Page 32 (1/2)

There he is, standing just a few feet away froreen nuh bidder, either That’s strange Usually, when I track so nu his reputation as a professional player just to gaa around, probably just keeping a low profile while he waits I’ to bet he’s here to make contact with someone

The announcer comes on, introduces the ten players, and then starts the ame has two numbers displayed at the bottom of my view Each number is the total notes bet on each team I can hear the roar of the audience as the players dart intotheir arlitches out of sight He glitches back in behind the other player, and before the second player can react, the first one kicks hi’s roof The crowd cheers I just stay quiet, watching In a real game, a move like that would have been banned immediately But here, with no official Henka Gaaes in s, who started out withbehind As their Architect is taken down by an Icicle power-up (teh Nothing unusual has happened, other than Ren’s unusually low bet What if I’?

That’s when I notice a new gambler enter the Pirate’s Den

I would have missed him, were it not for my hack Most people around me don’t seem to notice his presence--except for a few Like Ren, who turns to stare at hi avatars, the newcomer is inconspicuous, a lean shadow His face is hidden completely behind a dark, opaque helmet, and he wears a fitted suit of black body armor Lean hts And even though I have no info on hiht be, a chill runs through me from head to toe, so to see This is who Ren is

It’s Zero

16

You don’t know that for sure, I re about him--his sense of command, a confidence that betrays how often he co I can read about him--makes my heartbeat quicken

I shouldn’t feel this surprised to see hi into Zero face-to-face et h to h the crowd

Abruptly, Zero pauses His head turns in my direction--but more specifically, he sees me

I’m not supposed to be able to see him, I realize That’s why no one else in the crowd seems to notice In fact, he is probably supposed to be invisible to everyone except the people who already kneas co, those who he knows are his supporters Zero had noticed et out of his way He knows I can see hih his own hack, downloading all of h nore hiame He isn’t here

Zero stares quietly at me, then steps closer His black helmet is completely opaque, so that all I see in it is the reflection of h everyone in here is encrypted, Zero has absolutely no info at all Not a fake identity, not a rando He is a black hole He paces aroundin the den I stand as still as I can, holdingfuriously, pulling back what I’the sah I should be encrypted and off the grid, I feel like his stare is stripping angsters before If I could keep my cool around theirl standing very close beside hi down on a clipboard She has a short blue bob haircut and wears a black blazer with jeans, but her eyes are what startle me They are coamblers But when she and Zero both turn their heads simultaneously, I realize that she is a proxy, a security shield behind which Zero can coe to record this session in the Pirate’s Den, and they soirl’s, whose data will lead to nothing

What did she jot down on her clipboard? Info about us?

Zero stares at me for another beat Then, miraculously, he turns his attention away His proxy does the same My hands are clenched so hard that I can feelinto my palms

As I look on, Zero casts a bet of 3405 notes on the Obsidian Kings I frown What a strange number to bet I wait in silence, until exactly one minute passes Then, Zero casts another bet, this time in favor of the White Sharks 11825 notes

Now he’s betting on the opposite teaambler across the den now also casts a bet of 3405 notes A minute later, he then casts a bet of 11825 notes in favor of the White Sharks The exact sa down on her clipboard

He’s not betting at all He’s coambler

Of course he is Record the numbers, I tell myself I look on as Zero waits another fewa new bet This tis, and 3762 notes for the Sharks