Walking Disaster

cried.
    “Oh no . . . this is going to get interesting very fast.” Benny chuckled, settling back into his seat.
    David rushed me. He was clumsy and slow, and before he even had a chance to reach for his knife, I incapacitated him, shoving his nose straight down into my knee. I then threw two punches into
his rat face. Knowing this wasn’t a basement fight, and that I was fighting to get me and Abby out alive, I put everything I had into each swing. It felt good, as if every bit of pent-up rage
inside me was finally allowed an outlet. Two more punches and an elbow later, David was lying on the floor in a bloody heap.
    Benny’s head fell back, laughing hysterically and pounding his desk with the delight of a child watching Saturday morning cartoons. “Well, go on, Dane. He didn’t scare you, did
he?”
    Dane approached me more carefully, with the focus and precision of a professional fighter. His fist flew at my face, but I stepped to the side, ramming my shoulder into him at full force. We
stumbled back together, and fell onto Benny’s desk.
    Dane grabbed me with both arms, hurling me to the ground. He was faster than I had anticipated, but not fast enough. We scuffled on the floor for a moment while I bought time to get a good grip,
but then Dane gained ground, positioning himself to get in a few punches on me while I was trapped beneath him on the floor.
    I grabbed Dane’s nuts and twisted. It shocked him and he cried out, pausing just long enough for me to get the upper hand. I kneeled over him, holding him by his long hair, loading punch
after punch into the side of his head. Dane’s face rammed into the front of Benny’s desk with each blow, and then he scrambled to his feet, disoriented and bleeding.
    I watched him for a moment, and then attacked again, letting my rage flow through me with every strike. Dane dodged once and landed his knuckles to my jaw.
    He may have been a fighter, but Thomas hit a lot harder than he did. This was going to be cake.
    I smiled and held up my index finger. “That’s your one.”
    Benny’s unrestrained laughter filled the room while I finished his goon off. My elbow landed in the center of Dane’s face, knocking him out before he hit the ground.
    “Amazing young man! Simply amazing!” Benny said, clapping with delight.
    Immediately I grabbed for Abby, pulling her behind me when Josiah filled the doorway with his massive frame.
    “Should I take care of this, sir?” Josiah asked. His voice was deep but innocent, as if he was just doing the only job he was good at, and didn’t truly desire to hurt either of
us.
    “No! No, no . . . ,” Benny said, still giddy with the impromptu performance. “What is your name?”
    “Travis Maddox,” I said between breaths. I wiped Dane’s and David’s blood off of my hands and onto my jeans.
    “Travis Maddox, I believe you can help your little girlfriend out.”
    “How’s that?” I puffed.
    “Dane was supposed to fight tomorrow night. I had a lot of cash riding on him, and it doesn’t look like Dane will be fit to win a fight anytime soon. I suggest you take his place,
make my bankroll for me, and I’ll forgive the remaining fifty-one hundred of Mick’s debt.”
    I turned to Abby. “Pigeon?”
    “Are you all right?” she asked, wiping the blood from my face. She bit her lip, her face crumpling around her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears.
    “It’s not my blood, baby. Don’t cry.”
    Benny stood. “I’m a busy man, son. Pass or play?”
    “I’ll do it,” I said. “Give me the when and where and I’ll be there.”
    “You’ll be fighting Brock McMann. He’s no wallflower. He was barred from the UFC last year.”
    I knew the name. “Just tell me where I need to be.”
    Benny gave me the information, then a shark’s grin spread across his face. “I like you, Travis. I think we’ll be good friends.”
    “I doubt it,” I said. I opened the door for Abby and sustained a protective stance beside her until we cleared the front door.
    “Jesus Christ!” America cried upon seeing the splattered blood covering my clothing. “Are you guys okay?” She grabbed Abby’s shoulders and scanned her face.
    “I’m okay. Just another day at the office. For both of us,” Abby said, wiping her eyes.
    With her hand in mine, we rushed to the hotel, with Shepley and America close behind.
    The only people that seemed to notice my blood-spattered clothes was the kid in the elevator.
    Once we were all back in my