NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: Miss Gossip
Elvira.
Silence is enveloping the scene, but I welcome it. My car is securely parked, and my bag is packed with snacks, water, and some extra ammunition, ready for whatever comes next. As I survey the area in front of the Silver Springs Hotel, I can't shake the feeling that something is off. It's quieter than I'd prefer, but I've learned to trust my instincts after training with the Omega Assassins. That tight sensation in my lower belly, where emotions run deep, tells me to stay alert.
I take a moment to close my eyes and draw in a couple of deep breaths, a ritual I've perfected before a kill. It centers me, steadies my heart rate, and sharpens my focus. With the guidance of Mother Omega, my natural abilities have been honed to perfection over the years. I stand confident in my skills, knowing they have made me the best. Something was off in this town, but I just arrived here, so it is too early to conclude, and I should not lose sight of the real purpose I am here.
Slowly, I turned away from the scene, grabbed my bag, and swung it over my shoulder. At the same time, I went to the reception, and the smell of cigarettes mixed with alcohol wafted towards me as a cough hurled up from out of my lungs as a protest of the sudden change in air quality.
One look at the boy behind the desk told me he didn't want to be there. He had a disinterested look, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, bags of snacks everywhere, and his feet on the table where a TV was playing video clips. I sighed and shook my head. I want my room back home, but it would be nice for my purpose. After I eliminated my target, I would disappear as quickly and quietly as I came, and this place would surely help me with that as I looked around. I went to the counter and dropped some bills, not wanting to leave too much digital paper trail.
"One room," I grumbled as the boy took the money and grabbed a key from the wall behind him.
I took my bag after signing the registrar's book with a fake name and address. With the key in hand, I walked out in search of room number 7, my lucky number, and my official call sign, Omega 7.
Upon approaching my door, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a man's figure down the street on the opposite side watching me, so I halted my steps. Staring straight back, the man slowly removed his gaze and continued his journey by walking away in the opposite direction, to my relief. With a slight frown, I entered my room after I unlocked it. Inside is a bed, a toilet with a small shower, and a sitting area. After removing my laptop, I pushed my bag, moved the table, and sat on the bench. After opening Google, I typed in the target's name to see if I could find news about him that I had not received from Mother Omega or Omega 1, as that was her official call sign.
"Hmm, some dispute with the locals, interesting," I say while reading on. I wondered what he looked like in real life, having only an old, slightly smudged photograph of him standing next to an elderly couple, which I presume are his parents. After checking some and not finding anything else, I was about to close the browser when my eye caught something that might interest me.
"Is the Northern Star pack cursed?" I read the title of a small article found in the gossip section of a local newspaper out loud and continued.
"Alpha Romeo Aurelius, son of the late Aurelius, his father has found himself in a pickle. He has the good looks of his mother and the brains of his father, but can he rule the pack without a mate? That is the question my dear readers would like to know."
"Who is she?" I mumbled while scrolling down, curious to know the writer of this article. The moment I see the name, I smirk. The person who wrote this has a sense of humor, and I liked it. "The Howler's Gossip" was the primary name, and the writer's name was simply Miss Gossip. I wonder if I could find out this gossip lady's contact details. With nothing else to find on the other sites, I looked up more of the same articles to see if I could find more about a so-called cursed Alpha.
Outside, the wind picked up a bit and started rattling the windows, so I went over and checked them one by one to ensure they were correctly closed and then drew the curtains so as not to be disturbed any further. Later that evening, after I had spent hours staring at my laptop in search of some dinner, I went out and was pleasantly surprised to find a lovely lady behind the reception desk, this time instead of the skittish boy.
"Evening, how can I help you?" the lady with the name tag, Melanie, said with a bright smile.
"Ow, hi, I am staying here and was wondering where I could have dinner. Do you know any place?" I asked sheepishly, thrown off by the difference between her and the old receptionist.
"Well then, I think you are in luck because Chef Dimitri is back from his holiday, and he's the best, so let me show you the dinner, and then I'll go back to work," Melanie said, to my utter surprise.
"So there is a dinner," I said while following her, and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes, there is. I know it's not much, but people who drop by love it. It's a bit shabby-looking for some people, but I think it has its charm. It's not like we expect the king of England, so I think it's okay. The only ones are businessmen, pack members, and curious humans searching for adventure. That's it," Melanie explains while we enter the dinner.
Once inside, she leads me to a cozy corner table between plants and gives me the menu. "I'll talk to Dimitri while you can see what you like for dinner. I'll be back in a minute," she says before scurrying to the kitchen. I take my time and look around the place before I put my nose into the menu. After some browsing, I settle on a vegetable soup for starters, followed by a steak with salad and fried chips. Putting the menu aside, someone enters the diner, and I feel the air shift.
"That's Miss Gossip! Isn't she beautiful? I don't know her personally, but her gossip columns have been a hit since she started them!" Melanie said after returning to my table.
"Really? I think I have read one of her works this afternoon, but that is all I know about her," I admit curiously.
"Oh, that one, yeah, I read that one yesterday at home; some time ago, the rumor was that she had something with the Alpha, but then there was a big fallout between the two on the yearly ball, so after that, it died, do you know anybody from this region dear?"
"Well, no. I just arrived and am still planning to look around and relax," I quickly replied.
"Okay, well, then I think you know that other species live in these parts, right?" she asked, her head tipped to a side as she studied me. I swallowed and nodded slightly.
"I've heard some stories, but I'm not here for those. I want to be on my own."
"Oh well, you never know what you might run into, and the Alpha is very handsome, even though the new rumor says that he might be cursed, which I don't believe. Anyway, enjoy your stay here and your dinner, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask!" Melanie whispers with a wink and then leaves me with the new information.
"Handsome and cursed, well, well," I mumbled, jotting it down on my phone. This is going to be interesting, I think, while waiting for my soup. Minutes later, the soup arrived, and I started eating.
An hour or so later, with my belly satisfied and full, I waited for the bill when I heard a phone ringing. I looked around and watched as Miss Gossip answered her phone.
"Here you are, Miss. I hope you enjoyed the food," the chef asked, hopeful.
"Yes, I did, thank you," I say while paying for the food.
As I got ready to leave, Miss Gossip was still talking, but suddenly, she stopped. Then her eyes searched around the dinner until they found me standing. Suddenly, an uncomfortable feeling crawled up my spine. I don't know, but the way she looked at me gave me the creeps, so I just started walking toward the exit. Once outside, I took a deep breath to steady my suddenly unsettled nerves and started walking back to my room.
Miss Gossip. POV
"Yes, I've seen her just now. She left the dinner. Yes, okay, fine, but anything extra is going to cost you more. Yes, it's the same bank account. Talk to you later. Bye!" I smirk, cutting the call. It makes me very happy thinking about the extra cash flow I will be getting in a couple of hours. Just following some Omega girl around proves entirely quite lucrative! I think as I get up, I'm about to leave as well.