“Okay, this is where you three get out,” Alex said and glanced into the back seat as he stopped two streets over from their destination.
“Where do we go?” Lee asked.
“We’ll just look around until they’re done. None of us have ever been here. It could be a welcome distraction after everything that’s happened,” Roger said.
“Don’t wander around too much. We should be back in this spot within a couple of hours,” Sarah said.
“No problem. I’ll make sure everyone is accounted for before then,” he assured her, and they got out.
“So where do you two want to go?” Travis asked.
“I have no idea, but there has to be something interesting about this city,” Roger said as he looked at their surroundings.
New Vegas truly was grand with extravagant homes and a bar on every corner. There was even a casino one street south of them. That was unheard of back where they were from, or for that matter, from anywhere else. People didn’t have enough credits to think about gambling them unless they were desperate, but this city truly was one of excess. Roger had read that New Vegas was modeled off the original city, but he never expected to find a place like this.
“I say we check out the casino,” Lee said.
“Haven’t you had enough of throwing your money away?” Roger joked.
“Oh, ha-ha. I’m not gambling on anything, but I’ve never seen one before. It could be nice to look around and get a drink,” Lee said, almost like he was testing him. Lee’s parents wouldn’t want him drinking, but would Roger care?
“I’m not your father, so I’m not going to stop you. Just don’t pick up any more women. With your luck, you’ll only end up knocked out in some hotel room with no money or clothes,” Roger teased with a grin.
It was settled. They walked over to the casino where they found that well over a hundred people were inside the large two-story building. That was frustrating to Roger. If New Vegas wasn’t prioritizing large structures and luxury homes, they could bring in more outsiders. Then again, most leaders still didn’t care about things like that. Alex and Sarah had been the exception to the rule. Still, the casino was incredible with neon lights, slot machines, and several gaming tables. Roger knew that it was probably dumb, but he decided to try his luck. After all, he had been lucky enough to go from a poor street rat to living in a mansion as a child, so why couldn’t he win today?
Meanwhile, over at the bar, Lee and Travis had ordered drinks. While they were waiting, Lee was eyeing a girl sitting a few chairs over. She looked to be a little older than him but not by much. He guessed that she was probably eighteen or nineteen. She had sandy brown hair and tan skin that almost looked a bit burned. Why would someone from the inside be so tan, though? Then there was the thing that really drew his attention to her. She had a slim hourglass figure that would have caught any seventeen-year old’s gaze.
“Oh, stop it! Haven’t you had enough punishment when it comes to girls?” Travis teased.
“I wasn’t looking at her like that!” Lee objected.
“Yeah, well, I was. She looks better than anyone we have back home.”
“True, but doesn’t she look out of place to you? She’s tan, and the clothes she’s wearing look old and faded.”
“You’re right. Maybe she isn’t from here either. Why don’t you find out?”
“Me? No way!” Lee said nervously.
“Oh, so you had enough courage to talk to a prostitute but not a regular girl. I’m starting to see what kind of guy you are,” he joked.
“Why is everyone picking on me today? I just don’t want to make the same mistake again. I trusted an outsider, and look where it got me. By the way she’s dressed, she could be an outsider, too. They’re clearly savage . . .” Lee said before stopping himself. His dad had been an outsider, and his mom had been fighting for outsider rights since they got married. Should he really judge all of them?
“You know what? Forget what I said. I’ll be right back,” Lee said and stepped away.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked nervously as he stood beside her.
“I don’t see anyone there,” she said with a forced smile. Lee didn’t know for sure, but it seemed like this girl was having a bad day for some reason.
“I’m Lee,” he said and extended his hand.
“I’m Alisa. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve got to say that your style of clothing looks a little different. Where are you from?” she asked.
“You’re one to talk,” he countered with and nodded toward her clothes.
“I’m from here, just not from the inside.”
“Oh, okay. Well, then what are you doing in here?”
“You first. You still haven’t told me where you’re from.”
“Have you ever heard of Raines? It’s in what used to be Texas.”
“I’ve heard a little. What are you doing here, though? You’re a long way from home.”
“My parents are negotiating with the government here, so I tagged along,” Lee said before thinking. He wanted this girl to be interested in him, not for her to think he was some little boy following his parents around.
“Well, then. Let me be the first to welcome you to New Vegas. I doubt the guards were very welcoming. They weren’t with me either, and I’m from here.”
“How did you get through? We almost didn’t, but we had a pass.”
“My brother is fighting in the pit tonight.”
“Why would he do something like that?” Lee asked in surprise.
“I don’t know what it’s like where you’re from, but here outsiders do whatever we’re told. If they need someone to fix something, we do it. If they need food, we grow it for them. If they need entertainment, we also give that to them. They say it’s an opportunity, and they will pay him a few credits for the fight, but a lot of people don’t walk out of the pit. I’m afraid that’s what will happen to Henry. The fight’s actually in a few minutes. That’s why I’m having a drink. I’m trying to work up the courage to go see it,” she said.
“Wow. I’m sorry. How did you get into the city, though? Even if he’s fighting, I’m sure they have rules about outsiders.”
“They’re not completely heartless, and if you fight, you can choose one family member to come with you. Of course, I have to wear this, so they can make sure I leave in due time,” she said and motioned to her ankle where a monitor was firmly wrapped around it.
Lee felt bad for her. He still didn’t know if he could trust an outsider, but if what Alisa was saying was true, then she needed a friend right now. Lee had some time to kill, so why not support her?
“This might sound crazy, and I’ll get it if you don’t want to because it’s not like we really know each other, but would you like me to come with you to the pits? I’ve never seen them before, and it sounds like you could use a friend during his fight,” he said.
“Actually, that might be good,” Alisa said while in deep thought. She wasn’t quite sure that she trusted the boy in front of her. Lee seemed kind, but he was also an insider. In her experience, insiders were only kind when they wanted something.
“Great, then let’s get out of here. We’ll see your brother win this fight, and then I can get back to the meeting spot where my parents will be.”
“Sounds good,” she said and stood.
Travis gave him an awkward look as they were leaving but ultimately didn’t stop him. Lee was going to see the true nature of other cities that day. As a child, he had always wanted to travel and maybe even live somewhere else where he wouldn’t just be the Morgan’s son, but he would understand now. He had truly been born into the perfect place with much gentler people than existed anywhere else.
Chapter 8
The Pit
At the fighting pits, Lee sat with Alisa and waited for her brother’s match. They watched as other men fought. The first fight was a bloody one between two men with knives. One was tall with a meaty frame, while the other was medium height wi
th a skinny build made for speed. Lee was sure the smaller man would be able to dance around his target and avoid blows as he carved his opponent to pieces. He did at first, too, and in the process, gave the larger man several superficial cuts. Then, with one false step, he was careless. His opponent grabbed his arm and wrestled the knife away. From there, the larger man proceeded to stab him again and again in the stomach until all Lee could stare at was the blood gushing out of the smaller fighter. Those wounds were too bad for anyone to hope to save him, and what were the spectators doing but cheering. Lee was just now starting to grasp exactly what kind of place he had stepped into. These people were the definition of evil and probably the reasons why most outsiders hated people like him.
The second fight was much simpler with a young opponent who didn’t even pass for a man. Lee guessed that he was probably fourteen or fifteen. The kid took a few slashes to the arm and then threw his weapon to the ground and pleaded for mercy. His would-be attacker gave him what he wanted, much to the dismay of the crowd who booed and threw garbage down onto the fighters. They wanted blood more than anything, and it didn’t help that quite a few of them had probably taken the underdog bet and had to watch as their fighter simply gave up at the first sign of trouble.
“I don’t get it. If they can just give up, then why doesn’t your brother? That way no one would have to be hurt,” Lee said.
“It isn’t that simple. That fighter won’t be paid, and even worse, he’ll be punished.”
“Punished how?” Lee asked, although he didn’t know if he really wanted to find out the answer to that question. Just having to fight to quite possibly the death seemed like punishment enough. What could be worse than that?
“He’ll be beaten by the guards and put on a forty-eight-hour shift more than likely. After he rests up from that, they’ll put him right back in the pits, and that process will repeat until he finally decides to fight.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why does everyone allow things to be this way?”
“You’re an insider, right?” she asked and bit her lip.
“Yeah, but how did you know that?”
“Besides the fact that you look like you’ve got credits, you asked me a question like that. We do what we have to. There aren’t any alternatives. None of us would make it outside the city. It’s a desert out there, and at least insiders give us enough to sustain ourselves.”
“That’s no way to live, though!”
“Don’t you think I know that, but what am I supposed to do?” Alisa asked, now sounding a bit annoyed. Every day she thought about what she would do if she had any power, but what good were those thoughts? Alisa had no control over anything, and Lee pretending that she could seemed cruel.
“What do you know about it?” she asked coldly.
“I . . . I’m sorry. I guess I don’t know anything about it. This is just the first time I’ve seen something like this. I wish I could make it different.”
“They don’t have fighting pits where you’re from?”
“Not on the inside, and it’s technically illegal to fight for money on the outside, but it still happens.”
Before she could respond, the pits had been cleared, and her brother stepped in to face his opponent. The first thing Lee noticed was how her brother looked. He was medium height and very toned despite being light weight. Most men his size would have been thought of as weak, but that wasn’t the impression he got at all. The man he was facing didn’t look like a pushover either, however. He had a similar height and build but with a few years of age on him. Lee didn’t know if that would be a good thing or a bad one. With age comes experience, but at the same time, so does weakness in many cases.
Without even meaning to, Alisa grabbed Lee’s hand and clung to it as if that would somehow protect her from what was about to happen. They watched together as the crowd cheered and the fighters were signaled to begin. The man came at her brother, but he quickly evaded him and took a few steps back to get some distance between them. He was using the same strategy as Alex had back at the bar. He was learning his opponent’s moves before giving anything away about himself.
The process repeated a couple more times before the crowd started to boo. That was his signal to fight for real. Otherwise, the guards might stop the brawl and punish him for not putting on a show. He waited patiently until his opponent came at him once again. Then he stepped out of the way and grabbed the man from behind as he went past. He wrapped his arm around the man’s neck and rode him to the ground where he tightened his grip until the older man’s neck was on the edge of breaking. At that point, he loosened his grip slightly, not actually wanting to kill him.
“What is he doing? Why doesn’t he finish him now?” Lee asked.
“Henry doesn’t like to kill. He’s giving him a chance to submit,” Alisa answered.
Lee watched as Henry held the man in a death grip for a few more seconds before rolling off him and retreating a few feet backward. He could have easily finished him there, but if this man wasn’t willing to give up, then he would have to do it another way. Maybe he could knock him out with a haymaker. That would be better than actually killing him.
Henry waited until he got up, and the two men nodded to each other. Then Henry came at him, punching with control and landing two hard shots to the ribs as the man shielded his head. Finally, he landed a hard shot to the fighter’s head that sent him straight to the ground. Henry didn’t give him time to catch his breath either. He jumped onto him and unleashed a barrage of punches as the old man shielded himself instinctually.
It looked like the fight was over, but before he let himself be completely embarrassed the older man was going to try something desperate. He reached up and grabbed Henry’s head. Then he pulled it closer to him and bit down hard on the side of his neck before jerking his head to one side. Blood spurted from Henry’s neck, and he fell off his target. The older man smiled and spat something out of his mouth. Lee didn’t know for sure what it was, but he could guess by Henry’s reaction. His whole body was shaking as he lay on the ground covered in a pool of his blood. Then, in a flash, his body calmed, and a cool feeling ran over Henry as the world started to close in. Finally, he closed his eyes. His fight was over.
Alisa buried her head in Lee’s chest. She didn’t know him well enough to do something like that, but right now she needed anyone possible to lean on, and she couldn’t stand to look at her brother’s lifeless body for one more second. Lee, on the other hand, didn’t know what to do. How was he supposed to comfort her? Was there anything that could make this all right? He hadn’t known it until now, but he was luckier than 99% of the rest of the world. All he wanted to do right then was make this okay for one person, but here he was powerless and for the first time feeling exactly like every outsider did . . . hopeless.
“Come on. We should go,” Lee said.
“I’m not going anywhere!” Alisa said louder than she meant to.
“Okay. I don’t know how any of this works, and I’m so sorry about what happened. What do we need to do? Will they let us see him?”
“Th . . . they cremate the bodies from the pits. They give families of victims twenty-four hours to leave after the fight, and that’s usually the last we ever see of the inside or the person we love,” she said as tears started to well up in her eyes.
“What about your parents? Don’t they need to know what happened?” Lee asked, desperately searching for some kind of task that could get her away from the pits where her brother’s lifeless body was finally being collected by some guards as the crowd continued to cheer the victor.
“They’re dead. My mom died having me, and my dad died last year. He got sick. We don’t know what was wrong with him, but now it’s just me.”
“Then I know exactly where you’re going next.”
“Where, because as far as I can tell, I don’t have any purpose,” Alisa said as her whole body began to shake.
She had never felt grief this way. It was like a
ll of her pain was reverberating through her body and literally shaking her as she tried to contain it. When Alisa’s father had passed, it wasn’t this way. He was sick for two whole years. They had come to terms with the fact that he was going to die. Henry was different, though. She had truly thought he would make it back to her. After all, he had to. What kind of God could take everyone from her? It was too cruel.
“Hey, look at me. We don’t know each other very well, but that’s going to change. You’re not alone. You’re with me now.”
“What are you talking about? You don’t owe me anything, and that’s not how things work. You’re an insider.”
“I’ll figure that out. I have some connections, thanks to my parents. If what you told me is true, then there’s nothing left for you here. Why not come with me?”
“For a lot of reasons. I don’t even really know you, so how could I trust you that much?”
“Because why would I trick you? I have nothing to gain by helping you, but I want to.”
“Why?” she asked, truly puzzled.
In her world, people didn’t do anything because they were kind. Insiders used them for slave labor and entertainment, and outsiders were just as bad. They were thieves who would kill one of their own for a few credits. Sure, it was born of desperation, but if there was one thing she had learned it was that everyone was out for themselves. Maybe there was an exception to the rule, though, because otherwise why would Lee even be there? He didn’t have to come with her, and he certainly didn’t need to ask her to come with him.
“Because I’ve been lucky in life, and you deserve exactly what I’ve experienced. So did Henry, but it’s too late to help him. It’s not too late for you, though, and if you’ll let me, I’ll get you to a better life,” Lee said.
“You’re not like other insiders,” Alisa said and bit her lip as she dried her eyes.
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