"What was it now? Forget to remove the black jellybeans from Branch's bowl?"
"What? Oh, it's you," he sneered. "No, fuckin' cunt dropped one of the cannister lights. Only have so many, ya know?"
"Truly seems like a shame, huh?"
"I know, fucking bastard didn't get why it was—oh, I see what you are doing," he said. "Tryin' ta trick me again. I'm onto you."
"Looks like you've smartened up a bit, huh Stuart?"
"Fuckin' hell I have."
"Which reminds me, you pretty much know everything that goes on around here, right?"
"Like hell."
"Do you know where I could find somebody, then? I found this notebook, and I wanted to return it to the woman who dropped it."
"Give it here," he said. "I'll take care of it."
"I wanted to do this myself," she said, keeping it from his grasp. He couldn't see what was inside of that notebook, not that she believed that he could really read or understand complex thoughts, she just didn't want to take any chances. "She has a bit of a debt to me, you see..."
"Oh fuckin' right on. You 'bout to do a little knee crackin' then? I like."
"Something like that."
"What's 'er name?"
"Umm, Shar Johnson, I think?"
"Johnson, Johnson," he said. "I dunno everyone here, but I can find out for ye."
"Great, thanks Stuart, you know where I'll be."
"Right, right, bugger off now, I got work to do."
Every part of her knew that this plan was half-baked at best. Stuart wasn't the smartest guy, but he was a loyal guy. If he did even a bit of cursory digging into why she wanted to find this woman or who she was, there could be trouble in a hurry. All it would take would be him telling Branch about her request and pandora's box would be opened up for her. She'd no longer be that clever girl that Will brought to the tower, she'd be an imminent threat, treated like TK Gabriel. Or worse. She shuddered, the convulsion coming without much prompting. Already being a prisoner was bad enough, but being locked in an actual cage would only compound her issues.
A few hours passed before the knock came to her door. Stuart had found the information that she was looking for, apparently without a problem. He wasn't acting any stranger than usual and seemed to have bought her cover story. They were on the fifteenth floor, living in room 1507. She was working in food preparation on that floor while Tyler was in training to be a guard, something that she assumed Demoreo would be disgusted by. They were doing what they needed to survive.
"Thanks, Stuart," she said. "I'm gonna go find them now."
"Naw, no point in that now. It's two hours to showtime, doll."
"Oh, wow. I had no idea it was getting that late. How's your brother doing?"
"Fine," he said. "Mostly, I guess. He's not loaded off of his lazy arse yet. He might stand a chance out there. That cocksucker."
"Do you really think that he can?"
"I dunno," he said. "I guess we'll have to see how it goes?"
"He'll be okay, Stuart," she placed her hand on his shoulder, him struggling away from her quickly and looking away. He wasn't the most emotional of people, especially not outwardly, but there was a flicker of concern inside of him over his brother's well-being.
"I fuckin' know, alright? Fucking Christ."
With that he was gone, slamming the door behind him. Stuff like complex emotions existed within the rough exterior of the younger Farrington, just like it did within the bigger one, but much like his brother it was well beneath the surface. Unlike his brother, though, Stuart was not one for the drink. His vice was simply violence. It always surprised Vera that he had opted to be a simple goon instead of fighting himself in the arena. He had fought in the arena once or twice, but he didn't make anything long term out of it. He saw the offer from Branch and it was his out. Maybe it was the fact that he was one of the few people allowed to carry a gun at all times? Having a rifle strapped to his back and a handgun at his hip seemed to suit him quite well compared to playing to crowds.
Vera still had time to go and grab something to eat and clean herself up before the festivities that night, so she figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to show up looking presentable considering her station. Plus, if she didn't show up or just hung around the shadows, someone might take notice. This was all just a big show, wasn't it?
Fifteen
The Brawler
Will's music was pulsating throughout the arena, "Fuckin' in the Bushes" by a band that was most likely long-since dead in Oasis. The crowd was going crazy, a cacophony of thumps running through his veins while the familiar guitar line blended with the chants of the crowd. It was time, time for him to enter into the arena. Will had done this so many times now that it should have been old hat for him, except this could be the time, the one time where he didn't leave. That meant that either he walks out victorious with only a fight with Gabriel left or he leaves inside of that monster's stomach. Branch gave him his guarantee that he'd walk out alive, but the Crusher was a monster and no mind control gadget would settle his nerves on this one.
"It's your time, laddie," Bill chirped.
"Aye," Will said, adjusting his elbow pads.
"Good luck."
"Fucking aye," Will said, taking a deep breath and throwing open the curtain to a loud cheer. The turnout was beyond what he had ever seen before. Not a single section was empty, every seat was full, this has to be most of, if not all the population of Branch Tower. This was a big deal, wasn't it? Will knew how important this event would be, that it had been the fight everyone was itching to see since he first stepped into the ring, but never imagined it being this big.
The ring felt further away than it ever had before. The belt that he wore around his waist felt like it was an anchor made of lead weighing him down. The crowd felt oppressive, their cheers and adulation feeling like an albatross around his neck as opposed to pumping him up like it usually did. Somehow it felt like he was marching out for his very public demise instead of his conquest. That feeling was new to him, the fear, the anxiety. It had never occurred to him before. Vera had gotten into his head, made him think about the whole damned thing for once and no, it all wasn't pretty.
"Fuckin' cunt," he swore under his breath, rolling into the ring and pumping his fist up much to the joy of the crowd. Usually a surge of energy would pump through his veins at the applause, but only a sense of dread remained. The Crusher, even with something in his skull to put him under Branch's command, was very, very dangerous. In fact, having Branch in control of him might've been even more terrifying of a thought than him just being a bloodthirsty monster. That thought would have never creeped into his mind before, but Vera had gotten into his head, made him doubt everything that he knew. What did she know, anyway? Fucking hell, she knew a lot, he knew that, but she had to be wrong here. Branch knew that Will was important to him, but the other night hung heavy in his subconscious. Sure, it was a show of power from Branch, but why bother?
The sound of the gate creaking open across the arena sent a chill down his spine. It was now or never; he told himself. Life or death all depended on whatever happened in the next few moments. Will found it hard to swallow while the Crusher stomped out from the shadows into the spotlights of the arena. The usual rage that engulfed him was nowhere to be seen, instead a soothing sense of serenity permeated his being while he stomped towards the ring. To look at him he was still a menace, but something was different. Maybe everything would be okay after all. The ground shook the closer the Crusher got, the announcer's voice booming throughout the arena, drowned out by the roar of the crowd, all of it sounding like it was underwater while Will's mind focused.
There weren't the usual scabs to fight through tonight, there was enough of a pre-show including death and carnage not involving Will. They wanted Will to be fresh, to be ready for the greatest challenge of his life. Crusher was a few stomps away from the ring, just a few more, and he'd be upon Will. With a deep breath Will rolled out of the ring a
nd charged at Crusher, the crowd going crazy while Crusher lumbered towards him, swinging his big arm towards him only for Will to duck under it. When the first right hand connected to the chest, a hush came over the crowd. Crusher didn't die on impact, didn't explode. Will had given him a full charge with that shot, and he was still standing. In fact, he didn't budge at all.
The bloodcurdling roar that Crusher let out made Will's blood run cold. Maybe it was supposed to be easy, but that jolt just woke him up? He didn't hear the air breaking to his right when Crusher's arm crashed down onto his shoulder, sending him careening to the ground. Will was face up, looking at the monster while he brought his foot up and was pumping it down like a piston towards his face, Will rolling just barely out of the way, Crusher's foot catching the side of his jersey, pinning him to the ground. He struggled to free himself, tugging with both hands in a panic while Crusher was lining up for another shot. His mind raced and the only possible thing he could do came to him like a stroke of genius. He charged up his right hand again and took a massive swing off of his back, it landing flush on the balls of Crusher. There was no way of knowing if he even had anything to hit or if it would do any damage, but the cry that he let out and the way he recoiled told Will that he had hit his mark.
Crusher stumbled backwards, Will freed from his grasp and able to scamper back up to his feet. He was already blown up, fighting between huge gulps of air to catch his breath. His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest, but by god he had found a weakness. There was no time to lose, though. He rushed in again, this time connecting flush on the jaw and Crusher tumbling onto his back with a mighty thud that rang throughout the arena.
"Yeah, you fucker!" Will shouted, the crowd eating out of his hand. Branch was right, this would be a fight that he could win. He pumped his fist up into the air, the crowd pumping their fists along with him. Crusher was still down and Will didn't expect him to get up. He ambled back into the ring, picking his belt up off of the mat and slinging it over his shoulder. It was over, he thought, he had done it. The sense of relief that washed over him was short-lived, when the sound of a massive stomp from behind accentuated by a mighty roar. "Fucking wanker," he turned only to feel Crusher's fist driven into his chest, sending him spilling into the ropes and out of the ring, smacking his head on the side of the ring on the way down.
Will reached up and touched his head, which was in immense pain, only to bring his hand down to see it covered in blood. Fucker had split his skull wide open. What a fool he was. Why didn't he finish him off? Why did he believe Branch when he said that Crusher would just roll over for him? Had Branch double-crossed him? There wasn't much time to think, though, Crusher closing in quickly. Will fought back up to his feet, throwing a few punches toward Crusher to keep him at bay. Crusher had learned, at least, that a punch from Will could easily put him on his back or even worse. That's good. The monster feared him now. They at least both understood what they could do to each other.
They were circling around each other, a healthy respect for the damage that the other could inflict. Will knew that the only chance that he had was to get in close and to land that big, charged right hand on him. The only problem with that was that he had to get in close on Crusher, which meant being within Crusher's reach. Everyone had seen what happens if Crusher gets his grip on a man; he crushes them and devours them while they are still alive. That is exactly what he wanted to avoid. It was the only way, though. He couldn't reach him from back where he was, not by a long shot.
Crusher made the first move, swooping in with a big, sweeping left hand that Will had to vault over to avoid while his arm dragged across the dirt. His right clumsily came down towards Will's head, his fist missing and causing the ground to rumble. This was his opening, Will stepping in and peppering him with a few left jabs that barely made him flinch, Will catching one of the bits of metal that sent a small jolt of electricity through him, just a minor shock that confused him more than anything. He shook it off, though, unloading his right hand onto the jaw of Crusher. Whack! He didn't get all of it, but Crusher stumbled backwards, not quite falling over, though. In an instant both hands were over his head and rushing towards Will, him unable to dodge in time, the weight of the impact on his left shoulder bringing him intense, burning pain that sent him back onto his back again.
Will's left arm felt entirely numb. It hung there in place, most definitely completely useless if he needed to smack someone with it. He looked down and saw it looking rather mangled. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but something was definitely broken. This wasn't a cakewalk of any kind, this was life and death and his next move could be the only thing that keeps him alive out in front of all of those people. His one weapon was all that he could use to push himself back up to his feet, and while Crusher was hurt, he was lining up for another shot. Will's only option was to roll in between Crusher's legs, levying a kick at his crotch again while he scampered beneath him, Crusher letting out a roar. His left arm was really hurting now, the shooting pain almost too much to handle.
"Keep it together, bloke," he said to himself, trying to catch his breath and stay focused. Crusher was still screaming out in pain, giving Will an opening. This was it, he thought to himself. Crusher began turning towards him, his right arm gripping at where Will had kicked him while his left was flailing around in a blind rage. Will drove his fist into the rib cage of Crusher, knowing it wouldn't do as much damage as a shot to the face, but it at least threw him off balance. Crusher's jaw was right there, ripe for the picking, Will winding up and unloading a shot on his jaw. It connected, Crusher reeling back, but not still struggling to keep upright and not going down again. What was it going to take? Will ran in and threw another one. Another. Another. He kept connecting on the jaw of the monster. One shot killed the average man, but Crusher wasn't even going down. Will's power had diminished, yeah, but how much would it take? This was supposed to be easy.
Will let out a roar and went for another one, Crusher moving his head out of the way of the shot and catching him in his hand. Will did his best to struggle free, but Crusher had a firm grip on him with both hands, pulling him up and stretching Will over his shoulders. The pain was immense, more than his left side aching now, his arm pressed up hard against Crusher's bulging shoulders. Crusher's arms wrapped over Will's body, him pulling downward while his body was stretched out like he was on a medieval torture rack and being stretched out slowly. All that Will could see was the back of Crusher's head, the few pieces of mechanical doodads showing through the surgical scars. His right hand was free, this was the only shot that he had. He wound up for whatever kind of punch that he could let loose, only for Crusher to increase the intensity, sending incredible pain coursing throughout his spine.
He let out a cry, unsure of how much more pain he could handle. This was the end. This was it, Crusher would pop his skull off and drink his goddamned blood for the rest of the bloody world to see. He was done. He should have listened to Vera when he had a chance to made a run for it, to do anything except for trust Jordan Branch. That fucking wanker. He was probably up in his luxury box now cackling like a madman. Maybe TK Gabriel wasn't some fugitive after all, maybe it was all just a plan to see Will replaced. The rage was bubbling over inside of him. That fucking piece of shit, he thought. He focused the energy into his right hand, gripping his fist as tightly as he could, glancing over at the charge to see that there was enough for one big shot left, then he let it rip. That punch had every bit of energy left in him into it, whatever strength he could muster from that position and the metal of the gauntlet connected flush onto the back of the skull of the Crusher, connected with the metal.
Crusher's scream was unlike anything that Will had ever heard before, or it was just that there was so much pressure on him that his hearing was growing distorted. The jolt of electricity that ran through Will was almost too much to handle, Crusher had relented on his grip, fallen to his knees and Will crashed down to the ground along with him, on top of the mig
hty monster with his gauntlet still attached to the metal chunk protruding from the monster's skull. Finally the buzzing stopped, smoke emerging from the monster's body and presumably his as well, and he couldn't move. His whole body felt wrong, like he had just been hit by a bolt of lightning. Crusher was unmoving beneath him, but still breathing, he could feel the monster's lungs filling and emptying beneath him, but there was no way that he'd get up this time, he was defeated.
A hush washed over the crowd, Will struggling to muster up something, anything to get himself back up to his feet. Finally he was able to stumble back up, almost toppling over but the ring catching him, digging into his hip. With whatever was left in him he raised his fist up to the sky, the crowd erupting, the announcer exclaiming something inaudible due to the chaos and Will letting out a slight smile before he toppled over again.
Sixteen
The Engineer
Vera paced around in the ready area of Handsome Bill's barracks underneath the arena, Jenna quietly by her side, pacing in a small circle, waiting for them to bring Will back. The fight was difficult to watch. Branch had given Will his assurances, but those didn't seem to matter because Demoreo, even if under Branch's control, was a deadly beast. He wasn't a man that could be given orders; they were just sending electrical pulses through his head, which is most likely why Will's gauntlet connecting with the device sent him crashing to the ground finally. Will had inadvertently figured out what the one weakness was just through his own fool luck.
The Tower Page 15