The Sibirian Express - COMPLETE

Chapter 22

"Haven't you forgotten anything?" Rocky asks me as we board the plane. I simply nod at him as we take our seats. Pauli and Duke sit on one side and Rocky and I on the other. 

As we take off I realize that I have to talk to Rocky before he gets into his training mode. 

"Are you scared?" I ask gently. 

"Wouldn't you be?" he replied. Okay point for him and I have to try and suppress my grin. 

"The truth is I do get a little scared. When I'm i that ring, really getting hit and my arms hurt so much to the point where I can't even lift them. I'm thinking, God I wish this guy would hit me on the chin so I don't feel nothing anymore, but then there is another side that want to go one more round. When you don't think you can ... well that's what make all the difference in your life. You know what I mean?"

Slowly I start to nod my head yes. I actually understand what he means. 

"I love you Rocky, you do know that? I am so sorry that I have been so distant the last few years. It's just that I still sturggle to accept the death of Mickey. I kept on blaming you because you went out there, but I guess I finally realized that it wouldn't have made any difference. Mickey was a fighter and he chose when and where we wanted to spend his last moments. Ans what I also realized is that somehow I'm glad that I had the chane to be there with him."

"I love you too, Lex. No matter what." He says sternly. 

Finally after what felt like forever we land in Russia and the first thing I realize is that it is way colder than I have imagined. 

"This is Russia?" Pauli realizes in horror as he gets off the plane.

"Don't look so tough." Rocky warns him as two men approach us.

"We take you to quaters now." One if the gentleman announces. 

"When does the sun come up? This is detrimental to my sinuses." We all give Pauli a weird loss as the gentleman goes on to say "Weather changes hour to hour. Get used to it. Get in the car now. We have very long trip."

"He sounds like Dracula's cousin."

"Wrong country, Pauli. Come on." I nudge hm towards the black car and what can I say the man didn't lie. We spent about 3 hours on the car, until we finally arrived at the destination that Rocky hand-picked. 

"Like you requested, yes?" Rocky just nods looking around. Well he did say after all that he wanted peace and quiet. He definately has that here. 

"You requested this dumb location? Pauli asks dumfounded. "Why? You planning to grow reindeer or something?" 

"I just wanted to get away from things."

"The equipment that you requested it in barn." The Russian man explains as I look around and notice two more men looking at us from a distance. 

"And who are they?"

"They are assigned to you. Offical chaperones. Where you go, they go." I can't help but to notice that he's giving me a weird look and keeps starring at my red hair, like he's never seen something like that before. 

Pauli on the other hand just keeps on complaining. "I have a bad dream here."

"It's okay, Pauli" I say, trying to lighten the mood, but there is no stoping him. 

"There's no antennas. You have to complain, Rock."

"We are finished, yes?" the Russain men ask, eager to get away from us and as soon as Rocky gives him the nod he gets into his car and drives off. 

Well that was a pleasant welcome, I think to myself. 

"No sparring, Rock?" I ask, realizing now that he didn't have a partner besides Duke. 

"I don't think I need it anymore." Now it's my turn to look at him dumbfounded. 

"No sparring? No TV? Nothing? How the heck is he supposed to train around here? No TV! What about the Rose Bowl game? No room service either, I bet. I hope they have at least comics here. What a depressing vacation."

As we start to make our way to the cabin, we hear Pauli screaming "Goddamn!" As we turn around he lies in the snow and I just can't help myself as I start to laugh earning myself an angry look by Pauli. 

We've all setteled in as far as we can. Rocky and I sit in his room and go over the standard questions, since the whole fiasco in Las Vegas, I've been thinking more and more about finally quitting my job and trying to get started with my own ideas and writing style. 

Just as we are finished Duke knocks on the door before coming in. "Am I interrupting?"

"No, not at all."

"How ou doing?, he asks as he studys Rocky who places a picture of Ivan on the mirror, that he asked me to bring along. "Some kind of weather we're having, but for what you have to do it's good. Toughen you up."

Rocky just gives him a slight nod. "I  guess so."

"You'll have to do almost everything alone, but I'll be with you. We'll be with you." 

"Yeah, I know."

"Apollo is like a son to me. I raised him and in Vegas a part of him died that night in the ring and a part of me also died that night. But now you're the one. You're the one that's going to make sure he didn't sacrifice himself for nothing. Even though he's spirit is broken at the moment, you're the one who is going to keep his legacy alive. You're the one that's going to make sure, that this wasn't all for nothing ..." 

Duke looks at him as if to make sure that he was really listening to him. 

"You'll have to go through hell ... worse than any nightmare you ever dreamed, but in the end I know you'll be the one standing."

"I'll try."

"You know what you have to do. Do it!" 

"Thanks, Duke." It's the first time that I can hear the emotion back in his voice. 

-

Only two more weeks until the fight and Rockys training was ... well he wasn't focused like he should be to say the least. He did everything that Duke demanded. His body was there, but his mind was still with Apollo. 

I was slowly getting ready since I still needed to intervoew and write about Ivans training as well and to be honest I was slowly starting to miss him. Not being able to see him for so long was actually exactly what I needed to clear my mind. I do believe that it can work, but one thing that neither one of us thought about what's going to happen when the fight is over?

Say Ivan wins. Why go back to America?

Say Ivan loses. Why go back to America? 

On the other hand though, I didn't really plan on staying here. So we definitely needed to talk about a few things once everything was over. 

"You off?" I jump up at Paulis words not realizing that he was standing behind me. 

"Yeah. I have to interview Iva as well and document his training. So I giess we'll see eachh other at Christmas."

He just keeps on staring at me, now that I think about it he hasn't stopped looking at me like that ever since we got here. "Is everything okay?"

But Pauli just scoffs at me. "Is everything okay? I don't know Alexa, you tell me. Do you want to confess anything? Oh I don't know, like screwing with the Russain?" 

Once he utters those words I can litterally feel how all color is drained from my face. How could he off all people know about Ivan and I?

"I..." but he doesn't even give me the chance to explain myself as he continues on. "You nothing. Pack your shit and leave. You have the nerve to be here, whilest Rock is training his ass off, just so your little skanky ass can go back to the Russain Bastard and tell him everything he needs to know."

"Pauli..." Yet again I'm interrupted. 

"The only reason that I haven't told Rocky what a slut you are, is because he needs to stay focused, but if I were you I'd be ashamed. Look at you Alexa, what have you become other then a cheap ring rat. I guess it is better after all that Mickey isn't here to withness this."

This was the breaking point and before I could even stop myself I slapped Pauli in the face, but unlike with Ivan I left absolutely no remorse what so ever. 

"Yo, what's going on?" Rocky asks, as he walks into the room. 

"I have to go. I love you, Rock." I mumble and hug tightly.

If that was Paulis reaction, I'm scared how mad and disappointed Rocky is going to be. Before anyone can say anything I'm out the door and jumping inside the car. 

"Where to, Miss?"

I give the driver the adress of the hotel that Ivan wrote down for me as I look behind me at the disapperaring cabin.