The Colosseum

Repaid

Ten

I awoke in Doc and Val's office hooked up to dialysis – a task that should have been completed by Annette Stryker. Where was she after my 10 minutes were up?

Steadily, I sit up, looking around the room. Doc is missing from the picture and Val is hunched over a bunch of papers. Next to her is a manila filed labelled PROFILES; she must be sorting through allergies and documented previous injuries of this new batch of gladiators.

I expect Kova to be waiting for me to wake up like I did with her, but she's nowhere to be seen. This could be considered peculiar behavior for someone who has been promoted to spy on me, but I suppose this gives me a glimpse into who she really is. It seems Kova is someone who likes to wash her hands before getting them dirty – she repays her debts to me to call us even, so when she strikes, she won't feel as bad. I guess that's one way to tackle the conscience. I'm someone who just accepts the weight of what I might have to do to survive; it's how I've gotten so far.

"What time did Kova bring me by?" I croak, voice hoarse either from disuse or calling Annette's name in my memories. God, my memories. I knew my family was already pretty messed up, but I didn't think they were this twisted. I suppose I know where I get my ruthless streak from – cough, cough, Mother.

Turning away from her work, Val frowns in disproval, wrinkles making her appear triple her age. "What were you doing with those chemicals in your body?" she snaps. "I thought you said you weren't going to go into that room anymore. Was that a lie?"

"Who cares?" I mumble, gently removing the IVs and needles from my skin. The pinches it comes with seem like nothing to me anymore. "I do what I need to get by. I'm okay now, and that's all that matters."

"That's something else I was confused about," Val goes on, standing up and pacing the room. I can tell she's had a lot pent up for a while, and I'm sure she's getting it out while Doc is gone. Once that big guy is here, he makes sure to keep Val's emotions in check – or at least bottled up. "You said you were going to give Kova the spotlight so you could lie low then get out of this place. Then you go out there and challenge the king?" Throwing her hands up in hopelessness, Val scoffs. "I mean, what's going on in your head? Did you have an uncharted heatstroke?"

"I was going to do that, but then the king made the announcement. Whoever gets highlighted gets a meal. Val, if I get close enough to him, then I might not even have to wait for the games to be over to get to him. I had to keep the fans under my thumb," I explain. "And Kova got the spotlight, too, so the attention is split." I ease myself up into a standing position, stretching and regaining my legs. "How long was I out?"

Digesting my information, Val settles back into her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. "With the giant head start in ratings you two already have, it would be wise of you to work together. At least for the time being. The king is your enemy, and using two minds and four fists to get to him is better than one mind and two fists."

"I'm noting you not answering my question," I alert. "But I'm listening to what you're saying." Val has an excellent point, but how do I propose a deal to someone I don't trust? Simple camaraderie isn't enough to benefit that my partner in crime will be trustworthy – we both need benefits in a deal. And just like that, my cunning mind comes up with the perfect idea.

Just then, Doc comes back with a new box of supplies. "I had a feeling we'd be needing extra things today," he rumbles, moving his massive body into his massive chair after setting the box down on the floor.

"Why?" I inquire. "What's today's schedule?"

Regretfully, Val pulls out a laminated sheet, biting her lip to keep herself from complaining in front of Doc. "This was posted today."