Caged Fury

Chapter 1: The Cop Meets The Politician

xXx

"Come on Darce, we're gonna be late." Jane called out as she ran from the car toward the open warehouse doors.

All was quiet in the dark of night as Darcy climbed out of the car and made the trek much slower after her friend. "Hurry up. I don't want to miss Thor's fight."

Darcy rolled her eyes but continued on her way, entering the warehouse moments later and locating Jane across the expansive floor.

"You know," she called out to the older woman. "When you said you wanted me to meet your boyfriend I pictured something more along the lines of a coffee shop or a cafe, not an abandoned warehouse in the middle of the shipping district."

"I told you," Jane replied turning from where she had been facing the far wall. "Between my school, Thor's work and your job this was the only time you could meet him."

When Darcy had finally caught up, Jane turned back to the wall and began typing into an electronic key pad Darcy hadn't realized was there.

"Lot'a security." She commented.

Jane shrugged. "Yeah, well, everyone knows this is going on but it doesn't change the fact that it's still unsanctioned fighting."

"Uh huh, and why exactly is the heir to a multinational Fortune 500 company taking part in an illegal fighting ring?"

Again Jane shrugged. "He says it's a good way to blow off steam."

"I guess that makes sense."

Jane punched in three series of numbers before the door unlocked with a heavy thunk. She then opened the door revealing a long industrial stairwell leading deep beneath the warehouse. With the door open a deep thrumming beat was audible, like the bass at a nightclub. The sounds of cheering people could be heard mixed in.

Darcy followed Jane down the stairwell until it bottomed out on another door. The thrumming was stronger now as were the sounds of people. Jane opened the door and the sounds spilled out at a deafening decibel. Darcy cringed as it assaulted her ears just barely noticing Jane head through the doorway and into the mass of milling bodies. She was just barely able to keep up as Jane pressed through the crowd and she was extremely relieved when they made it out beside a set of bleachers.

They climbed up, taking seats a few rows down from the top. Darcy took the opportunity to look around. Rows of bleachers were encircled around a steel cage like the ones she'd seen on tv. Within the cage was the fighting arena where several people were inspecting the area. On the other side of the cage she could see a booth built up on the cage wall, a glass window separating the announcer from the rest of the room.

"Come on," Jane began pulling Darcy out of her thoughts with an elbow to the side. "Stop pouting and enjoy yourself."

"I'm not pouting." She defended.

"Yes, you are. Look," Jane sighed. "I know you're still mourning your failed relationship, but you can't let that bastard control you anymore. You need to get out of the house, live a little."

Darcy sighed. "That's not…

She trailed off as the announcer spoke up over the loudspeaker. The crowd got even louder as the first fight was announced. A man by the name of Blonsky, and another whose name she couldn't remember. Truth be told the only reason she remembered Blonsky's name was because of how brutal he was in the ring. She had to fight the urge to cringe every time he landed a punch. It was obvious this wasn't about the sport for him and more about beating his opponent into a bloody pulp.

Blonsky won and his opponent had to be taken away on a stretcher. The announcer spoke up again, calling out the next fight. Sif and Natasha "the Black Widow" Romanova.

Now this was a fight she could get into. Both women were highly skilled; even her novice eye could tell. They were also evenly matched taking hits, dodging and striking out. They'd been fighting for quite a bit of time before Sif suddenly got the upper hand, tossing Natasha to the mats and pinning her.

After that three more fights are announced before Thor was called up. Jane was practically vibrating beside her at the sound of his name.

Thor strode out into the ring moments after the announcement all broad shouldered and beautifully buff. She could definitely see the appeal for Jane. Thor's opponent was not much smaller than him and just as gorgeous. Short blonde hair and a shoulder to waist ratio similar to a certain snack chip.

Both men were easily matched but in the end Thor won. As he exited the arena with his opponent, both clearly friends, Jane jumped up from her seat and bolted out of the bleachers. Darcy barely had time to react before she was on the ground. Lucky for Darcy she was able to catch up before she lost her in the crowd.

Jane led her into a back area of the sub warehouse; an area that was obviously for the fighters to prep in. Thor was talking to his opponent when Jane called out to him excitedly. He turned at the sound of her voice a bright grin on his face as he approached and scooped her up into his arms. After a few minutes it became obvious that Darcy had been forgotten and rather than be scarred for life by what was obvious heading toward public indecency, she backed away slowly and disappeared further into the private areas.

Darcy sighed as she found herself alone. She was happy for Jane, don't get her wrong but at the end of the day it was hard to be happy for anyone who was enjoying the kind of relationship Darcy had only dreamed about. They shared a passion that she knew, all too well in fact, had been missing from her most recent failed attempt at companionship. Her desperation in finding that special someone had led her down the wrong path and right into the arms of the kind of man she'd always been cautious of. In fact she's fallen for the type of guy she'd saved her friends from numerous times.

Darcy supposed she should find some comfort in the way he chose to manipulate her. She was too strong willed to control physically so he had to find more creative ways to abuse her. And that's exactly what it was. He may never have lifted a finger against her but make no mistake it was abuse.

Darcy had just rounded a corner when she ran head first into a much larger body. She gasped in surprise and quickly backed up sputtering apologies for not paying attention.

The man in question was wickedly tall and handsome in a beat up sort of way. His hair is dark and slicked back and his piercing brown eyes stared back her with the kind of intensity that marde her feel like she was the only girl in the world.

His expression was serious and he said nothing in reply to her apologies. He simply stared down at her so she did the only thing she'd ever really been good at; she talked.

"I'm so sorry, I'm such a klutz sometimes. I really wasn't paying attention and I should have been...um... I'm Darcy by the way." She sputtered out.

"Jack." Was his only reply, voice deep and rough. She wasn't proud to say she squirmed a bit when he said nothing else his intense gaze still going strong.

"So... Um..."

"Jack, what the hell did I say about scaring the spectators?" Another man, shorter with similar dark hair styled up and an Italian complexion. Darcy looked from the new man back to Jack who suddenly quirked a little smirk in her direction making it painfully obvious that any discomfort he may have caused her was completely intentional. That kind of behavior should have set off warning bells immediately but there was just something about Jack that drew her in.

"Brock." The smaller man introduced.

"Darcy." She replied.

"Well Darcy, I'm sorry about this big lug, he's a bit of a shit. And we hate to leave so abruptly but my boy here's up next in the ring.

It was then that Darcy finally noticed Jack's wrapped hands and the scarcity of his clothing. "Oh, of course." She finally answered. "It was nice meeting you." She continued as they walked passed. "Good luck." She called after them as they disappeared around the corner.

Darcy waited a moment before heading back the way she came, using the time to berate herself for being so lame. She came out of the back in time to hear Jack's name called and moved to get a better view of the fight. She found a little nook inside the fighter's area where she could clearly see the ring.

Jack fought with a passion she wasn't aware you could have while beating on someone. His strikes were quick for his size and coupled with the brute strength afforded to him by that size he easily kept the upper hand throughout the fight. The fact that his opponent lasted so long in the face of Jack's onslaught is amazing in and of itself.

She kept tabs on Jack as he exited the ring and for a brief moment their eyes lock. The confidence she'd built up her whole life failed her two years before and she looked away unable to reignite that confidence now.

As she turned away she searched around determined to find Jane and get home. She'd had enough time out in public and she was ready to go home and curl up into a ball in her all too bland "adult" apartment. The problem was Jane was nowhere in sight and neither was Thor for that matter and the guy was big enough not to miss. After a few more minutes of searching she finally turned to one of the other fighters, Thor's opponent, and asked if he'd seen either of them.

"Sorry ma'am. They took off for some privacy about thirty minutes ago, give or take, I'm not entirely sure where they went."

Darcy sighed. "Thank you." She told him and he smiled at her sweetly and tells her it's not a problem. He looked like he was about to say something else when Blonsky, the first fighter, approached and shouldered him out of the way.

"You know I'm pretty sure I saw Thor leave. I assume you came in with his girl?" She nodded hesitantly suddenly uneasy about him. "Well that's just rude isn't, leaving you all by yourself. I'll tell you what; if you need a ride I'll be happy to see you home." He offered and news articles started flashing through her mind. Women murdered because they had the audacity to say no.

She was spared from having to answer though. "If she needs a ride Blonsky, you'll be the last person she calls." Jack informed him as he a Brock approached. Blonsky glanced back at Jack and looked about ready to argue, maybe even throw a punch when he seemed to think better of it and walked away.

Darcy let out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding as Steve starts apologizing for letting Blonsky sneak up on him and get close to her.

"It's okay, really." She tells him sincerely and she offers him a smile that seems to soothe his concern.

"Seriously though, are you alright?" Jack cut in. She nodded a little thrown off by everything.

"Yes, thanks."

He nodded in reply. "If you need a ride home there's a bouncer over near concession who will call you a cab and make sure you get in okay."

"His name is Bucky." Steve speaks up pointing out a dark haired man across the warehouse. "He'll take good care of you."

"Thank you." She thanked them again and headed off with one last glance at Jack and a small smile.

xXx

Darcy made it back to her apartment nearly an hour later. She boarded the elevator and took it to her floor, then made the trek once there to her front door. She paused with the key in the lock as she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to enter her dull, empty apartment. when she was sure she wouldn't completely lose it, she turned the key and stepped in, throwing her keys up on the hook by the door and walking the bland white hallway down into the equally bland white main apartment.

Plain white walls with equally boring pictures in gold frames. white leather sofa that her boss would just love for her office, but wasn't really all that comfortable for a living room. the only thing that offset the white were little pieces of gold and slate grey hard edged furniture. She hated it, but she was an adult and that's what adults did. they lived in apartments with no personality and spent way too much on ugly little faux gold statues that stare at you disappointedly when you walk by. The only thing she really loved about this apartment was the fuzzy white carpet in the bedroom and the opulently plush bed.

Darcy stripped from her clothes and ran through her nightly routine, washing her face and putting on her pjs. She then made her way back into the bedroom where she face planted into cushiony mattress and wiggled her way under the covers.

She was asleep almost instantly.