“Well put,” Wesley told her. “ I didn’t think you were that deep.”
“I try,” Angel answered.
“You won’t come up with the strategy for the battle on your own,” Wesley encouraged me. “You’ll have a counsel. You just need to be the one to lead us.”
“I should be the one to lead us,” Atilla shouted as he removed his long black coat and mask. He was slender but still muscular. His dark hair was cut close to his scalp in a buzz. True to his Cyber Hunter heritage, the right side of his face was metal, including his right eye, which was nothing more than a red circle. “Anyone who challenges me can do so by combat.”
Eleven
Voices from all four sides of the tents answered his call. It seemed we weren’t the only ones having a pep talk. Eight corporations all together threw in a warrior’s name. The only four that remained out of the fight were; Phoenix, Madam Eternal, and two smaller corporations that had been content to follow a leader into the fight against the Voy.
Madam Eternal, whoever she was, seemed to demand the most respect from those present. As such, she was trusted with the task of writing each corporation’s name down who presented a champion for leadership. She did so on a series of smooth stones provided for her by Bapz.
The group waited in silence as the older woman penned each corporation name meticulously on the stones.
“And who exactly is this?” I asked, pointing my chin to the back of the woman. “Madam Eternal?”
“The greatest healer this or any other time has ever known,” Angel explained. “Her corporation’s medicines have even brought back people from the dead, or at least that’s what the rumors say.”
“So that’s why no one wants to piss her off,” I thought out loud. “I mean, they might need her help sometime.”
“Sometime soon, once the fight with the Voy begins,” X chipped in.
“Right,” I said.
“What gets me is why rocks?” Angel folded her arms across her chest. “I mean, why write down their names on rocks instead of using data chips or anything else?”
“She’s a strange woman, but I’m sure she has her reasons.” I shrugged.
“No weapons will be used,” Madam Eternal proclaimed as she dropped the eight smooth stones in a cloth bag once again provided by Bapz. “Winner will be decided by knockout or if their opponent surrenders.”
“With all due respect, Madam Eternal,” Julian asked from his seat. “May we see the stones?”
Everyone silenced, all eyes directed toward the still masked Julian.
It was so quiet, I could hear my own heart pounding in my head.
“Julian Fairmount.” Madam Eternal tilted her head to the side. She wore a deep purple cloak of her own. Her graying hair fell behind her head as if a single hair had never and would never go out of place. “You don’t trust me? Have I not saved your own life when the Cyber Hunters were attacked by the Death Dealers?”
“You did save me and many of our own in that territory dispute,” Julian said through his mask. “My inquiry has nothing to do with trust but in the validity and finality of choosing a leader. More than one pair of eyes should confirm the accuracy of the stones so it can never be called into question once a leader is named.”
A man of fists and not so much of words, I found myself admiring how Julian had chosen his wording. Not only was he making himself out to be the good guy, but he was also getting his way in seeing the stones.
“Always looking out for the betterment of our corporations,” Madam Eternal said with a sly twist of her lips. “Come then, come all of you and see.”
I joined the rest of those gathered as we gravitated toward the center of the square.
Madam Eternal held all eight small stones facing up in her palms. The stones were white and smooth. True to her word, they held the names of each of the eight corporations that were presenting a possible leader.
I caught sight of my own, Immortal Corp, as well as that of the Orders of the Yakuza and Valkyries.
Bapz stood next to Madam Eternal with a plain silver bag. He let anyone who wanted to look inside to ensure there was no way the choosing could be tampered with.
I saw the jerk Atilla go over and poke around the bag, even putting a hand inside to make sure there was nothing cloaked he couldn’t see.
“Turn the bag upside down, robot,” Atilla told Bapz as if he were speaking to a servant. “I want to be sure there’s nothing but pure chance at play here.”
If Bapz was offended, he didn’t show it. He turned the bag upside down as requested and looked at Atilla.
Atilla ignored the look and moved back to his seat.
“As if we needed any more reason to hate the Order,” Angel said by my side as we too moved back to our seats. “Can you promise me one thing?”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“That you kick his as—”
“Once the competitors are chosen, we will begin immediately,” Madam Eternal said, depositing the stones inside the bag with tiny clunks. She pushed the sleeves of her robe up to her elbow and smiled at Julian. “Just to be sure no one will question the fairness of the event.”
Julian bowed.
“The first two contestants will be,” Madam Eternal said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a pair of stones. “Immortal Corp and Yakuza.”
I looked across the square sandy ground to where the men sat that Wesley had been speaking with. There were a handful of them, and as luck would have it, the largest stepped forward, removing his black jacket and weapons on his belt.
“They’ll be brutal and quick,” Wesley advised as I stood up and removed my own jacket and tie.
“The one you’re going to fight is nicknamed ‘the Hammer,’” Angel added.
“Wonderful,” I responded, rolling up my sleeves.
“Look for a wicked right hand,” Angel continued, ignoring me. “He’ll come in fast and hard. Weather the storm; you can do it.”
I rolled my shoulders and stretched out my arms as I turned. Atilla had a wicked grin on his face. I didn’t want to focus in on him, but he was kind of hard to miss. He sat on my right along with Julian and the masked woman whose name I still didn’t know.
You really got to get better at this people thing, I told myself. You should at least know her name.
Madam Eternal and Bapz moved from the center of the square.
“Knockout or making the other surrender are the only ways to win,” Madam Eternal reminded us. “Try not to damage one another too badly because the real enemy still waits.”
The Hammer was a few inches taller than I was and much thicker. He grinned at me past a face tattoo. His expression changed from pleasant to one of hate in the blink of an eye.
The large man yelled some kind of war cry and came out me at a run. Angel was right; he tried a right hand that would have connected if I hadn’t been anticipating the move.
I stepped to the side, planting my own right fist deep into his gut. I swore my fist sank a full inch into his bulk. Past the layer of padding, I hit hard muscle. The Hammer was a bit chunky, but there was a fair amount of muscle to the man as well.
The Hammer brushed off my blow as if it were nothing. Instead of doubling over or retreating, he laid into me with his left fist. The strike to the side of my head made my ears ring.
Stars exploded in front of my eyes for a moment as I staggered back. It wasn’t hard to see where he’d gotten his nickname. Being hit by him was like a brick colliding to the side of my face.
He grabbed the back of my head in both hands, forcing my head to the ground while he drove his right knee up to my face.
I blocked the incoming knee strikes with both arms finally catching his knee with the last strike. I lifted it as I came up out of the hold.
The Hammer was more nimble on his feet than I anticipated. Instead of falling back, he did a short hop on his foot still on the ground then jumped into the air.
I was still in awe how a man this l
arge could move like he did. I held on to one leg as he spun and kicked me with his free leg.
I thought his fists were like hammers, but his kick felt worse.
Blood exploded into my mouth as my vision blurred. I hit the sandy ground hard.
I heard shouts and cheers from who I guessed were the other Yakuza.
It had been a long time since I’d fought someone who matched my skill. Actually, probably not that long. The female Cyber Hunter gave me a run for my money.
“You good?” X asked in my head.
I saved my breath but responded to X’s question by rising to my feet.
The Hammer was grinning to his comrades lifting his arms into the air in triumph.
“Knockout or tap out, big boy,” I said, spitting blood onto the sand beside me. “I don’t think either one of those happened.”
The Hammer turned to look at me as if he had expected me to get up.
Just like before, he came at me again. His heavy right missed. I dodged the follow-up, now anticipating his speed and willingness to kick out with his thick legs.
I ignored going for his gut this time and instead concentrated on his head. I landed a right and a left to his face, opening up a few cuts of my own. His right eye was starting to swell and his nose gushed blood.
I blocked his left and dodged his right altogether before I slammed a fist into his throat.
He coughed but still didn’t go down. Instead, he came in closer, wrapping both arms around my own in some bear hug of death. He lifted me off the ground. He squeezed so hard so that not only couldn’t I breathe, but I was losing feeling to my limbs.
His hug was crushing. Lungs that demanded to be fed with oxygen were protesting. I looked down on the Hammer.
He was back to grinning at me now as his face turned red. He squeezed harder. I felt like I was going to pass out. I think I might have, had he not been smiling at me. That really pissed me off.
Unable to breathe, I brought my head back and then bashed the crown of my forehead into his face over and over again. I lost count; it had to be three, maybe four times. My forehead was soaked with his blood, as was his face by the time he let go and finally stumbled back.
He tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground.
I didn’t even have the energy to trip. I crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath where he dropped me.
Fiery hot lungsful of air finally came in. I gulped them down like a thirsty man tasting water for the first time in days.
I looked over at my opponent. It seemed he was having his own issues trying to stand.
People were shouting, but I drowned all that out for the time being. I got back to my feet, an act that seemed to be my lot in life, and went over to the Hammer, who managed to fight to his hands and knees.
I slid my arm around his neck. I didn’t squeeze yet.
“Stop,” I told him loud enough for everyone to hear. “It’s over. We’ll need you when the real fighting starts. Don’t make me choke you out.”
Twelve
I’m not sure he was totally coherent. I couldn’t see his eyes from my place on his back. I did notice him tilt his head up to look at the place where the rest of the Yakuza stood under the tent.
The head Yakuza, Enzo, a hard-eyed man with a goatee nodded once.
The hammer slumped in my arms. His body had felt like a coiled spring before, prepared to battle it out. Upon the approval of his company leader, he gave up.
There wasn’t really cheering from anyone when the fight was over, more like another cacophony of hushed whispers.
I leaned down and helped the Hammer to his feet.
“You hit like a son of a gun,” I told him. “Remind me never to piss you off.”
“You too.” The Hammer extended his hand. “Norman Li.”
“Daniel Hunt,” I told him, accepting the hand.
“Thank you for ending it like that,” Norman said. “I know you could have just tried to choke me and we would have fought on.”
I nodded about to say more, when Madam Eternal’s voice cut through our conversation.
“Immortal Corp will advance,” Madam Eternal called in a voice just under a shout. “We will choose the next pair of contestants.”
As everyone waited with bated breath. I headed over to the tent where Angel and Wesley waited.
“Man, what are the odds the one day you actually dress up, you’re entered into a street fight contest,” X said loud enough for all of us to hear. “I mean, I know you don’t like to hear the odds and all, but seriously, that’s crazy.”
I looked down at myself. My shirt was stained from my own blood and my opponent’s. It was smeared with sand and sweat. As if that weren’t enough, a button had been torn off for good measure.
“See, this is why you can’t have nice things,” Angel said with a grin. “I’ll be back with some water and towels.”
Angel took off at a light jog.
“You’re doing great,” Wesley praised, motioning for me to sit down and rest. “The Yakuza are a proud Corporation. Their leader, Enzo, wouldn’t have allowed his man to quit if he thought you were unfit to lead.”
“Are you tight with the Yakuza?” I asked.
Wesley gave me a sideways look as the next two contestants prepared to fight.
“As tight as any two corporations can be,” Wesley answered. “We’ve run a few missions together for reasons that benefited both of us.”
It didn’t sound like Wesley wanted to say more on the subject, and to be honest, I didn’t really care. I was positive that man held a wealth of secrets within and I had no desire to open Pandora’s box.
We sat and watched the next three fights unfold. My wounds healed and Angel returned with the water and towel.
First up was a warrior from Valkyrie against a man twice her size. She was quick and ferocious, taking out her opponent in half the time it had taken me to get Norman to submit.
The next was a fight between two men, one with the symbol of an ancient warrior helmet, the other with a pair of swords crossed behind a skull.They seemed evenly matched in skill and strength.
The fight went on for what seemed like an eternity. The hot sun beat down on them as they fought in the sand square. Sweat mixed with blood over their faces and bodies.
I’d seen a fair amount of fights in my day, but what impressed me the most was their unwillingness to give in to one another.
“Hyperion and the Overlords have never particularly cared for one another,” Angel murmured, leaning in to give me some inside information. “They have a rivalry going on, kind of like us and the Order.”
I nodded.
The fight still went on for another five minutes after each man had lost enough blood to soak the sandy ground beneath them. The battle ended in a knockout as the warrior from the Hyperion Corporation landed a right hook that finally toppled his opponent.
The last fight was between Atilla and a woman from a group with a bull’s head as their Corporation symbol.
Atilla looked calm, almost cocky, while the woman was focused and ready. They circled each other and began trading blows in the center of the sand square.
She was smart, staying out of reach of his attempt to grab her and take her to the ground. She sent kicks to his legs and chest to make him keep his distance.
“Who is she?” I asked no one in particular.
“Apex is a smaller corporation that deals in private security,” Wesley answered, intent on the fight. “They’ve always been one of the better ones. We’ve never had any problems with them.”
It was clear Atilla was getting frustrated. They traded blows, but the Cyber Hunter wanted to get in close to take her down and grapple. The woman wasn’t having any of it.
Then she stepped in a particular soft spot of sand soaked through with blood from the previous fight. She faltered only for a second while she found her footing.
That was enough for Atilla. He tackled her to the ground, laying into her head and face
with a series of elbows and forearms. The woman was unconscious on the second or third blow.
“Enough, the Order wins,” Madam Eternal called.
Atilla reached up as if he were going to slam his fist into the woman again.
The three other members of the Apex Corporation rose to their feet, reaching for their weapons.
“Atilla, stop!” Julian shouted as he and the woman from the Order also prepared to fight if the Apex Corporation descended on Atilla.
Everyone was on their feet, even Wesley and I.
Atilla’s fist remained poised over the woman. He looked at Julian with his one good eye. The red eye on the right side of his face zoomed in and out as if it were trying to focus.
I wondered how much Atilla actually wanted to hit the unconscious woman. How much of his inability to move was brought on by his inability to focus, too lost to the blood rage battle brought.
“Atilla,” the woman from the Order said in a calm, soothing voice. She removed her mask. Dark hair, full lips, and fair skin reminded me of what she looked like under that mask. “Atilla, it’s over.”
Her voice brought the man back. Atilla rose from his place on the ground and rejoined the other members of his faction.
The unconscious woman was cared for by her own, who lifted her gently and took her back under their tent.
“That was close,” X said. “I thought we were going to have a bloodbath on our hands.”
“You and me both,” I answered.
“In the light of our present circumstances,” Madam Eternal began, “I would move that we continue on with the four contestants who still remain in the contest post haste. If it is agreeable with you all?”
She looked over at me first.
I nodded.
Her gaze moved to Atilla, the woman from the Valkyrie faction, and finally, the Hyperion Corporation. Out of all of us, he was the one that was injured the worst. Not to be outdone and seem weak, he nodded his consent to continue.
“Madam Eternal, if I may,” the woman from the Valkyrie Corporation interrupted.
Vendetta: A Near Future Thriller (Forsaken Mercenary Book 4) Page 8