by Rick Pine
“Just water, thank you.” Casey sat down and thanked the server for his water.
Ciro wasted no further time. “The boy, Billy. How do you know him?”
“He’s a friend. I work for his father, Mr. Parsons.”
Ciro nodded. It made sense. “Do you know of the arrangement I have with Mr. Parsons, Casey?”
“He told me, yes.”
“So then, why are you here? The debt is not yours. A deal has already been made. What could you stand to gain from this? After all, you’ve come a long way and stepped into my house. I assume you know who I am?” His eyes now fixed on Casey.
Casey knew full well who he was, of course. But he wasn’t sure it was smart to share all he knew right now. Maybe some ignorance might buy him a little time to figure out what Ciro wanted. He had to want something; everyman does. Finding it was the trick, and was his only real chance to get Billy back.
“I love the boy. He’s family to me. I’m sure you would do all you could for your family, too, Mr. DeLuca.”
He looked, and pondered Casey’s words for a long moment. Probably working out if I’m playing him or not, Casey thought.
“That I would, Casey. The question still needs to be asked, though. If you’ve come to bargain, what are you bargaining with? What could you possibly have that I might require?”
He had a point. “I was hoping you might be able to tell me?”
“I have no need for an apple farmer, here.”
The door opened next to them, as the next fight was about to begin. Out walked one of the Warriors.
It was a girl.
♦ ♦ ♦
Ciro’s focus changed immediately when Alex came out to fight. He always loved watching her. I wonder who the unlucky son-of-a-bitch is tonight? he thought.
“You see that girl? That’s Alex the Assassin! My prized Warrior,” he exclaimed, rather excitedly.
Casey turned to watch.
“She’s my best fighter,” he proudly stated. “I have Lou to thank for her.” He turned towards the table, pointing Lou out to Casey. “He was over working for the Bonanno family, but after that I managed to persuade him to stay and work for me instead. Lou loves a good fight.”
Lou nodded, but neither of them took their attention away from the Pit where Alex was warming up.
“Why is she fighting a man? Don’t you have a women's division?” Casey asked.
Ciro smiled; he loved telling this part of the story. “We do, but I had to move her up to the men’s division because she was too good. She killed her first two opponents within ten seconds. It was spectacular to watch. She trains harder than anyone that’s ever worked for me. So I had to give her a challenge. And she still cuts them down. It’s so much fun to watch a grown man being dominated by a seventeen-year-old girl.” Ciro was almost getting turned on by the thought until Casey interjected.
“Who’s she fighting? He looks like some guy off the street, not one of your Warriors?”
“That’s because he is.”
Casey looked at him a little confused.
“We stopped pitting Warriors against each other a few years back. It was getting hard to find fresh meat. Then one day this guy came pleading with me when he couldn’t pay his debt…” Ciro took his focus off Alex and looked at Casey, “Just like you are.” The smirk returned to his face. Now there's an idea, he thought, before continuing his explanation to Casey.
“This guy, he said he could fight, and asked if he could fight for me to pay off his debt. So I let him. The crowd loved it. I mean, who doesn’t love an underdog, right? The guy got his head ripped off and the crowd went nuts. That’s when I decided to change the format.”
“So it’s still a fight to the death, just with a trained Warrior and some random punter?”
“The Warriors fight to the death, yes. The challenger doesn’t, but it happens. They used to, but I lost too much money, and they can’t repay their debts if they’re dead. So, my Warriors just beat the shit out of them or knock them out. That way, after they lose I still get paid. If they win, and kill one of my Warriors, then of course they get to walk, debt free. Everyone likes to think they have a chance. That hope keeps them going in this miserable city.”
Neither spoke a word as the bell rang. Even the guests at the table rose and joined them to get a better view. Any talk of a deal was on hold while they watched in amazement.
♦ ♦ ♦
Alex was still mid-stretch when the bell rang. Not that it bothered her. She stood upright as her unkempt challenger flew at her with a huge right hook. Alex loved this part. She always smiled to herself when she had a challenger come at her so aggressively. These fights were always short. The aggressive ones underestimated her and usually didn’t know how to fight. If they did, they wouldn’t charge as soon as the bell rang. They would test her and keep their distance, gauging her responses. But no, they loved to think a seventeen-year-old girl was easy pickings. Alex always thought it odd given the fact she hadn’t lost. Ever! I mean, they call me “The Assassin”, for fuck's sake.
The right hook was long and slow, and Alex had all the time in the world to block or avoid it. She chose to duck. As she reached her lowest point she struck him square in the crotch before rising. It was a man’s greatest weakness. Every time a man gets hit in the groin his hands come down to protect it. Every… single… time. It was a reflex Alex loved to take advantage of.
This man was no exception. He bent over slightly with his hands on his crotch. She took advantage, quickly grabbing his head with both hands and pushing him further down, before meeting his face with her swiftly rising knee. The crowd cheered as his nose exploded, spraying blood everywhere.
She could have finished him off there and then. But she was bored, and she wanted it to last a little longer than five seconds. She played off the crowd, whose cheers were now deafening.
The challenger finally stood back up, with blood streaming down his face. He stumbled hesitantly towards her. He tried a short left hook, but Alex expected it, mainly because she was toying with him, baiting him to do so. Her right arm came up to guard and block the punch, while simultaneously jabbing him with her left. He was startled once again, and she didn’t hesitate, following it instantly with a right uppercut to his jaw, sending her challenger sprawling to the floor.
She turned her attention to Ciro, and saw his smirk was wide. She wanted nothing more than to wipe it off his face. She’d show him no mercy. She hoped she’d get the chance one day.
He nodded to her, signaling it was time to end the games. Alex walked over to the writhing excuse of a man on the floor and stomped swiftly on his head. The crowd groaned before resuming their deafening cheer as she popped his head open like a watermelon. The bell dinged as she walked away without looking back, her face angry and unashamedly unapologetic.
But inside she was weeping with grief. She knew she had no choice but to take life in the Pits, but each and every time she felt the burden of the task. She didn’t enjoy killing her opponents. They weren’t guilty of the crimes that the Cosa Nostra was. Sometimes she saw the faces of her victims in her sleep. She even prayed for them, when no one was looking. But she knew that if she didn’t do as Ciro insisted she would be the one carried off on a stretcher covered by a sheet.
What she felt inside didn’t matter right now, and she had to keep face.
Her bodyguard met her at the edge of the ring and walked her back towards the door and to Ciro’s table.
♦ ♦ ♦
Ciro clapped proudly as he watched Alex leave the Pit. As she and her escort got closer he waved them to come over to him.
“Casey, meet Alex, the greatest Warrior to ever step into these Pits.”
Casey offered his hand to shake but Alex just stared at him. “Hi,” she replied.
“What do you think, Casey, wasn’t she amazing?”
Casey withdrew his hand and made it clear he was talking directly to Alex. “Not bad.”
Alex scoffed.
>
He looked her in the eye. “You dropped your left guard hand when you went for the uppercut. If you were fighting someone who knew how to fight, they would have moved their head after your jab, expecting the combo. You would have missed the uppercut and left yourself wide open. Thankfully for you, it worked out.”
Alex looked dumbfounded. Casey guessed there weren’t too many people who gave her fighting advice, other than her trainer. She stared at Casey’s stoic expression for a moment before replying. “Thanks.”
Casey could feel Ciro starring at him as he talked to Alex. No doubt he was trying to examine him, get some sort of read on if Casey was actually a fighter himself.
Alex walked away with her bodyguard and disappeared through the side door.
“That was some advice you gave her, Casey. I’ll see she works on it with her trainer. Can’t have my best Warrior defeated, not yet.” Ciro walked back over to the table and took his usual seat before pouring himself some red wine. He motioned for Casey to join him and do the same. Casey took the seat opposite Ciro at the other end of the table, with his eyes firmly fixed on escape plan A—the blue door.
“Do you still wish to bargain, Casey?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I have a job that needs some muscle. More of a deterrent really, though it might take a day or two. I would send one of my men, but we’re spread so thin these days that it’s hard to send someone away for so long.”
Casey knew he was lying. There was no way it was going to be so simple. He would have thought it a trap if they’d known his real name. Then again, if they knew that he wouldn’t be breathing right now.
“If I agree, can you promise not to make the boy fight until I return?”
Ciro pondered, no doubt with the sole intention of irking Casey. “I can agree to that. But, if you fail your mission, then the boy’s first fight will be against you.” He pointed at Casey, as if to clarify the word you. “And it will be a fight to the death, of course.” Ciro’s unrelenting smirk got even bigger.
Casey knew he had no other choice. If he failed, he would cross that bridge when he came to it. For now, he was at Ciro’s mercy.
He gave his answer. “When do I leave?”
“First thing in the morning. But before that I need to make sure you can walk the walk and you’re not just all talk. A test of your abilities, if you will.”
Casey knew what was coming next. He wasn’t bothered by it. He just wished he could choose his opponent so he could wipe that smirk off his face.
“I’m going to need you to prove your skills in there.” Ciro pointed to the Pit. Casey didn’t bother turning around; he knew what he was pointing at.
“Who’s my opponent? Another poor soul that owes you money?”
“No.” Ciro turned his attention to Lou who was sitting on his right. “Lou loves a good fight, and hasn’t had one in a while. He needs his fix.”
Lou remained stoic.
“When?” asked Casey.
The gray door next to them opened and another Warrior and their bodyguard made their way to the Pit.
“After this next fight. You might like to warm up.” Ciro motioned to one of the guards. “Take Casey to one of the training rooms. Let him warm up on the bags.”
Casey stood and left with the guard.
♦ ♦ ♦
Ciro leaned in to speak into Johny’s ear. “Johny, follow them and keep an eye on him. Report back, and let me know if he does anything or tries to talk to anyone.”
“Sure thing,” Johny replied, and stood up to follow them.
Chapter 14
Casey joined his opponent in the Pit. The crowd was now less rowdy than before but still loud enough to be distracting. Casey had warmed up well on the heavy bag in the training room and felt okay. Not good, just okay. The last ten years working in the Orchard had been quiet and hadn’t required his previous skill set.
He liked that about the Orchard. Good, honest work. It was hard work that made him stronger than before, that’s for sure. But Casey had lost some of his famous speed and agility. He didn’t like that. Speed would certainly be an attribute to take advantage of in this fight. Despite feeling stronger than before, he wasn’t as strong as his opponent, anyone could see that. Lou also had a height and reach advantage. Casey could really have used that speed right now.
The announcer called the fighter’s names. A few enthusiastic punters and a handful of drunks cheered. The rest of the crowd headed for the bar or were off to collect their winnings from the last fight.
Casey stood, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet, ready for the bell. Lou just stared at him. Lou had changed out of his tailored suit, and was now wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of boxing shorts.
So he likes to box, Casey thought. That was useful information he could utilize. He wouldn’t be kicking, just good old-fashioned brawling. Casey now knew how to win this fight, which he desperately needed to do. Not just for Billy’s life, but for his own. Lou wasn’t going to hold back. He could see in his eyes there would be no hesitation if he had the opportunity to take Casey’s life.
The bell rang.
Both fighters moved towards each other, stopping just outside of striking distance. They moved around, adjusting their guard, trying to get a read on each other, looking for a weakness to exploit. Lou lost his patience first. He stepped in, throwing a straight right punch at Casey’s head. Casey had no difficulty seeing it coming and moved diagonally to the left and avoiding the strike. Lou turned his retracting right arm into an elbow to the back of Casey’s head. Casey stumbled forward. He wasn’t expecting that. With his back now turned to Lou he spun quickly, just in time to see Lou’s left hand come crashing down in a hammer strike. Casey raised his guard a little higher, just in time to block it. Casey felt the pain shoot through his forearm. He hits hard, very hard.
Casey swiftly moved back out of Lou’s reach and composed himself. Casey knew that to win this he had to get in really close. Better yet, he’d have to disable one of those arms. Options flew though Casey’s mind with surprising ease, just like the old days.
Lou came at him again, this time with a flurry of hook punches. Casey bobbed and weaved, covering his head, successfully avoiding each strike. Lou paused to catch his breath, and without hesitation Casey kicked him straight in the chest with an almighty thud, knocking Lou back a few steps.
Casey purposely dropped his left guard hand a little, inviting Lou in. It worked, and Lou threw a right punch at the opening, falling for the bait.
Prepared and waiting, Casey stepped to the side while blocking with his rear hand. He then turned his hand over and grabbed the arm before he could retract it while simultaneously striking Lou’s ribs with his left. Casey felt the bone break as he struck him with all the force he could muster. Lou winced, but never made a sound.
He still had control of the arm as stepped back, locking out Lou’s arm. Lou stumbled to keep his balance as he was pulled forwards slightly. Casey struck the locked out elbow, sinking his weight into the strike. Lou made a sound this time, screaming as his elbow shattered. Casey smiled. Not so tough after all.
Lou fell to his knees, roaring in pain. Suddenly Casey was aware of the silence around him. He glanced up at the punters, who had now stopped what they were doing to watch some stranger rip through the Cosa Nostra’s main enforcer. They weren’t sure if they were allowed to cheer, so instead stood in a collective, awkward silence.
Casey turned his attention back to Lou, who remained on his knees. He was still holding Lou’s limp arm.
Lou looked up and snarled at Casey. He had no choice now; he had to end the fight before Lou went berserk.
Casey swung his leg and kicked Lou as hard as he could, lifting him off the ground a little as he made contact. Lou screamed even louder as the kick made contact with his already broken rib, sending a wave of pain shooting through his whole chest. Casey wasted no time in repeating his effort twice more. The last of the three
kicks found Lou’s head, finally knocking him unconscious.
Dropping Lou’s arm, Casey looked up at Ciro, who was standing there like a Roman emperor watching over a gladiatorial fight. Ciro forced a smile, resigned to the fact he’d lost one of his best men, albeit temporarily.
Casey waiting for some sort of signal from him, unsure if he had won the fight yet or if he needed to finish him off to do so. He almost expected him to put his thumb up or down, as he now pictured the irked Caporegime in an emperor’s purple toga. Ciro looked over to the announcer booth and nodded to the man sitting inside by the edge of the ring.
The announcer then declared Casey the winner, as two medics rushed in to take Lou away, signaling for help to get Lou’s ample frame onto the stretcher. As two more men made their way over, Lou started to regain consciousness.
Casey looked around the silenced crowd as they whispered to one another. A few daring punters had bet against the establishment and were now collecting their winnings from Casey’s victory, which was enough to pay their bills for several months.
Another man walked over to Casey, who he recognized as one of the fighter’s bodyguards from earlier. “Follow me, sir.”
Casey nodded. He had no reason not to. He just hoped he’d proved himself without offending Ciro too much. He knew first hand just how fragile the ego and honor of a Caporegime could be. Especially one who lived in his daddy’s shadow. Curiosity set in as he wondered what mission he was about to be sent on. He’d said “a day or two”, Casey recalled. What could take that long?
He was about to find out.
♦ ♦ ♦
The bodyguard took Casey to Ciro’s table, where he was instructed to sit and wait. The two armed guards remained, not allowing any of the eager punters to meet Casey while Ciro was checking on Lou in the back room.
A new face walked over to the table and sat down unchallenged.
“Nice work in the Pit,” said Nicolas.