Barcode: Legend of Apollo (37 page)

Unlike the dirt in Colt Arena, this stadium has wooden floors covered by mats that blood easily washes off. Though the stadium cannot seat more than five thousand, the arena’s known for its acoustic sounds. The walls are shaped so every punch, kick, and scream can be heard with more clarity than the best speaker system on the market. People come to Colt to watch, but they pay the outrageous ticket prices at Yang to hear.

I listen as Helios’ and Yang’s gladiators begin losing their lives for control of the famous hall. The few men Eli has take on hundreds of Yang’s warriors. For every twenty people that die from Yang, one dies from Eli.

The maniac places me against a wall near the entrance and backs away as he realizes my pain is fading. “I didn’t even have to phone a friend to drop bombs on this place, thanks to you.”

“You need help. Clinical.”

“That’s an opinion, and not a well-informed one.” Eli snaps at someone carrying Leo and tells him to throw my friend in a corner.

“Why’d you call him your cousin?”

“We’re both Moreno, but I’m not allowed to bear the name. It’s fine by me. They’re more like a trademark than a family. You have to be very careful about what you do when you wear their brand, so I decided to just drop the name all together. Signing ‘Helios’ on my documents is more than enough.” Eli adjusts a piece of his hair that’s barely sticking out.

“Sadly, my sweet cousin will have to drop both of his.
Leonardo
is a family name that’s passed down from his father’s bloodline. He is the seventh child to bear that name. His parents are already caring for his brother, with the power of Hephaestus. The five year old is Leonardo Moreno the eighth. They’ve made it clear to the entire family that his disease is too widespread and he’ll be removed from their genealogy once the last nanobot is killed. Of all my family members, he’s the only one that seemed different—too bad for the kid. But with him out of the way, my technology will be the most advanced in the world. His research is still two years ahead of my own, so it’s only a matter of time.”

I prepare to fight, but my body doesn’t react the way I want it too. Eli removes his glasses and places them in his jacket. He hands it to his assistant. I’m able to see a trace of his barcodes as he rolls up his sleeves. They are the tip of flames that I assume cover more than his arm. Eli’s ready to fight me and I’m still struggling to stand.

Suddenly, I’m being lifted by the back of my armor. I look and Tartarus stares at me cruelly. I feel my own blood turning cold. My body reenters Hades. I keep the two men in sight, though I’ve lost all recognition of my surroundings.

“Oh. You have a nasty presence attached to you,” Eli says with a smile.

I sense Kode’s anger. He’s out of breath. I can practically hear his heartbeat.

It suddenly occurs to me that the black smoke must have been him trying to stop me from making it here. It’s too late now; we have to fight. I’m honestly not ready to hit Eli’s freakishly resistant body, even with the armor’s evolution, but there are worse things in life. Like talking to Dennis.

Kode pushes me forward and I rush towards the little guy. Eli tries to punch me, but a shot strikes his fist. I put everything I have into an uppercut. My new teammate comes around and connects a right elbow and follows through with a knee to Eli’s ribs. I notice Shiva changing from a gun back into gloves.

I trip the neat and tidy man, and Kode waits until his head is near the ground before flinging his leg into Eli’s ear. My partner and I back away to catch our breaths. I’m fighting alongside my enemy to take out my other enemy. I guess that makes Kode and I friends in some strange way.

Kode shakes his hand to relieve some pain. Without armor protecting his punches, he’s taking on Eli’s toughened skin full-force. His foot seems pretty damaged as well.

Eli laughs while lunging forward and tackling Kode. My masked enemy/ally doesn’t strike back. He’s witnessing Eli’s strength first-hand and taking a beating for it. Connecting the medium ball and chain, I rush the two and smash my weapon into Eli’s hip.

I hear my metal creating a tuning sound along with Shiva. My weapon aligns itself with my barcode, and the name
Andvari
screeches in my ears. That’s the name of my ball and chain.

The duo sing a hymn before we begin our assault. I use my swings as a distraction for Kode to rush Eli. Then, I charge in.

Eli takes damage, but gives a lot as well. With his flames raging orange, it’s very difficult to not feel pain.

Even with my face spilling blood, I continue fighting.

I look over to see Kode bleeding black ink. He and Eli are out of breath. I’m out of stamina and the will to continue. We’re all waiting for the next man to attack.

Eli pats out small fires on his shirt that I assume were created by his barcode. “I’m tired and going home,” he says casually. “Mr. Payne, you must know about your mother by now. Oh well. I’ll see you soon.”

Kode flips Eli off and watches as he exits the stadium. The talkative little guy doesn’t leave without parting his wisdom upon me. “You’re fortunate to have a strong friend. I’ll kill you later, kid.”

My world returns normal and I watch as Yang Arena warriors wait in the stands, staring in disbelief.

A whisper crosses my ear, “It’s like watching three demons fight. I’ll never mention this day.”

I’m a demon?

I look around the battlefield to see several men smashed into the ground. That’s something that Andvari and I have done. Why didn’t he protect the warriors, like he did for Selena and Angie?

Kode’s mask heals quickly and he catches his breath.

My eyes widen as I realize the one person trying to kill me was the only friend making sure I didn’t die. Not only did he chase me down, but he also protected me from Helios.

I mutter, “Thank you,” and he seems taken back. “I guess you really are a friend.”

Before I know it, Kode punches me in the face and I nearly black out. My vision blurs in and out. I catch glimpses of what’s happening. I hear screams and watch as blood splatters at my feet. Kode’s killing anyone remaining in the arena, and they’re fighting like hell to defend themselves. A purple glow appears in the distance. Gi Young?

I don’t want her or anyone else to get hurt. This is all my fault.

Writer, if you’re out there, please give me the strength to save them.

Thirty Eight

Dennis’ sobs wake me from my sleep. He’s crying frantically over my body. Regaining my strength, I push him off and his smile radiates brighter than I’d ever known. His cheesy grin leaves quickly as he says, “You had no vital signs.”

The carnage is widespread. Between the three demons that stepped onto this field today, every Amazon code was eradicated from the Earth. No one is alive and Leo’s body is missing.

The stench of death hardly bothers me, but the sight of limbs and blood covering every inch of this incredible amphitheater makes me vomit on Dennis’ shoes.

I flinch from the pain across my body, but I experience a disgusting mental rape that won’t leave. “Where’s Kode?”

“He refused medical treatment and tried to walk back to the school. I knocked him unconscious and sent him with the EMT.” Standing, I rush out of the exit to try and see if he’s still in view, but there are so many ambulances that I can’t differentiate one from another. As I stare out at the sunrise, Dennis says, “I sent Leo in the only other ambulance to leave so far.”

“When did you send them away?” I ask with such force that Dennis takes a step back. I’m sure he probably feels the same wave that I felt from Angie.

“A minute ago. He met me at the door and I sent him on his way.”

“How’d you even know where we were?”

“Kode sent me a text,” Dennis says, adjusting his tone. He’s sounding firmer, as though he just realized that he’s the parent. “What’s wrong with you? You practically died, that’s what’s wrong, but you’re…different.”

“I was attacked by Eli,” I say definitely.

Dennis nods his head and holds his phone up. “Kode told me that. You two fought him off together. He said you fell before the remaining men were slain. You two drove off Helios. I’m surprised the both of you were enough, but I’m proud of you.” He rests his left hand on my shoulder in an unfamiliar sign of affection.

Disgusted, I slap his hand away, “I don’t need your gratitude now. Kode didn’t protect anyone. He killed the remaining men.” There are tears in my voice.

Dennis nods his head, “He said the few warriors remaining didn’t know which side he was on, and he didn’t have enough time to type his defense. He had to kill some gladiators to defend himself. Poor kid.”

A roar releases from my body that returns a bit of my energy, but drains my thoughts.

I’m beat to hell, and I can only think of how Kode’s gotten away with murdering the innocent men and women that managed to survive. Unsure of where to go or what to do, I brush past Dennis and roam the halls of the stadium, searching for some form of life. But I already know the truth. Not one body was dragged into an ambulance. The only survivors that walked out alive are the three murderers that battled like demons today.

Eventually, I make my way into a room that Gi Young and I would play in as children. I still see drawings on the walls of our tattoos. Next to my cross, I see a family holding hands. When we were ten, Gi Young said we should draw what we wanted deepest in our hearts. I sketched the stick figures of a full family; Gi Young drew a girl holding my hand and wrote her name in big bold letters.

I storm out of the room with my nose tingling.

I hate thinking of happy times. Pain is much easier to cope with. That’s what I think, until I see Gi Young’s body down the hallway. A trail of blood stretches from behind her. Was she coming back towards this room?

My mind begs me to make my way towards her in order to hold my friend’s hand for one last time. I can’t. Dennis stands behind me quietly. I grab his arm and dig my nails deeply into his skin, releasing a gruesome howl. He caresses my head with his left hand, and rubs my neck.

Between breaths, I cry, “We have to bury them in the China Town cemetery with the proper ceremony.” I try talking about the way Feng always honored his warriors, but I can’t get the words out.

Dennis holds my neck so tightly, I think he’s trying to kill me, “I’m aware you hate me Spencer, and that’s my fault, but there’s nothing I can do to make this moment any better for you. It’s time you learned the truth.”

I slowly pull my head away from Dennis. His eyes look cold. Evil.

“No one will ever know this many gladiators died in one day.”

“What?”

“I’ll have these corpses taken through the hidden dungeon under this arena. The fog on the ground will dissolve their bodies.”

“Dissolve?”

“The fog is normally harmless but feasts on dead flesh.”

Before I know what’s happening, my arm attempts to strike him in the chest. “I didn’t mean to hit you,” I mutter while looking at his hand. Dennis’ hand is as black as Kode’s mask. Cold.

He releases my fist and I hold it tightly. It hurts more than it did after striking Helios. “I’m sure your conscience didn’t mean to hurt me, but whatever emotions you’re suppressing did.”

“Why would you hide their bodies?”

“For the same reason I hid the bodies of mortal level gladiators killed in Griffith Park.”

My eyes widen, “You knew?”

“I own the police, I am the mafia, and our family controls everything from here to Georgia. You may know that everyone hates Helios, but did you know that everyone else hates us?”

“Are you corrupt? Do you create scandals? Are you a tyrant?”

“Yes. The East and North Coasts of America are at war constantly because that’s how Helios wants it. We’re at peace because of my control over the people. If anyone is a tyrant, it’s me and the individuals I work for.”

“Who—”

“Your grandfather, uncles, aunts, and more. They want you to inherit my life and power, but I’ve kept you ignorant so when you have kids they won’t look at you the way you’re looking at me now. Though I’ve tried to keep this dark world away from you, it seems that something evil has crept into your veins anyway.”

I hold my hands so firmly blood begins dripping onto the floor.

“Dennis. What’s the purpose of the gladiator fights?”

“Population control. Gladiator Sports Entertainment brings more money to California than any war ever has. Because of it, America was rescued from becoming a third-world country. Before the fights existed, people slaughtered each other for free. The first Helios was a Colt that brought the sport to everyone’s televisions and cellphones. But that’s the tip of the iceberg. There’s much more.”

“Like what?”

“You and your friends know a little about how Shiva was created, but none of you know the full story. I’ll keep it short, but she’s an entire city compressed through MMIBS. It wasn’t Poseidon, but the only host he ever bonded well with, and a few scientists hosting the power of Indian gods. The city contained some of the most powerful weapons known to men, and people. Shiva’s town was technically the first and most powerful Block Party.”

I squint my eyes. He knows that I’ve never heard of a Block Party. My anger is increasing by the second. How much more corruption can there be?

“They are entire cities where people believe their names are numbers. They fight to leave by moving up in ranks. If they’re successful enough, they can mate with goddesses. Abby’s family was the most successful to do so four decades ago, but now the sport is dominated by the gods. We are also allowed to participate in some states. That’s how Angie was born. That’s also her fate.”

I scream at the top of my lungs, “She’s a fucking trophy? Does she know? Does she know Dennis?”

“Yes.”

I wail so loudly the ground and walls begin to quake. I feel my ceremonial bandages tearing, and more power races to my muscles. Why can’t I stop yelling?

My blood splatters on the adjacent wall and I fall to the ground. Watching my blood dangle on Dennis’ black fingers reminds me of Kode.