Chapter Ten
Sage
“You’re looking a bit glum and preoccupied, young Sage,” George said as he leaned over and opened the door for Sage as he arrived at the Regis Hotel. “Are you feeling a bit down that this will be your last shift? Go on, admit it. You’re going to miss us, all the friendly types that work here.”
“I’m sure I will,” Sage said, ducking his head and smiling the way he always did toward the bigger gargoyle. “Unfortunately, my other job came calling today, so I do have a few other things on my mind. Finding my way to Iceland over the holiday period is harder than I thought it would be. But still, I’m here, ready to do my job and put in my hours the way I promised. Enjoy your evening.”
Not waiting for a reply, Sage hurried over to the reception desk, where Barry was already collecting his things, clearly ready to leave. “Are you going upstairs to the bosses’ party this evening?” Sage asked as he stuffed his backpack under the counter. “You’re looking extra smart today.”
“Staff don’t get invited upstairs,” Barry said with a chuckle. “And no, no parties for me. I’ve had enough of people for the day. My wife and I prefer our own quiet way of bringing in the New Year. Speaking of quieter, things should be fairly quiet down here for you, too.
“All of the people who were not staying in the hotel but had invitations to the party are already upstairs. They came through between eight and nine. They’re not likely to leave now until about the end of your shift.
“There are some guests who will go directly to their rooms once they’ve had enough partying. Don’t be surprised if you get afew odd requests for food and what-have-you around three in the morning. But apart from that, there’s not a lot that goes on around here on New Year’s Eve.
“Everybody is just partying, and they’ve all got food and drink up at the bosses’ penthouse suite, so it’s not like they need us for much else. I hope you brought a book or something with you.”
“I did bring my laptop,” Sage admitted. “I was contacted by a research scientist today asking me to head to Iceland urgently. Getting there seems to be a bit of an issue over the holiday period, so if no one’s going to object, and I do have some free time, I’d like to research some cost-effective options to get there.”
“Sounds like you need a private plane like our bosses have.” Barry chuckled as he rested his hand on Sage’s shoulder. “You do what you need to do. Nobody is going to complain so long as no calls get missed. You’ve been a good worker, and I’ve truly appreciated you helping out when we’ve needed it.”
Sage felt his cheeks heat up. “It’s actually been a pleasure. A bit different from what I’m used to, but I have really enjoyed it. Thank you. Oh, but,” he added as Barry went to leave. “Did Mr. Diamant arrive?” That was one person Sage didn’t want to run into if he could help it.
“He sure did.” Barry shook his head, still smiling. “Diamant, party of four, making loud, vulgar comments about the Regis Hotel staff as he made his way through the lobby just after eight. I wouldn’t worry about him. I really wouldn’t. He did make a point of informing me that he wouldn’t be staying at the Regis any time in the future, and he fully intended on letting the owners know why.”
“Perhaps it’s just as well it’s my last night then,” Sage said. “Hopefully, nothing I did, or didn’t do, gets Marty into any trouble.”
“The bosses know what he’s like,” Barry said. “I’ve said to you before, he does this every year. Don’t worry about it. He’ll make his complaints. Nic and Luc will ignore him the way they always do. Between you and me, I don’t know why he’s invited to these parties in the first place. He must have a hell of a lot of money or influence somewhere.
“But the party has already been going on now for three or four hours. There’ve been no indications of any fights or anything else. The party has its own security, its own kitchen staff, and its own housekeeping. So you don’t have to have anything to do with the party, the guests, or anybody else in the penthouse suite.
“You just take care of anybody who might find themselves needing a bit of a pick-me-up when they make their way down to their rooms. Honestly, that will likely be toward the tail end of your shift.”
“Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your New Year’s Eve.” Sage got himself settled and saw that the phone light was already flashing.So much for having a quiet evening.Putting his earphones on, he tapped the button and said, “Front desk, Happy New Year. This is Sage. How can I help you this evening?” It was another kitchen order. Clearly, not every guest was enjoying the food at the party.
/~/~/~/~/
It was quiet. Sage had only three calls in the first half hour. In between times, leaving his headphones on, he was alternating between the Regis computer and his own laptop.
He needed to get to Reykjavik in Iceland. Icelandair, American Airlines, and United Airlines offered direct flights to Keflavik International Airport, which was near Reykjavik. Sage ran searches for "economy" and "cheapest flights" out of Chicago, which was the closest airport to where he lived.Still a bit of a drive, though.
Sage winced as he changed the dates. Anything during the immediate holiday season was more expensive than in non-peak times. At least the flight is non-stop, just over six hours. But the price was still way more than Sage was hoping to spend.I'll do one more search.
I’m not sure this is a good idea. I don’t see how they can expect me to just drop everything and go. Sage quickly typed in “discount flights USA to Keflavik.” He appreciated the reason behind the urgency of the request – there was a living creature involved.
The inquiry had been unusual in itself, coming via email. Urgent issues usually involved terse phone calls and pre-arranged travel. But the opening lines of the email explained that the researcher had tried to contact Sage by phone.
And we all know why I’m not answering unknown numbers on my phone right now.There had been six voicemails left on the phone by the time Sage woke up, and they wouldn’t have all been from the researcher – every number was different.
But yes, the request was urgent, with the researcher noting that Sage’s services had been recommended by a respected name Sage did know. He’d sent off his acceptance just before he headed into the Regis.
Sage didn’t have an issue with flying, but he preferred his trips to be as short and as economical as possible. Unfortunately, being a researcher, while all the expenses that he incurred would bereimbursed, getting the money back was often a lengthy process.Which means I’m getting the cheapest flight I can find.
So engrossed in his task, it took a moment for Sage to notice there was another light flashing on the phone board.Oh my goodness, he thought,I hope that hasn’t been going for too long.
He quickly tapped on the button. “Front reception, Sage speaking. Happy New Year. How may I help you this evening?” Yes, it was still evening, that’s good.
“Good evening, Mr. Werner. I can have your standard order ready for you. Just give me a moment to bring that up. That’s right. Yes, three blood specials and the bottle of 1925 Chamberlain. I haven’t forgotten. And yes, the mince in the silver bowl. Raw. Thank you very much. It’s all there.
