The Red Continent

Chapter 11

Reporters lined the hallway outside Leander's dressing room, cameras and recorders at the ready eagerly awaiting access. Alexia knew from experience the scene surrounding a victor's dressing room was like a hornets' nest, so she waited in the adjacent corridor with Captain Silva plotting how to get to him without upsetting the hive.

"Alexia you could just call on him tomorrow," Captain Silva said.

"I don't want his family to catch onto anything. Then Christian gets involve... it's just too much too soon...I have to see him tonight, alone."

"Alright Alexia but if you're trying to keep this a secret this isn't the place to do it," Captain Silva said.

"I know that but he's 20 feet away, I just have to find a way to get a message to him. If only there was"-Alexia paused and pointed her finger at Captain Silva-"Carmella, find Orza in that scrum and bring him here."

Horatio Orza was a reporter with the Pence Tribune known well known for his obsession with her family, her in particular.

"Alexia what do you want with that slime?" Captain Silva asked.

"I have a plan...trust me I know what I'm doing."

After a series of heavy sighs the General relented and rounded the corner to fetch Orza. She returned quickly with Horatio Orza laboring by her side. Orza was a man of ample portions whose skin was always spread with a moist glisten. He wore an eager grin as he stood under the fluorescent lights whose beam reflected off his horseshoe patterned scalp.

"Princess"-Orza bowed in a mocking fashion-"what can I do for you?"

"I need a favor," Alexia said crisply.

"I love performing favors...almost as much as I like receiving them in return," Orza said.

"What do you want?" Alexia asked, her tone cold and terse.

"Well...that depends on what you want from me?" Orza said suggestively raising a single brow.

Alexia paused in contemplation. If she tips her hand and is unwilling to meet his terms it will be in the paper the next morning. She reluctantly decided it was worth the risk. "I want you to deliver a message to Leander for me."

Orza leaned closer. "And what message would that be princess?"

With considerable hesitation she blurted out. "Where can we meet alone."

Orza gasped. "I had heard whispers of you the two at a seedy bar in Pence but I didn't have anything concrete-"

"What do you want Orza?" Alexia demanded.

"Oh this is big," Orza muttered to himself. "The commoners are going to eat this up."

"There's nothing to eat up yet. What do you want?"

Orza smirked. "Nothing princess...just printing this little exchange will be payment enough."

"That's what I'm trying to avoid," she barked.

"Sorry princess...there's nothing you can offer me that would tempt me from breaking this story. Just the insinuation of a potential union between you two is enough to sell out papers for weeks and make me the most famous reported on the continent."

Alexia cursed herself for not knowing better but wasn't ready to concede defeat just yet. "Well," Alexia said ominously. "If that's how you want to play then excuse me while I deliver the message myself."

Alexia began walking toward the cackle of reporters.

"Stop...they'll all see you walk into his dressing room," Orza said.