“We’re working on it,” Andie Mae said. “And good God. Like I’ve got the spoons to go on stage for Opening Ceremonies right now…”
“Work quickly,” Dave said. “Come on, Zach. Let’s get acquainted, you and I. You can tell me what Bob and Helen over there are filling Libby’s head with right now. Let’s go. I would be really surprised if there weren’t fires out there to be put out already, Luke — you’re just going to give yourself a heart attack staying up here. Come on down with us, and man the front office. Someone’s got to do it. I promise we’ll keep you posted.”
“Right,” Luke said faintly. “Absolutely.”
He followed Dave and Zach out like a sacrificial lamb. He might have said something to Libby about being a ‘sci fi’ fan — but this was far too much sci fi for him to assimilate, when it was all around him, and every impossible thing he saw or heard was now the stark reality he had to deal with from a position of authority. An hour ago he had been relishing his promotion to the Night Manager position — in charge, by himself, for the first time ever, of the entire hotel and a large convention, holding down the fort over what was at least in theory supposed to be the quiet time during the dead of night, until the more experienced day team took over again in the morning. Everything had changed in what seemed like the blink of an eye. And if he wasn’t questioning his career choices, exactly, it was only because his brain had momentarily frozen in gibber mode and he wasn’t fully capable of a complete and wholly rational thought.
The con seemed to be in party mode, just gearing up for things. Once Dave and Zach had disposed of Luke in his office and emerged into the lobby of the hotel, Dave took a moment to peer into the ballroom where the Opening Ceremonies event was supposed to be set. A couple of people were working on the sound system in the room, and the troupe of belly dancers who were supposed to be the opening act were already in costume and on the stage, apparently doing a last — minute run through their routine. One of them wore a large python draped over her shoulders and Dave frowned, making a mental note to find out (even if it was minutes before the thing started) whether the snake’s presence was actually sanctioned there. But right now that was the least of his problems.
The second, smaller ballroom — the one designated for the gamers — was quietly intense when Dave did his duty stop there. The people sitting around tables shaking dice in their cupped hands didn’t even look up when he stepped inside. Well, they, at least, weren’t going to kick up a fuss; Dave doubted if any of them had even been outside the room since they got there, or were even aware that the room wasn’t in the same place that it had been when they had entered it.
In the registration area there was still a line of stragglers waiting to register and sort out last — minute problems. Dave noticed with approval that someone had had the presence of mind to draw the curtains across all the large plate glass windows behind the registration desks; they were flimsy see — through lacy things and probably weren’t much by way of protection when it came to seeing what was going on outside, but their very presence simply made everyone look away from the windows, which was the important thing right now. Distract and keep occupied, at least for another hour or so. Until they had a chance to get everyone informed as to the situation.
At which point, Dave told himself, he would probably be looking back on these moments as the last precious instant of a halcyon peace.
The main entrance area didn’t have curtains and did have large areas of open glass, with the lights on the portico roof over the hotel’s front doors spilling onto the tarmac just outside… and rather pointedly disappearing into darkness not too far from that. But Simon and the hotel security had people wearing badges of authority strategically scattered around the area. Dave saw at least one woman who had wanted to step outside being politely but firmly shepherded back into the lobby. People weren’t panicking yet, or taking umbrage — Dave didn’t know what the cover story was, but so far it was working. It wasn’t going to stay working for long.
And then he spotted the first real trouble.
Vince Silverman, the writer Guest of Honor, was lounging on the front desk counter while his wife — what was her name? Angela? Angel? Dave racked his brain for the names scribbled on his card at the airport — was remonstrating with a reception clerk who looked on the verge of giving in to the vapors.
“Into the breach,” Dave muttered to himself. “Come on, Zach. Let me introduce you to one of our VIPs…”
Zach kept up with him precisely as Dave sidled up to the reception counter.
“Hi, Dave Lorne, hotel liaison. I was the one who was supposed to meet you at the airport, Mr Silverman. My apologies for the snafu. Is there a problem…?”
“My wife wished to go down to the swimming pool,” Vince Silverman said, “but apparently there was some sort of goon at the door who turned her away — there was some sort of problem, but nobody seems to be able to tell us precisely why my wife can’t have her swim…”
“I’ll handle this, thank you — ” Dave consulted the name tag on the receptionist’s vest — “Sal. It’s fine. Has Luke Barnes spoken to you yet?”
The girl managed to nod her head and give it a small shake at the same time.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Dave said. “Mr. Silverman, might I have a word….?”
“Look,” Vince Silverman said, “I can see that there is something strange going down — and I can appreciate trying to limit collateral damage. I can probably distract Angel with something else. But I really would like to know what’s going on.”
“In a nutshell, and this is going to sound utterly insane but do bear with me, we have technically left what you might consider to be terra firma and actually all of Terra, as it were, and we’re presently hurtling towards the Moon at an unknown speed. We’re preparing a statement, but this entire hotel has been, uhm, commandeered. By a posse of what seem to be androids from somewhere far far away and a long long time from now. And when they, um, took the hotel itself, they neglected to bring the pool along, as far as I have been informed. Which means that your wife’s intended swim is rather a lot further away than she currently realizes.”
Vince stared at Dave through narrowed eyes. “Androids. From the future. Is this some sort of pre — Opening Ceremonies con thing?”
“Actually, no. We had planned what we do think is a nifty Opening Ceremonies program, but this we can’t take the credit for, alas. Our con Chair may be known as the Steel Magnolia or She Who Must Be Obeyed for a good reason, but even she doesn’t have the pull to bring in androids from outer space to star in her con ceremonies.”
“You aren’t feeding me a line of bull here…?”
“May I introduce you to Zach,” Dave said, gesturing to his silent companion.
Vince’s eyes flickered to Zach’s face, then back to Dave, then a double take back to Zach. “You’re telling me this is…”