Glitch by Curtis Hox Page B

ghost daughter of yours? I was hoping to see one for real. What’s this you have to tell me, Agent Wellborn?”
    “Mr. Toth,” Yancey said, “the IGL has offered the Cybercorps unsanctioned exhibition matches. My bosses want to use the Sterling School Glad Club. We need an official Gladmaster.”
    “You do?” Hutto asked.
    “To see how well Alters compete—”
    “—in the arena,” Tarean replied.
    “Unsanctioned?” Hutto asked.
    Yancey nodded. “Open.”
    “All right!”
    Hutto’s father raised a calming hand, but Hutto spun around and threw a roundhouse in the air. “Son ... Hutto ...”
    Hutto stilled even though he was ready to enter the arena right then. “You have to let me fight now, Dad. You have to.” Hutto looked at the other Alters. “See, there’s me and ... her .” He pointed at Beasley. Beasley stood, as did the rest of the students.
    “And the other one’ll be the ghost,” his father said. He asked Yancey, “What do you want from me?”
    “Help us train them.”
    “You want me to help you train my boy to be a Pitdog?”
    “He’ll fight in the IGL, just like you did.”
    “It’ll be against Tranz rejects or augments. I never fought against anyone who wasn’t fit for the arena. I won’t allow my boy to butcher people or be butchered.”
    Consortium Agent Nable silently approached. “Mr. Toth, you have no choice. When you realize what’s at stake, you’ll see the wisdom in this, and the club does need an official Gladmaster.”
    “What do you want me to do?” Tarean asked.
    “Yes!” Hutto said, throwing a vicious cross.
    Yancey stepped forward. “Can you train two Ragers and a ghost to fight in the arena?”
    “You just called my son a Rager.”
    “I did. A Rager Werebear to be exact.” She stood her ground, as if he were no threat to her at all.
    “I can, if you can ... control them. The arena won’t change, even if those in it do. It’s about will, domination, and victory.”
    “Good.” She looked across the club. “Simone.”
    Simone emerged through the ceiling. His father watched her descend. Hutto saw his look of disbelief before he turned around without acknowledging her, and left.
    * * *
    “I guess your father doesn’t like me,” Simone said to Hutto, alighting on the floor. He now sat yoga style, eyes shut, but manage a subtle smirk. “So today’s the big day, right?”
    “Simone, get in line.” Her mother nodded to Agent Nable, who stood in the back as if he were trying to be invisible. He and Coach Buzz pulled the large garage-like doors closed.
    Today was humid and damp outside but not too warm. Everyone sitting on the mats looked comfortable enough, except for Beasley, who was sweating. Simone watched a rivulet run down her cheek and realized she hadn’t sweated since ... well, since she’d become a ghost. A curious nostalgia made her even miss uncomfortable weather. Lost in her own thoughts, she hovered just to Hutto’s left.
    When she heard her mother say “... today, you’ll learn to bind your entities. This is the power to control the rate of transformation,” all thoughts of the weather disappeared. “Today you’ll learn to let them emerge in an instant, but keep them in stasis.” She glanced at Simone, sending a clear message that Simone should master this technique before trying to summon again. “It’s a great way to save your outfit from shredding.”
    “Right, I get it,” Simone mumbled to herself. “No more summoning.”
    Her mother stopped in front of Hutto. “You first.”
    He found a place on the other side and began to move through the steps he’d been shown earlier. He was fluid and precise, and Simone watched him with jealousy. She had spent years practicing these movements. He looked just as skilled as her already.
    An hour later, she heard her mother clap once. “Everyone, remain as you are. Do not open your eyes or look up. Do not disturb us.” Simone closed her eyes and heard her mother’s feet scrape the