Fighter for Hire (COMPLETE!)

Chapter 4: War Machine

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Nate’s POV

I looked around the raucous crowd for a minute before shifting my eyes back to the cage. I was due up next and absolutely ready to jump out of my shoes. I was noticing that everyone else was wearing athletic gear, as if they were fighting professionally. Even Em was dressed for the occasion, but here I was in jeans and sneakers with fists taped. I had always been a street fighter, where even having a fist taped is a luxury. Your lucky to even be wearing anything you can move freely in so you learn to make due. I guess I was just old fashioned when it came to getting my hands dirty. My grandfather had taught me that when “shit goes down, you roll up your sleeves and get nasty.” I missed him at times and now was one of him. He was a great fighter in his time. The German War Machine as he was known, an absolute tank in the ring. It sounded like my name was called but I was lost in thought. Next thing I knew I got smacked in the back of the head.

“NATE! WAKE UP!” Em shouted at me. I swear if the place had a lower ceiling, I’d have probably hit my head I jumped so high. I looked to him, still buzzing. “You’re up kid. Tony’s going to try and shoot your legs, take you down you know. You have this match in the bag but try and stay on your feet. The crowd seems to like a slugfest more than a wrestling match. Go get him.” He pushed me forward and gave me a huge smile. He’d never seen me actually go full bore so he was in for a treat. Like I said, Em was big and intimidating, where as I was 5’10 and 200 lbs of pure vicious, walking, terror. Speed and agility had always been my greatest feature, even though my strength was my greatest weapon. I looked back once more before I stepped in the cage. He threw up a Celtic cross in a salute which I returned. I took off my shirt and I saw the expression on the ring girl’s face when she saw my body. Sharp 8 pack abs chiseled to the bone, a chest that looked like it had been carved from stone and biceps so vascular they looked like a road map. I still had some light bruising and I saw Tony smirk. I had always healed fast, unfortunately my skin did not. It showed off all my scars which I have always worn with pride. I winked at the ring girl and she looked like she was about to faint. I was too pretty to be a fighter, but there’s a saying that the most beautiful rose usually has the sharpest thorns, and I was no exception.

The ring announcer pulled down the mike and introduced us.

“In this corner, hailing from the TKE house, weighing 185 lbs, the pride of Potamik Valley, last years runner up and now heavy favorite, Geovani Tony!” He bellowed over the PA system. The crowd cheered as if he was destined to win this tourney and God’s gift to fighting . I smiled at the announcement.

“Jesus Christ who does this guy thinks he is, Michael Buffer? Ha, let’s see if he does the rummmmmmmmmble!” I was laughing quietly, before he turned to me. I was bouncing off my toes and shaking out my arms, trying to stay as calm and as loose as possible. I wanted to hear what he had to say about me.

“And in this corner, hailing from the 7th layer of hell, weighing in at 200 lbs of twisted steel and sex appeal and the only man to ever make Emelious Rush tap out. He is your, United States War Machine, Nathanial Rush!” There were loud boos coming from around the crowd. I swear if the cage wasn’t enclosed I would have gotten plunked with a beer bottle. Seems like the crowd preferred my brother to me. No matter, I thought to myself, I’d change their minds in the next 30 seconds or so.

The announcement was great though. “United States War Machine,” I thought aloud. “I could get used to that,” has a nice little ring to it. “This guy’s pretty good” I thought, still with a cocky smirk on my face, “but he’s no Michael Buffer.” Luckily he saved us the whole ready to rumble ordeal but I sure he’d bust that out for the final. How lucky I must be. The referee called us to the center, explain that it was knockout or submission, no eye gauging and no low blows. Other than that, anything goes.

“I hope you liked that hospital bed because I’m going to put you right back in it.” He glared down at me. I laughed in his face before I responded.

“It’s just you and me now. You don’t have back up this time, so I’ll give you 30 seconds before I knock you out. My knee to your chin, right cross to the jaw and it’s good night.” He looked amused and tried to respond but the ref broke us up and sent us back to our corners.

The bell rang and I literally floated towards him. For someone as clumsy as I was I was incredibly agile when it came to anything other than walking. I juked around him bouncing off my toes, feeling like I was moving on a pocket of air. I was intentionally timing my steps to give him an opening and sure enough he shot for my legs.

“Say goodnight!” I shouted as I dip stepped and dropped down, only to spring upwards off my back leg and put my left knee right into his chin. His neck snapped back and his whole body jerked upwards from the impact. I shifted my weight in mid air and lunged forward, my right fist connecting with the back of his jaw. I felt the bones shatter under the impact and his knees buckled as he collapsed backwards. Two crushing shots strung together so quickly and gracefully it looked like my knee had never hit him. But it did, and there he lay, knocked out cold with a blood spatter trailing from his mouth.

“Don’t bother counting,” I said to the ref. “He’s long gone. You could count to a thousand and he still won’t be up in time.” I smiled and looked around. The crowd was silent. ‘What the Fuck?’ was the first thing that came to mind. I had just laid down a terrific knockout, and these people were quiet?

I stepped out of the cage, the crowd still in a state of stupor that I had put down their “heavy favorite” in less than 30 seconds. I looked at the timer and saw 17 seconds, a new record. I saw them change the name on the board for fastest knockout to N. Rush. Now that felt good! I just stood there looking around, while Tony was being taken out on a stretcher. “Told you. I hope you’re as comfy as I was when you wake up in the ICU you piece of shit!” I yelled at his immobile figure as they took him out. I look to the back corner where a few people started to chant, “War Machine! War Machine! War Machine!” Soon the whole crowd was chanting war machine. I threw up the Celtic cross with my arms and the crowd erupted in cheers. I walked through the crowd towards my brother at the bar, people patting me on the back and screaming. I felt unbelievable, and it still felt like my feet hadn’t hit the ground yet. I found Em at the bar and much to my surprise, he was with Liz. “What is she doing here?” I asked him as he handed me a Jack and Coke.

“She came to watch you fight, and needless to say, she’s a little afraid of you.” He smiled and I couldn’t tell if he was serious or not.

You’re afraid if little ole me?” I teased playfully. “Come on now Liz, I’m harmless. You know that.”

She looked at me in disbelief. “Harmless? Tell it to that guy. I’ve never seen someone move so quickly and the sound when you hit him was like a sledgehammer on concrete. How did you do that? It was amazing!” She laughed and I joined her as did Em.

I smiled as I looked at both of them, “if you like fireworks stick around. I’m going to have this place going off like the 4th of July.” I laughed and joked with Em and Liz as the fights continued behind me. I had a while before my next fight so I thought I’d try and relax a little.

“You’re too pretty to fight, and way to pretty to be that dangerous.” Em and I both laughed at this. Liz was really cute like that at times. “You’re like one of those animals on the discovery channel. They look all pretty and beautiful but they’re like the most venomous animals alive.” She was still looking at me in a state of disbelief and it was rather interesting. We shared another drink and a laugh before I heard the bartender’s voice behind me.

“Some fight, but is it really wise to drink between fight?” Her voice was like velvet, smooth as silk. I didn’t turn around to respond.

“Thanks mom, but I always drink when I fight. It keeps me loose and takes enough of the pain away,” I said as I turned around to lay eyes on this beautiful creature.

She was about 5’4 with wavy jet black hair and blue eyes that shined like gems. Her frame was small and petite and she had this perfect symmetry. She was in tight jeans and a black t-shirt showing off her slight curves and really accentuating her figure. She wore the same charm that I wore only blue instead of red. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her until Em smacked me in the back of the head. I hated when he did that but it was the best way to make sure I would be paying attention.

“You’re up again. That’s Rick Sheets your fighting next. He’ll never see a kick coming so nail him in the jaw and then white cross him.” He was a good coach no doubt, and really did his homework. It was easy to see how he’d won this thing five years in a row. Well, that and being built like a German Panzer tank.

“Thanks bro, but I think I’ll just take him out in one shot. I kinda wanna break my record you know.” I smiled before sprinting over to staging. Before I stepped in though I looked back, to Em and Liz, and to my surprise the bartender as well. I don’t know her but why does she look so familiar? I pointed and got a response from my brother and a loud go get him from Liz.
I stepped into the cage to see this meatball staring at me. The same motherfucker that jumped on me and cracked my ribs. Payback would be sweet. TKE number 2, here we go

The ball rang and as I bounced forward I met him in the center, juke stepped with my right foot only to spin back and land my heel flush to his temple. He went down in a heap and I could have sworn at that moment the crowd was going to blow the roof off of the place. The ref counted him, and it was getting close. “C’mon with the ten count” I said as I watched the clock tick.

“Six” he shouted as my eyes stayed glued.

“seven” we were at 0:13 on the timer.

“Eight” come on! come on! come on!

“Nine” Almost there, 0:15 on the clock, damn it come on, 0:16, shit!

“Ten! You’re out!” ……… it stopped. It didn’t tick? It didn’t tick! Yes, another new….. 0:17.……FUCK!

“Just missed it” I said as I saw him try to get up. I went over and kicked his arm out so he fell back to the floor. “You’ll stay down if you know what’s good for you, you rat bastard. You made me miss a new record.” He just groaned as he lie there. I stepped out of the cage to the booming chants of War Machine, watching people throw up Celtic crosses so I threw one up myself. The cheers growing and I was becoming quite the fan favorite. I walked back to the bar again, beaming with happiness. For the first time in months I was truly happy. Normally I don’t like violence, but this was an exception. It was kind of sick that I was drawing so much pleasure from stomping some chumps but so rewarding at the same time. I got to the bar and was handed another drink, only this time it was by the bartender. I felt my stomach stir and my heart raced a little bit. What the fuck?

I took the drink and thanked her but looked away. I had turned shy in an instant. I faced the action, sitting with my back towards her and when she put a hand on my shoulder I jumped.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, actually looking the part. “I didn’t mean to startle you but you’re putting on some show and I just wanted to let you know that I’m rooting for you.” I blushed slightly, thank god it was dark back here as that would be too embarrassing. I hadn’t received any genuine attention from a woman in over a year, and to think this beautiful creature was even talking to me besides “what are you having“, was a shock. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Ever since Debbie destroyed me I’d had terrible luck with women. one pitfall after another so I just kept to myself this last year. I turned to look at her.

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” I said nervously. “It turns out my next opponent chickened out so I’m off for the rest of the night so I’m going to go home and rest up for tomorrow. Besides I’m starving and need something to eat.”

She looked at me and smiled. “It’s cold out. Why do you come upstairs to the main bar and I’ll fix you something. On the house since you’re bound to draw them in tomorrow once the talk gets out.” She winked at me and I almost fell over.

“I really should get home,” I managed to squeak that out. She looked at me a little disappointed and one look into those quartz blue eyes had my head spinning. What the fuck was wrong with me? Get it together jackass, she’s just a woman asking if you’re hungry. “On second thought, that sounds rather nice. Lead the way.” I smiled and she jumped up and bounded off. I chased after her sprinting pass her up the stairs in the bar.

I looked around in shock before I managed to speak. “Well paint me pink and fuck me sideways! That dungeon’s been down there all along?” It was the same bar I had gotten hammered in on a regular basis, and the same one where I had taken that ass kicking. I was looking around wondering what else I had missed. Before I had a chance she came back with a big basket of chicken strips and sat down at the bar, placing the basket down next to her and patted the seat for me to come join her. I jumped on the bar stool and proceeded to stuff my face, her eyes glued to me the entire time. When I finally finished, she looked at me with wide eyes. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“You know for someone your size you sure can eat.” She said laughing along with me. She looked at me with adoration before she unloaded a bombshell on me. “My name’s Kate, we’re in the same Nutrition class at the local college. You would always check me out when I walked into class but never spoke to me. I was wondering if you didn’t like me or something. I’d see you in here on a daily basis, drinking like you were trying to kill yourself. Then Em told me what happened and I have to say I’m so sorry that you had to endure something like that. I’ve wanted to talk to you for quite a while but I was intimidated.”

She paused and I jumped in. “Em told you about me and Debbie huh? Son of a bitch. I told him not to tell people about that. The fact that I have to deal with this is my cross to bear and I don’t want people feeling sorry for me. I know it’s only natural but I’ll get through it. I’m sorry I’m sounding like an unappreciative asshole right now but it’s also something I hate bringing up.” I stopped myself when I saw her expression sadden and tears well up in her eyes.

“Please don’t cry, I’m not good at comforting people. Besides you’ve got a nice smile and I’d rather see that on your face. Now if you don’t mind telling me, why were YOU afraid of talking to ME?”

There was a slight silence between us before she softly said, “well, you’re beautiful. You look like an angel who’s lost his way, and you have that look of pain all over your face and”

“Sweet heart I’m no angel. Not by a long way.” I interrupted and then there was silence. There were no words spoken for a few minutes and I became more uncomfortable. “Thank you for the food, I’ve got to be going.” I said as I hopped off the stool and headed for the exit. I was furious with myself for the way I’d treated her. She was so kind and genuine and I’d been cold as usual. I opened the door and stepped out into the cold night. I couldn’t help but keep my head down and pace up as I wanted to get away from that bar, still cursing myself for being such a jerk to that girl. It was snowing and as I walked down the street, I saw a trail of blood and flashing police and ambulance lights. I sprinted towards the scene and saw two stretchers, each with a body bag on top. A very familiar pain rose up in my chest.