ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴇᴅʀɪᴄ

iv

I looked at the clock hoping I was seeing the time wrong, but after looking at my watch and phone, my horror became too much of a reality. I was late. "Nikias!" I yelled as I scavenged through my suit-case in a desperate search for something to wear to the rodeo. Yes, I was going to the rodeo. I hated it, but that's were Kurtis Ptrov wanted to meet. His love for these things was a bit strange, I dismissed the thought remembering his ancestors were farmers. Now I'm starting to wonder why he's a Vice CEO, why he's mine to be precise.

"Whatever." I muttered as I finished putting on the jet black suit. Even the eyepatch matches the coat in color. I'm not emo, I just think it's the best for this occasion. The heat doesn't bother me at all, I don't ever sweat.  Why is my author telling you all these things? Ugh. Screw him.

Nikias never answered my demand but when I saw my phone there was a text from him. He was already at the front waiting for me in the car. So what, I wasn't so late after all, of course I am! I walked out of the hotel room into the hallway whose air was tainted with Air Wick. AIR WICK. Who in their right mind would pollute the air with that stuff? I'm allergic and as soon as that **** hit my nose I sneezed. I bet the Devil sprayed it to make my day miserable.

I stepped into the elevator after sneezing for what seemed to be the millionth time. The ride was short since we were not in my skyscraper and this was Vegas after all. Buildings are nice but not exactly tall.As the doors opened I could already see Nikias holding the door of the black car open for me. His loyalty will be the death of him.

I walked out of the hotel lobby which was starting to get jam-packed with people. Annoying people, all trying to make their way in life, and how short they fall according to moi. "Thanks." I said breathlessly as I literally dove for the car as SOON as I was out of the lobby. I was so focused on my destination I could only hear the cars honking as my car doors closed and opened. My ears were greeted by the smooth purr of the car as Nikias turned it on.

Driving out of the cement road of the hotel and unto the main road, Nikias followed the GPS directions to the tooth. I played Candy Crush ignoring the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty as we passed by them. Who wouldn't? They're fakes after all. I gazed up from my phone screen to see a long face on Nikias. "What is it?" I asked sighing.

"Nothing, Sir, it's just... the color of your suit." Says Nikias. He better darn well like the color or he's fired. Judging by his tone I could tell he didn't, Ugh, forget it, he can keeps his job a (little) longer. Am I bipolar?

Nikias parked the car and I walked out in desperation, I was late and the refreshing air of the car had now been replaced by desert heat.

We walked to the entrance of the Rodeo Stadium which was bombarded with fans eager to get in to watch the dreaded sport. Nikias gave the tickets to one of the workers and he broke it in half, giving us our piece of it. "I'll go to the restroom now, Mr. Elston, will you need something?" I waved him off assuring him I did not need him and sat down at the table where Kurtis should have been waiting for me. But he wasn't, the chairs were empty with no sign of being previously occupied. I check my phone and it was him, Kurtis was calling. I picked up hoping he would have a logical excuse for not being here. "Where the flip are you Kurtis? You should've been here by now, obviously."

He merely laughed at me on the other end of the line, conniving embecil. What was he up to now?

"Why Cedric..." His Russian accent reverberated in every word of that sentence. "I thought I'd better tell you this by phone. I don't like you.You see that bull that's coming out? The bull is me, the rider is you." I glanced over to where he said and saw as the bull was set free along with the rider.The bull aggressively jumped and whipped, causing the cowboy to fall off. He did not last one second riding that beast, not a single one.

"You want to shake me down Kurtis? I hold a bullet to your head, and you want to rid yourself of me. Good luck trying to untie me from my company, but as you might know, Ava and Lucian will loose. Miserably." I shot at him since he was still on the line. "Yes." His voice sounded too full of pride and contemption. "It's not so easy you see..." I walked toward the launching area were you got on the horsies that tried to whip you off.

There were weird smells and stuff and I asked one of the attendants which one was the wildest one. He then proceeded to point to a fat black bull. I got on him and opened the safety gates. Whoopsies.

I must admit, it tried, the bull tried hard to shake me off. The crowd watched me in awe as I shattered all time records, riding the forsaken beast.

"You see Kurtis, trying to shake me off will only result in chaos." I said as the bull got tired and I was still riding it, strangling it. "Since you're human I bet you're watching this as we speak, now you know the consequences." I smirked and winked at a camera.

"Are you there." No answer came from him as I jumped off the bull. All I know is that I looked back to the stand to see a familiar figure, Ava Pierce.

She doned a simple cocktail dress which seemed more like she was walking down a red carpet. She glanced over her shoulder at me smirking while she eyed me down. It's almost as if she knew my every breath and heartbeat. A man walked by her and she dissapeared.

My phone rang and when I picked it up it was Nikias. "What is it?" I asked with nonchalance, he probably saw my performance and called to compliment me. He paused for a few seconds before speaking. "Ruane Carter is dead."