NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 47: Alexander & Hank
Alexander "The Golden God" packed his gear with a sense of detachment, his thoughts lingering on the rumored seven hundred contracts. As he zipped up his bag and called for an Uber, the usual thrill of competition felt distant. At the airport, he met his friend Hank, who was already buzzing with excitement.
“Hey, bud. You excited?” Hank greeted him with a grin.
Alexander shrugged, “Not really. I heard the contracts are only seven hundred bucks. Hard to get excited about that.”
Hank’s eyes widened, “You haven’t heard the news yet, have ya?”
“What news?”
“Check your ticket, man. We’re flying to Calgary.”
Alexander frowned, pulling out his ticket. “Calgary? What the hell? I thought we were heading to Edmonton.”
“Yeah, Portal Crushers just moved there. They got their own arena now.”
For the first time, a flicker of interest sparked in Alexander’s eyes. “No kidding? Well, now I’m curious to see what kinda contract they’re offering.”
“Dude, I heard the new arena gives a shit kicking to the old gym, pretty damn fancy, and all that. Atlas ain’t messing around. And you know what that means, right? Big money, big opportunities. This could be our chance to really make a name for ourselves.”
Alexander considered Hank’s words. “Yeah, maybe. But I’m still not thrilled about the idea of being tied to a team that’s just starting.”
Hank chuckled, “Being stable is great, but you can’t deny that there’s something special about being part of something bigger. Besides, the way Atlas runs things, it’s not like we’re going to be doing the same old thing. He’s got plans—big plans.”
Hank grabbed his crotch at this point, indicating his big ones.
Alexander nodded slowly, “You’re probably right. But if these contracts don’t live up to the hype, I’m out.”
Hank grinned, “Fair enough, bud. But trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
After a short flight, the team landed in Calgary, where Alicia was waiting to pick them up.
“So, what’s the deal with this move?” Alexander asked Alicia, still skeptical.
Alicia smiled, “Atlas wanted more control over the environment and saw an opportunity to expand. The new arena is top-notch, and the contracts reflect that.”
Alexander nodded, but his mind was racing. *Am I making the right choice? I’m number one—do I really need to saddle down with a team that’s still finding its footing?* He glanced at Hank, who was practically bouncing with excitement. *Hank doesn’t care about being the best; he just wants to have fun and work with friends. Maybe that’s the better mindset... but it’s not mine.*
Hank, noticing Alexander’s thoughtful expression, nudged him, “Come on, man! This is going to be awesome. We’ll be working with friends, getting to fight in a new place—what’s not to love?”
Alexander forced a smile, “Yeahhhh, you’re right.”
As they drove to the new arena, Alicia’s phone kept buzzing with notifications. She sighed, glancing at the screen. *How many sponsors are calling today?* she thought, feeling a mix of excitement and exhaustion. *There are way too many. I can barely keep up.* She knew this was a good problem to have, but the constant demands were starting to wear on her.
Alexander noticed her distracted look. “Everything okay, ma’am?”
Alicia nodded, “Just busy. Sponsors are coming out of the woodwork since we moved here. It’s great, but… overwhelming.”
“Good problems to have, right?” Hank chimed in from the back seat.
“Yeah, but it’s still a lot,” Alicia admitted. *I never thought we’d get this much attention so quickly. Atlas really knows how to stir things up.*
After a few beers and a tour of the new arena, Alicia showed them the contracts.
“Is this serious?” Alexander said, flipping through the pages. “We’re part owners of the arena and team?”
“Shhhhheeeeeyoot!” Hank exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement.
“That’s right!” Alicia said. “If anyone is worth owning the team, it’s the players. Atlas is the majority holder, obviously, but he wanted to make sure he had an ironclad lock on training methods, not just the money.”
*Now I finally realize why Atlas never cared about cash. He had so many plans set up already!* Alexander thought, the pieces finally clicking into place.
Meanwhile, Atlas was busy settling the team into their new environment. The transition and moving their stuff from Edmonton had been tough, but the team was used to living in dorms by now. The curfew at 9 p.m. was strictly enforced, but there was a bit more freedom during the day, with weekends offering the rare chance to reconnect with loved ones. Atlas's mental chessboard was becoming more intricate, and he was pleased with how the pieces were moving into place.
In the wasteland one of the hardest things people struggled with was being homesick and missing their loved ones. Now they can gradually ease into it. *If we can’t deal with a bit of separation here, how will we handle it out there?* Atlas thought, the weight of his secret knowledge pressing down on him. *It’s lonely, knowing what I do, carrying this burden. I told John, but he doesn’t fully believe me. Maybe it’s better this way.*
***
Meanwhile, back at the old Society for Creative Battles building, Lily was dismantling the portal room, muttering to herself, “This is insane. I just finished building this set, and now I’m breaking it down again. What is Atlas planning?”
***
In his office, Bill Watts was poring over the arena’s financials with his accountant. The excitement of the new venture was tempered by the cold reality of numbers.
“So, with the new arena deal, how are our numbers looking?” Bill asked.
The accountant adjusted his glasses, “The cash flow is improving, especially with the surge in ticket sales. But the conversion from a football stadium to SFB standards isn’t cheap. We’re still in the red.”
Bill sighed, “That’s concerning. Let me check in with Atlas.”
He dialed Atlas, who picked up immediately, “Hey, Bill. Money issues? Don’t worry, I’ve got more coming in. Here’s another two million. That should help, right?”
Bill blinked in surprise, “Where’s this coming from?”
Atlas chuckled, “Merch sales and the sale of the old building.”
“You’ve got merch already? How did you fund that?”
Atlas laughed, “Ancient Chinese secret.”
Atlas found it amusing that Sword and Iron had effectively funded their own competition by purchasing the old Society of Creative Battles building. “Hold on, Bill. Let me put you on speaker.”
Turning to Alicia, who was busy with her own calls, Atlas asked, “How are the sponsorships going?”
Alicia looked up from her computer, her fingers flying over the keys, “They’re going great, Atlas. We’ve got a lot of interest—companies are practically knocking down our door.”
“Good,” Atlas said, reviewing the contracts she handed him. “Let’s go with the pizza deal, the airplane deal, and definitely the car deal. Scotch too—can’t forget that. The ready-to-eat foods contract is a no-brainer, and make sure we get the best boots deal possible. Our guys need quality gear. Oh, and the casual clothing deal—let’s run with that. Our team’s good looks seem to have worked in our favor.”
Alicia grinned, “I’ll push for as much cash as I can. I know Bill’s waiting.”
Over the phone, Bill smiled, feeling the pressure lift as the financial situation began to stabilize. It felt great having a rainmaker like Atlas on the team. It took a lot of pressure off, “Looks like we’re finally flowing in the right direction,” he said with relief.
Atlas nodded to himself, his mind already moving to the next challenge. “And it’s only just beginning.”
The relocation to Calgary had been a whirlwind for the Portal Crushers, but their training was progressing well despite the unfinished setup in the new arena. The SFB tech was operational, and the combat facilities were in place, but the planned multiplayer battlefield was still under construction. The mannequins, racquetball sessions, and K-9 units provided some consistency, but the team could sense that it wasn’t quite the same as their old setup.
Atlas called the team together in the middle of their morning drills. “Alright, guys, I hope you’ve had a good couple of days settling in. Today, since our facility isn’t quite ready yet, I want you to come with me. We’re heading out.”
John raised an eyebrow, “Where we going?”
“You’ll see,” Atlas replied with a cryptic smile.