Black Market Merchant

"So that brings our total winnings to a thousand eight hundred dollars." Lisa said neatly stacking the paper money into two equal piles on the locker room floor. "As well as potential financial supporters and a win for Hanna too. This was a great day for us all!"

"I agree!" Benny said patting his pocket with a grin. The cash inside felt good to him. Being poor all the time wasn't enjoyable, to say the least. "So, what is the plan now, Lisa? Those rich men made a tempting offer."

"Well, I am not too sure yet. It might not be in my best interest to leave here. After all, with the dam being unoccupied and the town completely without power, I sense I’ll be missing a chance to get some real stable income." Lisa replied. Then she glanced at Hanna. "Besides, I have unfinished business here."

"What about after you help me?" Hanna asked quietly.

"Hmm, I'll cross that bridge when I get there." Lisa replied. "Come on. We better get going. John is probably getting worried."

The five of them gathered up everything they had brought with them and soon left the locker. They made their way across the Arena floor without anyone speaking to them. The stands had cleared out and only the janitors remained. Reaching the exit from the Warehouse Arena they also found that nearly everyone here too was already gone. A few people were in the market area, but it too was nearly empty already.

"Where does everyone disappear off too? Better yet, how do they even get here without the townspeople seeing them come and go?" Benny asked.

"I think some of them leave by boat." Sadie answered. "Though I doubt all of them do. After the fights I was always filling paperwork and other stuff for the MFA. So, I never paid them much attention."

"You really that interested? I might tell you." A voice called out from behind them.

Turning around they all saw a young man leaning up against the Warehouse's outer wall. He brushed a lock of brown hair out of his eyes as he got off the wall to approach them. He came towards them with his hands still in his jean pockets and he also had on a black hoody, with the gang’s symbol on its front, pulled over his head. Though he appeared to be acting casual, Lisa could tell this guy was ready to strike. The vibe he omitted was that of a coiled snake ready to lash out.

"What do you want?" Lisa asked stepping towards him.

The man stopped walking and gave a passive looking smile. "Awe, don't be like that Queen. Is that how you treat someone offing their help?"

"No, it's just me being cautious." Lisa replied.

"Wait I know him." Sadie remarked. "You're Ernest, right? You are the newest lieutenant of the Mad Dogs."

"Bingo, little lady." Ernest said taking his hands out of his pockets to give her two thumbs up. "At least someone knows about me. I couldn't help but overhear your comments and thought I'd help out."

"So, you do know then?" Sadie replied.

"Of course, but if I tell you, you need to answer a question of mine." Ernest replied putting his hands back into his pockets.

"Of course, there's a catch." Zane murmured from behind Lisa. "I know his type to well."

"Let's hear it anyway." Lisa replied. She was also curious as to how they were leaving the area. It might come in handy later on in case if things ever went wrong.

"If you go on the other side of the bank building, you'll see three large landing pads. Small Hover Ships land there to transport those visiting here. The ships take them up to the clouds where the visitors have parked their own private Hover Ships." Ernest replied. The listeners all looked up towards the sparsely cloud decorated sky above but saw nothing.

"I don't believe you." Benny scoffed. "I been here all my life and never seen anything like that."

Ernest let out a mocking laugh. "That's because their ships are equipped with optical camouflage and Quantum Stealth tech. Cameras on top of the ships copy the sky above and project it on the Ships underside and the Quantum light refraction basically deletes the ships shadow. Just what I would expect from a wilderness bumpkin like you. You all know nothing!" Ernest said shaking his head while appearing to hold back more laughter.

"Optical camouflage, Hover Ships and Quant-what?" Zane remarked. "What are those things?"

"Oh my god! You serious? You are freaking stupid!" Ernest said laughing again.

"Hey, I can't help that I don't know." Zane grumbled. "We don't have fancy things like that around here. You better knock it off."

Ernest stopped laughing and glared at Zane. "Did you just tell me to do something, freaking bumpkin?"

"Ya, I told you to stop laughing at us." Zane replied agitatedly. This dude looked younger than him by a few years and he didn’t like guys that were know-it-alls.

Suddenly, Ernest let out a flicking motion with his right hand as it appeared out from his jeans pocket, sending a sliver streak towards Zane. Zane saw it but couldn't react in time. Time seemed to stop as a thin dagger point rested just in between Zane's eyes.

Taking a stumbling step back, Zane saw that Lisa had caught the projectile. If she hadn’t, he would probably be dead. He felt a small bead of sweat roll down his temple.

"Tch, almost had you." Ernest said sounding annoyed. "No one tells me what to do. Lucky for you that a woman was here to protect you."

"W-why you little…" Zane stammered feeling anger welling up in himself. Lisa's hand stopped him from moving forward.

"Now is not the time. Let it go." Lisa growled at him. She pushed him backwards a step and focused back on Ernest.

"Nice trick. That won't work on me though." Lisa said tossing the small dagger back at Ernest's feet. It sunk easily into the grassy ground, just centimeters from Ernest left shoe.

"I wasn't really trying." Ernest replied giving a shrug, completely unfazed by what Lisa did. "Want to see me really try?"

"Since you answered our question, what's yours?" Lisa replied ignoring the threat.

"Ha, fine." Ernest replied. "I want to know why you pointed at us after the fight. You got some kind of grudge against us?"

"Not me in particular." Lisa replied. "I just am here to do two things. Make money and fight your boss, Martinez. I understand he's the strongest one here and beating him would make things easier for me."

"Why's that?" Ernest asked quickly. He didn't seem all that worried about this comment and just eyed her cautiously from under his black hood.

"I need manpower. The gang has enough men to spare for my plans." Lisa replied.

"So, you want to be the new boss I take it? I can’t let you do that. A bunch of country fools can't lead us real gangsters." Ernest said glancing at Zane. Zane grimaced back, but Ernest simply ignored him and looked back at Lisa.

"If you say so." Lisa replied. "But I think things will change that will end up working in my favor."

"Whatever." Ernest said rolling his eyes. "I am getting bored now. So, I am going to find someone worth my time."

Saying this he picked up his dagger and casually walked away. He was heading towards the large Bank next to the Warehouse and Lisa took note of it.

"I really don't like that guys attitude!" Zane said tightening his fist. "I want to smash his smug face into the dirt."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Lisa said looking at Zane. "That guy is definitely better than you."

"Well then teach me to fight him! I finally know for sure that you are the one to be my new boss. I learned a lot today, more than I probably have in the last year." Zane replied feeling hurt buy Lisa’s remark. "Besides he's not the only one I have an issue with."

"You sure? I would rather you just place bets for me. Besides your still injured." Lisa asked.

"Yes, teach me!" Zane replied with a serious expression.

"Fine." Lisa said with a sigh. "Sadie, how about you make him a Match Fighter too. Might as well make money off him for all this extra effort."

Sadie looked surprised. "What? I don't really think I can just make him one. There's rules and the submission form that Rickshaw has approve…" Sadie looked at the expectant Zane and let out a sigh. "But I can try. If that's what you want."

"Yes, I do." Zane replied giving a serious nod. "My other opponent is a Match Fighter anyway. He is in the Mountain League, like Golem was. So, I have to get stronger if I want to face him."

"A Mountain League Fighter?" Sadie said curiously. "What was his name?"

"Dilly." Zane replied.

Sadie lifted up her tabloid and tapped away for a few moments. Her eyebrows raised noticeably as she apparently found what she was looking for.

"I think that if you really plan on fighting this guy, you better be a Match Fighter." Sadie said looking up at Zane. "You are going to need it. Your skills are far outmatched. Never seen Dilly fight, but his stats and record are incredible."

"Alright then, that settles it." Lisa said turning to go towards the compounds exit. "Tomorrow I'll talk to the rich guys, while Sadie and Zane go get him approved. Now let's go. I am starving!"

They all started to head towards the exit together. Hanna had been remaining silent all this time. She couldn't shake her unsettled feelings of seeing Golem's death completely from her thoughts.

Hanna sighed inwardly as her thoughts wandered. "Could I have had the courage to face someone like that? Probably not. I am not as tough as Aunt Lisa or Zane. Maybe if I were older and bigger I would, but I don't think I really could actually kill a person."

Suddenly, there was a chilling presence behind her. Turning around she saw a man with a cowboy hat with two big dogs off their leads. She didn't recognize the man, but the dogs she sure did. They were the same that were sent after her to kill her!

Feeling scared once again, she turned and ran to catch up to the rest. She grabbed Benny's hand and stood close to him. Hanna then glanced cautiously back at them, to make sure they weren't coming after her again.

…

Rodney heard one of his dogs let out a low growl. He stopped and looked down at the big, muscular dog. The other similarly sized dog stopped as well and looked at the growling dog curiously. Glancing around, Rodney saw that it was looking at a small group of people leaving the compound.

"What do you smell, Cooper?" Rodney asked the dog.

The big brown dog, Cooper, continued looking at the people and growled again. This time the other dog, Zeus, joined in. Rodney studied the group of people carefully. He recognized Queen right away, but Cooper hadn't a reason to bother with her. Then he noticed the muddy red hair of the little girl with them. Though he couldn't quite remember where he had seen her before, because of the mask and hat, the dogs definitely did.

"Hmm, interesting. I wonder why you two don't like her. Did you hunt that girl before?" Rodney asked the dogs.

Then Cooper let out a sneeze and turned to walk away, as if no longer interested.

"If you think it's nothing, I'll let it go. But you don't normally act like that." Rodney took another look at the group. "Ah, it's nothing to worry about. It’s just some kid anyway. Come on, let's go home."

…

Hanna saw that Rodney and the two scarry dogs were leaving. She let out a sigh of relief. Benny heard it and looked down at Hanna.

"You ok Hanna?"

"Ya, just ready to leave here." Hanna replied tightening her grip on his hand.

It wasn't until they finally left the compound did Hanna really start to calm down. It seemed like she had missed another close call.