Reid didn’t answer, because he saw Benji enter the locker room. He was headlining tonight and he seemed tense. Reid wanted to go to him, ask about Grier, but that would get them both killed.
Instead, Reid decided to make friends with the giant instead. “How young do they fight ’em here?”
Hal shrugged. “I’ve seen some kids who are definitely underage. Women are always legal, though.”
Yeah, because that made all the difference in the world.
“They’re not sold into slavery—they sign up,” Hal told him, as if sensing the disapproval, and Reid guessed they kept the sold-into-slavery part a pretty big secret. “Money’s damned fine. Better than the shit the government sends me. What branch were you?”
“Army.”
“Army’s a bunch of pussies.”
“We learned everything we know from the Marines.” Reid smiled. “Why’d you get out?”
“Failed a psych exam one time too many.”
Reid’s ribs ached at the man’s words. “Awesome.”
“What about you?”
“Same.”
Hal swung an arm around him. “Yeah? Then the crowd’s gonna love us, Army.”
Chapter Five
Grier hadn’t been sure she’d be able to keep the power bar down, but she needed the energy. She chewed and swallowed small piece after small piece, then sipped a little water to force it all down. The entire building seemed to be shaking with the force of the crowd converging. At first, she thought it was her trembling—which she was—but she quickly realized there was a packed house and they were hungry for fighting.
She couldn’t tell if there was anyone else housed down here. The hallway was dark and she could only see her own reflection in the glass. She assumed that the man with the rings didn’t do this kind of kidnapping much, figured she was a very special case, meant as a message to any other witnesses thinking of coming forward.
Even Benji couldn’t help her now. These underground fights moved locations constantly—it was hard enough for the fans to find them, let alone the police. All the operations were kept separate.
“We’re ready for you.” She looked up at the craggy face and then down again at the hand with the heavy rings. He watched her do it and laughed a little. “Come on, honey—let’s see what you’ve got.”
It would do her no good to struggle with him. There was no escape down here. No, she’d have to fight in the ring and then get the hell out. Flag someone in the audience. Hope that Benji’s conscience got the best of him, although she knew that last option would never happen. Tonight, he was fighting for his life, just like she was.
“What are the rules?” she asked the man as he gripped her elbow in his hand. They walked up stairs and along a wide, well-lit corridor. She glanced into the rooms along the way, saw other fighters, obviously there of their own free will, warming up, taping their hands.
He laughed, but he didn’t answer as he shoved her through a door. She caught her balance as she heard, first, silence, and then yells from what appeared to be a large crowd.
She was in the main fighting ring and the lights blinded her to the audience, to everything but the ring in front of her. A man she guessed was supposed to act as her trainer helped her in but said nothing. She squinted and saw the other woman haul herself up over the ropes as the crowd went wild.
Her stomach churned. The woman was obviously in good shape. Bigger than Grier. But she’d never backed down from a fight yet and wasn’t about to start now.
She walked across the ring into the middle, getting her footing on the soft mat. It wouldn’t protect much if she was thrown down. And getting slammed against the ring itself would hurt too—enough to break a rib. She’d taped her knuckles and that was all she could do. The only other protection was her fists.
The ref called their names over the mike—Grier was introduced as a rookie named Tara Lynn from Kentucky. She got a smattering of applause and a wolf whistle, which slid up her spine like a poisonous snake looking to bite.
The other fighter was introduced as Sonia and that got the crowd yelling and stomping their feet. Sonia was, according to the ref, next in line to fight the current champ if she won tonight’s fight. And she cheated, according to Benji, which was pretty impressive, considering how hard it was to cheat in a game that had no rules.
The ref motioned for them to come together in the middle of the ring. They shook hands. Sonia glared at her and Grier pulled her hand back. The ref held on to each of their shoulders and then blew the whistle and backed away.
She circled Sonia, who jabbed at her. Remained calm. Most of the drugs were sufficiently out of her system now, and she felt clearheaded for the first time in days. Angry too, but not enough to cloud her vision.
Sonia aimed a left hook. Grier ducked and open palmed her nose, pushing upward, although not as hard as she could’ve. A dirty move. A kill move, if done with enough force. As it was, Sonia doubled over in a howl of pain. Grier used that to elbow her in the kidneys twice and then kicked her legs out from under her.
Once she had Sonia pinned, the crowd’s roar in her ears, Grier understood how this could be addictive for some. The yelling could actually spur you on. Knowing that people took bets on you, that your money could double or triple because of a night like tonight . . .
She flashed to Benji and his CAT scan report and jumped onto Sonia’s back, held her to the floor even as she began to struggle. Grier knew none of the rules, only that she wouldn’t let this woman up off the mat. Not until the fight was called.
She took Sonia’s arm and yanked it behind her back, until she cried out. Held her by
