CHAPTER 3: SWITCHING SIDES
Norton woke up on the floor near the Teleporter Pad. Avalon rolled him over and took his helmet off. "You alright?" She opened his eyes looking at his pupils. "You son of a bitch!" Kregore shouted and kicked Norton in the ribs. "Back up Kreg, you'll kill him!" Avalon pushed Kregore back. "Looks like something's happening to the red team. Get a camera on them.." The personality said. "I want him off the team." Kregore pointed at Norton. Avalon got in Kregore's face. "Then I'll go with him." They had a stand off for a few seconds. Until they noticed themselves on the big screen. "See you tomorrow.." Kregore walked away. "And good luck. You're gonna need it." Norton got up and rubbed his side. "You didn't have to do that.." Avalon looked at him and took her helmet off. "Whatever. I was the one who got our only point." She walked toward the door and waved Norton over. "Come on. Let's get a drink."
Norton and Avalon sat in the back of a bar that was inside the Dome where the Tournament was being held and broadcast. "So tell me a little bit about yourself." Avalon asked Norton. "What's there to tell?" He watched the match on screen. "My father was a miner, so am I.. I seen the Unreal Tournament when I was a younger, and always wanted to be part of it." He pulled a cigarette from his pack on the table. "Well you didn't do too bad for your first match." Avalon smiled as Norton lit up the cigarette. "..Yeah. What happened after that missile hit anyway?" Norton looked back toward the screen. "After you flew off the roof, you landed somewhere in the river. Just laid there, for twenty whole minutes.. Good thing you had your helmet on." She joked. Norton continued looking at the screen, Slain had just gotten exploded into a mess of bloody chunks. "Nothing like a cigarette after your first match.." She watched with him. "Want one?" He reached for his pack. "Actually, I'm feeling kinda thirsty." She put her hand on the pack, setting it down. "What do you want? I'll get it for you." Norton stood up. "Whatever you're having.." Norton lowered his head slightly. "You want water?" Avalon looked at him confused. "Hmm.." She smirked. "Mind getting me a beer?"
Norton felt kind of cheap going to the bar to get a beer for the girl he's with, while he drank ordinary water. "What can I get you?" The bartender asked. "Slide another two over here will you?" A woman pounded on the counter and signaled, while looking the other direction. "Just some water.." The bartender slid two shots of whiskey to the other side of the bar. "Fountain's outside sweetheart." The woman said as she threw the glass to her lips, then tilted her head back. "..And a beer." Norton said confidently. Trying to prove himself to this complete stranger. The woman walked over to Norton. "Would you look at that, you are a man.." She grabbed the beer from the bartenders hand and took a sip of it, while staring at Norton. Then walked back to her seat. "They bothering you?" Avalon put her hand on Norton's back. "Well, well, well. Meet the newest member of the team Des." The man in the far corner said with a cigar in his mouth. "Avalon, right? I'm Johnson." He tapped the ash of his cigar in Desiree's beer. "I thought they said there were two of you." He questioned. "You're looking at him." Avalon patted Norton on the shoulder and stared at Desiree, who spit out her drink instantly. "What? You go- No.. We're fucked." Desiree shook her head with her mouth open in shock.
"That's it. We're fucked.." She continued while staring at Norton. "We are not fucked." Johnson interrupted. "You. What're you good at?" He asked Avalon as he took a sip of his drink. "Infiltration. Flying. And, I'm not too bad with a Sniper." She sipped hers. "Good.. And him?" Johnson puffed on his cigar and pointed toward Norton. "I know what he's good at-" "Cut the shit Des.. I like how you took down that Manta kid. But that was a Robot, and they don't have the same instincts as a human does." Norton was about to speak. "What about the other Manta?" Avalon interrupted. "Shows he has luck." She continued. Johnson puffed on his cigar and leaned back. "Where's the other guy?" Avalon asked. "We switched Blain and Wraith to get you two." Johnson answered. "We kept the robot.." Desiree vaguely said as she sipped her drink. "We were told that we were getting you and Drake." Johnson outed his cigar. "..Not. Him." Johnson got up and cut his cigar. "Well we're a team now. So get used to it.." Avalon stood in front of Johnson. "Save that team leader shit for tomorrow." Johnson walked out of the room. Desiree sat at the bar. "That went well.." Norton said to Avalon, breaking the silence. "I'm sure it'll get better." Avalon laughed and Norton stood up. "Listen.. I better get going." Avalon turned to him with a shocked expression. "What? I thought we wer- ..Sure." Norton put his glass of water down and went for the door. "Bye." Avalon said, trying to get a response. Norton turned his head, then exited the room. Avalon sat at the bar and glanced over to Desiree. "..'Sup?" Desiree nodded to Avalon.
He opened the doors to the suite he was staying in to find Sarah laying in the dark red bed with the lights off. Norton dimmed the kitchen lights and stared out the window at the massive city in his view. "Norton?" Sarah called out. "..Yeah." Norton turned down the lights and walked to bed. "You might need to change the color of the room.." Norton passed the Control Panel to Sarah. "I seen.." She changed it to grey. "It didn't feel right anyway.." They laid in the dark and watched the skyline.