Electric. They screamed and cheered, eager for the next fight to begin.
It was the night after I’d seen my father in his cell deep beneath the Arena. The second fight of the Games was set to commence in ten minutes, the first having been concluded this morning.
According to the schedule I glimpsed, there were two fights set for each day. A morning match and an evening match. That meant that—every day—four people left the Arena alive, and four people left dead.
The first match up had been an ex-army ranger and an MMA fighter versus a boxer and a martial artist. Their images, along with their stats—name, age, height, weight, strengths, weaknesses and list of skills—all appeared on a massive jumbotron that hung suspended in the air above the oval, right over their heads.
At first, both teams had refused to fight, even going as far as to beg and plead with the crowd to help them. When that didn’t work, they turned to anger, yelling and screaming what heartless bastards we all were.
Once the crowd started to boo, that was when Talon stepped in.
He had appeared on the jumbotron in a $50,000 tux with a martini glass in his hand and a bright, beaming smile on his face. It was the kind of smile that made it glaringly obvious he had veneers. I think he would have been a handsome man, if he hadn’t been jamming botox into his face. He had that look, that “I’ve had hundreds of plastic surgery operations so I don’t look as old as I am” look.
Talon had given the fighters a choice. They could either fight or die, right where they stood. That kicked things right into gear. There was nothing more motivating than the threat of impending death to really get things moving.
The fight had been brutal. They were fighting on the sand terrain and, despite being united at the beginning, things quickly turned into a massive free-for-all. Both teams dove for the weapons that were laid out, trying to get the upper hand. Knives cut. Axes swung. Bats smashed. It was the epitome of blood and violence.
In the end, only one team remained victorious, moving onto the next round. The ex-army ranger, Samuel Marlon and the MMA fighter, Jessica Clifford. Once it was over, Jessica had curled up into a ball and wailed, covered in blood. Samuel seemed to handle it a bit better. I suspected it might not have been the first time the man had taken a life.
The fight had been broadcast to the other prisoners in their cells via a bunch of cameras spread out throughout the oval. That same footage was also displayed on the jumbotron so everyone in the Arena could see what was going on, no matter where they sat.
It was an arena style seating. The wealthiest had box seats at the very top, and the least wealthy had to stand at the bottom. I’d tried to get a glimpse of the people up there but they were too far away.
As one of the lower-level soldiers in Talon’s employ, I was stuck on the ground floor, doing crowd control along with Ryan, Luke, John and a bunch of others.
The bright side was that I did have a front row seat to the fights.
“Are we ready for Round Two of the Til Death Games?!” A voice blared out through the speakers.
The crowd roared. Everybody jumped to their feet, screaming and clapping as the Arena darkened and the jumbotron displayed the first set of fighters.
“We have a special treat for you tonight, ladies and gentleman! A truly special, special treat. Let’s meet our first team!” A spotlight shone into the oval, revealing a tall, athletic woman and a strong, muscular man. They both held a hand up to shield their eyes from the glaring light of the spotlight, walking further into the oval with dazed expressions. “Lily Nicole is a Master Sergeant in the Marines with over thirty-three confirmed kills.” The camera zoomed in on Lily, following her every move as the announcer continued to introduce her. A photo of her appeared next to the live feed with her stats. “Weighing in at only ninety pounds, she might seem small and unthreatening, but she is anything but! Her skills guarantee a good fight!”
The crowd cheered again. The camera panned to the man next.
“Roger Ward is someone to watch, folks! President of a vicious motorcycle gang in Las Vegas, he’s dangerous, ruthless and has no qualms getting a little blood on his hands!”
The announcer continued to talk Lily and Roger up, getting the crowd more and more excited with each passing second. They seemed like worthy opponents. Their only weakness would be Lily’s morality. She was a Marine. She’d have a clear cut line between right and wrong. She could struggle with killing someone for blood sport.
I didn’t think Roger would have that same problem though. He might be a bit dazed by the whole situation, but he was a stone-cold killer, most likely thanks to his occupation.
The Arena darkened again. “Alright! Time to meet their opponents!” the announcer yelled out. “I have a feeling you guys are gonna love these ones! That’s right! It’s the duo we know you’ve all been dying to see!”
The spotlight shone on the next two people, and my whole body ran cold.
No.
Dimitri Volkov stood in the oval, his expression dark and murderous. Like the fighters before him, his collar was gone, and he just stood there bare-chested, staring out into the crowd with cold, dead eyes. That look on his face…that wasn’t my father out there. No. My father was somewhere else, locked away in his mind. The person out there was the Bratva Butcher.
The woman came into view, walking up to his side. They stood together, a united front. Contradicting, considering how I’d seen them in the cell the night before. They must have put their differences aside for the fight.
“The Bratva Butcher and The Crimson Death!” the announcer roared.
The crowd went wild, the screaming and cheering so loud, I had to cover my ears.
She was the Crimson Death? She was rumoured to be one of the deadliest assassins on the planet. I was beyond shocked. I’d grown up hearing stories about her. Her identity had always been a secret, but the few glimpses of blazing red hair had been what had given her the moniker of the Crimson Death, because that was all her marks saw of her before they met their end. Her skills were renowned. Fast. Efficient. Resourceful. Intelligent. Incredible hand-to-hand combat. Expert marksmanship.
No wonder the crowd was going so fucking crazy. Individually, my father and this woman were legends. But together? Together, they were a powerhouse couple.
Father was a pro at hiding his emotions. However, the moment the announcer revealed the woman’s identity, even he couldn’t hide the flicker of surprise that went through his eyes. He looked down at her and she smiled up at him brightly, full of cheekiness. Like they weren’t about to fight for their lives or anything.
The crowd was still going berserk, cheering and chanting for the Deadly Duo. The announcer couldn’t even finish introducing them because they were screaming so loud, impatient for the fight to begin.
“Alright! I see everyone is eager to get the night going! So, why don’t we get to it?! Ladies and gentleman, Round Two of the Til Death Games!”
Tense, nervous energy filled me when the oval flooded with light and the cameras panned in on the fighters. I had complete faith in my father and his skills, but there was something truly sickening about watching someone you love in a dangerous situation, regardless of how good they were, and not being able to do a damn thing to stop it. Anything could happen. And I would just have to stand there and watch it.
Music came on in the background, something dark and bassy to fit with the event of the night. Father and Autumn (that was the name next to her image on the jumbotron) spread out, sizing up their targets. She took Lily and he took Roger, clearly having come up with some sort of attack plan prior to the fight. They stayed close enough so that they’d be able to reach each other if need be, but far enough away to be able to fight unhindered.
I continued my lap around the Arena ground floor, making out like I was doing my job, monitoring the crowd, when really my entire focus was down there in the oval.
They were in the grass terrain and small obstacles had been placed throughout it: rocks, boulders, logs. There was even a small stream running from one side to the other, separating the two teams.
There were only two weapons that I could see accessible—an axe and a machete—which would mean it would be a fight to get to them first. They seemed to be placed at an equal distance from each team, so it would all come down to who was faster.
There was no countdown. No ticking clock for when the fight was to begin. Both teams just stared at each other from across the field.
Then everything snapped into action.
They ran for each other, leaping over whatever obstacle was in their way as they sprinted towards the weapons. Father was quick, despite his big size. So was Roger. They reached the axe at the same time and both chose to leave it and engage in hand-to-hand combat rather than risk bending down to pick it up.
Father front-kicked and Roger leapt to the left, dodging it. Father swung a reverse elbow and then pivoted quickly to jab at Roger’s abdomen. He groaned at the blow but recovered fast, lashing out with his own strike. They exchanged blows, neither one holding anything back as they punched and kicked, using all of their quickness and strength to try to catch the other off guard.
Autumn and Lily were in the same situation, both fighting each other ruthlessly to try and get the upper hand. Lily slipped and Autumn rolled along the grass, picking up the machete. She swung for Lily’s head. Lily dove out of the way and scrambled, looking for something to use to defend herself. Someone threw a shield down into the oval and Lily picked it up, using it to block the blow Autumn delivered right at the last second, the sound of metal on metal ringing through the air.
My gaze moved back to Father and Roger. They were circling each other, fists up and bodies crouched, coiled to strike. The crowd screamed for more bloodshed. More violence. They wouldn’t be happy until they’d torn each other limb from limb.
Roger kicked some pebbles near the stream into my father’s face. He hissed, scratching at his face and Roger charged, tackling him to the ground. The crowd groaned in unison. Roger started pounding and Father did his best to block but the MC president had the upper hand. He held the advantage.
Get up. Get up.
Father deflected his blows and then reared forward, wrapping his arms around Roger’s head in a headlock and pulling him down. He tried to get free, but Father held tight, his legs curling around his waist and strengthening the hold. Roger’s arm shot out to the side, his hand searching for something to use as a weapon. His fingers curled around a rock and then he struck Father across the face with it.
The blow was hard enough to disorient him and Father’s hold loosened. Roger burst free and raised his arm, rock in his hand, preparing to strike him again. Out of nowhere came Autumn. She rammed into Roger from the side, tackling him off Father.
The crowd roared.
They rolled along the ground, fighting for the dominant position, and when they finally stopped rolling, she was on the bottom, her arms around his neck and legs locked around him in a perfect, textbook rear naked choke.
Roger struggled. Lily shuffled over, trying to get to him to help him, but her leg was dragging behind her. Had Autumn broken it?
Father jumped to his feet and kicked her in the chest when she tried to pass him. Lily went flying back, landing in a heap with a pain-filled cry that could be heard over the roaring crowd. Father didn’t hesitate to pick up the axe and, thanks to the hold Autumn had on Roger, lodged it deep into his exposed chest with a powerful swing.
Roger screamed in agony, his whole body bucking. Autumn let go and shuffled out from underneath him as Father prepared to strike again. The axe cut into his arm next, the force behind it so strong that Father severed the limb entirely. Blood sprayed, drenching him from head to toe, but that didn’t stop him from swinging again. And again, and again. He hacked into Roger until he was in tiny little pieces, not stopping even when the man was long dead.
Autumn made her way over to Lily, who was still clutching her chest, groaning in pain, her whole body curled up into a ball. Both women were covered in dirt, water and blood. The tell-tale signs of a brutal and vicious fight. I’m pretty sure I could see locks of Autumn’s blazing red hair out there in the grass. Hair-pulling hadn’t even been off limits. Women fought dirty.
Autumn picked up the machete casually, kicked Lily onto her back and then swung the weapon without a shred of hesitation, the sharp edge of the blade lodging deep into Lily’s forehead. Her face froze in a mixture of horror and pain and then her entire body slumped, her life vanishing into the night.
There was a brief moment of silence and then the crowd broke out into an enormous cheer, screaming and chanting ‘Deadly Duo! Deadly Duo!’ They stomped their feet. Banged whatever they had along the metal railings. They tried to make as much noise as was possible to convey how much they fucking loved what they had just witnessed.
Father joined Autumn at her side, blood literally dripping down his face and his body covered in gore. The axe was still in his hand.
“Your winner’s of Round Two of the Til Death Games! The Bratva Butcher and The Crimson Death!” the announcer roared.
The camera panned in closely on them. They did nothing but stare ahead with emotionless expressions. There was no celebration. No waving to the screaming audience who had come here to watch them. Nothing.
Then the oval darkened and I exhaled in relief, knowing my father had survived his first fight in the games.
I used the cover of night to sneak out of my room and towards the security tower. It was 2 a.m. and, although the majority of people were in bed asleep, there were still a few people up. Mainly security doing patrols.
After the second round of the games had finished, the crowd had quickly dissipated, though the night had been far from over. A lot of the guests went to the bars and casinos on the island, drinking and partying the night away.
I couldn’t wait one more moment to get what I needed. Not after what I witnessed. Although Father had won, I didn’t want him to be in that situation again. I had to get him out before his next fight, and the only way I was going to do that was if I broke into that security tower, found the coordinates for this island and sent them to my brother.
Easier said than done.
I had clearance to enter the building, yes, but to get to the top floor where the command centre was? That, I didn’t have. But I had a plan.
Each worker had a badge with their image and a barcode on it to scan. I managed to lift one from one of the A-team soldiers after the fight and, after a little tweaking, altered it to make it seem like my badge instead, replacing the photo with one of me. The problem lay with the barcode. I wasn’t sure what information came up when they scanned it, but I knew whatever it was, it wouldn’t match with the badge. Not unless I could access a computer and change the records.
That wasn’t possible either, since all of the computers were in top level security places. So, the only thing I could think of to do was fuck with the barcode so it wouldn’t scan, and hope that whoever was on duty at the door would be too tired to give a fuck. All I needed to do was get up there.
I approached the security tower with slow, measured steps, like I was in no hurry at all, when really it was the opposite. I was running out of time and felt the need to rush. But I knew I had to keep my cool and act completely nonchalant, or I’d risk being discovered.
The man on guard was someone I hadn’t met before. Despite the time, he was still extremely vigilant, his gaze scanning his surroundings on the constant lookout for danger. There was also a slight droopiness to his eyes, like he was having trouble keeping them open.
“Hello, I—”
“Badge,” the man grunted, clearly not in the mood for pleasantries. Which was usually fine with me, but his annoyed mood didn’t really work well in my favour. He was just as likely to say “fuck off” as he was not to give a crap and let me in.
I held up the badge I’d altered and he tried to scan it. When nothing happened, he released a frustrated breath and continued trying, moving the scanner this way and that way, trying to get it to read the barcode.
It wouldn’t work. I’d made sure of that.
“For fuck’s sake,” he groaned.
“Technology, hey,” I shrugged, trying to crack a joke. Lighten the mood. The man just grunted again, and didn’t stop trying to scan the barcode. “Look, I only have to run in there quickly and grab something I left behind. Maybe you could-”
“No one goes in without their badge being scanned.”
Fucking hell.
“Totally get it. You’ve got a job to do. I understand that. How about—”
“Look, man. You’re not getting in unless this thing scans. End of—” he frowned, his hand going up to the side of his face to touch the earpiece in his ear. He tsked, looking down at the badge again before handing it back to me. “I have to go handle something. You go in and come right back out, you hear me? No fucking around.”
“Got it.” I couldn’t believe my luck. The man turned on his heel and left, disappearing around the corner of the building.
I kept my pace brisk but not rushed as I walked across the main floor towards the elevator. There were a few people around, but not nearly as many as that first day. I rode the lift up to the top floor, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
I watched the numbers move up and up with each floor we ascended. Only a few more and I was one step closer to my goal. One step closer to saving my father. There was still so much that needed to be done, but if I could just get those coordinates, everything would be alright.
I was already past the deadline my siblings and I had agreed to. We had hoped to get my father out of here before the games even began, before he even had to fight. But it had taken me longer than I’d anticipated to not only gather the information I needed, but also get into the building.
I feared that, because they hadn’t heard from me, my siblings may have taken matters into their own hands. It could jeopardize our original plan. I had to hope that, despite not being the most patient people, they’d waited like we planned.
The elevator dinged, announcing my arrival on the top floor. I took a deep breath in and let it out to steady myself.
You’re almost there, Nikolai. Almost there.
The doors whooshed open and I took a step forward, preparing to step out. Shock froze me on the spot.
Dominik stood in front of me, pointing a gun at my chest. “Hello, nephew,” he said, a victorious smile on his face. Something sharp pierced my neck and I grunted. My hand drifted upwards, fingers curling around what felt like a dart. I pulled it out and looked down at it.
What?
My whole world tilted, blurriness snaking into my vision. There was another bite of pain, then another. I slumped against the elevator wall, trying to figure out what was going on, trying to get my bearings, but my body started to go numb. Dizziness gripped me. I swayed on my feet, fumbling for my gun, but it was too late. Whatever was in that dart took me over. I fell forward, succumbing to the darkness.
