MC watched his breath cloud up in front of him as he got out of this car. He grabbed his gym bag from the passenger seat and walked silently beneath the streetlights. He began to feel the excitement and nervousness of the night to come.
As long as he won the match, he would be one step closer to finding Jin, but would he really be able to do it without the help of his flash bang equipment? He’d won plenty of fights without it, but it was usually against street thugs, not trained boxers.
He approached the building labeled with the address that Carlos had provided. From the outside, most people would mistake it for a regular gym with a rough crowd. The sides of the building were spray painted and the windows were locked behind metal bars. As he walked into the building It looked like a regular gym. There was a mix of weights and different machines.
MC wasn’t sure where to go since there didn’t seem to be many people there. He looked over at a man sitting behind the counter who was busy scrolling on his phone. The man was wearing a white stained tank top and had his feet resting on the counter like a foot stool. The man glanced up briefly, motioned to the side with his head, then returned his focus to the phone. It was a mysterious interaction, but MC figured it meant he was good to follow the muffled sounds of the crowd.
He walked across the gym and down a set of stairs. At the bottom of the staircase was a small platform where two large men wearing sunglasses stood, blocking a closed door. “Security check. Arms up,” the man on the left ordered. MC lifted his arms and the men patted down his clothing. They opened his gym bag and looked inside too. It was a fairly thorough inspection which helped MC feel that it would be hard for anyone to slip a weapon through. “All clear,” said the guard on the left. Without further hesitation, the guard opened the door to reveal the backs of a cheering crowd. The heavy scent of cigarettes and sweat rolled out the open door.
Within the center of the crowd was a square boxing ring. It had a fence Consisting of three red elastic ropes to keep the fighters inside the boundaries. People cheered loudly as two fighters beat the hell out of each other for everyone to see. On the side wall of the basement was a window sealed with a panel of thick glass aside from a small opening at the bottom. Labeled above was a sign that said, “Betting Counter.” Sitting behind the window was an elderly man with a mustache who briskly counted a stack of cash and provided a receipt to a woman covered in piercings.
On the opposite wall was a small bar counter with a single bartender. Colorful bottles were displayed on the shelf above. “Couldn’t have fighting and gambling without a few drinks now could you?” said MC out loud.
MC walked along the wall at the edge of the crowd. There must be at least five hundred people here. He stood on his toes and watched the action happening in the ring. One of the fighters collapsed after a right hook to the jaw. Saliva sprayed from his mouth and he was out cold. The crowd roared and then quickly dispersed as people rushed to the betting counter to collect their shares while others stood around refilling drinks and chatting.
As the crowd continued to disperse throughout the room MC passed by an oddly familiar man. He was taller than average and had his hood pulled down low over his face. MC wasn't able to see his eyes, but his aura was oddly cold. The crowd in here was a rough one and that man seemed like a devil among demons. All of a sudden the thought hit him. He realized where he’d seen that man, or more accurately, felt that feeling before. It was at The Organization building. That man was The Vampire. What’s that guy doing here?
The sudden feeling of someone grabbing his shoulders from behind jolted his attention. He spun around in a panic to see that it was Carlos. “Hey, MC it’s almost showtime,” said Carlos. Are you ready?” His Spanish accent was as thick as ever.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“That's the spirit.”
“I’ve got the match all ready to go. I had to pull some strings, but you're set to go up against the reigning champ tonight.” He pulled MC close and lowered his voice a little even though you had to shout to hear another person anyway. “I know you're going to win. You’re going to have to if you want that information we discussed by the end of the night.”
“Glad to see your confidence in me,” said MC determinedly.
Carlos smiled and pointed to a blue metal door along the wall next to the betting counter. The number four was painted white on it. “See that over there? That’s your locker room. Go get dressed during this intermission. Your fight will be up in a little while. When it’s time, the announcer will call you out. Just wait there until then.” MC nodded and went into the locker room.
It was larger than he’d expected. There was a bench, a shower, and a wall of about a dozen lockers. He stuffed his things inside an open locker and got changed into a pair of shorts. He did some stretching and tried to calm his nerves. He wasn't particularly worried about being the center of attention, but was worried about losing the fight. There was a lot riding on his abilities. He tried to remind himself, “If Carlos is sure that I’ll win, then I’ll win. It’s his job to know things after all. Right?” MC wasn’t even sure if Carlos really did know what he claimed to know about Jin.
In the other locker room was the reigning champ and his manager. The Champ is what people had started calling him since he’d been winning so many fights. The Champ was tall and lanky under his olive skin and spanning muscles. He had a chest full of curly hair and a head to match.
The Champ’s manager took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it between his lips. Smoke swirled around his bulging stomach and tan suit. “I’m telling you I don't know anything about this guy you’re fighting. He doesn't have a manager or nothin. Probably just some small fry.”
“Do you think I’ll win this match?” asked The Champ nervously.
“Of course you’ll win this match. You’re The Champ! I’m not sure how you got put up against this guy. I’ve been arranging all the fights, but this time I was told that you were already assigned to someone. We both know there’s been a lot of money riding on your fights so folks are likely to keep betting good on you. Best not to let the fans down.” The manager began pacing back and forth with nervousness as The Champ finished getting ready. “Just make sure to use your signature technique and everything should be fine. We may have been matching you up with mediocre opponents, but that special move of yours ain’t no joke. Remember when The Organization was trying to recruit you a couple years ago?”
“You’re right. I worked for years to develop my move. I’ve got this.”
“Here take these fresh gloves,” said the manager as he pulled out a pair of red boxing gloves and handed them over to the champ. He put them on and wiggled his fingers around inside to get comfortable.
In the main staged area, an announcer spoke over the crowd through a microphone that hung down from the ceiling while pacing around. He wore a striped referee shirt that was tucked into his black pants. “Alright ladies and gentlemen, we are about to start the next fight. It will be between MC and The Champ! It will start in just five minutes so place your last minute bets now.”
In front of the betting window was a swarm of people. There was confusion and some uncertainties among them. “Who the hell is MC?” someone asked.
“I don't know, but he sure ain’t gonna beat The Champ.” someone replied.
”Yeah, especially not with that powerful signature move of his.”
“I don’t think anyone in the world could beat him.”
The crowd was pushing and shoving each other to get to the counter as fast as they could. The man behind the counter took money and entered names into a computer system with blazing speed.
At last, the time of the fight had arrived. The referee stood with the microphone in the boxing ring again. “Ok gather around everyone,” he said as the last few people placed bets at the window. The energy and noise inside the basement quieted down a bit.
MC pulled his boxing gloves onto his hands and stood at the door of the locker room, ready to come out when called.
“Come on out MC!” the announcer belted into the mic. The lights dimmed in the room and a spotlight shone on MC’s door. He swung it open and walked out towards the ring. The confidence he showed was much more than what he felt. The crowd parted, making a path for him to get through. Varied shouts bellowed out from those around him.
“He’s not that big.”
“No way this guy is going to beat The Champ.”
“Why is The Champ even wasting his time on this guy?”
“Maybe there’s more to him than meets the eye.”
Carlos was there in the crowd too. “Don’t let me down! You got this,” he yelled to MC as he walked by.
MC climbed up into the ring and stood against a post in one corner. The referee then called The Champ up. “Next we have, The Champ!”
He opened the locker room door and the crowd parted for him as they had for MC. The volume of the crowd increased with every step. He walked confidently up to the stage as people shouted encouragement. Once the two fighters were on the stage it was time for the match to start.
“Alright you guys know the rules. There’s only one way to lose. If you are knocked down or collapse onto the ground longer than my count to ten you’re done for. MC and The Champ both nodded. The referee put his hand out between the two fighters and lifted it straight up while shouting, “Fight!”
The two fighters backed away from each other trying to determine an area of weakness or a first strike to take. MC kept his distance with his arms up in front of him. He looked at the muscles in his opponents arms and core. This guy certainly looks tough. I’ll hold back and let him make the first move.
“Arrghh! Ready or not here I come,” said The Champ. He ran across the ring at full speed. Raising his right fist above his shoulder he prepared to strike. MC moved to the side and narrowly avoided the attack. He knew it was a moment to strike while The Champ was off balance. MC punched him twice in the side which sent him against the ropes. The crowd’s shouts intensified. The Champ paused for a moment and glared at MC who glared back just as hard.
This guy is pretty fast. I was barely able to dodge that attack. I better do something else before he runs at me again. He slowly scooted in to close the distance between them while keeping his guard up. The Champ swung at MC who defended with his gloves, but the impact was powerful. It broke his guard for a moment and he had to steady himself. Right after that, The Champ unleashed a flurry of quick punches. MC was able to block most hits, but a few got through to his arms and lower stomach. He backed up to get away from the attack, but another set of punches followed. He kept defending with his arms up, but couldn’t do anything more. He was out of his element, not used to having his hands immobilized in a set of thick gloves and a crowd around him. He didn’t even have any weapons. It was up to his raw strength and experience to win this fight.
MC opened his stance and let a punch get through to his face in order to send a punch back at The Champ. A technique he’d learned from GM. Both punches hit hard and the fighters separated. MC’s cheek split open while the champs turned bright red. A glare told MC that his opponent wasn’t happy.
Near the back of the room two girls stood side by side. They were shrouded by the darkness that collected around the edges of the crowd. There was something different about them. A certain aura that separated them from the rest of the crowd, but the untrained eye would be unlikely to notice. They did not cheer and they did not yell like most of the others. They had little interest in the fights. At least that was their opinion until MC came onto the stage. When he walked up as an opponent for The Champ, Aiko was quite shocked. It made sense after seeing him stand up against Chad that night at the nightclub. She knew that he was an experienced fighter and coming to the fights here could grant an experienced fighter a lot of money. It all added up.
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“Emi, that’s him. That’s MC, the guy that rescued me from Chad at the nightclub.”
“You mean that guy you wouldn't shut up about? What’s he doing here? I’ve never seen him in one of the boxing matches before.”
“I’m not sure. It sounded like he was figuring his life out, so maybe he needed some extra cash.”
“I’ve never even heard anyone mention his name around here before,” said Emi as she crossed her arms. “I guess this just got interesting.”
Back on the stage the fighters were going at it. Moisture glistened on their bodies and dripped off their chins as they unleashed a flurry of attacks on eachother and for the moment, they were trading blows equally.
“My title is on the line. Not to mention the money. I’ve got to end this soon,” The Champ whispered to himself. He cocked his right arm back as far as he could while defending with his left and swung forward. MC dodged by ducking straight down and identified an opening.
He put too much into that last one. There’s no way he can defend against an uppercut. MC launched back up and smashed into The Champ’s jaw with a stern punch. The blow bent his neck backwards causing him to stumble and fall back onto the boxing ring. The referee put his arm out towards MC to hold him back and started counting. As he got to, “Three,” The Champ was getting back on his feet and the referee backed off allowing the fight to go on.
The Champ was more hurt by that last attack than he showed. He was running on pure determination of defending his record. His face and head throbbed, but as a seasoned boxer he knew how to block out the pain and keep going. “I’m not giving up no matter what,” he shouted and the crowd roared.
MC was paying close attention to every aspect of the fight. He was learning his opponent’s speed and attack patterns as well as he could. It was what all of his previous training had taught him. Every missed attack was a chance to learn what to strike with next.
I’m going to put a lot of power into this one. I know his speed. He’s been slowing down with every minute that’s ticked by.
The back and forth continued with MC having the upper hand. The Champ was landing less punches now. He was getting tired. MC clearly had a more intense training regiment. He may not have been a fighter as long as The Champ, but his hard work had paid off. A blow to the face made The Champ stumble back, creating space between them.
That’s it. I’ve got to unleash my signature move or this kid is gonna beat me. Instead of charging back into the fight, The Champ kept his distance for a moment. He crouched down a little and held his right arm straight by his side.
What’s he doing? He’s leaving himself vulnerable. I should take advantage of the moment. MC closed the gap and wailed on The Champ, but he stood there, still bent over just absorbing the tough blows as best as he could with his left arm holding his shoulder, until he finally retorted by straightening his legs up with a lighting fast punch from his right fist. It hit MC straight in the stomach and sent him flying back against the bungee ropes so hard that they stretched back and then rebounded him onto the floor of the ring.
It was a pain more intense than he’d experienced in a long time. Despite his solid muscle, it felt like that punch had bruised his internal organs and hit his spine. He laid on the floor for a moment and tried to catch his breath. A feeling of vomit started to fill his throat, but managed to hold it back.
What was that? It felt like I was hit with a sledgehammer. Is this what he was doing that whole time? Preparing some sort of super attack?
Several years ago, The Champ was in a car accident that caused injuries to every major joint in his right arm. After surgery and physical therapy he was good as new, but they had put several screws and plates into his shoulder, elbow, and wrist to heal them in place. He knew that eventually the pain would grow and he’d lose mobility in his arm before he grew old, but this didn’t stop him from wanting to continue his career as a boxer. Over time he learned how to position his joints just right so that the screws locked together. This allowed his arm to remain straight. He just needed to use the power of his legs and his arm was like a battering ram. By using this special technique he was able to launch an unexpected attack that essentially hit MC with the hardest impact possible. It was like taking a baseball bat to the stomach.
The referee started counting. MC laid on his stomach and tried to get up, but the pain was powerful. Any strain to his chest or abdominal muscles sent a shockwave of pain through his body. It was like his abdominal muscles were torn and unable to lift him. He heard counting as if muffled around him. “Five, six, seven…”
There’s no way I’m going to lose this fight. I’m going to kill Jin and some bastard like you isn’t going to stop me!
MC bent his neck back and slammed his head on the ring, bouncing him up several inches allowing him to get his legs underneath and stand up.
His vision was white and hazy for a few seconds and during this, he heard the referee say, “Continue the fight.” A blur of The Champ came stomping forward with his fist in front like a battering ram.
MC backed up until he felt the bands around the ring press against his back. He kept backing up against the bands until they stretched tight against him. He was ready to spring off of them when the moment was right. The Champ kept coming and MC kept stretching the ropes.When the time was right, he released his footing and the bands flung him forward. He put both fists in front of him and tackled The Champ. Nothing could be done to stop the attack for it was an uncontrollable cannonball. They both flew and rolled on the ground. The Champ’s body was limp. MC managed to sit up onto his knees.
“One… Two…Three… Four…”
This guy better stay down. I’m totally out of steam.
“Six… Seven…”
MC looked down and saw his stomach turning red and purple already. There’s no way I can take any more. I’ll be lucky if I’m able to walk out of here.
“Nine… Ten! “The winner is MC!” The referee yanked MC to his feet and held his gloved hand in the air.
The crowd went crazy with a mix of booing and applauding. A few moments later, The Champ sat up and realized what had happened. He remained seated on the ground, sulking in his loss with his head drooped low.
Carlos laughed with joy and went straight to collect his cash at the betting counter. “I knew that kid had it in him,” he yelled enthusiastically, punching the air in front of him.
“I guess he really is good at fighting,” said Emi as she stood up from leaning against the wall. “That was the last fight of the night. Let’s go outside and do a little work,” she said, making sure to keep her voice from being heard from anyone near them.
“Right,” said Aiko as she quickly followed behind. She was curious about MC and wanted to stay, but her responsibilities to fill the detective duties ruled over her.
Once outside, Aiko and Emi were the perfect tag team. Groups of people stood and talked loudly while smoking cigarettes and finishing drinks in a small fenced off area. Aiko and Emi hung around just within earshot of various conversations trying to soak up as much information as they could. Most of the people at the underground boxing fights were up to something shady. It was a hub of deals and rumors.
The detectives were undercover on duty, but they weren't there to arrest anyone or cause a scene. It was far more important to collect information than blow their cover as detectives. The boxing at this sketchy venue wasn't illegal, it just happened to attract an unsightly crowd that made for valuable and easy information collecting. Emi had been coming to the club undercover like this for a long time and it didn't take Aiko long to learn the ways. They had a system that allowed certain information from the underground groups to make its way into their databases.
MC trudged back to the locker room and showered. His stomach was in serious pain. He felt around and decided that his ribs weren’t broken, but there were at least two that were probably cracked. It was mostly damage to his muscles. He popped a strong dose of pain medications that dulled the pain a bit and he was able to slowly get dressed and pack up. “I won,” he said out loud with a smile through a fat lip. In the end he didn't care about winning the boxing match. All he really cared about was getting the information from Carlos. He had to know where to find Jin. With this win, he was one step closer to getting his revenge.
When he left the locker room he noticed that most of the people who had filled the basement only a short time ago had already shuffled out. Carlos was waiting just outside the locker room. “MC," he said with a smile. “You made me a lot of money tonight. Now it’s time for me to uphold my side of the deal.”
MC nodded silently with a sense of sudden seriousness. “How did you know I would win the fight tonight?”
“I didn't.”
“You didn't know that I’d win?”
“Well, I had a sketchy source tell me that you were a skilled fighter. All I really knew was that you desperately wanted the information so you would try your hardest. In the end, it all worked out.”
This guy isn’t right in the head.
“Now let me tell you what you wish to know.” Carlos stepped close to MC and motioned with his hand for MC to lean in. Carlos spoke quietly into MC’s ear. “In five months and three days Jin will be at the St. Jimmy Auditorium. The Black Diamond holds a ceremony once a year to welcome a batch of the new recruits. The location changes every time, but they have to rent a space out pretty far in advance. He never misses those ceremonies.”
Carlos leaned back and reached his hand out to shake MC’s. MC stood still as if he was stunned and then slowly put his right hand out. Carlos grabbed it and shook firmly. “Our business is done here,” he said and happily strolled away with his earnings.
MC stared into space for a few moments. Five months… It’s still so far away.
He felt feelings of frustration boil up inside of him. His bruised face felt hot. Fists clenched tightly at his side as he attempted to channel his feelings. Strong emotions washed over him until he forced himself to take a few deep breaths. A calming feeling slowly came over him and he loosened his fists. I’ve waited this long already. If I have to wait a few more months, then so be it.
He sighed and picked up his gym bag. “Man, my body hurts. I’d better head home for now,” he said out loud to himself. He slowly walked up out of the basement and into the crisp night air. Groups of people stood around still smoking, drinking, and laughing. Some discussed where to meet up for the after party while others dampened the mood talking about how much money they’d lost on their bets.
Aiko saw MC come out of the gym doors. “Emi, there’s MC. Do you think we should talk to him? He might have important information that he’s willing to share.”
“Are you sure you don't just want to use this as an excuse to talk to your boyfriend?” Emi teased.
“He’s not my boyfriend!” said Aiko, as her cheeks turned red.
Emi laughed. “It’s fine. Let’s go congratulate him on his win.”
They kept their distance and followed MC a little ways down the block before Aiko hollered at him, “Hey, MC!”
He stopped and turned around thinking it may have been some unruly patron that was mad after losing their money. When he saw who it was he was quite surprised. “Aiko? What are you doing here?” he asked.
She was hesitant to tell him that she was there on detective duty collecting information so she strategically answered, “I’m here with my friend, Emi.”
“Hiya,” she said with a wave.
“Nice to meet you,” he said.
“I watched your match,” said Aiko. “You’re even better at this kind of stuff than I would have imagined.”
“Oh thanks. I’ve had a lot of practice. I guess that’s another thing that’s changed since the old days.”
“It’s funny. I seem to keep running into you after not seeing you for so long. It reminds me of when we used to always be hanging out together.”
He’d only known GM and Sora for a short time and was still getting used to them, but with Aiko he felt natural just being around her and talking. He felt like collapsing onto the ground and resting, but he couldn’t pull himself from an opportunity to see her.
“I better not keep you,” said Aiko, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking. “I’d ask you to come along with Emi and I for some drinks or food, but I’m sure you want to get home and rest.”
MC smiled despite realizing that he was missing a perfect opportunity to spend more time with Aiko. “Yeah, I should be getting home. Probably for the best,” he admitted.
“What about this Friday?” Emi butted in. “Aiko has weekends off. Why don't you guys plan something for then?”
“Emi!”
“What?”
“I’d love to,” said MC.
“It’s a date then,” said Emi.
They all laughed. And Aiko’s face turned red again. “I’ll be in touch,” said MC, trying to smile as well as he could through a fat lip.