Wolf glanced at Alejandro, “Does this guy have any weaknesses at all?”
Alejandro shook his head, “Haven’t seen any yet. As far as I know, he’s never been beaten. His reach is so long the only way you can get to him is to get inside. If you do get inside, he’s going to grab you and wrestle you to the floor. If he gets you on the floor, we’re gonna be mopping blood and picking up pieces of you for hours.”
“Thanks for the words of encouragement,” Wolf said.
Alejandro shook his head solemnly, “This is on you, SEAL-man. It’s your funeral.”
“Any words of wisdom?” Wolf asked Paco.
Paco shrugged, “If it gets ugly for you, hold up your index and middle fingers together from either hand. That’s the sign for submission. He may or may not respect that.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied.
“Hey Paco,” Snake began, “How do you know about I.E.D.’s?”
“So, you think I spent all my time in the hood?” he replied. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”
“Well, I noticed your expression when Barkley was talking about the Middle Eastern in your town.”
“Yeah? What expression was that?”
“You didn’t like it,” Snake said. “In fact, I think you hate the fact there are strange Syrians roaming around your town.”
Paco sighed and nodded, “I did two tours myself in the Middle East. Yeah, I saw those men, too. Those Syrians are not here on vacation, I’ll tell you that. They looked downright serious to me. I don’t like it, no sir. Not one bit.”
“You were in the service?” Snake asked.
“Rangers,” he said. “Airborne.”
“Rangers? Really?”
“What? You don’t think I have what it takes?”
“I didn’t say that. I do wonder how you ended up here,” he replied.
“My welcome home didn’t last too long,” he said. “Couldn’t get a good job. Got deep in debt. Had a bad drug habit. Borrowed money from Barkley and couldn’t pay it back. This was the option I had.”
“That’s tough.”
“I’m clean now,” Paco said. “Clean for over a year.”
“You’re still working for a scumbag.”
He shrugged, “For now.”
“What about your three partners?” Snake asked. “I heard you call them misfits earlier.”
“They’re not my partners. They’re hired help--- no good gangbangers. Alejandro, Juan and Francisco,” he said. “They’re punks Barkley hired because they are good with a gun. Personally, I wouldn’t pull loose change out of my ashtray to bail any one of them out of jail.”
Ten minutes later Wolf stood alone in the center of the ring waiting for Bonecrusher to arrive. When the east coast champion strolled in even Wolf was taken back. Bonecrusher had the widest shoulders he’d ever seen on a man. He had long, wet, wavy hair parted down the middle. His short, thick beard was jet black. He wore black tights that came down to mid-calf. His chest was tanned and hairy, covering multiple tattoos. He raised his arms as he entered the ring and the crowd went crazy, sounding like a bloodthirsty mob.
Paco picked up the microphone, “Welcome to Fight Club in The Pines!”
The crowd roared in applause.
“And now ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the main event of the evening!”
The crowd screamed their approval.
He pointed at Wolf, “As we announced earlier we have a late substitution. Manny LaPalma is not in the building.”
A smattering of boos could be heard.
“Wait… wait… wait!” Paco screamed. “No boos are necessary. You will not be disappointed. In fact, I guarantee you will see the best fight you’ve seen all year!”
The crowd cheered. Paco made eye contact with Wolf and formed an expression as if to say, you need to come through.
“To my left is the challenger. He is a decorated Navy SEAL, fighting hard for our rights and freedoms. He has over 20 documented kills in hand-to-hand combat. He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 240 lbs. Please welcome… the Wolfman!”
The crowd greeted the announcement with a smattering of cheers, offset by some boos as well. Wolf did not raise his hand in acknowledgement.
“Twenty documented kills?” Trevor said to Snake, standing to the side of the ring. “Where did they come up with that?”
Snake shrugged, “It’s theater, man.”
“To my right, from Trenton, New Jersey. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 350 lbs., the undefeated east coast champion, Booooone-crusher!”
The crowd erupted in applause.
Wolf stood next to Alejandro on the sideline.
“Any final words?” Wolf asked.
“Not really,” he replied. “I’m betting on Bonecrusher.”
“You want to make some money tonight?” Wolf asked.
“Of course,” he replied.
“Can you still place a bet?”
“I could if I wanted to.”
“Then bet on me.”
“Bullshit!” Alejandro replied.
“Bet on me,” he repeated.
Alejandro chuckled, “You have balls, SEAL man, I’ll give you that. Now go get ready.”
Trevor, Snake, and Wolf set up in the corner.
“Spend the opening minutes feeling him out,” Trevor said. “See how fast he is. Can he move well side-to-side?”
“If he lets me,” Wolf replied. “I have to admit the man does look like he knows how to fight.”
“Try punching high,” Snake advised. “If he lifts his arms to protect his head, that leaves his midsection exposed. A few hammer punches to the ribs might slow him down some.”
“And now gentlemen… begin,” Paco yelled.
“They are not much for long ceremonies, are they?” Trevor said.
Snake shook his head, “Guess not.”
Bonecrusher charged Wolf, trying to wrap his arms around him. Wolf ducked under his grasped and moved to his left and out of reach. He threw a left hook, connecting with the right cheek of the bigger man. The punch seemed to have no effect. It felt to Wolf as if he had just punched a bowling ball.
The two men squared off in the center of the ring. Wolf threw another left but it was blocked. Bonecrusher countered with a right of his own. Wolf also blocked the punch with his left arm but the force of the blow still caused the SEAL to lose his footing and stagger.
Bonecrusher grabbed him in a bear hug pinning both of Wolf’s arms to his sides. He lifted Wolf up and squeezed hard.
The crowd cheered.
On the sidelines, Trevor observed, imagining that this technique would be effective against most men, but Wolf was thickly muscled and as physically developed as any man he’d ever met.
Wolf flexed and tried to break free but his opponent held a firm grip. Finally, the SEAL used his forehead to headbutt Bonecrusher. His forehead landed solidly on the bigger man’s nose. The east coast champ cried out in pain and released his hold as blood gushed from his nostrils. He staggered back holding his nose, trying to stop the flow of blood.
The crowd roared with approval at the sight of the bigger man’s blood.
Wolf seized the moment and stepped in, landing a hard, hammer punch to Bonecrusher’s mouth. The big man staggered back further and Wolf landed a 1-2 combination to the midsection.
Bonecrusher spit up a small amount of blood onto the floor along with a tooth. He grabbed the Wolf’s right arm and slammed his right fist into the SEAL’s chin.
Wolf stumbled back trying to remain on his feet, but the force of the blow was too hard. He landed on his back side. He tried to roll and get back to his feet, but the punch made him dizzy, nearly causing him to lose consciousness. Wolf managed to roll on his stomach and get to his knees before he felt Bonecrusher’s left hand grab his throat. He pulled hard forcing Wolf to his feet, using his other hand to grip the SEAL’s thigh.
The crowd was on their feet screaming their approval.
He lifted
Wolf over his head, and turned around in a circle. The crowd was chanting, “Bone! Bone! Bone!”
Bonecrusher released a blood-curdling war cry at the top of his lungs and slammed Wolf to the ground. The thud sent bolts of pain through his body and knocked the wind out of him. He writhed on the floor in a state of semi-consciousness.
“It’s over,” screamed Paco. “I’m going to call it and save your man.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Trevor said. “This fight is far from over. This is a man who has been in more life-threatening situations than you can imagine. My man will recover.”
Wolf glanced to the sideline with hazy eyes. Alejandro made eye contact and held up two fingers. He yelled at Wolf, “Submit, man. It’s over. You’re gonna die.”
Bonecrusher began a victory dance around the ring. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy, screaming for blood. Trevor saw that Wolf was beginning to recover. He screamed out at his friend, “Figure-Four! Figure Four! Now, Wolf now!”
Wolf made brief eye contact with Trevor and nodded, making his way to his feet. Bonecrusher was still playing to the crowd.
“Hey dipshit!” screamed Wolf. “I’m still standing.”
Bonecrusher stopped and turned, smiling at Wolf. He charged. Wolf stepped to his right at the last moment and allowed the big man to blow past him. Wolf hopped onto Bonecrusher’s back as he passed, slipping his right arm under the giant man’s neck and squeezing hard. He grabbed his right wrist with his left hand, using it for leverage in the choke hold. Wolf also wrapped his legs around the man’s waist.
Bonecrusher tried to reach back and grab Wolf but his arms and shoulders were so bulky he couldn’t stretch far enough to get a grip. Wolf applied as much pressure as he could. Bonecrusher started to gag loudly. The audience, beginning to see what was happened, began to fall quiet.
Bonecrusher was gasping for air; his face was turning red; he fell to his knees; finally falling face first to the canvas; Wolf still clutching him tightly. He began to kick and squirm on the ground, but Wolf did not relent. Ten seconds later, Bonecrusher fell motionless.
Wolf checked to make sure Bonecrusher was still breathing, then stood. The crowd was silenced at the sight of their fallen warrior. Slowly the audience began to clap for Wolf. One by one, the bikers began to stand and cheer. A few scattered boos joined the chorus, undoubtedly those who wagered a hefty sum on the champion. Paco and Trevor walked to the center of the ring. Wolf was limping.
“Are you alright, buddy?” Trevor asked.
Wolf’s face was covered in blood and he looked exhausted but otherwise none too worse for the wear, Trevor thought.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” he said, rubbing his left ankle.
“Did you twist it?” Trevor asked.
Wolf nodded, “Yeah but it could have been much worse. That son-of-a-bitch is as strong as an ox, and as big as one too.”
“I noticed the smell was similar as well,” Trevor noted. He pulled up the sweats on Wolf’s left leg. “Damn, this is bad.”
“What?” Wolf asked.
“Your ankle,” he said. “It’s badly swollen; it could be broken.”
Paco looked down at Bonecrusher.
“Is he dead?” Paco asked, scratching his head.
“Naw,” Trevor replied. “Wolf used the Figure-Four Choke hold. It cut off the blood flow in his carotid artery. He passed out. If Wolf didn’t snap his neck, and I don’t think he did, he’ll be all right. He’s gonna have a hell of a headache, though.”
“You might want to get him to a hospital?” Snake said.
“We have a doc in the back,” Paco said.
“Good, if that’s the case, have him check out Wolf, too,” Trevor said. “He’s not going anywhere soon on that ankle. Hopefully, it’s just sprained but I don’t know – it looks bad. I assume getting an ambulance to come out here is out of the question.”
“No ambulance will come out here,” he replied.
Paco called Alejandro and Francisco over, “Take care of this man,” he said, nodding toward Wolf.
The two men pulled Wolf to his feet. He howled in pain, “Damn! This is worse than I thought. I can’t put any pressure on it at all.”
He wrapped his massive arms around the young men’s necks and allowed them to assist him in walking. The slightest pressure on the ankle sent bolts of agony up his leg.
“That was the most impressive thing I’ve even seen,” Alejandro said. “My hat is off to you. I thought Bone would eat you alive.”
“Me too,” Francisco said. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?”
“Outside of basic SEAL training, most of my hand-to-hand experience has been in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon… hell all over.”
Alejandro looked around, “It shows man.”
“How old are you?” Wolf asked.
“I’m 21, Francisco is 20. Juan is 19,” came the reply.
“If you don’t mind my saying, you boys don’t look like your typical street thugs,” he said. “Have you ever thought about your future?”
“What future, man?” Alejandro asked. “You’re looking at it. This is it.”
“Can Francisco and Juan handle a weapon as well as you” he asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “But they’re all getting there. We practice every week.”
“You ever think about the service?” he asked. “Maybe you boys could actually put some of that weaponry prowess to good use. Maybe you could make a difference.”
“Us, man?” Alejandro replied. “In the army?”
“Or the Navy?” Wolf replied.
“Naw, man, that ain’t for us.”
“Why?”
“They wouldn’t want us.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know, man, they just wouldn’t.” He paused, looking at Francisco, and then back at Wolf.
“Would they?”
Wolf shrugged, “Alejandro, write down your name and cell number. Let me talk to some people. I’ll get back to you.”
“I’ll get it to you when we get to the hospital,” Alejandro said. “I’ll drive you myself. That’s the least I can do?”
“Why?” Wolf asked.
“Because I bet $300 on you at 12-1,” he said, smiling for the very first time that night. “I took your recommendation at the last minute.”
“Why’d you do that?”
“Because you look like a man who can do what he says.”
Snake approached the men in the center, “Where’s Barkley?”
“He should be sitting right over there,” Paco said.
“He’s not,” Snake said, “and he’s not in the office, either. I just checked.”
“Damn!” Wolf yelled. “He skipped out.”
Trevor turned and grabbed Paco by the lapels, “I want to know where he is, and right now.”
“How would I know?” Paco protested.
Trevor grabbed him by the neck and began to squeeze. Paco tried to break the hold but the SEAL was just too strong.
“Does Barkley know where they are?” Trevor screamed.
“Yeah, yeah,” Paco replied. “He met with them yesterday.”
“Do you know where they are?”
“No, I swear.”
“Then tell me where Barkley is now, or I’ll snap your neck.”
“Okay, okay!” Paco screamed. “He left through the south entrance. If you leave now you might catch him. He drives a black Ford pickup with chrome trim.”
“You be here when I get back,” Trevor declared, releasing him.
“What do you want me to do?” Snake asked.
“Check on Wolf,” he said. “I’ll be back.”
Paco reached behind him and pulled out a knife.
Trevor looked at him coldly. Paco turned the knife around and handed it to him, handle first.
“Here, take this,” he said.
Trevor took the knife slowly. He gave a quick nod and was off.
Chapter 13
Tr
evor found the south door leading to the parking lot. The crowd had begun to dissipate. The roar of automobile, truck and motorcycle engines firing up all around him was nearly deafening. He saw no black Ford truck, but did see a long line of vehicles slowly making their way to the exit. Barkley could still be inside the compound, Trevor thought.
He approached a large biker just mounting his Harley Davidson. The woman with him was already seated. The biker was muscular and shirtless, wearing only a blue jean vest. His tanned skin was covered in tattoos. Sunglasses were positioned on top of his head. His jet-black hair was oily and back.
“I need to borrow your bike,” Trevor said to the biker in a serious but monotone voice.
The biker turned and looked at his rider, a large-breasted, plus-sized woman with teased out blonde hair. Her tank top was two sizes too small; her tattoo covered breasts were spilling out of it. She took a long drag from a cigar, blowing the smoke in Trevor’s direction. The biker chuckled, and turned back to Trevor.
“You forgot the magic word,” he said.
“Please,” Trevor replied.
“Piss off!” the biker barked.
“It’s not a request,” Trevor said, glaring at the biker. “Look, I’d rather not embarrass you in front of your woman, but I need to borrow your bike. I’ll bring it back--- you know--- in a while--- hopefully.”
“Listen, asshole,” the biker began, pointing his finger at Trevor’s chest. “Back the fu…”
Trevor cut the biker off mid-sentence with a blow to the Adam’s apple. The biker grabbed his neck as Trevor pulled him off the Harley by the head of his hair. The Navy SEAL flashed the woman an icy stare, “Off,” he said. “Now.”
The woman looked at her boyfriend, now writhing on the ground holding his own neck. Her eyes widened in fear. She quickly dismounted. Trevor hopped on the bike and fired up the engine. He looked down at biker, still writhing in pain.
Two more bikers who had witnessed the incident approached Trevor. He stopped them in their tracks with an icy stare. One of the men looked at the SEAL, then at the fallen biker. Trevor shook his head at them. Both men backed away slowly. Trevor looked down at the fallen man.
“Try to relax,” he said. “I didn’t hit you that hard. You’ll be good as new in fifteen minutes… maybe thirty. With any luck, I’ll be back within an hour. If not, well… sorry.”
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