Hector leaned in close and brought out his phone. He wrapped his arm around Nicomedes' neck. "I wanted to show you this, can't put it on the veil, security purposes you see."
Nicomedes looked as if he was about to punch him, red with anger, but then he took a glance at the picture on the phone and made a weird grunting sound from his throat.
"Good, I see you're getting the picture," Hector said, shaking his phone. "Get it? Picture? No? Nevermind. If anything happens to me, Pickle, or any of the girls, this goes out to some very interested sites, the ones that like to leak information to everyone. I believe it's called a dead-man's switch, and it's all out there on the dark, disgusting corners of the web where you hang out."
"You shouldn't have done that," Nicomedes said, seething with rage, looking up at him.
"Yes, I should. That's what you don't get, what you will never get. I should have gone to the cops with this immediately, but you and I know that they can't protect me. But with this arrangement, I can protect myself."
"What do you want?" Nicomedes said, showing his upper teeth. They were unnaturally white and perfect, like a Hollywood star’s.
"Nothing. That's what I'm saying. I want nothing to do with you. As long as you never bother me and my girls, I don't bother you. Deal?"
Nicomedes raised a fist at him. "I'll fuck you up, newbie."
"Yeah, yeah..." Hector stepped back. "I'm just here to watch the match," he said, pretending to look innocent.
George stepped in, sticking his thumb towards the door. “Hey, Hector, there’s a fat guy who’s claiming to be with you. Should I kick him out?”
Hector smiled, “He’s with me, let him in, please.”
Tony’s jaw dropped. “This is the owner’s lounge? I should become one!”
“Hey, if you had the money, and if I knew you’d keep it in your pants, I’d sell everything to you,” Hector said, taking a sip of ouzo. “Let’s sit down at the front.”
Tony stared at the girls. Hector couldn’t blame him, the owners showed them around and had them dolled up for this precise reason, to impress. “This is amazing!”
“You’re too easily amazed,” Hector snorted.
“No, but it is. You’re in the big leagues, and you’re my friend. How awesome is that?” Tony said, then squealed as a booby girl brought him his soda drink.
“How did she know to bring you one?” Hector frowned and pointed at her.
“Oh, you know, people use the veil,” Tony said smugly. “My drink preferences are on my public Agora profile.”
Hector shook his head. “You’d have to put a gun on my head to have me fill out that info.”
They both sat in silence and enjoyed the pre-game shows and videos.
“Hey, Tony?”
“Yeah?” the hacker said, his eyes glued on the dancers below.
“You were great back at the party. I wanted you to know that.”
Tony turned to him. “Really? You mean it?”
“Yeah, man. This is why I called you up here today. To say thank you, and I knew you’d like it. You were great, honestly. Gathering up the fans, prepping the highlights of the evening, convincing Pickle to go along with it...”
He chuckled, staring at the floor, soda in hand. “Yeah, I guess it went well.”
“Well? It was far, far better than what I could have done by myself. So, here’s to you,” Hector said, raising his glass.
“Cheers! Hey, does that mean I can get a handjob or something from one of the girls?”
“Absolutely not,” Hector said, clicking his tongue.
DROP ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO
"This is the qualifier round, ladies and gentlemen and variations thereof," the commentator blurted out and the stadium erupted with shouting and cheering. "On one side, we have the Pies, a newly-formed team that just came out of nowhere but is making quite a splash in the Cyberpink circuit. We'll see how they perform tonight, and if they manage to even qualify!"
There was some subdued cheering, but mostly boos from the crowd.
"And on the opposite side, the fan-favourites, the youth team of the Beasties, theee SNAAARLIEEES!"
The stadium went apeshit for them. The Snarlies took poses, scratched the air like cats, waggled their tails, and the fans ate it all up.
They really loved them.
Each character manufactured with data-mining algorithms and market research, they covered every kink of the spectrum, young-looking, catgirls, puma spots, bio-augmentations only, cosmetic augmentations only, everything. There wasn't a person with a furry fetish that couldn't find one of the Snarlies to gawk at. And, throw money at, which was the whole point.
They posed as a camera-drone spun around them, taking the perfect holoshot and projected it to people's screens. Every time they snarled or waggled their tail or did any of their signature moves, a graphic showed up in mixed reality, turning them into a sort of comic-book character with an onomatopoeic punch-line.
It was over-produced, frivolous and flashy. The fans ate it all the fuck up.
"What are we even trying to accomplish here?" Dainty Feet said, obviously demoralised. "We can't win that!"
"Stop that," Cherry said, putting her hand on Dainty Feet's shoulder. "They're a new team, just like we are. All the flashy graphics in the world don't change that."
"Exactly!" Pickle interjected, building off of Cherry. "It's all just for show, in the field, none of that matters."
"Okay..." Dainty Feet scratched her nose. She didn't look convinced, but she did look calm, and that was a major win in Pickle's book.
"Form a line, girls!" Pickle ordered, and took her own spot in the starting line. The Pies hesitated for a second, then joined up.
Cherry nodded at Pickle, then at Bobo, who finally broke her silence with a loud snort. It coincided with a quiet moment and her voice carried over to the fans in the front rows. "Will ya look at those kittens?" she laughed, pointing her q-tip their way. "Look how funny they are, with their furs. Here, kitty, kitty..."
The Snarlies all turned to her like a single unit, and, well... snarled.
Bobo rapped her q-tip on the floor, defiant.
DROP ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE
“This is going to be a snorefest I’m afraid, Jim.”
“Why is that, Peter?”
“Well, this match is just a formality for the Snarlies. They already have enough points to qualify for the Tournament either they win or lose. So I doubt we’ll be seeing any major action today.”
“But it is an important match for the new team, the, ha! I’m sorry, the Pies.”
“Yes, they are new, and from what I can tell, they’re all over the place.”
“Seriously Peter, just look at them. They’re not even augmented, what chance could they possibly have in Cyberpink? They have a... Let’s see here. Oh my gods, a foot model. Hardly a jugger athlete, if you ask me. This Pickle has a terrible win/loss ratio... What else? A newbie qwik. A Chain with an augmented arm so bad she’d be better off without it. And of course, Bobo on loan from the Lasses, which we all recognise. Okay, she might be able to do something tonight.”
“But one athlete does not make a team, Jim.”
“I agree, Peter. What can Bobo do all on her own? Anyway, we’re seconds away from the first stone, let’s be done with this quick, shall we?”
“And the girls are on their starting lines, that’s the first stone! We are on, let’s see. Ooh, the Snarlies got the skull, and they’ve got three Pies pinned down already, and they score! That’s a score, right off the bat. Eek. This will be over soon, Jim.”
“It better be, ‘cause if this first encounter is any indication, the two teams are so unevenly matched it’s not even funny, Peter.”
“The stones have started. That’s a better play from the Pies, they’re protecting their own, and... Ouch, it seems the Snarlies have ganged up on Bobo. Yeap, she’s paralysed and they’re still hitting her, that’s a foul. The ref is screaming in their face to get back. First b
lood, didn’t think it would be the more experienced one, to be honest.”
“No, Peter, it makes sense. Bobo is the only real contender here, so the Snarlies are smart to take her down quickly. Not the foul, I do not condone that, they could have just kept her pinned.”
“You are right, Jim. Bobo is the clear threat. And now she’s blooded. I wonder, was that wise on behalf of the Snarlies?”
“Which reminds me, follow the Snarlies on their official stream which you will find at cyberpinktournament dot com.”
“Yes, Jim, I’m already subscribed and I’m amazed by what I’ve seen. There’s everything on there, the girls, stats, behind the scenes, I just love it.
“Heh. Which one do you fancy, Peter?
“Well... Okay, if I had to pick one, it’s Kitty Klaw.”
“She’s a little young for you, ain’t she?”
“They’re all young for me, Jim. They’re a youth team. You asked me.”
“Don’t worry, Peter, I get what you’re saying. The girls are gorgeous, the team is promising and the fur is warm and fuzzy. I’m joining up right now!”
“As for the match, well... That’s another score for the Snarlies. Yawn. I doubt we’ll see a shift in this match, it is clear that the Snarlies are an actual team and that the Pies are... Whatever the hell they are. Ooh, Bobo got ganged up again.”
“Yeah, I think this is what we’ll be seeing all night.”
“And Dainty Feet is hit, is she limping? Yeah, she’s limping. I don’t think the Pies are gonna call for a medic, they only have five athletes.”
“Yeah! No reserves, which means one injury and they’re down to four athletes. Not that having five seems to be doing them any favours.”
“Ouch, man. Harsh words, but fair. I do like their armour though. It’s sleek.”
“Yeah, which brand is it? We don’t have a sponsor for that armour? How is that even possible?”
“I don’t know how that happened. And another skull in the mount, Snarlies clearly in the lead. We’re half-way through the match and this is a done deal. Done deal. Hope you placed a bet, you wouldn’t collect much but it was a sure thing.”
“The stones have started again. And this time, I think there’s a different play from Pickle Pie. Hm... They’re doing it, they’re holding their ground. Cadena is down, bleeding pink all over her teammates, Pawlina is on Bobo... She’s waiting for help, and they’re ganging up on Bobo once again.”
“This reminds me, Jim, last season we had a similar- OH MY GODS! What the hell just happened? Oh, my gods. Bobo grabbed Cadena’s chain from the floor and spun it, sending Pawlina’s jaw flying in the air and straight into a spectator’s lap.”
“I didn’t even know that was physically possible. Control, show us the replay, please. Oh my gods. Ouch! It looks even more painful from this angle. Was that a gunshot I heard?”
“I believe it was the tip of the chain breaking the sound barrier, that’s how strong Bobo’s swing was.”
“Seriously now? And she ripped Pawlina’s jaw right off her face? Eww! I can see her tongue. Oh, my gods, I’m gonna hurl.”
“Pawlina is being carried out by the medics, ladies and gentlemen and variations thereof, and the Snarlies are shaken up but regrouping. They are an actual team so they do have reserves, Dodo Bear enters the match. We have the stone... And the match is on.”
“Look at that! The Snarlies don’t even dare go near Bobo.”
“Ha! Can you blame them?”
“Of course not, after what just happened? I’m holding my own jaw, it hurts just by watching it. Oh, this is hilarious.”
“Absolutely hilarious, the Snarlies are actively running away from Bobo. She’s just walking around, holding her q-tip on a stroll, not even defending herself.”
“They dare not go near her, it’s phenomenal.”
“I’m calling her Killie. Oh! Killie Pie. Please tell me she’s joining the Pies permanently, ‘cause that name fits her like a glove.”
“You can’t rename her!”
“I think I just did. Killie Pie is walking to the Snarlies’ mount, followed by her qwik. And they score, it’s that easy. First point for the Pies against the Snarlies. I did not expect this outcome.”
“The girls are back on their starting lines... And we have the stones, but I don’t think there’s enough time to swing this the other way, even with Bobo... I’m sorry, Killie Pie, absolutely terrorising the opposing team.”
“And the Pies get the skull and she feints once, twice and she SCORES! Wow.”
“Wait, who is this Cherry Pie anyway, I don’t even know her stats. A natural 2 in speed rating? No way, this has to be a typo. No it is not, look at her go! Look at her! Cherry Pie is flying, I swear her feet aren’t even touching the ground. Did Hermes give her his winged sandals or something? This is hyperbole, I know, but this is what it looks like from up here. She scores! She scores again, ladies and gentlemen and variations thereof. I did not expect this kind of a show from this match, I tell you. Cherry Pie is phenomenal, with a few surgical plays from Pickle Pie, she seems to just dominate the field. The Snarlies still haven’t recovered. Gorgon is screaming in their face, pointing fingers.”
“Oh, this is ugly... The Snarlies have taken their beating, both from their own coach and by the Pies. The Pies, I cannot believe it, we’re seeing a good game, no, a phenomenal game from the first-comers.”
“Here’s the stone, and the Snarlies are holding up nicely... Oh! A wonderful block from Pickle Pie, Killie is just tearing through the other team’s enforcers, and Cherry scores again. Did she dive under their feet? Where’s the replay? Yes! She did dive under their feet, it was blindingly fast. I barely saw it.”
“Perhaps we’re getting older. We could use those cybereyes from Apollo Medical, you know.”
“Oh, yes, my insurance covers them nicely. I think I might pop in at a clinic this weekend, get my eyes replaced. Why wait?”
“Good call.”
DROP ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR
There was a knock on the door in the middle of the night. Hector grabbed his shotgun and went to check it out. The girls were exhausted after winning the qualifiers that day, and he was the only one still awake.
Hondros, of all people, was standing there, flanked by two of his girls. The one was unknown to the sleepy armourer, she might have been the one that visited before, or not. The other was definitely Destiny. She had a brand-new hand augmentation, one of the expensive ones. Hondros showed up wearing his tailored suit, like always. “Hector,” he said, glancing around at the shady neighbourhood. “Let me get straight to the point. Are you still interested in getting Mamacita at the exact same price you offered?”
Hector was stunned. “Wha- Yes! For 9k, sure.”
Hondros smiled wide. There was something unnerving about it. “We have a deal, then,” he said, gesturing in his veil and sending the sale contract to Hector.
Hector went over the wording, he wasn’t gonna be screwed by him again.
“Tick-tock, Hector,” Hondros said, tapping his wrist for a nonexistent watch. “This offer is only valid for as long as I’m standing here, and let me tell you, I can’t wait to vacate the premises,” he chuckled, his jowls shaking around like jello.
Hector shook himself awake. This is what he wanted, wasn’t it? Then why look a gift horse in the mouth? “Yes, Yianni, but you better not screw me over,” he said, waving the shotgun, not at him, but upwards in the general direction. He realised too late that that mistake could have been misinterpreted as being threatening. It was a miracle the two bodyguards hadn’t decked him already.
“Tick-tock.”
“Fine!” Hector spat out exasperated, and signed. “Here, one confirmation already, you’re lucky the blockchain isn’t loaded at this hour.”
Hondros checked his veil and waited for the confirmations to come in. Normally, you’d wait for at least 7 or 10. 15 if you were paranoid, but Tony had explained that it didn’t matter after 10, it was a ca
se of diminishing returns. “Excellent,” he said, and waved his girls over.
That was weird. Such a careful man, not even waiting around for the confirmations to come in?
The two athletes reached into the limo and pulled out a female form. They carried her to the house, and in the light, Hector recognised the face and the curvy form of Mamacita. She looked to be in a terrible condition, pale, her skin yellow and sticky. Unconscious but still breathing, thankfully.
They dropped Mamacita like a sack of meat on his doorstep.
“She’s your problem now,” Hondros said smugly and turned away into the night.
End of Book 2
DROP ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE
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Pie Box 1 Page 29
