Hostel – With a Broken Bottle in Hand
Beth and Paxton meet
She had seen his face before, she had been told about him, the one who got away, the one who dragged himself from his torture room and took an innocent girl with him.
Elite Hunting had strict rules about their... Guests, Beth had come to learn. Only a handful of people had escaped before, but no one had been quite as blunt and successful as Paxton. The Elite liked his boldness, and they easily caught up to him as he tried to get to an American Embassy to go back to the United States, or she had been told.
It had happened just before she was caught, and she had heard the whispers and told the stories after she was branded as one of the Elite Hunting's... Sponsors. Paxton was something of a legend among them all, a survivor unlike anything they had ever seen, someone to be respected, no matter the mayhem he had caused with his daring escape.
That his picture never came to her was... Surprising but not. Beth was sure the Elite had murdered him in the most brutal of ways, away from prying eyes, even if she could guess most Elite sponsors would have liked to witness his punishment for standing up to them, for getting away from their gruesome care, so it was truly shocking when she met him, face to face, in a rundown, abandoned factory in Chicago.
He was a good looking guy, she supposed, even with the hatred in his eyes, in his every muscle. He was pushed forward for the viewing of all Elite Hunting sponsors gathered there. Beth had come, despite her misgivings, out of some cruel, cold sense of curiosity, but she avoided everyone who tried to speak to her – oh, how they wanted to speak to the girl who was bought and instead managed to sneak out and become one of them. Some she recognized, some were her father's acquaintances! It made her want to vomit, but she stood straight and strong.
Paxton looked impassive in front of them.
"As I am sure you all know" – the blond woman just behind Paxton said with a soft, enchanting voice – "this is Paxton. You know what he has done, and you must be wondering why he is still among us"
Some people chuckled, and Beth swallowed dry. God, they were so awful! Paxton seemed to share her thoughts, if his expression was any indication.
"Here is the deal. You are here for a unique, a once in a lifetime event" – she stepped towards the bound Paxton and touched his shoulder – "You are here for his auction"
A buzz spread among the sponsors, and Beth widened her eyes. Oh no, she had been so stupid to come!
"The bidding will start at one million dollars. I will warn you, however, that you will be required to do whatever it is you wish do to him right here, right now, in front of everyone" – she smiled sweetly, devilishly – "He is an expert at escaping, and we would not wish for him to do it again, now would we?"
More chuckles, and Beth could practically feel their excitement. God, she would have to see–? It would not do, oh God, no.
"Shall we begin?"
It started. The numbers rose all too quickly, and Beth wished she could close her eyes and ears to their lust, to their cruelty, but what did she know? She had left a man to die in Slovakia, she was a killer just like they were. She had paid for Stuart's life, she was no better than them.
"Ten millions! Any more–?"
"Fifteen" – Beth heard herself say. The room became very quiet around her, and Paxton met her eyes without a hint of fear.
No wonder he had escaped, there was no way even the Elite Hunting could keep a man like him for long, not without very particular care.
"Fifteen millions" – the blond woman said, looking at her – "Are there any more bids?"
There were none.
"Very well. Congratulations, miss, he is a fine specimen, is he not? Now, you may take a few moments to choose your–"
"I want him to fight" – Beth blurted out.
"I'm sorry?"
"I... I want him to fight" – she glanced at the bodyguard all around Paxton and the blond – "Him" – she pointed at a random man, who frowned in confusion.
"You want Paxton to fight my man?"
"Yes. And if he wins, I want him to be released"
Silence engulfed the room, and Beth could nearly hear her own heart beating out of her chest. What the hell was she even doing? She was crazy, this was crazy, she was throwing away so much money! Why was she even–
"Released... To your care?" – the blonde questioned slowly. Her eyes were keen at Beth, and the young woman cleared her throat as she looked at Paxton's suddenly blank face.
"Yes" – she said steadily, trying to convey something she couldn't put into words through her eyes.
"Very well" – the blonde said after a minute – "Luka, prepare yourself. I assume you mean a fight to the death?" – she more stated than questioned Beth, who nodded hastily – "Cut him loose. What should he fight with?"
"Give him a knife" – she looked at Luka – "He gets nothing"
"That hardly seems fair" – the blonde grinned like a shark might.
"I doubt you've been feeding him much since– Besides, your guy is a bodyguard, you can't tell me he doesn't know how to handle himself against someone with no training, even if he has a knife" – the blonde stayed quiet for what felt like an eternity.
"Too true" – she looked impassively at Luka – "You must earn your place somehow" – she said, almost brutally and turned to the rest of the bodyguards – "Hand Paxton a knife and step back" – she raised her eyebrows in a silent command.
Luka and the newly freed Paxton faced one another as all the sponsors were made to step way back behind a line of new bodyguards.
Beth cheered Paxton on when the blonde told them to begin. He suddenly looked so small, so weak against Luka, and she wondered if she should have chosen a different person, if Paxton could possibly have a chance, if, if, if.
She didn't need to worry.
For all that Paxton was lacking in food, rest and training, he more than made up for it with his tenacity, ferociousness and desire to get out of it alive. He screamed as he went after Luka, and thought the bodyguard had him on every physical aspect, it was clear he was drone, he had been complacent, since Paxton was a rare escapee and it wasn't hard to control the sponsors otherwise.
In the end, Luka never had much of a shot. Paxton wanted to live more than anyone else in that room, Beth was pretty sure, and no matter how hard Luka punched and kicked him, he came back on his feet, panting, spitting blood and staggering, but his aim was mostly true, and there was no escape for Luka, not when Paxton managed to put the knife in his shoulder when he punched him a final time, and Paxton took the chance to somehow maneuver Luka into the ground.
The sound of Luka's head hitting the concrete floor over and over again until it was barely recognizable as human was one Beth would never be able to forget.
Paxton pulled the knife off of Luka's body and stood up. He looked around at the shocked faces surrounding him, and Beth wondered if he would try to slash his way out.
"What a lovely show" – the blonde said, and quicker than Beth could fathom, Paxton was disarmed and on his knees, completely serene as three men held him in place – "Well, I believe we had a deal, yes?" – she asked Beth, who nodded hesitantly – "Do you understand what it means to have him for yourself?"
"I..."
"He can never whisper a word of the Elite" – the blonde explained – "He can never step his bounds. He can never interfere"
"Of course" – Beth heard her voice but she could barely recognize it.
"Then it is settled. How lucky you are, Paxton" – the young man smiled at her, blood still staining his lips.
It was the most beautiful and the most terrifying thing Beth had ever seen.
As she climbed her town car, Beth looked at Paxton, sitting pretty beside her. The driver, an Elite employee, looked at them through the mirror every now and then.
"Why did you do it?" – Paxton asked.
"I don't know" – Beth answered honestly.
He looked at her, his eyes still guarded, and he smiled. Under all the grime, blood and resentment, he really was good looking. She wondered if they would have gotten along, had they met before the Elite.
She wondered if she would ever meet the Paxton of before, she wondered if he would ever meet the Beth of before.