Once Giants: The Neon Amazon

Chapter 4

Besides being the favela of the RAL, Brazil had one more embarrassing claim to fame.

"The Amazonian Woman's Wrestling League." Doc wore a huge grin as he said it. "That shit was the bomb, right?"

Tina sighed. She looked back down the alley to check on the soldiers still ransacking houses. Was he really talking to her about this crap right now? Tina didn't even want to remember it, much less talk about it. "Look, that was a long time ago. And no, it wasn't the bomb. It was a pretty stupid idea, okay?"

"What? Giant female wrestlers? Are you serious?"

Tina rolled her eyes. What kind of shithead was this guy?

"Well, I thought it was a pretty good idea." Doc then gestured at her. "You did too, apparently."

"It ruined my life, all right, smart ass? Now, what do you want?"

"The hell you talking about? You girls got rich off that shit."

"No, the AWWL got rich. I got medical bills." Not to mention all the nanite treatments they needed after every fight. Decades' worth of resentment reignited as the memories churned. The bastards . . . "They made us pay for the enhancements ourselves. We were broke half the time!"

"Naw, I don't believe that." Doc shook his head, still grinning. "I saw the reality shows. Those custom houses with the super high doors and giant bathtubs. You bitches were loaded."

"The AWWL owned all that, asshole." Geez, he sounded just like one of their reps! "They made us pay to live there. I was three million in the hole when they cancelled the League. Then they turn around and make a whole new League in the states to replace us?" Her mind reeled. "And who the hell are you calling 'bitches'?"

Doc was silent for a moment. "Whatever happened to you all, anyway? I used to love that one chick, with the red hair? Cherry Bomb or something?"

"She's dead . . ."

"Oh. . . . What about—"

"Most of us are dead now, okay? There's just a handful of us left." Why the hell was she even talking to this idiot? She checked the alley again to keep an eye on the soldiers. Luckily, they still seemed a good distance away.

"That's too bad. That bitch was fine."

"What?" Tina turned back to him sharply. "I tell you my friend is dead, and all you can say is 'that bitch was fine'?"

Doc shrugged. "Well, she was."

Tina clenched her fists as her irritation peaked. "I'm trying really hard not to hit you right now."

"Look, let's change the subject and get down to business. The facts are this: I was on a three-man op, and you went and killed my backup. So now, you have to replace them."

"Like hell I do." Tina took a step forward, moving into his personal space. "There's no way I'm helping you blow up some damn spaceship."

"Not spaceship. Starship."

"Whatever."

"Whatever? I said 'Starship'. . . like the one's they're building to get to Helios? This is a big deal."

"Not to me. I don't even know what the hell Helios is."

His eyes narrowed. "You been living under a rock or something? Helios!" He stressed it like it was something she ought to know. "Wormhole? The Infinity comet? None of this shit rings a bell?"

"Look, I don't know what the hell you're talking about. So how about I just hand you over to those guys over there, if you're the one they're looking for?" She jutted her chin toward the soldiers. "That'd solve all our problems. Or at least mine."