Sparta ~Tommy Conlon

Chapter 32: Then there were two

Malia's POV:

Ode to Joy started playing and we cut our conversation short and looked to see him walk out. I couldn't hear the announcers anymore which was really nice, the way they talked about Tommy and Brendan made me mad. Brendan walked into the cage and Frank walked to his spot. I looked at Tess and smiled, she let out a sigh but had a smile on her face. "Come on, come on. You all right?" He hit his hands together and nodded. He gave Frank a fist bump and Frank spoke again. "You've got a visitor." He looked at Frank and Frank nodded towards Tess. "First row, 10 o'clock." Brendan looked and Tess smiled and waved.

They were so adorable and Brendan looked out at her and leaned down to make sure it was her. "Tess?" He mumbled.

She just smiled at him and it made me smile. "You all right with that?"

Brendan smiled and stuck two of his fingers through the fence and wiggled them as a wave to Tess. "I love you," She spoke.

He kissed his fist and brought it to the fence. I smiled as the lights went dark, I grabbed Tess' arm. "That was so cute,"

She laughed and smiled at me. All the lights were red and yellow. "I want you to look right at him when he comes in here. Look right at him. All right? Don't take your eyes off him." Brendan's legs were shaking and I didn't blame him. How is Koba even a middleweight? He's huge! Tess and I glanced at Koba, then Brendan, then each other. There was Russian music playing and it was getting the crowd hyped up as Koba entered the cage. He stared down Brendan and I felt ill. This is not going to end well. "I'm proud of you, brother. This is your cage."

"Gentlemen." Both Brendan and Koba walked to the center of the cage and I watched with Tess in anticipation. "All right, gentlemen, we've been over your instructions. I expect a clean fight. Obey my commands at all times, defend yourselves at all times. Touch gloves, go back, let's do this." They didn't break eye contact as they walked away and you could feel the tension. No one has lasted more than a round with Koba in 5 years... Shit. Don't get me wrong, I want Brendan to win this fight but at the same time, I don't. I don't want Tommy to fight his brother but I also don't want him to fight Koba. "Gentleman, are you ready?" He asked Brendan and he nodded. He pointed at Koba, "You ready?" Koba nodded, "Let's go to war!"

Brendan and Koba both had one arm out and touched knuckles. "Keep your hands up, Brendan. Hands up. Angle out of it!" Brendan threw the first punch but Koba nailed him in the face. Brendan covered up and Koba nailed him again. "Keep moving!" Koba started kneeing Brendan in the ribs. "Get out of there! Get out of there!" Brendan kicked him in the side of the head and threw a hook that hit him in the face. But Koba didn't budge. Koba hit Brendan in the face again and I put a hand over my mouth. "Keep moving! Keep moving! Get away from him!"

"Hit him, babe! Hit him! Get in there!" Tess yelled.

Brendan was hit in the stomach and fell, Koba was taking advantage and got on top of him. "Relax, you're okay."

"Get up! Get up!" Tess and I yelled.

Brendan was pushed against the fence and Koba grabbed him and threw him on the ground. "Relax, tie up his arm! Tie him up!" The air horn went off and I just couldn't watch anymore. I blocked out the second round, I heard the chain rattling way too much and I knew it was all Brendan. I looked at Tess who had her hands covering her mouth. She looked like she was going to cry and I grabbed her arm.

"It's going to be ok. He's got this."

Frank walked in there and we listened to him talk with Brendan. "Sit down. Sit down. Breath. Breath! Look at me. Look at me! Wait up. Small sips. Hold it. Hold it, small sips." He said handing Brendan a bottle of water. "Why are we here? Why are we here, Brendan? Why are we here? Are we here to win this fight? Are we here to win this fight? You tell me. 'Cause if we're not, I will throw in the towel. We will get Tess and we will go home. We'll go home, okay? You don't knock him out, you lose the fight. Do you understand me? You don't knock him out, you don't have a home."

I was confused, I looked at Tess, "What does he mean?"

She sighed. "Brendan and I have been struggling financially, we have 3 jobs together and we still can't afford ends meet. That's why Brendan is here, he is doing it for me, and for our two little girls."

I sadly smiled. I hugged Tess and she hugged me back. "I hope he wins." I meant that too, Tommy and I didn't need the money. Plus, he has me back now. He doesn't have to pay my brother.

Brendan stood up and glared at Koba who smirked at him. Koba was all over him again, Brendan started hitting back though with way more force than earlier. Brendan kneed Koba in the head and took Koba down but Koba got back up. Brendan got trapped and he lifted Koba over his shoulder and tossed him. "Oh my God!" I spoke.

Brendan went for an armbar, "Yeah, you got him! You got him! You got him!" Tess yelled. Koba slipped out and Brendan was doing everything in his power to keep him down. "Get up, get up! Come on babe, get up!"

Brendan was right in front of us looking out at the crowd while Koba hit him hard in the face. Brendan got away from him and shook it off, Koba got around his punch and wrapped his arms around Brendan but he elbowed Koba in the face. Brendan hit the ground and rolled into Koba. He got a kneebar. Koba rolled over and Brendan went with him. You could tell Koba was in a lot of pain from his facial expressions. "Break it! Break it! Break it!" Frank yelled.

Koba tapped! No fucking way! Koba tapped! Tess screamed and put her arms up, I smiled and Tess hugged me. Frank climbed up on the fence and Brendan jumped up and grabbed onto him. He hugged Frank and started crying. Frank got down and Brendan held himself up. "Tess!" He screamed.

We pulled out of the hug and she smiled, "You got it! You did it!" She lowered her hands and covered her mouth. Brendan cupped his hands over his mouth and blew her a kiss. "Baby, you did it!"

He smiled and fell off the fence. He landed on his feet and then laid down on the floor. Frank ran in and was talking to him, he put his hands up and screamed as well. Brendan got up and pulled his shirt on. The middle man grabbed his arm and held it up. Tess and I both held smiles on our faces and were clapping. Brendan put his arms up and started jumping he then hugged the middle man. "Thank you!"

Tess grabbed my hand. "I'm going to meet him in the locker room but we need to get you checked out first."

"Okay," She led me down the hallway and into a back room. She held her badge up for security to see and they let us past.

"Could you tell me where the medic is?"

"Down the hall, take a right, first door on the left."

"Thank you," Tess looked at me, "Is your brother still in the building?"

"Yeah,"

Tess and I took off running, we walked into the medic and she smiled at us. "How can I help you?"

"She got a little roughed up today, we just want to make sure she's ok. Can you just make sure she's good and I'll come back and get her before the final fight? Please,"

"Yeah, of course."

"Thanks, don't let her leave with anyone but me. My name is Tess Conlon."

She nodded, "I got it, she's in good hands."

"Tess,"

"You're going to be ok, Malia. I'll be back in 10 minutes,"

I had tears in my eyes. "Tess, they're fighting each other."

"Who is?"

"Tommy and Brendan,"

"I'm lost,"

The nurse walked away to grab some stuff, I let out a shaky breath, "They're brothers." I showed her my wrist. "His name isn't Tommy Riordan. It's Tommy Conlon."

"Why'd he use a different name?"

"I don't know for sure but my guess is because he didn't want my brother to recognize his name."

Tess nodded, "Okay, I'll tell Brendan."

"No! Don't tell him you saw me. I don't want him to say anything to Tommy because Tommy holds such hate towards Brendan and I don't want him to think Brendan is lying. I'll find him after the fight."

Tess nodded, "Okay, I'll be back in 10 minutes. I promise."

"Okay," She ran out the door and down the hall to the locker room. I sighed, what the hell am I going to do...