knew I was in the right place. Slowly I turned to see that I had been deposited exactly where I needed to be. I was standing directly in front of the big, ornate golden gates that led into the garden of Veego and LaBerge. I stood there with my hands on my hips, not entirely sure what to do. Ten seconds later the big metal gates slowly swung open with an eerie creeaaaaaaak. I stood watching until they had opened the whole way and stopped with a loud clang!
I was headed back into the fire.
(CONTINUED)
QUILLAN
“I never thought we’d see you again!” LaBerge said, all bubbly and happy as I walked up the marble stairs toward the front door of the castle. Behind me were the two security dados that had met me as soon as I set foot back inside the front gate. “This is just incredible! Do you know how much excitement is building for the Grand X? It’s impossible! It’s phenomenal! It’s-“
“Yeah, I get it,” I said.
“Oh,” LaBerge said, looking all pouty. “Just wanted to let you know how happy we are to see you back.”
He turned with a huff and stormed into the castle. Veego stood at the top of the stairs, staring at me with those cold, calculating eyes.
“Miss me?” I said, faking a smile.
“They told me you’d be back,” she said coldly. “I didn’t believe them. Yet here you are. I must admit, I don’t understand.”
I walked right up to her and said, “I’m here to win your dumb little contest. Is that a problem?”
Veego said, “Absolutely not. This is going to be the most widely seen Grand X in the history of the games. Your running away has only raised the interest. And now that youVe come back on your own, well, let’s just say we expect the wagering to be very high.”
“Then we’re all good,” I said. “I want to compete and you want to look good to your bosses. Everybody’s happy.” I was being kind of obnoxious, but couldn’t help myself.
Veego continued to stare at me suspiciously. “Don’t push your luck. Challenger Red,” she said. “We aren’t as dumb as you seem to think.”
“Really? How dumb are you?” I asked.
Veego didn’t fight back. “Your quarters haven’t been touched,” she said. “Settle in and we’ll begin the preparation.”
“Terrific,” I said, and walked past her, headed into the castle.
The woman grabbed me by the arm and said, “Just one more thing.”
Before I realized what was happening, she deftly slipped something over my hand and pushed it all the way up my arm. I instantly felt the tight grip of the loop as it grasped my biceps.
“Welcome back. Challenger Red,” she said with a sneer.
I didn’t give her the satisfaction of reacting, though the feeling of being constrained again by one of their leashes made my skin crawl. I continued on into the castle, where someone was waiting for me in the grand entryway.
“Hello, Challenger Red,” Fourteen said formally. “I’ll bring you to your room.”
“Hi, Fourteen,” I said. “Or maybe by now you’re Fifteen.”
My robot friend didn’t even crack a smile.
“Never mind,” I said. “I’m glad to see you.” I really was.
He had been pretty decent to me. I was glad that he was going to be my personal dado again. The two of us walked up the staircase toward my room.
“I wish I could say the same to you, Pendragon,” Fourteen said. “Why did you return?”
“For the Grand X,” I said. “I’m gonna win.”
Fourteen didn’t answer. If a robot could look worried, he looked worried.
“What?” I asked. “Don’t you think I can?”
“You certainly have the ability,” the dado said. “But Challenger Green does not win on ability alone.”
“I know, he’s a rotten cheat,” I said. “Don’t worry. I’m ready for him.”
“I do not think that is possible,” Fourteen said. “At least for you. I cannot see you lowering yourself to compete with his type of tactics.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ve got some tactics of my own, but thanks for your concern.”
Fourteen led me to my room and left me alone. When the door closed behind me, I looked around at the familiar space. I got the same feeling as when I’d jumped out of the car a while before. What had I gotten myself into? Why did I come back to this horror house? Up until that moment it had all felt like theory. Seeing the castle and this room made it real.
The Grand X didn’t happen right away. Nevva was right. Veego and LaBerge wanted to whip up as much excitement as they could. When I did my training, there was always a dado there with a small handheld camera. They were beaming my image all over Quillan so that everybody got to know Challenger Red. I didn’t see Challenger Green much, but the few times I caught a glimpse of him outside lifting weights, or doing exercises, I saw that there was a camera on him, too. I guess it was like showing those “up close and personal” videos of athletes during the Olympics on Second Earth.
Of course, there was no way that Veego and LaBerge could know that all this publicity was playing right into the hands of the revivers. Up until then, all anybody had actually seen of me were the Hook and Tock matches. Now they were seeing hours of me. I imagined my picture being shown on hundreds of screens lining the streets of Rune. It was kind of intimidating, to be honest. I found myself getting nervous. Not about the Grand X. I was more worried that I might not come off as the big “champion” that the revivers were building me up to be. I mean, I was still me. What if nobody was impressed? It would all be for nothing. I found myself trying extra hard during training to look worthy. I ran a little faster and did my best to impress during agility drills. I really wanted to do my part to build up the myth. I figured that was just as important as the actual training.
I had no idea if it was doing any good, until one day when I got an interesting opportunity. Fourteen brought me to the platform where the Tato competitions were held. Waiting there for me were Veego, LaBerge, and Challenger Green. I had no idea what was going on, but tried to act cool.
“Is this it?” I asked. “Are we starting?”
“No!” LaBerge said with excitement as he scampered up to me. “Veego and I thought it would be wonderful if you two could say a few words to the people of Quillan. You know, to let them know how you feel, and how it’s going to be such a fabulous Grand X and all.”
“It was my idea actually,” said Nevva Winter as she stepped up onto the platform. “What better way to let the people of Quillan know who they will be wagering on than to hear from the challengers themselves?”
As Nevva said this, she looked me square in the eye, as if she were trying to tell me something.
“We can say whatever we want?” I asked.
Veego chimed in, “So long as it doesn’t embarrass us, or Blok.”
“Oh, no,” I said sarcastically. “Wouldn’t want to do that!”
Nevva said, “Just tell them what you’re about, and why it’s important for you to win the Grand X.”
Nevva again looked right at me. I realized that she had set this up as a golden opportunity for me to tell the people why I was competing. Every person on Quillan would see this. I had to find the exact right words.
Challenger Green laughed and said, “You mean, there are other reasons for winning besides not getting killed?”
LaBerge was the only one who laughed. When he saw that nobody else did, he stopped. Idiot.
“Let Challenger Green go first,” I said. “He is the champion, he should have the honor.”
Actually, I wanted more time to think about what I was going to say.
“All right,” Green said. “Let’s do this.”
Veego and LaBerge stood together. A service dado appeared with a small camera and pointed it at them.
