Fight(53)

“Remember,” the guy yelled. “We don’t stop until someone can’t get up.”

This was insane. Tripp could have just gotten Autumn and left. He had no business trying to save me.

None of it made sense yet either. It was like Skull X knew everything. And Stoney had been acting weird. But he’d been attacked too.

“Get a good look,” the guy next to me said. “Watch your fighter one last time. He’s f*cking dead.”

I swallowed a lump in my throat.

The guy making the announcements left the square and the fight started.

Tripp went right in, fists up, throwing two punches. They connected off Kane’s jaw, sending him stumbling back. Kane threw a right and Tripp ducked. A quick left from Kane and Tripp knocked it away. Tripp landed two body punches, sending Kane’s hands to protect himself. That left his face exposed and Tripp took advantage of it.

I wanted to smile. I wanted to cheer for Tripp.

But it was no use. Even if he won this fight, it wouldn’t be over. It would never be over. Not until we were dead. That was the finale in this mess, wasn’t it?

My eyes filled with tears and I blinked them away.

Tripp landed two more punches. He had Kane against the edge of the crowd.

“Don’t get excited,” the guy next to me said. “There’s no rules here. Just wait for it.”

Before I could ask what that meant, the guy who had made the announcements called for Kane. The entire fight then changed as the guy gave Kane a knife.

Then he gave one simple order.

“Kill him!”





35.


(Tripp)



I still had a gun in my back pocket. The gun I took from Dmitry. I just needed a chance at a clean shot to get Kane. The worst part was that I had no problem with this guy in front of me. He was doing his job, and that meant I had to do mine.

Kane lunged at me with the knife. I was able to get out of the way. My focus was completely on the knife, so I missed a left hook coming. He hit my shoulder and I spun around. I bumped into the crowd and someone threw a drink in my face. I stumbled back and Kane threw an arm around my chest. He squeezed like a python with prey.

I blinked fast to regain my sight and threw an elbow, hitting Kane in the gut. I saw the knife coming around at me and I had to drop down. The water that had been splashed in my face made it so I was able to wiggle free and get down. Kane spun around with the knife. I punched at the side of his knee and brought him down. He screamed. I threw a right up at his mouth and connected, busting him open.

Kane swung with a strong backhand and hit me. He got me real good, sending me to my ass. I kicked back and away. Kane grabbed the knife and was back on his feet. I got up and started to reach back for the gun, but I didn’t have enough time to get it. The knife slashed at my shirt, slicing it but not slicing me.

“Kill him!” someone yelled from the side. “Fucking gut him!”

The crowd started to get rowdy. They started to work together to chant for my death. It was something I had never experienced before. Then I felt people swinging at me. Grabbing at my shirt, my hair. Throwing their legs out, wanting to trip me as I dodged and darted away from Kane and the knife.

Someone socked me in the ribs and the pain stole my breath. I fell forward and right into Kane’s free hand. He grabbed my throat and slashed at my side. I felt the knife cut my skin with a white hot pain. The entire room started to spin and I begged myself to keep composure.

Kane brought the knife back, ready to go for the kill.

Kill him! Fucking kill him! Show them blood! They paid for blood!

Kane grinned, my death already playing through his f*cking mind. I had only one chance to make a move… I jumped up, smashing my head off his face. Kane instantly let me go, walking back a few steps. His nose opened and spilled down his chin. I turned and threw a punch, hitting him in the forearm. His bones shattered against my hit, his arm flopping in half, the knife falling from his hand.

The people that saw the hit let out an ooohhh! sound.

Kane pulled his arm to his body, screaming in pain.

This was my chance to go for the kill.

I hit him in the nose again, then the stomach. He swung with his free hand but had nothing. He didn’t have his feet in place. He didn’t have his balance. He didn’t have his focus. The pain from his broken forearm bones controlled him now. And that meant I had the chance to end the fight. The knife was on the ground and Kane was stumbling around.

Each time he threw a fist, I moved out of the way and threw my own. From his ribs, to his gut, to his face, I had him in a wide stance, his body rocking back and forth. One more good punch would take him down. With any luck, he’d smash his head on the floor and either pass out or die.

I brought my fist back and something caught the corner of my eye.

A tattoo.

I turned my head, my fist not gaining any steam.

I saw a guy walking through the crowd. The tattoo on his neck was what got me though.

I stopped dead. The entire crowd became nothing but a murmur.

The guy looked at me, grinned, and kept walking.

I knew the guy.

It was the guy who shot Endo.



~



It was like stepping into a damn time warp. The guy with the tattoo kept walking, my eyes locked on him. My mind screamed to focus on the fight at hand. But I couldn’t let this guy get away from me again, could I?