The Big Players

Chapter Twenty Eight

DeLacy laughed sitting beside M-I6 drinking casually from the glass of water. M-I6 didn't like the idea that no one had tested it before hand but DeLacy was just relaxed. The Earl and Duchess who sat across from them both were as M-I6 had learned Lucas Travis and Sabine Bounden. Both were young and clearly in love with one another. Sabine was barely nineteen and Lucas was twenty one. Not a bad age difference but very young to be engaged.

DeLacy who was twenty eight wasn't even in a romantic relationship nor had ever had one due to her highly overprotective father. M-I6 knew full well why DeLacy didn't like this monitoring and constant bickering and eyeballing her. It was because she had dealt with it for 17 years. Even during her time of service within the US military. It reminded her too much of him.

"DeLacy thank you so much for meeting us here. We know that it's a bit of a danger for you to be out and about", said Lucas smiling.

"It wasn't too...much trouble, besides your offer is quite intriguing", replied DeLacy.

"Yes but...I'm sorry I never thought I'd actually be able to live and see Player Number One, it's an honor", said Sabine.

"We both forfeited when we realized we had been put into the Game. I was ranked Player Number Seven and Sabine Player Number 25 in our pool. We knew we couldn't do this and the risks were too great. I own a private ski resort, I'm not someone who can go off killing people. It's....that something like this exists is utterly revolting", said Lucas holding Sabine's hand and looking at her with the twinkle in his eye.

"Ah....yes...", DeLacy's voice trailed off. She didn't exactly know how to respond to this statement.

"Why haven't you forfeited? I can tell you don't enjoy the Game....but since you are Player Number One you might have a reputation to uphold", said Lucas.

DeLacy sighed, "If I could I would, yet the forfeit option was not given to me. This new rule that you both hold was not presented to me. And even if I did forfeit there are still several out there who want me dead. The Game just gives them a good excuse to pester me and try to eliminate business competition", said DeLacy rather a bit exhausted. The jet lag was lagging it's way in.

"How is it that one becomes Player Number One?", asked Sabine.

"I'm afraid it means you are the last player standing", said DeLacy.

"Does that mean you've actually killed others?", asked Sabine quietly.

"......." DeLacy was silent. Then she replied with a heavy sigh, ".......Yes.....I have", she finished.

"Oh...I'm sorry", said Sabine in a whisper putting her hand on DeLacy's. She could tell DeLacy did not want to be in such a position and she herself had put DeLacy there. She hadn't meant to do so.

DeLacy smiled brushing it off, "So...you wished to discuss something with me in regards to a business deal", said DeLacy.

"We'd like to sponsor your company", said Lucas.

DeLacy raised her eyebrows. "Sponsor?", she questioned.

"We want to invest in it. You have a good cause and we would like to support it", said Lucas.

"What are you expecting in return? Forgive me Earl but I'm not entirely following as to how this sponsorship could benefit you, unless you are surprising me and going to say that this is out of the goodness of your heart", said DeLacy.

"Well, yes there is more to it of course. But we want to give veterans a chance like you have. We want some of them to be rehabilitated and then become ski safety instructors and first responders", said Lucas.

"We would be paying for it of course and you would simply provide the rehabilitation services", said Sabine.

DeLacy raised her eyebrows it sounded like a valid cause, "You do realize the risk that I give rehabilitated veterans a choice of what they want to do", warned DeLacy.

"It's a risk we're willing to take, even if we don't get our intended goal we do know that the money will be put into the right place", said Lucas.

DeLacy chuckled, "It's rare to find such generous people, I will take your offer, yet to ensure your money does not go to waste I will assure you something will be put into place", said DeLacy.

Lucas raised his glass, "Agreed", he said clicking DeLacy's glass.

Conversation continued without much fault other than usual politics and daily events. Lucas and Sabine reminiscing about what they intended to do. It was the beginning of a business connection. These things take time. And interests of common ground had to be found. The only common thing they all really had was the Game.

Sabine huffed, "Did you hear about what happened in New York City?", she asked. Sabine was referring to the explosion at a local cafe. M-I6 flinched. His agent had been caught in that explosion and it authorities were still determining wether it was an accident or not. DeLacy had not exactly the full idea as to what had happened other than the video she had received meant it was connected to the Game somehow.

As Lucas and Sabine continued speaking amongst themselves DeLacy took out her phone. She glanced at M-I6 who wasn't paying attention but speaking to an agent quietly. She opened the app and watched the video. She paused zooming in onto a Cafe sign, Wallace Coffee.

DeLacy narrowed her eyes and returned the the app. It was familiar. The name was familiar. She pressed on the tap entitled Safe Zones. She scrolled passed the many rules regarding safe zones and facilities regarding their purpose and uses. She then went down the list of countries hitting America, then New York.  She recieved the list of safe zones. There were only a few. But----

DeLacy clenched her teeth. She stood up her phone vibrated with a notification from the app.

'You have a private message'

A few seconds later a video was waiting to be played. DeLacy pressed it. She glared as the video began. It was a....one could say live video of her and everyone with her. She looked up trying to assess as to where the camera was coming from. Then she  received another message.

"#Boom"-----

"Out now!", she yelled. M-I6 looked at her bewildered only to hear Anderson, "Sir we have a breech in--!

BOOM....