Disclaimer: I don't own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.
The next round of the tournament was going to take place in lofty heights: A canyon, extremely steep, with the river running at the bottom of it. A faint silver line way down on the ground… At least usually. Today, for some strange reason, the river was obscured by thick, almost billowing mist, a rather uncommon occurrence in this area.
Neither the fighters nor the organizers of the spectacle had time or energy to contemplate the matter much, though. The tournament demanded their full attention. Again the basic idea was very simple – the participant who made it to the other side of the canyon first would win the round, the other one was out and could go home.
There was an additional twist, though. This time around the contenders were not only competing with each other, they also had to stay within a certain time limit. Everybody had five minutes to cross the abyss. If it took you five minutes and one second, you were out.
Theoretically nobody was supposed to die. De facto, however, killing your opponent allowed you to gain a significant edge when it came to beating the clock…
The participants had to use rope bridges to get across the canyon. They were built in one of the simplest forms possible: A footrope and approximately head-high above it a single guide rope – that was it. But again, there was a twist to it. Two of these constructions were built next to each other and ran from the starting point onwards in parallel – at least up to a certain point right in the middle of the canyon, where they merged. A highly interesting design that, from a bird's eye view, looked like a big "Y".
From that merging point onwards, only one bridge led to the finish. To get to the other side first, you had to get to the merging point first – and of course your chances for that infinitely rose if you kicked your opponent into the abyss first. It was no coincidence that the rope bridges were swinging so freely…
… … …
Eva Khan was in a dilemma. She was a very good fighter, agile and swift, but great heights were her Achilles' heel. The wind up here on this cliff was enormous; it pulled at the ropes of the bridges and made them shake even without anyone hanging onto them. She didn't even want to imagine what it would feel like to be right above the yawning abyss, with nothing to hold onto except those ridiculously thin ropes… it was a good thing the mist was covering up how high they actually were.
Speaking of…
"We need more fog, Ilsa." Guerrero's voice via earpiece.
"I am working on it, but there's something wrong with the machine, it seems to be… hiccupping…" Ilsa, perched on a small ledge about fifteen feet underneath the rope bridge construction, gave the fog machine her strictest "I'm the boss here"-stare as she punched the on/off button one more time. Of course it didn't work. Well, it had been worth a try.
"The fog is starting to clear, two or three more minutes and we'll become visible", Ames chimed in. Together with Guerrero she was in charge of the safety net hidden a couple of feet underneath the screen of mist Ilsa was supposed to create. They were both dressed up in full climbing harness and ready to get any participant who'd come falling down the abyss. The sedative to keep those people calm was already prepared, so was the duct tape and the cable fixers they'd use to tie them up.
Winston would watch over their temporary captives once they were off the net. The plan was to transport them to the next settlement, pour alcohol over them and cut them loose in a bar. The sedative would affect their memory; they wouldn't be able to put the events back together in hindsight.
"Almost like a spider", Chance had chuckled when he had assigned Ames with net duty. "The moment somebody lands in your net you'll poison him, wrap him up nicely and store him away."
Of course Ames had objected. "You didn't seriously just compare me to an ugly, hairy insect predator?"
"You have to admit, there are certain similarities…" He had given her one of his trademark little boy smiles. Unfortunately for him, Ames was beginning to develop a certain immunity.
"Aren't you afraid of spiders?"
Touché. But of course Chance had tried playing it cool and just rolled his eyes. "Only one special kind of spider – the banana spider, most poisonous spider in the world."
"Well, if I were you I'd watch out for the black widow, too."
"Ilsa, if the fog clears and they see us, it's all over." Guerrero's voice again, patient, calm, not threatening, not urging, simply stating a fact.
"I've tried everything, checked all possible sources of error…." Ilsa was getting desperate. Ever since yesterday evening she knew there was even more at stake than Eva Khan's soul and the future of the Temple – this was also about saving an important part of Chance's and Guerrero's past. This place had once protected them from becoming monsters…
The fog was thinning significantly. If anyone looked downwards now… They had chosen white rope for the net, less visible from great heights, but still…
"Bloody thing!" Ilsa kicked the fog machine.
It toppled over, started rolling… oh no, directly towards the… Ilsa lunged forwards and managed to grab the device just when it reached the end of the ledge. Lying flat out on her stomach, knees bruised from her unexpected baseball slide, she held onto it with only her fingertips.
"Bloody, bloody thing!", she cursed through clenched teeth.
At which the machine started spitting fog again – a huge, mighty cloud of whitish stuff, directly in her face.
"Well done, boss!", came the unison praise from her team members. Ilsa however, leaning against the canyon wall, eyes stinging and face sticky, couldn't help but think that sometimes she did miss her office in London and the paperwork.
… … …
Eva didn't watch her opponent disappear in the mist. It was bad enough knowing that with one simple kick she had sent him on a tumbling fall that would inevitably end with his death. She really didn't need to see it.
He hadn't left her much of a choice, really. The way he had attacked her… It had been either him or her… Part of Eva was relieved. Now she knew for sure that she could kill. She'd need that ability for the final battle.