Chapter 1
Bot fighting is made of five things. Sweat, tears, bots, and your competitors.
And the money.
It's a gambling system. Huge bets are placed on the winner. You 've gotta pay to play, and you play to get paid.
That's probably why it's illegal.
But right now, I don't care that its illegal. I'm watching the moves of my competitor, who has the most deadly robot in bot fighting history. I am standing in a small crowd of people who have gathered to watch and participate. We stand in a dismal alleyway, the meager light that is cast on the arena coming from a flickering street lamp that towers above us. He's the reason that this bot fighting ring adopted the slogan
"Two bots enter. One bot returns."
Not that you could really call it a bot fighting ring. It is really just a circle graffitied onto the chipped cobblestone. Over time, other people have added other robot-themed graffiti. Recently, there had been a lot of violent graffiti added, and I think I know why. My opponent's bot - Terminator - can literally crush, burn, or chop your robot in half. I watch in awe as one man's robot is crushed into a pile of scrap metal and wires.
"Who dares to face the violently triumphant Terminator next?"
The hostess calls out, handing the basket of money to my opponent.
I push my way through the crowd, and step into the ring.
"...Can I?"
The hostess scoffs as I pull out my little robot.
"I have a robot. I made it myself."
My opponent roars with laughter but I ignore him and his mockery and focus on the hostess.
She shakes her head and sighs.
"Bot fighting isn't for kids, hon. Besides, it ain't free either."
I pull out a roll of dollar bills from my back pocket.
"I can pay."
Two minutes later, I am seated across from my opponent, who holds his massive controller in his muscley, limestone- colored hands.
My 3-part robot slumps over in comparison to Terminator. I ignore the snickering of the crowd as the hostess slides her parasol in between us.
"Two bots enter. One bot returns."
...
"Begin!"
5 second and 2 slices of Terminators blade later, and my bot lies on the ground in 3 pieces.
The crowd chuckles.
I clench my jaw, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Can I go again? That was my first bot fight."
The hostess hesitates until I pull a wad of crumpled dollar bills out of my bra.
"I have more money."
She holds out the flaxen woven tray, and I place the wad on it gently.
Pressing a few buttons on my controller, my bot reassembles itself. Its happy, yellow painted face flips around, revealing a red painted devil face.
"Mini bot, time to kill."
My opponent makes a face just as the hostess starts the match.
"Begin!"
Terminator immediately starts trying to saw mini bot in half, but I'm prepared. Mini bot breaks into three pieces, one creating a diversion while one crawls onto Terminators face and one starts twisting off one of Terminators arms.
Terminator waves its free hand wildly, and the other two segments of mini bot join the first one in twisting of Terminators arm, the one with the saw on it.
Once the arm is loose enough, mini bot swings it around and brings it down on Terminators head, slicing through his body. As Terminator emits a shower of golden sparks, mini bot falls back and reassembles, its face switching back to the happy side.
The audience cheers wildly.
As I am about to grab the money I just won, someone at the back of the crowd screams something that makes my blood turn cold.
"Everyone scatter! The Feds are here!