K.O.

Jack stared at the screen; one brown eye twitching. This was the eighteenth time his opponent had killed him. His shooter lay dead in a hallway that had only one window. One tiny fucking window.

"God I hate you so much." He growled into his headset. Deep gleeful laughter met him.

"Not my fault you choose the worst places to hide." The man, and he was a grown man, quipped in his odd accent.

The name on the screen, e. , was a new one. Jack had never played against him before. Jack had his little group he stuck with, but he decided to let the system choose a random player for him today. He was not disappointed. They had been playing all night- nearly five hours.

"You've done this six times in a row! How do you always get me?" Jack asked, exasperated.

"You're easy to follow. Try not thinkin' so hard about a place to hide." The man offered.

The scene reset itself and Jack was off again. He flicked through his armory of different weapons, finally deciding on something long range. If he wants me to hide again, he is sorely mistaken, Jack thought. He stealthily made his way up a worn down tower, up rust ladders, over holes in the destroyed metal mesh floors, and hopped into the room, via broken window. He crouched, and clicked his controls to look through his guns' scope. The brunette stared at the screen, brown eyes unblinking, scanning the area for any movement.

"Where are ya, ya little shit…" The voice mumbled. Jack chuckled.

"I took your advice, dude. Can't find me, huh?" Jack sneered.

"Oh, I'll find ya. And when I do your ass is grass."

"Well while I wait for you, how about getting to know each other?" He asked. Being an only child who moved around quite a bit with his mother's military position, making friends was less than pleasant. Jack had more 'friends' on his x-box than he ever had in physical schools.

"Alright, larrikin. Whatcha want to know?" Came the scratchy reply. Jack smirked as he saw the other player run behind a blown truck and into the abandoned building behind it.

"For starters, what accent is that? It's ridiculous."

"I'm Australian, ya drongo."

"Oh man, I've been being killed by a kangaroo? That's depressing." Jack sighed. He clicked a button bringing up an accessory screen. Smoke bomb, no. Light screen, no. Oh, a timer grenade. Perfect. Jack added it to his utility belt for later.

"I'm not a 'roo, mate. Name's Aster."

"I'm Jack." He answered then voiced a thought that had been nagging him. "How old are you anyway? You sound pretty up there to be playing live like this."

"I'm twenty-eight. How 'bout yourself?" Aster asked, Jack saw him flash by a window on the second story through his scope.

"I'll be nineteen in two weeks. You seem to be getting flustered, 'roo. Whassa matter? Can't find me?" He cooed.

"Oh I'll find ya, just ya wait." The smirk was evident in Aster's confident voice; it made Jack's skin prickle.

The younger man laughed. "Won't your girlfriend be mad that you're playing with a younger man instead of her?" He said suggestively. His smile widened when Aster answered.

"Don't have one, would never want one. Sheilas aren't my thing."

"Eh, mine either. Too much vagina in it for me."

Aster scoffed and Jack saw Aster's player sprint across the roof. He had to consciously keep from goading the older man, no need in losing another round.

"Why is an Australian playing with a kid from the states anyway? Don't you have tons of people on that glorified island of yours?"

"Who said I was still in Oz? I'm on the American east coast now. Pennsylvania."

Jack watched Aster crouch behind the wall and level his rifle. It was only a matter of time now.

"Well, what do ya know, me too." Jack flick a button and turned on the scopes laser. It's bright green light targeting Aster's heart.

Aster laughed. "Well aren't you a clever little buck." Jack fired, and his opponent fell.

He still lost the battle, only winning twelve out of fifty, but couldn't remember ever having so much fun. Aster congratulated him and had to cut their marathon short needing at least a few hours of sleep for work the next morning. Jack agreed; his part time job at the local game store was all that was keeping him sane while his mother was off shore for the next two weeks.

Jack hummed and took off his headset, checking messages on his account before signing off. A ringing tone stopped his hand as it hovered over the power button. 'New Message Received'

From: e.

To: jskate

I'm free Saturday, how 'bout I take you for coffee? My treat. 546-966-2341

Aster

Jack grinned and pulled out his phone. He dialed the number and waited while it rang, hands beginning to sweat.

"Hullo?" Came a familiar voice.

"Hey there, stranger. Free coffee sounds great."

Aster laughed. "Good to know. I'll call tomorrow and we can pick a place and time."

"Sounds good to me 'roo. Nighty-night!"

"Bloody root rat." Aster said fondly. "Night Jackie."