The Marx Brothers

Chapter Nine - 'Unbeatable'

"So where are we going?" I asked, curious as Brad and Penny escorted me out of the house and into the BMW.

One of the main reasons I was going was so I wasn't home if Phoenix came knocking wanting my medical attention. I didn't need it and I couldn't deal with it any more than I already had. I had done them enough favours as they had me. There needed to be a stop to it. I had already lost Oscar, I had been in the principal's office and had been associating with criminals. It wasn't me.

"I already told you, it's a surprise" Penny smiled

"Well, by the way you're dressed I would assume it isn't a club, nor a fancy restaurant" I tried as I studied them

"Nope" Brad simply answered

"Can I have a clue?" I bugged

"No, you just have to wait and see" Penny giggled

"Slack" I mumbled as I sat the back seat waiting and thinking

Maybe there was a festival on, maybe a movie. It was nearly about the month for the lantern light in Arnett Park after a teenage girl was found murdered there. It was back in the 80's, but it was history, and the girl was only 16. Their distant relatives still lived here in this town. Maybe that was it, but I started to doubt it when we drove in the opposite direction towards the outskirts of town.

"Where on earth are we going?" I mumbled, scared when we approached the 'bad-side' of town, the darkness seeming darker, the lights dim and flickering as we began to slow down besides an old abandoned warehousing lot. It was then I began to notice more than a dozen other cars scattered around the area, some expensive, but most trashed. The road was moist, the rain slightly falling as it created an even more eerie effect. I was now worried as Brad parked the car alongside an almost abandoned suburb.

"This is it" Brad smiled evil along with Penny

"This is it?" I repeated unsure

"Yep, trust me" Penny winked as she cautiously helped me out of the car towards the warehouse which I could now see a faded light spread from inside the smashed black-painted windows

"This can't be safe" I shook my head as they lead me in towards a broken gate where a few people now came into view, the brick walls around it covering any suspicious behaviour that was clearly going on here

"It's fine" Brad reassured me as he linked his arm into mine and Penny's leading us into a side door to reveal just what and where I now was.

My mouth hung open, my eyes wide. People were everywhere, crowds, stalls. A host overhead could be heard aggressively announcing the events of tonight. I wanted to run, I wanted to scream but instead I turned straight towards Penny who simply smiled, proud of her achievement.

"What the hell are we doing here?" I asked angrily as my blood boiled. She had lied to me, right to my face.

"I said I had Brad, but you on the other hand.. I could see the way you looked at each other, even from just across the road Eden, I haven't ever seen you look like that before.. " She tried to defend herself, Brad lightly pulling my arm

The crowd began to roar louder and louder, the hot sweaty people pushing past us as they gathered at the edge of the makeshift boxing ring

"How did you know where it was?" I demanded

"Brad knows a few people"

"And that's what worries me"

This time I glared at Brad, his eyes almost cowering at my dismay

"We should leave" I forced as I pulled my arm from Brad, both my arms taking grip on Penny as I attempted to drag her away

"The fight is about to start, aren't you the least bit curious?" She continued, unfazed by my anger