DD 302 Ch 14

As much as I wanted to bust down doors and take the threadspawn, this was a delicate situation. At the very least, I needed a place to put them. And the elite group in the ballroom might not take their safety being thrown into question very well.

I pulled my CID out, ringing up the president of the UG. But after several rings, he still had not answered.

“What now?” Des asked, and the ladies around me all were giving me concerned looks while Bellaire played social bodyguard at the event.

If the president of the UG wasn’t going to pick up, I knew someone who would answer my call. I rang Director Ametto and she picked up on the first ring, a little video card projecting from my CID as we stepped behind a pillar to have a private conversation.

“Ken, it is an absolute pleasure to hear from you. However, I must ask, what has Crimson done this time?” The purple haired director of the UG barely looked at the screen as she focused on something else.

“Not Crimson, ma’am. Are you aware of the… threadspawn issue?” I kept my voice low. She’d played number two to the president on multiple occasions, and I knew she was at least fairly high up in the organization.

“Of course, that is likely why you were unable to reach my boss. I assume you called him first.” She paused what she was doing to glance in my direction.

“I did. I’m at a party in New York that’s a bunch of socialites who want to meet me after yesterday--” I started.

“Uh-huh,” she interrupted, clearly wanting me to get to the point.

“Well, out of a strange sense of caution, I scanned for threadspawn and there are some at this event.” I explained.

“Oh. Oh my,” the director was now very focused on this conversation.

“Yes. I’m a little stuck here. These are all very notable people and I don’t want to panic them. I could use some help.” I admitted.

“Have you identified who is infected?” She asked, pushing up her glasses so that they were squarely on her nose.

“No, but it appears to be the staff. I can only see outlines through the wall, but they are through the kitchen doors.” I gave her what I knew, doing another check. There were no threadspawn in the guests that I could see.

“Well that certainly makes the situation much easier,” the director said. “I will have several UG personnel approach your location, if you would kindly tell me which building you’re in.”

I glanced over at Bellaire, who nodded. “You’ll have that in a minute,” I promised. “What do I do?”

“Ideally incapacitate them and… allow the UG to take them for further study.” The pause before she finished that sentence was enough to send shivers down my spine.

“I understand.” I answered, wishing there was another option. But there was not, and I understood the need to try to understand more about this new enemy. This was the right decision for the population at large, and I had a feeling the people whose bodies the threadspawn were using would also want us to stop this from spreading to more of the population.

“All right, Director. I’ll have them bagged up in let’s say a half an hour.” I glanced at the ladies around me. My party nodded along.

“It shouldn’t be too hard. It’s not as if the staff is going to be high-level adventurers. We should all be fairly capable of knocking them out and bringing them outside.” Des echoed my thoughts.

“Perfect,” the director said. “I’ll see you then.”

She suddenly hung up, so I turned to Bellaire. “Shoot Director Ametto our location. The rest of us will work to come up with a plan,” I said, glancing toward the door that led toward the kitchen.

As much as I wanted to be able to focus, the partygoers had come specifically to network with me. Which meant I now got to navigate being famous while also trying to keep everybody safe. It took only a moment later before Gary was pushing past Bellaire while she was shooting a message to the director.

“There you are,” he said, arms wide open. “For a second, I thought you’d escaped. Listen, there’s a surprise tonight and I’m going to need your help. In fact, it’s going to be perfect with your expertise.”

I frowned at the man. “My expertise?”

“Yes, it’s the latest thing in the New York circuit. I hope you understand, it’s for all of us who can’t participate in the dungeon. We want to get the same excitement,” he said, moving his hands in front of him as if that would somehow make this less strange.

“Sure. What is it?” I decided to roll with it.

“Well, they’re going to announce it any-- ” The man was interrupted before he could spit it out.

Someone threw open the door from the kitchen. “Everyone! It’s time for tonight’s main event! Clear the floor!” A portly older man called out as he stepped through. He vaguely reminded me of a circus master with his bright red suit that had exaggerated tails on it as well as a matching top hat.

But what really had my attention was that the man who was stepping forward had a threadspawn inside of him. The idiosyncrasies of the worm’s mannerisms might have been part of what made him read as somewhat off, though everyone present seemed to ignore the fact that he had an odd tilt to his head.

“I present to you all, Bloodsport!” He panned his hands in front of him, and more thread-spawn-infested people came from the kitchen, and I watched as nearly all of them I had spotted before behind the door stepped out. There were a few more in the back.

What was Gary talking about with Bloodsport, and what did it have to do with the threadspawn? My thoughts spun quickly as I assessed the situation.

“All right, can you tell just by how they move? How they walk? How are their fighting skills?” Gary asked, and I frowned.

“Wait, they’re going to fight each other?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Gary said with wide eyes and excitement painted across his face. “And we’ll bet on who wins. If you can pick the right people, there’s plenty of money to be made tonight. And I think some of the people around the city really want to show off in front of you, the adventurers. So, you need to join the betting pool. They want to have a round with you in their arena, so to speak. ” Gary explained.

That was seriously fucked up. I was starting to really judge the upper class. But at the moment, my problem was the threadspawn now in my presence.

More threadspawn came out from the kitchen, and I did a quick check, happy to see that all of the threadspawn had at least made their way into this room. We did not have to split up to manage this situation.

By the way they moved and the gear they wore, I put most of them somewhere in the mid-20s in terms of level, but each and every one of them was an adventurer.

“Is this normal?” Misha asked, leaning over and whispering to Felin beside me.

“I don’t think so.” Felin frowned and shrugged before she produced another shooter of cream and downed it.

Though neither of them caught anyone’s attention but my own, everyone else was cheering for the threadspawn as each of them were being introduced, and Gary was giving me some sort of expectant look, as if I was supposed to pick out the best fighter with just a glance alone.

Though, if I was honest, I already had narrowed down my choice to the one that looked like an accountant. When it came to people being exceptional, you always picked the one that looked like an accountant. Whether part of a heavy metal band or fighting, when someone like that stepped up on stage you knew shit was about to get real.

“That one with the glasses,” I pointed.

“Really, he looks like a nerd.” Gary answered.

“Trust me, that's the dangerous one.” I replied.

Gary shrugged and then moved away, I assumed to place a bet. I shifted my focus to the Nekorian and Whaleryn that were growing increasingly concerned.

“This is not normal. Also, they are all infected with threadspawn,” I said, and the Whaleryn’s eyes popped open wide. Meanwhile, Felin only shrugged. “Worms are gross,” the Nekorian said.

“Couldn't agree more. Director Ametto is on her way,” I said. “If we can incapacitate these fighters, then we can drag them off and--”

“Incapacitate?” Gary reappeared at my side; apparently he had caught those words. “You don’t have to incapacitate them. They're going to kill each other,” he said with glee.

“What?” I did a double-take.

“Yeah. They're all gonna fight in a series of death matches.” He grinned like a loon. 

“Death matches?” I frowned.

“Yep! I think they have someone who's going to revive them backstage, but they come to all the big social events now, and you bet on who's gonna win while they literally slaughter each other. It's intense.” He answered.

I looked out over the gathered group and realized how true his words were, as people were practically frothing at the mouth, beginning to cheer for their favorite. People in glittering dresses and silky suits were positively barbaric as they screamed and shouted for the fighters to rip each other apart.

“Ah. I didn't realize tonight was going to be so lively,” I struggled for the words.

“For New York City's new hero?” Gary grinned, “We can’t have any less but the best! Come, let me introduce you to the bookies and we can get your bets placed. I'll even give you 10,000 if you didn't bring enough to get started.”

I did a double-take and shook my head. “Oh, trust me, I have plenty to bet with.” I typed something on my CID and then bumped it with Bellaire's.

“If you would entertain Gary for a moment, I want it all on the guy with glasses.” I instructed her.

Bellaire nodded and smiled at Gary to pull him aside. Even if he was resistant to being pulled away, he wanted to be the one to show me around.

“This is, pardon my French, fucked up,” Penny said, watching the whole situation.

“You look lovely, by the way, Penny,” I smiled, feeling like I hadn’t had the chance to compliment her yet, “And yes, this is incredibly wrong. I can't... I’m struggling to wrap my head around this. So they're just gonna kill each other?”

“Well, if they're all Threadspawn, it's not like they're actually going to die,” Des pointed out. “They're just gonna get dragged backstage and then revive their host and do it again.”

I frowned at the whole ordeal. “I didn't realize that the Threadspawn were smart enough to come up with a business. I did not imagine them to be so… entrepreneurial." I gestured at the fighters who were doing their best to look impressive and earn bets placed on them.

“Yeah, well, can't exactly say humanity is making me particularly proud of its intelligence at this moment,” Des pursed her lips.

“You and I both. All right, so would we let them have their fight and then abscond with the bodies?” I asked, looking over the group for better ideas as my mind shifted to planning. At this point, I was simply going with best case scenario of a bunch of not so great scenarios. 

“Not the worst,” Penny hesitated.

It was Felin, who was apparently the most devious of this group, who spoke up. “If they all want to see Ken so much, why doesn't he jump in and distract them while we steal the bodies?”

I turned slowly to Felin. “That might just work. Des, Penny, do you think you're up for it? I think we need Penny to freeze them if we are going to get them out of here quietly.”

“I do not want to touch one of those. If a worm crawls out...” Penny shuddered involuntarily and looked away from it before coming back to the conversation. “I'm sorry. Even the idea was a little much for me. But I can do it. Although you should know that if one of those worms comes out of a body, I can't promise I'm not going to scream.”

I shrugged. “Honestly? That's pretty fair. I don't know if I could stop myself from screaming like a little girl if a worm that takes over bodies came out of one that I was carrying.” I shuddered at the idea of one of them touching me.

“Do we have a good way to stun them if one of them revives while we're trying to steal the corpses?” Misha asked.

“I can at least slow them down,” Des offered. “Penny’s our best option for something longer.”

The frost knight nodded. “Yeah, I think I can at least keep them slow enough that they won't do much. Those are all pretty low-level adventurers, and unless the Threadspawn are going to make them suddenly several times their strength, they shouldn't be able to break my ice.”

“‘Shouldn’t being the operative word,” Charlotte pointed out. “It would feel a little better if there was some contingency in place.”

I looked at the group. “I think that's the best I'm going to have in this short notice. Unless someone can come up with a good alternative or maybe item?”

“Nothing from me, but it is something to think about.” Des said.

My mind immediately jumped to Grandma Yui. She would likely have at least a few toys to detain and immobilize people. As for how I knew that, I would rather scrub that memory from my mind.

“All right. That's a simple plan,” Penny said, and we all knew we were out of time as the man who had introduced the show took center stage again and began waving his hands in the air, trying to rile up the crowd.

“For those of you who don't know the rules of Bloodsport, it's quite simple. There are no rules except, ” He started to turn back before he snapped toward the crowd again. “Don't talk about Bloodsport!”

The crowd roared at that statement, getting even more excited. I frowned. It was just a way to make it more exclusive by having people supposedly not talk about it. If I had to guess, most of these people were going to be gossiping about it for the next week. Yet at least pretending that it was a secret club made it more exclusive.

“Without further ado, number one and number eight, take the stage!” He waved at both of them and stepped back.

Gary, this time with Peter, rejoined me, both of them with a dark red wine that I thought was going to look particularly less appealing once the fighting started. Then again, I looked around the room and almost everyone had switched to red wine or some similar-colored cocktail. There were more than a few bright-red martinis in the hands of women who had enough diamonds they could probably buy their way out of any confrontation.

“So I hear you like number five.” Peter grinned, coming up against me. “I think he'll make the first couple rounds, but I have it on good authority three is the man to beat.” He nodded toward the one who looked more monster than man, towering close to seven feet, corded muscle over his entire frame as he bent slightly hunched over.

I frowned at him. “Nah. He looks like a chump to me.”

Gary chuckled and winked at Peter. “I think we can trust that Ken knows his way around a fight. If he says he's a chump, then I'm certainly not going to bet on him.”

“We shall see.” Peter had an edge of competitiveness coming out, and I was stunned at how these people were treating the situation. I still was waiting for somebody to jump out and go ‘just kidding’.

But a moment later, number one and number eight clashed.

Eight had to be the smallest of the group, a young woman of Asian descent who slipped the guard of the first man. He had to be straight from Ireland, the way he had fiery red hair and beard.

As his haymaker missed, she came up, cracking his jaw hard enough to split his teeth and send a small gush of blood as she cut his gums. The crowd roared in excitement, and the wealthy elites watching it were frothing at the mouth with so much excitement that I thought one of them might seriously jump into the ring.

“Thrilling, isn't it?” Peter's voice quivered with barely restrained excitement beside me. “Just watching this makes me feel the danger of the dungeon. I might even have to check my old CID to see if I gained a level watching this.”

“I mean, his punch was full of openings.” I shrugged. “But I guess watching her make a fool of his overextension was kind of amusing.” I played my part as somewhat disinterested and jaded, the fights barely providing me an ounce of entertainment. But my stomach was churning. Sure, I’d watched plenty of fights for training, but this as purely entertainment for those who weren’t bettering themselves felt grimey.

“He overextended,” Gary repeated, and I knew everything I said was going to be parroted out of his mouth at some event for the next few weeks. Part of me almost didn't want to be helpful for whatever conversation that was, but keeping them entertained had its own benefits.

“Yes, he overreached with that. It put him completely off balance.” I shook my head like I was disappointed.

Even though the Irishman took a pretty heavy blow, he didn't seem fazed in the slightest and kept swinging hard strikes for the smaller woman, who wasn't even using any abilities as she slipped in and out of his guard trying to catch him while trying to connect with her own jabs. 

But she didn't get as clean of a shot as the hit to his jaw. She instead danced around him before she came in lightning quick with an ability, a glowing green blade as she ran it through the Irishman's chest. In the same moment his fist glowed black with a gauntlet that smashed down on the crown of her head.

The crowd screamed in excitement as the two bloodied each other. As if some time limit had passed and they were allowed to use abilities, they quickly came at each other far faster and far more deadly. It took another thirty seconds before they nearly hacked each other apart. The Irishman had fallen to his knees, eyes beginning to glaze over as blood dripped out of his mouth to join the numerous gaping wounds on his torso, while the petite Asian stepped back and pumped her hands into the air while wobbling on her feet from her own blood loss.

Peter clipped his tongue. “It's a shame. I had a nice spread. Number one, I had at least some confidence in. He lost to such a pipsqueak. Disappointing.”

The utter derision in Peter's tone took me aback before he glanced at me. “Could you have taken them both?”

Des, however, was there to save me. “He could have taken them both with his eyes closed and one arm tied behind his back.” She laughed. “Heck, I'm a mage and I'm pretty sure I could go in there and out punch both of them.”

Unfortunately for Des, the crowd grew quiet as she had made that claim. More than a few people were already turning to her expectantly, only to shift their gaze a moment later to the man running the show.

“Do we have a challenger from the crowd?” he chuckled, turning to stare at all of us.