Demitria Lunetta - In the End

“We don’t have to watch this,” Jacks tells me, starting to get up.

“No, I want to.” I need to see what Tank can do.

This time when the Warden makes an announcement, a hush falls over the crowd. I missed the first fighter’s name, but I hear what the Warden says next, loud and clear: “The undefeated, Tank Laaaaaawson!”

When the Warden fires his gun, Tank charges across the circle in two blurred steps and backhands his opponent across the face. Now he dances around, grinning like an evil little kid who’s misbehaved. The man roars and rushes Tank, who spins him easily into a headlock and goes to work on his face with his free fist.

Tank’s fight lasts longer than Brenna’s only because he toys with his opponent, methodically hammering away at his face under his massive arm, then freeing him to stagger back a step or two before reeling him in for more. Finally Tank grows bored of toying with the man and lets him drop, giving him a long look as he sprawls there coughing up blood. He spits on him before leaving the circle.

I try to swallow, but my mouth has gone dry. The first two fights were at least even. Tank demolished that man.

I elbow Jacks. “Can we go now?”

“Yeah, I’ve been seen. We can leave.” We make our way down the bleachers to the gate that leads to the Yard.

“You okay?” Jacks asks.

“Yeah.” I try to get through the gateway, but someone blocks my path.

“Hey there, cupcake.” Tank. Of course—he picked me out of the crowd. Was he waiting for me to come this way, or is it just bad luck? “Come to see me win?”

Tank is drenched in sweat, and he hasn’t even bothered to wipe the blood from his hands. I take some satisfaction that his face is still bruised from where I hit his nose, even if the swelling has gone down.

Jacks begins to put his arm around me protectively, but I shake him off. I make myself stare into Tank’s cold, dark eyes. “Get out of the way,” I tell him, keeping my voice steady. “Or I will hurt you again ,” I stress.

“Sure, no problem,” he says, bowing. “Here, princess, step this way.”

I walk past him, careful not to come within arm’s reach. I’m grateful that Jacks walks at my side, between me and Tank. Jacks mutters, “Douchebag,” loud enough for Tank to hear.

We get ten feet into the exercise yard when I hear a woman’s voice in my ear. “Amy!” It’s so loud that I think whoever said it is right behind me. I whirl around but can’t find whoever called for me. I hear my name again, but it’s much farther away, Brenna screaming after us from the chain-link fence of the Arena. Maybe my sound amplifier is malfunctioning?

I wave to Brenna and she calls, “Did you see me kick that guy’s ass?” I nod and give her a thumbs-up.

“Amy!” Again the voice is in my ear, but it’s not Brenna who says it. “Are you there? Get somewhere you can talk.”

My heart seizes in my chest. It’s Kay. Kay . I look up at Jacks. “I need to go back to our cell. Now.”

“What? Why? Listen, don’t let Tank freak you out.”

“No, that’s not . . . yes. Yeah, I just need to rest.” Jacks nods and takes my hand, leading me toward the cellblock. When we get there I stop and release his hand. “Look, I think I just want to be by myself for a little while.”

He looks at me, as though deciding if I should be left alone, then says, “Okay. I’ll go check in with Doc. He might need me to take care of a few things, but I’ll be back soon.”

I run up the stairs and rush to our cell. The cells on either side of me are empty—everyone’s gone to the fights.

I hop up on the top bunk and whisper, “Kay . . . are you there?”

After ten minutes, she still hasn’t responded. I know I heard Kay’s voice. She tried to contact me. I wonder when she’ll try again and if I’ll have enough time before anyone comes back.

“Sunshine?” Kay’s voice is again in my ear. After being called “sweetheart,” “cupcake,” “princess,” and a bunch of other non-flattering things, Kay’s nickname for me lights me up.

“Yes,” I say excitedly, then remember to keep my voice low. “I’m here. I can talk.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you again sooner,” she tells me hurriedly. “Gareth is on lookout, watching for spies, but you never know who’s listening.”

“Tell me—” I stop myself from blurting out questions about Baby and force myself to let Kay talk.

“Are you okay, Amy?” Kay whispers. “Are you surviving that place? Did you talk to Ken?”

“I’m fine,” I say hurriedly. “But I haven’t found Ken yet. I thought I saw him a couple of times, but he disappeared into a part of the prison I couldn’t follow him into.” I rip Jacks’s sketch out of my pack. “Does he have a mole on his left cheek, just below his eye?”

“Looks like a heart?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s him. Funny. I used to tease him about it. It’s good to know he’s alive. I’ve been out of contact with him for months, since before we broke you out. I was worried—about both of you.” She sighs. “All I know is that he was sent to Fort Black to work on his research. But it was good that you didn’t follow him into a restricted area. I don’t want either of you getting into trouble. Dr. Reynolds has spies everywhere.”

At the mention of Dr. Reynolds, my chest goes cold. “Is Dr. Reynolds in charge of Fort Black, too?”

“No, but they’re connected. I don’t know it all—I’m not a researcher. I don’t have the clearance to view medical records. Wait . . .” Kay cuts out, only to return a few seconds later. “False alarm.” She pauses again. “Look, thing are getting worse with Baby. They’ve moved her from the dorm to the lab. Rice says they’re taking too much blood, and she’s developed a heart arrhythmia. He’s really afraid for her life. Rice fears her heart may give out . . . and even if she holds out, she could suffer long-term brain damage.”

Fear, cold as ice, runs through every nerve and vein. “But she’s important to their research,” I protest. “They won’t kill her, will they?”

“Not on purpose. But Rice is concerned. . . . There are so many complications from blood loss—”

“I’ll come back,” I cut her off. “I’ll leave right now.”

“Amy, don’t be stupid. You’ll never get in, and you’ll wind up dead. What good will you be to Baby then?”

“But—”

“No. Just find Ken. He has clearance I don’t. He has access to New Hope research, to New Hope test subjects. I’ve already told you: If you want to get Baby out, Ken can do that. He’s really the only way. You just have to convince him to take Baby as his own subject.”

“Are you sure?”

There’s a long pause. “No. Like I said, I haven’t been able to contact him. Gareth has been hacking the system so I can briefly speak with you. . . . But the researchers are on a different circuit. It’s too risky for me to try.”

I know Kay wants me to search out her brother, but I can’t put all my hope in a man I can’t find.

“Maybe Rice can get Baby,” I try. “He would have the right clearance, and Dr. Reynolds’s trust.”

“I’ve talked to him. A couple of times. The longest conversation lasted about thirty seconds. He used his earpiece to relay information to me when he knew neither of us was being monitored, just like I’m doing for you. Do you know the risk he was taking? I don’t know when we’ll be able to speak again. He’s scared too, Amy. He wanted me to tell you to be strong and patient.”

Be strong and patient. Just like when I was in the Ward. I’m filled with something recently unfamiliar—reassurance. Rice came through for me once. I have to believe he can do it again.