Second Wind

Chapter 5: Blood Money

"What now?" I asked as we were walking back to the first convergence. (I decided that I was going to call it the Verge. Short for the Convergence.) Zero shrugged.

People shrug a lot in Deadlock. I guess it was a common gesture.

"We could go bet on fights," she suggested. "You need money anyway." That sounded good. Angel dug several bills out of the pocket of her jacket, "I have like thirty bucks. What about you two?"

I dug into my bra, where I kept the money I had brought. Two twenties and a ten. "Fifty," I said. Zero produced two twenties.

"I'm good at betting, we'll make some good money today!" Zero cheered, taking off towards the Arena. I took off after her. We raced down the main hallway and we skidded to a halt near the Arena. There were more people, but it was still mostly clear. I leaned up against one of the pillars. My friends lined up beside me.

"We have the best spots in the house," Zero told us. I nodded, looking for somebody to bet with...

"How do you even bet with somebody? Do you just go up and be like, 'Hey if I win give me twenty bucks.'?"

Angel chuckled at my ignorance.

"Basically. Just find somebody and keep them in sight so they can't run away from you if you win. People do that," she explained. "Hey look, there's a guy you can ask. He can't win a bet to save his life. He steals all the money he bets." I followed Angel's gaze to a skinny guy covered in tattoos, but the really shitty kind like roses and crosses.

"Hey you!" I yelled across the Arena. The guy looked up from his phone. I crooked my finger towards myself, telling him to come over. He narrowed his eyes at me, but he nodded. The boy walked across the Arena and stood next to me. I was taller than him.

"What do you want?" he asked brusquely.

I held up a twenty, "To bet."

The guy's eyes lit up hungrily. He nodded, smirking at up at me. "Name's Helix. Watcha wanna bet?" he told me, winking.

Snakebite came over the intercom, "Serpent and Hurricane are to fight. If you're not here by the count of three you're both demoted to marauder." I heard swearing and rapid footsteps, and two guys burst through opposite hallways. People started to flood into the space around the Arena as the guys circled each other.

"Twenty bucks Hurricane'll win it," I said, winking back at Helix. He produced two tens, "You're on, sweet-cheeks."

I punched him swiftly in the gut. "Don't call me sweet-cheeks," I growled. Helix doubled over in pain, throwing me a glare. I smiled sweetly at him.

I turned my attention back to the fight that was about to start. Hurricane was thickly muscled and built like a tank, while Serpent was wiry and fox-like in appearance. It was an obvious who was going to win...

He was a bad better.

The fight started along with the thumping, dubstep-y music that always seemed to be playing in Deadlock. Serpent came out swinging, catching Hurricane with a swift one-two before dancing away. Hurricane, however, didn't seem to feel a thing. He played on the defensive, waiting for Serpent to strike again.

He came towards the other guy, aiming for his stomach. Instead, Serpent flicked his fists upward and punched Hurricane right in the throat. But my man took advantage of their proximity and kicked one of Serpent's knees. I heard an audible crack as the opponent crumpled to the floor.

Hurricane then preceded to stomp on his face, knocking him out cold.

I turned to find Helix trying to slip away in the crowd. I caught him by the back of his shirt and whipped him around to face me. "Money. Now," I growled again. He placed the two crumpled tens in my outstretched hand and scurried away to the back of the centre of the school.