(37) The Bill

May 19th 3019

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"Back away Chambers leave the boy out of this, he has nothing to do with it" A voice says from the other end of the phone line.

"Oh but he's having so much fun! He's already made quite a bit of headway into his studies! If only you'd have let him practice sooner..." 

"Shut it Case! You know what that technique will do to his body! Please, let's settle this once and for all between us as gentlemen, as soon as we arrive"

"Oh and why would I let myself be ganged up on? What happened to us Captain? I figured of all people you'd be the most sympathetic, guess I was wrong, aren't we all supposed to be friends? We made a Blood Oath!"

"Blood Oath? The one you chose to ignore in pursuit of your own goals? The same one you broke off with all of us? Don't make me laugh! Don't make me repeat myself and stay off of the boy" The phone beeps, the other side has hung up. 

Case stands still, his breathing becoming more and more ragged until finally, he bellows out, screaming into the air as he punches a wall in the alleyway, the spider web like pattern branching outwards, spreading along the building and almost reaching into the oncoming traffic, the wall is on the verge of collapse and the sound has made the confused people panic. 

Case gets his emotions under control, smooths his clothes out, then his hair. A steady rhythmic breathing fills the now destroyed alleyway and a cold glint passes his eyes. He leaves before he's noticed by anyone and as the cops arrive they find nothing but a cracked floor and a broken wall. 

...

May 19th 3019

7:12 P.M. 

Cambridge H.A.S. Arena

"Hello there, can we have a word with you?" 

As I go around the stadium cafeteria, I am startled by a pair of men approaching me. The one on the left that just spoke is around 5'9", slim with a business outfit and short black hair, the one on the right has the same build and outfit but taller by about an inch and with dirty blond hair. They caught me off guard as I left the restrooms. 

"Uh sure?" I say, unsure where this is going. They motion me towards a table where they seem to have gathered both teams. 

The healers from the infirmary did an amazing job as always, you can barely tell we were just in a massive fight. The tables around us look our way excitedly discussing the events. Our teachers are at a nearby table looking rather nervous. 

"Yo Kris!" Max waves at me as I arrive and I sit down with them, Exponentia is on the opposite side of our table giving us a glare once in a while. We usually sit at separate tables, it seems these people must be recruiters. I've heard of them doing this sort of thing when someone catches their eye. 

"Here, eat whatever you want it's our treat" Max looks ecstatic but before he can do anything our whole team stops him.

"Whoa! Careful with your language or Max here will really make you go bankrupt" I warn the recruiters, they laugh it off. 

Time passes and the meal goes well. The recruiters look at the plates surrounding Max as he orders another meal. Their eyes twitching, they should've listened to the kids' warning. 

Just as Max finishes his current plate and before he can order another one. 

"Wait! Hold on, we don't have much time so I think it's best we start with what we want to say" Max stops to look at them with a big smile. 

"Oh don't worry I can hear just fine while I eat" I have to lay my hand on his shoulder to stop him. 

"Max dude listen, we all know that's a lie, let's just hear them out alright?" Max looks at me then at the recruiters then at the food. 

"Uh just one more?" He asks with his big puppy eyes staring straight at the recruiters as his tail curls sadly, damn he can use it like this too?

The recruiters' eyes twitch again as one of them smooths his hair over. 

"Sigh, just ONE. single dessert, ok?"

"Ok!" Max perks up as he orders something, the waitress looks at the recruiter then at Max.

"What? It's one item!" The waitress nods and leaves with the order, not long after we are all greeted by a cart carrying a massive chocolate cake. 

The recruiters grip the table and a creaking noise is heard as the waitress approaches them trying her best not to laugh.

"The bill, sir"

As they look over the total they gasp.

"Wait! What about the participant's discount?" 

"That only applies to the first meal of each of the participants, we have already taken it into account" 

"But-" 

"It's all written there Sir you can go over it yourself"

The recruiters look in disbelief at the bill then at Max as he happily eats away at his cake, half of it already long gone.