Glitch in the God Complex (AmpCore #1)

21 - Queen of the Sharks

"And if I don't?" she asked.

"Then get out, and don't come back."

Piper bristled, holding Ferra's gaze and letting anger simmer across her bones. Her implants strained like living things, desperate to be unleashed, wanting to tear the woman apart. Or maybe that was just her own thoughts.

She didn't want to leave. No matter what trap Ferra was laying for her, this place was the only part of the corporate hell hole she actually liked. Away from the classes; away from the real world and all the weight that was crushing down on her. Something different. Something where she could let loose and allow herself to feel every piece of bitterness and resentment.

Piper turned slowly, taking a gentle grip of Odiye's wrist. His eyes widened when he realised what she was doing, but he didn't stop her. She pulled his grip away, and looked him in the eye. Her heart wrenched when she saw the expression on his face, filled with guilt and unspoken objections.

"It's okay," she said quietly. "It's my decision."

Odiye bit down the words that so clearly wanted to come out of his mouth, and simply nodded. She managed a smile, then turned to face Ferra again, squaring her shoulders.

"Alright," she said.

The smile returned to Ferra's face in a flash. She stepped close, power crackling all around her. "Good," she said simply, before spinning on her heel and addressing the onlookers. "The challenge is accepted!"

A thunderous wave of voices greeted the announcement, and to Piper's surprise, most of them sounded happy. Glancing left and right she saw other students talking quickly to each other, pointing, nodding, surprised faces rippling through the crowd around her.

She got the distinct impression she'd passed some sort of test by not backing down.

But Piper was under no illusions about this set up. Queen bitch Ferra wanted to stamp her authority on the new girl, and had manufactured herself an opportunity. She could have backed down, but that would just send the message to every member of the Sharks that she was soft.

That she was a coward.

If everything went wrong – if she was never going to leave this place and her bones disappeared into the evergrind of Hadrian – Piper would not let that be the legacy she left behind. Not here.

"Sorry," she told Odiye, placing a hand on his arm for a moment.

Before he could reply she was walking, following Ferra out through the crowds. Her mind raced; her heart pounded. The things she'd seen already here were scary enough, and if the leader board was to be believed, Ferra was better than everyone else.

Piper tried to stamp out those thoughts, instead thinking back to what she'd practised with the others. She could defend herself, and she could attack – the basics were there. The rest of it would just be reacting, like any other street brawl she'd been in, just with a different set of tools. Second guessing herself would just get her smashed into a pulp.

Be decisive.

At least then she might not embarrass herself. Maybe all the new Sharks had to do this – test themselves against the leader to prove they belonged here. It certainly fit with the weird ritual that seemed to run through the blood of this place.

She pulled her amplifier free as she moved to the designated spot at one end of the arena, still fresh with scorch marks from Holly's duel. Breathe in, breathe out. Concentrate.

Turning, she faced Ferra down. The other girl shrugged off her jacket and tossed it lazily to one side, where Toran snatched it out of the air. Piper's glaze flickered to him, but his expression remained one of mild amusement.