The Finisher

by David Baldacci

  I gave him a hug and when I drew my hand back, it was covered with blood. I looked up in horror at him.

  “’Tis Digby’s, not mine, Vega Jane.”

  I glanced over at Digby, who was slowly sitting up, his face covered by a veil of blood and his nose cleanly broken. I had to put a hand on my stomach to keep my first meal where it should remain.

  Ten slivers later the first set of bouts was over. The female had been soundly beaten by her male opponent although he had “gallantly” refrained from smashing in her brain. Yet the Mendens had still been called and she ended up being carried off the pitch on a stretcher with her mum sobbing next to her.

  The bell for the next bouts rang immediately after the fighters had gathered on their respective quadrants. Twenty hard-fought slivers later, more fighters were out of the Duelum, including the only other female. She had collapsed backward after being charged by her opponent, a seventeen-session-old Dactyl who worked at Stacks. I don’t believe he actually touched her. I think she simply fainted.

  Part of me wished for such an option. But after my dustup with Morrigone, if I tried anything like that, I truly believed my head would soon disappear from my shoulders.

  Eventually, the final set of bouts was called. I took a long breath while Delph gripped my shoulder and gave me encouraging words.

  “He’s a soft Wug, he is,” he told me. “Loon won’t know what hit him.”

  I smiled weakly and nodded. “We can celebrate this night,” I said.

  But on the inside I was scared. There was no other way to describe it. I had a plan. I really did. Cletus had taken off his shirt. He was not as flabby as he used to be, with his body growing as much as it had. I of course kept my shirt on. He was two sessions older than me, a full-grown Wug, actually. And while it was true I had bested him in the past, it had been the far past — except when I had kicked him in the belly the light I’d been confronted by the Carbineers and he’d nicked my egg. I’m sure Cletus had been training hard for this bout, no doubt learning dirty tricks from the likes of Ran Digby and Non. And I had to face that he was male and thus stronger than me.

  But he was not tougher than me.

  Loon grinned maliciously and puffed out his chest and flexed his arms while I stood rock still. Our referee appeared and told us the rules, of which there were precious few. One that did surprise me was that if you were forced out of your quadrant by your opponent, he was given a free blow to any part of your body. Why Delph had failed to mention that one, I had no idea. It was no wonder all the Wugs charged each other on the bell.

  The referee stepped back. Right before the bell was to ring, Cletus said, “If you pretend to faint, I’ll go easy on you. You’ll be able to see out of your eyes and chew your meal this night.”

  “Funny, I was just about to make you the same offer.”

  His grin disappeared and was replaced with a determination I had seldom seen on his features. So much for my bravado.

  I glanced over his shoulder and was not surprised to see Delph gazing anxiously at me. But I was surprised to see that my brother was staring just as anxiously from the platform. To my left stood Cletus’s parents. Cacus Loon looked very confident. Hestia looked like she might be sick.

  My heart was beating so fast I was afraid it might break a rib. I had no saliva left in my mouth. I felt like I had forgotten how to breathe. Before I realized it, the bell had rung and Cletus came charging at me. I managed to block most of his first blow, but my arm instantly started swelling. I fell back, giving up precious ground of which Cletus took full advantage.

  He swung a kick at my midsection that I just barely managed to avoid. But I was near the edge of the quadrant and if Cletus got a free shot on me, I seriously doubted I could withstand it. At the last instant I ducked under his blow, whipsawed around him and stood back up on the other side of him. He whirled and came at me.

  “What’s the matter, Vega, afraid to fight?”

  I would have said something clever back, only my mouth was so dry all that came out was “Aaaghmllff-prat.”

  We danced around for a bit, each probing the other’s defenses. I threw a few awkward punches, which he easily blocked. His confidence was growing by the sliver, I could tell. I swung a kick that he derisively flicked away. He laughed.

  But I had my plan and I bided my time. And then it came. He feinted with his right hand. I kept the grin from showing on my face as I pretended to block this blow. When he threw his left, I had already struck. I slammed the top of my head into his face, a move that Wugs quaintly termed a Wormwood kiss. As Cletus had done when I tricked him into revealing his fighting maneuvers, he brought up his knee, aiming for my belly. However, my blow to his head having staggered him, Cletus drifted to the left, allowing me time to hook his leg with my arm. With all my strength I ripped upward on this limb. He flipped over backward and landed on his head.

  That was all I needed. I pounced and was on him like the black shuck on an escaped prisoner from Valhall. Scissoring my long legs around his torso and pinning his arms to his sides, I pounded away with my fists until Cletus, teary and wailing like a hungry baby Wug, screamed out that he was surrendering.

  The referee quickly stepped in. When he tried to help Cletus up, he pushed him away, nearly causing the referee to fall. The referee lifted my hand in victory at the same time that Cletus punched me full in the face. I fell backward and carried the referee down with me.

  Cries of “Foul!” and “Valhall for him!” came from the crowd of Wugs.

  Cacus Loon grabbed his enraged son by the arm and dragged him off the pitch while Delph raced over and lifted me off the ground.

  “Are you okay, Vega Jane?” he asked anxiously. He aimed a glare at Cletus and yelled, “You shameless pillock!”

  I rubbed the blood off my mouth and nose and checked to make sure my teeth were all still there. They were, but I felt my eye swelling already. Despite all that, the biggest grin spread across my face.

  “I won, Delph,” I gasped.

  “I know you did,” he replied, grinning back.

  With his help I staggered off the pitch. The first round was done. Only four more to go. With this thought, the grin slipped off my face. But only for a sliver. I had won after all. The first female to ever do so in a Duelum.

  As I looked up at the platform, I saw John standing and clapping while Morrigone put her hands together once and then stopped. As we passed the betting circle, I saw Roman Picus giving a what-for to Cacus Loon while Cletus stood there with murder all over his features, although tears still stained his face. My victory had apparently cost Roman dearly.

  I was surprised when Delph went over to Roman and held out a tiny slip of parchment. Roman eyed him with unfriendly eyes and then proceeded to count off ten coins and handed them to Delph. “Lucky first time,” Roman said bitterly.

  “She won fair and square,” replied Delph. “No luck about it. Har!”

  As we walked off, I said, “You bet on me?”

  “Course I did.”

  “I didn’t know you wagered.”

  “Every Wug takes a flutter now and again and I ain’t no different, am I?” he said casually.

  “What if I’d lost? Did you have the coin to lose?”

  “I put it on credit. Besides, I knew you were going to win,” he said flatly.

  “But what if I didn’t?”

  “Well, then I might have had a wee problem with Roman Picus, mightn’t I?”

  “Delph, you’re mental, you really are.”

  “And we’re also winners this light, Vega Jane.”

  We were winners, both of us. I hadn’t felt this good in a really long time.

  Even with a bashed-in face.

  LATER, DELPH USED his coins to treat us to a meal at a shop on the High Street called the Starving Tove. I had never eaten a meal in a shop before. It was not something that a working Wug like myself could ever have considered. To pay another Wug perfectly good coin to sit leisurely at a table and be
served a fancy meal seemed barmy.

  I absolutely loved it!

  Before we went, Delph and I had cleaned up and I had put on the only other set of clothes I owned — a wool skirt that nearly reached the ground and a long-sleeved shirt made from amaroc hide that had belonged to my mother. I even found an old hat of hers from a pile of odds and ends in the corner. It was wide-brimmed and faded and looked, I’m sure, hideously old-fashioned. But I wanted to wear it that night more than anything I had ever owned.

  I had run cold water from the pipes over my eye, but it was still so puffy I could barely see out of it. I had decided against using the Adder Stone to heal it. Wugs might get suspicious with such a speedy recovery.

  We sat at a table in the back of the Starving Tove. Other Wugs sat at several tables nearer the front. I didn’t know if that was because we weren’t dressed as nicely, but it probably was. The other Wugs eating there — two of whom were members of Council — occasionally glanced over at us and then had whispered conversations. I tried to ignore it, but it wasn’t easy.

  Delph, who had obviously noted this, said, “Everybody knows you now, Vega Jane.”

  I focused on him. “What?”

  “Beat a male, didn’t you? First female ever to do it in a Duelum. Famous you are.”

  I thought about this for a sliver or two and looked around at some of the Wugs who were staring at me. A couple smiled and nodded encouragingly. Maybe Delph was right.

  When our food came, I couldn’t believe the abundance of it. I didn’t even pick up my fork. I just looked at the heaping plate in front of me. I whispered to Delph, “Do we just take a bit and then pass it on to the other tables?”

  “’Tis all yours, Vega Jane.”

  “Are you sure?” I said incredulously.

  “Yup.”

  “But you’ve never been here, have you?”

  “Once.”

  “When?” I demanded.

  “After I won a Duelum. Roman Picus took me here.”

  “Why would that lout take you anywhere?”

  “It was me first Duelum. I was the underdog. Picus bet many coins on me and won. So he treated me to a meal. Only thing I ever got from that great git, o’course.”

  I looked down at the cornucopia of meats, vegetables, cheeses and breads, and licked my lips like a hungry canine. Which reminded me, I had to save some of this for Harry Two, who was patiently waiting outside.

  Thirty slivers later, I set down my fork and knife. I had my berry juice topped off and took a last long draught and rubbed my full belly. I then let out a long sigh and stretched like a feline after a nap. Delph grinned at me.

  “Good eating,” he said.

  “You shouldn’t have, Delph. It cost a coin apiece. I saw the menu board out front.”

  “Coins you won me, so there.”

  Well, I couldn’t really argue with that. And I had the bruises and bloodletting to show for it. I got a small bag from the server and put the rest of my meal in it for Harry Two. As we were walking out, a well-dressed female Wug rose from her table and shook my hand. “I am very proud of you, my dear Vega Jane,” she said.

  I had seen her before. Her mate was on Council. He sat there in his great black tunic and stared up at me with a disapproving expression. I imagined he might be one of Krone’s allies. He didn’t put out his hand for me to shake. But then again, he wouldn’t, would he? Some of my dirt might rub off on him.

  Her mate pulled her back to her chair and looked at her reproachfully.

  “Thank you,” I managed to mumble and then hurried on.

  I heard them start arguing as we reached the door.

  Outside, I gave Harry Two his meal right there on the cobblestones. As he gobbled it up, I turned to Delph.

  “Thanks for the meal.”

  He smiled. “It was a good light.”

  “It was a great light. When will the next Duelum round be?”

  “Two lights.”

  I groaned. I thought there would be a longer interval.

  “When will we know who we have to fight?”

  “Next night.”

  We walked back to my digs and sat in front of the empty fireplace.

  It was night now and my eyes were heavy.

  Delph noted this, rose and we said our good-byes. I watched him walk off down the Low Road until I could see him no longer. I closed the door and lay on my cot, Harry Two next to me. And then I did the only thing I could do. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

  THE NEXT LIGHT at Stacks began with Newton Tilt, a tall, muscled eighteen-session-old Cutter coming over to me to congratulate me on my victory. He was nice, very good-looking and I had always considered him quite slithy. In fact, I would sometimes snatch a glance while he worked away.

  “I’m glad you beat that git Loon,” he said, dazzling me with a wide smile. He lowered his voice. “You have a friend in the Tilt family, Vega, never fear. Done me heart good to see you tell Krone off like that.”

  I smiled and thanked him and watched him walk off, my heart growing warm.

  The next round of competitors would be posted at the first section of night. I was both anxious and leery to know. If I had drawn Delph, I didn’t know what I would do. I thought about us making a run for the Quag now. That would prevent them from taking my punishment out on Delph. Yet something held me back. Well, it was quite clear what was holding me back. I had given my word that I would fight my hardest in the Duelum. That had been my deal with Morrigone. She was not my favorite Wug. But a promise was a promise. I didn’t mind lying occasionally, particularly when it helped me survive. To go back on my word, though, that was something my grandfather never would have done. And neither would I. It would be a taint on the Jane name.

  I usually couldn’t care less what other Wugs thought. But this was different. I would never forget the look Thansius had given me when the marks were revealed on my skin. I just wanted to show him that, well, that I was an honorable, if not overly clean, Wug.

  I looked up quickly when I spotted his shadow across my workstation.

  Domitar was staring at me. I glanced up at him expectantly.

  “You did well last light, Vega, very well indeed.”

  “Thank you, Domitar.”

  “I won twenty coins on you, in fact,” he added in a giddy tone, rubbing his fat hands together.

  I was very surprised by this, and my features must have revealed that.

  He waved this look off. “I knew you would win. Cletus Loon is an even bigger idiot than his father.” He toddled off, chuckling to himself.

  I went outside at the mid-light meal to bring water and some food to Harry Two. As I sat in the high grass, I stared up at Stacks. I had been to the top floor twice now. Once I had found Destin and the other time my past.

  But was it the top floor?

  I continued to gaze upward as Stacks soared on and on. It had to be taller than two floors. Which meant I had more of the place to discover. This was a ridiculously dangerous thought, I knew. I was one slip at the Duelum from going to Valhall for the rest of my sessions. But the sword hanging over my head had also given me true clarity of mind, perhaps for the first time in my life.

  I was tired of so many questions on my part and no answers in return. Could I perhaps find some answers in Stacks, which seemed to have more secrets than any other place in Wormwood? Every time I had gone in there, I had come away with something of value. Could I try my luck once more?

  When the bell rang for the end of work, I changed my clothes and waited outside for the other Wugs to leave. I was surprised to see Delph run up, his shirt soaked with sweat from his Wall work.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “Duelum practice,” he answered.

  “It’ll have to wait.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m sneaking back in Stacks after everyone has gone. I’ve been to the second floor. Now I want to go higher.”

  “Are you nutters, Vega Jane?” sputtered Delp
h.

  “Probably,” I answered.

  “Krone’ll be looking for any chance to throw you back in Valhall. What if his blokes are watching us right now?”

  “I thought of that,” I said. “I’m going to come back here a little later and sneak in the side. It would be pretty much impossible for anyone to spot me then.”

  “Why go in a’tall?”

  “I’ve been in there twice now and I’ve gotten out okay each time. And every time I have, I’ve learned something important. That’s where I got Destin,” I added, pointing at the chain, which sat around my waist. “And the Elemental and the Adder Stone.”

  “But you said that was from the little room on the second floor. Now ya want to find a way to go higher, you said.”

  “Right.”

  “And I can’t talk you out of doing this?”

  “No.”

  He gazed up at Stacks. “So how do we do this?”

  “We aren’t doing anything. I’m going in. You can take Harry Two to your digs and wait for me there. I’ll come by after I’m done here.”

  “Either I go in with you, or I go and tell bloody Domitar what you’re planning to do. Bet he nips off to tell Krone.”

  “Delph, you wouldn’t!” I said in a shocked tone.

  “The Hel I wouldn’t.”

  We stared at each other for about a sliver. He said, “I’m not letting you go into that place alone.”

  “Delph, you don’t know what I’ve faced in there. It’s very dangerous and —”

  “There’s Domitar leaving now. Shall I go have a chat with him?”

  I looked over and saw Domitar and Dis Fidus leaving. I turned back and glared at Delph, whipping my hair out of my face.

  “All right, but if you get killed, don’t come complaining to me.”

  “Har,” he shot back.

  Then a thought struck me. No, it was more a truth. I had given my word to fight in the Duelum, as hard as I could. If I did that, Morrigone said everything would return to normal. I would owe Council nothing. But I had no intention of staying in Wormwood after that. My parents were gone. My brother was lost to me. Morrigone had said that if I tried to leave, they would punish Delph. Well, our original plan of fleeing together solved that dilemma. And if Delph was going with me into the Quag, he had to learn, firsthand, how to handle himself in the face of things that a Wug was not used to confronting. Perhaps this night would be a good opportunity for Delph to be initiated into what lurked inside Stacks.