Chapter Thirty-Five

 

He was the first person Choo-Choo noticed when he entered the arena midway through the first fight. He'd waited until the crowds were thickest to reduce the chance of being identified. Not that he thought they were looking for him or his sister. They were probably assumed dead from the maetrie construct, but he didn't want to give them that chance. The ticket price had been astronomical, but they still had cash to spare. Vasilisa had stayed back at the hotel, claiming a headache, but he knew that the fights only reminded her of Andelei.

"Can you hurry up?" asked a guy from behind, shoving him from the back.

Choo-Choo had stilled when he'd seen Navos on the platform. The guy behind him tried to nudge him forward, but he lacked the leverage. Choo-Choo stayed a moment longer than necessary before continuing along the passage to reach his seat. He ended up about a hundred feet from the platform. Seeing Navos only reminded him that their raid on the complex had been a disaster. He missed Navos more than he allowed himself to contemplate. The tall, blond waku had been the cheerful counter to his morose moods. But now he didn't look the same. He had the blank countenance one might expect on a statue.

Applause startled him out of his thoughts as the first match came to a conclusion with Bo Kan as the winner. Choo-Choo hadn't cared who won, as he thought both competitors had little chance of beating any of the others in the top eight. He wished that Kuma had been in one of their spots so they could have two bloodstones. Choo-Choo didn't give much hope to his former rival's chances against the seven-foot-tall Brodarian.

Halfway through the third fight, Choo-Choo sensed movement on the platform. He caught Titus Cabone in his black gear ascending to join Dominion and his daughter. The arrival of the mercenary leader made Choo-Choo want to leave the arena and at the same time, get closer so he could hear what he had to say. An attempt to listen with his amber proved fruitless as the crowd's energetic chanting was covering up anything said on the platform.

Choo-Choo rose from his seat and made his way closer, hoping to get in range before the conversation ended. He kept his head down while he watched their expressions, catching Dominion looking unhappy with what Titus had to say. Fearing he was going to miss it, Choo-Choo barreled over a couple of attendees to make it to the outer ring, where he hurried near the platform, feigning looking for his seat.

"I don’t care what you have to do. Throw more men at it. We're too close to give up now," said Dominion.

"It's proved more resistant than expected," said Titus.

"If you have to personally acquire it for me, I suggest that you do so. I'm not paying you these considerable sums for your constant failure. Maybe I should have had Kavano stay. He might be a pain in my ass but he's reliable."

Titus glowered quietly, but bowed his head. "You'll have it by the end of the tournament."

"That's better."

The black-clad mercenary left the platform. Choo-Choo lingered as he watched Navos stare out across the crowd with a blank expression. What did they do to you? He'd never known his friend to be still. Ever. Whenever he bunked over, part of the reason they stayed up all night talking was because Navos fidgeted like a kid after the candy store. There was no point in sleeping.

A hand grabbed his upper arm, startling him. "I know you."

Choo-Choo froze. He'd been recognized from the trip to the excavation site by one of the guards. He knew it. He turned slowly, formulating his escape out of the arena, which would only work due to the heavy crowds.

The Alliance guard uniform had Choo-Choo wondering what stones he might have in case he had to quickly disable him. Choo-Choo didn’t recognize him, but there'd been other guards at the entrance when they'd made the bribe. The tense standoff had the guard furrowing his forehead as if something wasn't as expected. Choo-Choo squeezed his hand into a fist, preparing the first blow.

"I saw you push those people over back there. I don't know what you think this place is, but we don't tolerate that kind of behavior."

The unexpected admonishment had a curt laugh slipping from his lips. The Alliance uniform, which had at one time brought concern as a rising power in the Undercity, looked more like a janitor's outfit.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again," Choo-Choo said. "Now if you would excuse me, I think I remembered my buddies are in a different section."

Choo-Choo slipped past the incredulous guard, working his way back to the other area. He reached it as the third fight ended, leaving the final match between Kuma and Noctus Prime. As he settled into his seat, he hoped that Kuma at least survived with all his limbs.