Page 24 of Harmless
That got people moving. And screaming. But it was the moving part that was important.
While the resort staff dealt with the chaos of a few hundred panicked, stampeding people, now we had to deal with the gladiators.
To keep any curious spectators from looking too closely at us, LJ lobbed a smoke grenade into the stadium seats. Riders from the Valkyrie Network guarded the sections of lower seats to prevent anyone from running out into the sandpit, which was where I needed to go next.
I left the small office and jogged down the stairs in LJ’s section, patting his armored back as I passed him. “Good job, keep it up.”
“Thanks, boss.” He fired a couple more shots in the air to spook an especially slow group of people. “Let’s move it, people! The resort is permanently closed for business. No, you may not ask questions, just move your asses.”
Hopping over the final barrier, I was out in the fighting pit. And shit, Santos hadn’t called it the sands for no reason. The ground was shifty, almost fluid beneath my feet. Every step felt like I was sinking in a little.
A group of men stood across the pit, watching me run toward them. There had to be at least a dozen fighters out there. With all the spectators that had been in the crowd, this looked like it was going to be a massive, battle-royale type of fight.
It seemed we arrived just in time.
I tried to scan faces in the darkness, looking for the two faces that had haunted my every waking moment since I was forced away from this place. One man started toward me, running at full speed, but with all the chaotic noise and lack of light, I couldn’t make out his features clearly.
“Stop! I have a gun!” I shouted, drawing my weapon from my holster.
The figure didn’t slow until he crashed into me, wrapping me in a hug that felt just as good and familiar as my motorcycle seat.
“Fuck, I’m so glad to see you.” Torr’s voice was muffled, his face pressed into my neck.
“Torr! Oh my God, are you okay?” I nearly buckled under the weight of him but held on just as tightly as he held me, my hands running up to his face and neck.
“You don’t want to kiss me, creep,” he warned. “I smell and probably taste like a sweaty asshole.”
My laughter was cut short by the feeling of wetness on my hand. I pulled my fingers away from his hair to see dark, sticky blood coating my skin. “Shit, are you hurt? Did you hit your head?”
He pulled away and felt the back of his head with a grimace. “Had a little tussle, but I’ll be okay.”
“Torr, a head injury is serious.”
“Damn, it’s so good to argue with you again.” He gave me that sexy, lopsided smile, but it was far too early to enjoy our reunion yet.
“Areyouthe one rescuing us?” The question came from a tall, leanly muscled fighter with crosses tattooed next to his eyes. He carried a pair of short swords at his sides, turning to me like he was ready to use them.
“Yes,” I answered. “Surprised?”
“You could say that.”
“My name’s Aurora Wilder.” I lifted my chin, projecting my voice so everyone in the fighting ring could hear me. “And I’m here with some capable fighters of my own. We’re here to shut down the resort for good, but we need your help.” I scanned the faces watching me, my heart leaping when I saw Santos among them. “Help us fight back against the people who have used you, enslaved you, and took away your humanity.”
“What do you want from us?” someone called out.
“Nothing!” I spread my arms out. “You are free to go your own ways afterward, or come with us as long as you don’t harm my people.”
“Yeah, fuck this place!” yelled another guy.
I raised my hand before the hooting and hollering became too loud. “While we’re here, I’m requesting you bring me four people alive.” I tucked in my thumb to make the number 4. “Bring me Nella and the three guards whose preferred weapons are the spiked brass knuckles.”
“I’m gonna kill Nella!”
“I’m asking that you don’t.”
Bright light filled the arena just as I said that, the floodlights humming as they re-powered. We figured there would be a backup generator somewhere. The darkness was just so I could have enough time to talk to the fighters.
Shouts and movement echoed all around the near-empty colosseum. The armed guards were getting into position at the exits, and I could only hope the gladiators would pick our side and hadn’t succumbed to any kind of Stockholm Syndrome in this place.
