in their rooms, the house was left dark, with one single lantern providing light from the living room, drawing Candy’s attention more as that’s where Frost was heading. She tried to be sneaky, keeping her distance to not get caught, and to play it safe, she peeked out of the staircase to watch Frost walk into the living room. Indie was waiting for him down there, and soon enough, they began having a private discussion that Candy had become heavily invested in.
They were very quiet, as Panda was seemingly already sleeping next to them, so Candy had to squint and lean in to get a better view. She spotted some papers, maps, and what seemed like a letter on the coffee table that Frost kept glancing over. But as she couldn’t hear anything that stood out, she grew bored and didn’t stick around for very long. With a last affectionate look at Frost, Candy sighed and returned upstairs to sleep on her own. But right after she left, Indie glanced at the staircase with a skeptical look, and after turning her attention back to Frost, she adopted a cautious demeanor as she continued speaking to him.