Novel Midtown Novels & Stories

But every light inside dimmed sharply for a split second before returning to normal. Several guests glanced upward uneasily. Then the elevator stopped moving. The gaming streamer frowned. “Uh… are we stuck?” Before anyone could answer, the overhead speaker crackled softly. [Midnight check-in begins in ten minutes.] The voice sounded distorted, wrong somehow. A second later, every phone inside the elevator buzzed simultaneously. Winona pulled hers out slowly. A new notification covered the screen. WELCOME TO MIDNIGHT HOTEL. FIRST RULE: DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR AFTER 12 A.M. NO MATTER WHO IS KNOCKING.

Adrian Chase wouldn’t allow himself to be weakened by something as trivial as love. After my workout, I got in my car and drove across town. I parked across the road from the towering, clinical-looking building and stared at it with fury coursing through every cell in my body. It was the central DC headquarters for MID, and I had plans to get inside to try and find out more about the homeless people Amelia and Barney Fucking Fife had stumbled upon.

Maya disagre‍e‍d quietly, saying that‌ sometimes trying‌ wa‍s a⁠ll anyone coul⁠d do. They t‍a‌lked about‌ smaller thi‍ng‍s af‍te‍r th‍at⁠, letting the conversation drift to safer territory. Adrian told he‌r about a r⁠estaurant he loved in Midtown, a hole‌-in-the-wall place⁠ that se⁠r⁠ved th‌e best dum⁠plings⁠ in the city. Ma‍ya told him about a booksto⁠re she had re‍ad about onl‍ine,‌ three floors of used books that smelled like possi‌bility.

And Ash lived at 1 Morton Square, which overlooked the Hudson River. Mia hurried into the high-rise Midtown building that housed HCM and hastily dug out her security pass to get by the turnstile leading to the elevators. Jace had given her the pass when he’d given her a tour of the HCM suite of offices a few years earlier, but she hadn’t had to use it very often since she was usually with Jace when she visited. For all she knew the damn thing might no longer work, and then she’d have to register with security. With that much time, she may well chicken out and just leave. Thankfully she had no problems.

As the Midtown breeze blows between the tall buildings, I brush strands of hair that have escaped my workday bun away from my cheeks and freshly painted lips. Shielding my eyes from the early evening sun, I gaze up at the giant limestone building in front of me. In a few minutes, I'm supposed to meet my best friend and roommate on the top floor at one of the newest, swankiest restaurants in Manhattan, Gaston's.

Part I – Nine Days Six floors above Midtown, Victor Crane watched dawn crawl over glass. Beneath his office, Manhattan looked like circuitry—bridges and freeways lit with a constant electric heartbeat. The city was already his, but today he meant to prove it.

The Cont‍inent‍al Hotel‍ wa‌s a fortress dis⁠guise‍d as a five⁠-sta‌r resort⁠. It s​at in the​ center of Mid‍town, a sla⁠b of bla‌ck‌ granite​ and tinted glass. It was n⁠e‍utral ground. Th⁠e Po​lice didn't enter with‍out a warrant, and the C‌art​els didn't kill insid⁠e the l⁠obby.‍

One narrows. “You’re late,” Vince says. “It’s eight-thirty,” she replies. “And our world starts at seven,” he says. “Sit. We’re reviewing proposals before the noon board call.” She takes a seat at the far end, next to Luca. A stack of leather-bound folders appears in front of her like magic. She flips the top one open, scanning project summaries. Rezoning. Midtown. Waterfront. The same types of lines, different blocks. “Don’t be dramatic, Dad,” Marco says between mouthfuls of toast. “Most of the city doesn’t even wake up till nine.”

It was armor quiet, dignified, and clear. She decided to leave her hair into a ponytail and applied little makeup, and grabbed her purse with a sigh she left the house. This is not a date, she had to remind herself before stepping out. This is war served on china plates. Adrian’s penthouse was on the top floor in midtown , overlooking the New York City sky. The elevator ride had felt really slow and she had counted each floor she passed to steady herself. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out into tye apartment which was dimly lit. The smell of what was being cooked filled the air immediately making her hungry from the delicious smell.

The streets were alive with the rhythm of the city, a symphony of honking horns, chatter, and the occasional siren. As they approached their destination, Zach directed the taxi driver to a quiet neighborhood, away from the bustling downtown area. The apartment they had rented awaited them, a temporary haven for their stay in New Hilton. The building stood in contrast to the towering skyscrapers, exuding a cozy charm with its brick facade and neatly lined windows.