Totally Clueless

chapter 61

Josh and Reid entered from the lonely alley at the back of the gym, where no one seemed to pass by during the daytime, possibly because the narrow street lead to nowhere.

There was only a high wall on the other side along the stretch of unkept road.

There was only that, solitude, and an old car rotting away near the entrance. The scent of decaying garbage stung their noses as they passed the dumpster before entering through the locked door that required a code for entry. One tap first, then, after three seconds, two more quick taps. Then the door opened for them.

Reid's eyes studied the gym locker. It was standard as gyms go, he mused, excepting for the walk in spaces, with the window style doors you could see through from the inside out, but not from the outside in.

"We just wait here, someone will come." Josh told him.

The sentence hadn't quite left his mouth when he heard multiple footsteps approaching from the hallway.

"Hide..." he whispered to Reid as the voices got clearer. "...dont let them know your'e here."

Reid hid in one of the closets with the windowed doors and he watched.

Digorno himself walked in with a cigar in his mouth and two of his men close behind him.

"Josh ma' man, ready to make me some money? Tonight is a bit different. Tonight I want you to lose." He puffed out cigar smoke as he said it.

"Lose? I dont lose,"

"See Josh, how this works is...I tell you what I need you to do to make me money and you do it. I collect, you collect, and we all go home happy. Tonight is a big night for me. Just make sure you don't win and we all get what we want. If we can't work together Josh, I really don't need you."

Digorno didn't give him time to respond. He left the room. Followed by his loyal clowns.

Reid came out of hiding.

"Josh, this feeling again, maybe we should just go,"

"Its too late now, I can't just go,"

"Well do what he says then, just lose."

"Have you ever seen me lose anything in my life? Besides have you ever seen the men that lose these fights? They're as good as dead Reid, I'm not planning to be as good as dead on purpose,"

"But he said..."

"I'm up. I have to go."

Reid paced the room after Josh went out to the cages. The blue walls made him feel like he was floating on the ocean. Seasick and nauseous. He could hear the screams and shouts of the crowd on the outside and the fear of not knowing if it was good or bad made him half crazy. He wanted to take a look but he feared being seen. Josh had told him to stay hidden. He tried to sit still, find calm, but he couldn't.What would happen if Josh won?

Josh came back in.

"Are you okay?" Reid asked as he ran to him.

His response delayed for a second and then...

"Fine," he replied. Was that sarcasm Reid sensed in his voice?

He didn't look fine. He seemed to search for his words and mask pain with every breath.

"What now?" Reid asked. He'd be stupid to ask if he'd won. He already knew the answer to that.

Foot steps again. Hasty this time.

"Go hide...Whatever happens don't come out" Josh told him.

Reid ducked into the cover of the closet again.