Contest

hoodaya.'

The four smaller creatures -- hoodaya, Swain guessed -- had now formed a wide circle above the aisle containing the insect-like Konda.

The Konda hadn't moved an inch. It hadn't noticed them.

Not yet.

Bellos lowered his hand. And then he turned away.

Swain saw the Konda immediately shift its weight.

It hasn't got a clue, he thought as he gripped the railing. Hasn't got a prayer...

It was then that the four hoodaya leapt down from their perches.

Into the aisle below.

Hideous, high-pitched, alien shrieks filled the atrium. The bookshelves on either side of the aisle shook as the Konda flung itself violently from side to side in the face of the sudden onslaught.

Swain saw Hawkins' face go blank with horror. Selexin was just stunned. Swain pulled Holly close to him, turned her face away from the scene, 'Don't watch, honey.'

The godawful shrieking continued.

And then, without warning, the near bookcase fell over and suddenly Swain saw the whole grisly scene -- saw the Konda, screaming madly, completely covered by the four hoodaya, its two venom-tipped forelimbs splayed wide, pinned to the ground by two of the hoods, while the other two attack creatures tore ferociously at its face and stomach. In seconds the Konda's steel breathing mask was ripped from its head and the hapless creature's shrieks became desperate, hoarse gasps.

And then, abruptly, the pained gasping stopped and the Konda's body slumped to the ground, limp.

But the hoodaya didn't stop. Swain saw their long needle-like teeth open wide and plunge into its hide. Blood spurted out in all directions as one hoodaya ripped a large chunk of flesh from the Konda's carcass and held it aloft in triumph.

Swain's head snapped left as he heard another noise.

Footsteps.

Rapid footsteps. Soft, barely audible, getting softer. Running away.

One of the hoods heard it, too -- lifted its head from its feeding. It leapt from its mount on the Konda's body and raced off into the nearest aisle, heading for the stairwell.

Swain didn't know what was going on until he heard a stumbling noise, like someone being crash-tackled to the floor.

And then he heard another scream -- a desperate, pathetic yelp -- that stopped no sooner than it had begun.

Swain heard Selexin gulp next to him and he realised.

It had been the guide. The Konda's guide. Swain saw the look on Selexin's face. The other guide had never stood a chance.

Swain looked back at the dead Konda and the hoods on top of it.

'Selexin.'

No reply.

Selexin was simply staring into space, in shock.

'Selexin,' he whispered, nudging the little man back to his senses.

'W... what?'

'Quickly,' Swain said harshly, trying to get Selexin out of his daze. 'Tell me about them. These hoodaya, or whatever the hell it is you call them.'

Selexin swallowed. 'Hoods are hunting animals. Bellos is a hunter. Bellos uses hoods to hunt. Simple.'

'Hey,' Swain said. 'Just tell me, okay.'

'Why? It won't matter. Not anymore.'

'Why not?'

'Mister Swain, I commend you. Your previous efforts had until now given me some hope of survival. Already you have exceeded any previous human effort in the Presidian. But now,' Selexin was talking quickly, desperately, 'now I have the misfortune to tell you that you have just witnessed the signing of your own death warrant.'

'What?'

'You cannot win. The Presidian is over. Bellos has defiled the rules. If he is discovered, which he won't be because he is too clever, he will be disqualified -- killed. But if he isn't, he will win. No- one can escape Bellos if he has hoods. They are the ultimate hunter's tool. Remorseless and vicious. With them by his side, Bellos is unstoppable.'

Selexin shook his head.

'Do you remember the Karanadon?' he said, pointing to the green light on Swain's wristband.

'Yes.' Swain had actually forgotten about it, but he didn't tell Selexin that.

'Only one hunter being has ever successfully killed a Karanadon in the wild. And do you know who that was?'

'Tell me.'

'Bellos. With his hoods:

'Great.'

There was an awkward silence.

Then Swain said, 'Okay then, how did he get them here? If he was brought here just like I was, wouldn't you guys have made sure that he didn't bring anything with him?'

'That's exactly right, but there must have been a way ... something he found that no-one thought of... some way to teleport them in--'

'Hey,' Hawkins touched Swain's shoulder. 'He's doing something.'

Bellos was bent over the Konda's body, doing something that Swain couldn't see. When at last he stood, Bellos had the Konda's breathing mask in his hands. A trophy.

He fastened the mask to a loop on his belt, and then he barked a sharp order to the three hoods that were still feasting on the Konda's torso. They immediately jumped off the dead contestant's body and stood behind Bellos, at the same time as the fourth hood returned from the stairwell, large shreds of blood-stained white cloth dangling from its teeth and claws.

Then Bellos walked over to a semi-circular desk in the middle of the atrium. Swain could just make out the words on the sign hanging above it: INFORMATION.

Behind him, he heard Hawkins take a quick breath.

Bellos bent down behind the Information Desk, picked up something in one of his large black hands and carried it back over to the Konda's body.

As soon as he saw it, Swain knew what it was. It was small, white and limp. Bellos' own guide.

Bellos said something quickly, and the hoods darted behind the Information Desk. Then he draped his guide's lifeless body over his shoulder and pointed it toward the dead contestant.

'Initialise!' Bellos said, loudly.

Instantly, a small sphere of brilliant white light appeared above the dead guide's head, illuminating the wide open space of the atrium. Instinctively, Swain bent lower behind the railing, away from the light. The white sphere glowed for about five seconds until it vanished abruptly and the atrium was dark once more.

Selexin turned solemnly to Swain. 'That, Mister Swain, was Bellos confirming his first kill.'

----ooo0ooo------

Swain turned to the group gathered around him. 'I think it's time to get out of here.'

'I think you're right,' Hawkins was already moving away from the railing.

Swain grabbed Balthazar and heaved him onto his shoulder. 'Holly,' he whispered, 'quick honey, the elevator.'

'Okay.'

He turned to Hawkins, 'We'll go back to the elevator. Stop it between floors again. That's been the safest