The vanishing act

Part 7: The Vanishing Act

The hotel had never been quieter—an unnatural, almost suffocating silence that made everyone uneasy. Alastor stood in the center of the lobby, his smile unnervingly strained, his cane tapping rhythmically on the floor.

"Has anyone seen Audrey?" His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, sharp enough to cut through the tension.

Charlie gulped, exchanging a nervous glance with Vaggie. "I-I thought she was in the kitchen with Niffty."

"She was," Niffty chirped, poking her head out from the kitchen doorway. "But then she wandered off I figured she'd gone to find you!—"

Alastor's red eyes flickered with something uncomfortably close to panic, though his grin didn't waver. "Did she now?"

Angel Dust, lounging on the sofa, raised a hand lazily. "Relax, Smiley. The kid's probably just hiding or somethin'. Kids do that, right?"

"Not my Audrey," Alastor replied, his tone unnervingly cheerful. "She doesn't hide from her father."

The room seemed to grow colder as Alastor's grin widened, the faint sound of static crackling in the background.

"Okay, let's not panic," Charlie said quickly, clapping her hands together. "We'll all look for her! She couldn't have gone far, right?"

Everyone nodded, splitting up to search the hotel.

---

In the bar, Husk checked behind the counter and under tables, grumbling under his breath. "Kid better show up before he loses it completely."

In the attic, Angel was half-heartedly calling out, "Audrey? You up here, sweetheart? Don't make me actually try to find you, okay?"

In the hallway, Charlie and Vaggie opened every door, peeking inside rooms that hadn't been used in ages.

---

Meanwhile, Alastor remained in the lobby, his cane tapping louder and louder. Shadows seemed to stretch and twist around him as his patience thinned.

"Auuuuudreeey," he called out in a sing-song voice, his grin now more unsettling than ever. "Come out, darling ...Father doesn't like games."

The static grew louder, filling the room with an oppressive hum.

---

Finally, a soft giggle broke the tension.

Everyone froze, following the sound to the supply closet near the lobby. Alastor's head snapped toward the door, his grin instantly softening. He strode over and opened it to reveal Audrey sitting inside, happily chewing on a wooden spoon she'd found.

"Hi, Daddy!" she chirped, waving.

Alastor stared for a moment before letting out a chuckle, crouching to her level. "There you are, my little mischief-maker. Were you hiding from me?"

Audrey tilted her head. "I wasn't hiding! I was... exploring!"

The tension in the room finally broke as everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Charlie placed a hand over her heart. "Oh, thank goodness."

Vaggie shook her head. "She's going to give us all a heart attack."

Alastor picked Audrey up effortlessly, cradling her like she weighed nothing. "Next time, darling, tell me before you go exploring. Father was worried."

Audrey blinked, her expression turning sheepish. "Sorry, Daddy."

He smiled down at her, his earlier edge completely gone. "All is forgiven. Now, let's find you a proper snack, shall we?"

As Alastor carried her toward the kitchen, Angel muttered to Husk, "Remind me never to be the reason he actually panics."

Husk nodded, downing his drink. "You and me both."