Fates Must Be Kidding

One down, three more to go

We follow Mark's directions to a warehouse that looks rather creepy on the outside. Two bulky security guards and a lot of fancy cars parked around tell us the we came to the right place. One of the guys steps in front of us and says "Password!" The Beta responds right away "Hellfire". The muscle mountain opens the door and lets us in, thank you, Mark!

Once we get in most of my senses shut down for a minute, that's how bright and loud it is inside. They must have spent a fortune on soundproofing this place! No one would be able to guess that there is an over the top party going on just by walking past the building. Looks like we got there on time, the fights haven't started yet. People are just walking around, chatting, drinking and eating appetizers offered to them by helpful waiters and waitresses. The Beta gives me a nudge and points discreetly at a guy standing next to the cage with a microphone. 

"Let's go introduce ourselves. He might be useful!" I nod and quietly follow him. When we get to the guy I plaster a bored expression on my face and stand a bit to the side, so that I can have a better views of my surroundings. I spot a metal door at the back right away, I think that's where the fighters are. Sneaking in isn't an option, there are three more guards stationed there. Taking them out isn't a problem, doing it without someone noticing is. And I don't even know if Ricky is in there. We would be extremely lucky to find him on the very first try.

"Sweetheart, let's take our seats." I can't help quirking my brow at the Beta after those words leave his mouth. Sweetheart?! He leads us to the seats at the back, closer to the door I was checking out. My guess is he noticed it too and had the same theory. 

"I told him that you were my daughter," he explains. "There are going to be five fights tonight, the last one is the main attraction. Unfortunately, all they fighters wear masks. Will that be a problem?" I shake my head, there is no way I won't recognize Ricky, or any one of them for that matter. Even if they changed their appearance dramatically, I would be able to catch a glimpse of their aura. The closer I am to the person, and I'm not talking about the distance, the easier it is for me to feel their aura. It doesn't change over time and doesn't reflect emotions, it's more like a unique energy print that we carry with us and leave behind until it fades. At least, that's how I understand it at least.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's get this party started! If you haven't placed your bets, do it now or regret it later! Our first fight is between the Punisher and Kong. The winner is the last man standing. Go to war!" Once I see that neither of them is Ricky, I zone out. I'm not one to enjoy fighting if I'm not actively participating in it. The first fight ends quickly, Kong didn't stand a chance against his opponent. They announce a fifteen minute break, after which the Punisher returns to the cage, this time against a big dude called Hammer. I know, their nicknames are stupid! 

The people around me are clearly loving the action, they are yelling, cheering and swearing, while I'm getting more and more bored. Once the fourth fight is over, I get up to stretch my legs. This break is longer, they need to give the Punisher a chance to recuperate a bit before he gets to go against the reigning champion. It's a pretty weird setup, if you ask me. In this case the guy had to go through four fights to be able to challenge a guy who is well rested and energized. Oh well, I just want this to be over with. 

When they announce the last pairing I head to my seat, but freeze mid-step when I sense his presence. Is Ricky their champion? I turn around and see a tall well-built guy walk through the metal door at the back. Even though his whole head is covered by a black mask I know it's him. I remain standing where I am, he will have to go past me to get to the cage. Look at me, look at me, look at me! He gives me a side glance, and I notice recognition in his dark blue eyes. They look so dull! Something must be wrong. But I have no idea what! He looks fine physically, no visible injuries. The only thing that looks out of place is this weird collar around his neck, it's not something he would have chosen for himself.

Ricky steps into the cage, and I slip into my seat."That's him," I whisper quietly. "Did he see you?" the Beta asks. "He did, but I think they did something to him. Look at the collar on his neck, have you ever seen anything like that before?" The Beta takes his time studying it. "It does look weird. They could be using it to control him, but I don't know how exactly. It can be poison, magic, electricity or even something else. We'll have to be extremely careful." s**t! Our lucky break turns out to be not so lucky anymore. At least he is alive, and I'll make sure that he stays that way!

I concentrate on the fight in front of me, and what I see makes me even more suspicious. Ricky has already had a number of openings for knocking the guy out, but he didn't. That's not like him, he would only do it to mess with his opponent. However, it's not the case here. I think I see him looking at the announcer from time to time, as if asking for permission. That's when I see it, that asshole dangles something resembling a tiny controller in his hand! It's like he is reminding Ricky who is in control, and then he stuffs it back in his pocket. About ten minutes later he gives Ricky a small nod, and he finally finishes the fight. 

"I need you to distract the announcer for a minute." The Beta asks no questions, for which I'm extremely grateful, we don't have time to waste. He walks up to the bastard and starts talking about the fights. While they are engrossed in the conversation, I spot a waiter who is headed our way. When he is close enough, I trip him, which sends him flying into my target. They both fall down creating a huge commotion. I help the announcer up and offer him a tissue I had in my clutch. While he is trying to clean himself and yelling at the poor waiter at the same time, I slip my hand in his pocket and grab the remote. I retreat right away and motion for the Beta to follow me outside.

"I have the remote, now we need to wait until they are on the move."

"The back door is a safe bet," he responds. I think so too, so we go looking for it. When we find it, we position ourselves behind two garbage bins. They allow us to be close and stay hidden at the same time. In an hour or so a van arrives and there is some movement in the building. Without exchanging any words we both go on high alert. The back door opens and the first ones to leave are two guards, followed by two more carrying the Punisher who is out cold. "Move it!" one of them barks. That's when the other fighters emerge, with Ricky at the back. Smart boy. I take out the remote and press the OFF button. Once it's back in my clutch, I signal the Beta that it's time for us to make our move. In a blink of an eye he is on the nearest two guards. Before they can react, I leap towards the other two and put them out of commission by punching them in the throat. They are too busy struggling to breathe to pose a threat to us. The Beta has already gotten rid of the driver, so we are all set to go.

"You can join us or stay here, your choice," I say to the other fighters. They get in the van without wasting a second. I reach for Ricky's collar and remove it, just in case there is a tracker in it. I throw it on the ground and Ricky smashes it with his foot. "Get in, I'll explain everything later!" I join the Beta in the front seat and we are off. I have no idea how long we have been driving, we did circle around quite a bit to make sure we are not followed. Once we are close enough to the crowded part of the city the Beta pulls over. 

"From here on you are on your own," with those words we leave them there, being with us longer isn't safe, for them mostly. We dive into a crowd of people and follow them for a while. When we are sure that no unwanted eyes are on us, we ditch our boozy cover and head to the hotel. As soon as I lock the room door behind us, Ricky looks at me and asks, "Why the hell are you here?! And who is the old guy?!" Maybe I've gone soft, but I was hoping for a hug and "It's great seeing you!"