I briskly walked the two blocks, trying to come up with some sort of plan, but I couldn't seem to think straight. I felt good, righteous even. A chance to get back at the bastard, but the thoughts wouldn't come together right. Perhaps I should've waited, should've seen what else Ducky had to say. I was too rash. Boldness was not always a good thing. As I entered the lush hotel, I finally figured, the hell with it. I'd improvise.

I made my way to the gift shop and pretended to look at cute little bear figurines which were right next to the disposable cameras. I took a quick glance around. There were a couple customers, an old lady looking for odd doodads, a middle-aged couple looking at postcards, and one elderly man behind the counter. At the moment, he seemed to be looking at the register. Nobody was paying any attention to little old me. I quickly and smoothly reached over, grabbed a camera, and slid it into my coat pocket. There was a slight bulge but nothing too suspicious. 

Good so far. Now how to get the camera past the doorway which had a scanner on each side. I had read once, a random article perhaps, that in most stores, small items did not set off the alarm. Little things in big retail stores, like Wal-Mart or Best Buy or something, but would it be true for an upscale hotel gift shop?

I saw a clean-shaven young man with shades on, heavyset, about to enter the gift shop and I decided the hell with it. Improvisation, right? The man entered just as I exited, he stopped as we shuffled past, but I didn't. He opened his mouth to say something, the alarm sounded, and I turned the corner and kept walking, calmly. I heard the old cashier arguing with the young man. I calmly made my way to the nearest open elevator, entered, and headed up to the penthouse floor. 

As the elevator made its way slowly all the way up, I pondered how I would get into the room. Wouldn't it likely be locked? I decided I'd take care of it when I had to. Improvisation had worked so far.  

The elevator doors opened and revealed a long hallway with a door on either side. The door on the left was wide open, and I peeked in to see the maid I had seen on the television screen. She seemed to be picking up an empty room, meanwhile the other door was open just a smidgen. The maid must've left it open, perhaps not completely finished with the room because of Hughes' flirtations. No matter what, I thanked God for my luck and nudged the door open, revealing an empty bedroom.

I could hear giggling through the open bathroom door along with John's voice and various sexual noises, kisses and moans and such. I grinned maliciously as I took the camera out of my pocket.

I then realized I hadn't yet taken it out of the package. I ripped the cardboard apart in a frenzy, afraid that my chance was slipping through my fingers because of my own idiocy.

The cardboard ripped easily enough and I dropped it to the ground. I took a momentary glance at the back of the camera to make sure I knew how it worked, and then headed for the bathroom door. I hesitated a foot from the door, doubts creeping in. The thought of seeing John personally after what happened was almost revolting. What if he caught me? What if he did it...again? I gulped, licked my lips, mentally cursing myself for my helplessness. Come on, you can do this, I told myself, but my legs wouldn't move.

Then John said something. I can't even remember what it was. I only remember it was arrogant, mysogynistic, and condescending, three words that summed him up to a T. The whore laughed. Anger came flooding in, and I silently thanked Shooter as I kicked the door in. 

I was taking pictures before the door was all the way open. Taking one, frantically cranking the little wheel, taking another one. Click. Whir Whir Whir. Click. Whir Whir Whir. As many as I could as fast as I could. John on top of his mistress in the tub, both obviously naked. John yelling, struggling to get up.

"What the ****?" John yelled, scrambling to get off the slut. I was afraid he was going to lunge and get me, but the tub was slippery and he fell forward onto the floor face first. I snapped a couple more as he struggled to get up again. "I'll have your job!" He yelled.

I turned and raced for the door. I heard his footsteps behind me and turned as I made it to the hallway, catching a sight of him. Our eyes met, his eyes widened and he stumbled. "You??" I didn't answer but ran for the elevator. 

I punched the bottom floor and close door buttons over and over again, praying to God Almighty it would hurry up. I was breathing incredibly fast, my mind was racing with the possible negative consequences of what I had just done, but I also felt great, especially when the doors started to close. The door to John's room bang open, and he emerged into the hallway, dress shirt half buttoned, and pants unzipped. I froze for a second, fearful, but realized there was no way he'd get to the elevator in time. He raised his hand as if to stop me with a mere gesture. I gave him a wicked grin just as the doors closed. 

The elevator began lowering, and I slumped back against the wall. I wiped a hand across my face, trying to steady my heaving chest. I slipped the camera into my pocket, smoothed my fraying hair, and tried to appear calm. The elevator pinged, and the doors opened, revealing a man standing right in front of me. It was the same man from the gift shop, the young one with sunglasses. The sunglasses were off now, and his brown eyes seemed disproval. 

He reached his hand forward. "Give me the camera miss."

I tried to hide my sudden surprise and instead showed an air of confusion. "What camera?"

The man sighed. Apparently I'm no actor. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the door close button. I gulped, getting nervous. The man obviously worked for John, but what would he do in a public elevator in a respectable hotel?

"Miss, let's not escalate things. Mr. Hughes is angry enough already. I know who you are. Mr. Hughes knows who you are. Do you really want things to get worse for you?" 

I licked my lips, glanced around the box I was in, feeling a little claustrophobic. "I don't know what you're talking about young man." I reached for the open door button. He gently grabbed my wrist, and looked at me intently.

"I will have that camera Julie, one way or another." I bit my lip. I tried to jerk my wrist out of his grip, but he held on. He began to clench his hand, fingers digging into my skin. It began to hurt, but I refused to call out. I would not be intimidated by this bully, and I was not going to give him my camera. 

I saw an opportunity, one all girls have when fighting guys, and went for it. He saw it, twisted my arm and wrenched it up behind my back. This time I couldn't help crying out. His other hand reached for the camera in my pocket. I couldn't stop him. John Hughes was going to beat me again, damnit.

That's when I heard the elevator doors open behind me. The pressure on my arm released, I took a few steps forward and turned. The unknown man had been shoved against the wall of the elevator, held there by no other then Ted. I quickly pressed the door close button. The unknown man struggled, but Ted held strong. Probably no better streetfighters then those who learned on the inside. Once the doors were closed, Ted slammed the unknown man's head into the wall twice, thoroughly knocking the guy out. Ted let go and the man collapsed. 

We looked at eachother, my eyes were wide. "Thank you!" I said suddenly, lunging forward and hugging him. He hesitated, then awkwardly patted me on the back and head.

"It was nothing, but we gotta get out of here." He replied, gently pushing me off. I nodded, and took a deep breath.

"Let's go." We left the elevator after I pressed the button for John's floor, leavin the unconcious man there.

We proceeded out of the hotel without a problem. Ted clambered into the familiar van and I went to follow but he stopped me. "What do you think you're doing? You still need to talk to Ducky."

Bill turned his head and looked at me. "We're only here because you were foolish and nearly got yourself in trouble."

Ted nodded. "You better watch out, we might not be there next time." He closed the door, and the van drove off, rudely pulling into traffic and nearly caused a pile-up. Who were these two guys? My two guardian angels from prison who ride around in a black van? I shook my head and headed back to see Ducky. I put my hand in my pocket and felt the camera reassuringly. At least I had something, something on that bastard. It felt good. Working with this company felt good. Crazy yes, but righteous in a way.