Chapter 16:
Two guards stood silently in front of the double doors to Billy's suite. Connor had been sitting on a chair in the hallway for the last ten minutes. He had arrived early to Billy's requested meeting after he was chased off from the hospital where Andre was recovering.
Connor spent all morning trying to get information about Andre from various nurses, doctors, janitors, and secretaries at the hospital. After several failed attempts, Lena arrived back at the hospital and was able to get a little information. She found out that Andre remained unconscious and that he had suffered several internal injuries which he could not have sustained in his short fight with Connor. She also found out that Andre had some strange chemicals in his blood stream.
The news left Connor with mixed emotions. He was relieved that he wasn't the primary cause of Andre's hospitalization, but was equally outraged knowing that Andre had been victimized by Billy. Connor was not surprised that his friend was probably drugged. He knew Billy's tactics of using pharmaceuticals on fighters and he wasn't surprised Billy would drug someone to launch them into a hysterical rage.
The events of the morning weighed heavily on Connor's mind, but he also needed to focus on the predicament Billy was forcing him into. He looked at the closed doors and felt incredibly nervous about meeting his mom. With closed eyes, Connor thought about the happy memories of his mother. It wasn't hard to imagine her holding him and playing with him on their small farm. As vivid as anything he had ever seen, Connor could see his mother's smile. Her thin lips and tightly pointed chin were crystal clear in his mind. As he held the picture in his mind he opened his eyes to see Billy exiting his suite.
"Glad to see you made it." Billy sneered.
Connor stood up and marched right past Billy bumping him in the shoulder as he walked by. "Let's get this over with."
"Slow down!" Billy outburst in opposition to Connor's decisive action. "She's not quite ready."
"You said two o'clock!" Connor marched right into the empty suite and turned quickly to face Billy who was walking straight toward Connor.
"I will not be disrespected like this!" Billy fumed.
Connor put his nose right in Billy's face. "What instructions do you have for me?"
"Now that's better." Billy side stepped Connor's aggressive movement. "You Connor have had an unexpected injury." Billy chuckled.
Connor expected some kind of trick. "You want me out of the tournament?"
"Precisely!" Billy smiled. "Except... I'd like you to join me in honoring your friend Andre before you bow out. He's in quite the treacherous condition."
Connor bit his tongue from lashing out. "I'll bow out if you meet me on the pitch." The opportunity could not have been better for Connor to leverage back against Billy.
"So you still want to finish what we started in France?" Billy was amused.
"Fight me in the tournament in a clean fight and I'll leave... Win or lose." Connors intensity was starting to envelope the room.
Billy took a minute to soak in the proposition. "It's too bad I've seen you fight or I might have accepted your challenge."
"I guess we can finish it now then." Connor walked intently toward Billy.
Billy backed away looking for an out, but didn't see one. Connor sensed fear in Billy's eyes as he came closer with each step. Just as Connor was about to reach out and grab his nemesis; a side door to the suite opened. Connor quickly turned to see a late middle aged woman in a business suit enter the room. Her brown hair and green eyes were exactly as he remembered them when he was a child. She wore glasses and looked serious, but wore a glint of a smile on her thin lips.
"Sorry I'm late." The woman announced.
Connor halted his advance toward Billy. Billy meanwhile slithered towards the woman and escorted her to a sitting area near the front doors. Connor patiently followed and watched as Billy sat the woman down and then joined her.
"Won't you sit down Connor?" Billy politely requested.
Connor gently shook his head in disagreement. "I'm fine standing."
Billy apprehensively adjusted his posture and cleared his throat. "This is Celeste..."
"Hello mother." Connor cut off Billy.
Celeste's grin turned sour as she focused on Connor. "I prefer to be called Celeste."
"Did you want to ask me anything or are we done?" Connor said coldly.
"Is your father truly dead?" Celeste asked intently.
"Killed with a Kenshi knife at Billy's stick house." Connor glared at Billy who was now wriggling in his seat.
A glint of remorse peered its way out of Celeste's eyes. "He was an honest man."
"Celeste my dear... shall we tell Connor why you wanted to meet him?" Billy steered the conversation.
"I am happy with the decisions I have made in my life." Celeste sounded as if she was reciting verse. "You brought me great joy as a young mother, but I must preserve my own livelihood. Go forward with your life knowing I loved you when I could and that I have a broader agenda to complete now."
"Crikey mom! Who feed you that line?" Connor exclaimed.
Billy braced himself in his seat. "It's how your mother truly feels Connor. It is why you have no reason to continue on this path of violence. Go back to England and live the life you wanted."
Time slowed down as Connor suddenly felt the careful footwork of the stag invade his mind. He could sense he was on a slope and needed to use sure footing. Then it came. Celeste looked toward the ground and Connor could see a tear restrained in the corner of her eye.
"Would you like to come with me mom?" Connor gently asked.
Celeste couldn't hold it in any longer. She let out a gasp and the tears started flowing. Billy was confused, he rose to his feet and quickly grabbed Celeste by the hair and yanked her to her feet.
"Let go of my mom!" Connor roared.
"I've got everything that's precious to you in my control! With one word your friend Andre will die, your slutty girlfriend will be back on the street, and your mom will join your dad!" Billy threatened.
Connor took in a deep breath and puffed out his chest. "You win Billy. I will bow out after I fight tonight. Give me Maria as my trainer and I walk away after tonight."
Billy smiled. "I'm not playing into your games boy. That girl is mine now! After you're gone you can only hope all of your friends will be granted my mercy."
"I can't stop you Billy." Connor conceded.
Billy thrust Celeste down onto the sofa where she was sitting. "Before the matches begin we will honor Andre. You will be there and then you will fight, get hurt, and lose!"
Connor could sense the stag controlling his steps and then felt a fluffy tail tickle the back of his mind. He wanted to let out an oppressed giggle, but instead stared blankly at Billy. "Tonight it is."
Staff Master 2 Page 17
