Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel: First Floor Corridor
Moira, Syed, Lucien and Xandra’s distractions had worked to great effect. The tsunami of paparrazi were overwhelmed and confused by the Pride’s actions, with many crumbling under muttered whines that their equipment was frazzled by the setting off of the Hotel’s sprinklers, whilst others bolted in opposite directions to where the Pride had fled to from Xandra and Lucien’s shouts – the second floor and the ladies’ facilities were where the paparazzo turned their investigation.
However… the Pride were still on the first floor, running down the straight corridor with some of the quicker paparazzi behind, following behind Crimson Justice, who had Dylan’s body flail in the air behind him like some kind of fabulous cape. The superhero’s plan was… well, typical of the man beneath the mask, in that it wasn’t particularly smart and carried its own sense of ludicrous logic. He was going to run and lead his friends in a full circle back to where they were, hoping that the cluster of reporters were gone by now and that the elevator was safe to use to reach the lobby in.
“Hold on… you… stupid… idiot…” Thunderhawk panted through gasped moans. The stocky ranger, whilst sprite and agile in fast paced sprints and close quarters combat, couldn’t take running a marathon any longer. Especially in a faux, illusion bred dress. And that’s when he came to a sudden realisation.
Why was he running? He didn’t care if this band of clueless, vapid reporters were interested in Selan, Don, or that ridiculous spandex clad ‘super hero’. Why would he?
He stopped running. Screw that. As he did, a mass of other paparazzi squeezed past, the last vestiges of those who hadn’t been stunned completely by the sprinklers or turned away by Lucien and Xandra’s ruse.
“Oooh, that Chirps!” Aria grunted loudly as she looked over her shoulder at him. Whilst she couldn’t deny he sort of had the right idea to just stop running (wouldn’t that be fantastic right now?) she also couldn’t just abandon these people. A small smirk crossed her lips. If that was how he wanted to play it…
Another scream echoed down the last corridor that everyone had turned off, as they started to run down the final corridor back to where they started. Aria had just dispelled her illusion powers on that irritating man, leaving him completely naked for a third time.
But, there at the very end, blocking the stairs Marcus, Thunderhawk, Aria and Xandra had ascended, and the turn to where the elevator was, was another gaggle of paparrazi who had stayed behind just in case. The path ahead was blocked, and behind them, the small collective that was left was catching up. Crimson Justice skidded in his tracks, Dylan crashing into his back with a small ‘whoof!’
“Darn!” Crimson Justice swiped his fist through the air. “This way!”
The superhero booted the down the door nearest to them, which led to a fire escape. It was their last chance!
Los Paraisos: The Bucking Bronco
Freddie looked back at the little girl in disbelief, whistling with amazement at how quickly and happily she had stuffed down the bevy of omelettes and apple juice he had prepared for her. Whilst she was tucking away into her breakfast, he had placed a call to the Pellagio Hotel. Or, more accurately, he had tried to. For some reason, the lines were busy and he couldn’t get through. Which was fine, he instead decided if needs be he could help accompany her to the Hotel after her breakfast was finished.
But halfway through, Trixie suddenly stopped, her eyes wide alert like a deer caught in headlights at the sense of… something happening. A twinkle sparkled in her eye.
"Mister Freddie, I need to go outside right now. Where's the outside from here? And do you have a cape I could borrow?"
“Outside?” Freddie repeated. “Child, I don’t… I don’t think it’s safe for you to go outside alone right now. Where do you need to go? I can help you.” The stripper replied with a determined nod. “As for a cape, well… I have… something you could use…? Let me go get that and sort out that hair of yours too, then we can go.”