Europe, distant future. A meteorite impacted on the area of Russia, turning the area into a dead zone. Moreover, it emits a strange radiance which increases the impact survivors and their offsprings' endurance and strength, but also causing them to...
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A while later, Katerina, Helena and Sotiris also join us. We make an improvised sign Under maintenance - do not enter and attach it to the door so we have some space and privacy to take care of Svetlana. I'm nervous since I have one more fight ahead of me; sooner or later, I'll have to go to the arena. Fortunately, there's a break between Top 16 and Top 8 fights and Svetlana is already coming to her senses.
"Where am I?" she mutters when her eyes brighten up a little. "Where's Nightingale? Where are my clothes? Why does my head hurt so bad?"
I put a tissue soaked in cold water on her forehead and offer her a cup to drink, too. "Someone drugged you," I say. "There was a toxine in your body. It worked a little bit too well and knocked you out."
"Usually, the effect of braker is hardly noticeable unless you know what's happening to you," Ryan lectures. "Those who were injected without them knowing describe a momentary fatigue, not realizing it can be a toxine. However, a mid-northern Castaway reacts to braker like a Healthy would. If you weren't from this territory, you'd probably lose the fight and blame it on exhaustion."
"It's a great plan to make someone lose," Katerina states.
"That's it," Ryan gives her an admiring nod. "Someone wanted Svetlana to discreetely lose her fight with Nightingale. But they had no idea Svetlana will react to the toxine the way she did."
Svetlana sits, leaning against the wall, and groans in pain. "Someone must have poisoned my food," she mutters. "There are many people who would want to see me lose. Betting offices, some mafia supporting Nightingale, Nightingale's fans..."
"Or Nightingale herself," Sotiris says.
"Svetlana, there's no way you could eat it with food," Ryan raises his eyebrows at the girl, still pale and exhausted. "Braker needs to be injected. Someone had to come close to you enough to prick a needle into you and put the braker into your bloodstream. Who was it?"
The girl lowers her eyes. "It's not important now. I'm feeling much better."
"It is important!" Sotiris thunders. "Someone tried to make you lose by cheating. We need to find out who was it and bring them to justice! We can't jus brush it off this simply."
"I'm not going to talk about it now," Svetlana retorts.
"So you know very well where did it happen," Ryan says. "Tell us now. This is something the Neoclash Committee should know about!"
Svetlana's face turns red as she stares at the floor again. Is that shame? "I don't care what it is or who should know about it. I got injected, lost the fight, puked my guts out and passed out. Now I'm better, so I suppose we can just move forward."
I grab her shoulders and make her look me in the eyes. "Svetlana, now you're just acting stupid!" I say. "Don't you understand how important it is and what consequences can it have? Other Champions can fall victim to braker, too, if they haven't already! You can be the one to convict the offender!"
