“Damn. Just make sure you get to the rendezvous point on time or Colt’s going to kill me,” he yelled after her, but she’d already disappeared around the corner.
With a sigh, Ace pushed a hand through his tangled hair, concealing most of his face by lifting the hood of his vest over his head.
He kicked the guy on the ground but he didn’t even grunt. Brynn’s small transmitter lay near the guy’s head, so he bent over, picked it up, and popped it into his pocket.
He continued on, prepared to descend into the arena and cause the havoc essential to finish his side of this plan.
With Brynn chasing down an AI without any sort of communication on her, was she any safer now than if she’d wandered into the dungeon with him? Ace couldn’t help but wonder if this would somehow jeopardize the entire mission.
Ely stormed into the control room with Dakota hot on her heels. “What happened? Is everything back online?” She knew the answer already. Her wristband was still dead, just a useless bracelet now.
The guy manning one of the mainframes swiveled his chair and lifted his shoulders in a shrug. She recognized him as the supervisor. “I have no idea. Everything’s gone offline and I can’t get it to work. I can’t communicate with anyone, the security cameras have all shut off, and every computer in here has just been corrupted with some sort of virus I don’t recognize. I’ve had someone on it since it happened, but we can’t seem to stop its progress.”
Ely stepped up behind him and glared at all of the blackened screens. Some were showing white line after line of typed gibberish, as if someone was pressing their hand on the keyboard randomly, over and over again. “What kind of virus is this?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it. None of us have.” The supervisor motioned at the group of screens in front of him. “It’s an alien-based corruptive virus that I don’t think can be cleared. At least, not with anything we’ve got access to on Fray.”
“What caused this?” Dakota asked from the doorway. She’d paused there and now had her arms crossed over her stomach.
Ely’s pulse quickened as she turned in a half circle to find every other piece of equipment in the same blackened state. The cold temperature inside the control room seeped all the way into her bones. This room was kept at close to arctic conditions at all times to ensure none of the essential computers overheated. This was the brain of the Clash Arena’s electronic operations. If this room was offline, everything else was close behind.
She caught a flicker of movement in one of the flat-screens on the opposite corner of the room. “What’s that one doing on?” She advanced, now feeling everyone else in the room move with her.
“That’s the live feed for all the subscribers of Recast,” the control room supervisor answered. He rolled his swivel chair, stopping in front of the terminal to type in a few commands. As soon as he did, every other screen inside the room flashed on. All of them, no matter what size, displayed the same thing. Multiple camera angles of a seven-foot scaly creature ramming his gigantic fist on top of the head of a wiry lizard being pummeled into the dirt, like some sort of ancient cartoon.
“Why is it the only thing working?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t get anything else up. Whoever did this intended for the footage to mask something else…”
The rumble and boom beneath their feet drowned out the rest of his sentence.
“What was that?” Dakota asked looking around, wide-eyed.
“Sounded like an explosion.” Ely’s heart jolted inside her chest. What the hell was going on?
The supervisor jumped off his chair and ran across the room. He fiddled with another keyboard. “I can’t get through to anyone. I have no idea what’s going on. We’ve been isolated. I can’t even get security to check out the explosion, or whatever it was.”
“I’ll go and check it out,” Ely said. “We need to find out what’s going on and round up the troops.”
“What do you think is going on?” Dakota asked from her place by the door.
“Maybe I can help you with that.”
Ely turned in time to catch a man standing in the doorway leading into the control room. Dakota stepped out of his way.
He stood tall, with a tangle of dark hair, and a bandana covering most of his face. Dressed in jeans with leather chaps over them and a blue shirt, he held a slim silver gun in his right hand and a small device in the other.
“If you want to live, I suggest you all get the hell outta this room,” he mumbled. “I’m serious. Don’t worry about anything else but getting your asses out of here. Now.”
Ely took a step forward but he pointed his gun at her.
“Don’t take another step. Just get the hell out.” He slapped the small green device against the wall. “You don’t have long, but there’s still enough time left to run.”
“Wait.”
The man turned and ran out into the corridor.
Ely gave chase but by the time she got there, he’d already disappeared at the junction, leaving only his shadow. Was he a terrorist? What was a terrorist doing here? Or was this all planned by Jenks as a way to wipe away their existence? It seemed strange that he’d do so when the arena was packed with important visitors who also happened to be investors. Then again, Jenks Maine didn’t need a reason or hold any real allegiance to anyone. If he’d found himself a new place to settle and a new way to double his wealth, he’d do whatever he had to in order to eliminate all the loose ends. And that’s what everyone here was—a loose end.
Ely’s pulse raced so fast she felt lightheaded for a second.
She sucked in a breath.
And if Jenks had nothing to do with any of this, what group did the terrorist belong to? Jenks got threats all the time, but nothing had come through recently…unless he’d been keeping it to himself and that’s why he wasn’t here. The bastard. Was it possible he’d known about the attack and had taken refuge somewhere else? It would explain so much—his absence, his lack of communication. He could be starting up his operation somewhere else right now, while a bomb glowed in the control room.
Wait a second, where’s the pain? She’d just insulted him and nothing pierced into her brain.
It didn’t matter now. First, she needed to take care of this and get everyone out of the control room. She could test this theory later.
She headed back inside, glared at the green chip on the wall and yelled, “This room’s going to blow. Let’s get the hell out.” She recognized the chippie, had used several in the past and even gambled with them.
Ely reached Dakota and pushed the redhead out the door. Dakota paused just outside the doorway. “What about you?”
“Don’t worry about me, just go. Get them out of here. I’ll be right behind you.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I need to make sure everyone gets out.” Ely forcibly lifted the supervisor out of his chair and shoved him toward the door. “Follow Dakota. She knows how to get out of the building. Take all the employees you can round up with you.”
The supervisor signaled the other people scattered around the room and led them out.
Dakota frowned. Her face paled and her eyes were shiny with concern. “You want me to evacuate?”
Ely nodded. “Yes, get everyone out safely. Get them as far from the arena as you can. I don’t know what’s going on, but I want all the innocents out.”
“What about you?”
Why didn’t she stop asking that? Strange, but after all the training and brainwashing, Jenks still had people employed who cared about others. “I’ll do the same and meet you at the safe house. You know where it is, right?”
Dakota nodded. “Of course.”
“Good, quick, get out.”
When the room was vacant and everyone had disappeared, Ely ran for the doorway but wasn’t fast enough. She’d lingered too long trying to get everyone else out of harm’s way, and as she crossed in front of the round chippie it made a whiny
sound before exploding.
Airborne, unable to fight the momentum of the explosion, she flew out the door.
The last thing she remembered, before everything turned black, was the pain of her shoulder slamming against the hard wall.
Chapter Eight
Ace sidestepped another group of people as they rushed past, glad no one bothered to stop him or question why he was there. It made it easier to lower his hooded head and get out of their way. It seemed the best way to blend into the growing crowd without calling any attention to himself.
In the shadows of these corridors, everyone was too busy worrying about themselves to bother with him. And that suited him fine.
People were everywhere, running or screaming questions no one had answers for, and shouting commands as they ran past in a panic. He was sure he’d passed several people more than once, but since they seemed to be heading in the right direction, he didn’t bother to interfere.
The farther he got, the slimmer and grimier the tunnels became. With the amount of people trying to push past him, it slowed his movements but nothing would stop him.
Brynn’s transmitter burned a hole in his pocket. He hoped she was okay chasing the AI, but what did she hope to accomplish by following him? Colt was going to be pissed when he found out Ace had let her run off chasing another robot.
It’s not your fault. You can’t control her. Brynn didn’t seem like the kind of woman who wanted to be controlled by anyone. Neither did Ely, for that matter.
The thought of the caramel-skinned beauty got his heart pumping as hard as his legs. The quicker he reached the underground depths of this wretched arena, the sooner he’d be able to get out and race to her side. He could see it in his mind so clearly. Not exactly sweeping her off her feet, but definitely sweeping her into bed—or any other place where they could be alone. He wanted her so badly his blood boiled.
The mental scratching of claws dug away at his very soul. How had she gotten so deep under his skin already? For the beast inside to react so savagely, and to want her as much as he did, Ace couldn’t deny their attraction was unlike any other he’d ever encountered. What made this woman so different? Why could he feel his skin heat just at the thought of her curves, or at the reminder of her mouth against his?
The craving for her touch was an ache he could hardly contain.
Concentrate on what we’re here to do. Otherwise we’ll never have her again. The beast quieted a little, its growl still rumbling beneath his skin, setting it ablaze with an itch he couldn’t scratch.
“How are you two doing?” Colt’s voice cut into his wandering thoughts.
“I’m headed toward the dungeon as we speak,” Ace replied in a whisper he doubted anyone around him could hear. Staying anonymous had suddenly gotten a lot easier.
He could already feel the buzz of violence, greed and death caress the beast inside. It called to him, encouraged him to join in the fun and savagery of the gladiator games waiting in the depths of this depraved place.
A low growl reverberated deep in his throat, had him rolling his shoulders trying to loosen up. He had to relax before the Recast side broke through his carefully controlled surface. Although his half-breed nature helped keep the beast under control a whole lot better than the rest of his people, Ace was still likely to shift if danger or the excitement of the fight gripped him too tightly.
“What about Brynn, is she still with you?”
Ace sighed. “No. She’s gone off to do her bit… Sounds like you’ve set off quite a few of those chippies already. People are scurrying everywhere.”
“The control room’s toast so we gotta hurry. Soon, even the Recast feed will shut down. The fires are raging all over the place.” Colt paused, panting. “Brynn, how’s it going for you?”
A rumble rocked above Ace, followed by another. He pressed his left hand against the wall to keep steady. The crowd around him screamed as they paused to look above their heads in wide-eyed terror, holding on to each other as if that would save them. More explosions like these two would soon bury everyone. He had to hurry.
“We’re all going to die,” someone yelled.
“Keep moving,” another added. “Jenks Maine takes care of his people. He would never let us perish.”
Ace’s stomach turned. If they knew Maine was dead and gone, would they totally lose it then? At least they seemed to be pulling together to make it out alive.
“Get out of the arena as fast as you can!” he yelled. “Quickly, before it’s too late.”
A few heads turned toward him and nodded, but most of the others were already rushing past. As if all they’d needed was a little extra push.
“Did it work?” Colt asked with amusement in his voice.
“Yes, it did.”
“Good. Hey, Ace, did you set those off?” Colt asked.
Ace stepped aside just as another group of people ran past him in a blur. He was almost there. “No,” he answered.
“They were mine.” Brynn sounded out of breath, as if she were still pursuing the AI.
“Damn it, Brynn. What the fuck are you doing not answering?”
“I’m worried about you too, Colt,” Brynn said. “I just set off some of my chippies.”
“I hope you got the girls out before that lot of explosions!”
Brynn’s breath came in spurts. “Yes, I think so. I’m just double checking now. And before you start panicking, I’ll still make the rendezvous, okay?”
“You better, Brynn.”
“I will.”
Ace noted she hadn’t mentioned the Y-123. He also couldn’t understand how she was talking to them at all. He reached a hand into his pocket and pulled out the ruined transmitter. Someone knocked it out of his hands but he didn’t bother looking for it. It did, however, confirm Brynn’s transmitter was damaged beyond repair. So, how was she able to communicate with them? Had she abandoned the chase and was really helping the girls she claimed were victims? He could hear the faint vibrations of someone running beside her. What was the blonde up to? Whatever it was, he wasn’t going to ask. Not while Colt could hear them.
“Okay, we’ve got thirty minutes to make this count. I’m on my way to entice the crowd to vacate the premises.” Silence and static followed Colt’s words. “So, Ace, make sure those chippies are fixed around the arena as soon as you get there. I’d hate to have to leave you behind.”
But I will if I have to, were the unspoken words left out of his comment.
“I’ll be there,” Brynn said. “And so will Ace.”
Ace appreciated her vote of confidence. “Don’t worry about me, cowboy.”
Colt laughed but there didn’t seem to be any humor in it. “Brynn…”
“Yeah?” she asked almost breathless now.
“Be careful. I love you.”
“Oh Colt, I love you too, you big brute.”
Ace should’ve found their words as annoying as their constant noisy lovemaking sessions back on the Stallion II, but he didn’t. This was actually only the second time he’d heard Colt say those words. The first had been inside the caves in Wither, when Maine shot Brynn with silver and Colt was forced to kill him.
Ace didn’t so much as breathe, giving them a private moment. He turned his focus back to where he was headed. Because of the commotion, he didn’t encounter any security when he reached the gates segregating the fighters from the rest of the population.
Holding his breath for a few more seconds, trying to keep the sudden whiff of mingled sweat from knocking out his control, he hoped the computer virus had worked its way into every circuit in this huge structure. As soon as Colt downloaded the corruptive virus from Jenks Maine’s ship, the electrical current on the iron bars was supposed to fizzle out. If the electric charge was still live, he’d be stuck with nowhere to go and their plan would fall down around him.
He extended a tentative finger toward the thick iron grille in front of him. When it didn’t zap him, he hit the top button on the metallic p
anel beside the gate and it lifted slowly. The raspy sound of metal grinding against itself echoed around him, the movement emitting sparks.
Ace ducked underneath and stepped into the gaping mouth of hell.
The stench of blood, sweat, gore and the filth of so many interplanetary races forced to co-exist in less than sanitary conditions assaulted his sensitive nose with a vengeance. He almost recoiled, tempted to head back the way he’d come and escape right now, while he still could. The gate behind him lay completely open.
No one noticed yet. What would happen when he got in and the prisoners had freedom right in front of them? They hadn’t known before the explosions but would they know now? He needed to get past the prisoners so he could attach the explosives to bring the place down from the very bottom.
With every step he took, his breath increased and the murmur of Colt’s voice started echoing inside his head again, but he couldn’t hear a damn word he was saying. Or afford the time to hesitate enough to listen. The clock was ticking, counting down the minutes until this pit of a place filled with death, violence and greed became an oven that would incinerate anyone left inside.
Most of the people who would die here tonight would be prisoners held against their will, forced to fight to the death. But once infected by this arena, he was sure it would be a just end to their miserable lives.
Ace paused at the first arch he came to. This one was also covered by a metallic grille. His fingertips approached slowly, and when they connected with the cold metal, nothing happened. Of course, he should’ve known the electric buzz wouldn’t work here either but it was still worth checking.
It wasn’t that he wanted to rush out into the middle of the spectacle, where a muscled bald guy and another longer, reed-thin man with long blond hair ran toward each other. But he had to.
The blond man knocked the bald one down once they clashed, and clamped his jaws deep into his neck. The bald man screamed at the same time as Ace hit the button to open the next gate.
Clash Page 9