He had talked a big game, trying to alleviate Jess’s fears, but if Scott were to tell the truth, he was worried. He could take care of himself, but Val was huge. As his group was marched out of the house and into the field, he was still trying to figure out how to take Val down. He had a plan, but he couldn’t figure out where to get a tank on such short notice.

 

“He likes to go to his left,” Ed said softly, stepping up beside Scott. “He also likes to stand off and punch.”

 

Scott nodded at Ed’s advice. It made sense that Val would want to use his greater reach to his advantage. But getting inside was dangerous, as well. Val may have been going soft with age, but he was still a big man and undoubtedly strong as hell.

 

“What do you suggest?”

 

“Ground and pound.”

 

Scott gave Ed a dramatic eye roll. “Swell. Any suggestions on how I do that?”

 

Ed shook his head. “No.”

 

“Fuck,” Scott muttered.

 

“And watch him. He fights dirty.”

 

“Yeah? Well so can I.”

 

“Then do it. You have a lot to live for.”

 

Scott nodded as they were hustled through the people standing among the bikes that were arranged facing inwards in a large circle perhaps thirty feet in diameter. As he stepped through into the center, he looked around. There was a full moon and could make out perhaps a hundred men and women that made up the crowd, with a gap separating them into two groups. As he watched, Jess, and the rest of his party, joined the group on the far side. He nodded to himself. Now he knew where he friends were.

 

Jason stepped out of the group on the other side. “You really fucked up, Scott. I brought you with me to Detroit and offered you a chance of a lifetime. You fucked it up and now you’re going to die.”

 

“I’ll deal with you later, you little prick.”

 

“You should be more worried about tonight. I’m going to pat you down, just in case,” Jason said as he efficiently checked him for weapons. “He’s clean,” Jason said as he stepped back into the crowd.

 

Val stepped into the circle. “Now you’re going to pay for what you did.”

 

Ed stepped out of the crowd. “I think someone should pat you down, Val. After all, this is supposed to be fair fight.”

 

Val stared at Ed a moment. “Jason!”

 

“No! Ed barked. “I’ll do it.”

 

Val raised his arms. “Fine. But when this is over—”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Ed muttered, interrupting him. He checked Val over carefully then stepped back. “He’s clean.”

 

Scott began removing his shirt so Val couldn’t hold him by it, not wanting to give him any advantage. The headlights on the bikes popped on and he blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the sudden glare.

 

Jess stepped out and took his shirt and then kissed him softly on the lips. “Beat the shit out of him…kill him if you have to,” she said softly before stepping away and disappearing into the light.

 

***

 

Jess watched as the two men began to circle each other. Val was in a slight crouch, making feints and taunting Scott with what he was going to do to her.

 

“Jess is going to pay, Scott. I’m going to break her so she will never defy me again, and there is nothing you can do to stop it,” Val growled as he slowly followed Scott around the circle.

 

She couldn’t see Scott’s eyes, but she knew they had the same deadness in them she had witnessed before when violence was imminent. Scott stood upright and tall, his fists hanging loosely at his side, wasting no energy as he waited for Val to make his move. Val rushed in and Scott danced to his left at the last second, throwing a hard right into Val’s kidneys as he passed. He grunted and grabbed his side as he turned to face Scott again.

 

***

 

Scott held himself back from rushing in to capitalize on the solid blow delivered as Val passed. He was going to have to depend on speed and endurance to wear Val down a little, and he smiled slightly as he began to back up again. A couple more solid punches like that and Val will be pissing blood for a week. He dropped his guard in a calculated ploy to goad him, still slowly backing away, looking for another opportunity to strike.

 

It didn’t take long. Val waded in, throwing a hard left, right combination. Scott ducked the first swing, taking the second on his shoulder as he ducked inside. The blow felt like he had been hit by a baseball bat, but he kept coming, throwing a right into Val’s stomach. He tried to follow up with a left, but Val was backing away with a whoosh of air. Scott saw the blow coming but it was too late avoid. He tried to duck under swing but wasn’t fast enough and took the punch as a glancing blow on the top of his head.

 

***

 

Jess’s heart nearly stopped when Scott when down, Val’s hard roundhouse punch to his head stopping him cold. Before she could react, Scott was bounding up and driving into Val like a football player. Val was a bear, but Scott took him to the ground, lifting him from his feet by the force of his impact, the two men tumbling over each other in a tangle of arms and legs. Scott was first to his feet again, turning toward Val and kicking him savagely in the stomach as he tried to rise. Val jerked his arm down at the last moment, blocking the brunt of the kick, but the force knocked him back to down to his knees. Scott waded in, taking Val in a headlock, and threw a left into his face. He was pulling back his bloody hand for another blow when Val roared like an enraged elephant, gabbing Scott by a leg and lifting him as he rose.

 

***

 

The moment Val grabbed him around the leg Scott knew he was in trouble and he tried to throw another punch to Val’s face to stop him, but his feet left the ground just as he threw the punch. He connected with something, but the punch was weak. Val lifted him like a child but he was overbalanced, and they crashed back to the hard Michigan soil. Try as he might, Scott couldn’t hold the headlock when he hit the ground, his air escaping from his lungs in an explosive rush. He forced himself to move, knowing that if he didn’t get up, Val would tear him apart.

 

***

 

“Get up! Please get up!” Jess begged softly, clutching his shirt tightly in her fists as Scott slowly rolled over. At least he was moving. He staggered to his feet, and took an unsteady step back, watching as Val finally began to move. “Hit him! Hit him!” she whimpered, urging her champion on before his opponent could recover.

 

***

 

He was beginning to get his wind back as Val got to his feet, blood streaming from his shattered nose. “You fucking punk! I’m going tear your head off and fuck your skull!” Val snarled, charging him. Scott waited for Val to come, then threw his best punch, a right cross, straight into his face. It connected solidly, snapping Val’s head back, but didn’t stop him and they went down in a rolling tumble. Scott balled up on Val, keeping his arms in tight to deflect any blows, once again tucking Val’s head under his arm. He grabbed Val by the shirt and hauled with all his might, turning them over. The punching was over. Now it was ground and pound.

 

Scott adjusted his grip, pulling Val’s head down as he bound his right arm by encircling it with his left, locking it tight in his elbow. Val roared in rage and pain as Scott began to apply pressure. Reaching across is body, Val got his hand around Scott’s face and began to force his head back. He fought to keep his head down, but Val was just too strong. Scott released his hold on Val’s arm and rolled away, spinning around to face his opponent as he scrambled to his feet, and then launched himself at Val again.

 

***

 

Jess couldn’t breathe as she watch the two men as they rolled over each other, grunting, snarling, and crying out in pain before freezing for a moment, then tumbling over each other again. With another roar, Val slipped from Scott’s grip and reached up, placing his meaty hands around Scott’s face. She saw his thumbs searching for Scott’s eyes and her blood ran cold as she remembered Rick.

 

Scott punched Val in the throat before slapping his hands away from his face, and then grabbed the front of Val’s colors, rising up on his knees while he held him as he prepared to throw a left. Val grabbed the wrist holding him and ripped it free, using the leverage and momentum to force Scott off him and to his back. Scott kicked at Val as the bigger man drove in, his foot impacting him squarely in the chest and sending him staggering back. Scott bounded to his feet and scrambled away before turning to face Val again. Both men were covered in blood, though Val seemed to be the worst off by far, his right eye swelling closed and his nose a pulpy mess.

 

She heard screaming and looked to her right just in time to see Jodi and Angela go to the ground, snarling and spitting as they ripped into each other. Their fight lasted only a moment before a group of men pulled them apart, holding them as they lunged at each other and shouted obscenities. Angela could take care of herself, and she turned her attention back to Scott.

 

***

 

Scott panted as the two sides roared in excitement, trying to catch his breath as Val began to remove his colors and shirt, apparently tired of Scott using his clothes to his advantage. Val threw his clothes aside, standing naked to the waist as Scott was, but with a gaping hole in his crotch and down one leg where his pants had split. Val should be out of the fight by now, but he was so fucking strong! He needed an advantage or Val was going to wear him down. Scott looked around for anything to use, a stick or rock, anything at all, but saw nothing. Then he had a moment of inspiration and quickly unbuckled his belt and tore it from the loops. His pants felt disturbingly loose, but he needed the belt. As it whipped clear of his pants, he caught the end and formed it into a loop.

 

“You going to spank me now?” Val sneered, wiping at his face to try to clear his vision.

 

“Let’s just finish this.” Scott charged at him, using the belt to extend his reach, and with a flick of the wrist, whipped the belt around Val’s forearm. Scott hauled on the belt, pulling Val’s arm down to immobilize his devastating punch, then stepped in and threw a hard left. Val was tangled in the belt, but he was far from helpless and blocked the punch before grabbing Scott by the back of the head and pulling him forward and down.

 

Scott knew he was in trouble again the moment Val’s hand closed around the back of his neck. He strained back with every fiber of his being in a desperate attempt to keep his head up. If Val got his head down, it was over. Being able to use the strength in his entire body, Scott was able to power out of Val’s grip, but fell when Val suddenly lost his grip, the belt dragging Val down upon him.

 

Once again they wrapped up, grunting and straining. They were sweating profusely and were covered in dirt and grass, making it difficult to hold onto each other. Scott could feel his pants slipping down as he wrapped his legs around Val’s waist. Val threw a left into his side that felt like a horse’s kick, then another. Scott shoved his hand out, stiff-arming Val under the chin to force his head back and prevent another blow. Val began to growl as he took Scott by the wrist and, by slow degrees, pulled his hand away from his face.

 

If Val got his hand pinned down, the fight was over. Scott released his grip on him with his other arm and grabbed him by the back of his head and began pulling with all his strength to the side as he tried to twist his hips.

 

***

 

Jess watched as the two men lay on one another, Val between Scott’s legs, their clench as intimate as lovers. She began to gasp, unable to catch her breath as Val began to overpower Scott. She sensed from the way their muscles bulged, both putting everything they had into this one final duel, they were near the end game. She felt a touch on her wrist and her head snapped around, her breath and heart stopping in sudden panic. It was her mother, her hand going softly around Jess’s wrist, offering her silent support as her lover fought for his life on the ground in front of her.

 

***

 

Val finally pulled Scott’s arm away from his face, almost tearing his arm from his shoulder as Scott lost his leverage, but the sudden movement added just enough shift in his weight that Scott was able to tip Val to the side and off of him. Relieved of his weight, Scott slipped free, stumbling as his pants bound his thighs. He fell and quickly rolled to his back. As expected, Val was there, charging in like an enraged bull, and he fired a hard right foot into Val’s face. The blow connected and Val staggered back and fell, but the kick didn’t have the knockout power it should have because of the pants binding his legs.

 

As Val slowly struggled to his feet, Scott kicked his jeans off to clear his legs, losing his shoes in the process. Now was not the time for modesty. His side was killing him, as well as his right arm, and he knew he would be throwing no more punches with it tonight. Val was up, but he seemed dazed and he weaved slightly as he stood there, his hands up but out of position. Wanting to take advantage while he could, Scott charged back into Val, driving them, once again, into the dirt. Time to ground and pound. Val’s movements were weak and sluggish, but he was still in the fight. His massive arms went around Scott’s back before he could set up to begin throwing punches and held him, pinning him to his chest like a lover. Scott struggled, his face twisting in pain as Val tried to break his back while roaring in rage, pain and effort. Scott got his left hand against Val’s face and pushed with all the strength he could muster.

 

***

 

“Please, please, please…” Jess muttered as the men became still, once again, their muscles standing out in stark relief as they strained. She saw Val’s hands slip, unable to maintain his grip on his own blood and sweat slickened wrist. Suddenly Scott threw his head forward, smashing it into the back of his own hand and bellowing in pain.

 

***

 

He was losing and he knew it. Val was holding him down, giving himself time for his head to clear, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was barely holding his own as it was, and he could sense Val getting back into the fight. In desperation, he drove his head downward, not daring to release Val’s head, using his own hand to transfer the energy of the impact to Val’s nose.

 

No longer able to press down with his left hand, the pain incredible, certain he had broken the bones, he cried out his pain to the world. He knew at that moment he had made a mistake and he was finished. With both arms injured, he was defenseless and Val would now kill him easily. Then he realized that Val’s grip on his back was almost non-existent, and he threw himself off the man and Val rose groggily to follow, blood flowing in a torrent from his ruined nose and lips. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Scott scrambled behind the semi-conscious Val, and wrapped his left arm around his throat. Taking his left wrist in his still functioning right hand, Scott clamped down and pulled with every ounce of strength he had left.

 

Val’s arms came up as he suddenly came to life, reaching for his face, but Scott ignored his grasping hands, focusing on maintaining the pressure.

 

***

 

The crowd was roaring for blood, knowing the spectacle was nearly over, but Jess heard none of it as she watched Val’s fingers claw at Scott’s face, Scott jerking his face back each time Val’s sausage-like fingers found it. “Finish him…” she whispered, praying it was over. Both men were covered in blood and sweat, their skin glowing in the light of the motorcycle headlights like a scene from a horror movie.

 

Val roared again, driving back with his legs, forcing Scott onto his back as Val thrust his hips into the air, trying to break the hold, but Scott grimly held on, wrapping his legs around Val while Val clawed at his arms, opening bleeding wounds as he tried to break the choke hold.

 

“Give up!” Scott snarled, as Val again thrust his hips into the air, pulling Scott’s hips up with him and driving his shoulders down, trying to crush the will from Scott, refusing to yield.

 

***

 

“Please, please, please…” Jess began to chant softly again, unable to stay quiet, grasping her mother’s comforting hand with desperate strength, as Scott and Val snarled and growled, their teeth bared in feral sneers, blood flowing from Scott’s arm as Val continued to thrust and buck.

 

“Please, please, please…” As she watched, Val’s struggles began to slow, his attempts at escape less desperate, and she didn’t know if it was because he had broken Scott’s grip or Scott had finally beaten him. “Please, please, please…”

 

Scott rolled over, forcing Val face down into the grass, but still he held on, lying on his back with Val’s neck in bend of his elbow, his face still a mask of rage, his teeth bared in effort.

 

“Please, please, please…”

 

***

 

Scott released Val and, in a final act of defiance, shoved his face hard into the dirt as he stood and staggered back from Val. When Val didn’t move, Jess released her mother’s hand and ran across the circle, throwing herself into Scott’s arms. They tumbled to the ground as she began to cover him in rapid kisses, her heart threatening to burst from her chest in relief. She began to cry as his arms went slowly around her, holding her, his right hand stroking her hair softly.

 

“I won…” he whispered, lacking the strength to do more.

 

“I know,” she blubbered.

 

“I told you I would,” he said slowly, still stroking her hair.

 

“You did,” she whimpered as she wiped her tears from his face.

 

The crowd was beginning to mill around, several members bending down to check on Val. “He’s still breathing,” she heard a man say, but she only had eyes for Scott. He had saved her again.

 

“I love you,” she said softly, sniffing and trying to stop her tears.

 

“I love you,” he whispered. “Shhh… don’t cry… it’ll be all right.” Then he heard the sound of a gun being cocked.