Chapter 12: An Unexpected Checkout

When K4T13 departs the arena for what will be her last time, she makes her way to the house across town that serves as the control center for the contest and houses the network staff, representatives for the sponsors and the secretive organization that founded the competition a decade before. Even as she enters, she is handed her termination paperwork to sign and she happily signs it, listening to them yammering on about how disappointed they are with her choices and overall performance in this years contest. She listens with only half an ear and when they realize that she isn’t paying attention, they stop talking and escort her to the door with four armed security officers. She walks almost sprightly with them to the garage and climbs into the van that will take her to the airport, and later home. She will be kept under guard for the duration of the contest so she cannot unduly influence the competition.

She knows the protocols and knows that her cybernetic counterpart L10N3L B3ND5M0R3 was likely immediately dispatched to the arena to take over for her and she hopes that things will settle down as she knows her own presence had only exacerbated the tension that had already existed inside the arena.

What she didn’t foresee was Lainee; who is angry at Katie and resentful with many of the competitors so she calls down immediately after Katie’s departure to begin the next round of combat without the enforcer in place.



The car pulls up and Lionel steps out only ten minutes after Katie had arrived at the control center and is greeted by Lainee the Overseer when is just barely walking through the gates. Lainee seems to be friendly, not something he was expecting from her considering how acerbic her personality has been for the duration of the contest so far. He is fairly passive and as such, lets her speak about how nice it is for him to be here so fast to take over for the treacherous Katie. Lionel expresses his interest in getting to work and is about to ask when the next round will begin, but seeing them gathered in the ring, he assumes it already has and walks over to take his place near the only exit to the ring.



Lainee goes to change as the competitors take their places either in the ring; in the case of Ayasha and Tarik or sitting on the benches on the observation decks to wait their turns. When Lainee returns, she takes her place in the ring and puts on a bland look as the first pair of competitors begin the fight.

Both Ayasha and Tarik are focused and ready for their match, neither want to give the other an opening they can exploit for points. At Lainee’s word they begin circling slowly, not only taking their time, but feigning blows here and there to test their opponent’s reactions and skills. Tarik has come a long way from his first days here and Ayasha finds no openings in the initial exchanges. She begins to settle into a steady rhythm of punches and kicks, most without much hope that they will connect since he seems to be on his game today.

She sees a fevered light in his eyes and an intense furrowing of his brow in concentration as she looks up and almost falters in her attack, having to duck under a roundhouse kick, nearly getting struck in the jaw. His hands and feet work a delicate dance as they dart in and out and he even manages some flip kicks to no effect on the skilled martial artist.

Ayasha tries some more complex attacks routines, but they are stopped cold by the seemingly insurmountable defense of Tarik. The man knows he has been lucky thus far, any minute the woman will unleash her true skills and defeat him quickly. After another couple of minutes he realizes that it isn’t going to and goes on the offensive.Whether she is distracted, tired or just plain sick of this competition is unclear to Lionel. What is clear is that his single attack routine takes her off-guard so entirely that he strikes solidly with a fist to her sternum, elbow to her knee and roundhouse kick to the head while she is still recovering, sending her to the mat and into the realm of the defeated.



Simon and Rowena are the next to face off in the great ring; under the watchful eye of both the overseer and the enforcer. Rowena rushes in and attacks hard and fast with fists and feet a blur of motion, going for as quick a victory as she can. Simon is forced back by the strength of her attack and actually takes a glancing blow to his temple for his trouble. He remains on the defensive until her initiative wears down and comes in hard and fast, though only scores a single point with a sweeping kick across her shins. She rolls to her feet quickly to avoid elimination, but it’s a delaying action only as a second kick; a flying one nearly takes her head off, sending her to the ground outside the ring.



Soon it is time for Saraya and Owen’s match for round three and they take their places in the ring feeling a mixture of fear, nervousness and maybe even a little anxiety since both haven’t been doing well of late. All of those sensations melt away like the faces of the others in the arena around them and soon there is nothing but determination and the two of them locked in the nearly titanic struggle for a victory. The bodies of the two competitors become weapons as hands, feet, heads and most other parts are used in the battle. Owen and Saraya both have martial training and as such circle for many long minutes, neither landing a blow on the other. Owen feigns a misstep back and Saraya falls for the trap. As she rushes in to take advantage of the slip, Owen falls backwards on purpose, dragging her down with her and launching her up and over his head as he rolls backward and her impact against the side of the ring shakes the ground.

She recovers quickly and scrambles to her feet just as Owen is coming in for what he believes to be his final attack. He is correct in that assessment, but not in the outcome as a fist connects with his throat and sternum in rapid succession and Saraya; unable to stop the attack sweeps him from his feet. Owen limps to the barracks to lie down on his bunk, gulping air through his injured windpipe, certain it will have some affect on his performance in the second heat.





Owen thought long and hard over the events in the arena and sees and inkling that perhaps something is amiss. Lionel came to attend him with a medical kit and his skilled metal hands, managing to coax life back into his batter windpipe and help him feel better about his chances in the next heat for round three. He goes up to the courtyard and finds Tarik; who until now has lost pretty much every round. The Egyptian is standing by the graves of Troy and Blaze, a somber look on his face and even Owen can feel the sadness emanating from the other man. Owen grabs his arm and turns him roughly around.

“What’s up with you?” He demands angrily. “Before now you’ve lost pretty much every round, how is it that this time you take on one of the best of us and win?” Tarik is taken aback by the other man’s aggression. He expects it in the ring, but not when the match is over and they are supposed to be at their leisure. “I see that fevered look in your eyes; I can almost hear your heart pounding through your chest… should I go to the overseer and tell her you are on drugs?” He growls. Tarik’s eyes widen, having never taken drugs in his life, so is astonished at the seemingly frivolous accusation.

“Perhaps you should brother, and once it is determined that I haven’t taken anything to enhance my performance, I will expect an apology for your errant judgment.” He says mildly, once the initial shock wears off. “Before the match began, I prayed most fervently to Allah, to take away my fear and for the strength to overcome my enemies… and to see my family again, nothing more.” He turns back to the graves, but Owen hears him say “Apparently my return to his sight after so long of being blind to him was rewarded. Perhaps it would have been wise to pray to your God for a better result of your own battle.” He finishes and turns to walk away, leaving Owen in stunned silence.



As he stares back down at the graves of his fallen companions his mind wanders back to the last day he spent with his family; how angry his wife had been at his choice to take part in the competition. “It doesn’t need to be this way!” She had shouted angrily, and it was one of the very few times in her life that she had stood up to her ordinarily domineering husband. “I think there is another way… I will get a second job or we will sell the house and buy something smaller… please don’t do this!” She was almost frantic in her anger, tears welling in her eyes. “I will do what I think is right!” Was his principal argument, that and his thoughts of not wanting to take a step back in life so to speak… moving back to smaller place, having to work excessively just to make do; though with two extra mouths to feed. This competition is a winning situation whether he wins or loses.



Her tears fell freely down her cheeks and she pled for him to change his mind. Her sobs and pleading tugged at his heart strings and he was about to give into her, but before he could even explain the rationale behind his insistence, she turned and walked up stairs, and it would be one of the last times he saw her. He heard the door slam upstairs, and as he went up, could hear her crying on the other side of their bedroom door. He could imagine her sitting on the bed with her head cupped in her hands sobbing, and a wet handkerchief in her lap. Breathlessly, she would be praying to Allah for guidance or strength to live with his decision; one she likely believed to be selfish. He is lost in thought through the whole of the elimination round and goes off to be alone, a bit depressed from thinking his wife may have been right.



Owen decides to take Tarik at his word since the next heat begins within a few minutes, taking all of his much-needed attention. Luckily he isn’t the first of the defeated to start the fight anew as Rowena and Ayasha get into the ring with everyone watching.

Rowena starts off strong like she did Simon, hoping this time will have a different outcome, hands and feet a blur as they attempt to overwhelm the other woman’s strong defensive stance. Ayasha is skilled and now more determined than she was during the first heat; made even more intense with the prospect of getting eliminated. How she will fare, she doesn’t know, but Ayasha only hopes Rowena’s initiative will wane, giving her an edge. It doesn’t really happen this time; the woman is pretty relentless in her attack. Ayasha manages a point despite the woman’s aggression and soon takes a fist to her jaw; almost in frustration; giving Rowena, the final point.



Owen steps into the arena, resigned to accept whatever happens, though he will do his best to continue further into the contest, Tarik’s words stick in his mind and deeply affects his performance. The distraction is so profound that Ayasha scores two points on him before he can even go on the defensive. To his credit though, and such is his determination, he scores two points on her before he falls beneath her sudden and violent final onslaught.



Rowena takes her place in the arena and Owen’s determination is waning; though she is unaware of the fact. He is a tough opponent none the less blocking each of her measured strikes skillfully and with strength. Rowena’s iron determination nets her all three points, eliminating Owen from the competition. L10N3L comes forward from his vantage at the side of the arena and speaks with him softly, and Owen walks down the stairs without a fight.





As the droid watches, Owen passes through the doors to the cell and he hears the snap of the lock as Lionel locks it behind him. A flood of emotions overwhelms the doomed soldier and cries like never before. Even during the darkest days of his life; when it seemed like everything in his life was collapsing around him like a house of cards he never cried, just stubbornly got up off the floor and faced it like a man; like a soldier. Things are definitively different this time; his life is most decidedly over and he knows it won’t be long before he will find out for himself whether there is an afterlife or not. More than shambles, nothing left of his life remains except for regret and pain he has caused others. The main reason however is the sad truth that his life is over before it truly began; he had squandered the life he’d been given and that is the most profound pain he has ever felt, and it cuts him to the bone.

Outside the door Lainee charges down the hall and confronts Lionel, who is surprised at the overseer’s verbal attack. “You were supposed to escort him to his cell AFTER you inflicted some pain on him… at least that worthless K4T13 got that part right!” She says in a loud voice. “I carried out my duty as I saw fit Overseer… he is in the cell as he should be, how is inflicting pain on him before the end good for anything?” He says in his monotone. The overseer isn’t amused at the robots’ attempt at soothing her. “I am the overseer, and what I say in this contest goes… if you cannot abide by my wishes, I will find someone else who will.” She growls threateningly.

The simbot isn’t even a little frightened. “Nowhere in the rules of this competition does it state that the defeated competitor should receive anything more than an escort to the cell unless they attempt to flee. He didn’t make the attempt, so it was unnecessary.” He replies blandly and nearly shoves Lainee out of the way walking past. Lainee watches him depart, incredulous at the machine’s audacity and goes up to arena, all the while thinking of ways to pay him back for his impudence.

Neither one of them had noticed Saraya further down the hall, concealed behind one of the support columns. She had heard the entire exchange between them and before they left, slipped away unseen.





Lionel is a bit distraught over the whole incident with Lainee, she seems to think that just because he is mechanical and speaks in a monotone, he doesn’t have feelings or a sense of what is right and wrong. He needs someone to talks to and the first person he comes across is Saraya and for some reason she is a bit startled when he walks into the barracks behind her. It isn’t long before they are chatting amicably about her life before the competition. It is against the competition rules to talk about the competition itself except in the broadest of terms, so Lionel just doesn’t; only giving Saraya a general warning about the overseer.

Tarik was just walking in and heard the final warning too and Lionel glances over his shoulder at the man and simply nods when he sees him standing there. “You as well, she isn’t the person she pretends to be.” He says and walks back to the arena to clean up and Tarik himself is slightly troubled and decides to ask Allah for help in clearing his mind.



Simon finds Tarik in the grass near the arena and sees that he is praying, so decides to wait patiently for him to finish so her can talk to him about what Saraya has just told him. They had been in the kitchen having lunch; and as they ate, they talked quietly over a bowl of macaroni and cheese; the only thing really quick and easy. She had told him of the encounter she had witnessed between Lionel and Lainee and while he is a bit disturbed by it, he really isn’t surprised.





“Why are you going away papa?” Tanika had asked the last time he had seen her. Instead of going to face Melina, he decided to check on her instead. She had been in her room, quietly doing her own thing all day since she heard about him leaving Al-Simhara for Hidden Springs; halfway around the world. “I am doing it to make our family better. Grandma and Grandpa aren’t doing well, and your mom and I are having trouble paying the bills, the competition gives a cash prize to the winner.” He said, trying to keep it simple for his young daughter. She understood much more than he realized and she jumped into his arms and held him so she could look him in the eye.

“Promise me you’ll come back papa…” She had said tearfully, her voice cracking as tears overwhelmed her and turned to piteous sobbing. “Promise me…” She said weakly as he held her close for many long minutes, her sobbing leaving a large wet spot on his shirt. “I will do my best… with Allah’s help.” He replied weakly, on the verge of tears himself. “I’ll try…” he said over and over until they both stopped crying and just sit on the bed and talk very candidly about what the competition is all about. He stopped in to kiss his wife and the one she reciprocated with was nearly cold with rage, though her face had the façade of serenity.



He comes back to the present day and wipes the tears away from his eyes, hoping and praying to Allah to protect his family and to give him the strength to face whatever comes. He stands up and turns to see Simon watching him, sympathy plainly etched on his face. He quickly tells Tarik of the conversation Saraya had overheard between the enforcer and the overseer and he mentally files it away for later and they suddenly change the subject as Lainee comes up to inspect the arena, pretending to joke about something Blaze had done several days before… something that had infuriated them then, but they find it funny now that the man is gone. Lainee gives them a suspicious look, but when they start laughing, changes it to a scowl and stalks off grumbling under her breath.



Rowena; having spent the last few minutes cooling down with a nice glass of lemonade, goes toward the arena, having forgotten the book she had taken with her but had never managed to read, so intently focused on the action as she had been. When she nears the cell, she hears loud sobbing and wailing coming from inside and it cuts of suddenly with a choking sound that sends chills up her spine and sends her running to find Lainee; who is the only one that can get that door open.



She is truly frightened for Owen and tells Lainee in a rush what had happened, how she feels and what the Overseer should do. “There is nothing I can do until tomorrow; when he is scheduled to have his final ceremony, the rules of the competition state that very clearly.” The woman says blandly, as though Rowena is bothering her with what they are having for lunch, or if she can get some makeup sent in to her. “But he may be dead already!!” She says frantically. The other woman gives her a flat look. “Am I supposed to care?” She asks and turns to walk away, leaving Rowena feeling completely helpless and still feeling deep concern for Owen. She tells the others of what happened and none of the contestants sleep that night, all deeply worried for the man in the cell, who has made no noises since then and who makes none during the long night; possibly the longest night of the lives of everyone. 

No one is quite prepared for what they see the following morning when Lainee finally relents and opens the cell door.