Dan and Li followed behind Angie as she led them to Miles and his team. The two agents exchanged glances at each other and Dan thought he should let Li know about his thoughts on Angie’s behaviour. He opened a private channel between him and Li.

“Do you feel something weird is going on with her?” Dan asked.

“She’s not my favorite agent to work with,” Li admitted. “But personally I don’t have a problem with her going to see an old friend and former squadmate. From time to time I wished that I could see my old crew again. But people come and go, especially in this line of work. She still has the opportunity to see her old folks again.”

“I would agree, but did you notice how she was when watching the match?”

“I didn’t. I focused most of my attention on observing Miles and how he would overcome the advantages the Hellhounds had. You were sitting beside her so maybe you could elaborate?”

Dan glanced at Angie who still walked ahead of them and then back at Li. “I don’t know for sure, but she looked conflicted about something as she watched Miles during the match. When I asked her if she was okay, she brushed it off.”

“It might not be anything significant, but if it is, this could affect her performance in the future rounds of the Combat Games,” Li stated plainly. “But now that you mentioned it, when she and him had their reunion during the zombie round, Miles seemed to be the only one happy to see her. Once we saw the rest of his squad, I noticed none of them shared the same enthusiasm about her. They all tried to hide it and act professional, but I could sense the animosity.”

Dan pondered on this and didn’t notice the attitudes of Miles’ teammates towards Angie at the time. He was too focused on simply surviving and winning the first round of the Combat Games.

“Let’s keep this to ourselves for now,” Dan said. “Asking her about this directly would be a waste of time. Whatever happened with her old team, she’s not going to open up to us just like that.”

“We have fought and bled together in the short amount of time we’ve known each other. But I agree that she might not feel comfortable sharing anything detailed about her past,” Li said. He cut the link.

Angie led them through a series of hallways before finally stopping at the room where Miles’ match ook place. The door opened and the agent who towered over them stared down at Angie.

“Oh, it’s you,” he said. Dan knew he detected something beneath the agent’s measured tone.

Then the big man glanced up and his eyes softened. “Hey it’s you guys that helped us out in the first round.”

“Yeah, Angie brought us along to congratulate you guys and pulling the win on those Hellhounds,” Dan said.

“I used to be a Hellhound,” Li added. “That victory was well earned and well executed. You mind if we come in and see Miles?”

The big man looked at both of them, then glanced back at Angie, then back and Dana nd Li again. “Sure, why not?” He turned around and said, “Boss, you got visitors. It’s Dan and his crew.”

The agent stepped aside and allowed them through the door. Angie walked in first, but Dan noticed her strange body language as they all stepped in. Her posture was hunched over and it looked like she was hiding under her coat. She was turtling up.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Dan spotted Miles bent over checking his boots, then he looked up and the two made eye contact.

“Ah it’s you guys,” Miles said. “Good to see you brah.”

“Congrats on your win against the Hellhounds,” Li said. “You adapted and overcame your enemy’s advantages with your own.”

Miles let out a chuckle and said, “Ah cut that out brah. Y’all are going to make me blush.” He looked over at Angie. “Hey Angie, thanks for stopping by. You brought your team here to congratulate me. Appreciate that.”

Angie’s face lit up but her smile seemed a bit weaker than usual. Dan notice Miles’ four other companions who didn’t share in Miles’ friendliness. Dan spotted James, the tallest agent in Miles’ team who stood almost as tall as Allen Draco. He mostly ignored Angie while focusing on Dan and Li. Zara, the female marksman from the footage, narrowed her eyes at Angie which made her awkwardly look away. Miles’ other two teammates were in full body armor with their helmets on. But from their crossed arms and silence and their helmets staring in Angie’s direction, Dan could feel the animosity towards the strawberry blond.

Miles walked up to Dan and put his hand on his shoulder. “We didn’t get a chance to talk brah. I heard you’re quite a strong guy. You survived that whole mess in Amethyst where you went to crush some rebels. Then I hear from Angie that you all went on a heist together with the legendary Michael Cynosa. Actually, my team and I were watching the highlights from your deathmatch.”

“Really? You guys stayed behind in this room just to watch our match?”

“Yeah brah. We saw you punch that chick with the jetpack and how she hit that acid pit on her way down. That was brutal. And you won the rival bounty she placed on you. You’re a beast, brah.”

“Uhh, thanks,” Dan said. “I had to get out of the tight grip she had me in. She was about to do a piledriver on me in the air.”

“Wow,” James the big man said. “You whooped her ass and took her money? That’s stone cold.” Then the agent gave him a devilish grin. “I can’t wait to take you on later.”

“We’re still pretty early into the Combat Games, big guy. Anything can happen,” Dan said, responding to his grin with one of his own.

“Well if that’s the case, I’m excited to take you guys on too,” Miles said, also glancing at Li. “You guys are under training by Jane Sunheiser. All of you are probably tough as nails if she’s your squad leader.”

“I’m a stealth specialist like the Hellhounds you faced this round,” Li began. Then narrowed his gaze on Miles. “But I can assure you, you’ll have much more difficulty against me.”

Miles’ face lit up with the challenge. “Hell yeah that’s what I’m talking about brah. Y’all better not get your asses knocked out by any other team. Cause your asses are mine!”

The rest of Miles’ team stared at him.

“Um, that came out wrong I apologize,” Miles said, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

Dan took the opportunity to pull up Miles’ stats now that his HUD was no longer disabled.

Agent: Miles Venator

Age: 21 M

Shard: Alpha Corporation

Rank: Tier 1 | Level 23

Strength: 32

Agility: 26

Endurance: 28

Intelligence: 27

Healing Factor: n/a

Reflex: Superior

Give or take a few stat points, Miles appeared to be Dan’s equal without accounting for his supernatural stat. Dan smiled underneath his mask.

“I guess we’ll save the adrenaline for our showdown later on,” Dan said. He extended his hand out to the team leader. “Until then, good luck.”

Miles enthusiastically shook Dan’s hand so hard that his wrist ached from the rapid motions. “You as well brah.” He then slapped Li on the shoulder. “Be seeing you too brah.”

“Seeya Miles,” Angie said.

“Take care Angie,” Miles said. “Make sure your boys over here don’t fail.”

Angie flashed him a brief smile before hurriedly exiting out of the room. Dan and Li followed, easily detecting the strange tension in the room directed towards Angie.