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12. Fighting Rules

"De' Gracias!" she yelled, but it was of no use. The pounding noise was too loud. Begrudgingly, she followed him with Nicole trailing behind.

The smoke scent of the air nipped at her senses. She knew that clubs had many smokers, but where Carlos was leading smelled more heavily of it.

"De' Gracias!" she shouted again. "Where is your lead? What is your play—?"

Violent shouts and screams of pain silenced her as Carlos opened another exit door. She listened carefully as the sounds of battle cries and cheers flooded out of the room Carlos disappeared in. It was only when Nicole skipped through the entrance did she realize that Carlos was keeping the door open for her.

She gave him a confused look—she didn't take Carlos De' Gracias to be a gentleman. Carlos only shrugged as he led them further in.

This is worse than the Racing Arena.

The arena had a similar form to the room where Carlos had brought them to. Drunken cheers, gang tattoos on exercised biceps, betting rings. The only difference between the two arenas was that the racing arena had tracks. This arena had rings—Boxing Rings.

Carlos had brought them to a Fight Club.

"De' Gracias!" she hissed. "What in the name of flaming hell are we doing in a Fight Club? Most of these people are criminals—big criminals who may know us." She spoke in the calm voice she always spoke in, but right now she wanted to scream at agent she once considered wise. "You could get us killed."

Carlos gave a small chuckle. "Relax Deaton. There isn't anybody here sober enough to know who we are."

As they moved forward they were met with different boxers in rings. Some groaned in pain, while the others yelled in victory for causing that pain.

There were about six rings in total from what Kiara could see, all of which were occupied. A table was placed at the center of the arena where two men sat, commenting about the performance of their fighters. Vendors roamed around the room taking bets and selling alcohol

The simple fetish of it all reminded Kiara of her days in the ring. Before she found Blind Spot.

Wandering further into the crowd, they found Nicole talking to some man. Not two seconds till Carlos and Kiara would reach her, when she started yanking on the man's already balding hair. The man tried desperately to get her off of him but it was of no use.

Carlos quickly pulled her by her waist, detaching Nicole from him. Nicole spat a few choice words at him, still thrashing in Carlos's tight hold. The man's face twisted in horror as he quickly turned around to leave, muttering some words about how she was 'crazy lunatic' and a 'rabid animal'.

Before Kiara could ask who Nicole was talking to and why she was so mad, the man with mikes spoke.

"And now ladies and gentlemen let me present to you our final contender! He's fast, he's strong; he'll make hell feel better. Please welcome the Ripper!"

Out of the right corner of the ring a man emerged and started waving his hands. The cheers got louder. Only wearing a pair of silver boxing shorts, the dark muscles on his body showed. Gauze wrapped around his hands, he gritted his teeth performed an impressive kick.

The announcer spoke again. But this time, the crowd yelled before the name was even said.

"And in the left corner—" the man's voice sounded small with the violent cheers and applause that thundered throughout the ring. Signs were held high, whistles and bets were being made.

"People don't go this crazy at a concert!" Nicole yelled, trying to be heard over the increasing volume.

The man tried to do his job again, "I doubt this man needs any introduction. You've seen him beat, pound and tear through his opponents like they were nothing—which in front of him, I guess they ain't—"