Li walked ahead while Dan stayed in the middle. Angie trailed behind the two, walking slower than usual. As soon as they stepped foot out of that room, Dan’s HUD updated him with a waypoint leading him to where the third round would take place. Dan tapped Li on the shoulder piece and then pulled back to walk beside Angie.
“Well it looks like we have more new rivals to contend with,” Dan said.
“Yeah,” Angie said weakly.
“Something wrong?”
“It’s nothing, I’m fine,” she said.
“You sure about that? In that meeting, me and Li did most of the talking. We had some friendly banter going back and forth. Miles and his mates seemed excited at taking us on later on in the tournament. It’s a bit unusual for you to be the quiet one. Usually Li is the one who talks the least.”
Angie glanced at him but put on the biggest smile she could muster and said, “Yeah I’m sure. I’m happy you guys got along so well.”
Dan could sense that Angie wasn’t ready to open up about the true reason for the awkward dynamic between her and Miles’ team. If his teammate felt uncomfortable revealing something personal, then Dan didn’t feel the need to poke at her too much.
He changed the subject and called out to Li, who was a dozen paces ahead. “Hey Li, what are your thoughts on the next round of the tournament?”
The stealth specialist stopped and looked back at him. “It’s some mode called cash grab. The Combat Games layout sent to our HUDs wasn’t too specific. We’ll have to wait until the announcer elaborates.”
The waypoint led them all to a door that slid open. Inside, they saw an armory filled with racks of guns, grenades and table filled with specialized gear. A message popped up in Dan’s vision.
Each team member is allowed one piece of equipment and one new weapon each. Choose wisely.
Li walked toward the end of the armory, checking out other weapons to choose for the next round. Dan walked in front of the table with the various bits of gear and equipment scattered across the top. His eyes laid on a pack that contained three syringes similar to the healing stim. His HUD chimed in on the pack and its contents.
Booster stims.
Upon injection, an agent experienced a temporary boost in their physical capabilities. Some agents report up to a 50% increase to their sraw strength. The substantial increase to their baseline stats will only last a few minutes.
“Whoever our opponents may be, I think we could benefit from a temporary stat boost,” Dan said.
Angie also scanned the table and grabbed one piece of equipment. Dan scrutinized the tech that Angie held in her hand. The device was a oval shaped with gold connectors on one side, indicating it had to be connected to something. His HUD elaborated further.
Hologram projection.
An attachable device that allows an agent to create a highly detailed hologram of themselves and send them out into the field. Such an ability is extremely useful for causing distractions and confusing the enemy.
“This could help take attention off of us and buy us time in a dangerous situation,” Angie said.
“Yeah, sounds useful,” Dan agreed.
Li walked over to them and shoved a magazine into a new rifle he picked up. The elongated barrel of the rifle had a silencer at the end. “I need a good long range option,” he said.
Dan walked over to the various gun racks and checked out the options he had in front of him. He didn’t see any heavy or special weapons that stuck out to him. Most of the guns presented were assault rifles, shotguns and pistols. Nothing here stood out to him that would be a significant leg up over his current loadout.
But just to be safe, Dan decided to find matching variants of his ZK-77T and his PX300 handgun. Whatever the deathmatch simulation employed to make his guns jam at a thirty-five percent rate, he couldn’t risk having that annoyance carry over to the next round of the Combat Games.
“I don’t think anything here would be better than what I got now,” Dan said, picking up another seventy-seven from the gun rack.
“Then I guess you’re sticking to close to medium range as your engagement distance.” Li said. “I’ll handle longer range targets.”
Once the team had finalized their loadouts, their HUDs updated them all on a new waypoint that took them to the next round. All three walked out of the armory with their updated loadouts for the third round.
The team continued to head toward the waypoint, moving through more drab hallways. The waypoint on their HUDs led them to the exit doors of the hall and they all stepped outdoors to a helicopter sitting on a landing pad.
Another attendant stood beside the helicopter and waved at them. Dan and his team approached closer to the chopper, feeling the winds slash at them in waves from the spinning rotors.
“Right this way, agents!” the attendant said. “This chopper will take you to the third round of the Combat Games. No simulations this time. You’ll be fighting enemy teams in a real locations! Good luck!”
Dan nodded at the man before stepping foot into the open side of the helicopter. His two teammates followed after him and found their seats within the helicopter. Dan watched the attendant walk away from the landing pad as the rotors of the chopper began spinning faster.
Then the helicopter lifted off the ground and into the air.
The side door remained open and Dan felt the air rush through and hit him in the face. He had the option to close the door but didn’t. He leaned, not quite poking his head out the door, but just enough to see how the rest of the land appeared.
Dan saw nothing but more dry and cracked ground with occasional skeletal trees and the occasional wild animal roaming around.
“Well, this place isn’t exactly a vacation spot,” Dan said.
“That’s not a surprise, considering were right next to former Chernobyl,” Li deadpanned. “I’m sure cracked and dry dirt isn’t exactly nice to roll around in compared to the beach.”
The PA system within the helicopter sprang to life with the announcer’s voice.
“Welcome to the third round of the Combat Games,” the voice said. “The next challenge will be a mode called credit grab. This game consisted of four team of agents competing with each other to grab credit boxes scattered around the map. Once a credit box is obtained, the team must rush it to a vault and await for it to process the deposit and cash out, earning the team credits. The top two teams on the map with the most number of credits will be allowed to progress further into the Combat Games.”
Dan exchanged glances with both his teammates. Both Li and Angie responded with serious expressions.
“As with the previous round of the Combat Games, all teams are allowed customized loadouts and live rounds will be in use. Beware that serious injury and even death are a real possibility. Any agent or team who is uncomfortable with these circumstances is welcome to drop out if they wish.”
Dan already knew that dropping out was out of the question. He and his team had survived through much worse.
“This round will have a time limit of fifteen minutes. So please be mindful adn efficient with the time you are given to complete the round. A brief roster of your competing teams will be sent directly to each team during the ride to our various real world combat arenas.”
A display brightened to life just above Li’s head and the stealth specialist scooched over to get a better view of the display’s contents. The first showcase was Dan’s team and each member’s stats.
Stolen story; please report.
Dan eagerly awaited for the stats of their competition to pop up. And the results he saw did not disappoint.
The fated match against Rachel Cutter and her team of Prime Swords had finally arrived. Dan saw the names of Rachel’s teammates as the second team entering their match. The other two teams were Genesis Talons and Spec Ops Hellhounds. A varied roster of foes indeed.
“Look at that guys,” Dan said pointing at the screen. “Our good old pals in the Prime Swords are in our match. We’re finally going to face off against those guys.”
Angie jerked her head at him. “You mean that chick who claimed to be your biggest fan? Oh this is gonna be good.”
From what Dan had already seen, the teams from the other sub shards appeared to be more specialized than the typical Alpha agents. But Dan ans his team had the arctic serum flowing within them. They had their own asymmetric advantages to draw on for this match. If his competition was as tough as Rachel and her crew, they would need all the advantages possible.
“Angie, remember when Jane suggested for you to refrain from using your curving bullets? We might have to stray away from that warning,” Dan said.
“Oh that’s no problem. I love breaking the rules,” she responded, a grin plastered on her face.
Constrictions in place.
Mystery eggs: the arena will contain eggs of mutated beasts, poached from Church of Nano-Evolution territory.
Your constriction: Magic boost: for any agent with latent magic capability, this constriction will unleash your full potential for a brief period of time.
Constriction reward: 2000 credits for each agent.
“Woah, that’s unexpected,” Li said. His eyes widened probably from reading the same messages on his HUD.
“This might work in our favor,” Dan said. “I think we’ll crush these guys.”
Dan’s initial shock and excitement at having his supernatural abilities buffed faded and confusion and suspicion soon replaced his feelings on this strange constriction on his team. Something about his team getting this specific constriction felt convenient. Too convenient.
Soon, everything in Dan’s immediate vicinity twisted and contorted. Dan reached out to both his teammates and they dissolved into dust. He no longer sat inside of a helicopter on his way to the next round of the Combat Games.
The new surroundings around him formed and molded itself into the same greyscale and desolate landscape from his dreams. And soon, he heard a familiar demonic voice whisper to him once more.
“I sincerely hope you and your new friends are having a pleasant time in this tournament,” the voice said. “I am perplexed that you haven’t killed anyone yet, even as loadout restrictions have been lifted. You should not hold back your bloodlust. All other competition in this little game of yours are obstacles who must be crushed!”
“Oh shut the fuck up,” Dan said, not knowing where to look. “This is already getting old. How many hints do you have to take to figure out that I don’t want you in my fucking head?”
The air around him filled with ugly cackling as the voice didn’t take Dan seriously.
“Even entities such as myself have feelings,” the voice said, softening its tone. “But I can forgive you for your insolence and ungratefulness. You fall ever closer in my grasp, Dan Arctic Orion. Do not deny the excitement building within you to utilize the gifts I have granted you. So you can speak in whatever manner you please. The end result will be in my favor.”
“Just get to the point already,” Dan sighed. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m busy right now and on my way to somewhere important.”
“Ah yes, yes of course. You are on your way to crushing your competition with my gifts. I am not here to stop you from doing so. Quite the opposite my boy. I am here to help. There is one element in your upcoming battle you are unaware of. And if you do not heed my words, you will suffer.”
“Why? Can’t stand the fact that I’ll refuse to follow your instructions?” Dan said, constantly looking from side to side and seeing nothing but the same colorless and empty land that stretched on infinitely in this world.
“No Dan. There is a particular team you address as the Prime Swords. The warriors within that group will be your most dangerous adversaries. You will hold nothing back if your objective is to survive.”
“Yeah, they’re strong. I know that already,” Dan said dismissively.
“You are naive. Do you know for certain that these Prime Sowrds are who they say they are? Do you think Rachel Cutter’s intentions are pure? You face a dangerous team in these amatuer games. If you hold back, you will be crushed by these Prime Swords.”
“Are just speaking in riddles now?” Dan said.
“No Dan Orion,” the voice said in a low tone. “I simply assume that as an agent, you can put the pieces I give you together on your own. I will be watching you with great interest.”
“Creep,” Dan remarked. “I bet you’re doing the same thing to my two teammates.”
“Perhaps,” the voice said. “I will have… other uses for them soon enough. But for now, you have enemies to deal with. And I will allow you to use my gifts to their fullest. You will find such measures necessary, not just for your petty victory in thisd tournament, but for your survival.”
Dan squinted at the distant landscape. Something clicked in his mind and he realized that the specific constriction placed on his team was no accident. “You fucking prick, the constriction my team was given. It was you, wasn’t it?”
The voice cackled ever harder and Dan received no answer. The grey world around him became engulfed in a dust storm. More and more his surroundings were swallowed up by grey dust obscuring his view. He shut his eyes from the dust particles irritating his eyes. A few seconds later, he finally opened his eys and he was back on the helicopter with Li and Angie as if no time had passed.
Dan pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyes. Whatever that voice was was pissing him off. If he knew that accepting these new supernatural abilities would mean having this voice be inside his head and in his dreams, he would weigh his choices carefully.
“Guys, how much time just passed?” Dan asked.
Unsurprisingly, both Li and Angie stared at him.
“What do you mean?” Angie asked.
“I just had a vision of that same barren lanscscape and demon voice speaking to me just now. It wasn’t just a dream in my sleep. I had that experience just now,” Dan said.
“Are you feeling alright?” Li said.
“I’m fine now. Just annoyed. But it seems like while I had my vision, not much time has passed in the real world.”
Angie turned toward him and held onto his forearm. “What did this voice tell you?”
“Basically, he or it warned us about Rachel and her team. I guess those guys are bad news,” Dan said.
Angie raised an eyebrow. “Really Dan? It took some demon in your head to tell you not to trust those assholes? I could have told you in five seconds. That Rachel bitch walking up to you and claiming to be your biggest fan should have made you realize that fact. What else did the voice tell you?”
“I mentioned the both of you and asked if he had any plans for you two since you both now have the arctic serum within yourselves as well.”
“And?” Li asked.
“He says he’s got something cooking up but refused to tell me any more,” Dan shrugged.
“Whatever is behind that voice, I ain’t going on a date with it,” Angie said, re-tying her hair into a ponytail.
Dan looked out the opened doorway of the helicopter and looked down. He finally stopped heing cracked dryland and saw that the helicopter has slowed down over a former residential area. His eyes darted around and he spotted another helicopter at least several blocks away with its door opened. He squinted and saw the team of Prime Swords.
Dan saw the same grey armor with gold accents. After listening to the warning from the demonic voice in his vision, Dan now had his guard up against that entire team. He knew that all members were borderline tier twos in terms of their rank. But how could they be that much stronger that the voice had influenced the Combat Games to grant them boosted magic abilities?
“Well, look who it is,” Li said. “According to your vision, those guys are the team to beat it seems.”
“Yeah,” Dan said. “Li, Angie, no holding back. We’re not taking any chances. As much as I hate whatever that entity is, it’s proven to be right in the past.”
Their helicopter slowly approached and hovered over a rooftop. The building below them was a flat roof of a town house. Dan looked around and studied the rest of the immediate surroundings and saw the aging architecture of all the structures. The broken and smashed windows along with the cracks and discoloration of the walls and bricks didn’t make this the prettiest arena for the Combat Games. The visibility reminded Dan of the arena from the zombie apocalypse round. Dan could barely make out the ground on the streets from the strange haze that clung to the streets and walls of this residential area.
“This is your landing spot,” the pilot over the PA said. “Good luck.”
Dan looked down and the helicopter had to be at least twenty meters above the roof. “You expect us to jump?” he asked out loud.
“Your agents, you can handle the fall,” the pilot said dismissively.
Dan glanced at both his teammates before hopping off the helicopter and landing on his feet on the roof. He looked up while backing away to make room for Li and Angie to jump down. Li was next to jump as he soared down and landed with bent knees. He stood and straightened out his posture before walking to the side. Angie was the last to jump and her feet landed flat on the ground. All three glanced up and watched the chopper as it ascended and flew off.
Dan’s HUD displayed the same info he and his teammates' views on the helicopter regarding the other team compositions. Aside from the Prime Swords, the Talons and the Hellhounds outnumbered them, consisting of five and four members respectively.
A countdown from ten began on Dan’s HUD, indicating their immediate start to round three of the Combat Games.
Two icons in the form of giant yellow dollar signs popped up on Dan’s HUD, signalling the locations of the credit boxes his team needed to grab and deposit to win. One icon was two hundred thirty meters away while the second was five hundred seventy meters.
“I’m assuming all the other teams in the area can see this information too?” Dan said.
“No other possibility,” Li said grimly. “We’re expected to converge on the same sites and fight over who gets the credit box. Which means we lose by default if we’re all incapacitated or killed.”
The countdown approached zero and Dan said, “Then we give it all we got. We go big or we go home and cry to Jane about our loss.”