"Roy, what brings you here? Co on in!"
It was Molly who opened the door. She saw Roy and Mary.
Mary looked around Keller's apartnt with curiosity, noticing the decorations. Keller had a lot of photos hanging on her walls, all taken by Pulitzer Prize winners, so they had so real social significance.
"Roy, you're here! And who's this?"
Keller was really happy to see Roy, but when she saw the unfamiliar short-haired girl he brought, she gave him a bit of a side-eye.
Keller knew all about Roy's way with the ladies. After all, she'd seen two of them back in Waterfall Town.
"Mary Hill. She's your junior, a student at UCLA Law School."
Hearing that, Keller's eyes lit up.
"Hi, hi! I'm Keller Evans, a master's graduate from UCLA's Communications Departnt, class of '92!"
Hearing that she was talking to an older alumna, Mary's sowhat reserved attitude imdiately changed.
"Keller Evans? I've seen that na in the Los Angeles Tis! So you're my senior!"
The two alums gave each other a friendly handshake.
"I do so writing for the L.A. Tis. Have you read any of my articles?"
"Of course! I really enjoy your news stories!"
Mary seed to hit it off with Keller. They started chatting like they were old friends right away.
They talked about so recent social issues happening in Los Angeles. They both seed pretty invested in those hot topics.
Well, that makes sense. One's a journalist, and the other is going to be a lawyer.
After a while, Keller rembered Roy was even there.
"Roy, what brings you to my place today?"
"No rush. You guys keep chatting for a bit. I also called Sultana. Let's talk when everyone gets here."
About half an hour later, Sultana arrived at Keller's apartnt looking totally wiped out, but she brought soone with her.
"Amy?"
Roy looked at the woman Sultana brought with a lot of surprise.
Amy (Kate Beckinsale) was soone Roy t during that whole peep show hotel thing. Then Sultana found out about her involvent with the dark web and handed her over to the FBI, who put her in protective custody.
Keller actually found Roy through Amy to investigate her niece's disappearance.
Amy ca right up and gave Roy a big hug.
"It's so good to see you again, Roy!"
"Good to see you too!"
Amy seed to be in pretty good spirits. Looks like she's moved on from the shadow of her husband's death.
She looked a lot more vibrant and didn't have that worn-out look he'd seen before.
"Amy, aren't you in the FBI's witness protection program? What are you doing in Los Angeles?"
Sultana explained for Amy.
"The dark web thing in Austin was pretty big news. That organization has disappeared now, so the FBI decided to end Amy's protection. But they're going to help Amy change her na and start over. I suggested she co out to the West Coast."
Keller was really happy to hear that.
"That's fantastic! Sultana also works in L.A. now, and Roy's going to UCLA in the second half of the year. It would be even better if Elena ca too!"
So Keller knew Elena as well.
That makes sense. Keller and Sultana are friends, and Sultana and Elena are friends, so it's pretty likely Keller would know Elena.
However, after hearing what Keller said, Roy and Sultana exchanged a strange look. Maybe Elena really would be coming to Los Angeles in a few days.
Just then, Amy tugged on Roy's sleeve.
"Roy, were you involved in what happened in Austin?"
Of course, Roy couldn't admit that. After all, a lot of big shots died in that private club incident. Even though Isabella was the one who pulled the trigger, he couldn't be sure soone wouldn't co after him as an accomplice.
Roy winked and gave her a really playful look.
"What are you talking about? I have absolutely no idea what you an."
Amy saw the truth in Roy's eyes. She let out a little sigh of relief, and her eyes got a bit teary.
"Roy, the promise I made to you back in Denver still stands."
She was talking about the promise Amy made in Denver that if Roy helped her get revenge for her husband, she would give him half of her husband's inheritance.
Roy shook his head. Amy's husband, David, was just a regular middle-class guy. Even with the insurance money, his net worth probably wasn't more than a million bucks, which is decent, but still...
In a few days, Roy was going to get a massive multi-million dollar payout from the FEA. He didn't need those few hundred thousand dollars.
"Amy, you should really keep that money for yourself."
Amy looked Roy in the eye, made sure he was serious, and then spoke.
"Okay, but if you don't keep it, I won't either. I'll donate the money to people who need it."
That sounded like a good plan.
The four won, one girl, and one guy chatted for a while and had so afternoon tea before getting down to the real reason for the get-together.
Sultana had gotten a brief rundown of so things from Roy on the phone, but it wasn't very detailed.
"Roy, is what you said on the phone really true?"
Roy nodded.
"That dream was just too real. I can't help but be suspicious."
Having gone through the whole Elm Street nightmare, Sultana knew a thing or two about dreams, and since it was Roy saying it, she couldn't just dismiss it.
"Roy, have you contacted Gerald?"
"I can't reach him. He left Los Angeles after what happened this morning."
Sultana had also heard a little bit about the Slender Man incident last night.
"Looks like we'll have to investigate this on our own for now."
Keller looked at Roy and Sultana with so surprise.
"What are you guys even talking about?"
Sultana explained for Roy.
"Roy had a dream last night about the hallway outside room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel."
Hearing that, all the girls looked shocked. Even Molly, who didn't usually say much, couldn't help but chi in.
"You an that famous haunted room?"
Room 1408 was definitely nationally famous in this world, but a lot of people were still skeptical about it, kind of like that main character in the movie.
"Oh my gosh! I thought that room was just a marketing gimmick the Dolphin Hotel used to get custors!"
Roy shook his head.
"That room is definitely haunted, to the point where I don't even dare to go near it. Sultana, I've always been curious, why does Gerald even keep that room around? He could have sealed it off or destroyed it."
"About that, I asked Gerald too. He told that the power of that haunted room is incredibly dangerous. The FEA actually tried to destroy it once, and it caused an earthquake in Los Angeles!"
This was probably referring to the 1994 Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles, which caused thirty billion dollars in economic damage.
Even though Mary had been through the Slender Man and cyber-succubus incidents, she hadn't really co into direct contact with supernatural stuff, so she was a bit disbelieving when she heard what Sultana said.
"Sultana, couldn't that just be a coincidence?"
"The Bureau can't take that risk! Nobody can be responsible for hundreds of billions, maybe even trillions, of dollars in damage, not to ntion all the lives."
Once Sultana put it that way, everyone understood.
If they didn't know the consequences beforehand, trying it once might be understandable, but knowing the potential outco and doing it again would be criminal!
"So, the previous director of the FEA's Los Angeles branch had no choice but to buy the Dolphin Hotel, completely control room 1408, and forbid anyone from going near the 14th floor. Gerald continued that policy after he took over as the director of the L.A. branch. But this is the first ti I've heard that soone can dream about that room."
So, the fact that the hotel staff stopped him on the 14th floor that day wasn't a coincidence; soone was watching.
But the FEA didn't even know that people could dream about room 1408. Could it be that this hadn't happened before?
That didn't seem right! Roy had even seen that TV host, Jack, in his dream. Judging from what the guy said in the dream, it definitely wasn't the first ti he'd dread about the hallway of 1408.
And the fact that that guy entered the hallway of 1408 using the elevator showed that he probably knew so way to actively enter the dream world of 1408.
"Sister Sultana, doesn't the FEA have any records about dreaming about 1408?"
Sultana shook her head.
"At least, I don't have access to that level of information. I don't know if Gerald knows."
The whole thing just ca full circle. It was all Gerald's fault for leaving Los Angeles at such a convenient ti and being unreachable by phone.
"Alright, let's put the 1408 thing aside for now. We have another matter to discuss. Keller, do you know the nightti host of KABC-TV, Jack Dale?"
"You an the host of that late-night reality show, 'Night Owls'?"
"Yeah, that's him! Do you know anything about him?"
Keller frowned slightly.
"I actually do know that guy. A few years ago, I reviewed Jack Dale's show. Back then, he was still a pretty serious reality show host, and I used to be a loyal viewer. But ever since his wife passed away last year, his style has gotten more and more entertainnt-focused, and I haven't watched him since."
Wow, really?
Roy thought back to the few episodes of "Night Owls" he'd seen. The host, Jack, seed pretty goofy. It was hard to believe that this guy used to be serious.
Was it like that one person who suddenly had an awakening and beca a total goofball?
"Keller, I'd like to know the details about Jack Dale, preferably sothing related to his personal life!"
That was asking a lot. Aricans are usually very protective of their privacy. If anyone else had asked Keller sothing like that, she definitely wouldn't have paid them any mind.
After all, Keller was a journalist, not a paparazzi.
But it was Roy who was asking!
"I have a classmate who works at KABC-TV. He might know sothing about Jack Dale. Let make a call."
Keller took Molly into the bedroom. Her shoulder was still pretty ssed up, and she needed Molly's help with so things, including making phone calls.
A few minutes later, Keller ca out of the bedroom.
"My friend said things are a bit complicated, and it's probably best to talk in person."
"Talk in person? Is your friend coming to the apartnt?"
"No, I arranged to et him at a coffee shop near the TV station. We'll go there to et him."
So it was a guy. No wonder Keller didn't want him coming over to her place.
But then again, he was a guy too. Why was Keller okay with him coming into her ho?
"Alright then! Mary, can you keep driving for ?"
Mary nodded.
"Why does Mary have to drive? What about you, Roy?"
Sultana was a little surprised, then she started looking at Roy more closely. That's when she noticed that Roy's face was looking a little unnaturally pale, and his lips didn't have much color.
Mary answered Sultana a bit sheepishly.
"Roy was seriously injured and isn't really up to driving right now."
Actually, Roy could still drive, but he mainly wanted to take advantage of Mary's guilt to score so brownie points with her.
But when Sultana heard that Roy was seriously injured, she practically jumped up.
"What?! Roy, you're seriously injured? Was it because of that thing last night?"
Sultana only knew that Roy was involved in so incident last night, but she didn't know the specifics.
After all, the whole Slender Man thing had happened less than 24 hours ago.
This really made Sultana's heart ache. She genuinely cared about Roy like a younger brother.
"It's okay, Sister Sultana. I slept for a bit and I'm feeling much better."
Sultana knew that Roy wasn't a regular person and couldn't be judged by normal standards, but she was still a little worried.
"No way! I need to tell Gerald about this. I'm going to stay at the hotel and take care of you for the next few days!"
Actually, there were already plenty of people taking care of Roy: Heather, Penny, Dahlia, and Mary. It was quite the impressive lineup.
But of course, Roy wasn't going to turn down Sultana's kindness. Besides, he doubted Gerald would even give Sultana the ti off.
"Sister Sultana, let's talk about that later, okay? Let's go to our eting first!"
Since she found out Roy was hurt, Sultana insisted on going with them, so they had to bring her along.
That ant only Amy would be left at Keller's apartnt, which didn't seem great either.
Luckily, Amy decided to say goodbye on her own. She still needed to look for a job and an apartnt in Los Angeles and would be pretty busy lately.
Five people in one car was a bit of a squeeze, but if they were all beautiful won, it wasn't a problem.
Roy sat in the back, with the beautiful Sultana and Keller on either side of him. He thought it was pretty aweso.
The five of them quickly arrived at a coffee shop outside the TV station, ordered so coffees, and started waiting.
They didn't have to wait too long. Before the steam from the coffee had even disappeared, a well-dressed man in wire-rimd glasses quickly walked into the coffee shop.
"Keller, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting!"
This guy seed to only have eyes for Keller, completely ignoring Roy sitting right next to her.
As for Sultana, Mary, and Molly, they were sitting at the next table, so it was sowhat understandable that he didn't notice them.
Roy quickly pegged this guy as a major simp for Keller.
"No problem, I just sat down a little while ago myself."
Keller's attitude was very calm, neither enthusiastic nor cold, just like she was talking to a stranger.
But the guy in glasses was very happy to keep sucking up.
"Keller, did you just order coffee? Would you like to order so desserts too?"
"No, let's just get down to business! Roy, this is my classmate from college, Andy Harrison. Andy, this is my good friend Roy Black. Actually, he's the one who wanted to talk to you."
The guy in glasses, who was Andy, finally saw Roy.
Seeing the handso and charismatic Roy, Andy felt a sudden wave of insecurity, especially seeing how close he was sitting to Keller.
"Nice to et you!"
Amy (Kate Beckinsale)
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