Blue could win the fight. He could kill another man; he’d done it before. He had been to war and he had the memories to prove it. He had fired and seen his bullets hit an enemy combatant, he knew what it was to kill. But this would be up close and personal, while he was surrounded by a cheering crowd.
He couldn’t stop the memories as they sprung to the surface. Blue hit and punched again and again but an opponent older and more desperate than he was. He remembered the sickening crack of bone and the loud cheers that would follow. What kind of man cheers at such a sound?
Hot basements and cold desert nights. They could never get the temperature right in the fights. On cold nights the hits, whether you were giving them or taking them, hurt worse. In the heat you were liable to slip and get sweat in your eyes making you vulnerable. It could never just be a fight; there always had to be that added note of cruelty. And now he had to do it again.
He pulled up in front of the monstrosity that was his father’s new house. The marble columns shone in the moonlight, but almost all of the windows were dark. Did his fiancée have any idea where her oldest daughter was? Would she care if she did? Blue parked in the driveway and stepped out into the cold night, his breath coming out in huge plumes in front of him. His heels clicked as he walked up the house and he let himself in through the open front door.
Terrance was sitting in the kitchen, wearing his trademark suite, but the jacket was thrown on a chair and his tie was loose around his neck. He was drinking whiskey from a glass and there was another full one on the counter across from him. It was for Blue. He walked towards it and downed the glass in one thirsty gulp.
“That’s Blue Label, you have any idea how expensive that is? Sip it, enjoy it, don’t toss it back like a shot.”
“You shouldn’t talk about how expensive things are. It’s tacky,” Blue said wiping his mouth and pouring himself another drink.
“You were named after that drink, you know,” Terrance said as Blue tossed the drink back.
“Yeah, and I’ve always been really proud to be named after an overpriced whiskey,” Blue said finally turning to look at his father. “So this is how it’s going to be. You’re really going to kidnap someone just to force me to fight? You’re really that desperate?”
“I wouldn’t say desperate. I would say smart,” Terence replied with a nod. “Because you are going to fight, aren’t you?”
“You have to let Jamie go first.”
“Why, so you and the girls can skip town? I don’t think so.”
“Then I’m not doing this. I’m not going to let you keep me on a leash forever. Let Jamie go and I’ll do this one fight for you. One last fight, no holds, no refs, to the death. You should be able to make plenty of money. After that you’re on your own. I’m not fighting for you any more. I’m done helping you.”
“You think you’ve helped me? Do you have any idea how much work you’ve been? How much money I invested in you? As I’ve said before, Blue, you’re not smart. If I weren’t here to look out for you, what would happen to you? You’d be taken advantage of, tricked and left for dead.”
“Yeah, that might have worked when I was fifteen. But I’m a grown man now. I’ve been to war. I’ve done things that would have made you piss your pants and throw up all at the same time. You think you’re smart? How smart do you really have to be to use a little kid? It’s the easiest thing in the world. Besides, the way I hear it, you’re not doing so well. Had to go and get the boys from Detroit to re-open your fighting pits. I heard you went to them on your hands and knees begging for a loan.”
“That’s a lie!” Terrance growled. “I went to them with a business offer because I’m a businessman and a good one at that. Look at this house, Blue, look at all the wealth I have. I had nothing and now I have all of this.” He spread his hands around his empty kitchen as if it were somehow supposed to impress Blue.
“You didn’t do it by yourself. I did it. I was the one who trained night and day. I was the one who actually fought. You were just the guy on the sidelines, who thought he was playing the game.”
“And, yet, here you are. You are going to do the fight as I always knew you would. You need a better analogy, kid. I’m the coach, you’re the player, you do what I say and remember coaches trade players, not the other way around.”
“You have to return Jamie if you want me to fight. I’m not going into that ring until I see her and I know that she’s safe and unharmed.”
“Aren’t you all noble,” Terrance said. “Rescuing the girl, putting your life on the line. Blue DeMarco, my hero. I’ll need to make some calls, but I can get Jamie to you. But if you are going to fight, then we’re pushing it back by a few days. This is a big deal and we have some out of towers that are eager to fly in and watch you kill another man. We need to give them notice and a chance to buy their plane ticket.”
Blue scoffed and rolled his eyes. Of course his father was going to extend it. It could never just be over. There always had to be one more thing, one last little dig in Blue’s side.
“I want your keys and your wallet,” Terrance said. “And your personal assurance that you won’t go anywhere.”
“I promise,” Blue said tossing his car keys and his wallet down on the counter.
Terrance swept them up and deposited them in his pocket. “If you do betray me and if you do leave town I’ll kill Chelsea, you understand that, right? It doesn’t matter where she goes, or how many bodyguards she hires. I’ll take her, I’m make her suffer and, then, when I’m bored with her, I’ll kill her.”
Blue said nothing. His jaw ached from how hard he had been clenching it. He could easily imagine it: sweet gentle Chelsea ripped from her home one night and never seen again. Terrance would do it. He had always had an appreciation for violence.
“You know Colleen is going to find out about this, right?” Blue said. “Chelsea knows and I’m sure Jamie isn’t going to forget her kidnapping. How are you going to explain this?”
“I had nothing to do with Jamie’s disappearance and it hurts that the children would try to blame it on me,” Terrance said, placing his hand over his heart.
Blue said nothing about Chelsea recording her conversation with Terrance. He wanted to tell him. Blue wanted to be the one to tell Terrance that he wasn’t as smart as he thought. But then it would only give Terrance time to invent some lie for Colleen. No, he would let Chelsea tell her mother and then they could confront Terrance. Blue couldn’t imagine how Terrance would try and get out of that.
“I love this house, but sometimes I think it’s a shame I sold our old one. You could have spent the night in your childhood bedroom.”
Blue scoffed at the description. His childhood bedroom had been a small room barely bigger than a closet. He had a cot to sleep on and a small foot locker for all of his clothes. He had never been allowed to hang anything on his walls and he had never had any money to buy games or toys. It hadn’t been a bedroom. It had been a jail cell and Blue was glad to be rid of it; he hoped whoever bought to property would tear that old house down.
“Go and get Jamie,” Blue said. “I’m not doing anything until I know she’s alive.”
“Very well,” Terrance said as he walked out of his room and into his office.
Blue’s hand gripped the counter top of his father’s new kitchen. He needed to train. It had been a long time since his days in the pits. He had promised himself he would never go back there, but now here he was without any choice. In a few days Blue would have to fight to kill or be killed himself.