CHAPTER 1: THE CONTEST
Norton awoke in his bed alone. He walked downstairs to find his girlfriend, Sarah, sitting on the couch in her underwear and a sweater, watching the Unreal Tournament. "What's this?" She tossed the crumpled, blood-stained paper on the end table. "How you lost your car?" She questioned again before Norton could answer. "Yes.." Norton sat down next to her and kissed her on the neck. "It's how I lost the car.." Sarah scoffed at him, then turned off the screen panel by pushing a button. "It's not what you think.." Norton tried to calm her down. "Not what I think?" She threw the remote at the wall. "Then what is it? Huh?" Sarah threw her arms in the air. "Mind fucking explaining that to me?" Norton tried lowering her arms, but she pushed him away. "It was for a chance to enter the Tournament.."
Sarah glared at Norton, then lit up a cigarette. "Un-fucking-real. And you thought you would win?" She exhaled in his face. "I was one number off.." "Well, now you're another number off.." She stood up and robed herself. "I'm out of here." She stepped into her high-heels and walked toward the door. "Really, you're gonna walk out of here in lingerie and a see through robe?" Sarah took another drag of her cigarette and turned her head. "At least it'll get me a ride.." She exhaled and turned back to the door. "To the morgue, a week later.." Norton turned the screen panel on. "Fuck you, Norton.." She flipped him off and walked out the door.
Norton stood up to watch as she made her way down the walkway, cursing, throwing her cigarette onto the lawn. He ran toward the front door. "Sarah wait!" She stopped dead in her tracks. "Let me.. Call you a cab or something." She turned around and walked to the door. "Hi Mrs. Montgomery." She waved at the elderly woman watering her flowers. "Asshole.." She said walking past Norton, he pulled her toward him by the hand and kissed her. "I loved that car.." She stared into his eyes. "Even more than you love me?" Norton asked with his arms around her waist. "Yes." She said without hesitation, and kissed him back. "In case you missed it earlier. An unfortunate chain of events has left the winner of last night's contest, unable to compete in this years Tournament." The host said on the screen. "Hang on.." Norton walked into the living room, Sarah's lips still locked in position, she put her head down and trailed behind him. "It seems that he failed, in his attempt to scan the bar-code on the bottom of the issued paper, make sure that your slip is not damaged by any liquids and is as smooth as possible." Norton looked at his piece of paper crumpled on the ground. "No!" He picked it up and tried to smooth it out. "Since it's only fair to pick a number closest to the one we chose originally. Can contestant number 15- Oh. 14. Sorry.." She laughed nervously. "062, and 14,064-" "That's you!" Sarah jumped onto Norton and kissed him. "Let's go! What're we waiting for?" She slid off him and grabbed the phone.
"..And you are?" The woman sat behind her desk, chewing gum. Norton looked confused, then realized he was supposed to hand her the paper. "Norton Peterson. Here." She looked at the paper with blood splattered on it. "Hmm.." She held it like a used tissue, then scanned it. Sarah looked at Norton in anger as it didn't beep. "..She can't go in." The woman said as the scanner finally beeped. "..Go up the elevator to the top floor. And they'll tell you everything.." She said unimpressed and Norton turned toward the elevator to start walking. "Good luck." Sarah said as the doors closed behind him. When he finally reached the top floor, two men guided him to a set of doors.
Four men stood in the center of the room. "You've finally arrived." The man in front of two armed guards said. "Come. Join us. We were just discussing, the terms.. Of your contracts." He smiled. "Contracts?" Norton asked as he made his way to the group. "You mean." Norton grabbed a drink from the robot that approached. "You're taking both of us?" Norton asked. "Of course. This is our chance to show, how giving the tournament is.. How anyone can compete." Norton took a sip of his glowing light-blue drink. "Well, you have me sold. Where do I sign?" Norton held the drink in his left hand and grabbed the pen with his other. "Right here.."
"Would you look at this place?" Sarah was amazed by the decoration and furniture. "What team are you on?" She tapped a screen near the living room. "Red." Sarah touched the screen and most of the furniture, turned red. "What do you think?" She asked. "Yeah, it's nice." Norton walked toward the window. "The view anyway.." Sarah put the tips of her fingers on his shoulders. "..Know what would make this better?" He looked back and she unlaced her dress, then kissed him. "Norton Perterson.. Your team is waiting for you downstairs sir." A voice announced through a speaker near the door. Sarah smiled, and whispered in his ear. "Tell them they can wait.." She kissed him on the cheek. "..They can't wait. We're going live in twenty minutes." The voice answered. "What?" Sarah reached for her dress and covered herself, looking at all sides of the room.
"I better get down there.." Norton walked toward the door. "Wish me luck.." Norton put his hand on the control panel. "Lu-" Sarah was interrupted by the voice over the speaker. "Mr. Peterson.." The door opened manually. "If you'll excuse us. We really must be going.." The woman scorned Sarah, who was now hiding behind a chair, then walked down the hallway, Norton followed. "So I'm going to weapons training?" Norton asked as they entered the elevator. "No." The woman replied coldly. "Since you've arrived later than we anticipated. We've been running a little.. Behind schedule." She looked at the holo-screen she was holding in her hand. "How far behind?" Norton watched the floor number decreasing. "You're skipping weapons training entirely, and jumping straight into the action.." She adjusted her coat and Norton turned to ask her. "Can they do that?" The woman looked at Norton frightfully. "Yes.. I'm afraid they can."
The doors opened up, and she guided Norton out. "But I'm sure you'll do just peachy.. Ta-ta!" The woman vanished behind the elevator doors.