Chapter 428: No harm

Tommaso did what he always did when he needed to feel better. He went to find a woman.

The latest and possibly greatest was Farah. After assuring everyone he was fine, Tommaso left the House balcony and went to his lover's room, who'd left him a standing invitation for the final days.

The elevator dinged, and the scent of jasmine and smoke hit his nostrils like a gentle wave off the coast of Corsica. He stepped inside and heard Farah singing in the bathroom.

"Ah, my beauty, my love," he said to announce himself, and Farah came out in a robe wiping perfume on her wrists. She smiled and pulled at the belt to loosen it, sliding some of the fabric away to reveal a dark and shapely thigh.

"I knew you'd come," she said with a smile. Tommaso expected that was true. Farah was as intelligent as she was beautiful, and even he hardly deserved her. The way she read his mind and gave him what he wanted, especially during lovemaking, made her almost the ideal woman.

Of course, things were complicated. Firstly she was from the east and in less than twenty-four hours he might never see her again. Secondly, he had a woman at home. OK two women. And technically a third. But the other two didn't know about that one.

OK. Tommaso had been sleeping with several women. But most of those didn't mean anything. And the problem of geography and female complication remained serious impediments to any kind of serious relationship.

This didn't stop him from walking to her and ripping off that robe. Then it was all soft flesh and softer lips, moaning and dirty words as they made love right there on the floor. Tommaso felt all his worries drain with his manhood, Farah able to milk him dry like no other woman he'd ever met. He lay there panting and staring up at the ceiling as she ran a finger down his chest.

"You must promise me," she said.

"Anything," Tommaso lied.

"I want to be with you. You have to try to come to me."

He rolled his head back and forth, owing her at least the reality of the situation.

"I have no way to get to you, my darling. There is an ocean between us and I do not have gills or wings."

"But your people must be able," said Farah, real emotion in her voice. "Can't they help you? Isn't there something we can do?"

Tommaso was moved by the girl. He thought perhaps he had just been a pleasant distraction for her, too, that they would part as friends and without broken hearts. She wasn't some innocent, love-struck thing like some of his younger girls. So she must really have cared for him.

He smiled and kissed her.

"Maybe. My chief can teleport. This is true. And there is a beacon now that perhaps can do it one day. I don't know. But...if I can, I would be glad to see you."

"I want to come with you," she said, meeting his eyes. "It's not good where I am. In the capital. I want to come and live with you."

Tommaso sat up and put a hand to his cheek, then ran it through his hair.

"This is more difficult, darling. I have...a lover. Back home."

"I don't care," Farah said, coming up beside him and wrapping her arms around his chest. "I am happy to share. You're more than enough for me. I'll do anything. Living with you instead of the capital would be so much better." She blinked and fought a sob, and Tommaso cradled her in his arms.

"I'm afraid, my love. I don't know...how much longer before...things are dangerous. Violent. People disappear in the night. And if I don't marry an important man soon the food might run out."

Tommaso was paying attention now. He had no idea how bad it was in the east. They hadn't done much talking except about the past, the old world. She would have to marry for food? Terrible. Barbaric.

"I'm sorry, darling, I had no idea. I’ll speak to my chief, ah? I'm sure he'll help if he can. I'm a key member of his team, and he owes me. How will I find you?"

Farah smiled, clinging to him like driftwood in the sea.

"That's all I ask. I live near the center of the city. If you ask for me, in the bazaar, you will find me. Oh I can't bare the waiting. This is the most hope I've had since this nightmare began."

Tommaso put his chin on her head and tried not to curse himself. He fought against his own selfish desire not to get involved, not to risk anything for yet another foolish dalliance. But the truth was he cared about Farah, too. And he had never asked Mason for anything, eh? And he was important, because with so few players in Nassau, they were all important.

His girls would come around. Maybe Tommaso would have to have two houses. But that was no problem, no? There were so many extras now. The thought of having Farah at his beck and call in Nassau...

Maybe he could even bring them together and have more than one girl at the same time. He was almost ready for another round at the thought. The men would envy him but to hell with them they already did. Not Tommaso's fault he was charming and handsome.

"Oh. I was thinking..." Farah pulled away with a sniffle. She was so cute when she was sad. "If any of your people wanted to see...if they had family in the capital. I know the chances aren't good. But..." she shrugged. "It's the least I can do. If you gave me names, maybe where they're from...I could ask around? See if there's anyone alive?"

Tommaso smiled. He could see no harm in that.

"That's a wonderful idea, darling. I can see all the first and last names in my House profile, and I know where most are from. I'll make you a list. It would be a wonderful surprise for them. That's very thoughtful of you."

Farah gave him a radiant smile, then went back to hugging his chest.

"And of course," Tommaso put a hand through her hair. "We still have time together." He ran the same hand down her exposed back, and then lower. He was done with the tournament now, after all. What better way to spend his last day then with a grateful, beautiful woman, who believed him her only chance of a better future?

Farah nodded with a tearful smile, looking down to see he was already getting ready for another round. He slid her hand down to touch him, groaning as she immediately got back to work. Tommaso sighed and lay back to enjoy himself. It was almost too easy, sometimes, getting women to do what he wanted.

Giving his people a few messages of loved ones would raise his status in Nassau considerably. Who knew how many grateful favors he might earn? But whatever happened in the future, he was truly going to miss the Neutral Zone.

* * *

"Calm down, my love," Haley said as she rubbed Mason's back. He glanced at Becky and Carl still huddled together at a table, the older man looking too choked up to say much.

"I'm calm," he said, not at all calm. But a few deep breaths of Haley's scent was helping. He gave her a grin and squeezed her thigh. "Tell me about the civilians. Is there anything left we should be doing? Preparing for? We have a little time left."

Haley smiled.

"After the emperor...disappeared, things got easier. Some people talked to us. We have made some friends, I think. I am preparing a full report for you when you are finished with your matches. We bought a considerable amount of supplies, yet probably still made points after selling ore."

Her smile dropped with her voice.

"Things are not good in the east. They have civilian 'guilds' that act like mafias. They hurt people. Take them. Charge them usurious fees. I think this emperor doesn't care about them at all."

Mason nodded, not remotely surprised. He knew he was guilty of not paying enough attention to civilians, but it wasn't because he thought of them as meaningless...he just thought of them as...non-combatants. Part of a different world he didn't really belong to, but was duty-bound to protect.

"Maybe the reward will let us..." he shrugged, "swap some? Bring them to Nassau? I have no idea. And there's probably too many. We should at least be able to trade them food."

Haley nodded, but pressed her lips together.

"I think this will only feed the preferred players and civilians. But I suppose some will make its way down."

Mason gave her a hug and tried to think. His gut told him they'd be crossing that ocean soon enough. But the system also talked about a period of 'non-player violence' that would last for some time. He also wasn't at all sure if and when they did cross that Nassau would be in a great position.

The eastern capital had a huge number of players. Having seen them in the tournament now, Mason knew they were technically 'weaker', but when it came to the top ones, it wasn't by much, and some were more powerful than all but Mason's very top people. This was entirely...not good. If it came to a direct fight between Nassau and the east, Mason was pretty confident they'd lose.

Which meant they had to get a lot stronger, or start recruiting, and they had to do it before the enforced peace ended. But Mason had no illusions about what Emperor Jeong would be doing the second he was able. Even if Mason hadn't given him an obviously humiliating defeat, that man wasn't going to tolerate the existence of Nassau.

He couldn't. Not when he called himself 'the emperor of the world'. Because pretty soon his people would start to realize he was really just the emperor of their slice of misery. And even if they couldn't replace him, pretty soon they'd start to leave.

Mason was nearly asleep in his booth next to Haley (and eventually Becky, who cuddled into them both without a word), when the system covered the promenade in lights.

It announced in an obscenely enthusiastic voice that the tournament was coming to an end, and what a fantastic success was 'the first friendly games'.

Yeah, Mason thought, wouldn't miss it for the world.

[Thank you, players and civilians] announced the voice. [Thank you for your contributions and tireless efforts to make this tournament a memorable one. The final, individual match will be starting in: 1 hour. All individual and team rewards will be awarded after, with a final surprise announcement. Thank you, and good luck to our final competitors!]

Mason watched as his and Blake's names were broadcast on every screen, followed by video from their various matches being shown in Hollywood-like trailers with dramatic music. He grit his teeth and felt Haley squeeze his hand.

"What are you going to do?" she said, meeting his eyes. Mason shook his head, knowing the answer before but finally accepting it, no matter what nonsense Blake was up to.

"I'm going to end it,” he said. “And then we're going home."