Free Candidate (Selected Book 4) by Robin Roseau Page B

as Apple's alien had been. On the other hand, I thought he might have a broken arm.
    I hoped it hurt, the asshole.
    At this point, the camera seemed to hover over Apple's shoulder. She stood at the door of the cage, shaking the door and screaming.
    It didn't do her any good.
    But I watched as Apple watched the rest of the fight. Her alien was overcome by another, and that one by a third, and this one was Tom Baskins. Tom held off one challenger, and then it was over.
    He turned to Apple, breathing heavily, blood running from a wound on his forehead.
    "I am Tom Baskins," he said in slow English.
    "I don't care who the hell you are," Apple screamed. "Lay a hand on me, and I swear, I'll do my best to kill you."
    "You tell him, Apple!" I yelled.
    "Are you injured?" he asked.
    "What do you care, you animal?"
    "You will be my mate. It is my responsibility to care for you."
    "I'll never be your mate," she replied. "You can get that idea out of your head right now. You're not my type."
    "Perhaps you will change your mind," said the alien. "If you are uninjured, you must be returned to your cell. Do you wish to walk, or should I carry you?"
    "Touch me and I'll kill you."
    Her threats didn't seem to bother him. He opened the cage door, and she backed away from him. So he stepped in, cornered her, then simply held out a hand, waiting. Apple stared at the hand for a while.
    "Perhaps if you pretend to like me, I will grow complacent, and you will find your opportunity to kill me."
    "Funny," she said. "Get away from me."
    "I must return you to your cell. Take my hand, and you may walk. Or if you prefer I carry you, I can do so."
    "Fuck you," she said. She didn't give him her hand. She kicked him, and it looked like a good kick, too, right where it should have counted.
    It didn't appear to count very much. She cocked to give it another go, but he reached out and grabbed her, picking her up. He was amazingly gentle about it, although he gathered her flailing limbs so she couldn't continue to fight.
    The video faded.
    Over the next two hours, I watched the rest of Apple's videos, one after another. Some of the challenges were quite long, and so those I skimmed. There were five additional challenges between Apple and her alien. They were numbered one through five, so I guessed the first one I'd watched didn't receive a number. Apple won the first and fourth, but the alien won the other three. I didn't think that was surprising.
    What was surprising was the way Apple's demeanor changed over the course of the challenges. Each of the videos began with images of what she'd been doing since the previous challenge. At first, she was left in her cell with nothing to do, and the highlight of her day was being allowed to shower. She started the first challenge no happier than she ended the arena. After that, she began spending time with her challenger, and then she began wearing a visor. At the end of the third challenge, even though she lost, she hugged her alien. At the start of the fifth, he had her arm around her, and she was allowing it. At the end, when he captured her for the last time, she laughed and told him he better kiss her before he put her in the cage, if he knew what was good for him.
    I couldn't believe it.
    I went digging for the next one to watch, but the visor told me I had an incoming call from Jasmine Brighteyes. I accepted.
    "You may stay up all night watching those if you want, but I don't recommend it. Morning comes early."
    I considered a glare, but I didn't have the energy. "Did you see which one I watched?"
    "Apple Hayes. Did you pick it for her last name?"
    "I did."
    "That was only a few weeks ago," she said. "Your almost-namesake did quite well. In effect, she bested one opponent herself and assisted to nearly best another."
    "They cheated after that."
    "There is no cheating."
    "She beat hers, but another came and attacked from behind."
    "Ah. The rule is simple. One challenger per candidate, but if she bests one, then