Cyber Mortality

Chapter 40:

"You two were amazing out there!" DeNyle exclaims when we enter our hotel suite. He bounds over and wraps me in a hug.

"Ah! Careful of the knee," I caution with a wince.

"Sorry," he says and scoops me up into his arms. "I can carry you to your room so you can rest."

"I could have made it on my own," I chuckle as he lays me down.

"We don't need you getting more injured," DeNyle sighs and sits down beside me. "We've got one day to rest and then they will announce who passes on to round three."

"Do we still not know what it is?" I inquire.

"No," DeNyle shakes his head. "I heard we might not know until the day of."

"Alright, I think I'll try to get some sleep," I stretch and watch him leave. After a few moments, I climb off the bed and test my knee. Heat flares up my leg and I fall back onto the bed with tears in my eyes.

A knock sounds at the door and Rocky peeks his head in.

"I brought this," he gestures to a bottle in his hand. "If you wanted to drink it. It'll make your knee better."

I nod and he holds the bottle out. Bringing it to my lips I let a small amount trickle onto my tongue and wince at the bitterness. After swallowing I hand the bottle back.  Rocky sets it on the table.

"It's poison, isn't it?" I glance toward the unlabeled bottle as my vision starts to grow fuzzy.

"I'll pick you up at the station as soon as you come back," Rocky catches me as I fall back, unable to support myself as my body grows numb. "Send me your inventory."

I blink to keep my vision somewhat in focus and move my finger to bring up the inventory screen. I quickly hit transfer before I can no longer move my fingers.

"This is payback for Nyle..." I whimper as my head lolls to the side in his grasp.

"After this, once you die you're out of the tournament. You'll have to be extra careful during round three," Rocky curls me against his side and places a kiss on my forehead. "It's not payback."

Weight welds my eyes shut as the rest of my body goes numb, and then I am falling.