Faded Hope

Ringing the bell

DAEMIEN POV

    I climb into the ring ready to take on the next challenger, it doesn't matter to me who it is, I know I'm gonna win. I always do, I'm just waiting for the one time I don't. Whether it's in the ring or out of it. I know it's coming, everyone's time does.

    The guy I'm fighting tonight is 6'4 of pure muscle. He's a specialist in martial arts, as well as, being a boxer and a wrestler. He's been coming into my gym for 5 years now on a daily basis. He's a real beast, but I already know his weaknesses. That happens when your the one who trains most of them. His left knee he'll protect because he hurt it training. slow on the right hook, I think through everything I know about him as he crawls into the ring with me. What most people around here don't know is I use my anger when I fight, and I try to make that the only place I show it. I fail at it but I keep trying.

    I'm standing in the middle waiting for the bell, when it rings I burst out like a raging bull. This guy didn't even get a hit in before I'm taking him down. It doesn't even feel like a challenge. I need another match after this one. It didn't do its job, Fighting is supposed to help the anger go away, I took him down too fast for that to happen. I yell into the area, "Are there any other takers tonight? I'll give you another match if there is."

    "I'll take that chance," comes out of the crowd. I can't see who it is because of the lights in my eyes. I put my head down as they make their way into the ring. When I looked up I was shocked to see my best friend staring me in my face.

    "Jeremy, what are you doing here?" I flustered out. Darius came to the ringside also. I'm sure the look on my face said it all. I guess my time had come for the secrets being revealed after all.

    "I came to see my best friend, only to find you doing this. An illegal ring, really Dae? You're better than this." He stated to me. He then inquired with disappointment. "didn't you learn anything in the last 4 years?"

Darius just gave me the 'man what you doing' look he always used to give me when I got busted fighting at school. All of a sudden I felt ashamed of myself like I feel every time I let Alexxia down. I hang my head and tell Jeremy, "I can't fight you, your sister would kill me if I hurt you."

    "Then shut this place down for the night and let's go get a drink." Darius commanded me. "The girls will be back soon and you got making up to do. Lex and Dani are not happy with you at the moment, so you better practice sucking up."

    "How did you even know where to find me?" I inquired.

    "You can only bury so much, I figured it out in one day. I got programs and friends that can find more than you'll ever be able to hide." Jeremy replied.

    "So does your sister know what I do?" I inquire.

    "No man I didn't tell anyone what I found out, except talking to Darius for where we would find you tonight. The girls think we are at the gym while they go shopping." Jeremy answered figuring it wasn't technically a lie, as they were at a gym, just not one the girls thought they were.

    "And what gym is that?" I asked.

    "The one at the hotel." Darius stated dryly.

    "So we should get you cleaned up, and head there for drinks?" Jeremy spoke coming out more like a question. 

    JACOB POV

    I found the perfect spot to grab her on Sunday. The one place where I will be the last person she sees when she finishes her rounds and heads back to her room for the night. There will be too many eyes watching for Alex over the weekend, but I could get away with it on Sunday as all the players would be going out and heading home, and she will be getting back to being Alexxia instead of Alex. No one knows of her being female from what she told me, I thought. So no one will miss her then, at least no one important to her job. 

    I headed back to my hotel to make the necessary preparations. This was going to be interesting, to say the least, I thought. Walking into the room I was surprised by my phone ringing. Looking at the caller Id it was Twyla calling. I ignored it in favor of getting the room set up the way I needed it to be for Lex. I didn't want to think about Twyla, all she has done lately is screw up my plan. I don't want to know if or how she has possibly done it again from that far away.

    I get the items around for tieing her up to get her to the hotel room, not that I really want to have to tie her up. I am afraid she won't come with me if I don't though. The gag is part of my shirt that she likes so much, but everything else I bought brand new. Now that everything is ready it's time to wait.... ugh I hate waiting, maybe I thought,  I should do a test run with someone else so I can make sure I got this down and won't have as many mistakes?

    I call one of my friends that live close by and tell him my plan. He's the one I trust the most and said he would help me test as well as with the real deal. I accepted his offer. We then decided where we would go to test it, and picked a girl about the same height, weight, and build as Lex. When we got back to the room we tied her up, my friend will take her to a secure location after a little while, that way she can't rat to anyone about being taken until after it is done. And we never uncover her face so she can't identify either of us. When she gets found will be the only way she will be able to see anything. 

    Getting back to the room, my friend decides that we should alter the plan slightly. Upon hearing his altercations and getting more supplies we decide to try it again with his changes. This time he said he wanted to pick the person and do it himself, so I would not be seen by Lex before it was time. With that, he headed to the hotel that she was staying in.