Adrenaline buzzed through Lena's veins. The outpost's perimeter had been breached, and she and Liz had only just escaped the living quarters in time. Hearing shrieks from beyond the bespattered door, she smiled in sympathy. Jen and Sarah hadn't been so lucky.

The pumping room was much as she remembered. A raised pool spanned most of the floor, leaving only a crescent-moon walkway along the south and west sides. Lights flickering in dimpled sconces gave an effect like sallow candlelight, threading sinuous shadows along walls darkened by masses of those strange purple creepers. There was a certain order about those rippling shapes; all seemed to be converging, straining toward...

There is was, looming across the entire north wall. The pump. It possessed a quality almost alien to behold, all quavering lines and unnatural proportions. Columns thrusting from its summit gave it the look of a warped church organ, while the sheen to its dark surface seemed to absorb whatever light reached it. Game-wise, this thing powered the whole facility, though doubtless all the real machinery was hidden backstage. Still, goosebumps rose on Lena's arms on spotting a huge, gramophone-like spout jutting over the unfilled pool. Something told her that, at least, was no prop.

Liz strutted to a mirrored control panel on the western wall, her regal poise amusingly out of place on someone so messy. Flicking a switch, she called in her refined accent, "Lena, over here."

It wasn't so much a request as a command, but Lena complied regardless. On hearing a glug she hunched, arms drawing instinctively inward, but it wasn't gunge that descended. Opening an eye, she found shimmering cascades of crystal-clear water pouring around her. Shedding glaciers of dissolving sludge, Liz swished her hands through her hair to banish the soupy remnants. Lena swiftly did likewise.

With the sprays fading, Liz sighed contentedly. "I'd say we needed that."

"No argument here."

Seeing Liz stretch, Lena couldn't help but glance admiringly. Water sparkled on the blonde's glorious figure, displayed as it was by a trippy bikini, all complementing shards of pink and lilac divided by sweeping black arcs.

She recalled what Liz had said earlier. "So, uh, what's this idea of yours?"

Arranging the parting of her chin-length hair, Liz tried her best not to smirk. "Ah, that. We can't escape until this 'data' nonsense transmits, but the pump's gone and turned itself off. No pump, no power. We'll have to get it working again." She cast a worried look toward the entrance. "Let's hope we won't have to press that green button in the other room again. But anyway, we have a problem."

Suddenly Lena understood. Once on, the pump sent gunge coursing through the facility before spewing it into the pool. It was rigged, however, so that overflow vents would channel any excess to a cistern back in the pump. Should that fill, every system would overload and the automatic doors would open, leaving them easy pickings for the ghouls. Previously they'd been able to siphon-off the muck before it got that far, but now, with the living quarters a no-go area...

Lena tapped her chin. "You're right, we have a problem."

Sidling over, Liz draped a friendly arm across Lena's shoulder. "Quite. That's why I need your help."

"Um, to do what?"

"Why, to make sure the pool doesn't fill."

Barely aware of being guided forward, Lena studied the machine. "But how? We can't jam it without blocking the upload. We'd have to..." Feeling her legs touch the curved barrier, she stared down at the empty expanse. Her jaw dropped. "No, you can't mean?"

Liz gave her shoulder a gleeful squeeze. "That's right, Lena, you're on bailout duty. Come on, hop in."

*****

Over in the manor house, Kelly grinned nervously as the other eliminated contestants marched off to begin their new mission. Beside her, Lucy squeezed her hand and tried not to bounce in excitement while, in front of them, Kirsty folded her arms and attempted to look stern.

"So, I hear you two made a bet this morning?" said Kirsty.

"Maybe," Kelly replied slowly. She knew where this was going.

Kirsty's eyes flicked between them. "Something about who'd get messiest today, is that right?"

Trying not to giggle, Kelly casually flicked back her wavy brown hair. "Might've been."

Eyes gleaming, Kirsty stepped closer. "So who won?"

Turning to Kelly, Lucy batted her eyelashes in mock innocence. "Hmm, I don't know. Who do you think, Kelly?"

Kelly tipped back her head and sighed in amused resignation. "Lucy did."

"Interesting," said Kirsty, though it was clear she'd already known the answer. "And what does the winner get?"

Lucy's lips pursed. "Uh... we didn't actually think that far ahead."

"I had something in mind," Kelly said with a chuckle. She turned to Lucy. "If I'd won, I was going to gunge you."

While Lucy grinned happily, Kirsty nodded. "Very honest of you," she remarked, her voice soft and laced with mischief. "But you didn't win, did you?"

"Nope."

Still smirking, Kirsty tapped a finger to her chin as though she'd just thought of something. "Funny thing. We've actually got a little... ceremony coming up, and we need volunteers. You might be the girls for the job. Interested?" Seeing the contestants nod, her grin widened. "Good. Come with me. Lucy, you're fine as you are. Kelly... you might want to get changed."

*****

Slime lanced like gooey javelins from the encircling ghouls. Thick and translucent, tinged purple, orange or pink, they splattered Sarah from every conceivable angle. Back-to-back beneath the skylight, she and Jen squirmed and murmured, slime dancing over their bodies. There was no escape.

Ugh, how did I let this happen? Ticklish jets sent Sarah stumbling to one knee, hair slipping wet and pendulous over her shoulder. This was insane. She heard Jen flop into a sitting position, the splash accompanied by an infuriatingly carefree giggle. How the hell is she so calm?

Elimination loomed. Cupping hands to her chest, where gelid tendrils seeped between her fingers, Sarah shuddered but held her nerve. She still had one card left to play. The timing though... the timing would be everything.

*****

The pool's padded interior bounced beneath Lena's feet. Stepping over the barrier, she faced the pump and settled onto her knees. Why do I let myself in for these things?

"Come on, don't be shy," Liz chided. Pressing a hand against the small of Lena's back, she nudged her directly beneath the spout.

Not for the first time, Lena shook her head at the silliness of it all. "This is impossible. What am I meant to use, my hands?"

Pretending to be affronted, Liz bunched one hand at her hip. "Honestly, Lena, don't be ridiculous. Would I be that cruel?" Crouching, she produced a plastic bowl from a niche beside the pump. "Here, this should do it."

Accepting the bowl, Lena turned it over in her hands. It was no bigger than a salad dish, and the spout above her could swallow a beach ball. Might as well try bailing out a rowing boat with a thimble. "Erm... thanks, this'll be a great help."

"Don't worry, you'll do fine," Liz replied breezily. "I think I'll stand well back."

"Well thanks for the support."

"Don't mention it. Think of me as your cheerleader - now hurry up so I can make fun of you."

Torn between excitement and apprehension, Lena adjusted her stance, checked the ties of her white string bikini, peeked again at the looming chute, and gave the thumbs up. Liz near-enough skipped to the mass of switches.

Lena's breathing grew fast and shallow. Her skin tingled. This would be messy. She lifted the bowl over her head, hoping to catch as much of the falling slop as she could. It wouldn't be enough.

Liz's hand already waited over the controls. "Good luck, Lena. Just try not to think about all the gunk about to hit you."

A switch clicked. Tapping began, slow and insistent, building to a rhythmic chugging like a steam locomotive. The pump stirred, cogs and camshafts shuddering into motion. Lena's grip on the bowl tightened. Here it comes.

Even Liz uttered a sympathetic murmur when the funnel began rattling, though she couldn't resist a final gloat. "Gunge time!"

Lena's eyes squeezed shut as the shuddering reached a crescendo. Valves whined, steam hissed, and then with a roar of pent-up pressure the pump released its payload.

One eye opened, then the other. There was a confused silence. A solitary yellow blob had landed with a subdued splat beside her knee.

Liz was appalled. "And what was that?"

Lena kept her head bowed. It's a trick. The second I look up, that's when it'll happen. Even so, her curiosity quickly got the better of her. She peeked upward. Still nothing.

Muttering with irritation, Liz fiddled with the controls. "When in doubt, turn it off and on again. There, that should do it."

Again the mechanism whirred and rattled. Again Lena assumed the position. This time the only result was a few wisps of froth. Exasperated, Liz blew air between her teeth and looked for the hidden cameras. "What are you waiting for? Gunge her!"

"You don't have to sound quite so eager, you know." No sooner had Lena spoken than the muted muttering of stagehands emerged, seemingly from behind the pump. An echoing thwack of spanner on pipe rang out, followed by a curse.

Liz shook her head reproachfully. "Lena, I think you've broken it."

"Broken? I haven't even-"

Feigning a scowl, Liz folded her arms. "Honestly. A charity event like this and you go and break the arena. You'll probably get billed when this is finished."

"But I haven't-"

"Shush now," said Liz, raising a finger and trying not to smile. "You'll only make it worse for yourself." Again she messed with the controls, and was rewarded with a churning rumble from the pump. "Hah, that's done it. Get ready, Lena, you're about to get mucky!"

A sudden fizzing, a noise like tearing cellophane, and Liz yelped. One of the creepers on the wall had ruptured spectacularly, leaving her blonde hair dotted with tattered splashes - drifts of lavender on a field of wheat. Liz recoiled, spluttering. "Tha- that's not supposed to happen."

Noticing Lena's laughter, Liz glared down at her. Lena grinned back. "Want to swap places, Liz? I'm lovely and clean in here."

Liz's expression softened. "Right," she declared, "you sit tight while I sort this out. You're getting gunged even if I have to do it myself."

"Sweet of you."

"I aim to please. But first, I need another wash."

Seconds stretched. Having psyched herself up for a splattering, and still half-expecting a surprise deluge, Lena didn't quite know what to do now. Slowly she lowered the bowl. Pleasantly-cool air wafted against her wet skin, making her acutely aware of how little she wore. With the shower tinkling in the background, she discreetly adjusted the minimalist white triangles that made up her top. The thought of showing today's footage to her friends at home made her want to simultaneously giggle and curl up in embarrassment, but oddly enough helped settle her nerves. She'd never had a problem laughing at herself, and to aid charity by humiliating themselves was, ironically enough, something they could all be rightly proud of.

She found herself wondering how Jen and Sarah were doing. Despite feeling a little guilty for not doing more to help them, Liz had been right - they were almost certainly doomed. Still, there'd been no elimination announcements yet. Remembering what had happened to Lucy, Lena grinned. The ghouls must be taking their time with them.

Water burbled away through grilles at the room's edge. The shower must still be running. For it to go this long, Liz would've had to activate it several times in a row. How long does it take to rinse off a few blobs?

Just then a thought struck her. If the pool had to be full before the outside doors malfunctioned, how had the ghouls gotten in? Perplexed, she peered again at the pump. Movement at the corner of her eye revealed Liz back at the control panel. Good luck to her, trying to make sense of all... those...

A chill ran down Lena's spine. Still looking forward, she wetted her lips. "Um, Liz, can I ask you something?"

"Why certainly."

"How do you know what the switches do?"

The pause that followed was brief but incriminating. "Oh... that. There was a guide on the inside of the mirror. Jen must've missed it. Take a look if you don't believe me."

Trying and failing to look bemused, Lena rose slowly and turned to her companion. What she saw left her speechless. Liz had been a busy girl.

The shower's noise had disguised the opening of a serving hatch, and now an arsenal of cream pies and slime-filled containers lay in a neat row along the poolside. Beyond, chin held high and arms folded beneath her breasts, Liz wore a look of prim satisfaction.

I should've known. Suddenly Liz leaving the living quarters just before everything went haywire looked a lot less coincidental. Lena made her best attempt at a baleful stare, which was still forty-percent smile. "So it's like that, is it?"

"You knew," Liz stated. "You've known for a while, or at least suspected."

"But the purifier-"

Liz's eyes gleamed like sunlit crystal. "Yes, the purifier. That was a mucky one. I was so glad Nikki was there beside me."

"But... but weren't you supposed to admit it? You were meant to say 'I'm a traitor' and..." Lena's words tailed off. She smiled in understanding. "And you did, didn't you? You literally said the words. You just made out you were repeating Nikki. Oh my God, how did I not see that? So it's true, you're really a-"

"Traitor? Spy? Whatever the term actually is? Absolutely."

"Haha, wicked! So let me guess, Annabelle met with a little accident, didn't she?" Liz's smile was all the answer she needed. "And I'm next?"

Swelling with pride, Liz collected a pie. "Pretty much, unless you seriously think you can dodge this! Oh." Despite having only a few yards to travel, the pie had both fallen short and veered wide, landing on the pool's floor in a custard sunburst. "Ahem, let's try that again."

Beaming, Lena twisted to avoid the next pie, and the one after. Dark hair bounced and fluttered, soft against her back. Gooey projectiles splattered harmlessly around her, but she made it all look effortless.

"You really do throw like a girl, Liz."

The concentration on Liz's face was comical to behold, but didn't improve her aim. Stung by her continued failure to gunge a cornered target, Liz scowled, muttered in annoyance, and then stepped daintily into the pool. "Let's see you dodge now," she crowed, selecting a tub of blue gunk.

On seeing that Lena, too, was brandishing a container, Liz's eyes betrayed a flicker of anxiety. Apparently it hadn't occurred to her that the mess she'd laid out might also be used against her. For an instant she looked set to retreat, but the desire to gunge Lena proved overwhelming. Facing each other across the pool, the two beauties squared up.

Wicked, a slime fight. As ever, Lena had absolutely no plan. What was more, she was bluffing - her bowl was the empty one she'd been given earlier. It couldn't be long before Liz noticed, but any move to grab some real mess would leave her a sitting target. No doubt it was only the thought of being left defenceless that kept Liz from splatting her right now.

Eyes darting about for some way to turn the tables, Lena tried stalling a little longer. "Done this before, have you?"

"In a manner of speaking," Liz replied, her gaze never leaving her target.

Slow and stealthy, the pair began to circle. "Don't know if you've noticed," said Lena, "but I'm pretty okay when it comes to being gunged. You though - not so much. No offence. What'll you do if I win? Sure you can handle it?"

"If you win." Liz's tone made clear how likely she thought that was. "If I can beat Lucy, I doubt you'll be a problem."

"Lucy?" That gave Lena pause. She'd forgotten that Liz and Lucy had duelled back in the palace. Seeing as she and Lucy were probably the two most eager contestants, if Liz had beaten her...

Blasts of warm air billowed from overhead vents, curtailing the conversation. Lena took the opportunity to try and think of an actual plan for a change. Okay, okay: gunge fight. What to do? What will she do? She tried sizing her opponent up. Tall, elegant and very particular about her appearance, Liz nevertheless had a curious tendency to loosen up once things got messy - meaning the better Lena did, the more formidable her opponent was likely to become. This wouldn't be easy.

Still they circled. The dryers ceased their growling, but Lena's mind remained blank. With black strands drifting in front of her eyes, she risked sweeping back her hair. Thankfully Liz didn't take advantage of the opening, though she noted with interest the way Lena held her bowl so easily with only one hand.

Each step brought them a fraction closer, perhaps knowingly, perhaps not. Liz grew visibly more confident. "Ever hear of Sun Tzu?" she whispered.

Lena was momentarily thrown. "Uh... vaguely."

"He once said something like 'Know your enemy, know yourself, and in a hundred battles you'll never be beaten.'"

"Erm, that's nice. Meaning?"

"Meaning, if I know you like I think I do, if there was gunge in that bowl, I'd be wearing it by now."

Blushing, Lena tried in vain to keep up the charade. "Perhaps, but... but are you willing to risk it?"

Liz's eyes narrowed. "Enough chitchat. Let's see how good you really are."

A sky-blue welter flew across the pool. Squeaking, Lena tried using her dish as a makeshift shield. It blocked a surprising amount, but several huge dollops still spattered against her hips, cool and slippery, with another tickling her left elbow before drumming against the wall. With a yelp she threw up her arms, at which point Liz's gloating ended in an astonished splutter. It turned out that some of the gunk had collected in Lena's dish, and quite by accident she had just flicked it at Liz, birthing a chain of liquid bluebells up the blonde's torso. Lena tittered happily at this small triumph, all the while trying to devise some grand stratagem to turn things in her favour. Just then something occurred to her.

Who cares? I'll just make it up as I go.

Springing diagonally, she grabbed a custard pie from the pool's edge and jumped again, flinging it in mid-leap. Murmuring in alarm, Liz ducked away, cream skimming her arm, and tossed another bucket in Lena's general direction. Lena's whoop became a giggled moan upon feeling slimy wetness engulf her left leg. Landing daintily, she looked down to find a cerulean river flowing from hip to heel. Even as she watched, more of the blue slime burst over her stomach, the resulting splash tickling her chest, leaving wet freckles on her nose and brow, while the rest flooded down over her bikini bottoms. Stopping to look had been a bad idea.

Relentless, Liz splatted two more pies on Lena's back as she scrambled away, giggling as cream and custard slid sideways to trail like tassels from her flanks. So sooner had she rearmed and rounded on Liz than syrupy pink zigzags appeared on her front. The surprise made Lena spill most of her bucket over her own feet, but what remained she tossed at Liz, eliciting a satisfying squeal. Vivid pink blobs beaded Liz's hair and painted her flank from waist to armpit, leaving glistening dapples on the prominent curve of her bikini top, but it wasn't enough.

I'm half-covered and she's barely been touched. This isn't going well.

Clearly aware that she was winning, Liz's indignation gave way to smugness. It was her first mistake, earning her a quick pie to the face. With white puffs splurging through her hair and tumbling into her cleavage, Liz swatted the base away and let out an affronted snort.

Beaming, Lena reached for more mess. This was rather fun. She had been longing for an excuse to properly gunge Liz. If that meant getting drenched in turn, then so be it.

They pounced at the precise same moment, meeting at the pool's centre in a flurry of hurtling gloop. All notion of tactics disintegrated. They simply stood there, toe to toe, splattering each other for all they were worth. With slime exploding over her front and spurting through her hair, Lena moaned wordlessly. Seeing the same befall Liz, however, was all the motivation she needed. Liz looked scarcely able to believe this was happening. Half her face was painted blue, frond-shaped splashes glistened on her skin, yet she, too, held her nerve.

With neither contestant backing down, the sprays of gunge escalated. As the more laid-back of the two, Lena had expected a close range, woman-to-woman slime-fest to favour her, yet somehow Liz was matching her pie for pie, slime for slime. The drab chamber was coming alive with colour. Custard and whipped cream and nameless gloop filled the air, landing in a percussion of wet squelches and the melodious slap of slime on skin. Giggling with delicious schadenfreude, moaning in pretend horror, the two women gunged and were gunged.

Lena could barely contain herself. The sheer mind-boggling absurdity of it all, the surreal sensations, Liz's little squeaks and gasps when mess hit her - it was all too much. She was on the verge of dissolving into uncontrollable laughter. Giving in would leave her a tittering wreck for Liz to gunge at her leisure, yet struggling to stay serious only made things funnier.

Blue eyes aflame, Liz twirled like a ballerina, an immense cream pie balanced on each hand. Such exuberance, so unlike the Liz she'd known earlier, stopped Lena in her tracks. Taking full advantage of the lapse, Liz darted forward and sandwiched Lena's head between the pies. For a few seconds the world turned white.

"Oh look, Lena. You have pie on you. Here, let me help."

With a triumphant laugh, Liz smeared the pies in a circular motion, the smooth foam caressing Lena's face and gathering into ridiculous clouds at her temples. A cold blob slid down the centre of her back, making her gasp, at which point Liz dabbed a blob of cream upon the tip of her nose. All this Lena could take, but when Liz threw her hands in the air and cried "Hooray!" with such a total lack of irony, drops of goo flying from her gunk-spattered curves, the damn broke.

Shaking with mirth, Lena slumped into Liz's arms. She was done for, but had no regrets. Liz returned the embrace, though couldn't resist daubing a little more mess up Lena's sides. "So, Lena, ready for your big finish?"

Lena took a deep breath between giggles. "Bring it on."

Liz hadn't waited for an answer. Stepping back, she pelted Lena with whatever lay in reach, affecting a comically villainous laugh as she did so. The barrage sent Lena reeling back, arms lifting into a surrender pose. Grinning in thrilled disbelief, Lena watched raptly as Liz gunged her, then peeked down to watch goo exploding over her front. The sensation of slime slithering through her cleavage and pouring in twitching rivers down her stomach and legs made her shiver with mirth. Mess seethed through her hair, trailed in gelatinous threads from her arms, dripped in wobbling icicles from her once-white top. Liz was going to win.

*****

In a changing room beneath the palace, Kelly busied herself picking something to wear. Beyond the curtained-off booth, Kirsty was explaining the task ahead. With every eliminated contestant having accepted Kirsty's offer, most had been led to Wardrobe for kitting out. Not her and Lucy, though. They had a special task to complete, and Kelly had the starring role. Even before the explanation, she'd known this was going to get gooey.

It was only fair, really. That morning she'd tried coaxing Lucy out of her shell by bantering about who would get messiest today, but had then ended up as the first girl eliminated. Lucy, on the other hand, had taken a series of immense slimings before the ghouls finally got her. That left Kelly with a messy debt to pay.

Sweeping her lustrous brown hair behind her shoulders, she finished fastening the knots of a daring, raven-black string bikini and then pulled on a simple white tank top by way of a cover-up, in case they had to walk back to the manor. There, that'll do. When it came to appearances, modesty had never been an issue for her. The way she saw it, nature had blessed her with this figure, surely be ungrateful not to show it off?

"So that's all you have to do," Kirsty concluded.

"There's no need to thank us," added Lucy.

Flicking back the booth's crimson curtain, Kelly looked incredulously from one woman to the next. They were serious. She noted the quizzical glance Lucy gave her. Given that she'd badgered Lucy into facing the arena in swimwear, it was probably a surprise to find Kelly facing the gunge wearing even this much.

Sparing a jovial glare for her new friends, who looked to be enjoying this far too much, Kelly let herself be marched off like a condemned prisoner. Kirsty knew exactly where to go, and soon brought them to a simple rectangular chamber, bare save for a burgundy conveyor belt that ran lengthways along the floor and ended in a hearth-like opening on the opposite wall. Kelly felt her nerves jangle - she'd heard about Nikki's elimination.

In trying to justify this, Lucy had used a chess metaphor of all things. Something about the sacrificial pawn that released the queen? Chess wasn't exactly Kelly's strong suit.

"So why is this necessary?" she asked.

Kirsty shrugged. "Funny, I asked the same thing."

"Did you get an answer?"

"Not exactly, I'm pretty sure they make these rules up as they go. Best I can tell, the blob thing needs an appetiser before it goes out to lunch."

It still didn't make much sense, but Kelly lowered herself onto the conveyor just the same. Reclining on her elbows, she tried peering into the opening, but whatever lay beyond was shrouded by swirling dry ice. The belt itself had been mopped, but congealed gunk still lay strewn about the floor in incredible quantities. Nikki must've gotten absolutely drenched here. And now it's my turn.

Skipping to a wall-mounted lever, Lucy gave her a purposefully casual smile, as though nothing were remotely out of the ordinary. "So, how're things?"

Kelly felt her jaw clench. "Not bad, thanks." The sight of a hulking shape amidst the vapour set her fidgeting, one foot rubbing atop the other.

Lucy's fingers coiled around the lever. "Ready?"

After final adjustments to her hair, Kelly gave the thumbs-up - then at the last second cried out, "No, wait! Hold on!"

Lucy stopped instantly. "What's wrong?" she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Eyes twinkling, Kelly peeled off the tank top and cast it aside. "That's better. Okay, fine now."

Lucy giggled happily. "Thought you'd gone shy for a second. I think I'll enjoy this."

"Me too."

As the conveyor whirred into life, Kelly tipped back her head and closed her eyes. The debt was about to be paid.

*****

Over in the pumping room, the struggle between Liz and Lena had turned decidedly one-sided. All things considered, Liz felt rather pleased with herself. Lena was on the ropes, her obsidian hair and caramel skin disappearing beneath the gooey blizzard.

I'm actually rather good at this. In truth, Liz too had been bluffing during the pre-match banter. While it was technically true that she'd beaten Lucy in a gunge fight, she'd actually spent most of that contest being used as target practice, and had only won by getting so ludicrously messy that Lucy had been laughing too hard to fight back.

The lesson she'd taken from that debacle was simple: timidity in a gunk war was counterproductive. Undignified though it was, she'd have gotten less messy if, instead of ducking and cowering, she'd accepted the inevitable and got stuck-in from the outset. Attack, attack, attack, that was the way.

This, then, had been precisely what she'd done against Lena - which brought her to the downside. It turned out that while such a plan doubtless worked beautifully against a coy opponent, against someone as vivacious as Lena the results were... well, she need only glance down to see what the results were. She might be winning, but she'd taken a splattering in the process.

It took a conscious effort just to stay upright. With slimy detritus squelching with each footstep, Liz blew a blonde wisp from her cheek and grabbed a container from the pool's edge. It contained only dregs, as did the next. Why on Earth did I put the used ones back where I found them?

The supply of gunge was almost exhausted, and the break in the bombardment was giving Lena chance to recover. Liz wasn't about to allow that. Seizing one of the last pies - a particularly sloppy one, she was pleased to note - she stalked forward.

Acting every inch the damsel in distress, Lena lifted her hands beside her face in mock-horror. "Oh no, you wouldn't!"

"I'm a villain, remember?"

Her aim was perfect. The pie took Lena full in the face, snowball-sized gobbets spraying in every direction as she staggered against the pump. Something clanked, and then a noise like gathering thunder began, a low rumble that filled the room.

I've done it! Liz wanted to leap for joy, but knew she'd probably slip if she tried. That sound surely heralded Lena's elimination, an event always marked by a final torrent of green gunk. And with Sarah and Jen cut-off - their exits might even have been announced already - Liz would be the last contestant standing. I've really done it. I'm free! It had been a long and improbably messy road, but the decision to turn traitor had finally paid off. She alone would be spared the ignominy of elimination. Shimmying on the spot, she rubbed her palms together as the rumbling grew louder. Now all that's left is to watch Lena... get... And what exactly is she smirking at?

The thunder, she realised, was coming from the pump, only this time it didn't sputter out after a few seconds. Creaking and whining, the mechanism trembled with barely contained pressure. Vibrations juddered through the floor, sending mulch squirming between her toes.

Lena's gaze flicked upward. Her smile grew. What's she playing at? Impatient, Liz glanced up... and felt all colour drain from her face. She was standing directly beneath that enormous funnel.

"Liz, good news! I think I've fixed it."

A roaring blue torrent spewed down on Liz. The sheer quantity left her dumbstruck, her expression frozen in place. A shimmering nimbus formed about her head, blue veils gushing down her back or rebounding off her shoulders, while thinner streams spilled down her face and dripped garish squiggles onto her bikini top. In a futile attempt to regain some dignity she straightened, and was about to utter a suitable reprimand when another downpour, green this time, left her tottering drunkenly. Amid Lena's cheers and wolf whistles, Liz cursed herself - the gunge would keep coming so long as the pump remained on. She ought to have remembered that.

"Looking good, Liz!"

Lena sounded insultingly chirpy. Stepping back to avoid the next downpour, Liz shot her a stern look... and promptly lost her footing, a seething tide having wrapped around her ankles. Sliding onto her bottom, she moaned at the unfairness of it all, swatted at her wet hair, and tried wiping herself down. It was hopeless. Slime trickled and seeped, intent on reclaiming whatever patch of skin she managed to clear. What was more, the pool was filling around her, the blue-green mire already inches deep and rising.

Frustration made Liz's rational side kick back into gear, those mental grey chains clanking into place. Right, that's quite enough absurdity for one day. I'm leaving.

She was about to call for the organisers to put a stop to this when she saw Lena advancing, a bowl gripped in both hands. Ignoring Liz's babbled protests, Lena skipped beneath the funnel during a gap in the spurts - only to slip on the exact spot Liz had. Now on her knees, Lena managed to keep the bowl clutched in front of her, but couldn't prevent its garish pink contents slopping over her arms and breasts. Shaking with silent laughter at her own clumsiness, Lena was still able to toss what remained at Liz, who recoiled with a girlish squeak, splodges brocading her front.

Now on her back, Liz shimmied away until her shoulders touched the pool's edge. Look at me! How did I let this happen? She wanted to snarl in outrage. Hearing her opponent laughing, she looked up, ready to admonish her, only to fight back a titter. She told herself it was Lena she was laughing at, not herself... definitely not herself.

A goofy grin illuminating her beautiful features, Lena tried standing but flopped down again, stray blobs from the funnel speckling her back. An uncomfortable notion arose: what if Lena had the right idea about all this? Though no less intelligent, Lena had approached this event with a zeal that was only partly ironic. She'd made a total fool of herself countless times today, yet had done so knowingly and willingly, and as a result Liz thought no less of her - quite the opposite, in fact.

Another downward glance and Liz very nearly smiled. I'm already soaked. If it means beating Lena, where's the harm in a little more?

Her logical side responded by tightening its grip, that prim internal monologue bleating of image and position and esteem. Lena was readying for another attack, but still Liz sat pondering, the pool lapping around her outstretched legs. Just as Lena made her move, Liz scrambled up, feet skidding in the goo, and began scaling the barrier. Her sensible side had won.

Just then a thought, solitary and unbidden, popped into Liz's mind. Which was sillier - playing this game, or taking it seriously? She paused, blinking, one shapely leg straddling the pool's side. The mirrored panel lay before her, ordered switches offering power and control. Behind her Lena rushed closer, intent on dragging her back into the chaos. Still Liz hesitated. A glimpse of her reflection made her cringe. Suddenly a hand gripped her arm, spinning her around. Liz made her decision.

Lena barely had time to gasp before the last two pies clapped across her face. The force sent blobs squirting over Liz, too, but she no longer minded. The grey chains were gone, along with the fear, and something told her this time they were gone for good.

Shaking paper plates out of her hair, Lena scooped handfuls of slop from her own body as ammunition, then pounced again. Scarcely aware of her actions, Liz caught Lena's wrists, sidestepped serenely, and in a smooth motion sent her opponent spinning into the sludge. A strange sense of euphoria stole through her. She felt invigorated. She felt alive. She felt... changed, but was she? Perhaps this who she'd always been, just waiting to be freed.

Once she'd come to rest, Lena lifted her head from the muck and stared in bright-eyed amazement. "Where'd that come from?"

Liz bobbed her shoulders. "I learned from the best."

Affecting her slinkiest strut, she moved in for the kill - but again went sliding off her feet. The blue-green pool was already shin deep. Remaining elegant while squirming about in only a bikini was no easy feat, but Liz proved up to it. Perhaps not a skill for the CV.

Kneeling up, she faced Lena, who had already refilled her dish and begun wading in for another round. Mess swirled around Liz's knees, lank hair hung across her face, cold ooze crawled through her top, yet she didn't care. Beating Lena was all that mattered. Spying a bowl floating by, Liz pressed it down until the pool slurped in to fill it. Suitably armed, the two women shared a smile. One way or another, someone was getting eliminated. Liz didn't intend it to be her.

*****

Jen and Sarah knelt nose to nose beneath the skylight, their hands clasped as though about to play pat-a-cake. Above them the pods had calmed, ragged tendrils swaying as though the whole ceiling were some vast sea anemone.

Sarah shivered. Slime coated her like nectar, assailing her senses, and Jen was making no attempt to hide her amusement at seeing her messy. What was more, the ghouls were up to something. Occasional squirts set wet hair fluttering and syrupy streams spilling down their backs, but only enough to keep them disoriented. Unable to watch, Sarah lowered her eyes, locks of once-gold hair bracketing her vision.

"What're they doing?" she whispered.

Jen glanced around. Whatever she saw brought a note of hysterical laughter to her voice. "Get ready, Sarah," she trilled, "we're gonna get creamy."

Gritting her teeth, Sarah made herself look. Letterbox-shaped hatches had opened all around the room, revealing mounds of glistening pies. Now carrying a pair apiece, the ghouls grinned wickedly and resumed their advance.

Sarah's protests emerged practically incoherent. Her brain bubbled. She was on her knees, in a tiny bikini, about to be splatted by a bunch of wannabe actors in silly costumes... and she was going to let it happen. Her mind was a battleground. Every instinct screamed for her to run, to take her chances and bolt for the doors, but deep down she knew Jen had earned this.

Jen gave her hands a reassuring squeeze as the ghouls crouched around them. Seeing a pie move into position behind her, Sarah murmured expectantly, awaiting the cream's cool touch, but the ghouls were in no rush. A downward glance revealed more pies barely an inch from her sides, their bases brushing the knots of her bikini bottoms. Jen was in a similar predicament, yet somehow was still grinning. The girl's crazy.

Both contestants fought back mild panic when the next two slid into position; quivering mounds of custard and whipped cream now waited just beneath their breasts. Translucent threads trailing from Jen's pink bikini top were already lacing hers purple and green. Sarah could scarcely believe this was happening. At last the final pies slotted into place, this time under their chins. All was set.

Jen's laugh sent white motes skirling like snowflakes. "Do me a favour," she said to the ghouls, "do our faces last. I want a good look at Sarah." Noticing Sarah's glare, she chirped, "Hey, look on the bright side - you get to watch me get it, too."

Despite everything, Sarah's green eyes flashed with glee. Her one consolation was that Jen would share her fate. As though reading her thoughts, Jen grinned and rolled her shoulders, the motion sending goo sliding over her bountiful curves. Sarah told herself not to laugh. She knew Jen's game - always trying to make her relax, to chip away at her reserve. That in itself didn't bother her. What bothered her was the worry it might be working.

"Just say when," a ghoul whispered.

Seconds stretched. The pair stared at each other across hills of cream. "How about it?" said Jen. "Ready?"

This was it. Heart pounding, Sarah gulped, resisted an urge to scream... and nodded. Sighing with relief, Jen gave her a look of heartfelt gratitude. Terror and exultation flooded through Sarah as she watched her friend's lips move.

"Do it."

Cold slush splurged against their hips, prompting quavering gasps. Still holding hands, they writhed as though performing a slow belly-dance for each other, rising pies lathering their sides. Jen seemed to be finding this infuriatingly funny, but then muck came surging through her chestnut hair; the impact sent the front of her bosom dipping into the waiting mass of custard, triggering a coquettish squeak.

Now it was Sarah's turn to giggle - until she too felt the slap of yoghurt between her shoulder blades. Back arching, she stifled a moan, then realised with jittery horror what came next.

The pies waiting beneath their chests lurched upward. Screams rang in unison.

Torn between moaning at such indignity and revelling at the same befalling Jen, Sarah screwed up her nose. The colossal pie was being rubbed back and forth, flaring custard across her top before disintegrating into an oozing avalanche that rolled into her lap. Opposite, Jen's mouth had formed a perfect 'O' as huge gobbets squirted up through her cleavage. Soon it was as though she wore a whipped-cream breastplate.

Gunk sliding down her body, Sarah found herself swaying gently, murmuring in anticipation. The final pies were coming. A yellow disc rose, blotting her vision, but the corners of Sarah's mouth curled into a knowing smile. They had played right into her hands.

It was over in moments. Launching sideways, she skimmed through the slush, passed beyond the ring of attackers, and leapt to her feet. With their ripcords in easy reach, the ghouls stood no chance. Two went up in quick succession, their costumes bulging violently before spraying gunk in every direction, leaving Jen reeling amid pink and yellow fanfares.

The remaining ghouls sprang into action. Sarah evaded them with near-contemptuous ease, her slender form gliding like liquid silk. A sidestep, a smooth pirouette, and another foe fell shrieking, electric blue slime erupting from her wetsuit.

With numbers suddenly even, the last two ghouls exchanged a rattled glance, turned tail and fled. The dreaded hunters, vanquishers of every team to ever face the Splatter Dome, had been effectively wiped out.

Calm descended. Blinking, Sarah peered at the gooey devastation. Defeated ghouls were crawling away through the slush, trying to hold their leaking costumes together as they went. Jen was gazing up at her in awe.

"I... I did it."

*****

Blobs flew like clouds of sparks. Each cradling a bowl of gunk, Liz and Lena flicked lashings of spinning globs at each other. All thought of dodging or evasion was gone; they had surrendered to the game, were lost in the mayhem. Around them the pool roiled tempestuously, melting remnants of pies bobbing like storm-struck galleons on its surface.

Behind Lena the pump's judders and whines grew ever more strangulated. Pipes rattled and shook. Froth fizzed from every join and seam. "That doesn't sound good," remarked Liz, sparing the machine a wary look.

What little order remained was slowly disintegrating. Amid gasps and tittered whimpers their movements grew wilder, more exuberant. When the bowls were empty they simply tossed them aside and began splashing each other direct from the pool. Bursting creepers draped them with lilac sashes, yet nothing could distract them. This was their final showdown. Pure instinct drew them nearer, splashing frenziedly, until with a laugh and a squeak they began trying to pull each other down.

It was like some farcical judo class - if judo was commonly taught wearing bikinis in vats of gunk, which Lena suspected it wasn't. Hooking her leg behind Liz's, she tried levering her over, but the blonde was too slippery to get a proper hold of. The same was thankfully true of her, leaving them essentially just tugging uselessly at each other, giggling at their own ineptitude. Happy to go with the flow, Lena scooped up handfuls of gunk, slapped them against Liz's hips, and worked them upward until goo spurted against the sides of her foe's chest. Liz's horrified chuckle was music to her ears.

A slip, a tug, a sudden splash, and next Lena knew, they were down in the sludge. Thick gunk plastered their bodies as they rolled, one atop the other, squeaking with laughter as they tried in vain to pin their opponent down. Every attempt left them sliding about in the stuff, simply too slippery to hold.

The swamp swelled and ebbed. All was confusion. One second Liz was beneath her, the next Lena was on her back, goo squelching deliciously where Liz's long limbs wrapped her in a bear hug. Squirming out of the embrace, Lena surged away through the mess. For a moment she felt weightless, suspended by cool currents, as her body sliced a brief furrow through the ooze. The resulting suction almost tore her top off.

Gathering into a crouch, she made sure everything was still in place. Phew. Gunge dominated every sensation; the squelch and spatter... the swirling medley of colours and textures. It was overwhelming. It was intoxicating. That siren call of rapturous laughter rose once again. Lena was a mess, a total mess, yet she wouldn't have missed this for the world.

Liz's attempt at a flying rugby tackle fell embarrassingly short, her shout of triumph devolving to a surprised squeak as she crash-landed in front of Lena with a riotous splat. Groaning, Liz wiped her eyes and peered up at her.

"I didn't think that through, did I?"

"Looked impressive though," Lena replied, only half joking. "Bonus points if you'd yelled 'Noooo!'"

The blonde smirked, but then paused, her expression setting into one of steely determination. Then she rose, her statuesque form emerging like some Greek goddess from the mire, shedding gooey blobs and shivering slimy icicles as though they were blossoms and trailing ivy. Liz's stunning physique glistening blue and green beneath the spotlights, melting ooze trailed from her jaw and breasts, sodden hair clung to her temples, yet her pose was nothing short of regal, her confidence unshakeable.

Look at her. She thinks she's already won.

At last the pump's pressure could build no longer. Coloured blasts roared from the organ-like pipes at its summit, the jets curving with the domed ceiling until they fell as a slanting, gelatinous rain.

A sudden splat across her forehead made Liz's jaw fall open in affronted shock. With her foe caught off guard, Lena made her move. Up she sprang, hair billowing like an awakened hydra. Around her the pool seethed, coloured arrows slashing down from above. She ignored them.

Finding her legs pulled from under her, Liz squealed, arms flailing for purchase, but it was too late. Tipped back, she disappeared into the gunge, the impact kicking up a rippling wave which rebounded from the pool's sides in time to drench her face when it bobbed back to the surface. Flabbergasted, Liz wriggled her shoulders and bosom free of the slime, and was trying to struggle upright when she found Lena standing over her. The change to her expression was like a wrenching of gears. Those big blue eyes widened, all that certainty ebbing away. She was beaten and she knew it.

Hands moving to her hips, Lena was grateful to find the knots of her bikini bottoms still there. "So," she said, eyes twinkling, "how'd I do?"

Liz peered up in dazed disbelief. "N-not bad, I suppose," she conceded, her tone part awe, part accusation.

"Didn't do too bad yourself." Lena replied. Seeing green blobs pattering into Liz's hair, she scooped up handfuls of mess, ready to add the finishing touch.

Eyes closing, Liz summoned her courage. "Do your worst!"

Hah, it's almost a shame to have to do this. "Sorry, Liz, it's been fun, but you can't say you don't deserve-"

Movement erupted. Liz's hands burst from beneath the goo's surface, planted squarely on Lena's hips, and pushed. Caught off balance, Lena slipped into a sitting position and found herself skimming backwards through slippery ooze, the pool's surface churning around her navel. Liz shifted into a crouch and propelled herself forward, slithering after Lena and maintaining the pressure. What was she trying to achieve? They were just shimmying across the pool. Leaning forward, Lena steadied herself against Liz's shoulders, but the blonde didn't even try tipping her sideways. It made no sense. On reaching the pool's edge, Liz finally halted and sat back, perhaps realising this was achieving nothing.

"Well that was... diverting," Lena said with a wry grin. Rising, she propped her rear against the pool's side. "Now where were we? I think..."

A ribbon of tangerine slime appeared over her left shoulder. Baffled, Lena watched it slide ponderously past her clavicle, vibrant against the blue and green backdrop. Confusion swamped her. "Where did...?"

Another stream appeared, this time from the right. Where was it coming from? She gave a start as handfuls of cream pressed against her arms and sides. Eyes wide, she gawked at Liz, who scrambled upright and backed away, tittering as she went.

"But..."

More arms arrived, each bearing fresh helpings of gunk for the messy massage. Lena's fingers gripped the pool's edge. Hands were gliding all over her, soothing yet electrifying, blossoming colour wherever they went.

Then she heard the cooing behind her. Six voices at least, each awfully familiar. Realisation dawned. "Oh my God, this is it. This is finally it."

There was a soft splash to her right. "You bet it is," said an American-accented voice.

Lena's mouth dropped open. Beside her stood a tanned brunette with beauty-queen proportions. Nikki. And she was dressed as a ghoul. Another splash, a swish of bottle-blonde hair, and Holly - another former contestant - appeared to her left.

Nikki leaned close, the touch of her costume sending tangerine gunk pulsing across Lena's side. An elbow rested on her shoulder, and then Nikki's fingers were walking up the diagonal strap of Lena's bikini top, ascending until they swept back her sopping hair, exposing an ear for Nikki to purr into.

"And what d'you suppose happens now?"

Lena bit back a giggle. She and Nikki had a history of tit-for-tat gungings, but it seemed the last laugh would be at her expense. Still clutching the pool's rim, she straightened. "This is where I get got, isn't it?"

Nikki's lips were mere centimetres from her ear. "Bingo."

Slime exploded. Lena gave a laughing scream as great flumes of the stuff gushed over her shoulders, spilling through her cleavage before churning the pool around her hips. Friends-turned-foes swarmed around her, armed with a bewildering array of mess. Pails of slop tipped over her head, pies pressed against her back, wrist-mounted sprayers jetted up and down her flanks. There was no end to the stuff.

Back arching, chest heaving, Lena squirmed amid a gooey hurricane. "Is this the best you can do?" she teased, trying her hardest to look unimpressed. The ghouls exchanged amused glances, then responded exactly as she hoped they would.

A dozen pies slathered her at once. Lena froze in silent laughter before dismissing it with a shake of her head. "Pssk, that was nothing! A flesh wound!"

Blasts of gunge fountained all around. "Haha! That.... haha.... what am I doing?" She rallied with another defiant outburst. "Tis but a scratch!"

Pies slapping against her stomach left her writhing, beset by ticklish laughter, yet still the gunging intensified. Lena began crossing her arms protectively, but her smirking friends pried them gently apart. Her voice thickened with barely suppressed titters.

"Call this a gunging? Pah! I got messier the last time I took a bath!" The sentence ended in a high-pitched yell as the ghouls crowded in, liquid fireworks bursting from their costumes.

Revelling in the mayhem, her body a warring mass of colour, Lena lifted her arms and whooped. This was the moment she'd been waiting for.

Down came the green stuff, a great shimmering cascade that erupted from the ceiling. Shaking torrents away from her eyes, Lena watched emerald cataracts sweep downward, smooth and thick, sheathing her like a second skin. At last the intercom clicked.

"Lena has been eliminated."

Cheering along with her vanquishers, Lena high-fived Nikki and Holly, then giggled as the others snuggled in for a final embrace. She hugged them back, chattering excitedly, accepting their curious mix of praise and commiserations even as green dregs pattered into her hair. Shivering with mirth, coated in goo, she was already picturing re-watching this with her friends back home, letting them laugh at her expense... before presenting each of them with tickets to the Splatter Dome. She couldn't wait to see their faces.

*****

Only a few yards distant, Liz congratulated herself on a job well done. Of course, she'd have been toast had the others not appeared through that hidden door when they had, but that only made watching this all the more satisfying.

Most of the newcomers were still splatting Lena, but slowly Liz became aware of looks being cast her way. Loathe to miss a second of this, she spared a brief glance at her admirer. It was Annabelle.

Oh.

Annabelle, the feisty little brunette she'd sent sliding into a pit of custard. With sudden horror Liz realised who was next on the menu.

Slime sloshing around her thighs, she edged away. "N-now hang on, let's not do anything rash."

Annabelle was wading toward her now. Desperately Liz searched for a way out, but the new arrivals were between her and the doors. Panic rose, yet for some reason a memory tugged at her. A scientist from the briefing video had been eliminated on this very spot, caught out by a ghoul who'd come... through...

That's it! Looking left, she saw the outline of a hatch on the wall. It had to lead somewhere, and frankly she was out of options.

With Annabelle drawing near, Liz struggled through the slop. A farcically slow chase ensued, but Liz's longer legs proved decisive. The pool lapped just above her knees, whereas poor Annabelle was in it almost to her waist. She reached the wall with mere seconds to spare. It might just be enough.

As was usual in this place, the seemingly-solid hatch was nothing but light plastic. It opened at the first tug, revealing an upward-tilting tunnel tipped by a circle of white daylight. From the corner of her eye she saw another ex-contestant, Ellie, straining to intercept her.

Do I have time to make fun of them? What am I thinking, there's always time.

"Ciao," she called. "Better luck next time."

Liz's mocking wave ended in a gasping stagger as pink gunk struck her face. She'd forgotten about the wrist-mounted sprayers each ghoul carried. With her pride suitably tattered, she waggled an accusing finger. "Bad form, you two."

With no more ado she hauled herself up as elegantly as was possible, which in the circumstances wasn't saying much. Sloppy tendrils trailed like melted cheese from her legs and hips, the swamp seemingly intent on pulling her back in. She drew clear just as someone's fingertips brushed her ankle. Disappointed "awwws" sounded behind her.

Hah, I win again!

Now leaving a shiny snail-trail, Liz crawled up the incline. She was halfway up when a doubt arrived, unbidden and insolent. After what I did to Annabelle, if anyone up there has a sense of dramatic irony...

That beckoning circle of light could be her salvation or her undoing. She scanned it intently, searching for any hint of movement, and then climbed as fast as she could.

*****

Having donned a bathrobe over her cossie, Lisa had gone for a stroll in a quiet part of the arena, hoping to steady her nerves before her big entrance. Flitting between the shadows of towering oaks, she traced a meandering line along a hillside behind the outpost. It really was a glorious day. As a redhead, one of the few good things about British weather was that she could actually walk about in the sun without masking herself in factor fifty. Back in Australia she'd be a smouldering crisp by now.

From nowhere a grimy hand erupted from the hillside, scaring her half to death. Recovering, she grinned in silent self-admonishment. Lisa, you're a grown woman and your first thought was 'Oh no, zombies!' Get a hold of yourself.

Another equally gooey hand appeared, accompanied by a ladylike grunt. Edging closer, Lisa discovered a circular shaft disappearing into the hill. Recalling what had befallen Melissa, she put two and two together.

Liz's head emerged. Seeing Lisa made her squeak in fright and almost slip back down the shaft, but at the last moment she clung on. Remembering her manners, Lisa helped her crawl free before taking a hasty step back. Slop drizzling from her Amazonian form, Liz thanked her and stood. Still breathless after her climb, she fixed Lisa with an inquisitive stare.

"Oh, hello - Lisa, isn't it? Um... where am I?"

"We're outside," Lisa explained. Liz's eyebrow arched a fraction. "Though you probably worked that out."

"I had an inkling, yes. The trees were a clue."

While wiping her hands on her robe, Lisa had an idea. "You're one of the traitors."

Liz smiled. "Certainly am."

"So we're on the same side."

"I suppose, though try telling that to some people..."

Lisa didn't know why she hadn't thought of this earlier. "You might be able to help me."

"Oh? With what?"

"I'll explain on the way."

Liz pondered a moment, then shrugged. "Alright. One condition though."

"What's that?"

"I need a shower."

*****

In the control room, Belle kicked her heels up on the desk and quietly scrunched a piece of paper in her left hand. Huge screens covered one wall, the largest of which displayed poor Kelly rolling along the conveyor, flurries of gunk coating her legs and rolling in coloured tides down her front. Amazingly, she was taking it all with good cheer - even managing to give Lucy a wave between coatings. Belle had to admire the woman's spirit. Though clearly not the brightest sort, Kelly was plainly willing to make an idiot of herself for a good cause. That was fortunate, for now her feet were drawing perilously near the blob's gaping mouth.

The blob. Belle felt disdainful just thinking of it. Even leaving aside the constant breakdowns, the thing was so slow as to be almost useless. Contestants had to either be cornered or literally fed to it for it to have any impact. What was more, it was practically impossible to aim. That was the real reason for its vast arsenal of hoses and sprayers - it was the only way they could be reasonably confident of it hitting anything. Belle considered her self-designed targeting systems so much more refined, but the man in black had a soft spot for this ludicrous puppet, and so they kept having to find uses for it. Speaking of which....

The screwed-up paper bounced off her colleague's head with a rustled crump. Hawk-like features turned toward her. "Do you mind? Some of us are trying to work."

"You call this work?"

The way the man humphed in protest brought an impish grin to Belle's lips. His main role was to monitor the arena, and today that had mostly involved watching beautiful women frolic about in very little. She didn't begrudge him a little eye-candy, and in truth she knew he was far too professional to ogle, but it didn't hurt to offer the occasional gentle reminder. Besides, teasing him was among her favourite pastimes.

He was beginning an elaborate defence when Belle's attention drifted to another monitor. She tapped deftly at her keyboard. "Think someone wants a word with you."

A new image flared on the main screen, and for a second her companion was rendered speechless. Two young women faced the camera, shoulder-length hair shining chocolate brown on one, platinum blonde on the other. Annabelle and Ellie. Each had their ghoul suits peeled to their waists, leaving their upper bodies bare save for black bikini tops.

"I know you can hear us," Annabelle called, her voice sounding tinny through the speakers. "I want to speak to the guy in the suit."

Hiding a smirk, Belle leaned toward her colleague. "It's rude to stare," she whispered.

After a moment of pretending to clear his throat, the man in black made sure to look Annabelle and Ellie in the eye - regardless of the fact they couldn't actually see him. "Yes, I can hear you," he said, his voice admirably level.

"Aha! It's about time. You still wearing that jacket?"

There was a puzzled pause. "Uh, yes..."

"Take a look at the inside pocket."

Doing as he was bidden, the man's slate-grey eyes narrowed. His hand withdrew holding a small notepad with something written on the top page. In a flash he was on his feet. "How could I have forgotten! Belle, we have work to do."

To Be Continued....