Pete felt his teeth clenching as he walked up in front of the RV, joined by Coop and the goblins, while Sam continued her assessment of the vehicle.

  

  >> You have successfully completed the first two phases of this event and draw ever closer to your goal. More importantly, record betting has taken place during these first two phases, and I anticipate that this trend will continue for the third and final stage of the encounter.

  A growl rose from beside him, and for a split second, Pete thought it was coming from his own mouth. The smell of old eggs hinted at Wolfy’s presence nearby, however, and Pete turned to see the wolf snarling as it looked up at the huge goblin head. Coop was standing next to the wolf, teeth bared as though she intended to lunge for the Overseer and rip out his throat.

  

  >> This final phase will be significantly more difficult than the previous two. In addition to battling exciting new enemies, penalties will be incurred that will shorten the amount of time you have left to reach your beloved princess.

  A holographic screen appeared, hovering just above the ground to the right of the Overseer. Pete watched a live feed of his mother sitting on a chair dangling above an acid vat. She’d lowered considerably since the first time he’d seen her, to the point where her shoes were just a few feet from the vat of acid.

  Pete’s mother was bound, eyes bulging with fear as she struggled to free herself from the chair she was tied to. The movement only served to make her swing back and forth a little as she desperately tried to escape the lethal fate that lay below.

  

  >> As I said, in the coming phase you will be penalized for each infraction of the rules. Each infraction will cause your dear mother here to drop slightly, in the following manner.

  Pete’s mother jolted sharply as she dropped an inch or two and then abruptly stopped. She screamed a muffled scream, terror gripping her as Pete lunged forward, fists clenched.

  “NO!” he roared as the huge goblin head looked down at his mother.

  The Overseer turned back to face Pete, eyes narrowing slightly.

  

  >> For every breach of the rules, your princess will drop a little in the manner you have just witnessed. Given how close she is to the vat, I would guess that you can afford no more than two or three mistakes before she begins to dissolve.

  Pete cursed, squeezing his fists, everything in him wanting to charge up to the holographic goblin head and cut it to ribbons.

  

  >> The third phase will begin shortly, and another round of betting has just opened up. As added inspiration, I thought it best to remind you of what is at stake. So, I leave you with this live feed of your princess as she drops ever closer to her doom.

  The Overseer vanished, but the image of Pete’s mother dangling over the acid stayed fixed in place, hovering above the ground ahead and to the right of the RV. The sound of her crying echoed through the empty street, and Pete felt a mix of rage and helplessness flood his body.

  Craig put a hand on his arm, shaking his head.

  “I am sorry, Pete. We will do all that we can to ensure that we reach your mother in time.”

  Too furious to reply, Pete simply nodded as he stared helplessly at his mother. From behind, Sam closed the hood of the RV and whistled to the group. When they turned around, she pointed at the vehicle.

  “We’re good to go. There’s a shit ton of superficial damage, but the guts are still good. Let’s get as far as we can before the next phase starts.”

  Pete nodded, and the group headed back into the RV. The engine rattled as it started up, and the ride was far less smooth than it had been when they’d first picked up the Winnebago, but the vehicle was still functioning, and it was still their only chance of reaching Pete’s mother in time.

  “We’ll make it,” Sam said, looking sidelong at Pete. “And we’ll get to your mother before it’s too late.”

  He nodded, staring straight ahead. The truth was, he still wasn’t sure whether the image of his mother dangling over the vat of acid was real. It looked like her, and he certainly believed that the goblins who ran the Dominion Ultrimax competition were capable of such casual brutality, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all just one big farce. He saw visions of Pete and his crew reaching the Novice Arena and his mother, only to find that it was just a mirage or a goblin in a dress and a wig.

  The whole point of dangling his mother like that wasn’t just to motivate Pete; it was to make the whole experience more captivating for viewers, to make it all the more spectacular so that Dominion citizens would be persuaded to part with more of their cash. It was sickening, but Pete was beginning to understand the logic of the game and the Company and the insane mind behind it all.

  More than ever, Pete was determined to buck the odds and do whatever he needed to do to survive. Beyond that, the idea of rebellion was beginning to sound more and more enticing. The game, the Company, Tongsly Belch; they all needed to be destroyed, and Pete had already made up his mind to start with Augustus Greedwell, the Overseer.

  

  >> SPECIAL ENCOUNTER PHASE THREE

  >> MULTI-DRIVER MAYHEM MOTORING!

  You’ve faced crazed Gearhound Riders, falling Hobgoblin Marauders, and now it's time for you to face your fiercest enemy yet: yourselves!

  The final leg of this encounter will be a literal race to the finish line where you’ll be competing against two fellow hooman teams as you each race your way to victory and the princess. Three vehicles, three different princesses, and just twenty minutes to victory or defeat!

  ENCOUNTER REWARD: 5 Core Attribute Points

  ENCOUNTER FAILURE PENALTIES: The following actions will incur a penalty, which will lower your princess two inches toward the vat of acid:

  >> Hitting a red marker

  >> Directly damaging a rival vehicle

  >> Leaving the racing track for any reason

  “Shit!” Sam hissed. “So, this is gonna be a race now?”

  “Against other players,” Coop added.

  While they were considering this, two new screens showed up in the space ahead of the RV. Like the screen showing Pete’s mother, two other people were shown suspended over a vat of acid. One was a large man with a bald head, and the other was a younger woman, both clearly terrified and strapped to chairs just like Pete’s mother.

  “Fuck!” he barked as the realization of what was going to happen sunk in.

  Sam brought up the area map, displaying it just above the dashboard between them. A new symbol had appeared up ahead of them, an animated racing flag that stood at the start of a winding green line that stretched all the way to the Novice Arena.

  

  >> PROCEED TO THE STARTING LINE!

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Those people,” Coop said, pointing a paw toward the new screen. “They’re going to die if we win, aren’t they?”

  Pete nodded. “That’s the whole point. They’re dangling people we love in front of us to keep us motivated, but best-case scenario, only one of us is going to win, which means the others will die.”

  “Barbaric,” the ferret hissed.

  “This whole place is just one big torture chamber,” Sam mused. “We’re rats running around in a maze for their amusement, and these bastards don’t care how many of us get squished.”

  They drove in silence for the next little while; each lost in their own thoughts, while Pete’s mood grew increasingly dark. After a few minutes, Pete heard Grizzle speaking with her fellow goblins in the rear cabin, insisting that the holy scriptures of The Path could help. Fortunately, Craig stopped her from delivering an impromptu sermon, and the RV settled into silence once more.

  The race starting line was filled with a predictable garish fanfare. A giant, brightly lit sign hung over the entry point with the words “Death Race” written in bold letters and Tongsly Belch’s grinning face on either side. On either side of the starting line were rows of seating on which hundreds of holographic forms were seated, shouting excitedly and waving their hands. They looked entirely real, as though an image of each figure were being projected onto the seating from some other place.

  “Nero, are these people real?”

  [Nero] They are indeed, Pete. On occasion, those with sufficient funds are able to purchase virtual spectator slots such as the ones you see before you. Each of these individuals is still bodily within their own homes or meeting places, but they are transported directly into the contest zone by means of advanced technology. While here, they see and hear, and experience this place as though they are physically present; however, they are immune from harm and cannot directly interact with any physical objects within the contest zone.

  “Half their luck,” Sam scoffed.

  The RV idled as they looked around at the crowd. Pete noticed that some of those seated on the bleachers raised oversized foam hands with various symbols on their front, while others wore t-shirts with cartoon representations of Pete and his friends as well as other figures he didn’t recognize. A variety of emoji-like symbols appeared momentarily in front of many of the spectators, though Pete couldn’t understand any of the symbols.

  “Look,” Sam said, pointing to Pete’s left.

  He turned and saw that a group of spectators had scrollwork title bars hovering over their heads with a variety of different slogans written on them.

  “The ones down at the front,” Sam continued, pointing to a cluster of toad-like creatures on the left who all had the words Don’t be a Dick written on their title bars. “Seems like you’ve got your own fan club.”

  Pete nodded, thoroughly baffled by what he was seeing. It all seemed so absurd, so out of place. The toad creatures also wore t-shirts with the slogan printed in block letters and a cartoon rendering of Pete standing heroically with a bow in one hand and a machete in the other in the middle of the shirt.

  The sight was all the more absurd because of the three holographic screens hovering above the start line of the race, each showing human victims slowly being lowered into vats of acid. Pete stared at the spectators with undisguised disgust. What kind of person could sit there cheering while three innocent people were about to be killed?

  Then again…

  He remembered the Roman Colosseum and the countless other instances of human cruelty. There was no shortage of examples of exactly this kind of pleasure taken in the pain of others, so he could hardly judge the citizens of the Dominion for their callous disregard for human life.

  

  >> MERCHANDISE ROYALTY OPPORTUNITY DISCOVERED: Bond and patent potential.

  Pete squinted at the message hovering in front of his face.

  “The hell is that?”

  [Nero] Ah, interesting. While you cannot collect royalties while you are still at a Novice level, you are lawfully entitled to claim the Likeness Grift Bond for any merchandise that directly features your image on its surface. You won’t be able to collect the funds until you reach Initiate level, but I can commence the necessary paperwork now if you wish.

  “So, I’ll get money every time one of those shirts is made or sold?”

  [Nero] Not exactly, no. The Dominion Ultrimax Patent and Bond Framework relates exclusively to merchandise that is featured within the game itself. You will not be entitled to a share of objects that are manufactured and sold outside of the game, but you are entitled to royalties for anything featured within the game.

  Coop snorted. “What kind of cash is he gonna get for a dozen or so frog men wearing those shirts?”

  [Nero] It will not be a substantial amount of money, certainly. But you should note that the Likeness Grift Bond will apply throughout the entire span of the game, both geographically and temporally. There may only be a few spectators here who are wearing merchandise with your likeness on it, but there may be hundreds more actively spectating from inside the game like this, all over your world. In addition, the Bond will continue to gather funds throughout the duration of the competition. As long as you remain alive, you will continue to accrue royalties.

  “How much?” Sam said, squinting as she looked out of the RV at the roaring crowd.

  [Nero] Standard likeness royalties typically sit at 0.2% of merchandise profits per instance. Again, the value of each instance will be quite small, but these will add up over time and the more exposure you get. Given your current status within the contest and the amount of focus you are getting, I would suggest taking this opportunity.

  Pete nodded, frowning darkly as he turned once more to look at the footage of his mother dangling over the acid vat. “Fine. Yeah, do it.”

  

  >> BOND REQUEST INITIATED

  >> Confirming legitimacy of claim…

  “This whole bond thing doesn’t make sense,” Sam said, shaking her head as she considered the matter. “This Belch bastard wants all the money, so why would he agree to split the profits with players?”

  Craig leaned forward from the rear cabin.

  “Because when the player dies, those funds return to the Tongsly Belch Corporation. Given how many players die in the contest, it doesn’t really cost the Corporation that much.”

  [Nero] Indeed. Once a royalty arrangement has been approved, it also allows the Corporation to increase the cost of each item produced. So, in this instance, once your claim has gone through, the cost for a t-shirt bearing your image will increase by at least five percent. Given that you will only be entitled to 0.2% of each piece of merchandise that enters the game, the Corporation makes a substantial profit from the process. The price of shirts that were manufactured before the royalty agreement will also likely rise as collectors attempt to purchase these now unique items. Given that the Tongsly Belch Corporation takes a cut out of each transaction undertaken at an auction house, they will make money this way as well.

  “Just another way for the bastards to make a dollar,” Coop mused.

  “That’s all this is, right?” Sam agreed. “This whole damned thing is just one big money-making scheme. And we’re basically cogs in that machine.”

  

  >> BOND REQUEST ACCEPTED: Vault Breaker Likeness

  >> Standard royalty agreement ratified.

  NOTE: Funds acquired will be held until the player has reached Initiate level.

  “Wait,” Sam said, “do we all get to do this?”

  [Nero] Yes, of course. All players are welcome to take part in the bond and patent framework. You should note, however, that the agreement Pete has just initiated also includes a subclause that entitles anyone within his party to the same kind of royalty share in instances where group images are part of merchandise.

  “Group images?” Sam asked.

  “Like that!” Craig said, pointing out of the hole where the passenger side door had once been.

  In the front row of the crowd seating, a corpulent figure with three heads sat like a mound of wobbling jelly. The three heads were mushroom-like in shape, each boasting a single eye and a thin mouth with a single tooth jutting down from the top lip. The creature’s body took up three seats, and Pete could see tentacles writhing beneath the massive t-shirt the figure was wearing.

  The figure wore a shirt with a movie poster-style image of Pete, Sam, Coop, Craig, Grizzle, and Torgo all standing heroically in front of a stylized version of Jackpot, where the RV and the characters were drawn in a retro Earth style, as though the shirt had been made in the eighties.

  “So, we’ll get a cut of that shirt?” Sam asked.

  [Nero] Yes. You will each gain a portion of the 0.2% profit share royalty.

  “What the hell does that add up to when it’s split six ways?” Coop asked.

  [Nero] 0.033%

  “I’ll start planning my retirement now then, will I?” the ferret replied.

  

  >> SLOGAN ROYALTY OPPORTUNITY DISCOVERED: Patent potential.

  Pete noted the new message on his display. He made an effort to unclench his fingers and try to calm himself. With every second they waited here, his mother was drawing closer and closer to death, but he guessed that this was exactly the point of the delay.

  Clearly, they wouldn’t be allowed to start this final race component of the encounter until the other two vehicles had arrived. Forcing Pete and his companions to sit here while the clock ticked over was just another way of creating tension and hiking up bets. Undoubtedly, there were a bunch of promo ads being run through the feeds right now, trying to entice Dominion citizens to bet big on the outcome of the final phase of this encounter and promising excessive rewards for those that participated.

  [Nero] Intriguing. It seems that you are also able to apply for a patent for the slogan Don’t be a Dick. In that it has not been previously patented, this slogan is unique to you and can therefore be patented.

  “Fine,” Pete said. “Do it.”

  He got up out of his seat and stepped out onto the road, looking back to see if the other competitors were coming. There were no signs of any other vehicles approaching, so he moved a few feet away from the RV and knelt down on the ground, much to the delight and confusion of the spectators.

  

  >> PATENT REQUEST INITIATED

  >> Confirming legitimacy of claim…