A den of patient liars

A packed stadium awaited the pairs at the end of the road, with just the outside drowning in a sea of clicks and clanks. A cacophony of metallic sounds, heard from kilometers away, from the hundreds of cybernetics and prosthetics, shoving and pushing into one another to get a first-row view of the participants.

Glares reflecting from the surfaces of parts were all the rage as well, making it appear like the biggest outdoor rave party:

-" This reminds me of the parties we thrown back at home”, mentioned passing Angie, at which her little robot companion quickly sends her a message. “Subject Angelina, more information is required for the report. How many people attended those parties? Where are they kept? Were you using appropriate amounts of recreationals?”

-” Ingress, like I told you before, stop asking questions like a security droid. Or a grandpa. And I don’t want to tell you, now that you have slightly upset me”, she answered, a bit uppish.

-” Hey Angie, do you want to, sometimes, trade partners? I feel ‌you and Vivar could get along, with the whole not wanting to answer questions and stuff”, chimed in Savan.

-” Sure, I wouldn’t mind. But since you and Ingress would just ask each other questions, who will be left to answer them?”. That made the clopy sulk, when they realized the connundrum.

The little interaction broke a bit of the 3 weeks ice that formed between them. Marc was still a bit shy with the two, but his discomfort was discarded the moment Angie started to joke about how Azin was hauling him on her hand. 

-“ I don’t really want to be carried around so much, but she insists on it and, to be honest, she has some good points about it.”

-” Oh yeah, like what exactly?”, asked the miner girl.

-” I don’t get tired from walking, while you guys do. Makes sense to me”.

-” That is correct. I’ve been monitoring your vitals since we left- Savan's heartbeats have increased over the normal, and is almost out of breath.”, mentioned, as if prompted, the robot ''and while Angie is...error...in top-shape, her breathalyzer requirement will become a hindrance in the future.”

After that report, Savan raised her hands towards Vivar, mimicking a toddler who demanded to be raised and carried. Angie followed their example but to Azin, and not her partner. In response, it quickly messaged that he could carry her on top of him.

-“ I know Ingress, it’s just…I would look downright silly entering the arena like that. Sorry.”

-----

At the entrance of the arena, signs of impending mayhem could be seen all over the place, which meant that the interior was even more tumultuous than expected. More than a few hundred thousand were waiting, eager for the show to finally start.

In the middle of the arena were 24 pillars, three for each Brand, and half of them had a person or something similar on top of them. The first four numbers stayed in a closer facility than the last ones, so it didn’t take them as much to be first on stage, and to guide the show. Each was given some type of jumpsuit, modified with the main colors of the Brand, logo and any special modifications the users wanted. Extra pouches, decorations, it depended on what the benefactor thought of it.

Right as the representatives for 8, 7, 6 and 5 entered, the number one CEO profile took up all the screens in the arena. His rubbery face hogged all the space it could, rumours saying it's a side effect from overusing the physique-changing drugs. His cheeks had carved deep lines in them, which made him look very thin, while his body was blown out of proportion. Whatever particles of hair he once had, were long gone, and the best he could do were implanted eyebrows. But, in the end, his appearance or his demeanor didn’t actually matter, everyone had the option to only praise him- for his Brand had number 1 in the title.

-” Salu'. I am Samuel, but might know as your boss. Finally, finally, our last-minute guests make their appearances. Traffic, am I correct in my guess?”, he asks with an elderly chuckle. “Let’s give them a round of applause for their efforts, ok?”, to which the entire stadium did as demanded. The rest of the CEOs also gave him a few stink eyes, especially the owners of the mocked Brands, but of the three of them, only Priya barked back. 

-“ Sorry to remind you, number 1, but this isn’t one of your long-lasting Gallas. Thank you for greeting them, but please move on.”

-” Ah, sure, sure, sorry for that. But before that, I have a surprise for you all, a last-minute change in the rankings. Perfect timing, by the way, because our beloved Priya, just an hour ago, gained enough points to pass the current numbers 5 and 4, so her brand was raised up on the leaderboard by two ranks. This means, Patient 6- Angie, is now Patient 4. And since she is in the top four, Priya also has the option to ‌choose her spawn point as well. For the last ones, it will still be random. “

Surprises are always a given in their games, but no one expected something like this occurring right before the start. Samuel moved away from the camera and motioned for a technical error pause to be broadcasted instead. 

Either because of his age or just how he was, the CEO no longer could keep a straight face and burst into laughter at the sight of his colleagues. Rage, stupefaction, indifference, a boiling pot of feelings was brewing among them, but only one was enraged enough to react to the mischievous nature of the announcement. A truly furious and bewildered Robert didn’t stop to use any type of motion to move his holographic body next to Samuel, he just teleported next to the old man and unleashed his barrage

-“ I know that you enjoy your little pranks and tricks and such, but what the hell is this? Right before the race even begins, you just…fucking hell! Goddammit you geezer, you always ruin everything!”.

His tantrum managed to surpass the previous curveball in the room, especially as his Brand didn’t suffer any changes on the leaderboard, so everyone quickly assumed that he was either upset for the former 4, or that a wrench was thrown in his plans. 

Alvara wanted to try and calm him down, but before she could say anything, number 2 quickly intervened. An epitome of the typical senior, she was the type to let her age be shown and didn’t use any mods of youthful reinvigoration for herself. This always made her stand apart from the rest, as the grandma of the group. A short-haired, short stature, hunched-back old woman, who inherited her brand and remained its CEO for centuries now.

-“Always so impatient, aren’t you little Robert. Did someone do something to upset you, little boy? Are your little plans not working out? Don’t worry, your little bootlickers will heal those wounds in no time, right? You can return to play the role of a big man shortly after. Until then, return to your seat, put back your daddy’s suit, and shut up.” She scuffed him, but in a very sweet tone, and with the patience of a saint, but it was clear that she harbored no such feeling for him and his outburst.

-” Thank you Milla, but it’s not an issue”, mentioned Samuel. “As you pointed out, the boy is just a bit antsy and needed to let his feelings run wild. Oh, and a little advice Robert, if you want your plans not to be thwarted, how about you don’t make it so obvious? I mean, the unemployed siblings are selected by two, maybe former lovers, CEOs from the top four spots?”

-” So you left the scoring open until the last moment, so you can use my rising? Impressed, what can I say, but beware that I will take full advantage of this opportunity." Priya had a devilish smile on her, but her gaze was set on the competitors and not on her peers. 

-” Why wouldn’t I? This turned out even funnier than expected, especially after his ‌tantrum. Sure, do whatever, since Alvara and Robert blew theirs.”

The “technical intermission” ended, and Samuel went back to address the public. He continued to talk about the tradition and importance of the games for their way of life, rambling on for another few minutes. After that, he invited every single CEO to make a brief presentation of their teams. First off was Elina, who tried to sell off the duo as the “duet of experiences”, but not many were convinced by her attempt. Not even Savan, who just slowly clapped, for some small support. “Ugh, poor thing, reminds of a newbie who just got picked on. At least she’s giving her best”.

Zude, a multi-colored mechanized man, with a suit made from metallic fibers, didn’t even try to hype his team at all and came off as more defeated than Robert

- “Allan Dumeris, representative of the Coupling Society, and his C.T.D Medusa will try their best. Thank you.”

The rest were more rejuvenating for the spectators, and some even got excited when they heard the sale pitches for the competitors, at least until it came time for number two.

Instead of the firm old lady, another face addressed the audience, her parcticipant. She stared at her CEO for a few seconds, as if asking for a short approval, which she received, then gave Robert and Alvara a deadly gaze. Her red-colored iris made the implied threat even scarier, but the two reacted only with confusion at the girl.

-” Sorry for my sudden intrusion, I hacked the broadcast to make a few statements. I am Syna Ru’Dev, and to start, I am the estranged daughter of those two”, she said while pointing towards the holographic avatars of Robert and Alvara.

-" To keep this short, I plan on taking one, or both down and take their place as a CEO. You know how they behave, what deals they do behind everyone's backs, how they cheat and manipulate everyone...how they tarnish that title! I plan on cleaning it up, proving that only the worthy deserve!". With each word, her white-gloved hands fluttered and waved around, as if she tried to act as a public speaker. The people were first surprised, then interested, and finally intrigued at the end: 

 -"...And, just so you know that I am of good faith and always trustworthy, I simply ask you, where are the champions of the previous games? Have any of you seen them around, anymore?”, she said turning her head around, swinging her red, waist-long hair with each move. “I know you are, and you understand”- afterwards she switched the broadcast back to Milla and simply enjoyed the rattler she caused in the arena. 

A few of the CEOs were starting to sweat a little bit, unsure how the hacker got her hands on the info she implied, except for three of them. Priya, Milla, and Samuel, with the latter two discussing among themselves ever since Syna took center stage, while the first was watching them with interest from a distance. “This definitely must be part of their plans, which then probably means that they wanted to sow a bit of mystery. And they used that young girl for that? Tsz, the old crooks are still a pain to deal with.”

Nobody knew how to react until Samuel slowly clapped and congratulated her on her initiative and bold, risk-taking move. He then agreed with her, that it was peculiar that all the previous participants dropped out of the public eye, so he, with the help of Joni and Alvara’s security forces, will investigate the matter. He then moved on as swiftly as he could to introduce the final competitor.

- “A fine young lad, I met during one of my many tours of my factories. His name is Billy, a hard-working boy, who just wants to help out his family. Why, when I saw the dedication and discipline he entailed, how couldn’t I ask him to become my representative? In turn, I offered him the best partner someone like him could ask- Serviceman, one of the classics, that we improved a bit upon. “ The rattle exploded now into massive roars at the sight of the titan, the all-time favorite C.T.D of the County.

-----

With the presentations out of the way, and fireworks and other effects prepared to be launched, Samuel took a deep bow and congratulated the teams, whose pillars descending to the ground. 

-“ Brave representatives, do us proud, go and get your reward, and return to us more than humans. Return as champions of steel and iron!”