Mercenary Wolf

Ch 5

As if we didn't have enough going on, to top it all off, our hacker brought in some new kid. He was a grinning, laughing, challenging little punk. He went over to where two of my guys were working out in the sand pit, positioned himself, looked back at me with this shit-eating challenging look.

I gave him what he asked for. Two of my guys against this shitty little punk. I nodded and my two guys moved in. I stood back gripping our hacker's arm tight. I was not in the mood for this kind of screwup!

"You stupid little shit," I told him.

"You said you were looking for recruits."

"Doesn't mean you just up and bring someone here!"

Derrick just pointed with his free arm.

Damn, the kid he brought had some moves. He evaded both of my guys, knocking them down, then stopped and boldly walked away. No one walks away from a fight! But then he wasn't really walking away. He said he came to fight with Derrick. I shoved our hacker forward.

It was a damn good match, I gotta admit. Derick had learned well. He got in a few good blows, but then the kid started moving around, his focus, well, it was weird. I don't think I'd ever seen a fight quite like it. He kept grappling Derrick's legs. The kid could wrestle, I'll give him that. It didn't take long to see Derrick wasn't going to able to hack the kid's unorthodox style.

Derrick kicked, Derrick went down, the kid let him up. Down again, the kid let him up.

I finally called a halt to the fiasco.

I was surprised when the kid said he was looking for someone to teach him knife fighting. Eddie said he'd give him five minutes. That's as long as knife fights last usually. Most times here it's finished at first blood. I gave Eddie the ok to knick the kid, check his mettle.

Eddie had to show him how to wield the blade. Stupid kid knew nothing. Five minutes later Eddie still hadn't managed to draw blood. Eddie usually nicked someone in the first minute! Had it been fight night the kid would have walked away with the purse.

I decided maybe the kid had potential.

I told Derrick I'd think about recruiting the kid. I also told him to keep his mouth shut about everything else unless he wanted me and every other guy in the place to teach him how to shut it.

Of course once I said that, I knew how the next few weeks would go for our hacker. All of the regular crew was gonna want a piece of him just to teach him some manners. He better take his punishment with good grace or I'll kick him from the crew.

I put out the word we had a guest fighter I was feeling out. I didn't want no one to walk in when the kid was here. Not everyone we fight with wants undue notice.

I watched every time he came. He only came when he was supposed to. The kid minded his p's and q's, didn't ask questions, focused on his lessons.

Eddie said he was a fast learner, that he had some natural talent. I put out word to the guys to let up on our hacker.

Jimbo showed up a few more times, without the spy. I finally showed him the clip. He's like my brother and I couldn't live without being straight up with him.

"Wish you hadn't seen it, but it doesn't change anything."

His calm acceptance was beyond frustrating.

"Bro, tell me who has what on you! We'll fix it."

"Some things can't be fixed, Mac. I wish this could," he said downcast.

"You sound like you're giving up hope. Don't you give up on me!"

Honestly I'm a tough guy, but watching him broke my heart. Sad doesn't even come close.

I demanded he come back next fight night, told him I wanted his opinion on this new recruit I was looking at. I blocked him from going upstairs and would have fought him without his word that he'd come back.

I honestly didn't think he would. Somehow I knew if he walked away this time, I would never see him again.

We stood there, another face off between us.

He swallowed, and I think for a moment he was actually going to fight me. I figured if he did he would at least be fighting! I felt near crying myself and I can't remember when I ever had.

"Yeah, Mac, I'll check out this new recruit you got. I gotta go."

His word was good enough for me. Now all I had to do was to convince that laughing tweeb to come to fight night and stay silent about it!