Chapter 2
The hotel lobby was carpeted and crowded with standing LCD panels. The walls were covered with fleurs-de-lis wallpaper, and while the hotel looked clean enough, it had a musty smell.
Despite being in a run-down area, it reminded X of the UEA. At the front desk, lights pulsed behind the wall and news played on a screen recessed inside the counter.
The innkeeper was a plain-looking man in a khaki shirt. He had curly black hair, a square jaw and hairy arms, and his shirt was unbuttoned to the middle of his chest. His lens lit up as he said hello, and he looked too happy to see them. X’s algorithm chip didn’t buzz, but he got a weird feeling about the man.
“Welcome, welcome, welcome!” he said, carefully not looking at the stickers on their chests. “I am so happy you are here. Wha
