Hotel 72: The Last Hit

by Anthony Ivins

  Part of Robert's cover was to make sure that he was untraceable. If somebody phoned Sprint and found out he didn't work there his cover would be blown. This way, there was nobody to verify who he was.

  "What can a guy do for fun around here?" asked Robert.

  "What type of fun you looking for, the clean or the dirty kind?" replied Wade.

  "The clean type," replied Robert, "Have a wife and two kids waiting at home."

  "Well Robert, the best way to stay out of trouble is to stay right here," said Wade.

  "Cheers to that," replied Robert, and he raised his glass and downed the golden-brown liquid. He banged the empty glass on the bar counter and motioned for the barman to pour him another one.

  “When are you going to get some decent entertainment?” asked Robert, “This one sounds like a cat on a hot tin roof.”

  “The more you drink the better they sound,” replied the barman as he handed Robert a full glass.

  After downing three more drinks, Robert made his way to the bathroom. His head was starting to spin and he tried hard not to bump into some tables on his way. He managed to make his way into the bathroom without incident and rushed into one of the stalls and closed the door. He opened the lid of the toilet and stuck his finger down his throat. The contents of his stomach, including all the Jack Daniels, came out instantly in one gigantic ball of vomit.

  The spit was dangling from his mouth, almost reaching the toilet bowl. He pulled of some toilet paper from the roll and wiped his mouth. His eyes were watering, so he pulled off a few more sheets of toilet paper and wiped them too. He took a few deep breaths of air and stood up, making sure he could focus. He flushed the toilet, opened the cubicle and went to the wash basin.

  Robert opened the cold tap and, using both his hands, he threw some water on his face. He put his mouth to the tap and gulped down a few mouthfuls of water. He then stood up and looked into the mirror, making sure that he was able to focus. Robert opened the bathroom door and started walking back to the bar. He noticed he was walking too straight. He had to look drunk, so he exaggerated his stagger, bumping into a few tables as he made his way back to the bar.

  Robert sat down heavily on the bar stool and put his arm on the counter.

  “Whoooo, another one please Wade,” he ordered, slurring slightly and holding up his empty glass, his hand wobbling.

  “You sure?” asked Wade, who had seen Robert stumble back to the bar, “Looks like you have had enough for tonight.”

  “Yesh I’m fine,” replied Robert.

  “Okay, you’re the boss,” said Wade, shaking his head as he poured Robert another double Jack.

  Robert had another four double Jacks before looking at his watch, it was 10-30pm, time to get back to his room. He stood up from his bar stool and almost fell over, just managing to keep his balance.

  “Woah, easy there. Do you need some help?” asked Wade.

  “I’ll be fine,” replied Robert, “How do I get out of here?”

  “Through that door over there,” replied Wade, pointing to the doorway that Robert had arrived through.

  “Thank you for your hospitality,” said Robert as he saluted the barman, his hand shaking as he held it at an awkward angle above his brow.

  Robert stumbled and bumped his way through the bar, briefly resting against a pillar on his way out. He made sure that most of the bar was watching him. As he stumbled through the doorway he tripped on the step and fell flat on his face. He used the palm of his hand to slap the ground as he fell, letting it sound like he had fallen hard.

  As he lay on the ground he held up one arm, “I’m alright,” he said.

  He lifted himself carefully off the ground and back to his feet. He stumbled forwards, using the wall to guide him to the elevator. Robert had to wait a few seconds for the elevator to come. He leant against the wall, his head bent forwards. Out of the corner of his eye he looked at the CCTV camera which was staring directly at him. He wasn’t sure if they were monitored full time so he had to assume that they were.

  As the elevator opened Robert fell inside, almost knocking over a couple that were getting out. The man pushed Robert against the side of the elevator, “Watch where you’re going,” he said aggressively.

  “Sorry mister.” replied Robert, “Had a bit too much to drink.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” replied the man, “best you go and sleep it off.”

  “That’s where I am headed,” said Robert, “Apologies again.”

  The man took his wife by the arm and walked her down the passage towards the reception desk.

  Robert pushed the seventh floor and set the timer on his watch. When he arrived at the seventh floor and the elevator opened he looked down at the timer again. It registered 26 seconds. He carried on with his charade, stumbling down the passage towards his room. When he reached the door he fumbled with his key card, dropping it on the floor twice before opening the door.

  As Robert stepped inside his room he went to the bathroom and put his finger down his throat, vomiting up all the Jack Daniels into the toilet bowl. He leaned across to the bath and opened up the cold tap, pulling on the lever to close the plug. Robert took off his clothes and stepped into the bath, letting it fill up with cold water. He waited until his body was fully covered in water before turning off the tap. He then gently let his head down underneath the water, holding his breath and letting his mind relax.

  After a minute, he lifted his face out of the water and used his hands to wipe the water away. He got out of the bath and toweled himself dry, taking a moment to stare at himself in the mirror. Then he walked into the bedroom, towel around his waist and sat down on the edge of the bed. He opened his rucksack, took out his second phone and switched it on.

  Robert waited for the phone to boot it up before he saw the familiar picture of his wife and two kids light up the screen. When the menu to come up he opened his Wi-Fi settings and scanned for available networks. He picked up the hotel wireless connection and connected to it. As he connected a secure web page popped up asking him to register with his last name and room number. He entered the details and clicked the connect button. The hour glass flipped over a few times before connecting him to the internet.

  Robert opened up his email client and downloaded some emails. He scanned through them, looking for any urgent emails but didn’t find any. He threw the phone onto the bed and flopped backwards against the bed, his hands behind his head. So far everything was going according to plan.

  The sun streamed through a small crack in the window and straight into Robert’s eyes. He used his one hand to try to shield himself, hoping for a few more minutes’ sleep. He suddenly remembered where he was and shot out of bed. He walked into the bathroom and had a long pee, his bladder full from the night before. When he finished, he looked at himself in the mirror, “Not looking too bad,” he thought to himself.

  Robert put some water in the basin and took out his toiletry bag, removing his razor blade and shaving cream. He liked to shave in warm water as it seemed to make his beard softer and stopped any rashes from the blade. Robert didn’t waste any time and was finished quickly. He rinsed his face and applied some Nivea cream, making sure he kept his skin hydrated. Although not overly concerned about appearances Robert like to at least look presentable.

  He slapped on a small dose of after shave, rubbing some in behind the ears. Then he went to the wardrobe and pulled out a pair of brown Chino trousers and a blue long sleeve shirt. He liked to wear blue shirts, it made him feel that people trusted him more- anything that would help his disguise. After Robert dressed he made his way downstairs for breakfast, making sure he timed the elevator again. This time it was 22 seconds.

  He stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the breakfast room which was on the far side of the hotel lobby. Robert walked past the entrance to the bar and had a sly peek inside, a small grin on his face. He entered the breakfast room and waited to be seated. A small and petite waitress saw him waitin
g and walked up to him.

  “Good morning sir, how you doing this today?” she asked, a large fake smile filling her face.

  “I’m doing just fine,” replied Robert.

  “Table for one?” she asked.

  “Yes please, close to that couple over there,” replied Robert, pointing to the couple he had accidentally bumped into in the elevator the night before.

  “Sure sir, please come this way,” she said, picking up a menu and leading him to the table next to the couple.

  Robert sat down and the waitress placed the menu in front of him, “Some tea or coffee for you sir?” she asked.

  “Coffee, black please,” replied Robert, and he started studying the menu. When he decided what he wanted to eat he put his menu down and looked across towards the couple. He placed his napkin on the table and turned towards them.

  “Sorry to trouble you again,” he said to the couple, “I just want to apologise for my behaviour last night. It was unprofessional of me.”

  “That’s alright,” replied the man, “no harm was done.”

  “Robert Anderson,” said Robert, holding out his hand to introduce himself.

  The man took Robert’s hand and shook it, “James Jackson, and this here is my wife Judy,” he replied.

  Robert looked across at the woman, “Pleased to meet you Mam,” he said.

  “Where are y’all from?” asked Robert, thickening his Texas accent.

  “We’re from New Orleans,” replied Judy.

  “Ah the Big Easy,” said Robert, “I just love that part of the world, the home of poker.”

  “Best state in the US of A,” replied James, looking proud, “Where do you hail from?”

  “I’m from Dallas, Texas,” replied Robert, “Born and bred.”

  “Why don’t you join us?” asked Judy.

  “Don’t mind if I do Mam,” replied Robert, and he swopped chairs, joining them at their table, “Being on the road is a lonely time - probably why I had a little too much to drink last night,"

  “Yes, I know what you mean,” said James, “I travelled a bit when I was a youngster too.”

  “What line of business are you in?” asked Robert.

  “I am retired,” replied James, “Was in law enforcement for 42 years.”

  Robert’s heart skipped a beat, his mind racing, what should he do? One thing Robert could always count on was that he remained calm under pressure, showing no visible signs of his predicament, “What line were you in?” asked Robert, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

  “The FBI,” replied James, “Can’t say too much though, top secret.”

  Robert’s heart skipped another beat. He knew this man would be well trained so he had to be careful. Despite trying his best to remain calm, a small bead of sweat ran down the side of his forehead.

  “Where were you based?” asked Robert.

  “Washington D.C. for most of my career before being transferred to run the New Orleans office,” replied James.

  “Shit,” thought Robert to himself, “He must have been high up to run the New Orleans office.”

  “How long have you been retired?” asked Robert.

  “About five years now. Can’t remember a dang thing of what they taught me,” he replied, tapping his forehead with his index finger.

  Robert breathed a small sigh of relief, “Maybe he isn’t so sharp after all,” he thought to himself and relaxed slightly.

  They continued to chat for another hour, discussing what sights there were to see in Austin.

  “Why don’t you join us on the day tour? We are leaving in twenty minutes?” asked Judy.

  “That sounds really nice but I have some dealers I need to visit and hopefully sign some deals. I need to pay for this trip,” replied Robert.

  “Sure thing, we will be sure to take some photos for you,” said James as he stood up, “Come on Judy let’s get the show on the road. It’s going to be a busy day.”

  Robert waited for them to leave before he summoned the waitress, indicating for her to bring the check. The waitress walked up to him, “Sir, the other gentleman has already paid for you,” she said.

  “Oh ok, thanks,” replied Robert, looking slightly confused. He hadn’t seen James pay or even talk to the waitress.

  He got up and left the restaurant and as he stepped outside he removed a cigarette from the box in his pocket and lit it up. Robert hated smoking, but it gave him a chance to stand in one place and observe the surroundings without drawing any attention to himself. He took a deep puff and then exhaled, sending a large ball of smoke into the air.

  Robert scanned the conference centre, looking at all the entrance doors, the fire hydrants, anything that could be of interest and memorizing it. He flicked his half-finished cigarette into the gutter on the side of the road and ambled across, stepping over the tram tracks that split the road in half. Robert stepped onto the sidewalk and looked at the entrance doors, they were all locked.

  He walked around the building, checking all the doors, hoping that one would be open but they were all shut tight. Robert walked back to the main entrance and peered through the window, trying to get a look inside. He was looking around when a voice boomed behind him, “Can I help you sir.”

  Robert whirled around and saw a security guard staring at him, his hand resting on his nightstick.

  “Whew officer, you gave me a fright” said Robert, holding his hand over heart.

  “I am not a police officer,” replied the guard, “Just here to protect the centre sir. Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “No problem,” said Robert.

  “Can I help you with anything?” asked the guard.

  “Do you know that time they open?” asked Robert politely.

  “They are closed today sir, no conferences,” replied the guard, “Only open tomorrow for that environmental talk.”

  “Environmental talk?” asked Robert.

  “Yea, some bunny hugger giving a talk about nuclear energy and the environment. He is apparently quite a famous bloke,” replied the guard.

  “Do you know his name?” continued Robert.

  “It’s Marcus something or other. I can’t remember his last name,” said the guard.

  “Sounds like a blast,” said Robert sarcastically.

  “Not exactly down my alley either,” said the guard laughing.

  “How long you been on the job here?” asked Robert, fishing for as much information as possible.

  “Going on seven years now,” replied the guard.

  “Seen any action here?” Robert continued.

  “Nothing much. We did have a shooting a few years ago and then last month a fire broke out in the elevator room,” he replied.

  “Anybody get hurt?” asked Robert

  “Nah, they evacuated the centre in time,” replied the guard.

  “Good, the police must have been here quickly,” said Robert.

  “Not the fastest I have ever seen. The fire truck was here just before them. They were probably out getting some doughnuts and coffee,” continued the guard.

  “Why didn’t you join the force and shake them up? You look like you would make a fine policeman,” said Robert, trying to flatter the guard.

  “My knee,” replied the guard, leaning down and touching his kneecap, “Busted it in high school playing football. Ruined my career.”

  “I know how it feels,” said Robert, “All State baseball before I popped my shoulder and killed my career.”

  “Well I guess that’s life,” said the guard.

  “I see this glass is mighty thick,” said Robert, placing his fingers on the glass, “I am looking at getting some for my mobile phone shop back in Dallas. I have been robbed three times in the last six months and they always bust the glass to get in.”

  “That’s special glass,” replied the guard, “A couple of years ago we had Obama giving a talk here and they decided to replace all the glass with this special glass. It’s bulletproof. I saw
them testing it with all kinds of rifles and nothing came close to going through it.”

  “I can see why. This is some serious protection,” said Robert, “Anyways, I had better get moving along, still lots to do today. Thanks for your help. It’s much appreciated.”

  “My pleasure mister. Have a good day,” replied the guard.

  Robert turned around and walked back to the hotel. He sat in the lobby on a comfortable chair and ordered a cup of coffee from the waiter. He sat with a newspaper in front of him, pretending to read. He was watching the convention centre, making notes of the guards’ patrols and their routines.

  It was almost 11-00am when Robert pulled out a mobile phone from his jacket pocket. He switched it on and waited a few seconds for it to power up. He looked at the newspaper until he found the number he was looking for and started typing a text message. It took him a few seconds to type before he entered the number and pressed the send button.

  He switched the phone off at once and slipped it back into his pocket. He set the timer on his watch and buried his head in the newspaper, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. It took four minutes for the wail of sirens to be heard in the distance, closing in fast. Robert kept his head in the newspaper and when the first cop burst through the doors he stopped the timer on his watch, it was four minutes and forty-five seconds.

  “Everybody please make your way outside. Exit through the doors in an orderly fashion. Please do not panic,” came the bellowing voice of the police man.

  Robert stood up and walked towards the exit, trying to blend in with the surrounding people. He joined the stream of people exiting and when he got to the pavement he pulled the phone out of his pocket, removed a thin layer of plastic that covered the keypad and put it inside a dustbin that was attached to a lamp pole. He looked around, making sure that nobody saw him and then moved a few yards away, standing behind a crowd of people.

  A fire truck and an ambulance pulled up outside the hotel at almost exactly the same time. The fireman in the front of the fire truck jumped out as they stopped and ran inside the hotel. A few more police cars arrived, bringing the total to eight. Two of the police officers were stationed on the pavement, keeping the people at bay.

  “What’s going on?” asked one of the crowd.

  “There has been a bomb threat,” replied the police officer.

  “Is it a real bomb?” asked an elderly lady.

  The police man turned and stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head and walking off. They waited in the street for close to an hour before an unmarked white van pulled up. Robert could hear the barking of dogs and knew that the sniffer dogs were about to earn their next meal.

  The handler opened up the back doors of the van and out jumped one of the best animal specimens Robert had ever seen. He was a Malinois, the same type of dog used to guard the grounds of the White House. His coat was mahogany in color with black markings, matching the color of his nose and ears. His ears were pointed and stood upright, giving him an almost demonic appearance.

  The dog gave one look around and then bounded up the stairs and into the hotel, his handler close behind