Arena Mode by Blake Northcott Read Free Book Online

talking.”
    “I’m his Counter,” I blurted out.
    Abruzzio squinted at me, and then glanced at Gavin. “His what ?”
    “I’m here to count the cash and verify it’s legit,” I explained. “Calculate the total and make sure we’re not being scammed during a deal. I can authenticate in seconds: both the amount, and any signs of counterfeiting.”
    “A ‘Counter’?” The fridge said in a thick Jersey accent, “I’ve never heard of this before.”
    Abruzzio glared at his bodyguard. “Shut your goddamned mouth, Sal.” He quickly turned back to me. “Yeah, I’ve never heard of this before.”
    “Gunner never does a deal without me,” I replied with complete confidence. Which, with a gun in my face, was quite the accomplishment.
    “Is that so?” Abruzzio said. He scooped the wine glass off his desk and took a quick sip, taking a moment to dab the corners of his mouth with the crimson handkerchief in his breast pocket. “So tell me, mystery man, how fast can you count cash?”
    I motioned towards a small stack of bills that were neatly piled on the corner of his desk. “Throw that in the air.”
    “What is this, a magic trick?” Abruzzio shouted, his patience clearly wearing thin.
    “ Toss it. ” I insisted. Suddenly every eye in the room was fixed intently on me. A cold drop of sweat rolled down the back of my neck and between my shoulder blades.
    Abruzzio shrugged. He slapped his hand on the pile of money and threw it into the spotlight.
    “Two thousand, three hundred and eleven dollars,” I announced, even before the stack of fluttering bills reached the floor.
    Abruzzo glanced at his bodyguard. “Sal, get down there and count it.”
    “I don’t have to, Mister Abruzzo.” Sal lowered his gun and stared quizzically at the pile of scattered cash. “I counted it in the car just ten minutes ago. He’s right on.”
    “So he’s legit,” Abruzzio said, stepping towards Gavin until their noses were nearly touching. “Which means you brought someone here to count and verify my money? Is that what you’re telling me?”
    Gavin held his ground and replied with a wide grin. “I haven’t stayed alive this long by throwing my balls on the craps table.”
    “Ah, that’s the Gunner I remember!” Abruzzio threw his arms around Gavin once again and let out a boisterous laugh.
    “Gotta love this guy,” his bodyguard cheerfully exclaimed.
    “ Sal ,” Abruzzio shouted, “shut your fat face before I shut it for you, alright?” He glanced at me while he patted Gavin on the shoulder. “But I do love this guy.”
    With a finger snap and a gesture, Abruzzo’s men filled the briefcase with crisp one-hundred dollar bills. At thirty percent interest it wasn’t exactly the competitive rate I’d hoped for, but in all honesty I trusted a career criminal with my financial matters more than most of the banks.
    Gavin had done an amazing favor for me, and I hoped more than anything that I’d be alive to pay off the debt. He insisted it was an ‘investment’, and that I’d be able to reimburse Abruzzio with ease after the tournament. I wasn’t so sure. The pressure to escape Arena Mode with some prize money was mounting, and now I wasn’t just fighting for myself.
     

     
    Ten days later, my custom armor was complete, and it fit like a second skin. The blue titanium body suit was light and allowed for a full range of motion. The reinforced Kevlar plates covered my shoulders, chest, gauntlets and thighs; according to the designer, they would stand up to a direct hit from a sniper rifle.
    High-powered magnetic strips were inserted into the thigh plates, allowing me to ‘holster’ a blade or firearm to my leg should I locate one. The helmet was impact resistant up to a ninety mile-per-hour collision, and even the glass visor could withstand a gunshot at close range. The mouthpiece was able to filter two hundred different toxins, and provided up to twenty minutes of oxygen should I get trapped without