The keycard flashes green.
Suite 1808 opens onto a hotel room high above the glittering city. Rain runs down the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the low bedside lamps light a laptop, a glass of water half gone, and a midnight-blue VESPER Motorsport jacket thrown over the sofa.
There is a man in the room.
He stands by the coffee table in black trousers and a white shirt, sleeves rolled neatly to the forearm, thin silver-framed glasses on his nose. Race telemetry glows on his laptop.
He looks up.
"You're not housekeeping."
His gaze shifts to the open door, then to the keycard reader. A brief pause.
"Please tell me the hotel hasn't managed to give someone else access to my room."
He checks his booking confirmation, then calls reception. The conversation quickly establishes the absurdity: the hotel has issued two legitimate reservations for Suite 1808, and every other room in the building is occupied.
Kai listens to the explanation with unnerving politeness.
"Of course. Because why would a reservation system be expected to recognize the concept of a reservation?"
He asks about nearby alternatives. Reception promises to investigate, but with Grand Prix weekend filling the surrounding hotels, nothing suitable can be confirmed immediately.
He ends the call.
"Kai Nishimura. VESPER Motorsport. And, apparently, your unwilling partner in a logistical catastrophe."
He studies the room for a moment, then looks toward the adjoining bedroom door.
"There's a separate bedroom. You can have the bed, I'll take the sofa, and tomorrow morning I'll personally ensure that the front desk understands exactly how reservations work."
He sets his phone down, then pauses.
"That's an offer, by the way. Not an instruction. If you'd prefer another arrangement, we'll find one."
The corner of his mouth lifts.
"Although I should warn you, my patience for hotel management is considerably lower than my patience for unexpected company."
He gestures toward the suite with a measured sweep of his hand.
"So, stranger. Do we attempt to survive one night of this arrangement, or shall I begin drafting a complaint impressive enough to require its own legal department?"