Chapter 30

I checked in on Kate after returning home with Ed. She was asleep with my pillow between her arms and Nat curled up behind her. Closing the door silently behind me, I joined Ed in my bed and got comfortable. Both of us were still worked up from Koz’s attentions.

She was still banged up from the Death run. A gentle bout of lovemaking ensued, then she curled up in a hole Einstein would be proud of, basically on top of me, and we fell asleep with alarms set. (Gravity wells and space time bending I meant, sheesh. Get your head out of the gutters, why don’t you?)

The household, those that were up, enjoyed Kate’s early morning pancakes the next day. “Are you ready for your press conference?” Nat, not one to get up too early, asked sleepily while chewing on a syrup-soaked pancake.

“I don’t even know why you wanted to do that in the first place.” Our chef was against my plan of bringing more people into the fold.

“We need allies.”

She still didn’t like it. But I was surprised, she did not say anything about Ed spending the night in my room.

“You are taking me out to get my haircut after?”

“Of course. Unless you want to come along?” To the presser, I meant.

“No, thank you.”

I called the guys and asked if they wanted to run interference. No one wanted to from that side, but the big guys had no issues with the press. Matt had won/lost the toothpick draw and would meet me there. Which was why Nat was up to begin with.

...

“Good morning. My name is Jason Blakely. You may also know me as the Black Axe.” I opened the press conference with a lot less nerves than I expected. Instead of the few local affiliates, it looked like EVERYONE in every journalism-related field arrived for my private circus.

“My friends entered and defeated the Violet fifth level dungeon. It wasn’t without its moments or pain, but they, in their own words, ‘never retreated once, nor were in serious danger,’ during the full run.” I recited a few of their trials and encounters, including the holes that the ants dug on the lowest levels of the hive. But not the one that Ed fell into.

“As for that team, yes, they are all Level 4. As for me. I am not,” that caused a commotion. “I stole a few questions from the net before coming out here. Let me hit them in order and then I’ll answer a few of yours.

“How did we get so strong? Simple, but not easy. We trained. We hired trainers. We trained some more and then more again. We practiced and practiced and practiced, over and over. Two members of the team that entered on Monday worked their asses off for eight years or more in our nation’s armed forces, and a third was in the FBI. No one, including our Healer, is weak. The same goes for the rest of our team that wasn’t in on this run. I would run a two-person Indigo level three any day, with any single one of those awesome men or women or any other person on our team, and never once worry about my back.

“We work out. We study. We plan. We do not go down too far. Except once. We made a fatal mistake and met a Ghoul Lord. One of us died fighting that monster in Indigo level four. After that, we stepped back and sought out better instructors. We found two retired Drill Instructors. If you try, I bet you could too.

“To those that want to improve: Look around you and ask. Ask at the VFW halls, at your local dojos or wherever you can. Retired, experienced men and women of our armed forces can help you survive and get in shape. Combat experience is different than street or dojo experience. I recommend that everyone find someone with actual combat experience and seek out their wisdom.

“For those of you who can count: We enter in teams of six. We face hundreds of monsters in the upper floors, and thousands of monsters as we progress even deeper. Each and every one of us needs a high Endurance. We are being tested and trained by those dungeons. Those that are in the Violet Gates will eventually want to try the Indigos, Indigos to Blues and so on. Endurance, patience, Skill, awareness, and planning are all necessary for survival. Survival of you, survival of your team, and survival of your friends and loved ones.

“Big mistakes cost lives. Minimizing mistakes saves lives. That is what the planning is for. Right now, my team is practicing various ways of fighting Ghoul Lords. None of us want to fight them until we figure out a way of defeating them every time without casualties.

“For those weekend warriors, I ask that you be safe. Have your beers after, not before you enter, and observe the hunting rules. Those with a more serious bent, make sure your team is prepared. Armor is a necessity. Shin guards, football gear, winter clothes and layers all help. Make sure you have non-flammable material in the top layer and at least one of you carry first aid kits.

“Team balance and team trust are a must for the deeper floors. Remember, boys and girls, it gets scary down there.

“If you have someone on your team that can’t outrun a single ant or zombie, encourage them to get in better shape. If they do not, you have some deciding to do. Regardless of who you are, at some point, your team will have to run from a damn scary horde of monsters coming your way. We have. More than once.

“Be safe. Be in shape. Be smart.

“We take time off when we need it. Both mental and physical fatigue accumulate. For those of you that feel overwhelmed, take a vacation from adventuring for a week or three, until you are ready to enter again with a calm mind.

“As for the last two most frequently asked questions: One, no one on our team will go outside of our group just to help yours, for pay or promise. We are a group of friends and not for hire. If someone were to ask to run with us once or twice, or if someone asks to join our team, we might consider it. The future is unknown.” I shrugged for effect.

“For the second, if someone asked to learn under our teaching on a longer-term basis, that too would be considered. Character and ability would both be taken in consideration for any requests.

“We do buy magic, Keys, Lockboxes, and information. We have in the past and will do so in the future. We also will trade for anything found inside the Portals, for something of equal value. If you are a Fire Mage and get a Dark Mage only Spell and want to trade, come ask us.” That was for you Caitlin.

“We do Not accept Earth currency in trade, just Silver and Magic, Items and Skills. Marbles, as we all know, rock. We will offer a reasonable price for anything found in the Portals. Even if you want to exchange favors, it can’t hurt to ask us. To those that don’t want silver or to trade, we can offer cash. Depending on the Magic Item, it could be a great deal of money.

“Those that will never go beyond level two in Violet, I can understand why you would sell those Magic Items. For those that plan on going deeper, I can not understand selling anything. Trading, sure. Magic Items like marbles in deeper levels will give you enough strength to thrive, where nothing else will.”

“Our Team gathers together after every big run, opens and reveals our loot to each other, and openly trades among ourselves. But we do trade. We do. What one cannot use, others can. A Fireball Spell, that a swordsman hoards, will not aid him, yet Fire Mages abound and one might have a cool ability that they are willing to trade in return. Don’t be greedy when you are with friends. The stronger the group is, the better chances of your team prospering. Just remember, no one can do this alone.

“I’ll answer questions now.

“At least Level 4 ... Axeman is my profession ... I got lucky early ... Above 10 in both Strength and Endurance ... I never said I was. There are tens of thousands of strong people in the militaries across the world ... My website has that information ... I have worked with the PRA in a few instances, not just that one arrest ... LA is a Death Match. I’d rather solo Level Four Indigo than go to that arena match...” I allowed the questions to flow for ten more minutes before calling it done.

“Thank you for your time. I have a pretty lady that I promised to take to an appointment in an hour.” Questions about my girlfriends washed over me. I gave Matt and Nat a wave and drove off.

He gave me a thumbs up. Nat studied me with a worried frown. They were going to do another first floor of Blue today, and she wasn’t ready.

Click. “Well?” Heather was first.

We discussed what she thought I missed (a lot), but agreed that too much time taken would have reduced the impact of my speech. Director Quincy sent me an Atta-Boy.

The guys were at DBs and put me on speaker. I got all kinds of hell, but no real downside was found after they sobered up from their teasing.

Toff added a few places that trainers and retired DIs could be found. I asked him to remind me of those later, so that I could add those to the forums and my website.

There were three women in my condo waiting for me. Not the three I expected. Well, one was.

Ed, Kate, and Koz were all dressed and ready to go. When Kate asked if three could go with me yesterday, I expected her, Jude, and either Nat or Caitlin to accompany her. I wasn’t dumb enough to question Kate’s arrangements though.

They discussed my performance as we climbed into the car. Kate liked it, despite the content. Ed was okay with it, but Koz was very critical. She nitpicked all of my mistakes, enough so that Kate started actively defending me en route to our Lincoln Park destination.

Once we arrived at the hairdressers, I was ordered to go play. I would be summoned when they were ready. Not before.

I thought it was just a haircut, and Kate’s was short to begin with after the giant ant King shot fire at her, but I was just a guy, what did I know?

I followed directions, found somewhere to park, pulled out my phone and answered a shit load of texts. Paula’s first, then Joe’s and Lawrence’s.

Ginny’s Husband Todd asked if I needed representation. Not financial, but legal. I called him back and we spoke for a while.

I was summoned ninety minutes later to pick up the girls.

Natasha exited with something in her hand. “Passenger seat, Big Boy.” Before I could close the door and get comfortable, Koz helped me put a purple blindfold on, adjust it and, of course, kiss me.

“Be good. Kate’s self-conscious as it is.”

“I promise.”

The four of us sat in silence, while Ed drove us to our next destination. I remained blindfolded during the trip and had no idea what was going through their heads...

“Stay here. We will come to get you in a bit.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” I felt that this whole day was Natasha’s playground. I almost wished that I was in one of the runs with the two teams that delved in after my stupid presser.

But Kate needed me.

Twenty minutes later, Ed came out to fetch me; not that I had remained blindfolded in the car. I had been chatting with my friends while waiting.

“Impatient man.” I was chastised before being kissed. “Remember, don’t go overboard.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

I was led through the double doors of Neiman Marcus. Déjà vu struck me hard, as I worriedly looked at the escalators for nonexistent zombies. Up on the third floor, in the young office worker section, Kate, blonde pixy-cut Kate, with strawberry-blonde accents, faced me nervously, with Koz emotionally supporting her from behind, calming the nervous teen.

“Wow. Kate, you look awesome.” She did. Her tight white wool sweater complemented the equally-tight black-leather pencil skirt. She was made up in Koz’s make-up style. Her thin face no longer held that last remaining hint of malnourishment. She looked great.