by H. T. Night
I sat back down in my seat and looked out into the arena. Tommy stood in the middle of the ring. He was only wearing some ripped jeans and had no shirt on. His back was to us. It was as if he refused to look in Romero’s direction. The crowd loved him as they chanted his name repeatedly. I knew that was the only solace he was feeling at this moment. The killings were weighing heavily on him.
Then the announcer once again made his way to the middle of the ring. He grabbed the microphone. The announcer appeared to have seen enough. He looked pretty shaken up. He said in a deep voice, “Greed,” and stepped out of the ring.
The black double doors opened and a Mani man entered who looked to be about fifty years old. I recognized him, he used to own a Mexican food chain in the states called El Burrito. It went bankrupt a year back. No wonder he needed the money. He wasn’t a fighter. He was a failed businessman.
“This isn’t even close to being a fair fight!” I said to Romero. “Age alone, that guy can’t compete with an athlete such as Tommy.”
“You’d be surprised. That’s Manuel Vega. You recognize him from his humorous El Burrito commercials, but he was a golden gloves champion such as yourself in his youth.”
“That was at least 40 years ago. Tommy is in the prime of his life.”
“What can I say? You offer a man five million dollars and he grows a pair of balls.”
“Or if you threaten his family by gunpoint,” I said back to Romero. Romero just looked at me. He knew I was getting riled up. He was a smart guy and knew when to shut up, even though he was a billionaire.
This wasn’t going to be good. Tommy watched as the guy tentatively approached the stage. Then something else hit me, this guy wasn’t a Mani or a Carni. He was a human, a Tandra.
“You can’t do this, Romero!” I yelled.
“Why is that?”
“He’s not immortal, he’s only a man.”
“Wow, you’re good, Josiah. What are you, some kind of Las Vegas psychic?”
“This is inhuman,” I said.
“Well, then it’s good that Tommy is no longer human.”
“This is wrong. It’s against the Triat code. We can’t fight unwilling humans. You’re damning Tommy!”
“Don’t talk to me about your vampire voodoo, son. Tommy agreed to fight seven people tonight, regardless who they are underneath their skin. There was never talk about each one having to be immortal.”
This was not going to be good.
Tommy was smart. He was going to know very quickly that this guy wasn’t a Carni or a Mani. The only chance he had was if he never transitioned to the werewolf. If he fought the guy only in his Carni form, he might be able to skate pass the Triat by-laws.
Tommy turned toward the Romero suite and shook his head at Romero. He knew this guy was mortal.
Thank God.
“Come on, Tommy,” I whispered, underneath my breath. “Whatever you do, don’t transition.”
Tommy reluctantly took a fighter’s stance, as did Manuel Vega. Here were two people fighting to the death and neither one of them wanted to fight each other, but for two completely different reasons. One didn’t want to kill, and the other didn’t want to be killed.
The fourth bell rang.
Manuel came at Tommy and with his right hand. jabbed Tommy’s chin. Tommy didn’t even try to get out of the way. Tommy purposely took the jab. The jab is used to set up a much harder punch. This man was a southpaw, meaning his power hand was his left.
Manuel continued to move around Tommy and soften him up by jabbing him in the face. Tommy stood in his way and just took each punch. Manuel was giving him the best he had. Then he unloaded a left hook that hit the side of Tommy’s face. Again, Tommy didn’t get out of the way. The left hook shook him up a bit, but didn’t knock him down. Manuel was giving the best he had and Tommy not only took each punch, he didn’t even try to get out of the way of them.
This was about to be a blood bath. When a Carni or Mani dies, they disappear, end of story. If a human being dies, his remains will be left in the ring.
If a gory, bloody, punch fest that led to a fatality was what this crowd paid to see, then they were about to get their money’s worth. I, on the other hand, didn’t need to see any more. I closed my eyes, knowing this poor businessman’s destiny.
I leaned my head back and just listened to the cheers, moans and groans of the crowd. The sounds that were coming from inside the ring were brutal. The sounds of horror filled the arena. I refused to look into the ring. Instead, I opened my eyes and looked at the faces in the crowd. There were very few cheers. People stood on their feet with blank, horrific looks on their faces. Still, no one would leave. I could only imagine what Tommy had to do. I didn’t want to know.
Soon, paramedics rushed to the stage, give the illusion that this place gave a crap about that poor man’s life. It was apparently over. That guy wasn’t going to need CPR; he was going to need a body bag.
I turned to Romero. “I need to get ready. I’m going to leave your suite with or without your permission.” As I said this, the entire room stood to their feet. Romero motioned with his right hand to let me leave, but instructed three men to go with me.
Why did Romero insist on keeping me in his suite? I needed to figure out that part, and I wasn’t going to understand what was actually happening until I investigated this entire situation on my own.
Chapter Twenty-nine
I made my way to the fighter holding area with Romero’s thugs close behind me. It was like having my very own camouflage entourage. I opened the door and for some reason, there were more fighters in the holding area than normal. There must have been 300 Carni and Mani in the room.
It was more apparent than ever how segregated the two sides were. On the left side of the holding area, the Carni all stood their ground. I recognized a few from a few months back as those who had fought beside me. I nodded my head at them to say hello, regardless if they were Carni or not. Some recognized the gesture, most were afraid to respond to it. They all seemed unsure of why I was there. I didn’t think anyone other than Romero knew that I was going to be the main event.
On the right side of the holding area was the Mani, they were as intimidating and beaten down of a group as I had ever seen. These were true warriors. They were battle tested, night in and night out. The Mani seemed equally as unhappy to see me. Something was eating at these guys. They were divided. One thing I had respected about these guys was that they seemed to be united regardless of immortal race, having being warriors in common. Not tonight, they were as divided as the Red Sea.
I found a spot that was somewhere in the middle of the two sides and began to stretch and prepare for the fight that was to come.
“Why are you here?” a Carni man yelled out to me.
I didn’t respond.
“I thought Tommy was your boy?” a different Carni said.
“His boy?” a Mani man yelled out. “Why is his boy in there killing Mani?”
Now it was clear to me why there was so much division tonight among the fighters. They were looking at it in its simplest form: vampires versus werewolves.
Romero had done a good job at making both sides feel uneasy. They had turned on each other and that was the way he liked it. A house divided cannot stand, and Romero didn’t want any unionizing going on with these guys.
As I stretched, I felt both sides moving closer and closer to me. They remained on their separate sides, but I was now surrounded by everyone in the room. I didn’t even have room to stretch.
“Why is Tommy breaking the code tonight?” a Carni man came up to me and asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Romero has something on him.”
“You think it’s coming from Romero?” the same man asked.
“I know it is,” I said. “That isn’t Tommy out there. Whatever Romero has on him, it must be huge because…”
“You don’t think he’s doing it for money?” a Mani man interrupted me. “We were
told this was his last night, Romero is probably giving him a real nice severance package on the way out if he kills for higher ticket prices.”
I thought about what these men were saying and I looked at both sides. “This isn’t about money. This is about a different kind of debt that Tommy has that Romero is exploiting, or its blatant blackmail.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” a different Mani man yelled out and walked forward. I recognized him. He also fought alongside me against Krull.
Again I said to the group of fighters. “Tommy fights with honor. Especially in the ring.” I looked back at Romero’s bodyguards. They were ready to radio Romero the second I started riling up these guys. I knew I needed to be careful.
I turned to the crowd of immortals and said, “In the ring tonight, Tommy is fighting another fight in there. I’m not sure what it is. Every man in here is paying off a debt. All I can say is that Tommy is fighting for something bigger than himself. That’s all I can tell you.”
The spectators in the room just stared at me. There were no more comments, which was probably a good thing. I understood their frustration and even their fear. If Romero turned this place into a death match central, it would change everything. Still, I needed to figure out some stuff and I wasn’t going to be able to do it while trying to ease these men’s fears.
“If you guys don’t mind,” I said, “I need to prepare and get ready.”
“Prepare for what?” one asked.
I didn’t respond to the comment. As matter of fact, I had said enough. I walked out of the holding area and found a side entrance that led to outside the arena.
I stepped outside and I put my back against the door, so Romero’s men couldn’t get to me. I needed a break from everyone. I looked up to the sky and said a prayer. I asked for forgiveness and I asked for strength. Most of all, I asked for wisdom.
I opened the door and made my way back to the holding area. I walked all the way across; again, everyone stopped and just watched me. I saw Militia hanging out behind the black double doors. Then I realized what was happening. Militia was going to represent Pride. I walked by him and slipped through the double doors before he was announced. I stood in the very back, out of sight to the crowd, but I could see the ring.
The announcer walked to the center of the ring and said, “Pride.”
I watched as Militia made his way to the ring. Militia was a powerhouse, a one-man army. I recalled him single-handedly killing four of Krull’s men. I didn’t know what to make of it. I was becoming numb to the savagery. I knew I couldn’t do that. I had to stay above the horror.
Militia had one of the most shredded bodies I had ever seen as he entered the ring.
Then something really bizarre started happening to me, a powerful overwhelming feeling came over all my senses. I had an amazing sensation burn through me.
I felt Lena. I felt her overwhelming presence. I closed my eyes and I could feel her, as if she was right on top of me.
What the hell was going on? Why here? Why now?
The fifth bell rang.
I was drawn to the middle of the ring from where I stood in the back. In the ring, two warriors were about to fight to the death, but yet, I could feel my one true love in this very arena.
I began slowly walking toward the ring. Some of the crowd recognized me and even called out my name, but most were far more interested in the fight at hand. Tommy had already transitioned into the gray wolf and the two were squared off, they took turns attacking and retreating.
“Tommy,” I said, in my head. “Don’t look in my direction but I am to the left of you at ringside. Militia is a beast. You’re going to have to fight a very thorough fight. I know you’re exhausted, but that is the only way you’re going to beat him.”
“I’m not sure if I have anything left, Josiah,” Tommy responded, without looking at me.
“I’m going to be the eyes behind your head. Just listen to my voice. Fight your fight and I’ll do my best to point out his weaknesses.”
“Josiah, be careful,” Tommy said. “Whatever you do, don’t let on that we are communicating. It’s a matter of life and death.”
“Whose life, Tommy?” I asked. “Whose death?”
Tommy didn’t answer. As I stood watching the fight, I could once again feel Lena’s presence. It was very odd. In my heart, I knew she was in danger, but as long as I was close to the ring, I felt she was safe.
“Tommy, Militia is very crafty. He has never lost a fight in this arena.”
“Well, neither have I,” Tommy responded.
Then Militia flew into Tommy’s werewolf body and tackled him to the ground. He slipped his left forearm underneath Tommy’s neck. Tommy got to his feet and spun around the ring, swinging Militia like a rag doll. It looked like something out of the Lion King. The guy was locked in good, choking Tommy out.
“Roll! Tommy! Roll forward!” I yelled in my head.
Tommy rolled the guy all over the ring. Militia was still locked into Tommy’s neck with his left forearm.
“Take your left claw and scratch the hell out of his left arm. He will have to eventually let go.” If Tommy could get him to let go of his pressure, then Tommy could chuck him off his body. Tommy was losing consciousness. “Do it, Tommy! Do it now!”
Tommy began raking his claws into Militia’s forearm. He was ripping into it like a cheese grater. That motherfucker was still not letting go, but I could see his face wincing.
“Don’t stop, Tommy. He’s giving up his hold.”
Tommy continued to scratch and claw and then finally, it was too much for Militia to bear. He let go.
Tommy rolled forward and quickly transitioned into his Carni form. He stood there faced off with Militia, gasping for air. He was finally free.
I knew Tommy wanted to fight him, man to man. Although he had insane strength as the wolf, Tommy had far more control of his hands and feet when he was in his Carni or human form.
“Tommy!” I yelled, from the side of the ring. I didn’t care who could hear me. “He’s too powerful as a Mani, you need to transition!”
Tommy looked at me and said, “Screw it, Josiah. I was a human fighter before all of this madness. I’m fighting this motherfucker straight up.”
‘Militia’ looked at Tommy and said, “No shenanigans?”
“No shenanigans!” Tommy said, back to ‘Militia.’
“Then I’ll also fight you straight up,” Militia yelled out.
There it was. Two old-school MMA fighters going toe to toe and agreeing to not use any of the immortal powers. This should be interesting.
Tommy looked exhausted, but I knew he was in great shape. If anybody could come out the victor after all he’d been through tonight, it was him.
The two traded punches and take downs for about twenty minutes. It was technically perfectly executed by both sides. Even if Tommy won, he would have nothing left in the tank when this was over. Both fighters were giving their all. The crowd had no idea what a masterpiece of fighting they were witnessing.
Militia kicked Tommy, but Tommy caught his leg and wrapped his arm around his calf and he pushed Militia off balance with his other hand. He stepped forward, shoving Militia to his back. Tommy then jumped on top of him. Nobody was better at dealing with an opponent from the top position than Tommy.
This was the classic ground and pound. Tommy had Militia pinned to his back and he began raining forearms and elbows down on top of Militia’s head, neck, and body. Every one of Tommy’s shots landed. Militia tried to defend himself, but Tommy was far too strong and far too talented. Militia tried to protect his head, but the sea of blows eventually knocked him out.
In a normal fight, this is where a referee would step in and stop the fight. Not on this night. I knew Tommy had to do what he had to do. I didn’t want to see it. Tommy had won his fifth straight fight. I got up and walked to the back of the arena and didn’t look in the ring. The response of the crowd told me all I needed to know. Five Mani
were now dead.
It was now apparent what was to happen in the last fight between Tommy and I. Romero wanted only one of us alive after the fight. That wasn’t going to happen as far as I was concerned. This entire deal was off. Tommy had paid back his debt tenfold. He had done the honorable thing. He gave Romero five amazing fights. Tommy had nothing left. I eventually turned around to look inside of the ring. There was no sign of Militia. He had obviously been supernaturally disposed of. Tommy was lying on his back. I knew my best friend had zero left. He had given every inch of himself in that fight.
He was done and I was done. Lena was in danger and I knew she was close. I needed to know who had her and why she was even near this place.
I went back up to Romero’s suite.
Chapter Thirty
I stepped inside Romero’s suite. “Excellent job, Josiah!” Romero said. “I love how you went down to the ring and gave the crowd a little taste of what is to come later in the night.”
“It’s over, Romero!” I said, plainly. “Tommy paid his debt to you. We had no written contracts and, as far as I’m concerned, he’s paid off. And if you don’t like it, that’s just too bad.”
“As far as you’re concerned?” Romero asked, with anger building in the inflection of his voice.
“Yeah, I say he’s done. We’re done. He gave you a show for the ages. No one else has to die!”
Romero stared at me and didn’t say a word for what felt like minutes. I stared back at him. I wasn’t backing down. Guns didn’t scare me. Nothing about this place scared me. There was absolutely nothing this man could do that would make me do anything I didn’t want to do.
Oh, so I thought.
Romero calmly looked me in the eye and said, “You are free to leave and so is Tommy. But I will say this; at least one or more persons will die tonight. It is up to you who it is, or who they are.”
I stared at Romero and I knew then just who he meant. “You son of a bitch!” I yelled. It took everything I had not to kill him where he stood.
