Nightfire Warriors (Remastered)

25.

I readjust myself on the bed. "What are you talking about?"

"It's all over the news," JT complains. "How Ryan let a Nightfire trainee win a match. And it kind of pisses me off, actually. How we all promised we wouldn't lose for each other. May the best man win. Remember that Jace?"

"And what's Ryan saying about all of this, then?" Jace asks back.

"He's saying no comment like a wuss."

A part of me is sure I beat Ryan, honestly. Especially when I grabbed the gun, blasted the spear out of his hands, and shot him—no chance he would purposely let me do that. But I also see the look of genuine shock on JT's face. "I don't think that's true," I mutter.

"Well, you beating Ryan is a joke," JT says. "There's no comparison between you two."

My temper flares. "Why can't you believe that I beat him?"

"Because I saw the fight!" JT shouts. "They have it on tape! Ryan had so many chances to take you out but didn't. He should have had you easy. And I'm done talking about this." He opens the door to leave, and a figure is already standing in the doorway. They're both caught by surprise.

It's Julio. "James Tyler..." he greets JT. "Good to see you."

"We're leaving now," JT says. "I hope you had your fun tonight." And he leaves the room.

Julio looks drunker than before. He takes one look at me, and I intuitively know I'm not off the hook that easily. "What are you still doing here?" he demands at me. "You're dismissed."

I'm waiting for him to say more. "We had a deal," I remind him.

"Ryan let you win, my friend," Julio explains. "We're at a stalemate. You're not going to forfeit the tournament. You're not going to work for me. And I'm not going to give you the Brigadier badge. End of discussion."

So, I came all this way for nothing? "I need that badge!" I beg.

"Sag," Jace hisses at me. "Just let it go..."

Let it go? How can he say that? That spaceship is my only hope of finding Frankie. It's my only hope to stay in this tournament. I can't just let it go.

"Hold up for me, will you?" Jace asks. "I need to find JT."

I slowly realize we are letting it go. This is it, I think. My elimination in the tournament has officially come. There's nothing I can do. With no Brigadier badge, that means no access to Earth. No moving on. Worst of all, no way to reach Frankie. Defeat, exhaustion, and rejection overwhelm me as I process the previous events. My mind disorientates to a point I don't realize I walk out of the amphitheater.

At the bottom of my heart, I knew I wasn't going to win this tournament but never knew when the day would come. And what a horrible way for me to leave. For months now, I've been trying to push back the undeniable stress about where to go after no more hospitality from Nightfire. Where am I going to sleep? What will I do for a living? Is anyone going to hire me afterward? Certainly not A'Dimsyte. I'm insignificant.

My deep stress comes to a pause when I see Ryan standing yards out in the savannah from the corner of my eye. Though the grass hides most of him, I recognize his blond hair as the cold breeze tickles his tips. I join him in his gaze at the fantasy night sky.

"I'd appreciate it if you leave me alone," he says first. "Don't you have a tournament to do?"

"No," I say. "I'm out of the tournament."

Ryan avoids eye contact with me. "Then what do you want?"

I'm not surprised by his behavior. "I wanna talk about that fight," I say. "I guess Julio paid you the four-million roubles, yeah?"