Arlen drove while Xavier watched the city pass, glass and alloy towers packed so close they felt like they were leaning in to listen. Hotels advertised themselves openly here, not with subtle signs but with massive projections that promised privacy, luxury, silence, or indulgence, sometimes all at once.
"We need a place to stay," Xavier said after a while. "Best of the best."
Arlen shot him a look. "You realize what that costs here, right?"
He didn't even glance back at her. "Doesn't matter. I've got money."
"Yeah, but you should save them. It's not unlimited, you now? That's not the same thing as—"
"I said it doesn't matter."
