In the end, it's Claudia's tricks that get Louis across borders. Only marginally easier now than it was then, if only because Louis has more contacts, more money, better grip on his power. Willing to be brutal now, as Claudia was then. Disadvantaged, susceptible still to sunlight where Armand can walk in the daylight at Daniel's side while Louis can move only at night.
But setting into motion a hive of smugglers and thieves doesn't get him to that hotel before Armand takes Daniel from it. Days too late, but the room itself preserved for his arrival. Sealed so Louis can walk through it, a handful of his staff gathering all evidence of Armand and Daniel's stay. A list in Daniel's handwriting, shaky, perhaps from haste or from fear.
CCTV footage collected, a little trail of images between this hotel and the airport.
How far behind them is he? They can trail after to the airport, to the same ticket counters, to dig answers from the people behind the counters. Istanbul. Armand took Daniel to Istanbul, perhaps to another room, another place Louis may well find empty but for whatever clues Daniel could manage to drop as he goes, more blood-stained cups.
But Louis goes to Istanbul, sealed in the cargo hold of a private jet.
Remembers being here with Armand, once. The hotel they'd chosen, the art they'd purchased, long hours walking the streets together. Wandering.
It's the place Louis tries first, after he finds its still standing in the exact place he left it. A gamble. Maybe Armand would choose it only to punish, to dig a knife into Louis before he moved on. He goes, mind tightly closed, to pick at the mind of the woman behind the counter.
no subject
But setting into motion a hive of smugglers and thieves doesn't get him to that hotel before Armand takes Daniel from it. Days too late, but the room itself preserved for his arrival. Sealed so Louis can walk through it, a handful of his staff gathering all evidence of Armand and Daniel's stay. A list in Daniel's handwriting, shaky, perhaps from haste or from fear.
CCTV footage collected, a little trail of images between this hotel and the airport.
How far behind them is he? They can trail after to the airport, to the same ticket counters, to dig answers from the people behind the counters. Istanbul. Armand took Daniel to Istanbul, perhaps to another room, another place Louis may well find empty but for whatever clues Daniel could manage to drop as he goes, more blood-stained cups.
But Louis goes to Istanbul, sealed in the cargo hold of a private jet.
Remembers being here with Armand, once. The hotel they'd chosen, the art they'd purchased, long hours walking the streets together. Wandering.
It's the place Louis tries first, after he finds its still standing in the exact place he left it. A gamble. Maybe Armand would choose it only to punish, to dig a knife into Louis before he moved on. He goes, mind tightly closed, to pick at the mind of the woman behind the counter.