by Roy Glenn
Then she let him off the hook. “I’m not asking you for any kind of commitment or anything like that. I know you are nowhere near ready for anything like that.” Then she thought about it. “Are you?”
“No,” Black said quickly.
“And that’s cool, really, it is. I just wanna know where I stand?”
“You’re good,” Black said simply. “And not just because of my shit.”
Mystique threw her arms around him like he had just confessed his love for her.
“Can we go see the fight now?”
“Sure we can,” Mystique said and took one last look at herself in the mirror. She grabbed her clutch bag and they were finally out the door.
After stopping in the dressing room to say hello to the champ, Black and Mystique made it to their seats just as the preliminary fight got started. It turned out to be a good fight. Being a real fan of the sweet science, Black loved every minute of it. While Mystique sat next to him, happy to be there with him, but hoping that the night would be over soon so they could go.
Once the preliminary bouts were over, more people began filing into the arena. Black sat looking around for Freeze and Mylo. He had called Freeze earlier in the day to make sure that both he and Mylo were coming to the fight. Black felt bad not telling Freeze exactly what was going on; he hated the fact that after all these years and all they’d been through together, that he wasn’t sure that he could trust Freeze.
Mystique leaned in close to Black. “Why is that woman staring at you?”
“What woman?” Black asked and scanned the area with his eyes. They stopped on CeCe.
“Yeah, that one.”
“Excuse me a minute, Maria,” Black said and got up. “I’ll be right back,” he said and left Mystique sitting there with her eyes and mouth opened wide. She wasn’t quite sure whether she was more upset that he left her to talk to another woman, or surprised that he called her Maria.
Black made his way through the crowd until he made it to CeCe. “Hello, Mr. Black.”
“How you doing, CeCe?”
“Much better now that I’ve seen you. You look nice in a suit. You should wear them all the time. Not all men can carry a fine tailored suit, but you wear it well.”
“You look nice too,” Black said and got his eyes full looking at CeCe in that dress she was wearing the hell out of. It was a Just Cavalli Cornucopia-Print gown, with metallic gold spaghetti straps, and a flared mermaid hem.
“I’m glad you like it. I like doing stuff that makes you happy.”
“I’m surprised to see you here. You a fight fan?”
“Big-time fan. I love boxing,” and leaned forward to emphasize her point when she said it. Black watched her lips when she talked, the way her words seemed to glide over them. “I got these tickets for Cash. Next week would have been his birthday. I was gonna surprise him with the tickets.”
“No point letting them go to waste, especially since you love boxing. But what about that dress? Were you gonna surprise him with that too?”
“Not at all. I got this dress yesterday. See I knew you were gonna be here tonight and I wanted to look nice for you.”
“So you got that dress for me?”
“Just for you. And I am so glad you like it,” CeCe said and took a step closer to him.
“I want you to do something for me.”
“You know I will. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“I need you to get in touch with Stark. I want you to tell him again that we don’t have no problems. You tell him that Mylo was our problem.”
“Mylo? Who is Mylo?”
“He’ll know who he is. You tell him that it was Mylo playing us against each other. But then you tell him that he ain’t gotta worry about him no more.”
“Why is that?”
“You ask too many questions.”
“What’s the matter, don’t like a thinking woman?”
“I love a thinking woman,” Black had to admit.
“So why he ain’t gotta worry about him no more? Just in case he asks,” CeCe said. She was flirting with every word she said.
“Because by the time you talk to him, Mylo will be dead.”
“I understand,” she said and smiled a very sexual smile, like the fact that Black planned on killing Mylo turned her on. “So,” CeCe said and peeked around Black. “Is that your woman you sitting with?”
“Now you’re worried about the wrong thing. You just do what I need you to do for me,” Black said and started to walk away from CeCe. “And I’ll see you around.”
“That you can count on,” CeCe said definitely and watched Black until he reclaimed his seat next to Mystique.
“Who was that?” Mystique asked before he was in the seat good.
“Just somebody I needed to carry a message for me. Why?”
“Because it looked like she wanted to do more than just carry a message for you.”
“Even if that were the case, she can’t do any more than I allow her to,” Black said hoping to end the discussion.
“So is that the case?”
“Not that I know of,” Black lied and was glad that Bobby arrived with a female guest.
“What’s up, Mike?” Bobby said and Black stood up to allow Bobby to get to his seat. “This is—what’s your name again, honey?”
“Tatiana,” the woman said with attitude.
“This is Mike Black, and this is Mystique,” Bobby said to Tatiana.
Black nodded at Tatiana.
“Call me Maria,” she said as they passed.
“I saw CeCe on the way in,” Bobby pointed out.
“Yeah, I saw her,” Black said.
“You give her a message for her boy?”
“Yeah, I just talked to her,” Black said and looked at Mystique. She posted a weak smile in response.
“You seen Freeze or Mylo yet?”
“No.”
“They still got time to…” Bobby started to say, when he noticed Nick come into the arena, and Wanda was with him.
The decision for Nick and Wanda to come to the fight together was not one that they arrived at easily. At first, Wanda was totally against the idea, while Nick didn’t see a problem with it. But after a while, Nick was able to convince her that nobody will even think twice about two friends coming to the fight together.
Not really thinking anything of it, Bobby continued. “Time to make it before the fight starts. You still haven’t talked to Freeze?”
“No.”
“What you gonna do?”
Black looked up and saw Nick and Wanda. “I’m gonna put this man on him,” he said and stood up. “How you doing, Wanda?” He gave Wanda a hug before turning to Nick. “We need to talk. Come on.”
Nick and Wanda looked at each other in horror. Freeze had told Nick what Black said about killing whoever Wanda was involved with.
Black kept walking. “You coming, Nick?”
“Right behind you,” Nick said and trotted off to catch up with Black.
As Wanda watched Nick, she thought about all the reasons why she was right about them not coming to the fight together. Wanda took a deep breath before turning to Bobby.
“How you doing, Bobby?”
“I’m good,” Bobby said and stepped aside so Wanda could get to her seat. She was about to ask Bobby what Black wanted with Nick, but that’s when she noticed Mystique.
Wanda gave her a, what the fuck are you doing here, bitch look, and Mystique dropped her head. Naturally, Wanda had seen her at Cynt's and had heard the rumors about Black and a dancer that looked a little like Shy, but she didn’t believe them. Wanda did see a slight resemblance, but no. And even if the rumors were true, and apparently they were, Wanda didn’t think Black would bring her out in public. Then Wanda looked at Tatiana.
Maybe it’s take your hooker to the fight night, Wanda thought and sat down.
The fact that Bobby didn’t make any comment about her coming with Nick made her feel a little more at
ease, but she still wondered what Black and Nick were talking about.
“What's up, Black?” Nick asked.
Black leaned close to him and spoke slowly. “I gotta ask you to do something, and I don’t like asking it.”
“Whatever you need. You know that.”
“I need you to watch Freeze.”
“Freeze? Why?”
Black took a step closer and whispered. “His boy Mylo arranged for Frank to take a dive.”
“What?”
“Told Frank I wanted him to do it.”
“You think Freeze knew about it?”
“I don’t think so, but this nigga Mylo is his boy. Keep your eye on Freeze, but you don’t let Mylo outta your sight.”
“I’m on them, Black,” Nick said and followed Black back to their seats, relieved that Black didn’t want to kill him over Wanda.
Chapter Thirty-one
When it came time for the main event of the evening, Irish Stevie Dudgeon came to the ring with a small entourage, accompanied by The Orange and the Green, an old Irish drinking song about an Irishman whose father was a Protestant and mother was a Catholic. There was a large cheering section in attendance for the fighter from Hoboken, New Jersey.
However, when it came time for Frank Sparrow to make his way to the ring, the crowd prepared for his usual big entrance, with his big entourage, lights, props, dancers and smoke, accompanied by the live music of whatever Bronx rapper was hot at the time. But not that night.
That night, Sparrow came out with just his trainer and cut man to a recording of the LL Cool J classic, Mama Said Knock You Out. Sparrow always wore fancy robes and took his time getting to the ring, stopping to shake hands and greet fans, a tactic designed to make his opponent wait, but not that night. That night, Sparrow entered the arena wearing a wife beater, and he and his corner men ran to the ring.
There was something else different about Sparrow that night. He had developed a reputation for coming out cold, therefore it always took him a few rounds to warm up; a fact Mylo counted on. That night, Sparrow entered the ring dripping with sweat.
Instead of sitting quietly and meditating about the fight as he usually did, Sparrow stood up and meditated, throwing the punches and making the faints and moves he saw in his mind. No weaknesses, he remembered Black telling him. Sparrow kept moving during the national anthem and the introductions, so when the bell sounded, he came out ready for battle.
When Black and Nick returned to their seats, Freeze had arrived and was sitting next to Wanda. Mylo was there as well. He was sitting on the other side of the ring in a spot where Black could both watch him and get to him quickly if it came to that. Before the fight began, Mylo was joined at ringside by agent Masters. Bobby leaned close to Black. “Ain’t that the guy from the pictures with Mylo?” he asked quietly.
“I got him.”
“Yeah, but who is he?”
“A dead man,” Black said as the bell rang to begin round one.
Sparrow practically ran across the ring and began working his left jab. Dudgeon, an excellent defensive fighter and a phenomenal counter puncher, gave ground and blocked the majority of Sparrow’s jabs and waited for an opportunity to get in some shots of his own.
Sparrow threw a lead right, followed by an overhand left that caught Dudgeon flush on the chin before he could counter punch. The punch hurt Dudgeon and backed him up. Sparrow stayed with him and backed Dudgeon to the ropes with a barrage of lefts and rights. Dudgeon covered up, and finally grabbed Sparrow and held him until the referee stepped in to separate the fighters. Sparrow took two steps back, but then he went right back at Dudgeon when the ref resumed the action.
Dudgeon came forward, winging lefts and rights. Sparrow backpedaled, but he kept working the jab. The fighters traded shots in the center of the ring. Sparrow knew from watching films of Dudgeon that he was susceptible to the lead right and the over hand left. He kept the pressure on, and it wasn’t long before Dudgeon once again found his back against the ropes, hurt and taking punches. Once again, Dudgeon held on and waited for the ref to come separate them, but Sparrow landed several hard rights to Dudgeon’s middle section that took his breath away before the ref stepped in.
When the contest continued, Sparrow threw the lead right and practically pushed Dudgeon back. He was hurt from over hand lefts to the head and was totally defensive against the ropes, blocking some but taking hard shots from the champ, who wouldn’t let up. He stepped in and threw a double right uppercut to the jaw and followed it up with a left that dropped Dudgeon to the canvas.
The crowd, which had been on their feet since the first big punch, went wild as the referee counted Dudgeon out at two minutes and fifteen seconds of the first round.
Black could see the look of horror and confusion on Mylo’s face as the ref raised the champ’s hand in victory. He glanced over at Freeze; he was shouting and beating his chest like it was him who had just dropped Dudgeon. At that point, Black was sure that he hadn’t betrayed him. He felt relieved that Freeze knew nothing about the fix and turned all of his attention to Mylo. Black looked at Bobby. “Tell him,” he said, and kept his eyes on Mylo who was arguing with Masters.
At Mylo’s assurance that Sparrow would lose the fight by knock out in the first round, Masters had bet heavily on Dudgeon.
Bobby turned to Freeze and pulled him closer. “You know your boy Mylo tried to fix the fight.”
“What? Mylo did what?” Freeze shouted over the noise.
“Had the fight fixed,” Bobby said. “Set it up for Frank to take a dive in the first round until Black set him straight.”
“Where that nigga at?” Freeze said, looking around the garden.
“I got him,” Black said as the ring announcer made the decision official. “Come on.”
Black, Bobby, Freeze and Nick left the ladies behind and had just begun making their way through the crowd to get to Mylo, when Sparrow jumped up on the ring ropes and pointed his glove at Mylo.
“What’s he doing?” Masters said to Mylo.
Mylo looked up at Sparrow calling him out, and then turned and saw Freeze fighting his way through the crowd and coming toward him. “Shit!”
“What?” Masters shouted.
“Here comes Freeze,” Mylo shouted back and he and Masters began making their way toward the aisle. Mylo looked at Sparrow on the ropes again and knew that not only had Sparrow double crossed him, but he had told Freeze about the fix as well.
This wasn’t how Black wanted it to go. He wanted to be able to walk up to Mylo after the fight and take him away quietly. He hadn’t counted on Sparrow getting up on the ring ropes and calling Mylo out. Now they had to fight their way through the crowd to catch up with him.
As soon as Mylo and Masters could, they quickly separated.
“Freeze. You and Nick get Mylo. Bring him to the parlor,” Black said, referring to the funeral parlor that they used to dispose of dead bodies. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Where you going?” Nick asked.
“Get Mylo.”
“What about him?” Nick asked quietly about Freeze.
“He’s good. Just get Mylo,” Black said, and he and Bobby went after Masters. All they knew is that Masters was involved with Mylo in the plot to kill Black and that was enough reason to kill him.
Masters made his way out of the Garden as quickly as he could. Not knowing that Black was on to him, he wasn’t in any particular hurry; he just wanted to get out of there. Masters had trusted that Mylo had the fight fixed and had bet a hundred thousand dollars on Dudgeon. There was a part of him that was glad that Freeze was after Mylo and would most certainly kill him. The operation was coming to a close and Mylo had outlived his usefulness. The plan was always to kill him. Better that Freeze kill the agent than for Masters to have it on his plate.
When Masters made it to the street, he looked around for a second and began walking up 34th Street toward Meyers garage where he had parked his car. He gave the attendant his tic
ket and waited for his car, still thinking about the hundred thousand that Mylo had cost him.
As soon as the attendant was out of the car, Masters jumped in and rolled slowly toward the street. He saw, but didn’t pay any attention to, the people on the sidewalk waiting for him to pull into the street. Masters didn’t see Bobby nod to Black from across the street.
Black stepped up to the car with his gun drawn and fired three times. The first shot broke the glass. The next two shots hit Masters in the head. The people nearby scattered as Masters’ head hit the steering wheel and the cars horn filled the air. Black put his gun away and walked away from the scene quickly.
Meanwhile, Mylo had made it out of The Garden and was trying to make it to his car. It was parked three blocks away on 35th street, between 5th and 6th avenues. He looked back and didn’t see anybody following so he slowed his pace and tried to blend in with the crowd. Mylo was startled when Freeze and Nick caught up with him in the crowd.
“Where you going in such a hurry?” Freeze asked as soon as he was close enough to put his hands on him.
“Nowhere,” Mylo said nervously. “Just trying to get out of here. You know, get back to the house, see how things are going.”
“You not going to the after party?” Freeze asked as they walked alongside him through the crowd.
“Yeah, I’ma stop by there later, you know, once the real after party gets going.”
“You oughta come ride with us,” Freeze said.
Mylo knew that if he went anywhere with Freeze and Nick that they would kill him the first chance they got. There was no way he was gonna just let them take him that easy. He reached for his gun and turned to Freeze. The move caught both Nick and Freeze off guard. Mylo fired two shots to Freeze’s stomach.
The crowd ran for cover at the sound of gunfire and Mylo ran away with them. Freeze grabbed his stomach, and he fell into Nick’s arms.
Nick gently laid Freeze on the ground. “Don’t let him get away, Nick,” Freeze told him as he grimaced through the pain.