Shortly after Jesse finished his ten fights, and got proimed as the new champion, Sarah was done speaking with seven fighters who are currently in the club. One more from the list arrived in the meantime so that made a total of eight candidates with whom she spoke.


    She didn''t take long to talk to each of them, it was mostly meet-and-greet where she gets to gauge her first impression: would she trust them enough to allow them to fight by her side? Of course, no one gets her trust like Aiden, but Sarah decided to believe in her instincts and use her first impression as a guide if the person in front of her is suitable for the game that will start soon. And of course, Sarah wants to find out more about their motivation foring to this gruesome ce and how grateful they will be if she helps them out.


    The screens above the arena showed updated status:


    <em>''1. Mr. A -> Wins: 723 wins, Losses: 0 losses, Ties: 1</em>


    <em> 2. Shift -> Wins: 151, Losses: 2, Ties: 0</em>


    <em> 3. ckstain -> Wins: 124 wins, Losses: 3, Ties: 0</em>


    <em> 4. Nyx -> Wins: 12, Losses: 0, Ties: 1</em>


    <em> 5. Jay -> Wins: 10, Losses: 0, Ties: 0''</em>


    With this, Jesse (aka Jay) officially imed his position as the champion.


    ckstain didn''t show up. Chad told Sarah that ckstain got dyed in the White Valley club and that after a challenge to the champion, he got seriously hurt and now he is in the hospital. ckstain lost his champion position there, and a fighter named Spike took his spot.


    "Hospital?", Sarah was unable to hide her disappointment. She hoped to meet ckstain because she didn''t meet himst time, and because Aiden listed him in his notes as a person of trust. But they don''t have the time for a hospital visit tonight.


    With news that there is a new champion, Sarah and herpanions decided: their next stop is the White Valley club. If someone can defeat a champion, that person must have noteworthy skills.


    ...


    ~ Austin, White Valley club ~


    The setting in that club was almost the same as in the ck & White club: caged arena in the middle of the lower floor, and VIP rooms on the second level.


    The biggest difference from theyout in the ck & White club is that the ss enclosed VIP lounge for the champions and the handler is suspended above and connects to the hallway on the second floor via skybridge.


    The handler that goes by name Diva was not so friendly with Sarah like Chad, but she didn''t dare to provoke her or show disrespect. That was enough for Sarah. She is not here to make friends, she wants to hire people.


    Large screen below the suspended ss room showed:


    <em>''1. Mr. A -> Wins: 583 wins, Losses: 0 losses, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>2. Shift -> Wins: 172, Losses: 3, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>3. Yoda -> Wins: 163 wins, Losses: 4, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>4. Twister -> Wins: 78, Losses: 2, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>5. Spike -> Wins: 11, Losses: 0, Ties: 0''</em>


    Haru was next. Sarah was reluctant to allow Ade and Jamari to go into such a vicious environment to fight. She can see that they are eager to go, but they are just kids, no matter how skillful they are. Sarah would rather see them in their pajamas, reading a book or doing homework… or ying a console game.


    All five of them had their masks on, and Diva arranged for six people on the list Sarah got from Chad toe and talk to Sarah (aka Nyx).


    Yoda and Spike were in the room as well.


    Yoda was curiously looking at Sarah, unable to hide his curiosity.


    All the champions and regrs in the fight clubs owned by White family heard rumors of Nyx who came one evening to the ck & White club with Mr. A and ruthlessly demolished two current champions while taking her spot and leaving a vacancy for one champion. And the most amazing thing about that whole evening is her tie oue with Mr. A who was untouchable before that.


    Rumors go that Mr. A was so impressed with her skills that he kissed the back of her palm and asked Nyx to be his girlfriend, right there in the arena. And it must be true, because they held each other while walking away… there is a video of that scene. It yed at all fight clubs more than once.


    Diva announced less than half an hour ago that the champion''s vacancy in ck & White club is filled by a fighter named Jay.


    Sarah observed that Spike has no visible injuries and he is quite cocky. His too-high spiky mohawk and presumptuousments on Haru''s fights irritated Sarah. She moved her hand slightly in the air and started running facial recognition on Spike through Eve-vision enabled by her lenses.


    She asked Diva if Spike won all his fights tonight, and she was surprised when Diva confirmed.


    "This is his first night toe here.", Diva added.


    Few minutester, Eve retrieved data on Spike and disyed it only for Sarah to see: <em>''Ronald Heine; Born: April 11, 2002; age: 17; listed as missing from September 8, 2019;st seen in front of High School in Springfield, Missouri…''</em>


    Sarah furrowed her brows while reading. He does not look that he was kidnaped. He is a runaway? Besides that frustrating mohawk, his posture is straight, his skin is healthy, there are no signs of malnutrition… Why would a young man like that escape home? What other secrets is he hiding? Sarah was more and more interested in Spike. Where did he learn to fight? How can he be unhurt after ten fights? He must be good.


    Sarah''s eyes sparkled. This might be the right person to test her arm on.


    Sarah touched her earpiece and spoke to Haru who was in the middle of his eighth fight: "Challenge Yoda as your eleventh match."


    Haru punched his opponent, rendering him unconscious and responded. "Yes, Boss."


    Haru had no problems finishing his task. The board showed:


    <em>''1. Mr. A -> Wins: 583 wins, Losses: 0 losses, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>2. Shift -> Wins: 172, Losses: 3, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>3. Twister -> Wins: 78, Losses: 5, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>4. Spike -> Wins: 11, Losses: 0, Ties: 0</em>


    <em>5. Haru -> Wins: 11, Losses: 0, Ties: 0''</em>


    Sarah looked at the standings and thought how Haru needs to pick a nickname.


    "I will go next. Wait here.", she told Jesse, Ade and Jamari before turning to Spike: "Don''t go anywhere."


    Spike lifted his eyebrows smugly at Sarah''s obvious challenge. He wondered who is that girl behind the mask and what gives her the right to act so confident in front of him?


    Announcer was excited when Sarah and Haru swapped ces in the arena: "Ladies and gentlemen! Haru, ourtest champion is going to take a well-deserved break after eleven consecutive wins, and the new challenger is the one everyone heard about… the one… the only… NYX! She swept through the ck & White in one night with twelve consecutive wins, and a tie against Mr. A!!! … What will she do tonight?! …"


    The crowd cheered and ced their bets as challengers lined up. Number of burly men wanted to try out their strength against this skinny girl behind a mask. She looks like an easy picking, and they can earn themselves a win. Who knows how she won her twelve wins and a tie?


    Sarah breezed through her ten fights before challenging Spike.


    She reminded herself not to use her left arm. Her first opponent rushed toward her and she hit him with the back of her palm in the face and crushed his jaw like it''s made out of ss. She looked at the man wailing on the ground, stunned by her own strength. Sure, she hit the exercise dummy more than once, but she can break wood with her right fist also, so she didn''t notice much of a difference… this was the first time she hit a human and the effect is more than she thought it will be.


    ---