Alliances
Careers: Cassie, Jason, Eydis, Murchad, Tyto
Lovers?: Santana, Rel
Survivalists: Brooke, Butch, Tessa, Matt
Business Partners: Ayla, Tesler, Eira
Furies: Liz, Tanya
Loners: Nebraska
Another day of terror in the Matrix.
Ayla Ithico District 3: 17F
Wednesday Morning
Day 3: 9:00AM
Sector 4
The ground was hard and cold, not exactly conducive to a good night's sleep. Her dreams weren't very comforting either, given the overtly dark nature of them. She couldn't help but see them over and over again in her head. She saw their little group attacked by shadows and a blade of red light. The outcome of the conflict was still a mystery to her, but there was a great deal of violence, of that Ayla was completely certain.
It reminded her of interview night, when she'd seen Death just behind Scott Winston. Now Death was appearing in her dreams, not directly, but she knew that the attack ended with at least one person dead and maybe more. The morning following her interview, Scott Winston had been the first tribute to be killed, and Death had appeared behind him the night before. Surely that was no coincidence.
But that was just one event that occurred one time. It did not reflect a pattern, and the presence of an odd feeling did not indicate that death was on its way to them in the real world. What she saw had to be fake, right? But she'd felt the pain of her passing from Death himself, and she saw the death of her mother, and knew that Scott would be the first tribute to leave this plane of existence. Ayla knew there was something going on here. She just didn't know what. She did know for sure that there was absolutely no chance that anything she'd seen was merely happenstance.
Ayla saw Tesler quietly checking his burn while Eira brooded in silence. She sighed, resolving to keep her eyes wide and her head on a swivel for the foreseeable future. Something was coming, of that Ayla was certain.
"We should probably get moving," Tesler stated. "No sense in waiting any longer."
They reemerged into the light outside the cave, finding it to be cold and wet. Mist hung low over the trees obscuring their view of the distance, and dark gray clouds drizzled rain down on their heads. Ayla could see her hot breath creating fog in the cold mist, but she couldn't see what lay inside the treeline.
"Keep your eyes open," Tesler advised. "No telling what could sneak up on us from in there."
"We need to find higher ground to take shelter," Ayla said. "We'll be safer on top of the cliff."
"And how exactly do you propose we do that while it's slick and unclimbable?" Eira asked. "It doesn't look like there's many handholds."
"Do you want to stay down here with the lizard men and the demons?" Ayla replied pointedly.
"Of course not, but we don't know that there won't be any up there. For all we know there might be giant rock monsters or something."
That was an interesting point Eira brought up, namely that this entire area was ridiculously dangerous, and there was no telling where they might be attacked. Plus, there were still the other tributes to worry about.
"Hey guys," Tesler called out. "I found a way up, so whenever you're done arguing feel free to join me."
Ayla rolled her eyes as she turned to see Tesler standing at the foot of the cliff about one hundred yards away. A small rocky path carved its way into the cliff, creating a snaking switchback road, barely wide enough for one person to walk alone. The road looked nothing less than dangerous, even if the surface was dry.
"Were we arguing?" Eira questioned.
"I'd say vigorously debating," Ayla replied with a smirk, strikingly similar to ones she had seen on Tesler's face. He was obviously rubbing off on her.
Eira laughed and shook her head in response.
"Which Tesler has obviously never done before," Ayla added.
"Because he's the epitome of a good citizen," Eira agreed.
They both laughed then as they joined Tesler at the base of the path. Maybe they weren't all friends, though she and Tesler were making progress towards that point, but at least they didn't dislike each other. It was merely their mutual desire to survive that brought them together, and that was all that was truly required.
"So we're going up that?" Eira asked incredulously.
"Why not?" Tesler shrugged his shoulders and hefted his pack higher as he tied their length of rope around his waist. "Look at it this way, anybody else would have to be totally insane to climb up here."
"What does that make us?" Eira whispered to herself.
Ayla chuckled lightly, then pushed Eira to go forward. It was best to have their worst climber in the middle so Eira wouldn't act as a primary anchor in case of a fall. Tesler quickly tied a knot around Eira's waist, using one of the skills he'd learned during training. Ayla tied her own knot at the end of the rope, leaving only a small amount of rope remaining on either end of their train.
"Stick together guys," Tesler stated. "Keep up the pace so no one falls. Don't let your length of rope go taut or you will fall. If you need me to slow down tell me to slow down."
With that, they started up the path, the rope chain connecting them to each other and hopefully preventing them from falling. Tesler kept his balance well, and he was quite agile – the very reason he led their rope train. Ayla too was well-balanced, occasionally slipping on the slick rocks, trying her best not to look to the ground below. Eira though was much clumsier, slowing their progress dramatically. She wasn't nearly as strong as her companions, but she showed resilience, fighting on towards the top regardless.
The climb after only an hour or so became grueling. Ayla's leg muscles screamed in protest with each step she took up the steep path. They had to climb over large rocks and even taller walls that required them to clamber up one-by-one. Thus went their journey until they reach the biggest wall of all. It was narrow, definitely only safe for one to climb at a time, but it was so thin that even the slightest mistake or slip would send the climber tumbling down to the earth below.
Ayla and Eira waited at the base of the wall while Tesler carefully made his way up the surface, grabbing the smallest handholds and toeholds, not really big enough to remain on for long, especially with the rain now pouring down on their heads. Even if they made it to the top of this cliff safely, they would probably catch hypothermia.
Tesler scrabbled over the ledge onto the more solid ground further up the path, then waved for Eira to follow. Their companion was much more hesitant than Tesler, not trusting her feet to support her weight. She tried to hang on with her hands as best she could, but with the rain and the cold socked into her bones it wasn't long before the inevitable occurred.
With a scream of fright, Eira slipped from the wall. Ayla reached for the largest sturdiest rock she could see and grabbed hold tightly, meanwhile, atop the wall, Tesler found an anchor point of his own. The ropes snapped tight as Eira dangled in free space with only her companions to keep her alive. Eira screamed some more, and Ayla didn't blame her.
"We've got to pull her up!" Tesler shouted. "Otherwise, we're all dead!"
"At least you're not hanging by a thread more than a hundred feet in the air!" Eira called back, terror and sarcasm in her voice simultaneously.
Ayla looked to the girl below, watching her swing gently back and forth. She idly wondered what it would be like to die by falling from this great a height. Then she wondered further whether she would see the form of Death creeping up towards Eira to claim her.
"Hang on Ayla!" Tesler ordered. "I'm going to pull her up!"
Ayla was about to ask how he planned to do that when she felt a sudden jolt in the rope. Her grip slowly slipped from the rock's surface, but she managed to jam her fingers into a different handhold, and surprisingly she felt more stable than before, like Tesler had just gained hundreds of pounds to anchor him.
She glanced up to see her district partner without the rope tied to his waist. Instead, the rope was thrown over a sharp spike of rock, holding Eira in place. Tesler braced his feet against one rock and leaned back, grabbing hold of the rope as he began to haul Eira up one hand at a time. Gradually, Eira's screaming disappeared as did the tension on Ayla's length of rope. While the wind and rain picked up in intensity, whipping strongly against the rocks, Eira grabbed hold of the ledge and climbed to solid ground aided by Tesler.
Ayla suddenly felt the tension on the strings of her heart dissipate. Eira collapsed to her knees with Tesler holding the younger girl in his arms, trying to be comforting but failing miserably. Kind words of empathy were not his strong suit.
"You tied me to that?!" Eira cried out incredulously as she saw the rock spike which anchored her.
"I needed to pull you up somehow and I couldn't do that with your weight pulling me down," Tesler replied.
Ayla couldn't exactly make out Eira's reply over the roaring of the wind and rain, but she was fairly sure it was of explicit nature.
Matt Scotch District 11: 18M
Wednesday Morning
Day 3: 11:00AM
Sector 2
After what felt like forever, but was in fact only two days or so, Matt finally laid eyes on the space station cafeteria. It was a large room constructed entirely of metal just as the rest of the sector was. White lights shone from the ceiling giving the whole room a sort of chilling feeling, and Matt felt the emptiness of the environment so viscerally it froze his heart.
"That's definitely not creepy or anything," Butch commented sarcastically.
Matt had to agree. There was a foreboding in the room, filling him with dread. Yet, there was no evidence of physical threat. All that could be seen in the room was a large door opposing them with a small window in the center. There was another larger window along the right wall, showing them the view of the brownish planet.
While he couldn't put his finger on the reason for the ominousness of the situation, Matt could almost feel the presence of hundreds of invisible space soldiers sitting at the long benches, laughing and conversing. He knew those men weren't real, but for the first time since entering the empty Sector 2, he could actually visualize what life might be like here were it an actual place and not an arena.
"Maybe there's food in the back room?" Butch prompted them both into motion once again.
"That would be nice," Matt replied.
"Just thinking about it is making my mouth water."
She strode quickly towards the door and pushed down on the handle, only to find it locked. Butch groaned to herself in frustration, eyeing the handle as if she was thinking of breaking it.
"I'm not sure that thing's going to break if you kick it," Matt spoke up before Butch acted.
The handle was quite sturdy, as was the door. Just to the right of the door was a small electronic lock, obviously activated through use of a keycard, which Matt and Butch did not have.
"How else are we supposed to get in?" Butch asked.
"Find the card?"
Butch looked back at the door, then started rifling through the cabinets nearby.
"What are you doing?" Matt questioned.
"Looking for something heavy," Butch answered. "Like this."
She rose from behind the cabinets with a large metal pipe in her hands. It was somewhere between eighteen inches and two feet long and looked to be quite heavy. Then, Butch turned toward the window in the door and smashed the end of the pipe into the window forcefully. The glass was obviously quite thick because it only cracked a little bit, but Butch slammed the pipe into the window again and again. Eventually, the glass shattered, and a small opening was made in the door.
She reached her arm through the broken window, straining to gain an extra inch of reach. A small snick opened on her bicep, causing blood to bead up around the cut. A beeping sound came from the door, followed by a click, then the door opened.
"Well, I guess that works too," Matt commented as Butch turned back to him gesturing expectantly.
"You're welcome," Butch replied, nodding to the door she held open for him.
Matt walked through the door ahead of Butch to see a storage room of some sort. There were all sorts of rations, most of which were dried packs designed to cook with hot water, but there were also packs of jerky and dried fruits and nuts.
He promptly started filling his backpack with the dried food, as he did not foresee ever being able to make use of the hot water meals. Butch followed behind him and began investigating other shelves, exploring the area. From what Matt could tell there were twenty shelves stacked to the ceiling with rations, but for all he knew there could have been more. Matt didn't bother himself with taking an exact count.
As the sound of packs of food smacking into each other in the bottom of his pack rang out, Butch's voice called to his ears.
"Matt, you should probably come check this out."
"What?" He asked in reply.
"Just come here," Butch stated firmly.
Matt sighed and stood throwing his backpack over his shoulder. He found Butch standing four aisles down, and just behind her was an exact replica of the portals in the Cornucopia. The swirling purple clouds were surrounded by a ring of gold embedded into the wall.
"It's just like the one we came through to get here," Matt observed.
"But it's not the same one," Butch said. "This one goes somewhere else."
"Do you think this could be where one of the other three portals led?"
"I don't know, but there's only one way to find out."
Butch made to step through the portal, but Matt stopped her, catching her wrist.
"Are you insane?" He hissed. "You'd be walking right toward the careers if you went in there!"
"They probably won't even know we're there," Butch returned. "It was dark in the Cornucopia, and I doubt they'd see us."
"Unless they have guards posted at the portals."
"Relax, I'll be quick."
Butch stepped confidently through the portal disappearing into the swirling clouds. Matt rolled his eyes and shook his head in frustration. He waited at the portal for ten seconds, then twenty, then thirty, figuring that Butch would return quickly if the exit to the portal was unguarded. But Butch never walked back through the portal. She had been gone too long now.
Matt drew his knife and steeled himself, then followed his comrade through the portal. On the other side, Matt did not see the dim white light of the Cornucopia, nor did he see the soulless light of the space station. Instead, Matt saw and felt the real warm yellow light of the sun. He felt the wind on his face and inhaled it gratefully.
Butch stood a short distance away on a sandy beach, looking out over a seemingly endless ocean, dotted with islands. Matt scratched his head in shock and confusion. This couldn't be possible. They were in space less than a minute ago, and now they were in a tropical paradise.
He turned to look behind him, seeing the rest of what was a tropical island, covered in lush greens and rocky cliffs. Along the top of the gold ringed portal, Matt read the inscription Sector 3. They had entered Sector 2 from the Cornucopia, and now they were in Sector 3, a completely different world it seemed. Maybe the other portals led to other worlds that were completely different as well.
But, what was more valuable information, was their discovery that it was possible to travel between different Sectors without entering into the Cornucopia. They could enter a portal and appear in a whole new world in just moments. Perhaps this was the key to finding Tessa?
Matt remembered that she and Brooke had entered the portal opposite to the one he and Butch had, meaning they were probably in Sector 4 right now. Since Matt and Butch were in Sector 3, he was only one portal away from finding his wife. A determined feeling spread through Matt's bones, as he knew he was only a short distance away from her. Soon he and Tessa would be reunited again.
Eydis Agnarsson District 4: 17F
Wednesday Morning
Day 3: 11:30AM
Sector 1
"You're telling me you don't have any friends back home?" Eydis asked incredulously. "You don't have anyone at all?"
"I have my family," Cassie replied with a small shrug as she pushed aside a shoot of bamboo leaves.
"Yeah but you don't have any friends?"
"Not really. I'm just too busy, training all the time and working for my parents' business on off days, doesn't leave much time for friends, you know? But, it doesn't bother me too much. I'm the type of girl that likes to get things done. Most people just slow you down."
"You don't seem to have a problem making friends with the rest of us here though."
"We're a team," Cassie said. "It's a bit stupid not to try and get along with the only people who are trying to help me stay alive."
Eydis chuckled to herself at Cassie's phrasing. Her friend was definitely a straight shooter, unafraid to state her beliefs for better or for worse. But, that was part of her charm, because without her combativeness Cassie wouldn't be Cassie anymore. Though she was flawed, Cassie was at least honest about who she was, and unlike so many she was genuine.
"But I do wish I could find something like you and Murchad have," Cassie continued with a sigh. "Now, after the time I spent training for the Games, I wonder how much it matters. I've never had feelings for anyone before."
"You're lonely," Eydis nodded to herself in understanding.
"I mean," Cassie maintained her almost rant. "I know I don't need anyone. I'm competent and independent, but I want someone to lean on who loves me. What the hell kind of life is living without someone to love?"
"Just be patient. You're pretty awesome, so I'm sure you'll find someone eventually."
"Patience isn't exactly my strong suit if you haven't noticed."
"You know, I did notice," Eydis quipped back.
Suddenly Cassie stopped, holding up her hand to signal for Eydis to stop as well. Eydis halted instantly, throwing her eyes around in search of whatever Cassie had noticed. Eventually, her ears picked up on a subtle almost imperceptible sound. It was like rustling leaves, or the crackling of a fire.
Cassie drew her sword, and Eydis followed suit gripping tightly to the shaft of her spear. They travelled silently through the mixture of bamboo and trees. Eydis placed her feet carefully to avoid sticks and piles of leaves on the ground. She had always been agile and graceful, so this came easily to her. The instructors back at the academy always praised Eydis for her smooth movements. She was thankful now that she could move with such dexterity.
Just through the low hanging branches, Eydis spotted two familiar faces sitting beside a fire. The faces belonged to Liz and Tanya. Both smiled happily as Tanya animatedly described something or other to Liz. Behind them was a small spring of gently bubbling water, no doubt the source of the large river running through the valley below.
Cassie withdrew a thin knife from her belt, light and balanced for throwing. She passed her sword to her left hand and fingered the handle of the knife with her right.
In one perfectly efficient motion, Cassie sent the knife spinning end over end towards Tanya's throat. Rays of sunlight glittered off the blade as Tanya sat laughing, blissfully unaware of the danger rapidly approaching her.
Cassie missed. The knife breezed right through Tanya's hair, sending it whipping upward while the knife clattered to the ground behind the pair. Reacting immediately, Tanya and Liz jumped to their feet, prepared to fight, but they were unarmed.
"Shit," Cassie muttered to herself, emerging from the trees to face down the two girls.
"Run Liz!" Tanya ordered. "Get the hell out of here now!"
Liz didn't need to be told twice, dashing off into the trees back towards the waterfall. Eydis watched her for a moment, knowing it would be smartest to go after her, but she kept her eyes on Tanya for a moment, only to witness her telekinetically lift a large amount of water from the spring and blast Cassie in the face. Her companion flipped head over heels, collapsing to the ground in a heap.
Tanya then formed a smaller amount of water into a sharp spike of ice, launching it at Cassie. Eydis knew then that she couldn't leave Cassie to fight Tanya alone. For all her skill, Cassie couldn't face an opponent who could bend water to her will.
Eydis dove from the trees smashing the ice spike with her spear. It shattered into a million tiny pieces while Cassie pushed herself to her feet with fury in her eyes.
She charged the water freak, sword poised to strike, but Tanya used the water like a giant whip, parrying Cassie's blow and countering with a strike to her knee. As Cassie fell down again, Eydis finally realized that even together they had little chance of defeating Tanya, but if she could catch Liz, maybe they'd have a chance of getting Tanya to stand down.
Eydis dashed off after the still retreating Liz, ducking under branches and clearing fallen logs with little effort. Liz, being slightly smaller and much less explosive could not clear the larger logs in the same way that Eydis could. That gap gradually closed as they approached the cliff and the waterfall.
Just outside the tree line, along the bank of the river, Cassie and Tanya fought their way towards the waterfall as well. Cassie seemed to have adapted well to Tanya's watery attacks, avoiding strikes and attempting counters rather than pressing forward offensively. Tanya floated in a swirling column of water, staying mostly out of Cassie's reach.
Eydis pushed herself harder, determined to catch Liz and slow Tanya down. Liz was quick though, and she wasn't going down without a fight. Unfortunately, killing her would only serve to anger Tanya, which would only be counterproductive. Eydis brought her spear back and forth, casting it towards Liz just as the girl burst into the clearing by the edge of the waterfall. The spear hit Liz in her right shoulder blade, sending her tumbling to the ground with a cry of pain.
Tanya's eyes instantly shot towards her collapsed partner, and she looked as though she wanted to try to tear Eydis limb from limb, but she composed herself and snatched Liz's body away just as Eydis withdrew her spear from Liz's back. Then, using the water falling down the side of the cliff, Tanya created a giant ice slide and landed, skating quite gracefully down the surface towards the valley below with Liz cradled in her arms.
"God damn it!" Cassie swore explosively, then leapt onto the slide after Tanya.
Eydis groaned to herself, knowing that she had to follow behind the others just to be sure Cassie wouldn't get herself killed.
Standing on the slide was like being in a whirling tornado, only it was straighter, but no less windy. She squinted to keep the bugs from flying into her eyes as she skated rapidly towards the ground. Her ears were filled with the vicious wind, screaming towards the ground much faster than she would have liked.
Then, without warning, the sound of her shoes scraping along the ice suddenly stopped as the ice melted beneath her feet.
Eydis screamed in shock, and heard Cassie do the same about fifty feet in front of her. Tanya had disappeared, probably causing the ice ramp to melt to distract them enough to escape. It hurt when she hit the water in the pool at the base of the cliff.
Disoriented for a moment, Eydis only noticed the beams of light sparkling through the water. Cassie floated not too far away, her eyes closed, seemingly unconscious. Eydis finally regained her faculties and swam towards Cassie, pulling her towards the surface. They broke into the air together, Eydis gasping for breath while Cassie lolled against her shoulder. Eydis pushed Cassie up onto the bank, then climbed up after her.
She checked for breath, placing her ear by Cassie's mouth. Gentle exhalations brushed up against her ear. So she hadn't inhaled any water. That was good, and her heart still beat strongly, but a large gash split the upper part of her forehead around her hairline. It bled bright red, and thankfully not too profusely. Though, Eydis wanted to ensure the wound wouldn't become infected.
Looking up again, Eydis found no trace of Tanya and Liz. Tanya had used their fall as a distraction to help her escape, and now Eydis was kicking herself, falling for a ruse like that. It seemed the obvious tactical move to melt the ice the second she hit the ground, leaving Eydis and Cassie to fall into the water below.
Eydis sighed, looking back to Cassie. It seemed she had little to do now but wait for Cassie to wake up. She knew Cassie would be pissed when she found that Tanya and Liz had escaped, but there weren't really any options available. She couldn't go after their quarry. Cassie would need help getting back to the Cornucopia too.
"Damn it, why'd you have to chase them you crazy bitch?" Eydis murmured to herself rather fondly.
Today's hunting trip most certainly had not gone according to plan. Eydis could only hope that tomorrow's trip would work out better. Hopefully they could actually find their way back to the Cornucopia after falling into the woods, with no clue where they really were.
She was again bothered by the abilities Tanya displayed. They were quite literally superhuman and brought up the question of how they were to combat someone with superpowers. The balance of power was officially skewed, seeing as Tanya had just made them look like fools. But she couldn't help but wonder where those abilities came from. They needed to find out as soon as possible.
Santana Perez District 1: 18M
Wednesday Afternoon
Day 3: 1:00PM
Sector 3
Santana didn't know much about sailing ships, but he had gleaned enough information over the past twenty-four hours to know that they were doomed.
Just about ninety minutes ago, a beat-up old galleon had appeared over the horizon, chasing after their much smaller schooner relentlessly. According to Rel, who had conversed more intelligently with the sailors than Santana had last night – he had just joined them in getting totally wasted – the larger galleon would eventually catch them thanks to the extra power available to it. The sail plan of the galleon created greater wind energy than the schooner because of the larger surface area of the galleon's sails.
Santana hadn't been too worried about the galleon until it had started firing cannonballs in their direction. A few minutes ago, the back railing behind the helm had splintered, and one large chunk had embedded itself in the neck of the helmsman, killing him quickly.
While the captain of the ship, who Santana was not acquainted with, though Rel was through last night's conversation, was left to order his crew from the helm, Santana and Rel were left with essentially nothing to do. Well, they hadn't had anything to do but watch the terrifying galleon bear down upon them until the captain started shouting at them.
"Secure the topsail you two! Don't just stand there like a bunch of scared old ladies!"
As Santana and Rel glanced at each other in hesitation, the captain roared even louder.
"Secure the topsail you bastards!"
Rel immediately dashed off towards the lef – port, Santana corrected himself – side of the ship. Santana sprinted off behind him, not knowing what at all was going on.
"What the hell's a topsail?" Santana asked Rel.
"The middle one," Rel answered, pointing to the second of three sails on the main center mast without looking.
"Then why's it called the topsail, and why don't they pronounce the word sail correctly?"
"Damned if I know, now get over to the rope on the other side. We need to pull together."
"Thank god you were listening to the captain last night," Santana quipped.
He moved as quickly as he could over to the opposite rope, then was pitched from his feet and faceplanted on the deck when the ship came to a grinding halt. The hull scraped and cracked, then the ship stopped.
Chaos ensued with the men on board shouting at each other, and Santana thought he heard the word reef. Did they mean that they'd run aground on a reef?
"You alright?" Rel asked, helping Santana to his feet.
"Yeah, just lost my footing is all."
"We hit a reef, and we're stuck."
"With that ship still chasing us?"
Before Rel could answer Santana's question, a loud rumble came from the sky as it darkened almost instantaneously. Gray, almost black, clouds covered the open blue. Heavy rain then pelted them from the heavens and lightning flashed in the sky. Santana and Rel, along with the rest of the crew, were quickly soaked in cold rain.
Santana looked back to see the galleon still sailing stalwartly on despite the outrageous rain and wind. Chaos continued, as only a moment later, the deck of their schooner was covered in men. Only these men weren't real men.
They appeared out of nowhere, drawing all manner of deadly sharp tools. Each man was covered in creatures of the sea, disfigured and marred beyond all recognition of previous manhood. There was one fishman with the head of a shark, another with a sea slug for a face, one man with an eel neck, and one powerfully built man whose head was quite literally an octopus. His beard was made of the octopus's tentacles and a fleshy former head of a cephalopod flopping downward on the backside of his head. The same man's left hand was replaced with a crab claw and his right led with a crab leg.
The octopus man drew a cutlass from his belt and gutted the captain in full view of the crew. Lightning flashed behind him as the guts spilled across the deck, blood leaking through the cracks of the floorboards.
"Line them up against the wall!" Sharky ordered viciously, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth of razor sharp teeth.
One ugly fishman with barnacles for eyebrows shoved Santana and Rel toward the starboard side rail where the other crewmen were gathered. Santana considered fighting back for a moment but doing so would be pointless. He and Rel would be killed in seconds if they fought back.
Santana was forced roughly to his knees while Rel knelt next to him much more compliantly. Thunder cracked again, making the whole situation even more ominous than it already was. Santana's heart raced as he wondered if this would be how he died, in the Hunger Games which he had always dreamed of winning, and at the hands of a bunch of fish. He would do whatever it took to survive this, and he knew Rel would too because Rel was a survivor. It was one of many reasons why he liked the bullslayer.
"What a sorry bunch of wretches you are," the octopus man exclaimed, stepping to the head of the fishmen.
Judging by his supreme confidence and demeanor of authority, Santana guessed him to be the captain of the galleon which chased them before. His eyes spoke of a world beyond this one, so filled with pain that it manifested itself as malice.
"Do you know who I am?" He asked, parading back and forth in front of them grandly.
It took a few moments before anyone responded. Santana himself had no idea what was going on, or who he was looking at.
"The devil," one of the crewmen stated shakily.
Octopus head barked a laugh and sneered evilly at the terrified sailor.
"Maybe a devil, but not the one you know," Octopus remarked in return.
"I know who you are," the first mate spoke up, sounding quite strong in comparison to his terrified crewmate.
The first mate was a well-built man, tall and muscular. Though balding slightly thanks to his age, he appeared no less intimidating than any of the fishmen.
"Do you now?" Octopus whirled around to face the first mate, leaning down to stare him directly in the face.
"You're Davy Jones," the first mate said. "Pirate of the first Brethren Court charged with the task of guiding souls lost at sea to the land of the dead."
Octopus cocked his head to the side slightly, then glanced up at his crew chuckling. His crew laughed along with him, likely a response born of necessity. Octopus seemed like the kind of captain who led through means of fear.
"At last, an educated man," Octopus, or rather Davy Jones, said. "Then I assume you know my purpose here?"
The first mate stared blankly back at Jones, while the tentacle bearded man sneered.
"Not so educated it seems," Jones quipped.
He stood and turned his back as if to walk away, but pivoted on one foot, turning back to spear the first mate right through the heart. The first mate gasped, spitting blood, then slumped limply against the rail.
"Throw him over the side," Jones ordered callously, as he used the previous frightened crewman's shirt to clean the blade of his cutlass.
Two fishmen lifted and tossed the body into the dark waves where it disappeared immediately.
"Life is cruel gentlemen," Jones continued. "Why should the afterlife be any different? But I can forestall your judgement. Serve aboard my ship, The Flying Dutchman. For one-hundred years, you can cheat death, provided you serve."
It seemed there was little other choice available to Santana, other than jumping over the side and hoping that an island was not too far away. Even that wouldn't guarantee his survival, seeing as these were fishmen, he figured they could swim much faster than he could.
"I'll serve," Santana stated, surging to his feet with a stern expression upon his face.
Jones jerked his head to two of his underlings who stepped forward and grabbed Santana by the arms. Santana jerked back against them, not wanting to be held, and as he did so, he came to a realization maybe a moment too late. He realized that Jones had murdered the last two people to stand up to him, the captain and the first mate. Now, though Santana wasn't standing up against Jones, he was putting on a show of confidence against him rather than deference, and it seemed Jones demanded deference.
Rel looked as though he'd realized it as well, and the look on his face was one of terror. Santana watched the gears turning in Rel's mind as he frantically tried to pick a course of action that would protect his life and also Santana's.
"You'll serve me boy," Jones muttered lowly to Santana. "Yet you did not state that as if I were your captain. You speak to me as if I was some lowly deckhand?"
"My apologies…captain, I misspoke," Santana said, trying to keep Jones's sadistic nature in check.
"You misspoke, did you?" Jones questioned. "What if I told you I misplaced the tip of my sword, and it wound up in your gut?"
"I wouldn't believe you," Santana answered.
Rel gritted his teeth and facepalmed. Santana, once again, made the connection too late that he was only digging himself deeper into a hole.
"You wouldn't?" Jones snarked. "Well, I never lie. So, that would be a mistake."
Santana watched as Jones fingered his sword contemplatively, probably thinking of how much he could make Santana hurt before he died.
"Wait!" Rel cried, flinging himself on the ground before Jones.
"What now?" Jones snapped his head in Rel's direction.
"Spare him captain," Rel continued desperately. "Please. I will serve in his place. Leave him alive, I beg of you!"
Jones tilted his head to the side again, thinking over Rel's bargain, then he smirked.
"What's your name boy?" Jones asked of Rel.
"Rel."
"And yours?" The captain turned his head.
"Santana."
"Rel," Jones spat the name. "You will serve one-hundred years before the mast, and Santana…you will spend at least ten in the brig."
Twenty minutes later, Santana found himself locked in a cage covered in barnacles, with only the odd muscle encrusted walls for company.
Tanya Mills District 9: 17F
Wednesday Afternoon
Day 3: 2:00PM
Sector 1
Tanya again checked the gaping wound in Liz's back, finding it no better than when she had last laid eyes upon it. The gash brimmed with red blood, gently bubbling over the edges of the maw. Tanya ripped off her shirt, determined to keep Liz alive. It surprised her to see what sort of effect the girl had inflicted on her. She hadn't considered Liz anything more than an ally only a day ago. Now though, Tanya couldn't help but feel the need to protect Liz. She felt like her big sister, and that entailed the requirement to look after Liz.
Quickly performing a tight knot using the shirt as a bandage, Tanya covered the wound as best she could. Hopefully infection would not set in. Given Tanya's lack of medical experience, she wouldn't be able to do anything to help Liz and would probably only hurt her. She supposed she could attempt cauterization, but she didn't have any sort of metal to use and rendering an open flame on her back would be incredibly dangerous.
Tanya groaned, wishing that she had greater medical expertise. She lifted Liz from the ground again, trying to be as gentle as possible with her wound.
At the very least she wasn't being pursued by the career girls, which did indicate that her plan with the ice slide had worked. The only issue was Liz's health. If Tanya didn't work out a solution soon, Liz would be completely screwed. Her skin was already going pale from the blood loss, and Tanya's arms were covered in red. Liz's blood smeared across her now bare stomach, but Tanya continued on anyway, determined to save her friend.
She slogged through swampy ground, lifting her feet high to clear the mud and logs in her way. Liz's hair dragged in the mud gathering dirt and grime, causing the long locks to bunch up together.
Thunder rolled overhead, and Tanya could honestly say she had never felt so scared. Liz had really wormed her way into Tanya's heart very quickly. The pouring rain and dark clouds only served to heighten her feelings of fear. Maybe the weather was just a manifestation of her fear.
A shadow loomed in the distance, but it was no tree or rock. It wasn't even natural in structure. Rather, it was man-made. Tanya couldn't tell exactly what the large structure was supposed to be, but it looked oddly similar to the shrine she had found up the cliff earlier, the one with drawings depicting other people moving water just as she now could.
As she entered the building, which she now thought might have been a temple of some sort, Tanya finally recalled one image on the shrine. It displayed a woman wielding glowing water, resting her hands over the wound of a large man. Maybe she could use the water to heal, not just as a tool of defense.
Tanya cursed herself for the oversight, wondering if her forgetfulness had cost Liz her life. She had already lost so much blood, and even if she could close the wound, the blood was lost, and Liz would have to survive with a minimal amount of it until more could be pumped through her body.
She laid Liz gently on the ground just inside the temple entrance, taking care to move her hair from the wound. Getting mud inside an open cut could be disastrous.
Calling on all her positive intentions and desperation, Tanya drew the rainwater around her hands like gloves. She breathed deeply, allowing the thoughts of fear and anger to fade from her mind, focusing on the task at hand. Tanya had no idea if this would work, or how to accomplish her goal, but she was left with no choice other than to figure out a way. If she didn't, Liz would die. That was assured.
"Come on," Tanya whispered to herself as she looked down at the still naturally colored water. "Come on."
The water still didn't glow like the shrine had indicated it would, but maybe the pictures were merely designed as such for dramatic effect. She pushed aside the shirt slash bandage, exposing the gaping penetration to the open air.
"Please work," Tanya begged to no one in particular.
Then, she extended her hands toward the wound, covering it with the water. At the very least, the wound would be cleaned, as rainwater was uncontaminated by dangerous bacteria and diseases. Tanya directed her inner energy toward the water, demanding that it heal Liz, yet still nothing occurred.
Tanya opened her mind to the possibility that she was doing something wrong. Perhaps she did not understand the process correctly. She felt her resolve wane, and her hope slip away. Tanya desperately wanted to save Liz, but she wasn't she could. Tanya didn't know how.
All she felt was the water now, the water covering her hands, and by extension Liz's wound. She felt its ever-present ebb and flow, the ever shifting ever changing nature of the liquid held in her hands. Tanya didn't know why she even tried to control the flow of water. The water would flow in whichever way it would, regardless of her determination, for that was the nature of water. Water always followed the path of least resistance and did not surrender its nature to anyone who dared call themselves its master.
Tanya closed her eyes, letting the inevitable path of the water absorb her. It was gentle, yet inexorable, unyielding, unrelenting, and uncompromising. There was not a hint of control to be found in the water, no weakness or fragility to take advantage of. The water merely existed and merely flowed by the path of least resistance.
It was then that Tanya understood her error. She lacked the foresight to recognize the nature of her ability. She did not have the ability to control water. Such a thing was impossible. Tanya could only guide the water toward that path which offered least opposition. Tanya gave into the constant ebb and flow, and she felt a pricking in her hands.
Tanya felt her hope rise again. Perhaps she had accomplished the healing process after all. But she didn't dare open her eyes to witness the source of the pricking feeling. Tanya remained centered in the inevitability of the water. That was the only way to save Liz. To master the water, one had to accept that mastery over the water was impossible, and act in harmony with the gentle constant flow.
It was contradictory, but now that she realized it, Tanya knew it made perfect sense. There was no other way.
She had no idea how much time passed before Liz stirred softly beneath her hands. The girl mumbled to herself, which was good. It meant Liz was regaining her strength, and that just maybe she would live.
Tanya smiled to herself, reveling in the feeling surrounding her. She had gained control by surrendering control, and in doing so, she had saved her friend. Liz would make it to see another sunrise, and she would have another chance at returning home to spit in her father's face.
For the first time since she had left District 9, Tanya finally felt that she had a purpose, a reason for her existence. She was made greater by the water, and it wasn't because she ruled it. She accepted herself as a conduit for its power, which in turn provided her with power, enough power to save her friend.
Tesler Valdes District 3: 19M
Wednesday Evening
Day 3: 7:00PM
Sector 4
The diagrams in the pages of the notebook indicated something rather odd. Tesler was no expert in biology. He preferred computers, but he knew enough about the human body to get by.
It seemed somehow that the indicated chemical enhanced the body, providing the affected with increased strength, speed, and endurance. That was certainly interesting, but what really intrigued him was the diagram on the next page. It displayed information of the nervous system, and it seemed – according to Tesler's limited knowledge of anatomy – that the nerves would bond with any attached biological limbs.
So, if Tesler's interpretation of the notes was correct, severed limbs would no longer be an issue worth worrying over. If he lost an arm, all he had to do was stitch a new arm on its place, assuming he could find an arm. But all that was contingent on located the chemical.
"What're you reading?" Eira questioned. "You've been looking at that thing forever."
"Just something the guy who built this place left behind, I guess," Tesler replied without looking up.
After their harrowing adventure climbing up the cliff, they wandered for a time through the wind and rain growing colder and weaker the longer they stayed out. Eventually though, they came across a small shack sheltered among the trees. Inside were various tools, and many sharp ones which would make excellent weapons. There were hammers and wrenches, as well as crowbars, screwdrivers, saws, and even one large hand axe. Eira claimed an extremely long screwdriver and a scythe of some sort, Ayla had taken the axe, and Tesler had claimed a saw for himself. He had also taken a number of tools, throwing them in his backpack in case he had any chance to build weapons for himself.
Fortunately, Tesler had been the one to locate the small book. It was labeled with a single word on the leather cover: Franks. What exactly that meant escaped Tesler, but he didn't particularly care so long as he could figure out exactly what he was looking at.
Now, hours later, they cracked into the rations and water in the shack feeling quite lucky. They sat before the fireplace, absorbing all the heat they could in the dark, wet, and cold night. The contrast between yesterday's weather and today's was stark, showing that the Gamemakers weren't pulling any punches when it came to the environment, and given the monsters they encountered yesterday, the mutts this year were no joke either.
"What is it though?" Eira continued. "You seem pretty engrossed in it."
Tesler glanced up to Eira from the diagram, which he kept well hidden from his companions.
"Romance novel," Tesler lied, hoping to draw Eira off his back.
Ayla scoffed, detecting the lie instantly. Tesler did not enjoy lying to his teammates, but given the potential power this book indicated, he wanted to keep it to himself. If he could locate this chemical, then he could actually stand a chance one-on-one with the more dangerous careers. He wouldn't have to resort to underhanded tactics either.
"You're kidding right?" Ayla asked, knowing full well that Tesler was in fact kidding. "I doubt you even understand love, and I definitely can't see you reading a romance novel."
"Just trying it out," Tesler smirked, sticking to his lie in the hopes that Ayla wouldn't call him out on it.
Ayla snorted and shook her head in response but didn't press the point further.
Tesler groaned as he stood from his seat, taking the book with him. He wandered towards the shelves of tools and other eclectic objects while the girls whispered softly to each other. At least they were all getting along so far. He would hate for them all to turn on each other suddenly. That would not end particularly well for any of them.
Lining the shelves were tools, but there was also a small set of white drawers constructed of metal. The drawers slid open smoothly and quietly, strange considering the lack of inhabitants in the shack. In the top drawer there were more papers, but each was individual, not bound to the others in booklet form. Chemical equations stretched from the left edge of the paper to the right and from the top to the bottom. Tesler gathered vaguely that the compound constructed was some sort of stimulant, but he couldn't divine its true purpose. Perhaps it was the chemical spoken of in the notebook. A strong stimulant, well-constructed, could have the effects on the body that the notebook described.
He rifled through the papers, finding a small diagram of what looked like an EpiPen, perhaps the dispensary device. In the second drawer was the EpiPen itself. It was small and white, accompanied by many small vials filled with blue liquid. Tesler withdrew the EpiPen, which was labeled with the same word as the notebook, Franks. This had to be the stimulant.
Inside there was another sheet of paper which described another stimulant, different from the first, which would grant the user a short period of enhancement. It also seemed that the second stimulant could actually bind extraneous limbs to the body, while the first stimulant only granted a baseline increase to strength and enabled the nerves to be more adaptable to different body parts. The second stimulant also had a name, Elixir of Life.
Tesler cocked an eyebrow, finding the name slightly on the nose, but he supposed it made sense, as it would prolong life and keep you from dying if you lost an arm.
He fiddled with the EpiPen for a moment, flipping it over in his fingers. It was the only one he found, meaning that only one of them could receive the boost in ability. Tesler glanced back at his companions, considering whether or not he should tell them of his findings.
On one hand, they would trust him more, and it would encourage reciprocation in the future if ever they were to be in another similar situation. But, on the other, they would likely clamor to receive the Franks drug, shrinking his chances of victory. If he took this, he would be substantially more likely to return home.
This alliance had been established on the basis of self-interest. No one was going to sacrifice themselves for the others. They were only a team because of the increased strength they held as a group. They would be more likely to survive encounters with other tributes, because in the physical realm, there was strength in numbers. His action would not violate the terms of their contract. Eira and Ayla might be frustrated with him for a time, but they would get over it. Either they would get over it, or they would attempt to take him out in revenge. Tesler was happy with both outcomes, considering that he would be vastly more powerful than his allies after taking the Franks drug.
Tesler eyed the EpiPen for only a moment longer, then pressed it into the skin of his forearm. He felt a slight prick as the needle entered, but no blood surfaced. Tesler replaced the pen into the drawer, then grabbed his backpack and tossed in a box full of Elixir vials, knowing he would need it later.
It was not long before Tesler noticed the differences in his physical state. The darkness out the window became slightly clearer, and colors appeared to him more clearly. That was handy, but he wanted to know if he was really stronger, or if he had just been made into a massive fool for all Panem to see.
Tesler lifted a wrench from the shelf, taking it in both hands. He twisted his hands in opposite directions and watched in smug satisfaction as the wrench bent in half. Now, it looked like a giant U. That was indeed encouraging. Given the act he had just achieved, Tesler had no reason to doubt that the further processes of limb replacement were real too. Though, he hoped he would never have to test that side of the Franks drug.
Feeling quite pleased with himself, Tesler replaced the wrench in its spot on the shelf and placed the notebook inside his jacket pocket. That information could be useful later. He took his seat by the fire quite happily, knowing that he had just made himself a prime contender for the title of Hunger Games champion.
Outwardly though, Tesler displayed little. Only the slightest hint of his pleasure peaked out through the callous exterior. Ayla glanced at him as if she recognized that something had changed within Tesler, but there was no way for her to know what had just happened.
"I'd say today went pretty well," Tesler commented. "We found this nice warm hut, no monster attacks…"
"I almost fell off a cliff," Eira added in jest.
"But you didn't," Tesler returned. "You're sitting in a comfy room by a warm fire instead."
"You seem awfully positive all of a sudden," Ayla noted skeptically.
"Why wouldn't I be? We're not freezing to death in the rain and being devoured by demons. I'd say that's a win."
Cornell Viktor President of Panem: 64M
Wednesday Night
Day 3: 9:00PM
Cornell tapped his fingers lightly against his desk. It was all just too convenient. There was no chance that all this information could have been known of last week's bomber. He was an incredibly private man, a ghost even.
The man in question was Samuel Kleski, a known anarchist from District 10 with a pension for crime. He had four arrests on his record, first for robbery, second for robbery, third for robbery, and fourth for impersonating a peacekeeper. It was the last of the crimes that intrigued Cornell most, making him wonder just who Kleski really was, but he supposed he would never truly find out. All he could do was put together the pieces of the puzzle he had, and guess from there.
Kleski was thirty-six years old, a father of three, and a widower. His wife's cause of death was listed as incineration. After doing a little digging, Cornell determined that she had died in a large fire near a cattle ranch. Kleski's occupation read, ranch manager, indicating that he probably had a decent wage, seeing as he didn't do grunt level work. Indeed, upon checking into Kleski's finances, Cornell determined that up until six months ago, the man was quite well-off for district standards. Looking again at the arrest record showed something fascinating. All Kleski's arrests took place in the last six months, or in other words, only after his wife's death.
At first Cornell had wondered if Kleski was merely trying to make ends meet for his three children, but that made little sense. Kleski had a good job with a good income, and his wife was listed as unemployed, probably because she stayed home to take care of the kids. Then, Cornell discovered that his three kids, two girls and one boy, eight, six, and three respectively, were all killed in the same fire that killed his wife.
So, had Kleski merely snapped and lashed out at the world in anger? No, Cornell did not think so. An angered man lashing out would not rob people or impersonate officers. He would be arrested for assault or murder. Kleski had no need of money, not until his finances were seized after his first arrest. What then was the cause of Kleski's sudden break?
Cornell pondered that query, looking absently at his computer. Why would a man like Kleski decide to take out his revenge in form of a suicide bombing? What did he gain from doing so?
The target of the bombing was the Capitol Senate, which indicated that Kleski's revenge was in some way enacted against the legislators. Or, maybe he had just fallen in with a rebellious crowd during one of his short stints in jail.
It was impossible to tell, but some other information indicated there may actually be evidence of some sort of conspiracy.
Apparently, the Capitol liaison in District 10 had gained a large chunk of money following the fire. So, perhaps there was something deeper going on here. Maybe the liaison had orchestrated the fire in some way and been paid for it. But who would pay him to do that, and why?
Cornell took a drink of his whiskey and made a few clicks on his keyboard, searching for information on the ranch where Kleski worked. Perhaps there had been something more going on at the ranch, other than raising cattle.
Two years ago, the ranch was investigated by a senior Capitol inspector, the second inspection of that year.
Cornell hummed to himself thoughtfully. Usually, most District extensions of Capitol operations were only inspected once per year. Additionally, there was always a Capitol supervisor at every extension. Interestingly, the particular supervisor working at the ranch was investigated just shortly before the ranch itself was inspected.
"That's interesting," Cornell mumbled as he sipped his whiskey again.
If the supervisor was investigated, then perhaps there was indeed something going on at the ranch and the supervisor was in on it. The Capitol had detected something amiss and investigated the supervisor, and finding nothing, they checked the ranch next. Obviously, they found nothing, because the supervisor was not fired, and the ranch was not closed down.
Perhaps that explained the motivation for setting the fire. The Capitol could not remove the supervisor or shut the ranch down without raising suspicion, so they simply set a fire and decided to remove their problem by literally destroying it.
That would explain Kleski's crimes as well. He was thieving because he sought to build up a large supply of funds to begin an operation targeting the Capitol, and he impersonated the peacekeeper, probably to gain access to the Capitol itself.
All the loose ends were tied up, and everything was explained, but the major question still remained. How the hell did they catch onto him so quickly? They couldn't watch Kleski every step of the way. That was impossible surely…
"Oh my god…" Cornell whispered to himself as he paused with his whiskey halfway to his lips.
He set the glass back down on the table in shock. If he was right, and Cornell's judgement was rarely anything but, then the conspiracy he had suspected for so many years was only just the tip of the iceberg.
The only way the SIS could have responded so quickly to the threat posed by Kleski, was if they already knew the danger was coming. The only way they could know that danger was coming was if they could watch Kleski, and everyone, else twenty-four seven. And the only way they could watch everyone twenty-four seven was if they possessed surveillance on a massive scale.
But human surveillance wouldn't make this response possible. Human surveillance couldn't detect anything truly amiss in Kleski's behavior. Cornell had only located all the information that he had because he knew where to look. Hindsight worked in his favor in this instance. The only possible answer was machine surveillance.
The shadowy group working to destroy him and pin Panem down with an iron fist had somehow created an artificial intelligence, watching with ten-thousand eyes, listening with one-million ears, and all the time calculating just how threatening every individual was to national security.
Cornell grabbed his phone and quickly messaged Ronaldo, thankful that their text channel was completely secure. The Machine wouldn't be able to track their words.
They found out about Kleski because they have an AI watching all of us constantly.: V
Cornell tapped his foot anxiously awaiting Ronaldo's response. He couldn't say any of this in person because there were cameras and microphones everywhere. For all he knew, his phone was listening to him right now, maybe even tracking him.
What? Who's Kleski?: R
Kleski is the bomber they caught last Tuesday. AI is the only way they could have found him so quickly.: V
Are you sure? This seems a little far-fetched.: R
100%: V
Don't say anything out loud about this or tell anyone. If you do, they'll probably kill you.: V
Understood. Be careful.: R
Viktor lowered his phone, then downed the rest of his whiskey. He proceeded to pour another glass, shocked by his discovery.
This complicated his plans beyond belief. He couldn't start a rebellion with The Machine watching his every move. They would all be caught before the rebellion even really started. Viktor snatched up his phone again, determined to keep everything they were working towards secret.
Warn the others not to say a damn word about the rebellion. If they do, they're fucked.: V
Already on it.: R
Good.: V
Viktor sighed in relief, thankful that Ronaldo was quick on his feet.
However, there was still the problem of maintaining secrecy. They couldn't all communicate, save when they were here in the Capitol. Somehow, Viktor had to hide them from The Machine. It was the only way the rebellion could continue.
"Hell, it's the only way we'll survive probably," Viktor grumbled, then downed the second glass of whiskey in one gulp.
There's Day 3! So sorry this one took so long to get out, but I was pretty busy over the past few weeks. Hope this one matched up to your standards.
But, crazy shit is going down both in the arena and out. I'd love to hear what you guys think of all that as always.
In other news, this will be the last chapter released this year. Seeing as it's Christmas I would like to take a break to enjoy family time. Vicarious will return in 2022 with plenty of action, I promise.
Merry Christmas!
-Red