Gods of Arena
Vacation Over

Hound yawned for the umpteenth time, stealing another glance at Kang who still focused on the computer like he had just seen something suspicious. "Really?" "What?"

"What's up with the face? There's nothing here. The man is clean", Hound said.

"How do you know that? He has only been in his office for a few minutes. He has left for hours now. Who knows what he is doing outside?"

"Well, stop looking like you just spotted something we could nail", Hound said and stood up, walking back to his bed. "I just woke up and it feels like I never slept at all" "Maybe he's not the enemy after all"

"You thought he was the enemy?", Hound asked. "I mean; you didn't even consider asking him any questions. That seems like you didn't even think he could be the enemy" "I wasn't planning to interview the enemy. I just wanted to establish a link from the ones I'm closer to", Kang replied and sighed, as he laid back on his bed. There was really no time to be lazy. He remembered the palmtop Fred had given him the previous night. "And, yea, I didn't think he was the enemy at all. From what Fred said, Kwei might be actually hiding something... and that 'something' might be hiding the truth"

****

She followed King closely and meekly, as though her lips had been sealed before they walked out of the chambers. She wore a distorted face behind her clear eyeglasses, in fear of the man in front of him and what he was about to do. He led her down the narrow path, without saying a word..... that reminded her of Bane's coldness. Bane barely said anything. He just did horrible things.

A sudden click of the door jerked Leila back to life. They had gotten to a door and King had pulled it open. She was so busy wondering where they were off to that she didn't realize. "Fred", he called, as he peeked into the room. He pushed the door open and glanced at Leila.

She walked in immediately, staring down to avoid arousing his annoyance in the littlest way. She raised her head slightly to meet Fred's stare and smiled for a second.

"This is Leila. You can keep her company on my behalf", King said and walked out, closing the door behind him.

She chuckled, keeping her lips close so her laughter remained silent. Fred laughed too. "See that?", Fred said. "King just brought me a wife. He doesn't know we've met, does he?"

"I doubt", she replied, walking up to him. Her eyeglasses made her look like a nerd at the lab. "What are you up to?"

"A lot of things. I've been investigating someone secretly. I have nothing yet but I know there is something to find"

"I caught that strange look on your face, when King opened the door. You looked like a poltroon who got caught masturbating"

Fred smiled and turned his chair, facing her. "And what if I am a poltroon who got caught masturbating? You planning to help me out?"

Leila approached him slowly, taking one step after the other. "Sorry, I didn't get you", she acted, adjusting her glasses with a seductive look. "Help you out with.... What did you say?"

"Oh. You know what I said", Fred said, smiling back and breathing loudly. Whatever she was doing to him; it was working. "You know what you are doing"

"I'm just... I think I'm just talking", Leila bent closer to him, wearing a deliberately innocent look. Her wide busts pushed forward, as she placed her hands on the armrest. She stole a glance at the sudden movement in his trousers. She gasped. "Wow!"

"Get out", Fred laughed and turned his chair, hiding his erection. "You knew what you were doing"

"What? You started it", Leila replied, still laughing. "There's nothing bad with that though"

"I did not start it. You brought up the topic", Fred said. "You spoke about masturbation, remember?"

"Alright. But you were going to flirt with me, weren't you?"

"Yea, and you turned it around. Then it became seduction.... You've only been here for two days and you're already good at this"

"You taught me", Leila laughed.

"Well, it's good you stopped or you would have taught me to fuck"

The door opened, almost immediately. "Uh...", Kang muttered, peeking in. "I didn't hear a thing"

"How long have you been there?", Leila asked, covering her face and laughing at herself. "What did you hear?"

"Just a few words", Kang replied. "Can I come in? It's pretty important.... Than fucking, right now"

"Yea, come on. What's the matter?", Fred asked, getting up.

Kang glanced at Leila and muttered to Fred. "Is she in on this?"

"On what? Oh, yea.. she can be trusted", Fred replied. "You can be trusted, right?"

"I think I already know what half the matter is about. You can trust me"

"Alright", Kang walked in, holding the palmtop he had been given by Fred. "You need to see something"

Fred walked up to him, quickly, wearing a bright confident smile which howled, 'I knew it', as silent as possible. "Let me guess. You watched the other monitor with Hound and you didn't find anything" "Exactly"

"And this one appears to be giving you something different from what you saw on the other"

"Yes, and I wondered how that was possible... then I saw this", Kang said and tapped on the keyboard, playing a footage for the two.

Leila adjusted her glasses, staring blankly into the computer. They could see Kwei in the lab in front of his computer. He had waited for late night when no one was watching so he was using a torch light to find his way around the room. He climbed a desk, directly beneath the camera Kang and Hound had installed. Kwei had found out about that, somehow. He took the camera in his hand walked back to his computer. He worked on it for a few minutes and reinstalled it, exactly where it was.

"He erased the part where he picked the camera and did all of that and all we can see after he leaves the room is just a picture of the empty room", Kang said. "More like he put a picture in front of the camera"

"I saw that coming", Fred smiled, while Leila stared blankly at the duo.

"How did he know about the camera we installed? How didn't he get to know about yours?"

"I am working on something. I can't answer that question now but when I'm done, we should be able to point out the enemy... or the enemies"

Kang nodded, pointlessly, and smiled at Leila. "Alright", he muttered. "You can keep fucking"

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'll interrogate Romeo and draw a conclusion with Hound's help. He's been tied down for too long❞

"Alright", Fred muttered. "Alright. We will be there"

****

"Do you go out, late at night, when your roommate is asleep?", Kang asked.

"Is that a crime? Did he tell you I did something?", Romeo responded, glaring at the newbie in front of him. "Yes, I do whenever I need to pee or get something" "He's saying the truth", Hound nodded slightly.

Leila and Fred sat down, watching the show. Fred kept his eyes on Hound, mainly. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, at the moment, but he knew there was something to find by just watching him. "Alright", Kang muttered. "Have you been communicating with someone who is not a fighter?"

"How is that possible? No❞

Hound stared at him for a second. "He's lying"

"Lying? Who's this cartoon guy?"

Kang stepped closer and sat in front of him. "He has the ability to tell when someone is lying and when someone is not❞

"Really? Have you even given him a test?", Romeo scoffed derisively.

"Yes. We have. Let's show you. I will ask a question now and I need you to just say the truth. Alright?"

"I don't see how that works but it's alright"

"Who was your first roommate?"

"Everyone knows that. Jin", Romeo said, quickly.

"That's a lie", Hound replied.

Kang cleared his throat. "Alright. Who was your first kill on the field?".

"Everyone knows that too. Leon"

"Saying the truth"

Kang glanced at Romeo for a second. "Which female Larger Figure did you like first?"

"Ana", Romeo muttered, glancing up at Hound.

"He's lying"

"Ok. Who's your roommate now?"

"Dan"

Fred chuckled on his seat. "Come on", he muttered.

"That's a lie"

Romeo looked up at Hound, expressing all of his doubts in the penetrating glare. "You have no idea what you're saying"

Leila leaned on Fred, almost falling asleep on his shoulder. "Come on. Don't sleep off while it's getting interesting", Fred pushed his shoulder up. "Stop. My eyes are heavy"

"You just made my shoulder heavy", Fred replied. "You could use my lap as the pillow"

"And if something starts to rise?"

"Then we will have a situation"

Leila nudged his shoulder. "It feels like vacation here", she said, drunkenly.

"It feels like I'm making it a lot of fun for you"

"Hmm... you're trying your best"

The door opened, swiftly, and they paused like people getting caught in the act. King brought his fat bald head in, wearing his usual terrific frown. Leila raised her head, straightening up swiftly. She was still new in the arena. She had no idea what their rules were. Intergender relationships were probably prohibited... or no slacking in the day? Bane always surprised her, despite spending a great percentage of her lifetime in the Arena with the man who made the rules. "Leila", he called in a thick charismatic voice. "Bane called"

She stood up and approached him slowly. Her lips remained shut. She dared not speak whenever she stood before Bane. King was probably the same.

"In case you have unloaded, you should pack your bags", King said. "Your husband wants to see you before the weekend"

'Husband?', her eyes twitched, as she screamed in her head. Her lips remained tightly sealed. She couldn't guess what was going on in Fred's mind. They all heard King.

"I told him you will leave immediately", King added, expressionlessly, opening the door widely.

She nodded, staring down with tears building up in her eyes. She understood the gesture. There was no need to look back or say goodbye. Fred was definitely betrayed. 'Husband?', she yelled again in her head, walking out the door. 'He won't let me leave. He won't let me stay. Why?'

King glared at Hound. He didn't recognize the newbie. "Who are you?"

"Uh... I'm Hound", Hound stuttered, dismayed by the towering stance before him. "I-"

"He's helping out with the investigations", Kang cut in. "He has a way of reading people"

King brought his face closer to Hound, intimidating with his glare. Hound began to sweat. "Well, he smells of suspense", King muttered. "Work without him. I don't want him outside the hall, ever again.... Leave now"