Chapter 13
Finding the fight location was the easy part. As Deva expected, the whole thing was organized in an empty warehouse in the suburbs. The parking was packed, and what drew her eyes were the endless rows of motorcycles parked all around. She forced herself to take deep breaths and calm down. Not waiting any longer, she put a cap on her head and got out as soon as the pickup truck stopped. Lance stayed by her side, close and alert. She could see men looking in their direction, but none of them were familiar to her. In ten years, a lot could have changed, and she wasn’t known to other families, to begin with.
Nonetheless, Deva tugged the cap lower on her face before pulling the hood over her head. The last thing she needed was to advertise her real identity. Not yet. As they approached, music boomed from inside the structure, scorching her ears. Some things never changed.
As expected, at the entrance, security pulled them aside and searched them.
“Are you invited?” The man addressed Lance, but Deva stepped between the two men before he could answer.
“I’m always invited.” She turned her back to the man and tugged at her hoodie and t-shirt, showing him her tattoo that adorned her skin just above her buttocks and up her side. It was more than just a tattoo, it had been done to her as a young girl. It was specific to her father, known by everybody as it adorned every one of her family members and some of the most influent members of the MC. Often she’d thought about having it removed, but something had prevented her, and she knew why now.
Recognizing the symbols instantly, the man didn’t hesitate and nodded at her. “You are welcome, ma’am, you and your guest. Enjoy the show.”
She nodded and turned to Lance who simply winked and stuck to her side. The place was packed and the music deafening. Deva was aware how dangerous the situation was. Keeping her head low, she looked at the crowd and decided to skim the outer wall.
The cage was surrounded by bleachers like in an arena. Everything was painted black and strategic spotlights lit the stage. Colored lights blinked in the crowd making faces difficult to recognize. When in place at the bottom of the stairs near the cage, Deva tried to locate Rusty in the crowd. The heavy metal music was pounding through her body, and the crowd was getting wilder in front of the cage. The scene almost looked post-apocalyptic. Scanning the crowd, she saw that it was composed of various groups. This was no ordinary tournament, all the badasses of the city had willingly come together to sacrifice their best fighters so they could consolidate alliances and resolve problems. No rules, no winner until the loser fell unconscious or preferably dead on the mat. Deva battled old memories and suppressed a shiver, trying to concentrate.
What the hell was Aleksei doing here? When he’d come back from the last fight half beaten to death. What was his purpose? No wonder he wasn’t participating in the official MMA circuit. If the organization knew what he was doing at night, he would be banned for life.
The crowd roared when two fighters entered the cage. As the first bout was to start, she spotted Rusty coming out from what seemed to be the locker room. Not letting the ginger-haired man get out of her sight, she slithered through the mass of bodies until she could finally reach him. Touching him, the older man snarled and recoiled, ready for an attack, until he zoomed on her face. Shock was quickly replaced by anger.
“What the hell are you doing here?” And his eyes went wide when he noticed Lance beside her.
“I could ask you the same question, Rusty. For a man who is dead set on saving Aleksei, you have one hell of a way of showing it. Helping him back into this hell hole.”
He grabbed her elbow and pushed her against the wall, shielding her from sight, although she knew that her outfit concealed her face well enough.
“You followed me. You shouldn’t have Deva. And enrolling Lance in your little outing will get him in trouble.”
“He came of his own free will. And no, I didn’t follow you. I had contacts that told me where the fight would take place. Now that I’m here tell me what’s going on. Do you know why Aleksei is fighting, what’s his goal?”
“You need to leave. Now.”
She knew a stubborn man when she saw one, and Rusty was no exception. “I’m not going anywhere, so get used to it. Where is Aleksei?”
Rusty groaned and shook his head. “He mustn’t see you here. Nobody must know you are here. I’m not even supposed to be here.”
The man looked around before turning back to her. “You have to go, Deva.”
She looked over his shoulder and cringed, seeing the two fighters now covered with blood, but still going at it.
“Why is Aleksei fighting in underground combats while trying to go mainstream with you? It doesn’t make sense.”
Deva winced when she saw one of the fighters in the cage break the leg of his opponent. The man yelled in pain before crumbling down, but that didn’t stop the other madman from jumping on him, bashing him until two security guys pulled him away. EMTs came running, almost slipping on the blood covering the floor.
People screamed and shouted all around them, Deva almost couldn’t hear Rusty’s answer.
“It’s his choice, Deva.”
“What do you mean?”
“He doesn’t owe anybody. He wants to be here, Deva.”
The words rang wrong in her ears. But Rusty's face told her she had heard right.
“Deva, in the warehouse, right now, there are the most dangerous men in the city. The mafia, biker clubs, gangs... the most ruthless men are here to compete. Aleksei didn’t tell me why, but I guess it’s some sort of debt. Personal. Very personal.”
Deva ignored his warning. She was a spawn of that world, but she didn’t tell Rusty.
