Three days before the finals, Smithy called a meeting.
Nathan and the rest of the team gathered in their quarters. Smithy had spread a pile of digital papers across the main table—medical reports, security logs, and witness statements. His face was dead serious.
"I've been looking into the competitors who suddenly passed out," Smithy said, pointing to a file. "First one was a guy from the Southern Republic. They found him in his room during the Team Trials. No signs of a fight. He didn't remember a thing. The referees just called it exhaustion."
He tapped another stack of reports. "Since then? Seven more. Fighters from the Eastern Dominion, Western Federation, and Northern Coalition. All found knocked out in their rooms. All waking up with zero memory. All written off as bad exhaustion."
Nathan frowned, leaning over the table. "Seven? How is this not all over the news?"
