Chapter 10

In what seemed to be an impressive short amount of time, a hostage situation had occurred. The women's gym was taken over by two heavily armed hooded individuals whom wasted no time taking over the place to gain an advantage over the police. Rocky, for the first time came up with what would make these guys steal a bank and then take a women's gym under their control? He then remembered that he saw a newspaper article down the street a few hours before he, Paulie and Jackie made their way to Mickey's Gym in pursuit of the lowlifes. The headline read: "Crime Rate Escalates."

Rocky knew it to be the cause of George Washington Duke. Of course, he was the kind of man who would pay no attention to the economy of a city much less for what people make on a weekly basis. Rocky supposed correctly that so far George Washington Duke was a negative effect, a virus on the city of Philadelphia. No jobs, no money thus, crime becomes too apparent. He shook his head thinking this and went back to reality where the two hoodlums were finished making their demands to the police outside. Rocky could not help but recognize one of the robbers' voices. It sounded familiar.

"Everybody shoosh and shush! We don't want hurt nobody but we will if we got to!" the robber had said and members of the gym which composed entirely of female stood with their backs to the wall including Rocky, Paulie and Jackie. One by one their wrists were tied together with cord. The women were frightened and several were crying. "We got the place wired with explosives that will make this place a crater if one of you ladies and gents get out of line!" shouted the menacing hoodlum. Everyone cowered in fear at what was just being said. Rocky shook his head as if wanting to say 'yeah, it's worse.'

"Well, Well, Well..." one of the bank robbers said as he slowly approached Rocky apparently getting a good look at him. "Who do we have here?"

Rocky wanted to speak but the thief cut him with a jab to his gut. He coughed. The punch was unexpected and he fell to the ground. Rocky hissed in pain. The other bank robber held his arms in case he wanted to attack. He was led into the gym arena which was in the middle of the room they were in. Rocky struggled as he was being dragged towards it.

"Don't! Leave him alone!" Jackie screamed. But it was too late and Rocky was to another room.

As soon as he was tossed by the two criminals through the ropes. The masked hoodlum stood in the middle of the ring and looked down at Rocky."Look after them. I'mma go deal with him." Soon the accomplice went off with a nod. "Rocky Balboa..." He finished and placed a hand on his chin. "What? You don't know who I am?" the robber then took his mask off.

Astonishment overwhelmed Rocky as he saw the robber revealed at last. He was big, black and burly. Baldness showed on the hoodlum's left and right side of his head. He was unshaven on his chin and sideburns. What made him more recognizable was the gaze he gave Rocky. It was Clubber Lang who sported an evil grin at Rocky.

Blue and white light was the glow that gave off everywhere in the place they were. Apollo was used to it now and it disappeared as he finally materialized towards an unknown area where loads of people were stationed to give questions to what seemed to Apollo, three or four people on seated on stage. The press conference was already in effect. Mickey was right next to him. Before they were transported, Mickey had already told Apollo that Rocky gave up everything and was back to where he started. There was a protegé of Rocky that was getting to be a problem. Apollo listened as to what was going on.

A newspaper editor called out to the young fighter. "Do you think it was too easy?"

The young man responded quickly as if he was on top of the world. "I took some shots, but I was never hurt. I'm just glad to be the champ!" He shook the heavyweight championship belt in the air.

Another member of the media called out. "Don't you think this looked like more like a sparring session than a championship?"

Apollo looked on as Tommy Gunn was becoming infuriated over the questions the reporters were giving him which he naturally assumed were insults. Apollo thought hard as he looked at the young fighter. He nodded in understanding. Apollo had met and dealt with people who were tempted by money and greed. He himself almost did. In a way, Tommy was a lot like Apollo.

"I know how this is gonna turn out." Apollo said unexpectedly.

"Whadaya mean?" Mickey asked.

"It's like you said, Rocky lost his fortune and trained a young fighter but betrayed him in the long run. My question is...why are you showing me all of this?" He waved a hand emphasizing his point. "How can we possibly help him if we're..."

"Well...Rocky is special, like I said. That doesn't mean that he a'int thinking about us. We're seeing all this because it kinda gives us clues as to what's happened to him and how we can help him." Mickey said.

Apollo looked on with confusion and shook his head as he still didn't quite understand. "I'm just sayin' we're irrelevant. Even if we did have all this information how exactly do we help Rock?"

"A man can dream can't he?" Mickey grinned.

Apollo now looked more confused with that response.

Ivan Drago, quick for a man so tall wasted no time in trying to intervene so that he stop the current predicament. If Rocky died, he would never get the chance to do what he needed to in order to regain some closure in his life. He made his way to the back of the building. Avoiding the police was no problem as he took another route instead. As he went around, he took the long way to avoid the police and crowd and made his way to the back of the building.

There were two squad cars in the back position. Only two police officers were stationed with their guns drawn out waiting for any order from their commanding officer. Ivan Drago knocked them out from behind. As the policemen laid down on the floor, Ivan took the chance to get in through the back door.

Rocky was still being brutally beaten by Clubber Lang and the worst part about it was that he couldn't get free to defend himself. "You took away my belt, now I'ma take away your life and for that...I pity you fool!" He gave him another cross to his chin. Rocky was close to getting knocked out cold. But what he nor Lang realized was that Jackie standing across the wall in the other room with the other women, was close to freeing herself. Cutting the cord with a small knife she had always carried around with.

Jackie looked at the robber with hatred and contempt. He was looking at the other room where the sounds of punching and hitting were occurring. Jackie knew he was distracted and she was close to finally cutting the last thread of the cord she was bound with. "What are you doin?" Paulie mouthed silently.

Jackie simply winked at him.

The SWAT team had just arrived and as protocol needed to make sure all standard police teams were in perfect communication order. However, there was a team in the back that was left non-responsive.

"Sir, we lost communication with the officers in the back." an officer outside reported to his commanding lieutenant.

The lieutenant cursed under his breath. He was now assuming the worst. "Must have shot them! We have no choice. Tell them if they do not release the hostages in five minutes, we'll go in by force. No negotiation." he said.

The lead officer nodded and then hurried back to the rest of his comrades to issue the order.

Ivan Drago made his way in what seemed like a basement judging by the dark decor. He had heard commotion coming from above and because he did, he had to make his way quickly and cautiously. Drago eagerly wanted to see what was happening. Making his way up the stairs where a door was shown above, Drago made his way toward it. As he got to it, he turned the doorknob only to find it lock. He swore in his mind. If he opened it by force, the thieves will hear it. He paused to decide what course of action he should take despite the noise he was hearing on the other side.

Rocky was dealt with by a hard blow to his jaw. "You're a disgrace." He spat out softly.

"Whatchu say?" Lang picked him roughly by the collar so that they were face to face. "You got lucky last time but you ain't gon' be so lucky now!" He then headbutted Rocky and it was that hit that finally knocked him out cold. Yet he could hear Lang mocking him. "He down ladies and gents! 1...

"2..." Rocky had his eyes closed for exactly those two seconds. It was then that he finally opened them that he realized that he was in a different setting than where he was. He was in an empty ring surrounded by blue and white light along with a lot of fog passing by. He got up and as he stood he realized he was no longer bound as he stared at his hands. "3..." Lang's voice was still heard.

After a few moments, he turned around and saw a figure making his way toward him. The man was in the other corner. He finally materialized as he stepped forward. "Who is that? What do you want?" he cried.

"Just an old sparring buddy." It was Apollo creed.

"4..."

Rocky paid no attention to Lang's voice and instead stood in mesmerization at Apollo. "How?" he finally spoke.

"No time to explain all I can say is you need to get your head back in the game. I know how it turned out for you but like I told you before one time...it ain't ever over."

"5..."

"I'm sorry for what happened to you Apollo." Rocky said with tears in his eyes.

"You shouldn't be man. You got another chance at this and you don't even see it." Apollo said.

"6..."

"Chance for what?"

"To be a great and yet...good person."

"7..."

"I feel like I can't no more, you know?"

"8..."

"That depends on you...you got two seconds what do you want to do?" Apollo asked with a smile.

"9..."

"It was great seeing you." Rocky smiled.

"Likewise."

Everything dematerialized all of a sudden and Rocky finally had his eyes opened. But what he saw was unbelievable. It was Ivan Drago and Clubber going at it in the ring!