Black Market Merchant

Chapter 139: 3 vs 1
Wayne had been silent the entire time since they all had entered into the Mad Dogs compound. At first, he was worried that this might be a trap, but after entering and seeing that no one approached them, he relaxed slightly. Moreover, he had never imagined that an area in the same town that he had lived in most of his life, was so richly decorated and beautiful. Especially once they entered the Warehouse Arena lobby.

Wayne couldn’t help but wonder, “Why was there such a difference between the two sides of the river? How come they had to suffer while here the Mad Dogs prospered.”

Lisa had told him to prepare a report to give to the ERM, but what should it be about? How much poorer and ill equipped they were compared to the Mad Dogs? Or that by just looking at the guards around this Arena alone, the ERM was also out gunned and less organized. Taking on the Mad Dogs would make their fight with the Black Rats look like child’s play.

After walking around the Arena while taking in the vast numbers of people, guards and sheer obvious differences in living conditions, Wayne joined back up with the group sitting on the benches. He was feeling rather disheartened and a bit depressed. This was a lot to take in. He knew that Lisa was going to fight, but not in the heart of the enemy’s base and that they were far superior in everything.

When Wayne sat down, he found that he was right next to Hanna. Looking down at the little muddy red headed girl, all covered up with her Yankees hat and mask disguise, he couldn’t help but wonder, ”How was such a child able to move that Mech about? I’ll never understand. Also, why is she here and covered up like that? Is she actually someone important?”

Hanna noticed Wayne glancing her way and felt slightly self-conscious. ”Um, Wayne, right? Is there any reason why you’re looking at me?”

”No, not at all! My name is indeed Wayne.” Wayne replied feeling silly that he was caught. ”I was just wondering why you were here. This just doesn’t seem like a place for kids.”

”I’m not a kid.” Hanna replied lowering her mask some to speak less hindered. ”Lisa is helping me out. All that I need to do is point out the people responsible. Lisa said she can handle the rest.”

”Responsible for what?” Wayne asked.

”I-I don’t really want to talk about it.” Hanna said looking down at the concrete floor and her mask slipped back up over her mouth. ”It’s kind of personal and depressing.”

Apparently, he seemed to have struck a nerve. Wayne saw a twinge of pain appear in the little girls’ pale green eyes and figured that it was best if he didn’t pry too much. The look she had given was something he had seen in others before. Something painful had happened to her and it was never fixed.

”Ok, I won’t ask further.” Wayne replied.

”Ladies and gentlemen!” The Announcer’s voice suddenly sounded out on the intercom and slightly startled Wayne, who had never experienced such an occasion. ”We will now be starting our first event shortly. Please get your bets cast and back into your seats soon. The public Match Fighter Association fight between Chad the Chopper and Ray the Demonic will be starting momentarily.”

Wayne was so surprised by the events that soon followed, that he didn’t dare speak. The first fight between the two afore mentioned was a fierce bloody fight. The two opponents were unarmed and fought tooth and nail until one of them was rendered unconscious. The Announcer had explained that they were fighting over some disagreement with a woman and that it was extremely personal. So, one could imagine how passionate and violent the fight had to of been.

The next fight was nearly the same as before, but with weapons, a long cleaver and a steel mace. The fight was not as long as before and yet just as brutal. However, it was not the fight that disturbed both Hanna and Wayne, but the people in the stands all around them.

”Chop his arm off and beat him with it, Chad!”

”Smash his skull! I got money on that finisher move!”

”Why won’t you just kill him already?!”

Hanna shuddered hearing their blood lust. When Lisa fought Golem before, she was so preoccupied with the fight and Martinez that she didn’t listen to them at all. Now that she was actually hearing them it made her very sad and sick to her stomach knowing that people wished to watch others preform such violence.

Wayne was no different, he too hadn’t even heard such a nasty conversation, not even from the Black Rats gangsters. Now he was understanding why Lisa had said that the rest of the world was dangerous. He was thinking that it might be a good idea to arm himself after all.

Unable to watch any further, Hanna turned away from the stage and cautiously scanned the crowd. Now that she was back in here, she first checked the booths for the men responsible for killing her parents. Her assumption was correct, and Martinez was proudly standing behind the wall of the same booth as before.

Hanna felt her back and neck tingle with an uncomfortable chill. Seeing the smiling murder looking coldly down at the fight before him, struck fear into her heart once again. She couldn’t pry her gaze away from him. Yet the longer she did, the more her fear and anger grew. Flashes of memory jumped in her mind as she remembered Martinez’s grim smile as he shot her father, over and over. The way he effortlessly raised a gun to her mother’s head and shot her brains out without even flinching the tiniest bit. Hanna could not, no, she must not look away.

Wayne had been watching the second fight with truly little enthusiasm. ”How is this anything anyone would want to see? It’s barbaric.”

Taking a glance at Lisa and Sadie, he was relieved to see that they were not enjoying it as the crowd did. They were looking at a tabloid and apparently discussing how to deal with her own fight.

Then he stole a glance at Hanna. After all this kid was probably getting scared by what was happening on stage. What he saw, however, was not something a child should ever display on their face. All Wayne could see, between the black hat and mask, were Hanna’s eyes. They told him everything he needed to know.

Hanna had a deep angry expression tightly molded into her tanned young face. She was nearly trembling with her unfathomable emotions and doing her upmost to stay composed. From under her angry furrowed brow, tears brimmed her reddening eyes. Those pale green eyes, however, were not looking at the fighters, but beyond them.

Following her gaze, Wayne scanned the Arena’s stands across from them. There was nothing that really stood out to him, until he spied several rough looking men in a large booth. They looked nothing like the richly dressed crowd. They all were standing there grim faced, arms crossed and watching everything below them like hawks.

Looking back at Hanna, he wondered even more about this already unique girl. He didn’t know what was going on, but he wanted to find out. Maybe even help her if necessary. A kid like her shouldn’t have to suffer.

”Alright, I am up next.” Lisa shouted over the crowd’s foul jeers. Hearing her voice seemed to shake Hanna out of her death glare and Wayne shook his head to refocus himself. ”Wayne, pay attention to how I fight these guys. Gillian and Nathan have concerns about an upcoming opponent I will face in the near future. I want you to witness that those concerns are unnecessary.”

Wayne nodded and gave her a thumbs up. Shouting seemed pointless with the crowd being so worked up.

Lisa then knelt in front of Hanna too place a soft, but heavy hand onto her shoulder. ”I made a deal with Saul, that if, no, when I win that he is going to confess that he was a part of the murders. It’s going to be up to you to decide what to do with him. Since he didn’t kill or harm your parents in front of you, I will do what you ask.”

Hanna felt nervous and terrified hearing this. Not only was it a lot of pressure, but now it seemed that Lisa was almost placing a man’s life into her small hands. To punish him, let him go and forgive, or to even kill Saul. How could she make such a choice?

Unsure how to respond Hanna only gave a small, muffled reply, ”Ok.”

Lisa patted Hanna’s arm and stood back up with a slight smile. ”I know you’re a brave and smart girl. I trust you will pick the right choice.”

”What is that choice?” Hanna wanted to scream, but she bit her lip and held back. She may be fourteen, but she was growing up fast. She knew she had to decide on her own, for her parent’s sake.

Lisa turned to look up at the stage just as the fight ended. The crowd cheered, while many booed. However, the group cared not what the outcome was. Lisa was about to go out there and do the same.

Hanna looked up at the tall, strong back of Lisa walking away from her. Her skintight grey hexagon patterned suit perfectly outlined Lisa’s toned muscles and feminine slender curves. Her long black hair was coiled up tightly in a cute bun above her neckline. A hand rested on the hilt of her collapsible katana, both comfortably and at the ready. Lastly, her tall red laced boots made her overall stature both powerful and just oozed the sight of a female leader. Hanna felt in her heart that this was the woman she wanted to be. Fearless and strong.

”And now! For the highlighted fight of the evening, our most anticipated fighter takes on yet another impossible challenge.” The Announcers voice boomed out throughout the Arena. ”Taking on her third Match against normally unheard of far higher Tiers, that defy not only her chances, but the MFA rules as well. I give you Queen!!”

Queen felt the heat of a spotlight swing onto her and she quickly tossed on a smile as she headed for the stage gate entrance. The Announcer driveled on about Queens stats and chances as she entered the fenced in stage. Her attention was locked directly at her hulking foes, the redheaded Irish Triplets, also known as the Clover Cutters. They were undoubtably bigger than she expected, but size was only that. If they are like anything Golem was, then she surely has her work cut out for herself tonight.

The Triplets were doing the exact same thing. All three pairs of eyes looked back at Queen with mixed expressions and none of them were nice. Queen saw Connor raise a hand to his lips, kiss it and then jokingly blew it towards her. The other two brothers laughed seeing him do this.

Queen rolled her eyes and then casually drew her katana off from its magnetic strip. She opened it to only half length and then pointed it back at them, while drawing a line across her own neck with the other hand. This stopped the triplet’s laughter and they now held serious expressions. Clearly, they didn’t like her as much now.

They soon joined her on stage, all armed with matching huge double blades axes. The only protection they had on were forearm and shin guards. Besides that, they only wore jeans and black shirts with the Mad Dogs logo painted on them in red.

”I am going to enjoy myself in killing you.” Connor said looking down at the fearless lady. Then he smirked and continued. ”Though I would rather see what’s under that suit.”

”Ya looking sexy, Queen!” Patrick added.

“Just give up now and come back to our place for a good time!” Sean asked coaxingly.

Lisa spat onto the ground between them. ”You all are discussing creeps! I was thinking about sparring your lives tonight, but now? I’m not going too, even if you try to give up.”

”As if.” Connor replied twirling his axe. The other two nodded in agreement and then reading themselves, waited for the referee to start the match.