Dark Horse

by Wilde, Rhea

  “In one corner, you will see the man you just saw a few days ago. The current best fighter at The Pit, Henry, will be fighting.”

  “Henry?” Lucas exclaimed. “The man’s only fought twice before and you’re ready to proclaim him the best fighter here. How exactly is the newest guy here going to be part of the biggest fight you’ve hosted?”

  The group started to show their agreement with Lucas. I sighed and waited for the commotion to die down. When they finally quieted themselves, I finally continued.

  “Because it’s not just about Henry. It’s about who’s on the other side of The Pit. For the first time ever, yours truly has secured the services of the one and only Anderson.”

  “Anderson? The Anderson?”

  “Yes, the same.”

  The crowd began to murmur among one another. The sense of anticipation was replaced with one of shock and disbelief. They couldn’t believe I managed to book a fight with a man who fought exclusively overseas.

  “Anderson is unlike any fighter we’ve ever seen before,” Lucas said. “Everybody ranks him the best in the world. He has a reputation—”

  “A reputation for being the best,” I interrupted him. “Yes, you’ve made that quite clear. So why not have the best of The Pit fight the best in the world?”

  “I question your judgment, Lanea. I can understand bringing Anderson here for some kind of a spectacle but to have him so mercilessly beat a man who doesn’t know what he has coming to him… Henry barely made it through his last fight.”

  “You’re looking at it all wrong,” I said. “You must forget what happened between Henry and Wilson. The important thing is that Henry won. He does what he needs to do to win. And he will find a way to win against Anderson.”

  “Why are you telling us this?” another man asked me. “Why are you talking like Henry can actually beat this man?”

  “Because it’s the truth,” I said to him. “But if you don’t believe me, then fine. Francis will be more than happy to take your money. Just remember that I know some things that you don’t.”

  I listened to the sound of uncertainty among the crowd. The truth was that Henry was no match for a man like Anderson. It wasn’t a question of whether or not Anderson would beat him. It was whether or not Anderson would allow him to walk out of the ring alive.

  Nobody in this ring had seen Anderson fight in person. He was something like a myth in underground fighting. Only someone like me could secure his services. And now that the fight was on, there was nothing left to do except sway the people into thinking that Anderson was some over-hyped bum.

  “This isn’t just a fight,” I said. “This is about pride. Every night you come here, you’re seeing men put their lives on the line. These aren’t men who have trained their entire lives to fight. These are men with their backs against the wall. You are a witness to not just their attempt to beat another man. They are fighting for their own survival.

  “Henry is exactly that man. He does whatever he can. You’ve all seen that in him. This is a man who came from the streets and is now championed. And I found him. That is why I am so confident that he will beat Anderson.”

  The small crowd of people remained silent. I could sense that they were beginning to believe what I was saying to them. They all started to nod in agreement with me. All of the familiar faces I would see lining the railings of The Pit were like the family I never had. Now I had them convinced that they had to be grateful for what they were able to witness.

  “I have a question, Lanea,” Lucas raised his voice. “Why exactly are you doing this? I’ve heard rumors that Anderson has an exorbitant asking price. Now you’re bringing him over here for the simple fact to bet against him. This doesn’t add up.”

  “But it does, Lucas. I’ve spoken with Anderson’s representatives. Arrangements have been made on the outcome of this fight. Their fighter, Anderson, against my fighter, Henry. The winner of this fight will make a hefty sum. You don’t expect me to let a man walk into my home and have his way? There’s profit to be made, true. Anderson’s visit is an expense I have accounted for. He will be taken care of appropriately.”

  The crowd seemed to agree with my sentiment. I had managed to tell them about the big fight without revealing my hand. Fight night couldn’t come soon enough.

  “There you have it, ladies and gentlemen,” I announced. “Henry versus Anderson in The Pit. Make sure that you get your spot before it’s taken. Space will be limited. I imagine that everybody will want to be there.”

  The crowd dispersed and began to mingle with one another. There was another set of fights scheduled for tonight but it was more of the same bums that were picked up off of the streets. With so much on the line, I didn’t have time to consider the insignificant scraps that we would later see tonight. But then again, watching a man display his strength never did get old.

  As the city’s elite had fun drinking, chatting and flirting with one another, I stood off to the side and observed all of them. Before I could instruct Octavio on what would happen further, Lucas made his way closer to me.

  “That was a big announcement, Lanea,” he said to me. “I’m surprised. I’m curious as to what would spur you to bring Anderson here.”

  “I already told you. I see something in Henry that I haven’t seen in other fighters before. He possesses a survival instinct. It’s just one quality that makes me think he’s worthy of this kind of fight.”

  “He’s also handsome.”

  “He has physical gifts. You need that to make it here.”

  “His pretty face has taken quite the beating his past two fights. I fear that Anderson might make it even worse.”

  “Anderson won’t—”

  “Oh, come now, Lanea!”

  I was slightly shocked at Lucas intervening. I stared wide-eyed at him as he leaned in closer to me. If I hadn’t planned on taking his money, I would have had security escort him out of my lobby.

  “What kind of game are you playing?” he asked me, his eyes narrowed.

  “This isn’t a game, Lucas. This is real. It’s a fight between two men. I don’t care what you think I’m trying to do. I plan on watching Henry take on the best and earn the respect of the entire underground fighting world. And Anderson’s people are going to pay me handsomely for it.”

  “So you plan on betting on Henry? You’ve just influenced everybody to swing the odds in his favor. You won’t be making as much money as you could.”

  “A winning bet is a winning bet. Besides, I have a personal bet with Anderson’s people. Whether or not you want to give me your money as well is up to you.”

  Lucas looked at me, trying to read me. There was a look of doubt that remained on his face. I remained stone faced as I looked at him. I wouldn’t let him learn the truth because of his suspicions.

  “Okay,” he sighed. “Just be careful, Lanea. If you make the wrong bet, you have a lot to lose.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I have more money than you do. A lot more.”

  He let out a short laugh at me then slowly turned around and walked away. I stared at him then let out a silent sigh of relief.

  “He knows,” Octavio whispered to me.

  “No, he doesn’t. And if you keep talking, someone is going to hear you. Just keep your mouth shut and let them think that Henry is the favorite going into this fight. I’ve convinced them that it’s a sure thing and I’m leaning that way. Millions of dollars are going to be exchanging hands on the night of the fight. And it’s my hands the money is going to land in.”

  “Are you sure that Anderson will do the job? You yourself have never seen him fight in person.”

  “Henry doesn’t have what it takes. He’s barely getting by on his instincts. His ability is lacking. Once he steps into The Pit with a real fighter, he will be put out of his misery. But…”

  I grabbed a glass of champagne from a nearby waiter. I motioned for Octavio to move to the side of the room to make sure that nobody else could hear our con
versation.

  “Keep following Henry,” I said. “I want to know every move he’s making. And when he least expects it, I want you to take care of him. Get some people and make sure that he barely makes it to the fight. Don’t beat him up too bad. Just enough that it will give Anderson an advantage if he actually needs it.”

  “What if Henry backs out of the fight, Ms. Zara?”

  “He’ll fight. I don’t know what it is about him but he’ll fight. He’s desperate. Nothing short of dying will stop him from showing up for the opportunity of a lifetime. Think about it, Octavio. If he wins this fight, his life will be changed forever. It’s a shame he actually thinks he can win.”

  I looked around at all of the rich people that surrounded me. They laughed and mingled with one another without a care in the world. The feeling of knowing that I was in control of even affluent people like them was indescribable. It didn’t matter how much money they had in their bank accounts. When I realized that I had manipulated them, I started to laugh and smile along with them. Everything was going according to plan.

  Chapter 19 - Henry

  My injuries from the fight with Wilson were all but gone. With the biggest fight of my life in front of me, it was time to head back to the gym. But it wasn’t just about getting ready for Anderson. I had to tell Maxwell of my decision. It was my decision to make anyway but I knew that he wouldn’t be completely happy. When I arrived at the gym early that morning, Maxwell was already there waiting for me.

  “What’s going on, Henry?” he smiled at me. “Let’s get some work done, baby. I’m sure Lanea’s lining-up the next chump as we speak. It’ll be nice to get some more money in my pocket. I could use a new outfit.”

  “New outfit?” I laughed as he examined himself.

  “Well, yeah, man. I mean, I’m managing the best fighter in the streets. I can’t let people seeing me in the same clothes over and over.”

  “So now you care about what you look like?”

  “Now? What are you saying, Henry?”

  I laughed and started to shake my head. I didn’t have the heart to tell Henry how cheap his leather jacket looked. That wasn’t the issue at this point.

  “Listen, Maxwell… I… I have to tell you something.”

  “Oh yeah?” he looked at me confused. “This isn’t serious, is it?”

  “It is, actually. I talked to Lanea. I’m taking the fight with Anderson.”

  Maxwell looked at me for a moment to see if I was being serious. Then he sighed a deep breath and shook his head softly. We stood in the middle of the gym together, the sound of punches and kicks being thrown ringing in my ears. It still felt like we were by ourselves.

  “You sure about this, Henry?”

  “Do you think I can beat him?”

  He paused for a moment before responding. I could understand his reticence. There was going to be a lot of money on the line and despite knowing little about him, Anderson wasn’t going to be like any of the other men I’d fought. Nothing was guaranteed.

  “Yeah,” Maxwell finally nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

  “I’m going to focus and train really hard. I’m going to be ready for the fight.”

  “Hey, Henry. You don’t have to tell me. I believe in you, man.”

  “…Thanks.”

  It meant a lot to have Maxwell’s support. I was expecting him to question my decision and protest but he seemed to throw all of his support behind me. I didn’t know if he truly meant it but he was the last hurdle before making the decision final.

  “Time to go to work,” he smiled at me.

  I nodded to him then headed to where King was waiting for me. I quickly grew accustomed to King’s training. He was no nonsense. I needed someone who was all business. I didn’t want to think about anything else while I was training. I didn’t want to worry about the stress Nina was putting me through or the pressure of the big fight Lanea encouraged me to take. All I cared about was throwing harder punches and learning how to take them. You never really get used to the latter though. The bruises King inflicted on me when I wasn’t paying close enough attention were a constant reminder that things would get worse when it was the real thing.

  King squeezed everything he could out of me. After the end of another long training session, I only had enough energy to gingerly make my way out of the gym.

  “You all right?” Maxwell asked me with mild concern.

  “I’m just tired,” I said. “I just need to get some rest and get ready for the next session. You know you don’t have to worry about me.”

  “I know. But this is different. I don’t want you to push yourself too hard because of the next fight. You need to make sure you’re ready but not overdo it.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “What do you say we get something to eat? My treat.”

  I nodded then followed Maxwell down the street. In the short weeks we had been doing this, we had quickly developed a routine. Maxwell would be there to support me when I trained and then buy me dinner at the diner down the street.

  I let out a deep sigh as I collapsed into the seat. Maxwell always took the courtesy of ordering for me even though I never asked him to. I never complained because I had grown so accustomed to it.

  As he looked at me from across the table, I leaned back and rested my head against the seat.

  “Are you sure you’re okay, man?” he asked me. “You look really beat today.”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I just need to get some rest. No big deal.”

  “You know, I been thinking.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah. We’ve been eating at this place so regularly that I think we could splurge from time to time. We should probably check out one of those fancier restaurants downtown.”

  “No thanks. I kind of like it down here.”

  “You do? Why?”

  I did my best to raise my head from my seat. Maxwell looked at me inquisitively. I chuckled softly then turned my head to the window next to us.

  “Look out there,” I said to him. “You and I, we’ve lived on those streets for a long time. Just because we’ve gotten a little bit of money doesn’t change us. These streets will always be a part of us. That’s part of the reason I like it here. It’s just… me.”

  Maxwell looked out of the window and remained silent for only a few moments. I turned and saw that he was lost in thought. Then he started to shake his head.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Henry. I’m getting the hell out of this place the first chance I get.”

  I laughed at Maxwell as he didn’t get my original point.

  “I’ve been there before,” I said to him. “Lanea took me out, remember? She brought me to a fancy restaurant. She dressed me up in fancy clothes. She introduced me to some of her snobby friends. That’s not me. That’s not us.”

  “Speak for yourself.”

  “Come on, Maxwell,” I laughed. “Look in a mirror. No matter how much money you have, you know that you’ll never fit in with those people.”

  “What are you saying, man? You saying I don’t have any class?”

  “No, that’s not what I meant,” I laughed as Maxwell seemed to have taken some offense. “I mean you’re not like them. You’re better than that. Those people you see in The Pit… They’re only there because it’s the highest feeling they can have. No drugs or alcohol or anything else can match it. That’s why they’re there. They want that feeling of what it’s like to control another person.”

  “Hey, I’m not talking about personal slaves here. I just want to go to a place where they don’t overcook my steak for once.”

  The waitress placed Maxwell’s order in front of him just before he finished talking.

  “I’ll let the cook know what you think of his cooking,” she said to him.

  I rolled my eyes and laughed at Maxwell as they waitress glared at him. Maxwell shrugged his shoulders then started to cut into his overdone steak. I looked at the similarly burnt slab of meat
in front of me and pushed myself forward from my seat to cut into it.

  “So what’s it like?” he asked me with his mouth full of food.

  “What’s what like?”

  “Eating at a fancy restaurant. And not just eating there. Getting pampered by the waiters. Ordering anything you want. Having people look at you with some kind of admiration.”

  “It’s a unique experience, to say the least… Lanea certainly made things a lot more interesting.”

  “Yeah, I’ll bet…”

  Maxwell looked at me with a suspicious glimmer in his eye. I shoved some of the steak into my mouth as I remembered what it was like spending time with her.

  “It was her,” he said.

  “Maxwell?”

  “Why did you take the fight? It was because of Lanea, wasn’t it?”

  I thought about my answer for a moment. I wasn’t sure if now was the best time to tell him. But the look in his eyes told me that he already knew.

  “It wasn’t because of her,” I shook my head. “She just made me realize that it was the right decision.”

  “You know that you could still make a lot of money taking easier fights. That last guy—”

  “I don’t want to fight any more, Maxwell. After this, it’s over. I have a chance to finish this and I’m taking it.”

  “Okay, Henry,” he nodded.

  Maxwell couldn’t disagree with me even if he wanted to. Where or not I was being influenced, this was my decision. And I decided that this was my ticket out of this place and back to Elsa.

  Maxwell gave me something to think about though. I was always suspicious of Lanea but I didn’t know exactly why that was. It seemed like there was more to her than just wanting to make more money.

  “What do you know about Lanea?” I asked him.

  “I’ve done some business with her in the past before,” he said. “But I only know as much as the average person. It’s the same thing I already told you. Her parents passed and she was an only child. Now she’s an heiress. There’s not much more to it than that.”