ILLEGAL

Chapter 5

I ducked under his outstretched arm and slid towards the ropes. Instead of slowing down, I went full speed. I jumped up, landing my feet at a special angle that I had practiced and sprung back and up. I swung my arms back so I did a backflip and landed on Ethan's shoulders. I twisted to the right, bringing the dizzy boy down to the ground.

I stepped off of him, unhurt, and stood up. I ran my fingers through my hair, pulling it back and tied it into a ponytail. I gave a smile and crossed my arms."Oh, come on! Challenge me!"

Ethan moaned."Anyone? No one at all? Going once, going twice, going..."

"I'll go."Someone from the back spoke up. The crowd parted as the young man strode through. A shudder went through me as I realized who it was. Jack Chance.

It was two days after the car crash. My injuries were all healing, if not already a scar. I had still yet to figure out the puzzle of the victims. Or meet Agent Chance. But here he is.

As he ducked under the ropes, Ethan's friends dragged him out of the ring. The poor guy. I turned my attention back to Jack. He was observing me as well, starting at my feet and then slowly scrolling up like a mouse on a computer screen. He gave a small nod, then held out his hand."I'm Jack Chance. Pleasure to be working with you."

I crossed my arms."Cole Skete. I'm going to kick your ass."

He slowly drew his hand back and smiled. He looked around at his audience then back at me. He put his hands in the air as if he was showing off a poetic masterpiece he had wrote."Let it be written! Let it be done! My ass will be kicked!"

He was not acting how I thought he would. Most people would've back down now. He hasn't, in fact, he made fun of me. It's infuriating. Before the red had even said the match had begun, I swooped low and hit him hard it the stomach.

He gave a huff of air, but he was smiling. Then he laughed. He laughed."Alright then." He swung at me.

I ducked under his arm, came up, and punched him in the jaw. He brought his elbow down over my shoulder. It ached, I was sure I was going to have an ugly purple bruise in the morning. I slapped him on the cheek. He smacked my ear.

Back and forth we took hits, the crowd devouring our every move. I smiled. This was incredibly simple. I could've won by now, but I thought it was funny."You can stop going easy on me now," I told Jack."I can always take a challenge."

He stopped for a moment, just holding his arms by his face."Alright." Immediately, he swung at me with a punch aimed for my head. I blocked it was the fatty part of my arm so it wouldn't hurt as much, then before I knew it, he lurched forward and slammed into my temple with his other hand. I was sent sprawling into the ropes.

I stood there for a moment, trying to regain my balance. The world was swaying around me. I felt like I was still feeling each individual knuckle crunching into the side of my head. A dominant thought went through my head, I will not lose.

I pivoted and kicked my foot below his belly button, my heel connecting with his most sensitive part. Males in the crowd groaned, remembering a time that that had happened to them. Meanwhile, Jack's face had lit up with surprise. He dropped to his knees, his face openly expressed with a great deal of pain. I pressed my lips together, trying not to smile.

To finish him off, I brought my elbow down over his head, pleased with the sickening crunch. I looked around at the crowd. They stared at me with gaping mouths. I held my arms out, mimicking Jack from earlier. I called out,

"Red are roses,

Green is the grass,

Jack Chance obviously lost,