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“You better not come back to haunt me…” he said, smirking as the other man took off his shirt.
“Oh I’ll do worse than that.”
Elliott kept smiling as he accepted a kiss and closed his eyes, laughing as the man undid his belt. “Wow, be gentle.”
“Shut up.”
“Yikes, you’re a bad man!”
“You’re so stupid, stop it. I want to be serious.”
Elliott looked into the man’s eyes. “Okay.”
“Okay then…"
“Where’d you get the phrase Bamboozled?”
“Are you currently represented?”
“Do you endorse any products at this time?”
“What’s your hair care regime!”
“Tell us your favorite weapon!”
Mirage laughed and fielded the questions he wanted to, glad he’d been given heavy doses of painkillers and patched up before being tossed to the press.
He wasn’t sure what he’d feel like in a few hours, but he’d ride the high of this win as long as it lasted.
With this, he’d finally achieved Legend status.
It taken at least 4 wins in the minor Apex games to even get them to accept his name. Contestant four thousand thirty-four with the “Illusion” technology was a horrible name! Horrible.
“Mom, they won’t call me Mirage!”
“You have to be a Legend to have a code name. They could call you what your brother’s called you.”
“Elliott Smelliott is NOT a valid name.”
The woman on the face call giggled. “What about Mama’s Boy?”
“I will hang up.”
“And call right back!”
“MOM!”
“How did it feel to win?”
“Amazing. I mean, okay, the Champion was pretty skilled, but come on, it was the little leagues. I’ve always been meant for greatness. It was only a matter of time.” He shrugged. “And hey, the Champ got to live too! I didn’t hit a single vital spot.”
The press seemed to like that a lot.
He told a few more jokes, fielded a few more questions about “future plans” and was herded away by the Apex Game representatives.
Now that he was a legitimate Legend, he’d get to fly on a private ship back home, have his medical expenses taken care of, and get a nice chunk of prize money.
Nice.
*
“Is this what you want to do? You want to be a fucking bartender?”
“No! But it’s what I’m doing! Can’t I get a little moral support?”
The woman shook her head at him in disgust. “That’s what you call it? Putting up with your foolishness? Grow up Elliott!”
“I AM GROWN UP!”
“And living with your mother -.”
“I like my Mom, okay? And she’s a good roommate -.”
“Enough of the jokes!”
“That wasn’t a joke! Besides, we’re working on a big project together -.”
“Do you even have a degree?”
“Well -.”
“Just another failed project of yours.” She got her keys. “Look. Elliott. Maybe your mother can keep supporting your… ideas and the job hopping and the… the everything, but I can’t. You’re not serious about anything.”
“I’m serious about you!”
She looked at him sympathetically. “I know you are.”
“Right, okay… fine.” He took a deep breath. “See you around. See -see you at the bar. Come get a drink.”
“Sure.”
“Elliott, you home? I had to go about fifty damn miles away, but I found the parts. If we can get a stable image to last for at least thirty seconds we’ll really be on to something.”
“Yeah.” He called from his room.
He wasn’t surprised when she appeared in the doorway.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing. You ever wish you could be someone else or somewhere else?”
“Yes. And when we perfect this holographic technology we can be.”
“Rich?”
“Glamorous!” she wiggled her eyebrows. “You could buy that bar instead of work in it.”
“Hey, I could set my holo-clone to work!”
“See? Now you’re thinking. Come down to the basement, I’ll show you what I’ve got.”
“Okay, yeah.”
*
“I wonder what my Ex is doing right now?” Mirage asked himself aloud.
“No chatter on the comms.” Bangalore said immediately. “Shut it, Witt.”
“Yes Mom.” He mocked her. He elbowed the new guy, code named Crypto. “You get used to that pretty fast.”
“No chatter on the comms.” The man said to him, “No chatter to my face.”
“Tch.” Mirage rolled his eyes, but paid attention.
The thing about the season finale games was that they always put more than one legend in the mix. Sometimes on the same teams, sometimes not.
A nice way to not get dead was to just ring out when your other squadmates died.
Sure, the electric shock was horrific AND you might get permanent burn marks on your wrist or neck, but -wait that wasn’t good at all.
He tried to think of how cool he’d look with Ring scars when his thoughts were interrupted.
“Backing out of my drone. The way is clear.”
“Copy that.” Bangalore moved from her position and Mirage sighed heavily, running after her.
They were the “offense”.
“Bang, who do you think’s out there today?”
“I don’t know. I don’t care. I’m here to win.”
Mirage caught up to her and she turned around, scowling at him. “And I told you, don’t call me Bang. I don’t need that shit in the media, I don’t want that shit getting popular. I’m not like you, I don’t want the attention, I just want the MONEY.”
“Yes ma’am.” He said.
Bangalore was a “camera shy” legend. Definitely had the potential to be just as popular as him, definitely was a top tier apex athlete, just wasn’t in it for the fame.
“I’ve got real goals, Witt.”
As if he didn’t.
Everyone always thought everything he did was superficial or a worthless game or something like that. He also had real goals.
“It could pay big if I win.” He said, looking at his mother. “It’d… take care of things.”
The woman just looked at him. He could see the emotions there. The disappointment, the resignation.
“And if you get killed?”
“Well… that’s what the tech is for! I can’t die Mom, they can’t kill your baby boy!” he laughed, but she didn’t laugh with him.
“Plus even if you don’t win big, you still win something. Look, this can put holo-tech back on the map, unconnected to the IMC. People will see Evelyn Witt’s still got her genius, you could get a big job again.”
“I don’t want a big job again.” She said. “I want my boys back.”
“Missing doesn’t mean dead. Besides, they were always late to everything. They’ve been late to dinner for like, years now.” He shrugged. “When they see me on the stream, they’ll definitely come back. They never liked me getting the biggest helping. Bet on it.”
The woman sat back in the chair, staring at the mess of electronics on the work table. “Elliott… you’ve already registered haven’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“When does it start?”
“Month from now.”
“…then we got a month. Let’s… finish working on the multiple holographic deployment.”
“Oh the decoy escape!”
“Oh goodness.”
“Or DUPES O’CLOCK! As I call it.”
“I know what you call it.” But then she smiled again.
Perfect.
“OCTAVIO?!” he blurted out.
“Be quiet and shoot!” Bangalore said.
“Octane?” he said quieter. Mirage looked down the sights of his Eva-8. This was the other legend they’d thrown in the mix. He looked for the man’s squadmates.
Please be randos, please be randos.
And that’s when he saw Lifeline.
How she was actually keeping up with Octane he had no idea. But the third person, he didn’t know them.
“Crypto, you see the third?”
“Yes.”
“Any info?”
“Not at this time. Why? Do you want their number?”
“Tch.” He was about to make a witty retort when he heard Bangalore curse.
“Ajay, come on…”
He wasn’t the only one opposed to taking out their fellow legends.
“What’s the plan?” Crypto asked. “Backing out of my drone.”
“Ring ‘em.” Bangalore said. “Cripple the dead weight, drive back against the red.” Bangalore sighed.
“Why?” Crypto asked. “Silva and Che are a dangerous duo. If we take them out now we won’t have to worry about them later.”
Mirage set his mouth in a thin line and looked over at Bangalore.
How to explain this to the new guy…
“Rules? I thought the games didn’t have any rules, buddy. That we could do whatever we wanted?” Octavio had his goggles off and was tuning up his legs. It was both fascinating and kind of gross to see as they were covered in mud and probably blood.
“Well… yeah but I mean… you know…” Mirage gestured generally. “Like, you’re a cool guy and -.”
“Yes, I certainly am.”
“Small up yourself! Ajay che’s coming through!” a woman said.
She came in and jumped, landing on the cushioned bench next to Octane. They both laughed.
“I can’t believe y’treat them like that, is this what your parents paid for?”
“No, I’m pretty sure they just paid the hospital bill. This came out of my money!”
“Oh, so you have your own money now, you a big boy? No more Ajay, they cut off ma credit card again! I seem to rememba me making those legs you got on.”
“Yes, but did you spray paint them? No. I did that myself.”
They laughed, leaning against each other.
“Because of this!” Mirage blurted. “Look, we’re all legends, we’re all at the top. It’s unspoken we don’t take each other out unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“What?” he said. He looked at his friend. “This true?”
“When the big games come around, they put us on teams with each other. You know, and all the big men bet on us and the like. But we can’t make money if we’re dead. Besides, I’m a healer. What would it look like if I die? Or Makoa? You met the new gyal? She’s sweet, you want her dead?”
“I want to win, Amigo.” He said. He looked at Mirage. “Is that why you’re here? Someone keeping you alive?”
“Well you know, I am the MOST popular legend.” Elliott laughed, posing. “The endorsements, the commercials, the merchandise.” He reached up to stretch his goggles. “Oh yeah, I’m SO good at this.”
“…what a clown.” Octane said.
Him and Ajay laughed, but Mirage shrugged. They could all laugh, but what was important was that they keep laughing.
“Rebooting.” Crypto said.
“No!” Bangalore said.
“This will STUN them, not kill them.”
Crypto wasn’t looking at either of them. He was in his drone.
Mirage didn’t have anything against him, though he was suspicious that he hadn’t really heard of him until he’d been on the Legend Dropship. He just didn’t seem to care about how things worked.
“God damn it!”
Bangalore ran out there and Mirage sighed loudly and chased her.
There was a thing, they had a thing (maybe), Ajay and Anita and he didn’t want to comment but it was very cute but when things like this happened…
“Oscar Mike! I’m spotted.”
“Fuck, bad guys over there. It’s another squad!”
“On my way.” Crypto said.
They’d been down here killing and there was no sign of who they were actually down here for. Taking the tags off of people was grisly business, but an integral part of the games.
The games gave them tiny boxes to wear that not only were used as trackers, they also contained small tokens of high value they could keep and sell later. Apex Coins traded for a pretty hefty sum. Plus, the little boxes were kind of cute. He’d called them “Death Boxes” and of course that phrase got snatched up.
He got paid every time someone used it.
“TWO SQUADS REMAINING.” The announcer said. “ROUND SEVEN.”
Bangalore cursed.
When it got like this, the potential for “ring out” was nearly fatal.
“We push ‘em back, kill their third and they’ll call it before ring burn.” Mirage said. “What do you think?”
“Octavio’ll run back in.” Bangalore said. “Hey, nerd. Anyway you can tell us how many are left?”
“Us and another squad. Three.”
Nerd? He let her call him that? Mirage thought about it and yes, of course he did. You didn’t argue with Anita, you just went with it. She’d 100% shove him into a locker. She’d shove them both into lockers.
“Let’s move indoors.”
“We don’t have a choice. Ring’s knocking.” Mirage was the first to move. “That ring hurts.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Crypto said.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I want to be serious.”
“There’s no way.” He put his shirt back on.
He hated that, he knew when they started putting their clothes back on like that.
“There’s no way.”
“I’m rich, I’m famous, what’s the no way?”
“The fact that you’re famous for participating in a high stakes kill game? You could die at any time.”
“No way!” Elliott laughed. “I’m a legend for a reason.”
“Did that one Legend nearly lose a leg?”
“Huh? Octane? He already has no legs.”
The young man rolled his eyes. “I was just having fun.”
“I mean, so was I. This is fun. I’d like to keep it.”
“I’m not really a keeper, Elliott. I’m more like a… not a keeper.”
“I see what you did there!” he laughed. “Ouch though. Ouch. You’re making a mistake, we could totally work and you know, I uh, I love you. Just a little.”
The man smiled. “Thanks.”
Mirage shook his head.
He hated that. He hated the “thanks”. Like they'd been doing him a big favor.
No more I love yous.
“Witt, get under the house.”
“Tch, you’re not my boss.”
“Now!”
“Yes ma’am!” he ran out of the door just as the ring was closing in and went under the house, eyes open for danger.
The enemy had their back turned and were looking at their weapon. Some fool they’d never seen before.
Elliott pointed and sent out of a decoy.
They startled immediately, even as the decoy ran to the ring and dissipated. They shot with a peacemaker and he could see from here, there wasn’t a hop-up.
He could hear Anita’s voice in his mind, “We’ve got the tactical advantage.”
“Kid, ring out.”
They turned and sure enough, he was looking into the frightened face of someone who couldn’t have been that much older than 19.
“I -I can’t I -.”
“You think you’re gonna win against Bangalore?”
“I need the money.” They said. “I’ve been doing this, I just wanted the money. Miss Lifeline and Octane, they helped me so -.”
“Kid, ring out. They’ll call it. I’ll give you everything you need.”
And they seem relieved.
They lowered their weapon and Mirage heard the bullet shots.
Mozambique shots made ugly holes and that’s what he saw. Two to the chest. The one to the head missed.
The young contestant sank to the ground, their eyes wide in horror. Mirage looked behind him at Crypto, who still hadn’t lowered his weapon.
“WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT, THEY WERE GONNA RING OUT!”
“It’s no loss. You said it’s only for Legends right?”
“What?!”
“Your little deal?”
Mirage’s heart sank. Yeah, he’d said that but…
Crypto went over and snatched up the death box.
“WE HAVE OUR APEX CHAMPIONS.”
“Let’s go, Champion.” Crypto said sarcastically.
*
“You’ve done it once again! You are the Apex Champion!”
He smiled. He smiled a little bit too hard.
He hit all his lines.
What had that kid needed money for? What had he needed money for so badly that he’d do all this at his age?
Sure, everyone had their troubles, but at 19? Nineteen?
He’d read through the death notes. The banners they let people design were in some ways morbid. This kid had a blank rookie card. Not even a name. Contestant six thousand seventy-five.
When he was nineteen, two of his brothers had gone off to fight against the IMC. Hell at nineteen, Anita WAS the fucking IMC.
Why was he doing this again?
What were his reasons?
The Apex coins? The Fame? The cereal? Okay the cereal was an up and coming thing, but there were lunch boxes.
Maybe just to get back at everyone who thought he'd never be great.
Maybe.
He didn't know.
*
“You shocked me.”
Mirage frowned. He didn’t want to deal with this Crypto guy now.
In a fit of anger he’d decided if Crypto were ever on a separate team as a Legend he’d probably shoot him. Maybe just in the ass. That was all muscle. He’d recover, but have to wear an ass bandage so he’d look really ridiculous for a while.
“Do the higher ups know you’ve been letting newbies go?”
“It doesn’t really matter. I get the kills when I have to.”
“I looked you up, you know?”
“Of course.” He rolled his eyes. “Bet you can tell me everything, what hair gel do I use?”
“You don’t use hair gel.”
“Okay, everyone gets a freebie.”
Shit he really didn’t. What else did this guy know?
“Your kindness will get your killed. You lowered your weapon and they still had theirs. What if they were lying?”
“They weren’t. I could tell.”
“You’re a lie detector?”
“Yeah. I do it all. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries.” He was getting annoyed. He was getting his lines all mixed up.
Crypto came closer, taking a small table out of his jacket. He gave it to Mirage.
“You wanted to help them? They wanted to help themselves. They were in debt to the syndicate, sold out their own mother, had her organs harvested. Still not enough. Got into these final Apex games on the condition that for every Legend killed they’d get ten thousand off their debt.”
Mirage’s mouth went dry. He stared down at the information and then looked at Crypto, who was incredibly close.
“Che and Silva are still alive, luckily, because they avoided the trapped house this boy led them to and chose to ring out a little bit after we saw them.”
He had nothing to say. Crypto put his hand on his shoulder as he passed and said, “You don’t know why anyone is here. Don’t try and guess or you’ll get yourself killed.”
It sent a shiver up his spine.
**
**
The bar was very popular now. He didn’t have to make drinks himself, but he did go down there occasionally to buy drinks for everyone else and live up his popularity. Sometimes he'd help open, sometimes he'd help close.
It kept him humble.
Also he still technically worked here and had an odd attachment to the idea of not getting fired again.
Unopened, the bar was peaceful in a way he’d come to cherish.. He sat on the otherside of the counter, listening to the employees get ready for the afternoon and the long night ahead. He was reading through his emails and fan messages, stopping on a message that was flagged priority. It was odd because he was pretty sure he'd only set emails from his mother as priority, but okay!
The anonymous message had an attachment and while he'd been trained to never open these things, what could it hurt? It could be a t-shirt design, unsolicited nudity, or even hate mail. Instead, it was a very long document which pre-emptively made his eyes glaze over, but he began to read it anyway.
The amount of information here was amazing and horrifying.
>You said you wondered what your Exes are doing now. This time is free.
He hadn’t been serious when he asked that. When had he even asked that?
Information on all his Ex lovers and liasons, the one night stands, everything. All in one place.
He didn’t even remember some of their names, just their faces. But lucky for him, pictures had also been included. Old ones and recent ones.
Good god.
>The more information you have, the more prepared you’ll be
It made him roll his eyes, but then he scrolled to the bottom.
It had Crypto’s profile photo and data, which of course said “No Data”. But under status it said, “Pending”.
That made him laugh.
Perfect.
He went back to the main email and sent a reply.
>I love getting messages from my fans. If you want to take me out, come find me. I'll buy the drinks.
He laughed about how clever he was and closed the tablet, getting up.
He'd better actually do some work around here.
When the first customer arrived, Mirage snapped his fingers and his duplicates and him all said in various tones, "Welcome!"
"When you said you'd buy me a drink, I didn't think you'd also be making it."
Mirage was momentarily shocked, but got over it.
"Well hello." he wiggled his eyebrows. "What'll you be having?"
"Surprise me." Crypto sat down at the counter.
Mirage didn't expect to see him in his legend clothes, but he also hadn't expected the sleek black jacket look he was pulling off now.
He gave him a brown liquor concoction (something he'd made up when he first started working because he didn't know how to make any drinks) and slid it to the man.
"Thank you."
Mirage winked.
He loved it when they said Thank you like that.