Caged

by Theresa Breslin

  ‘You OK?’ Tech asked Kai.

  ‘Raven and I had to bring someone in. We’d no option,’ he added quickly.

  ‘I heard,’ said Tech. ‘When Raven came back without you Spartacus was still topside posting your fight with Leo. While she was waiting for him to return she told me what went down in Langsdaine Park.’

  Kai looked at Tech. He wondered if Raven had mentioned the knife. They shared an interest in film and she worked with him to sift through his database of digital images to choose the best ones for the publicity material. But Tech was a few years older than the Cage Fighters and quite reserved. He didn’t often mix with them socially. Usually he was immersed in his work – like now. Even as he spoke to Kai his fingers were whizzing over the keyboard.

  ‘I’m improving the fighters’ profiles,’ Tech explained. ‘I’ll update Boudicca’s and Medusa’s on the footage that goes out with tonight’s fight.’

  He clicked the mouse and the big screen filled with overlapping frames of Boudicca in character mode, the focus homing in on her golden gloves and then the golden crown on her helmet. Tech had animated the crown so that, with a glorious burst of sound, it spun in rapid movement. A shower of sparks whirled outwards, filling the screen with a kaleidoscope of colour.

  ‘And I’ve given Medusa more serpents than the Reptile House at London Zoo,’ Tech boasted. To the slow beat of a snare drum the camera delved into a roiling pit of tangled snakes – asps and adders, hooded cobras, pythons and venomous vipers, and rattlesnakes coiled to strike. Cymbals crashed and a deadly black mamba reared up from the centre of the pile. Mouth agape and fangs forward, the slitted yellow eyes sought their prey…and then the camera zoomed out to reveal the eye slots of Medusa’s face visor and the swirling snakes on her neck torque.

  ‘Impressive,’ Kai told Tech. ‘Your Cage Fighter name should be “King of the Keyboard”.’

  More clicks brought images of Kai onto the screen. ‘Nearly finished your file, Kai,’ said Tech. ‘By the time I’m done your name will mean more than “fire”. You’ll be the “Firestorm Fighter”.’

  The noise of a rushing wind swept into the room – followed by the fearsome crackling of a forest fire raging out of control. Tongues of flame licked up, devouring the screen and morphing into the flames on Kai’s vest, until the shot panned back revealing Kai punching his way through the inferno.

  ‘Wow!’ exclaimed Kai. ‘I’ll buy that!’

  Tech seemed pleased at Kai’s reaction as he closed down the computer, but his face was serious as he said, ‘Spartacus is none too happy about us acquiring another passenger with only a couple of days to go before the pay-off.’ His remark was a statement rather than a question.

  ‘Yeah,’ Kai responded. ‘But I don’t think we should worry too much. This girl – Bird Girl – has promised she’ll stick to our rules and do what we say until after the fight on Saturday. Spartacus says he’ll update everyone later on at the Meet. He sent me here to help you get ready to film tonight’s fight.’

  ‘I’m always ready.’ Tech patted his satchel. ‘Just hanging until I see Raven coming back in.’

  ‘There she is!’ Beowulf jumped to his feet. ‘I’ll let Leo know so that he can go and meet her.’

  Kai’s mind seethed with resentment as he went with Tech to the Arena. Here he was, stuck with Tech, who probably didn’t need any assistance, while Leo was off to be with Raven.

  *

  When they reached the Arena Spartacus was chatting to Boudicca. Medusa was already in the Cage.

  Medusa in action was like the snakes which adorned her from hips to helmet. Her body was slim and sinewy and her fight method was more akin to wrestling than boxing.

  Boudicca climbed in beside her. She had cast herself in the role of the ancient British queen whose name she’d chosen. She stood erect and threatened Medusa with an imaginary spear.

  Because they didn’t have a live audience, Tech used CGI to make a crowd and added in sound effects of applause, catcalls, yipping, barking and whistling. Through the megaphone the voice of Spartacus rasped out the announcements.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen! I present…’ He paused for a moment, knowing that at the edit stage Tech would insert a trumpet fanfare. ‘The hideous snake-infested Gorgon – Medusa! Look not upon her face, for one glimpse of her eyes will freeze your blood for ever!’

  Tech moved in with the camera as Medusa lay down and slithered on her stomach towards the bars of the Cage.

  ‘And,’ Spartacus went on, ‘fighting Medusa in this match is: Boudicca! Queen of the Iceni, who sacked London and subdued the Legions of the Roman Empire!’

  ‘Instead of wearing that old balaclava Spartacus should dress like a Master Gladiator when he’s refereeing,’ Kai said to Tech. ‘It would ramp up his introduction.’

  ‘Absolutely no-go on that one,’ said Tech. ‘I’m never to film him. He made me swear to it. He’s neurotic about being recognized.’

  ‘Pity. You could have made him a terrific executioner-style helmet as disguise.’

  ‘Yeah, but nothing would conceal his bad leg.’ Tech switched off the camera as Spartacus limped over.

  ‘Any word from Raven?’

  ‘She’s underground near the south exit,’ Tech told him. ‘Beowulf went to tell Leo, so she’ll be here soon.’

  ‘She’s in safe hands with Leo.’ Spartacus slid a sidelong glance at Kai. ‘We hope!’

  Kai began to fret as he imagined Leo close to Raven in the darkened tunnels.

  Spartacus turned to Tech. ‘There’s something I have to do immediately after the fight but I’ll be along to go over your edit as soon as I can.’

  Tech smiled as Spartacus took his place at the bell beside the Cage. ‘He thinks he’s a hot-shot film editor as well as an army boxing champion.’

  ‘I didn’t know he was a boxing champion!’ said Kai.

  ‘He won some cup or other before his leg got damaged. Might have gone on to be really famous but that stopped everything. Boxing was his life. Said that losing his chance of being a professional fighter destroyed his whole future. He’s very bitter about it.’

  ‘How do you know this? He never talks to anyone.’

  ‘I researched him before I agreed to work with him, and sometimes he lets things slip when he’s pretending to edit my film.’

  ‘Pretending to edit?’ said Kai.

  ‘Yeah. He’s a control freak, so even though I’ve done all that’s needed, he has to adjust or delete a few frames to show he’s boss.’ Tech shrugged. ‘He’s invested his money and is really on-side with the project. So I don’t care as long as the overall content is up to my standards and the information about kids on the streets is included.’

  ‘Are you a professional film maker?’

  ‘I’d like to be. Want to do documentaries on social issues. Something that happened to my family while I was a paramedic made me volunteer to work in homeless shelters. Saw that younger and younger people were living below the poverty line. Began to take photos and make recordings. Thought I could give them a voice. I was filming Boudicca and Beowulf in a small gym that had been set up for troubled youth when Spartacus appeared. The organizers had asked him to help with the training and we got chatting.’

  ‘But this isn’t legal,’ said Kai. ‘Won’t it mess up your chances for the future?’

  ‘More likely the opposite,’ said Tech. ‘The publicity could be enormous.’ He switched on the camera as the bell sounded for the first round.

  Boudicca leaped forward, teeth bared.

  ‘Oh!’ Tech drew in his breath. ‘What’s she up to?’

  The girls fought. Medusa, hissing, circled Boudicca, stretching and contorting her arms like writhing snakes. Boudicca pointed to her crown to show that she was Queen of the Cage, then she sliced and chopped aggressively, landing flat and edged blows. Spartacus encouraged posturing and theatricals. His strategy, which seemed to have paid off, was that the more dramatic the fight the more hits they’d get – and th
us the money would increase.

  Their rounds lasted only three minutes. Even in that short space of time, at the end of the first round Medusa was labouring. Boudicca’s weight was telling heavily on the younger girl. Medusa barely lasted the second round – lagging well behind on points. Half a minute into the third and Boudicca had her in an armlock that she could not get out of.

  Not even close.

  Medusa submitted as the bell went. It was Boudicca’s win. She would go through to fight against Raven in the girls’ final the following evening.

  Medusa’s face was streaked green and grey, the painted snakes on her arms and legs blotched and distorted. She hesitated as if about to say something before she left the Cage. But with a grand flourish Spartacus announced the winner. Medusa climbed out as Boudicca pranced from corner to corner of the Cage, pirouetting so that Tech could get good shots of her front and back.

  Tech was peering at his mini-screen. He looked un­happy.

  ‘That was…different,’ he said.

  ‘What’s different?’ Kai asked.

  ‘The way Boudicca was fighting. It might not be so apparent when you’re standing far back, but with close-ups I can see it on the screen. At one point I thought she was going to bite Medusa.’

  ‘You can’t do that wearing a gum shield.’

  ‘She didn’t have one in,’ said Tech. ‘I noticed that at the start.’

  ‘It must have fallen out by mistake.’

  ‘Didn’t look like a mistake, the way she came at Medusa in the opening seconds.’

  Kai recalled the conversation in Tech’s den after his fight with Leo earlier in the day when the Cage Fighters had discussed bending the rules. Boudicca had mentioned trying ‘new moves’ on Medusa. Had she decided not to wait for the nightly Meet? ‘But’ – Kai spoke slowly – ‘before a fight Spartacus always checks our feet, hands, helmets – and mouths.’

  Tech raised his eyebrows but didn’t reply.

  ‘In any case Medusa wasn’t strong enough to resist Boudicca. So there was no call for Boudicca to get too physical.’

  ‘But what if Medusa had been stronger?’ Tech was still turning what he’d filmed over in his mind. ‘Boudicca was…is…out to do damage.’

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Kai was watching Tech finish off the edit of the girls’ match when Raven and Leo arrived back.

  ‘There he is,’ Leo announced loudly, ‘the Housing Officer for the London Underground!’

  Kai was hoping that if he didn’t respond Leo might shut up and leave him alone. But that didn’t always work with Leo. He tended to pile on the snide remarks until he got a reaction.

  ‘I hear you’ve collected another lame duck,’ Leo persisted. ‘You do appreciate that every extra person is a drain on resources? Why did you bring her into the tunnels?’

  ‘You’ve no idea what’s going on—’ Kai replied angrily.

  ‘Leo,’ Raven cut across them, ‘if me and Kai hadn’t sorted out something for Bird Girl, then the rest of the fights would probably have been cancelled – tonight, tomorrow, and your finale with Kai on Saturday.’

  ‘Of course!’ Leo hardly missed a beat as he quickly changed tack. He appealed to Beowulf, who was still on monitor duty. ‘Just joshing about,’ he said. ‘Banter, that’s what.’

  ‘Who is she anyway?’ Beowulf asked. ‘Are the rumours true? Did she really manage to take a photograph of one of us?’

  ‘You can ask these questions in about ten minutes,’ Spartacus said as he came into Tech’s den carrying Bird Girl’s rucksack. ‘We’ll have our Meet as soon as I’ve approved Tech’s edit of the girls’ match.’

  Tech exchanged a look with Raven over Spartacus’s head as he studied the film, making suggestions for alterations. By the time he was done the rest had arrived. Medusa was dejected by her defeat but Boudicca was on a high, talking louder than ever. Bird Girl, in the calming company of Sarema and Gita, seemed more settled. She gave Kai a weak smile when he brought her a stool.

  Spartacus beckoned for her to sit beside him as he began the meeting. ‘As you can see we have a guest, whose name is to be “Bird Girl”. I’ll bring you up to date on that situation after we do our business.’ He went over the usual arrangements, allocating duties and updating information, including the timings for the last three matches. ‘Tomorrow at midday Magog and Beowulf fight for third-place bonus; in the evening Raven and Boudicca fight to decide the girls’ winner. Then’ – he grinned at Leo and Kai – ‘High Noon on Saturday is the final fight of the contest for overall boys’ champion. Keep up your training,’ he said. ‘Give it all you’ve got.’

  Kai saw Leo nod in response. On the surface it appeared he was talking to both boys but Kai was sure the last remark was a special word of encouragement for him.

  ‘Anybody want to raise anything?’ asked Spartacus.

  ‘We’re thinking of slackening our Fight Rules for the last matches,’ said Boudicca. ‘To make them more lively.’

  ‘Interesting idea!’ Spartacus exclaimed.

  ‘Not everybody thinks so,’ said Tech. ‘For a Mixed Martial Arts fight to work you need rules and respect. Otherwise it’s just a brawl.’

  A tic crossed Spartacus’s face. ‘You’re filming, not fighting, Tech, so you don’t have a say – although I would have thought you’d see dramatic possibilities for the camera to capture.’ As Tech started to reply Spartacus held up his hand. ‘Only those in the Cage get to vote on this.’ His eyes locked with Boudicca’s.

  ‘I’m for it,’ said Boudicca. ‘Definitely.’

  ‘Me too.’ As usual, Beowulf agreed with her.

  ‘Well, I’m not,’ said Medusa, glancing at Boudicca.

  ‘Ah…Medusa…sorry. You can’t vote on this either,’ said Spartacus. ‘You’re out of the competition so you won’t be in the Cage again.’ He nodded confidently at Leo. ‘Who else is for it?’

  ‘I’m not scared of doing drama,’ said Leo.

  ‘That’s my lad!’ exclaimed Spartacus. ‘Those against pumping up the action for the last fights raise your hands.’

  As Leo glowed under the praise a hollow thought entered Kai’s heart – with no restrictions on Leo it would be like facing Evil Eddy in the Cage.

  Magog put up his hand. ‘I think we’re doing fine the way we are.’

  ‘I’m with Magog,’ said Kai.

  ‘Wimp!’ Leo put his hand over his mouth to cover his remark.

  Kai half rose to his feet.

  Leo began to cough loudly as if he couldn’t help it.

  Tech’s eyes were on Raven. He gave a shake of his head and visibly relaxed when she too raised her hand.

  ‘It’s a tie,’ declared Spartacus. ‘Three for the idea…and three against. Looks like I have to make a decision. Tell you what. I’ll have a conversation with both fighters before each of the last three matches and we’ll come to an agreement then. Bear in mind that we’d get more viewers if we upped the ante for the last fights.’

  ‘We’re getting stacks of viewers already,’ said Raven. ‘Before I came back in this evening I managed to catch the fight at a student hostel. It was amazing. Their TV lounge was standing-room only before the transmission time. While they were waiting for today’s bout they ran some footage of the previous fights. Medusa – your snakes are spectacular.’ She stretched out and fist-bumped Medusa. ‘But this morning’s re-run was the favourite. When I left they were still running it over and over in slow motion to see the moves. Leo, Kai’ – Raven smiled at both of them – ‘they love you guys. You should’ve heard the noise when Leo climbed up the cage. They were baying for blood!’

  ‘Kai’s or mine?’ asked Leo. ‘Mmmm…Let me guess. Whose profile pic gets most “likes”? Oh, that’s right. It’s mine!’

  ‘And who does more talking than actual fighting?’ Kai glared at him. ‘Oh, that’s right. It’s you!’

  ‘Doesn’t matter,’ Spartacus interjected. ‘Anything that ups the interest will make the pay-per-views rise, and with
it our income.’

  ‘Tech, your edit is incredible,’ Raven continued. ‘You’ve cut the film at exactly the right spots. Scrolling the list of Fast Facts about kids living on city streets, and then revealing that it wasn’t about a Third-World country, but right here in London, shocked the socks off them. And the music you added. Totally atmospheric. They were texting in donations like crazy.’

  ‘I hope you’ve got some good shots of me winning my fight,’ said Boudicca.

  In answer Tech clicked the mouse and the wall screen filled with colour and movement – sinuous snakes and the golden twirling crown. There were great images of both girls, but, Kai noted, nothing to show the absence of Boudicca’s gum shield. Tech must have deleted the one of Boudicca with her teeth bared before Spartacus had a chance to see it. The edited fight was fast and sharp, with lingering moments of Boudicca in her winning pose.

  ‘You look awesome!’ Beowulf told her.

  Boudicca, who was watching for Leo’s reaction, didn’t hear him.

  ‘Keep up the good work, Tech,’ said Spartacus. ‘But now there’s another matter to deal with.’

  Kai saw Bird Girl’s face tighten.

  ‘We have a…visitor. As I said previously, “Bird Girl” is what she is called, and while I’m relating her story I’m going to have Tech check out her laptop.’ He pulled Bird Girl’s rucksack from under his stool, opened it and gave the laptop to Tech.

  When Spartacus had finished running through the info about Bird Girl, he turned to Tech again.

  ‘So, what recent activity has taken place?’

  ‘None.’ Tech raised his head and addressed Spartacus.

  ‘What do you mean “none”?’

  Tech spread his hands over the laptop. ‘Nothing has been sent out today. No emails. No social media contact whatever. No files downloaded. No files uploaded.’

  ‘No files uploaded,’ Spartacus repeated. He swung round on Kai. ‘You told me that she’d sent her photos to her Cloud?’

  ‘That’s what she said she’d done!’ Kai protested.

  ‘And you took her at her word?’ Spartacus spoke with heavy sarcasm.