Spitfire

Chapter 10

Axel's pov

I watched her drive off with max and sighed. i walked back over to the bar and took a seat next to major frox. "She got the letter and the box, i made sure of that, but i think we just need to let her have some space. she will be fine with burnout." he nodded and took a shot. "Man, im just torn up about ranger, he was a brother to me, and i can't believe all that's happened to him and Ren" i put my head in my hands and decided to ring up jason because he was expecting an update on ren. "jason? yeah she's okay, she is in good hands. I have a feeling i know, but i want to give her a break. Just leave her be, no i dont, im not going to track her! leave her the fuck alone" i hung up not wanting to deal with the motherfucker anymore. I chugged the rest of my beer and patted Major Frox on the back before walking out to have a smoke. A fight was going on across the street and i looked on with curiosity.

One of them, with training, could actually be pretty decent in the ring. I shook my head, being the owner of that arena could be a bitch sometimes. I remember when i had my first fight, i got knocked out and didn't wake up for 3 days, ah the memories. Someone attempted to break up the fight and took a nice blow to the eye. Taking a drag on my cigarette i chuckled to myself. Life was pretty rough for me, alcohol and smoking was constantly present in the home, abuse on a daily basis, and we had a drug dealing business in the basement. I never had the book smarts, but i had the street smarts, that's the only thing that ever kept me alive. I couldn't believe the amount of shit i was put through, and i didn't even realize it wasn't okay, i just thought it was normal. I was never put into school and i was never taught to read. Eventually, like ren, I too got sick of the bullshit. I ran away and i was taken in by Child Protective Services. They put me back up on my feet and taught me some book smarts, i actually learned how to read. It was my 14th birthday when Eagle found me wandering the streets, after hours i might add. My foster home at the time was pretty lax and didn't care what i did. so when i didn't come home for a couple days after i was properly fed and clothed by Eagle, they just shrugged it off thinking i had made a rich ass friend.

Day by day i got stronger having Eagle by my side, and within a couple months i saw what he really was, a legend on the streets. He was the one who actually owned the arena before me. Oh, you may be curious, jason is not my real brother, i pulled him out of a rough foster home when he was 6 years of age, i was 16 at the time. Eagle took care of both of us like a real father would. soon enough I started to train, Eagle wasn't so sure of it, but I was persistent. I pushed and pushed until he finally booked my first fight at 16 years old. I fought until i was 27, but then i just couldnt do it anymore and i retired to take the arena over from Eagle. I took the final drag from my cigarette and stomped on it with my boot. The fight across the street was still going strong so I decided to break it up. I grabbed the collar of the tougher kid and yanked him off chucking him to the side. He landed on his back and the other one slumped on the wall. I let them catch their breath then asked what was going on. "Well Gaven over there decided to try and hit on my sister, which i specifically told him not to! then he proceeds to start spreading rumors about me around the school" "I DID NOT DO SUCH A THING! you were spreading rumors about me saying that i abused your sister!" I had to hold in my laughter "Then where the fuck did the rumors come from?" gaven growled at tough guy over here "Look sam, i did not spread the rumors, nor did i try to hit on your sister, her ex was being a douchebag and i was comforting her." sam averted his eyes "Well she was so upset that the only thing she could get out was your name and i saw the bruises on her arm that i just thought it was you, i was talking to JJ and someone must have overheard" I started to walk away and one of them called out to me to wait up, it was gaven. "Hey dude, why did you break us up?" I shrugged and turned into an ally lighting up another cigarette. They ran after me and followed until I got to the arena. They stopped outside the door as I walked in, I rolled my eyes and held the door open.

"You can come in." They slowly stepped inside and looked around in awe

"What is this place?"

"Eagle Arena."

"What happens here?"

"Fights" they seemed shocked and I smiled slightly. It was weird to introduce people to the arena but at the same time it was awesome. The looks on their face, the shock when they first see the fighters, and their first fight is the best. Some of them are fascinated, some think it's completely wrong and once or twice we have been reported. Thankfully I have some ins with the government after working in the Special forces for so many years. Nothing would ever destroy this arena, I have made sure of that.

"Like human fights?"

"No, dummy fights." The sarcasm was dripping from my tongue as I grabbed them both of their shoulders and led them into the main arena.

"This is the main arena, you can walk around if you want."

Gaven ran straight for the cage and then slowly walked around it letting his hand brush up against the fence.

"There is so much....blood" his face fell and he put both hands and his forehead on the cage. He looked up at me his eyes watery

"Has there ever been, a...a...a..a death?" i closed my eyes my lips tightening into a straight line and slowly nodded.

"27 in about 76 years. All accidents, and they all went quickly. No suffering." I looked at him and saw a few tears fall. When I placed my hand on his shoulder he tensed for a second and then relaxed.

"I never would have thought something like this exists, it must be so painful to fight. Not to mention how dangerous it is." Sam breathed. Shrugging I opened up the cage and sat in the middle

"Honestly" giving him a half smile while remembering some of my fights I patted the spot next to me "It really isn't painful or dangerous. We train hard and often, so we know what we are doing. The injuries are never that bad, and you get used to the pain pretty quickly."

"How do you get into something like this?" I shrugged scratching at the stubble on my face trying to grow in.

"Well normally it finds you, if you go looking for it, you will never find it. Many people have asked around eventually getting to me on how to get into fighting. We have sponsors kids and teens in the crowd who beg and beg to be let into the ring. If we see someone we want, or someone who is struggling and needs some guidance, one who could do well in the ring, we take them in. It's a hard life though, it's rough. There are drugs, weapons, alcohol, gangs, the whole deal. People think it's so glorified from books and movies when it's really not. Yeah you get paid if your good, but if not ya gotta fend for yourself. It's not pretty, I have seen many out of ring fights between the two main gangs, you gotta be tough to make it. Not just physically either, it's a mind game. You have to know the streets, know your opponent, know how to evade the cops, set your territory, make the right allies. Very few are cut out for it." They stayed silent for a few minutes letting it sink in. I layed back on the mat taking another drag of my cigarette

"So if we wanted to, you would say no?"

"Sam! No, you aren't going to get into this" Gaven seemed freaked out by the idea and I rolled my eyes

"If he wants to let him, it's not his choice whether or not he will be able to fight anyways. He will also have to wait at least a year because he has to train."

I sat up on my elbows and saw the boys glaring at each other and I chuckled slightly.

"Come on, let's get you boys cleaned up, fed, and back home." I stood as they did and led them back to Doc's office.