“You need to kill him,” Michael said.
“Yes,” the man replied.
“Make it fast and dirty. Send a message.”
“Okay.”
“The more blood, the better I’ll pay you. Remember that.”
“Okay.”
They didn’t speak any more after that. I wasn’t surprised about what I had heard. The man started to move around and loosen himself up. I was terrified for Rex. This guy clearly was going to try and murder him, but I didn’t know if Rex would play by the same rules. I had never been to a fight like that in my entire life.
Time passed slowly as Michael’s fighter moved around the ring, keeping himself loose. The way he stretched and shook his body made it clear how fast and dangerous he was. I had never seen a man so smooth and sure of himself, except for Rex. But where Rex had a lively smile and a sense of humor, this man was blank and dangerous. He said nothing and had no expression on his face at all. He was like a stone human, or a killing machine.
I was also terrified that Rex wouldn’t show up. Nearly an hour passed, and he was nowhere to be seen. Michael kept looking back at me with this horrible smile, as if he was savoring what he would get to do to me if Rex never showed. I couldn’t imagine that he would run away at that point and leave me there with Michael, but it was starting to look like that was a possibility. I was done for if Rex didn’t come. He was already late, or at least I guessed he was, and people were beginning to get angry.
I felt weak and trapped. I wanted to get out of that situation on my own, but I knew that I was surrounded on all sides by people bigger than I was. If Rex came, he would have his hands full trying to survive. I needed to find the strength to get myself out of the room in the end, and not rely on Rex saving the day. I looked at my two guards and as the crowd pulsed around us, I thought of a plan.
Suddenly, the place started to quiet down. There was a creaking on the staircase, and Rex appeared, hobbling down the steps. He turned the corner and the crowd parted for him. My breath caught in my chest: he still looked injured, but there were no new bruises. He limped into the center of the ring, face grim and serious. He looked at me and I met his deep green eyes. I saw something pass over his expression, a kind of rage I’d never witnessed before, but it was quickly gone, and he looked away. I didn’t understand why he was limping, but I told myself I would trust him.
“Well, well, well, he showed up,” Michael said loudly. The crowd suddenly broke into loud cheers, a roar of passion. The excitement level in the room jumped tenfold.
Once the noise died down, Rex stepped into the center of the circle. He pulled off his tight dark blue shirt, and was wearing only loose, short gym shorts and light black sneakers. The muscles and tattoos rippled up his arms, and the bruises stood out clearly. He was moving slowly and sluggishly, although I knew that a day earlier he was moving fine. I wasn’t sure what was happening, and thought that maybe Michael’s men had attacked him again to soften him up for the fight.
Michael’s man stepped up in front of Rex in the center of the circle, and Michael joined them.
“Well, lads, this is it, for all the marbles so to speak. Rex, meet Gunther, your opponent.” The crowd went wild with chants and cheering. I assumed everyone knew who Gunther was, and based on the reaction, he was no joke.
“You both know the rules. You fight until one of you can’t fight any longer. Rex, if you win, you have your freedom.”
“The girl, too,” Rex replied. Michael grinned and looked back at me.
“She’s a pretty one, isn’t she?”
“If you touched her, I’ll rip off your head.”
Michael looked back at Rex, his face twisted into mock horror. “Me, touch her? I’d never.”
“Fuck you, Michael. Say the girl goes free too.” The crowd began to murmur.
“Of course, the girl goes free. She’s always free. I have no reason to hold on to her.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Rex said. Michael laughed.
“Alright, lads, to your sides. On the bell, you start.” Michael and Gunther moved off and joined Spud, Clutch, and me. Gunther stood in toward the center, rolling his shoulders. Rex retreated to other side of the circle.
They stood like that, eyeing each other, both ripped and dangerous. Gunther had a small smile on his face and Rex moved slowly, wincing with pain. I was terrified and my heart began to smash through my chest. Adrenaline spiked through me mixed with fear and anticipation. The crowd began to cheer again and chant, and the energy level skyrocketed.