“Who said you were going there?”
“Where then?”
They don't answer, and I try to keep my temper in check. We finally stop next to a large industrial structure in an area of the city I haven’t seen before.
“Go inside.”
I climb out and look around, only seeing more industrial structures while hearing loud machines at work. Perhaps this is where they manufacture their drones and weapons. I walk toward the large structure, stepping through the high entrance into a wide hallway. The farther I go, the more I notice the sound of people struggling, as if they’re training. I enter a wide space, realizing the people I thought I heard are just one person. No, not a person. A New-Human.
He’s at the center of a massive training field, using devices taller than me. His skin is as pale as a piece of paper, and so is his short hair. He uses a massive club to hit metal dummies, but a beast like that was never meant to train in such a place.
“Are you his new toy?”
I stand straighter, feeling small under the hard gaze of this 13-foot beast. There’s distance between us, but I’ve seen how fast they can run. “I’m no one’s toy.”
He chuckles. “You look like a toy. A little doll.”
“How the fuck are you alive? Did you escape Vegas?”
“No.” He crosses his arms, each of his biceps as big as my head. “I was not there. My mission was close to the Semi’s village. I spent many years hidden in a lake. It was peaceful. After Father’s… death, Hector found me.”
I can easily picture Hector using the situation to his advantage. With Father suddenly gone, this New-Human must have felt lost and purposeless.
I look around me to make sure we truly are alone. It doesn’t seem that I was brought here to be killed by him, so I swallow my fear and walk closer to the training ground. “Why did he bring you to Denver?”
“To fight. I’m the champion.”
“Of what? A stupid arena?”
He scowls. “It’s not stupid.”
“I’m sure he didn’t bring you here just for that.”
His lips stretch into a smile. “A champion first, a conqueror later.”
“Hello!”
I sharply turn around as Hector walks toward us, wearing his neat dark clothes. “I see you two have met.”
“Your toy has been asking questions, New Father.”
Oh, fuck me with that stupid nickname.
“Well, he is as curious as he is pretty. Caden, this is Isaac, the champion of the arena.”
Isaac gives me a once-over. “Why should this one be of interest to me?”
“Don’t you always say you need someone to train with?”
Isaac snorts. “You mean to toss him around? I can do that.”
“What are you playing at?” I ask quietly.
“Isaac, show Caden how hard you can hit that iron dummy over there.”
Isaac picks up a metal bar and goes to face a 10-foot iron dummy. He swings the bar hard enough to break parts of the dummy like it was made of cheap plastic. My stomach tightens at this display of illogical strength, and I can’t help but remember the Spring Spot battle, where so many good fighters died just to bring one of these creatures down.
Hector walks behind me and raises the back of my shirt. I know where this is going, so I take a breath to brace myself. He cuts my lower back with his tail, the pain sharp yet familiar. Within seconds, needles dig into my flesh, from my toes to my scalp. I gasp, only able to stand because Hector holds me firmly.