For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,187

everyone thinks."

Rhaven sat there for a moment, letting that sink in, and then she nodded. "Then I think we need to change the conversation. Right now, this is being framed as religious rights and pushing inappropriate subjects onto kids." Because that was what all the questions she'd heard had implied, and it was the usual spin. "But we need to get the topic back on track."

"To what?" Chance asked.

"To KoG," Rhaven said. "To terrorism. To the real damage this stuff causes. Chance, we're sitting here playing defense and nudging things where we need them to be, but why don't we get out a sledgehammer and take over?"

His lips were curling into a smile. "You have my complete attention."

"I just got a message from some kid that plays Flawed," she said. "She came out to her parents last night because she saw my post. How many kids didn't send me a message on the forums? How many kids are holding a razor blade right this second, or a bottle of pills, or - god forbid - a gun? This is an attack, Chance, and not just against me. It's fucking terrorism against anyone who doesn't fit in the mold. Doesn't matter if that's someone like Jeff, or Dez, or me!"

Chance's response was to lean forward and grab the headset for the phone on his desk. From memory, he typed in a number and put the receiver to his ear. Then, "Claudia? Hey, it's Chance. I have a story for you." He paused. "Mm, I figured you'd see it. Well, I did promise you exclusives. Who are you working for right now? Yeah? Even better. What about a full press conference. Sure, I'll hold." Then he looked at Rhaven. "I hope you're ready for this."

"I will be," she promised. "I have to be."

Then he looked away, his attention back on the phone. "Noon? Yep, sounds perfect. Ok, I'll give you an exclusive interview right after, how's that? Oh, sure, I have a feeling Rhaven will talk to you as well. Dez?" He made a noise in the back of his throat. "Claudia, someone grabbed her this morning. I mean, if she's up for it, then sure, but she might not be. Ok, I'll tell her. Yeah. I'll let you handle that side, and I'll get everything ready on ours."

"So, we're doing this?" Rhaven asked when he hung up.

"Tomorrow. Noon," Chance said. "She's going to get everyone. Right now, she's a local anchor for NBC, but she's calling all of the gamer magazines, TGC, CNN, and every cable news network she can reach. This will be big."

Rhaven nodded. "I can do it."

"I know you can," Chance promised. "I'm just giving you the biggest stage possible, because it's that important. And Rhaven? Deviant Games will always support your decision. Whatever that decision might be."

Chapter 61

When Rhaven left Chance's office, she headed straight for Braden's desk. He was sitting there with his brow furrowed, clearly frustrated by whatever was on his screen. It was intense enough that when she walked up and dropped a hand on his shoulder, he didn't immediately look up.

"No matter what filter we use," he grumbled, "they're finding ways around it. Fucking infuriating!" With a groan, he pushed back his keyboard drawer and finally looked at her. "You ok?" Worry immediately filled his voice.

Rhaven realized that she'd been a blubbering mess for much of the last two days, and her face probably showed it. "Yeah, no, I'm ok," she promised. "Braden, I just talked to Chance. I'm going to do a press conference tomorrow. This whole thing is getting out of hand."

He pushed back his chair and gave her his complete attention. "Baby, it's normal. If it's not this, then it's something else. It will always be something else."

"And we're not making new games because we're dealing with this," she countered, "so this is not an everyday thing." Rhaven grabbed his hand. "Brae, it's ok. I'm not feeling guilty about it. Well, not too much. What I'm saying is that we're not winning. They - whoever that includes - are writing the narrative, and we need to change that."

"Then Chance can handle it," he said.

She huffed. "I'm going to!"

He surged out of his chair. "No, you're not!"

Both of their voices had gotten loud enough to make people look over. Braden realized it as well, so he grabbed her arm and turned her toward the rooms at the back. He didn't pull, though. Even with the frustration clear on his face, he