Excerpt

“You’re here to play a game,” Shattir said as a matter of fact.

"And what game is that?” Dare asked warily.

Shattir took a deep breath as he explained, “Whenever a person feels threatened, they have what is called a natural ‘fight or flight’ response. That’s the game. You have two options: fight or flight. We respond according to you.”

“I don’t want to do either of those things. I just want my brother. Where is he?”

“Listen, Mr. Hunter…or would you prefer Dare? Can I call you Dare?”

“How do you know my name?”

“Doesn’t matter. The only thing that does matter is what you’re going to do. Fight or flight?”

Dare chuffed. “I don’t think that matters either. You’re going to try to kill me one way or the other, aren’t you?”

“That’s the way the game’s played,” Shattir said with a shrug.

“Time’s a-wasting,” Bubba grunted.

“That it is,” Shattir agreed with his eyes still on Dare. “If you’re not going to make a decision, then I’ll have to make it for you.”

Dare glanced around at the men surrounding him, a wry look on his face. He looked back at Shattir and gave the man a shrug of resignation. “It’s your call.”

“Alright then,” Shattir sighed, and spoke to his men. “Ante up, boys. Remember, the bounty is in place. And let’s keep it fair to start with, and make sure the audience gets what they’re paying for.”

“Audience? What audience?” Dare asked, confused by the man’s statement.

The team of hunters began slowly circling him, closing in gradually. Dare watched them as he spread his feet and began bringing up his hands, keeping them loose and open. His attack would be a counter to theirs. He just waited for one of them to make the first move. It didn’t take long.

Two of the newly recruited hunters came at him from either side. Dare skipped to his right and feigned a right back fist at one of them. As that man leaned away, Dare skipped back to his left, his right foot crossing behind his left leg. He then snapped his left foot out in a side kick, his leg driving like a piston. His dexterity and speed caught the other man off guard, and his foot struck the second hunter in his upper chest. The force of the kick pitched the man backwards, his feet flinging up in the air, to land in a sprawl on his back. Dare used the impact of his attack as an impetus to launch into a sokuten-geri kick, in which he performed a cartwheel to his right, so that as his left foot came down to the ground, his right leg snapped out in a side kick. The technique struck the first hunter in the belly, causing him to double over with a grunt as his breath escaped him. Dare skipped back to his left half a step and went into a 360 axe kick. He twirled to his left on the ball of his right foot, his left foot raised slightly off the ground and hooked in front of his right leg. As he completed his revolution, he dropped his left foot down as his right leg lifted almost straight up to then chop downward. His heel smashed into the back of the first man’s skull, driving him headfirst into the ground. As he was doubled over, the weight of the hunter’s body bent his neck back at an awkward angle as he crashed down. He emitted a loud groan that turned into a gurgle as he fell to his side. Dare was already turning away from him to face the other man.