Chapter 28: Chapter 28

Sara materialized her casual clothes and waved goodbye to her fellow dancers. “Have a good night.” After they acknowledged her, she left the backroom and made her way across the raiders’ club. This was a finely-appointed establishment with well-stocked bars, a kitchen staff who served high cooking skill foods, various tables and chairs, opportunities for gambling, stages for the dancers, and back rooms for sex. There were also non-lethal contests to bet on.

Despite the fact that it was well past midnight, there was still a fairly large and boisterous crowd. John and some of his guild mates were among them, lavishing raucous attention on some of the healer’s coworkers while keeping themselves pleasantly drunk and high. Sara had already said goodnight to him when she had gotten off stage—and she was not really in the mood for another private dance—so she passed him by unnoticed.

After showing the manager her inventory and paying his cut of her earnings, she left the building through the back exit and stepped into an alleyway. She came up short as the door swung closed behind her. Standing nearby was the traitor, Dennis Cantor.

His gear had changed. He wore a fine golden chain shirt, with a matching ax and round shield. The latter had various fancy embellishments. His clothes were medieval finery. And his weapon sparked with the lightning strike spell. When it appeared, the nameplate informed Sara that the inmate was now at twenty-five percent XP.

“You’ve been busy,” she said darkly upon observing that last. She considered his mana total. “And the knight’s given you rare gems.”

“What a perceptive little girl—but then, I already knew that from your show. Entertaining stuff. But not as fun as your sex program.” Clearly, his benefactor’s largess included media access. “Of course, I might have enjoyed the opportunity to watch you debase yourself in person. But even before the rousing success of my killings, I wasn’t welcome in any of the local establishments.”

“Because of your crime. That’s what all this is about, isn’t it?”

“Right again—you cop-killing whore.” He glared at her. “You have no idea what it’s been like for me in here.”

“I haven’t experienced this place the same way you have—but I’m not wholly ignorant either. One quality Fantasy shares with conventional prisons is that those who have crimes against children are treated harshly. The Guild Council won’t allow anyone to do business or adventure with you. In the city, many challenge inmates with crimes like yours to lethal contests on sight. Outside the city, they’ll just attack.

“I don’t agree with these actions—we’ve all been stripped of our organs and thrown into this horrible game. That ought to be cruelty enough for anyone.”

“I’m sick of it!” he said viciously. “Skulking in the shadows, relying on charities for sustenance, not being able to even talk to anyone but child molesters! The Guilds are going to reap what they’ve sown—they’ll all die for what they’ve done to me.

“Don’t think you or your mouthy friends will be spared just because you’re not in a guild. Using your pussy pass to get a show, getting respect because you preyed on cops! You’re no better.”

“You must take personal offense, as a former police officer yourself.”

“I’m flattered that you’ve taken such an interest in me.”

“I also know the circumstances of your crime. For what it’s worth, I do think a person ought to have a right to defend their possessions. But was it worth shooting a twelve year old in the back over a computer? Is a human life worth so little to you?”

He laughed. “A twelve year old! That worthless thug was nearly as tall as I am. Wannabe gangbanger got what he deserved when he stole from me. And if it weren’t for an IA shithead, I wouldn’t be in here!”

IA stood for internal affairs. Sara did not have any regard for authority figures, let alone crooked cops like Cantor—but still, she had to at least try reasoning with him. “You don’t think someone that young might have learned from his mistakes if you’d spared his life?”

“Stop wasting my time with your philosophizing. I’ve already heard enough of it—you’re the worst part of your show, you boring cunt.”

Despite the repeated provocations, Sara kept her tone even. “Since you watched the show, you’re aware of my dislike of revenge. For all you’ve done, in the real world and in here, even killing people I considered friends...I don’t desire your death if it can be avoided. I understand your anger—you were a powerful man on the outside, a respected man. In here, you have nothing. Nothing to call your own, and no reason to live. So why not die for revenge?”

This seemed to calm him slightly. “Why not indeed?” he asked skeptically.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way. I don’t have much influence, but I do at least have the ear of some important officials because of my work. If you were to agree to end your alliance with the knight—and if you stopped killing for a month to show your good intent—I would speak to all of them on your behalf. Maybe they would agree to secretly pay you to live peaceably in this city if it could save them more embarrassment. You’ve humiliated the Guild Council by lasting this long—the ability to continue to do so gives you some standing. Use it if you still have any desire to live.”

Cantor laughed. “You’re offering to help me?”

“If it will save lives—yes.”

“I’ll admit that you’re a very persuasive speaker. But I have no interest in your offer. And even if I did, I doubt the Council will have any interest in negotiations after my associate and I killed two of their lapdogs this evening.”

“The Assassins?” Sara asked, alarmed.

“The vaunted Assassins—two attacked us, and when we defeated them the other three turned tail and ran!” He offered a cruel smile. “The knight is best fighter in this game—and it turns out that I have extraordinary talent as well. This did start as a suicide mission, but now I’ve come to realize that I can’t be stopped. Every inmate who steps foot outside this city will have our swords hanging over their head. ...Of course, you don’t have to travel that far to die, if you prefer.”

Sara’s HUD informed her that the traitor had challenged her to lethal contest. She had an opportunity to end this madness here and now. She analyzed the situation, but the odds were not in her favor.

She was a tier behind in experience and gems. Cantor’s skills were probably selected with his needs in mind—a self-heal with damaging spells was better for PvP than pure healing or pure damage. He had likely chosen an alleyway for this confrontation because the lack of maneuverability was a detriment to her fighting style. And even if she escaped this area and fought him out in the street...he had gone against the Guild Assassins and won. She could not expect to exceed his prowess.

The healer’s careful reasoning had once again justified inaction. She had to ask herself if she was backing down because it was the smart tactical decision, or because of her fear of killing. She could not be sure. But if diplomacy had failed and she could not bring herself to attack, then intimidation was the best course.

Without warning, she materialized her adventuring outfit and weapon simultaneously. She also extended her fangs. After an extremely quick flourish, she snapped the point of the spear suddenly up against Cantor’s neck, where it brushed against his separation field.

“I’ve explained the peaceful way out of this,” she said coldly. “If you refuse to take it, then I have no reason to let you live. Except of course, that you’ve chosen this location to challenge me in order to limit my mobility—and that even though you’re a tier ahead. Hardly sporting of you.”

She drew back her weapon slightly and rejected the offer for the lethal contest. “We’re not going to fight today. But take a good look at this spear. It may be only a virtual object...but I swear that if you attack my friends, this be the weapon to end your life.” Despite the fact that she was anything but certain, she managed to say this with a tone of absolute conviction.

It was only for a moment, but Cantor did look unnerved by the sudden threatening shift in her demeanor. But then he laughed once more. “As soft as you are, at least you have some fight in you. And you’re the only criminal in this hellhole who’s spoken to me with the respect I’m due.

“So I won’t be seeking you out right away. But I’m sure that someday we’ll meet, out there. And on that day it will be your sentence the company carries out.”

Both inmates dematerialized their armaments. Sara retracted her fangs. Cantor turned and walked away from her, soon exiting the alley. She decided to follow—maybe she could get some idea of where he was going. From the shadows, she observed him summoning his horse and then riding off to the south. She lost sight of him too quickly to guess his destination. Most likely, he would simply hide somewhere within the city before resuming his rampage with his ally.

Sara turned back toward the club. She hated to ruin John’s recreation, but it was best to tell him what had transpired straight away.