by Riker Kane
“It’s over,” Max said. “You’ve got no limbs. Zigzag can kill you with the flick of her wrist.”
“Execute! Execute! Execute!”
The audience chanted over the music pumping through the speakers. Spider sighed and lowered his arms in defeat. Zigzag kept the edge of her blade pressed against the skin of his neck.
“Your orders?” she asked Max.
“What do you say, Spider?” Max asked.
“You’ve destroyed my limbs… I concede,” Spider said. “You win.”
The lights in the arena flashed after Spider’s announcement. Zigzag lowered her blade as attendants moved in to help the defeated Spider off the battlefield.
“Nice job,” Proxy said. “You did it without any energy to spare.”
Despite the boos from the crowd, Max and Zigzag still managed to smile at one another.
“Let’s hope those assholes are watching,” Max said. “They can’t hide forever.”
Chapter 12
Max stepped into the hallway leading back into Club Reincarnation. His hand around the back of his neck, he let out a soft sigh of relief.
“Are you injured?” Zigzag asked.
“Not injured. Just a little tired. This thing is draining.” He slapped the ACE on his left forearm. “I guess that’s why the damn thing is so effective.”
“You have proven your capabilities without fail. Though I would recommend letting some time pass before engaging in the next battle.”
“That’s not bad advice… I’m sure Proxy and Hudson will have a good way of figuring out how to celebrate our latest victory.”
“A celebration would seem appropriate. This is the first time we’ve defeated five opponents in a single contest.”
Max looked down the hall and saw several suits walking toward him. The men were stiff in the way they marched, their eyes locked on Max and Zigzag.
“Looks like we might have to deal with a few more opponents…”
The lead guard stared right at Max, a stoic look on his face. “Max,” he said. “I represent the interests of Kason Irving. My boss would like to speak to you.”
“Your boss, huh? What’s this all about now?”
“He will inform you himself when you are in his presence.”
Max looked over his shoulder. Four more guards stood just as serious, waiting for his response.
“Tell your boss I just got out of a long battle and I’m not in the mood for conversation. Some other time…” He tried to walk forward but the guard blocked his path.
“Mr. Irving insists he speaks with you immediately. He assures you he has no hostility toward you.”
“Insisting on speaking with me but not hostile. The irony.” He looked to Zigzag. “Let ‘em know I’ll be a little late for the celebration tonight.”
“Are you certain?” she said. “I can accompany you if you are wary this man’s intentions.”
“All the more reason not to put you in harm’s way. Don’t worry. I can handle it.” He turned back toward the guard and held his hands out. “Lead the way.”
~ ~ ~
The peaceful ambiance of the suite Max sat in was everything he could ask for at the moment. The soft blue light from the neon around him accompanied the classical music wafting through the air. The faint scent of flowers filled his nostrils. It was joined by a plate of fresh fruit sitting on a table not too far from him.
Max would have gotten up from his seat to pick at the fruit if the silk underneath his backside wasn’t so comfortable. And from what he saw, he was the only comfortable man in the entire room.
The guards stood rigidly near the entrance, their hands on their wrists and ready to draw a weapon at a moment’s notice. But the armed guards were the least of Max’s worries at the moment. His attention was instead focused on the man sitting at the desk in front of him.
A thin man in a perfectly-tailored white suit sat up in his chair. His hair was gray and slicked back over his head. His skin was tan and wrinkled, either from spending too much time underneath the sun or because he was simply old. Despite how frail he might have seemed, his posture belied a man with seemingly more energy.
The man locked a pair of beady eyes on Max. He leaned forward on his desk then picked at the green grapes sitting in a bowl next to him.
“Would you like some?” he asked.
Max shook his head.
“These aren’t synthetic. These are real grapes. Grown straight from the ground from seeds.” He rolled one of the grapes between his fingertips. “These days, grapes like this are made from the same genetic code as the real thing. Take some cells and stick it in a Petri dish. A little processing and with some science and magic, you have some grapes. You can’t tell the difference from the real thing because they’re made from the exact same material.” He slid the grape between his thin lips and chewed on it, his eyes locked on Max the entire time. “But I can tell. There’s just… something. A certain je ne sais quoi, if you will.”
Max sat patiently in his seat while he watched the man in front of him pick at another grape. “I’m guessing you didn’t invite me to your suite to pontificate on where we get fruit these days.”
“But I did. I think you deserve my hospitality. I watched your battle in the Sanctum tonight. Most impressive.”
“I figure a lot of people have done what I did tonight.”
The older man smirked. “Modest, too. But you’d be correct. You and the android are not the first to succeed in a gauntlet. The ones put into gauntlets are always the most capable. What’s interesting to me is how effective you were. Most victors stumble out of the arena and are forced to spend time in a regenerator despite their triumph. Yet you appear to be ready to take on another challenger.”
“This guy is up to something…” Max thought. He chuckled to himself despite an uncertain threat he sensed. “Activating an ACE is draining enough. I’m not in the mood to step back into the Sanctum anytime soon.”
“But the time for you step back into it will be sooner than later.” He picked up another grape and tossed it into his mouth as he leaned back in his seat. “Where are my manners? My name is Kason Irving. I’m a broker here at Club Reincarnation. I’m sure you’re quite familiar with what I’m capable of.”
“I’ve had a few experiences with a broker or two.” Max looked out the window at the view of the city. The thoughts of his time in the War Zone came back to him. “If you’re a broker, I’ll tell you right now I’m not interested in dealing with you. Doesn’t matter how many credits you’re offering me.”
“I’m aware. In the last battle you fought back in New Austin, how many credits was the prize? Three million?”
Max slowly turned back toward him. Irving kept a straight face, his eyes unblinking as he waited for Max’s response.
“Shit…”
The thoughts raced in Max’s head. Give up his identity or play dumb. He considered the look in Irving’s eyes and realized he didn’t have much of a choice.
“I’ll have to admit,” Irving said. “I don’t pay much attention to the battles that take place in other arenas. Most people competing are just trying to make a living. But when I saw you the first night you competed against TJ Melee, I knew there was something different about you.” He nonchalantly chewed on another grape and sighed through his nose. “It wasn’t difficult to find footage of the Rebel competing in the War Zone. Did you really think you could come to Santa Fe without anybody realizing who you are?”
“Now that you mention it…” Max laughed to himself. “I guess it’s pretty impressive I’ve gone this long without anybody recognizing me.”
“That you know of…” Irving leaned back in his seat, his fingertips pressed together. “What are you doing in Santa Fe?”
“I’m… just looking for some new competition—”
“Doubtful. The reason the Rebel gained such a following was because he wasn’t like any of the other Contenders. He fought like he was battling for more than just cred
its. Now you have enough credits to live comfortably on and you’re telling me you’re looking for a new challenge?”
Max looked back out the window and shook his head. “Why I’m fighting is my own business. It’s not anything you need to worry about. And if you’re interested in sponsoring me, save your breath. All you brokers are in it for the creds. Don’t pretend like I have something to gain by aligning with you.”
“Hmm… A little cynicism goes a long way in a world like this. I can’t say I blame you. I won’t attempt to back you. I won’t attempt to influence you either. I’m one of the few people in Santa Fe who knows who you are. I’ll make a lot of credits betting on you while you’re still the underdog.”
“As long as I’m fighting here, I intend on winning. But not because of you.” He got up from his seat. “If you’ve got nothing else to say… We done here?”
Irving tilted his head slightly as he pondered for a moment. “I suppose we are… There is just one thing I’d like to ask of you. If you’ll indulge me.”
“What is it?”
“People have been observing you since you arrived. You keep curious company.”
“They’re my friends.”
“I’m not talking about the companions you brought along with you from New Austin. I’m speaking about the alleged broker you claim you have nothing to do with.”
“Venom… I don’t know anybody here. She’s just booking my fights. That’s it.”
“Is that so? And where did you meet her?”
Max shook his head in frustration. “If you’re telling me not to trust her, I’m way ahead of you.”
“Of course. Of all the people in the world, the one you need to watch out for is one of the leaders of the Disciples.”
“What?”
Max blinked, his eyes narrowed as he tried to hide his disbelief. But even a second of hesitation was enough for Irving to know he gave him some new information.
“The Disciples,” Irving said. “You don’t need to have been in Santa Fe for very long to know who they are.”
“Are you telling me Venom is running the Disciples?”
“Not alone. The big man she keeps by her side is another. Slug. A fitting name for a lug. There’s one more. A man named Lotto. Have you met him, too?”
Max shook his head.
“Well, I haven’t met him personally,” Irving said. “But I have seen him compete in the Sanctum. He’s a dangerous fighter. I’d be just as wary of him as the others.”
Max considered everything he just heard.
“Could be lying to me. But he doesn’t know I’m gunning for the Disciples. This could be a coincidence…”
“Are you all right, Mr. Maximilian?”
“I’m fine… I just gotta ask you… Why are you telling me this? Don’t pretend like you’re watching my back or you care about me.”
“The truth?” Irving chewed on a grape and shrugged. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Just assume I can make a lot of credits betting on you and leave it at that.”
Max stayed silent as he stared at the empty bowl of grapes on Irving’s desk.
“Feel free to help yourself to some fruit on the way out. You won’t find it anywhere else in Santa Fe.”
Max spun around on his heel, marching out of Irving’s suite to get back to his friends as quickly as he could.
~ ~ ~
Max walked through the main barroom of Reincarnation and searched the crowd. He eventually spotted Proxy, Hudson and Zigzag sitting at a table off to the side.
Max headed right toward it but was interrupted when someone stepped into his path.
“Hey.” Venom blocked his way, her arms crossed with a familiar sneer on her face. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Shit…”
“I just won a long battle,” Max said. “I needed to step outside and get some fresh air.” He looked at the big man next to her. Slug was quiet and emotionless like he always was, his tattoos and muscles doing more than enough talking.
“Here.” Venom held a credit chip out to him. “That’s three grand. Impressive performance out there. Could’ve been more if you had the balls to execute Spider. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody take him out like that before.”
“I couldn’t have done it without Zigzag.”
“You and that android are pretty formidable. I’ll have another battle set up for you in a few days…”
Max narrowed his eyes at her. Everything Irving told him was still running around in his head. The thought of confronting her crossed his mind. But the chance of blowing his cover could ruin everything.
“What are you looking at?” The blond raised an eyebrow at him.
“Maybe there’s a way…” Max held back a smirk. “Time to play my hand…”
“You know why I’m here,” he said. “The real credits aren’t fighting in the arena.”
“Oh… That… You’re still on about trying to push loot—”
“I know who you are. Both of you.” He shot a look at Slug. For the first time, Max saw the big man holding back like he wanted to say something.
Venom and Slug looked at one another before turning back to Max.
“Keep pushing…”
“Disciples,” Max said. “I want in.”
“Ha!” Venom scoffed. “You can’t just say you want in and get in. We’ve got the lion’s share of territory in Santa Fe. I’m not gonna just hand it over to you.”
‘Then I’ll earn it. Another fighter means people are less likely to fuck with you. I know there are other gangs.”
“You’ll have to do more than win a gauntlet—”
“I’ll fight you. I’ll fight Slug. Or how about Lotto?”
Venom narrowed her eyes, biting her tongue to hold back her surprise.
“I know he’s a fighter here,” Max said. “I beat Lotto, I get a spot with the Disciples. What have you got to lose? If I’m on-board, we’ll all be making more creds.”
“No,” Slug said, his voice loud and clear. “We’re not gonna just hand a spot over to a guy who just showed up.”
“No, we’re not.” A devious smirk came across Venom’s lips as she eyed Max. She looked him up and down. “He’s gonna have to earn it… All right, Max. You got Lotto. One-on-one. You beat him, I’ll think about it.”
Max nodded in approval, doing his best to hold back his excitement. “Okay.”
“Two nights. Lotto’s a big fight. Do whatever you need to do to get ready.”
Venom snapped her fingers and walked away. Slug gave Max an eyeful before eventually joining her.
Max sighed through his nose before heading to the table.
“Hey!” Proxy said. “We missed you. Zigzag told us some broker wanted to talk to you.”
Max looked around the table. Proxy and Hudson had their eyes wide in curiosity. Even Zigzag seemed anxious about his response.
“Nah… Can’t risk ‘em…”
“It’s nothing,” he said. “Guy named Irving said he was impressed and wanted to sponsor me. You know I’m never dealing with a broker again.”
“You don’t have to tell us twice,” Hudson said. “We’re only here for one reason. We get a hold of these assholes and make ‘em pay for what they did.”
Max put a hand on Hudson’s shoulder and smiled. “Damn right.”
Chapter 13
“…Santa Fe officials have announced the opening of registrations for the Mars transports. This weekend, Santa Fe citizens will have the opportunity to sign-up for a chance to be on-board the next set of transports scheduled for later this year. Despite increased federal funding, space is limited. Officials estimate less than five-percent of those who register will actually be given the opportunity to make the journey…”
Proxy watched with her eyes wide as Zigzag examined her half-empty glass. Max smiled at how the android always inspected her drink before swallowing it down with little effort.
“What do you think?” Proxy asked.
“There is little difference,” Zigzag said. “I have yet to find an alcohol that wasn’t so bitter. Perhaps it is a human experience I will never fully appreciate.”
“I suppose that’s for the best. Addiction is never a good thing.”
“Speaking of addiction…” Max eyed Proxy as she gulped down her shot of scotch.
“It’s synthetic,” Proxy responded with a playful sneer. “Don’t worry. I’ll be ready for the battle tomorrow night. Might as well take the opportunity to relax. It’s not like there’s anything else to do around this place…”
“We’ll be back in New Austin as soon as we get this sorted out.”
“I remember why I came with you on this vacation in the first place. I’m not in any hurry to get back. It just seems like we haven’t made much progress. Hudson’s friend isn’t getting any better. And it’s starting to mess with Hudson, too.”
“Hudson’s fine. Can’t go out for a drink every night. We all need a chance to just lie down. Considering how nice his suite is, I’m sure he’s not completely miserable.”
“Well, I’m guessing this guy you’re dealing with tomorrow night is pretty dangerous. I’ve got your back, Max.”
“Even though I will not be on the battlefield with you, you have my support,” Zigzag added.
“Thanks.” Max got up from his seat. “I’ll get you ladies another round. See if we can stop thinking about all the shit we gotta do and try to relax.”
It was a night like all the others in Barb Wire. The rowdy conversation. The aroma of synthetic liquor, tobacco vapor and cheap perfume filled the air. Even the abundance of testosterone and pheromones was thick enough for Max to notice.
He kept his head down as he made his way to the robot bartender. He scanned through the list of available drinks on the tablet.
“You don’t look like a man who orders something fancy.”
Max turned and saw Sabrina walking toward him. Dressed in a plain t-shirt and blue jeans, the brunette looked completely different when she had her clothes on.
“Sometimes we all want something a little different,” he said as he scrolled through the tablet.