He walked out of the gate, emergency personnel was running past him with haste. Each just ignoring him as they went by.

Bleep Bleep.

He reached into his pocket pulling out a black device producing the sound. Pressing the button on the bottom end lit the screen. There had been a notification on the screen, a text message from “D,”An Employee of his sponsors, Gene Corp.

“Hey, man o/ I saw you had a fight!”

“I did.”

“Lucky for you I was able to save the juicy stuff from leaking!”

“Why should I care?”

“One word. Marketing. Trust me tho, the boss has more reasons.”

“Alright. I’ll be more careful.”

“Speaking of which has your price stayed the same?”

“Yeah, it’s still juice.”

I know I can’t speak for everyone but, I’m glad you underwent my surgery.”

“:y”

“What is that suppose to mean?”

“You know I really hate it when you do this!”

“Whatever! Just keep everything under wraps until the season starts!”

Nikos was once again in his usual place sipping on a juice pouch, the sugary sweetness was the only thing that he could ever taste. When he stopped slurping he had noticed people all around him were giving him stares. Which makes sense considering the fight wasn’t broadcasted fully, and when it did his opponent was reduced to a fearful crying girl. However, there was one person that didn’t give him any stares, and that was because they were trying to talk to him.

“Hello, Chuck.” He said calmly.

Chuck sat down across from him. “Hey! You got your first win!” He leaned back in his chair gaining a casual look from Nikos. His appearance had become noted, moderately long black hair, brown eyes. “Although, I wish I actually saw it…” Chuck sighed. Nikos continued to drink. “Speaking of seeing how’d you even see me with that hood over your face?”

Nikos stopped drinking and paused for a second. “There isn’t a hood.”

“Huh?” Chuck was taken back by the answer. “Are you making fun of me?”

The clacking of boots came from across the table, a female with flaming red hair approached the front of the table that the two were sitting. She pulled out the chair and sat down without a word. A second female accompanied her, however, she didn’t sit down she stood at the side; presumably, they were apart of a team. The approach of the lady silenced the conversation of the two. Her blue eyes went from Nikos to Chuck then back to Nikos.

“What did you do?” She crossed her arms in anger.

“I agree what did you do?” Chuck joined in but was immediately was silenced as a knife was stabbed in front of him. Her stare contained an intensity that directly sent him into fight or flight. Slowly, she let go of the handle, leaning back in her chair. Her elbow leaned on the chair’s arm, The knife she stuck into the table was so embedded in the table that it stood on its own. She looked back to Nikos.

“It’s not that I personally care for that cocky bitch but, since we have the same sponsor, they keep pestering me for answers.” She leaned forward once more towards him. “What happened during that fight.”

He took one last sip from the juice box. Before crushing it in his hand not out of anger but just because it could be done. “Why don’t you ask Amy?” His voice had a very dry tone as if the conversation already bored him.

“I tried.” She said, her eyes squinting, anger appearing. “Every time I try, she gets all glassy eyed and tries to change the subject, or she starts screaming.”

“I’m contractually not allowed to tell you.” He got up and began walking away.

“Wait!” she yelled causing Nikos to stop and turn her way. She threw him another juice box. He caught it then swiftly pocketing it for later. “Then why did you spare her?”

“She begged.” He turned back around and walked.

Chuck whistled. “Wow, edgy.” He looked over to the red-haired female. “Well, Leona. What’s your plan now?”

She sighed also leaving the table. The knife that was embedded into the table began to shake violently like it was being pulled by an invisible hand. It flung itself in the air in the same direction as Leona, she caught the incoming projectile without the slightest bit of trouble or even looking.

Chuck was now entirely alone, “So she’s a telekinetic type, huh.”

***

The sun had already set, and the city lights were at full blast. Niko’s was walking away from the arena, The massive battle dome that was the source of the gladiator sport that pitted humans that were genetically modified commonly called evolved. Against one another in bloody deathmatches. No one ever spoke of how inhumane this was because all participants for whatever reasons agreed to all the terms they were subjected to as athletes.

He continued to walk away from the amphitheater. The rest of the city wasn’t all that great either, crime was rather rampant considering most of the inhabitants were rogue evolved or just plain gangs as police were typically rare, why waste valuable manpower when the evolved can take care of themselves.

“Help! HELP!” A female yelled from an alleyway, a blonde haired woman came running from the darkness. Her shirt was tattered and left her heavy breasts exposed to the open air. She immediately clung to Nikos the moment she saw him. He looked to the general direction she came from, seven guys came out carrying various weapons. Metal bats, chain whips, brass knuckles, all the usual thug weapons.

One of the thugs spoke up, his face was thin, and his proportions were lanky. “Hey sir,” He smiled wickedly, his yellow teeth made him quite undesirable to speak to. “Could ya kindly hand over tha' girl? She’s got something we want.”

Nikos looked over at her, she was much taller than he was, his arm that she clung to went perfectly into her cleavage. He went back to thugs. “What does she have?”

The thug laughed. “What’sit to you?”

“What if I wanted a portion?” He responded dead serious. Nikos’ response caused her to gasp and take a step away from her.

The thug laughed again. “It’s money, Hahah.” This caused the entire group to join in.

“I’m in.”

The thug stopped laughing, his seriousness was brought to the surface. “Right, if’n yah wanna talk business, all yah gotta do is come over here,

The female tried to run away but was stopped when she felt a force tug on her arm. With a grip like that, she definitely had a zero percent chance of running. She could feel herself being pulled into the alley with the boy. She struggled but nothing she did ever broke his grip.

The group split open for the three to enter the alleyway. In there they followed the lanky thug into a building. It was a standard loan shark building. A small little laundromat front and an extensive complex in the back. The two were taken into a bare room with concrete walls. The two were left alone as the door slammed behind them.

The girl was sobbing at this point. The entire escape that she had was now nullified by a simple greedy little man.

“Stop crying,” Nikos said.

“Shut up, Asshole!” she yelled bluntly. “It’s because of you that I’m stuck in this situation again!”

Momentarily three men walked in, one with a baseball bat and another with brass knuckles. Another was wearing a suit, he smelt of smoke. Apparently, he was a heavy user of tobacco. The smokey man spoke. “Thank yah kindly, sir. But because of the amount of debt that she’s accrued, I cannot pay you a single dime.”

“Then this was a waste of my time?” Nikos asked.

“Not entirely, If you ever need anyone favor, you can contact any of my men, and I’ll have it done!”

“I can’t trust you enough for you have me leave empty-handed. I’m taking this female with me. She belongs to me now.”

The female wanted to say something. But what Nikos was saying could still be a way out for her, she stayed silent.

The smokey man frowned. “...I’m not a man of great patience, take it or get the hell out without the girl.“

“Neither am I, that’s why I’m leaving. With what I now own.”

The smokey smelling man snapped his fingers, the baseball bat minion swung at Nikos connecting the metal with his jaw, he remained on his feet only his head had turned.

“Girl, close your eyes.” And she complied. Once he saw that she followed he turned his head back to the thug who hit him. A large vertical eye opened on Nikos’ chest. The pupil dilated once it focused on the target.