Barcode: Cavern of Youth (38 page)

“You’re not him,” she cries through the pain. “You’re not a challenge. I could easily beat you.”

“If you had access to Sekhmet,” I complete her thought with a grin. “But you don’t. Now, if you really want to prove your power, bring all five of your sexy asses back out.”

Angie’s eyes squint as her lips form into a smile. She divides into five again and rushes towards me, but this time, I mimic her technique. In these bandages, I can’t replicate the exact technique, but I can modify it.

I stand in the center of an invisible circle. I’m surrounded by a five foot radius of protection that she can’t enter. Clones of my arms and legs appear from black smoke as I punch, kick, and elbow her bodies.

“You’re not him. You’re not him. You can’t do this,” she mutters while attempting to counter my attacks. She’s seen this technique before. Angie knows my barriers better than anyone. I fold my arms in the center while focusing the energy of my other attacks.

I defeat each one of her clones though the original manages to parry all of my strikes. While she’s distracted, I dash forward and plant an uppercut on her chin.

We both exchange single punches for four minutes. Her face is swelling and her left eye is closing, but I’m not any better off. The left side of my face feels hot, like it’s melting. Time ticks by with my head feeling worse than it did when I fought Arnold. When I elbow Angie in the kidney, her scream silences the audience. But a second later, she kicks me in the chest so hard that I make a loud gasping sound that stretches across the amphitheater.

Finally, Professor Jules yells, “Enough!” from the announcer’s booth.

Everyone in the crowd and behind the locker rooms direct their attention up to the spherical projector.

Angie keeps her eyes on me. If she’s as tired as I am, her chest is burning more intensively with each inhale. It’s like air is both my friend and enemy.

Suddenly, I hear a powerful sniper rifle firing from some distance. Something invisible strikes my body and paralyzes me. Where was I hit?

Angie looks around for my attacker. Her expression shows concern. Did she hear the gunshot too?

Jules continues, “This is a final, not a death match. You both have proven yourselves and we’ll call this a draw.” Vincent yells from his reserved booth. His voice isn’t enough to carry across the field, but he’s pissed. He wants me dead. “I apologize for killing everyone’s action, but the other professors want these students alive next year.”

The projector stops showing Jules’ face. Angie never once looked up at him. Her eyes trace my body.

“Kay. Did you really kill Kode? Don’t call me crazy like everyone else.” She falls on her knees directly next to me. “I saw him last night. You can hate me or kill me later. I’ll give you the gun to pull the trigger, but I need to know if he’s alive.”

The suffering in her voice adds an additional pain to my heart. I can’t hold this facade any longer. I plan to confess, but I’m interrupted. Another alarming sound catches my attention. This time no one will be prepared.

“Angie, run! Get out now.”

“Kay tell me. Please!”

It’s too late. Various types of wolves without fur or skin run onto the field. Their muscles are exposed, but they’re different colors—burgundy, tan, and gray.

Just seconds ago, they were released from the cave’s entrance in Casey’s room. Now the ground rumbles as they stampede through the stadium, killing anyone in their way.

They tear through body parts and Colt Stone with little to no effort.

“Where did they come from?” Angie mumbles.

“Angie. Run,” I plead.

“Not until you answer me.” She holds Kongō in her hands and relaxes her body. Turning her barcodes back up, she keeps them gently lit and waits for the first beast to attack. With a gorgeous smile, she adds, “Plus, I don’t have the energy.”

The creature leading the front lines is coming directly for me. Why?

Carmen yells, “Kode!”

The sound of my name distracts Angie as she stabs him in the ribs. Loosing her grip, the beast runs off with Kongō jammed in his flesh. He falls over and bleeds out a few feet away. The smell of blood attracts the others. A few professors try reaching us, but we’re surrounded by hundreds of these animals and more are still pouring out from the dungeon.

The audience members race out of their seats towards the exits, only to find the creatures on the inside hallway. We’re surrounded and people are losing their lives left and right.

Even worse, I can’t move my body. This reminds me of the feeling of when I’m sleeping. I can see everything around me, but I have no control.

Angie cries as Carmen crawls towards me.

“Papi!”

Clenching her fist, Angie closes her eyes and tells Carmen, “I can defend us if I release my barcode, but there’s only one person that can stop me from killing everyone else here. He said he’d always protect me and stop me from revealing Sekhmet.”

The wolves close in on us. I sink deeper into my sleep knowing there’s nothing I can do, but watch them die.

Angie places her palm on my cheek, which warms my skin. “If you are Kode, why won’t you protect me?” Carmen covers her mouth. Her eyes dissect each of Angie’s words and actions. I imagine she’s reading too much into the situation. We’re all about to die. Let’s focus on that. “Kode, I love you with all my heart and soul. I’ve never cared for anything more than you and I won’t leave until I find you. You can’t let me die. How many times have I saved you?” The gladiator princess laughs and rubs her nose. “I’ve been there for you, even against Eve. Don’t let me down. Kode, if this is you. Get up now!”

I’m such a disappointment.

A wolf lunges at my head and Angie tries to throw her body over me. The wolf sinks his teeth into her arm. Unfortunately for him, that’s the furthest he’ll get. I have my nails in his throat and I don’t plan on letting him bite an inch deeper.

The creature whimpers as I pry his mouth loose. Opening his incredibly strong jaws, I free her arm and rip the monster in half.

While converting Shiva into the large shield-sword I once used to defend Carmen, I utter, “Gigi.”

Angie’s eyes light up and she bounces up and down. “What,
daddy
?”

Carmen snaps, “Oh hell no.”

“I’m sorry,” I articulate with a smirk. “I’m going to put you back in the barrier I learned from Takashi. Don’t move.”

When I was young, Takashi Tiger taught me how to fight with some of his abilities. He was shocked I could master hearing frequencies and understanding the world around me. Of all the techniques he’s taught me, my favorite was creating barriers.

With my skill, there are ways to protect my own body and others within a five foot radius, like I did against Angie. The beautiful gladiator princess once described what she sees inside of the field. Supposedly, I disappear and she can only see fragments of me as I obliterate my opponents.

Angie reaches for Carmen and holds her tightly. Her grapple applies so much force against Carmen’s body, the delicate girl can’t move an inch.

“Stay perfectly still, sweetheart,” Angie croons. Carmen raises her eyebrows.

As a few hundred monsters close in, I hear large explosions from inside. Dennis is making his way to the front line, but we can’t hold on that long.

I’ll really have to let loose.

Turning my back to the women, I open my eyes and allow my data to run rampant.

“Shiva, the sword’s too large. I’m a little guy now.” My incredible weapon sparks wildly in my hand. Her thunderous sounds and the lightening expelling from the blade wards off a few of the nearby creatures. When she finishes, the sword loses half of its weight and size. “Much better.” I pry the weapon from the ground and grip it tightly in my palm.

Once the first wolf leaps forward, I begin. With one whip of Shiva, the creature explodes.

Carmen mumbles through Angie’s hands, “Where’d he go?”

“Try staying quiet. It’s distracting for him. You can’t see Kode because he’s moving too fast, but don’t budge if you see anything coming near us. They can’t get in.”

One after another, the monsters vanish, leaving nothing other than large heaps of their blood. The biggest wolf manages to get a bite on my shoulder. I must reappear for a second because Carmen flinches and screams. A large gash appears on her leg from a wolf that managed to cross in during her movement.

Using my free hand, I throw the beast attacking me across the field and pull the intruder out of their safety zone.

I continue the butchery until the only remaining attacker is the big boy that tasted my shoulder. He tries running away, but I launch Shiva in trishula form to stab him in the head. Then, I chase down my beautiful weapon.

The entire ground is covered by their blood and I’m fine by that because my ladies are safe.

Deathly tired, I pry Shiva from the beast’s skull and convert her into gloves. Then, I return to the only dry area of the field, dragging my feet across the pool of blood. Angie throws Carmen to the side and I crash into my best friend’s lap. We both laugh weakly as she embraces me.

The world, as I see it in my mind, dissolves into fragments, like it did the night I destroyed Malik’s party. But this time, I know it’s bad.

Twenty Seven

When the light returns to my eyes and I’m able to see some of the world again, I recall all the times I’ve stayed in the darkness without dreams or company.

Though dreams can give false hope, they also provide some level of comfort. Being alone within my own mind is depressing and one hour feels like an eternity.

Fortunately, my eternity has come to an end.

Angie’s sitting on the king-sized recovery bed under the covers with me. She’s playing cards with the comforter over her head and singing,
No Tomorrow
by Kid With Wings.

Her tattoos radiate dimly on her chest. Several tears fall onto her cards before she stacks them neatly and places them back in the box. She faces me and smiles. Angie’s not the crying type, but I imagine this year was lonely for her. I want to hug her, but I still can’t move my body. It won’t even budge.

Judging from the sound in my muscles, I’ve caused some irreparable damage.

Angie continues singing and rapping, “No sir, you are not the king that you say you were. Oh you’ll learn, that stronger men have come before.” Her words break near the end as my finger taps to the beat of her song.

Though I was alone every day in darkness, there was one thing to look forward to. My favorite cover artist sang that song regularly. I couldn’t tell the difference in time, but I knew when to expect it.

As she sings more passionately, my heart aligns with the beat. Then, her heart aligns with mine.

Not only does the light return, but color does too. Angie’s voice gives me strength.

I clutch my fists and she bounces up and down, which causes her to lose the rhythm. When she sees my grip weakening, she sits on her knees and sings the lyrics with all her heart.

A smile forms on my face and she gasps. I build a pressure in my chest and Angie does too. She squints as Shiva breaks into small coins that spin at an alarming rate. They’re on beat.

As the coins provide the background music, Angie hums the one part she always forgets but quickly picks the song up again.

Shiva slices my bandages over small areas of my flesh, allowing my blood to breathe. The wounds hurt like paper cuts and they’re all over my body, but when my blood gets air, the pain eases.

Now, I can see the pink room perfectly. Only, it’s a lot larger than it should be.

Angie’s song ends. She crawls over my body. “Say
Gigi
please.”

I’m enjoying having her this close. Right next to me was already good enough, but knowing that my best friend is here makes things even better.

It’s good to be back.

“You’ve been asleep for a month. You should see how many people want to know more about you after finals.” I sense something dark in her words. Resentment? Envy? Whatever it is, she immediately hides it behind her concern. “Dennis let Carmen and Richard heal you. They said you pushed yourself too hard and if you ever got up, you’d be paralyzed from the neck down. I got a little upset and nearly killed them. Somehow, I got Sekhmet to relax.”

She removes a black feather from under my pillow. It’s torn to shreds and covered in my blood. “I found this in your bandages.” Angie wipes her eyes but doesn’t cry. “How’d you get it?” She laughs. “I want to know why you held on to it, creeper.” She plays with the broken feather for a few seconds before sliding it back under my pillow.

Angie gently pinches my cheeks. “A lot happened in the month you missed. I’m actually friends with Carmen now. She fought me on her own for the first time, and I was kind of proud of her, in a twisted way. I hated that daddy married someone my age. Mom hated it too, but she’s still bedridden. What could she do?”

Her delicate fingers reach for the box of cards. She picks out all of the aces and neatly lines them across my chest.

“Why did Carmen fight me? Because I asked you to call me Gigi every day. And you know, when you call me Gigi, I just have to call you
daddy
. She thought it was my way of flirting with you until I explained the story.” Angie folds her lips inward and stares at the ceiling. “Now that we’re older, maybe it is. I thought your mask was nice and started talking to you, but daddy was
pissed
. He locked me in my room. I snuck out anyway. Being the jerk you are, you gave me the same warning of not talking to you. But people didn’t really speak to me either, so I took my chances.

“Eventually, you caved in and stole a projector phone to chat with me. You liked using shortcuts when typing, so you’d just write Gigi. I told you it was my favorite nickname in the world, but it made me feel like a little kid. I
was
a little kid, but that’s not the point. I started calling you daddy, because my own father didn’t make me feel that way.” Angie hums the first two lines of
No Tomorrow
. “You were my best friend, but I was kind of in love with your sarcasm...and your body. The attraction made the nickname creepy; I stopped calling you that for a while.”