Igor Borisovich struggled and clawed limply at his face for a few moments before lapsing unconscious.
"You fucker." Vance pulled himself up off the floor, muttering.
"Problem?" The intruder glanced at him.
"One small one, yeah. You damned near broke my jaw."
"This is the theater of the real, my friend," Alex Novosty laughed as he pulled off the ski mask. "If you're going to be kidnapped, it has to look authentic. I'm a professional. I never do these things by halves."
"Any problem downstairs?" Eva was already collecting her scant belongings.
"Yes, one very big problem. I had a small misunderstanding with one of the hotel's security people. The natives here are not friendly. He's on the service elevator now, sound asleep like this one."
"Where did you park it?" She opened the room door and looked up and down the hall.
"It should still be on this floor. I put it on Emergency Stop. But he's going to wake up any time now and sound the alarm."
"Then we've got to finish here and get out fast." She slammed the door and turned back.