The Inception (Book #1 of The Inception Trilogy)

chapter seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

EVELYN WATCHES AS HARRY swiftly steps out of the huge beast's reach. From such a close proximity, Harry seems almost bored. However, if she looks closer, she can see his brow is furrowed in concentration and his body is tense with anticipation. Even though he's alert, he doesn't seem the least bit worried.

"Skinner is undefeated," says Quincy in her ear.

She pulls away. "Skinner? Is that supposed to be a champion's name?"

Quincy narrows his eyes at her. "Perhaps you'll be more accepting of it when you see what he does to your little pet."

She matches his glare. "He's not a pet," she snaps for the second time that morning.

He shrugs and settles back into the couch, throwing his arm around the back across her shoulder. She scoots forward onto the edge of the cushions so he doesn't touch her. He mumbles something under his breath, but Evelyn ignores him.

It's like watching a cat chase a mouse. Skinner dives; Harry spins away. Skinner seems to be growing more and more agitated, another shrieking war cry fleeing his lips. Harry takes a couple of steps backwards, and to most people it probably appears that he's cornering himself out of fear. He ever so slightly tilts his head to the side, measuring the distance between the prickly wire and himself.

Evelyn almost laughs at how brilliant he is--he's going to let Skinner defeat himself.

Skinner charges again with his shoulders and head down, as if he's a football player. Harry calculates the moment precisely, whirling away just when Skinner is a fingertip away. Skinner slams into the fence, the barbed wire immediately drawing blood from the top of his bald head to the base of his neck.

The crowd that had once been cheering falls silent, unable to process that their champion has his head stuck in a fence. The smallest movement from Skinner causes a scream to leave his throat as the wire digs deeper into his skin. He tries to stand utterly still, but he's also trying to free himself.

Evelyn smirks, turning to look at Quincy. "I do believe my pet just won."

Quincy gets to his feet, clenching his fists in anger. He shouts orders to his nearby men to cut Skinner loose. The audience is still quiet, no one daring to whisper a single syllable or release a mere breath.

Harry stands at the side of the fence close to them, appearing troubled. He's frowning at Skinner's back, and Evelyn's believes for the briefest of moments that remorse is clouding his eyes. The emotion is gone as quick as she'd spotted it.

"I knew it!" Robbie yells. "See! People should listen to me more often! Didn't I tell you?" He stares at Evelyn excitedly.

She ruffles his hair. "Settle down, kid."

"Eve..."

Evelyn looks at Robbie, but it's not him who murmured her name. It's Sasha, her eyes practically bulging out of her head as she points to Nive.

Evelyn shoots to her feet. "Hey, we need help over here!"

Nive is slouched on the couch, both hands on her stomach. Evelyn quickly checks for a pulse and is relieved to feel a steady heartbeat. Just when she's about to feel Nive's forehead for a fever, Nive springs up so fast she nearly headbutts her. An ear-piercing shriek erupts from Nive, and she curls in on herself, clutching her stomach. Sweat trickles down her forehead, and red catches Evelyn's eyes, seeping through Nive's jeans.

"She's going into labor," Nick says, suddenly right behind Evelyn.

"W-what do we do?" Evelyn stammers. She'd never been in a situation like this before.