THE ARENA

Chapter 3

Nathan grabbed her by her arm and with a forceful Alpha tone put her in her place and under his demand, “I said we are not leaving.”

Addison was a bit taken back as she has never felt such a force before, not even from his father, “you are hurting me.”

Nathan let her go, “sorry.”

“Why risk our lives on someone that will most likely not be able to have children?” Addison asked, knowing that she will get only half of the sale when she hands the WICS over and the other half if the WICS fell pregnant.

“You can stay here while I finish this contest by myself but I am not leaving without that WICS,” Nathan said, grabbing his blade and walked off.

“Slow down, we need to hide until the announcements are made,” Addison said, and ran after Nathan.

“Why?” Nathan asked, not stopping.

“After the announcement, there will be several drops, no one knows where it will land and if it is on top of us we will be in trouble. We need to go up,” Addison advised.

“What are these drops? Food? Supplies? Water?” Nathan asked, thirsty.

“All but some of it is also bombs. If we go up into a tree we can wait it out,” Addison said as the first drones flew overhead.

“We are too late,” Nathan said, looking up.

“No, those are for the WICS,” Addison said.

Dakota woke up from the buzzing sound of a few large drones above her. Dakota stuck her tongue out at one of the drones, knowing there was a camera on them. The drones dropped their packages and took off again.

Dakota opened the first package and draml the water eagerly. Dakota inspected the second package, “what the hell is this?”

Dakota realized it was a loo in a bag and a Ponzo, “you are kidding right?!” she shouted up in the air as if shouting at a higher being.

Dakota opened all the other bags, “a blowup mattress. Would have come in handy last night, assholes.”

Dakota ignored the food, thinking, ‘I am not pooping in a bag so best I don’t eat.’

Dakota opened the mattress and pulled a string that made it inflate by itself. “Much better,” she said, and laid down on it. ‘I wonder how much longer they are going to take? I might just get a sunburn,’ Dakota thought and got up again to opening more packaging, ‘sunscreen and a tent. Guess I am setting up camp.’

Dakota was about to set up the tent for one when a siren went off followed by an announcement.

The announcement informed them that there was only seven couples left and unlike the previous contest, there are a timer; seven hours before the contest is over but every time someone dies they will gain one hour to the timer.

After the announcement Addison frowned up at the sky, “something is not right.”

“Guess there are no drops,” Nathan said.

“It takes hours to build a ladder to get to the top of the stage to where the WICS is so we will have to kill the other couple to gain more time,” Addison advised.

“I will kill only if it is self-defense,” Nathan said and walked towards the stage.

“Where are you going?” Addison asked.

“I need water and food and it is on that stage,” Nathan pointed towards the stage where Dakota was struggling to set up the tent to shade herself from the sun that was starting to draw water.

“You are going to get us killed,” Addison protested but followed him.

Both of them came to a halt when Nathan stepped on something.

“What is wrong? Speak to me?” Addison said.

Before Nathan could answer another couple blew up, one after the other.

“TWO HOURS ADDED TO THE TIMER, EIGHT HOURS AND FORTY-NINE MINUTES REMAINING”

The landmines that blew up the couple made some flesh pieces land on Nathan and Addison.

“This is bad,” Addison said worried and wiped some flesh of her.

“I take it they have not used landmines before?” Nathan asked, as he felt his heart beat in his chest.

“No,” Addison said and carefully walked over to Nathan.

“What are you doing?” Nathan asked as Addison hovered her foot above the landmine, next to Nathan’s.

“I am taking your place,” Addison said.

“Are you nuts?” Nathan shoved her away.

“I cannot have children. I mean nothing to this world. You on the other hand,” Addison explained but they got interrupted by two approaching couples.

“Stay away,” Addison warned them.

“You guys should have teamed up with some couples,” one of the men said and picked up a stone.

“F*ck off!” Nathan warned them.

The man stretched his hand backward and it towards Nathan almost hitting him, but Nathan ducked.

“Careful now,” the man laughed.

“Nathan, let me take your place, I can wait here until the contest is over,” Addison pleaded, and placed herself between Nathan and the two couples.

“Your fighting skills are better than mine,” Nathan said, noticing something in Addison’s hand that she was hiding behind her back.

‘Ninja blades,’ Nathan thinks, “you use them yourself, I told you I am not killing anyone.”

“I can only throw two at a time you will have to throw two,” Addison whispered.

“Think of it as self defence,” Addison said.

Nathan took two of the blades, “I will take the two men.”

“Only kill one, wound the taller one,” Addison said.

“Why?” Nathan asked.

“Just do what I tell you,” Addison said.

“On three?” Nathan asked.

“One, two, three,” Addison counted, and the two woman droped to the ground, Addison’s blades hitted them square between their eyes.

Nathan missed one guy and he sprinted off but then out of nowhere the man got shot down.

Before they knew what was happening the man that Nathan did hit, only in the arm got shot down as well.

“I don’t understand,” Nathan said, looking around.

“I guess the rules have changed. It appears if one counterpart dies the other gets killed,” Addison said worried.

“What now?” Nathan asked, wiping the sweat from his face.

“We will have to use their bodies to counterweight yours,” Addison suggested.

“It won't work,” Nathan said not liking the idea.

“Their bodies can be your shield,” Addison explained.

“I will still lose my leg,” Nathan said.

“No, you won't, I will,” Addison said.

“I am not letting you do it,” Nathan said objecting to her plan.

“What do you think will become of our pack without the protection of an Alpha? What if there are no Alpha’s to answer the calling?” Addison questioned. “Besides, I don’t think I will be able to get the men over here,” Addison said, and stood next to Nathan.

“But you are lighter than me,” Nathan continued to protest.

“Not if I put my full body onto it,” Addison said.

“We slide at the same time, on three. It won't hurt to run for cover,” Addison advised

“FOUR HOURS ADDED; TWELVE HOURS AND TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES REMAINING”

“One, two, three,” Addison said, sliding her weight onto the landmine while Nathan slid off it.

“I can't believe that worked,” Nathan said and fell to the ground.

“Be careful!” Addison said angrily.

“You need to stack the men first, one to my back the other to the front then the woman,” Addison instructed.

Nathan walked over to the bodies and took the blades out of them before walking back to Addison, “there are only three couples and us left, you only need to kill one of each couple. I will start on the ladder.”

“Fine,” Addison said. “Get going, I will call out and hopefully the other couples will come over to try and finish me off,” Addison said.

“Why don’t you just wait it out? Why are you so eager to kill?” Nathan asked, shaking his head.

Addison waited for Nathan to be far enough before she called out, “help!”

Nathan just shook his head in disbelieve.