This story is so much fun to write, seriously, especially now that it’s getting closer to the end!  Hope you enjoyed the last chapter and this chapter!

Chapter Quote:

“Everything and anything you want to do, you can do in Las Vegas.”

~Drew Carey

__________________________________________

Chapter 12: Stays in Vegas

Bryn 

The smell of sizzling bacon woke Bryn up.  She didn’t wake up easily to anything, so someone must have been cooking some really good bacon.  She rolled out of bed and threw her hair up into a ponytail before walking into the kitchen.  Silena, Derek, and Rachel were all there.

“Where did you get the bacon?” Bryn asked, sliding into one of the bar chairs.

“I snuck out of the hotel because I didn’t want to encounter any of the employees and have them harass me to stay,” Rachel said nonchalantly.

“You left?” Bryn demanded sharply.

“Yes, and returned back in one piece, no distractions.  I took Silena with me for backup.  You hungry?”

“Starved.”

“Good, because I made a lot.” Rachel plopped about five pieces of bacon on each plate and handed them to everyone.  Bryn dug in ravenously, wondering vaguely where her appetite came from.

“So where to next?  How are we going to get from Colorado Springs from here?” Silena inquired, shoveling bacon into her mouth.

“I’m working on it.  Let’s just get out of this hotel as soon as possible.  I don’t like the feeling it’s giving me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I feel like… someone is waiting for us downstairs.”

“Hannah?”

“Possibly, or her minions.  Try and be ready to go in thirty minutes, okay?” Bryn got up and left, eating her last piece of bacon on the way to her room.  She put on some makeup, just enough to look presentable to the public.  After that, she changed into shorts and a tank top because it was the middle of July in Las Vegas.  It was only nine in the morning and already eighty-nine degrees.  It was going to be a hellishly hot day.  She stuffed her belongings into her backpack and went to the living room.  Derek was already there.  Rachel and Silena were still in their rooms.

“You okay?” Bryn questioned.

“Yeah, had another dream last night.  About Hallie,” Derek admitted.

“What happened?”

“Her dad… he hit her.  We need to get her out of that house.  I don’t know where she lives though…”

“She will be rescued.  I promise.”

“It needs to be soon Bryn.  I don’t know how much longer she can handle it.”

“You know I never go back on my promises.”

“I know.”

“Good.  So once we find Luke, Hallie will be rescued next.”

__________________________________________

Silena 

Silena was the last to be ready.  She’d had to do some facial cleaning because unlike everyone else in her family, she’d been jinxed with bouts of bad breakouts.  She envied her brother who apparently never had such problems (if he did, Silena didn’t remember it).  Bryn had never had so much as a blemish, but that was because of her Aphrodite genes.  Derek told Silena he’d gone through a breakout period when he was younger but it lasted a year at most and never happened again.

“You ready?” Silena said, putting her backpack on.  The group nodded and headed downstairs.  When they exited the elevator, they were immediately accosted by Romans; Antony was among them.

“Not you again,” Bryn moaned. “Wasn’t your pathetic arse dangling from a banister last time I saw you?”

“I obviously got out of it,” Antony retorted, smirking at her.

“Unfortunately.  Now would you please let us go?  I’ll send you a hundred truckloads of all the stuffed animals for your augur slaying desires.  Deal?”

“No, no deal.  We’re not letting you leave until you tell us that prophecy or find it out for us.  And you’re going to pay your dues for ruining our Senate House.”

“That was your fault.  You held me against my will and you’re doing it again, which only means I’m going to find a way to escape again.  I hope you know that.”

“We have guards stationed all over this hotel.  And yes, we know what this hotel is,” he added. “I’m surprised you didn’t Miss Know-It-All.”

“You know, destroying a Senate House and flying three other people out of there and making a complete imbecile of a certain praetor takes it out of you and you don’t quite notice details such as the name of a hotel.”

“Well, well, well, look what we have here,” a voice mused.  The group turned to face the newcomer, or newcomers, since there ten people.  Their leader was a buff, blue eyed, blonde guy.  He reminded Silena somewhat of Luke, but more menacing and cold. “Miss Winchester, Miss Jackson, Miss Dare, and Mister… Marks, is it?”

“Michaels.  Derek Michaels,” Derek said through gritted teeth.

“Who are you?” Antony demanded.

“Ryan London.  I’m Hannah’s second-in-command.  And you are?”

“Antony.  I’m a Praetor of New Rome.  These four are ours.”

“On the contrary, I believe these four are ours.  My leader is much more powerful than yours.”

“Oh no, you’re not taking them away from us.  They destroyed our Senate House and have damaged my reputation.  They will pay their dues and then maybe you can have them,” Antony spat.

“That is a bad idea,” Ryan warned.

“Rachel, Derek, go left and make your way to the dressing rooms.  Silena and I are going to the right,” Bryn whispered. “Got it?”

The other three nodded imperceptibly.  Bryn hid her hands behind her back and started murmuring something indecipherable to Silena.  Whatever it was, it made the air turn thick and hard to breathe in.  Antony and Ryan were in such a heated argument that they didn’t notice, although their guards were trying to get their attention.  By the time two leaders actually listened, it was too late. Bryn threw her hands down and a black smoke erupted in their area.  Silena felt her friend grab her hand and drag her away.  There were coughs and disoriented shouts from the area of the explosion.  Silena turned around as she ran; Ryan was just starting to emerge.  He caught a glimpse of them and started chasing after them.  His minions followed.  Silena announced this to Bryn who swore colorfully in Greek.

“Just follow my lead and I apologize in advance for this,” Bryn said.  She dragged Silena into a dressing room and pulled out two very red, very feathery outfits.

“No.  No, no, no, and no.  Not happening.  I’m sorry, wrong number.  I won’t.  I refuse,” Silena declared.

Bryn raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you want to get out of here undetected or not?  Don’t worry.  If Derek has any bad thoughts, I’ll fry him for you.” The daughter of Zeus winked at Silena before slipping into a dressing room.  Shaking her head about the things she’s willing to do to escape and rescue her brother, Silena entered a dressing room as well.  The feathery red contraption was surprisingly difficult to get into even though there wasn’t much fabric to it.

“Bryn?  Silena?  It’s Derek.  Where are you?”

“Getting dressed in ridiculous outfits to escape here.  If you laugh at me, I will kill you,” Silena admonished, stepping out from the dressing room.  She had expected him to laugh.  She hadn’t expected herself to laugh at Derek.  He was wearing a gold suit with gold shoes and a gold hat.  He wore a shaggy blonde wig and aviator glasses.  Bryn stood next to him, looking unreasonably comfortable in her Las Vegas showgirl outfit.  Upon seeing Silena, Derek’s mouth dropped open.

“I mean… it’s not you, but you look gorgeous,” he commented, giving her a dazed smile.

“Thank you,” she replied, blushing.  She hated showing this much skin but if it saved her hide, it was worth it. “Where’s Rachel?”

“She’s our hostess,” Bryn explained.  Scrunching her eyebrows together, Silena turned around.  Rachel wore a hotel outfit, a black wig, and horn-rimmed glasses.  She looked like a black-haired Rita Skeeter. “Miss Dare will be escorting us outside where we will hop on a bus and get out of here.”

“Where’s the bus going?” Silena asked.

“We’ll find out when it stops.  All right, everyone ready?”

Derek hooked out his arms for the girls to take.  They did.  Rachel grabbed a luggage cart and placed their backpacks on it.  With that, the four stepped out into the lobby.  People brushed past them, hardly giving them a second glance.  A few guys whistled at them, but the girls ignored them.  At one point a couple Romans ran past them, but they didn’t recognize the girls, Derek, or Rachel.  They made it to the front of the hotel before someone stopped them.  It was the overfriendly desk clerk.

“What are you doing sir?”

“I’m letting these ladies take me out to lunch.  Now if you would please get out of our way, we have a very important date to attend.”

“But sir, we have such fine dining here!  Let me escort you to the restaurant.  You’ll get the finest seating there is!”

“Thank you, but I’d prefer to go to the restaurant we’re heading to now.  I’ve never been there and these girls insist it’s amazing.  To die for,” Derek lied.

“Really, let me-”

“There they are!” Ryan shouted.  The four whirled around.  Silena started to freak out.  Now what were they supposed to do?  Facing forward again, she saw Derek punch the receptionist square in the face before he dragged Bryn and Silena with him.  Rachel was running with the luggage cart like it was a skateboard.  They ran out of the hotel onto the crowded street.  People looked at them briefly but didn’t spare them a second glance until Derek had the bright idea to ride the luggage cart down the street.  Silena and Bryn hopped on.  It was too hard for them to run in their heels.

“Derek!  Get to that bus!” Bryn yelled anxiously.  She ripped off the headdress; Silena did the same thing.  Her hair tumbled around her shoulders, and it felt good to have it out of that tight bun.  When the four of them reached the bus, they scrambled on, taking any available seats they could find.  Rachel took a front seat.  Derek took a middle one.  Silena and Bryn shared a seat in the back.  Luck was on their side when the bus started driving right after they got on.  There was more luck on their side when they realized there was a bathroom they could use to change into normal outfits.  Silena noticed why as she scooted over to it.  A bunch of senior citizens were staring at them with wide-eyes.  It must’ve been their road trip bus.

“We just quit our jobs!” Bryn announced suddenly. “Our boss was psychotic and made us do absurd stunts.  Like that guy in the gold suit?  He was told to be our ‘pimp.’  We just wanted to get away.  Sorry for stealing away on your bus.”

“You go girls!  And guy!” an elderly woman cheered.

Another one shouted, “Good for you!”

“You’re welcome to be on our bus,” an old man said.

“Thank you,” Bryn said sincerely, giving them all a bashful smile. “Would you mind if we used the bathroom to change into more… appropriate clothing?”

“Not at all dear, go ahead!” the first woman insisted.  Bryn let Silena go first, knowing how uncomfortable she was wearing the outfit.  As Silena locked the door behind her and started changing, she wondered how Bryn was so calm wearing the outfit in front of people.  It was like she didn’t care what people thought of her anymore.  Not that she cared in the first place… but it was like she’d gotten more reckless.  Maybe it was due to the fact Luke was still a captive and they were still nowhere near figuring out how to get to Colorado Springs.

When Silena was done, Bryn slipped into the bathroom and changed as well.  Rachel went next, Derek went last.

“That was certainly interesting,” Bryn commented.

“What happens in Vegas…” Silena muttered.

“Stays in Vegas.  What we just wore will never leave that place.  Sorry I put you through that.”

“It got us out of there.  You know, Luke would’ve had a heart attack if he’d seen you in that,” she laughed.

“Oh gods, please never tell him about that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want him thinking about that!”

“No promises.” She grinned. “So where’s this bus headed to?”

Bryn shrugged. “We’ll see when we get there.”

__________________________________________

Antony is annoying isn’t he?  Hope you enjoyed! Please review :)