The displays were ridiculous as far as I was concerned, but the investors obviously liked it. There were three women currently hanging off Hunter, who stood taller than anyone else around him. He wasn’t dressed elaborately like some of the others. In fact, he was shirtless, and I wondered if he was planning on freezing to death before the game started. The women milled around him, running their hands over his chest and asking for explanations of his many tattoos. There wasn’t any blank area on his whole upper body, and I wasn't sure how he could even keep them straight.
Glancing away from Hunter and his group, I found Tyrone Chimes. He was near a buffet table lined with hors d’oeuvres, standing with a woman in a bright red dress. He was in a cut-off T-shirt and ripped up jeans. All he needed was a little zombie makeup, and he could have been an extra in The Walking Dead.
I didn’t see Evan Arden at first because unlike the other players, he wasn’t decked out in ridiculous attire. When I spotted him, he was wearing a high-quality, tailored suit and standing near Rinaldo Moretti. In his hand was one of those electronic cigarettes, and he looked the part of crime lord rather than contestant. As I watched, he smiled and clinked glasses with Moretti.
I reminded myself that this wasn’t his thing—he wasn’t a tournament player. This would be his first. It would also be his last.
As far as I was concerned, all of them were here for their last party.
I couldn’t feel any pity for them or any regret for what I planned to do. Not only were they here by choice but they also knew the risks and the potential outcome. It was kill or be killed, and I had more reason to win this game than any tournaments in the past.
“Any concerns?” Landon asked as he took a step closer to me.
“None,” I said.
“What about Arden?”
“You were right from the beginning,” I said. “He’s more dangerous than the rest, even if this isn’t his thing. As long as I can keep to cover, he shouldn’t be able to get a lock on me.”
“Not going to be easy,” Landon replied. “There won’t be a lot of cover in that landscape.”
“The ridges on the mountainside should work. I just have to keep moving. I’ll have to do that for the warmth anyway.”
“Water is your biggest concern,” Landon said.
“Isn’t it always?” I mused. Flashes of my time spent bobbing around the middle of the Caribbean Sea with Raine on a life raft swirled around in my brain. “I don’t think I’ll run out of water. This whole thing is going to go down fast. It has to before the cold takes us all out.”
“With the exception of Reaper, you will have the advantage when it comes to weapons. The others will have problems using them effectively and keeping their hands warm at the same time.”
I kept my eyes on the other players throughout the evening. Even when a multitude of women came up to ask me questions about prior tournaments and offer me their beds to stay warm for the night, I barely made any conversation past what had to be said. I answered their questions, politely turned down their offers, and steered the conversation toward the food.
The food was actually really good. Death row inmates couldn’t have demanded better. It reminded me to give Franks shit for the food in Raine and Alex’s kitchen. He laughed but told me he’d do something about it.
“It’s good to have you back, Sebastian,” he said. “In many ways, I’ve missed you.”
There was way too much potential for double meanings in that statement to give me any feeling of comfort. I wondered how long he’d looked for me after the trial and what made him eventually give up. I considered asking him but figured it was in my best interest to let all of that go for now. I knew in my heart that he would never truly forgive me for trying to bust him, and I knew in my mind that the only way I could ever get out from under him was to end his life.
Get through the tournament first.
Franks moved off to chat with some of the other bosses. I sat back at one of the tables, tipped a couple of oysters down my throat, and watched the people around me. Some came up to talk to me, and I was as polite as I could manage. Eventually, they moved on to harass one of the other players. Hunter and Reaper had moved closer to one another, and though I couldn’t hear their words, their sexual chemistry was evident as they eyed each other. It was obvious they would spend the night together.
Stupid.
Then again, it would be their last opportunity for a tryst. It made me think of last night and Raine’s body underneath mine, and I closed my eyes for a moment. The memory of her scent and the feel of her skin in my hands warmed me.
I would be with her again. I had to be. I wouldn’t let her down ever again.
I opened my eyes and continued to watch the crowd. After a while, Landon returned from wherever he had been.
“Heard something interesting,” he said as he sat beside me. He waved one of the servers over to our table and ordered another scotch.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Moretti and Arden talking,” Landon said. “Arden actually sounds a little concerned.”
“Huh,” I responded. “Even punching him in the face didn’t get a rise out of him.”
“Well, apparently the arctic mitts and gloves do get a rise out of him.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re fucking with his aim,” Landon said. “He was primarily concerned about equipment malfunction in the beginning. It’s possible for the primer in the rounds to have problems firing under extreme cold. What he hadn’t considered was how many layers you have to wear up here just to keep from getting instant frostbite. The thicker clothing is interfering with mounting his rifle to his shoulder. He has to keep adjusting his rifle to hit his target. His gloves or parka shift a little, and his aim is off again. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s a little pissed off about it.”
“You said that could happen.” I remembered his words during training when we had been going over all the supplies I would need.
“I did,” he said with a nod. “Arden didn’t think of it before they arrived up here yesterday. He must be living somewhere far north from the way he was talking, but not this far north.”
“No one lives up here.”
“Exactly,” Landon agreed. “He didn’t consider how much it might impact his accuracy.”
“That’s a point in my favor.”
“A big point.”
“Did you catch anything from any of the other players?”
“Dytalov is nervous,” Landon said. “He hasn’t done this for a while, and I can see how uneasy he is. Tyrone as well, though I think that’s because this is only his fourth tournament and all the others have been held indoors. He’s definitely uncomfortable in the cold.”
“I’m not worried about either of them,” I said dismissively. “I’m pretty sure I could kill them in my sleep.”
Landon agreed with a nod.
“I’m pretty sure Hunter and Reaper have been fucking each other,” he said. “That should provide some entertainment during the games.”
“Yeah, that’s inadvisable,” I said with a snort.
“You should know.”
“It never affected me.”
“It came close.” Landon leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his drink.