Where most tried to retain their human appearance, Hades had embraced the Hollowing entirely. His skin was shriveled where it hadn’t peeled off, and his nose was missing entirely. His eyes poked out from between wilted eyelids, their irises burning with a scarlet intensity that Spike had never seen from anyone else. Hades had donned a biker’s jacket today, loaded with all sorts of extra buttons and zippers to match his iconic barbed gloves that stretched past his wrists.

He held out his hands and grinned. “You still with us, or did you go hollow on me?”

Spike fell to one knee. “Sorry, my Lord. Been a rough day.”

“Can the formalities. I’ve got shit I want to do other than sit here and listen to your problems.”

Spike explained what had happened. How they’d been out on a Hunt and thought they’d come across a stray, but it had turned out to be a living human, which they would’ve of course taken straight back to the city had Leah not shown up and offed them first. Hades walked the hall in silence as Spike spoke, poking this and that as the story came out. If Spike hadn’t known better, he’d think that he wasn’t being listened to at all.

“So here’s what I’m hearing,” Hades said when he was finished. “It sounds like you got your ass handed to you by a girl half your size. Not exactly something our Hunters ought to have on their resume.”

Spike furrowed his brow. “She got the jump on us. Give me some men and I’ll bring her and the human right to your lap, kicking and screaming.”

He laughed. “They used to have a saying for this. ‘Throwing good money after bad’. Maybe you’re not as tough as you think, and I ought to be talking to her instead.”

He can’t be seriously taking her side!? Spike closed his eyes. This was classic Hades, trying to bait him into weakness.

Spike matched his stare. “You know that once word gets out about this, nobody’s gonna deal with her. Besides, I’ve been thinking all day, and I’ve got a plan for what you can do to the human.”

“This’ll be fun to hear.”

Spike licked his lips. This was his moment. His time to shine. If there ever was a chance for him to get ahead in this world, it would be here and now.

“Way I figure it, most rezzers have never even seen a real human. It’s easy for you to not think this is a big deal. You were around when they were. But for most of us here, we’ve either only heard the stories or just looked at them through pics. There’s a difference between that and the real deal, and if there’s one thing Pandemonium craves, it’s that authenticity of seeing where we came from in the flesh. It’ll give us hope.

“And that’s where the power is. You string this guy up in a cage and charge for the service of looking at him, and you’ll have everyone paying out the ass. Sure, you might run this city like a well-oiled machine, but think of how many Hunters and bosses and workers keep their distance from these walls. Think of how many more would brave the wastes for something this significant. This isn’t just a lost album or a new pill to pop. We’re talking real profit. The kind that’ll make it so nobody ever questions your rule again.”

Spike took a step forth. “And I’d be there to run security. That’s all I’d ask from you. You let me be your lead man on this, and I’ll make sure nobody gets near the merchandise. Not ever.”

Hades stared at one of the gargoyles and said nothing. The silence dragged until Spike felt antsy. Had he overplayed his hand on this one? It was a great idea. The best he’d ever thought of, and one that he knew would pay off. But the longer that time passed, the more he felt like his pitch hadn’t landed.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Suddenly, Hades turned and grinned. “Gotta say, brilliant fucking idea.”

“You mean it, boss?”

“Hell yeah! Like you say, going this route and we’d have ourselves a printing press of pics. Can’t deny it’d work, partner.”

Spike let out of a sigh of relief. The way that Hades had said “partner” filled him with a stronger rush than he could ever get from a jab of Pride. This was it!

Hades walked over and grabbed Spike by the shoulder, just passed the spikes that he always laced onto his duster. With a lurch, Hades dragged him across the room, right next to the pit of hollows. Their moans spilled out as they made eye contact.

“Guess I won’t be needing this anymore to keep people in line,” Hades said. “Not when we’ll be slinging shit this heavy.”

Spike swallowed the bile in his throat. He really hated the way these hollows shifted in unison.

“Don’t worry about Leah either,” Hades said. “I’ll get some guys and bring her in while you get patched up. You’ve done enough.” He leaned in. “But there’s one thing I gotta know first, partner. This living human you’ve found… You didn’t tell anyone else about him, did you? Wouldn’t want to start this project without knowing who the competition might be.”

Spike shook his head. “Of course not, Hades. I’d never go behind your back.”

He smiled. “I believe you.”

Before Spike knew what had hit him, he was tumbling below. His back smashed against the floor of the pit and the hisses of hollows erupted around.

“Oops,” Hades said above. “Guess my fingers slipped.”

“Shit, fuck!” Spike cursed. “Get me the hell out of here!”

The hollows began clawing at Spike. He floundered away from the nearest one, only for another to grab him from behind. No matter which way he turned, there was another at his back trying to rip a chunk of flesh off.

Spike punched one in the face. “Stop, you fucking idiots. I’m not food!”

The hollows kept reaching for him, their eyes empty slates.

“Seriously, Hades,” Spike cried out. “Hurry up!”

But Hades had laid down on the edge of the pit like he was watching the sunset. “It’s really something, isn’t it? The Hunger? Drives you to do all sorts of crazy shit. I once saw a dreg chew off his own arm because he’d thought it was part of the corpse he was eating.”

Why the hell was Hades just sitting there!? Spike tried to kick another free, but his leg had gone limp. One of the hollows had bit a chunk from his thigh before spitting out the corrupted flesh, and the tendons had been shredded.

“I always liked you, Spike,” Hades said, still laying in place. “You were a good soldier, and an even better Hunter. Oh well, times change. Blah blah blah, nature of the universe and all that.”

Motherfucker! He’s really leaving me in here! Spike understood why Hades kept this pit now. It wasn’t for show. The way he’d arranged the hollows, anyone who fell in wouldn’t be able to climb or fight their way out. There were too many of them and they were too tightly packed.

Hades feigned gratitude. “Hey, now! Don’t beat yourself up too hard, kid. It was a good idea. A real knock out of the park. If this whole thing was about bringing in the pics, then you and I would be making something special right now.” His smile dissolved. “But it’s not.”

Another slab of meat got ripped from Spike’s neck. He opened his mouth to shout, but only blood spurted free. What the fuck was Hades doing? The bastard had gone feral!

Hades tapped the walls of the pit. “That’s the real shame about it. The very thing that makes your idea so good is why I can’t let it happen. Like you said, you get any reanimated corpse with no future other than returning to the place they’d come, and you shove a living relic of the world that could’ve been in front of their noses, and they’ll all have that same fucking thing on their mind. Hope. That’s a problem, and a big one at that.”

He sighed. “So here’s what I think I’m gonna do, Spike. I’m gonna look this guy in the eyes and see how I feel. And if it’s anything good for me, then I suppose that’ll be bad for him, huh?” He laid on his back and clasped his hands. “Of course, that still leaves ‘ole Leah floating around, but she’s a smart enough girl. She’ll know where to stand.

“And if she doesn’t… Well, you get the idea.”

Just have to buy myself time. Spike swung this way and that, no longer worrying about whether his limbs would survive the day. Someone would come by and stop this. They had to! He just had to keep the hollows away from his head until then. So long as they didn’t touch his brain, he’d keep his Rez intact.

Then there was nothing but black as teeth pierced bone.