off Sasha who’s serving behind the bar.
“Can you take Nuka to the infirmary?” Cade yells at Drake over the noise. “I’ll take Sasha back upstairs.” She motions for Sasha to join her.
Drake nods and takes my arm, leading me into a side door, entering another backstage corridor.
“How was this place built without anyone’s knowledge?” I ask.
“Signed the contract, I’m guessing?”
“Yeah.”
Drake sighs. “Please tell me you read it first?”
“They didn’t exactly give me time.”
Drake shakes his head. “I thought you were going to be one of the smart ones. Make sure you read it.”
“What do—”
“So, answering your question, we’re currently in the very first subway station this country ever had. They’ve modified it, obviously, but it was originally going to become a big thing—the underground rail. There was going to be a station in every suburb, this one being central, it was going to be the biggest and best. It ended up being the only one. Ever since they perfected solar energy, the idea of a subway line was scrapped. Too expensive and not able to take advantage of the solar. So it was left here to rot.”
“Well, thanks for the history lesson.”
“You asked.”
“It still would’ve been hard to restore a place like this—turn it into what it is.”
“Not if the construction company hired to make the place structurally sound was on the Litmus payroll,” Drake says with a smile.
“How long has this been here?”
“The building has been here for a long time, but the actual competition has only been going for three. It took a few years to get everything organised and up to standard, to get enough investors, then there was recruiting.”
“How long have you worked for Jonas and Cade?”
“Almost two years. I was hired not long after this place caught on and started operating to its fullest. I don’t think they were expecting it to be so successful so quickly.”
“You don’t find it …”
“Morally wrong?” he asks, as if he could read my mind.
“Exactly.”
“I’m more leaning towards it being a grey area. Do I think the concept of Immunes fighting for entertainment is wrong? Maybe. But it’s kind of true that they get paid more and live better lives than most I’ve seen.”
“But—”
“We’re here,” he says, putting a code into another keypad on the wall. A double door in front of us clicks and he opens the left side, leading me into a room that looks like a treatment room of a doctor’s clinic. “He’s over there,” he says, pointing to Brett, who’s being treated by doctors, across the room. “I have to get back to Sasha. Don’t leave here without Brett or myself. Got it?”
“Got it.” Drake leaves as I start making my way over to Brett. As I walk past Taser sitting on the edge of a bed with someone checking over him, his hand reaches out, grabbing my butt. I stop in my tracks and turn slowly to face Taser who has a cocky grin on his swollen face.
He waves off his doctor and stands up, taking a step closer to me. “You couldn’t possibly be going to see Brawn, now could you?” His voice is weaselly and not at all deep like I was expecting.
“Why not?”
“Because he didn’t win. He’s not allowed a prize,” he says, taking another step forward, almost closing the small gap between us.
“Back off, Brayden,” Brett says groggily.
“Ooh, possessive much? I was just having a little fun.” His eyes lock with mine. “You must be pretty special if he won’t even let me talk to you.”
“Nuka, what are you doing down here?” Brett asks, while attempting to sit up in bed. The doctors assist him but then take a step back at Brett’s orders.
“Nuka? Your name’s Nuka?” Taser’s eyes narrow.
“Uh … yeah, why?”
“Rare name. That’s all,” he says with a shrug. “Catch ya later, Brett.” He turns on his heel and walks towards the doors. “I would apologise for kicking your ass … but you know
“Can you take Nuka to the infirmary?” Cade yells at Drake over the noise. “I’ll take Sasha back upstairs.” She motions for Sasha to join her.
Drake nods and takes my arm, leading me into a side door, entering another backstage corridor.
“How was this place built without anyone’s knowledge?” I ask.
“Signed the contract, I’m guessing?”
“Yeah.”
Drake sighs. “Please tell me you read it first?”
“They didn’t exactly give me time.”
Drake shakes his head. “I thought you were going to be one of the smart ones. Make sure you read it.”
“What do—”
“So, answering your question, we’re currently in the very first subway station this country ever had. They’ve modified it, obviously, but it was originally going to become a big thing—the underground rail. There was going to be a station in every suburb, this one being central, it was going to be the biggest and best. It ended up being the only one. Ever since they perfected solar energy, the idea of a subway line was scrapped. Too expensive and not able to take advantage of the solar. So it was left here to rot.”
“Well, thanks for the history lesson.”
“You asked.”
“It still would’ve been hard to restore a place like this—turn it into what it is.”
“Not if the construction company hired to make the place structurally sound was on the Litmus payroll,” Drake says with a smile.
“How long has this been here?”
“The building has been here for a long time, but the actual competition has only been going for three. It took a few years to get everything organised and up to standard, to get enough investors, then there was recruiting.”
“How long have you worked for Jonas and Cade?”
“Almost two years. I was hired not long after this place caught on and started operating to its fullest. I don’t think they were expecting it to be so successful so quickly.”
“You don’t find it …”
“Morally wrong?” he asks, as if he could read my mind.
“Exactly.”
“I’m more leaning towards it being a grey area. Do I think the concept of Immunes fighting for entertainment is wrong? Maybe. But it’s kind of true that they get paid more and live better lives than most I’ve seen.”
“But—”
“We’re here,” he says, putting a code into another keypad on the wall. A double door in front of us clicks and he opens the left side, leading me into a room that looks like a treatment room of a doctor’s clinic. “He’s over there,” he says, pointing to Brett, who’s being treated by doctors, across the room. “I have to get back to Sasha. Don’t leave here without Brett or myself. Got it?”
“Got it.” Drake leaves as I start making my way over to Brett. As I walk past Taser sitting on the edge of a bed with someone checking over him, his hand reaches out, grabbing my butt. I stop in my tracks and turn slowly to face Taser who has a cocky grin on his swollen face.
He waves off his doctor and stands up, taking a step closer to me. “You couldn’t possibly be going to see Brawn, now could you?” His voice is weaselly and not at all deep like I was expecting.
“Why not?”
“Because he didn’t win. He’s not allowed a prize,” he says, taking another step forward, almost closing the small gap between us.
“Back off, Brayden,” Brett says groggily.
“Ooh, possessive much? I was just having a little fun.” His eyes lock with mine. “You must be pretty special if he won’t even let me talk to you.”
“Nuka, what are you doing down here?” Brett asks, while attempting to sit up in bed. The doctors assist him but then take a step back at Brett’s orders.
“Nuka? Your name’s Nuka?” Taser’s eyes narrow.
“Uh … yeah, why?”
“Rare name. That’s all,” he says with a shrug. “Catch ya later, Brett.” He turns on his heel and walks towards the doors. “I would apologise for kicking your ass … but you know
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