Chapter 13: Lexa

We pulled into a garage somewhere in Chinatown. I looked at Octavia, and she said that we had to go down to the garage basement where there was a storm drain that led to an old abandon nuclear bunker. The bunker had been sealed off in the early 2000s. But Mickey and his guys used a jackhammer to get through and made a secret entrance. According to Micky, underground fights are held all over the US and around the world.

I followed her down the tunnel. Eventually, we come to a tunnel full of graffitied walls. One of the walls has an elaborate door painted on it. At least I thought it was just a painted door. It wasn't though, it was an actual door. So I think to myself that is an excellent way to hide an entrance. If you didn't know to look for it, it would just look like part of the graffiti.

Octavia opens the door, and we go in. Right inside the door is a ticket booth like you see selling tickets at the fair, with a guy sitting in it. He looked at Octavia and said, "O, you are super early. Your flight isn't until eight tonight."

She replies, "I know Ralph. This is my friend Lexa, and she's looking to start fighting. Is Micky here?"

Ralph says, "Yeah, he's in his office. I'll radio him and let him know you are on the way back. Good luck tonight, O."

Octavia tells him thank you, and we head deeper into the bunker. Even though it is early, there are still a lot of people around. We pass a concession stand selling food, drinks, even beer. As we walk further, we pass huge rooms with cages set up surrounded by seating for spectators. There were already a couple of fights going on now. I stopped at the doorway of one room and watched for a few minutes. The guy's fighting didn't seem to have a particular style. They were just trying to knock each other out. O grabs my arm and says we needed to keep going. I ask, "Do all the fights look like this?"

She shrugs, "For the most part, yeah."

I couldn't help thinking that I would need to be careful not to hurt anyone since apparently, these fighters don't have any real training. So any fight I have against someone like that has the potential to get hurt or even kill someone if I'm not careful.

We finally make it through to Micky's office, and Octavia knocks on the door. When we enter, Micky immediately looks me over like he is trying to size me up. I laugh and say, "I'm right at six feet and around 140 pounds. If that is what you are trying to figure out."

He laughs and says, "So O, Ralph says that your friend here wants to start fighting. Is she any good?"

I just look at him and say, "My name is Lexa, and I can hold my own with anyone you put me up against. If you are into betting on the fights, I suggest that you don't bet against me because you will lose every time."

Octavia smacks me on the arm and says, "What the hell, Lexa?" I look at her and shrug my shoulders, and smirk.

Micky begins to laugh, "O, she seems very sure of herself. Are you willing to vouch for her? I have an invitation-only tournament starting in about half an hour, and I just had someone drop out. So, I have a spot to fill. I would be willing to let Lexa in if you will be her sponsor and pay the entrance fee."

I say, "First, what's the entrance fee? Second, what is the payout? Third, will I be fighting guys or girls or both?"

He sighs, "For a newbie, you sure have a lot of questions. The entrance fee for the tournament is five thousand. Each fight you win pays three thousand, if you win the tournament, there is a ten-thousand-dollar bonus, and you get to become a regular. As far as the competition goes, it is both guys and girls. I separate you into weight classes, and you are expected to fight in your weight class and be prepared to fight either three weight classes lower or higher. Since you say you are 140 pounds, that would make you a featherweight, so you would be fighting opponents up to 185 pounds."

I reply, "What do you mean by Octavia having to sponsor me?"

"It just means that she takes responsibility for you in case of an emergency, and she covers any fees that you can't."

"That is a pretty big weight difference when going against guys that are naturally stronger," I speak.

Micky laughs, "You sound scared. I thought you said not to bet against you. But, the way you're talking now, you don't sound so confident."

"Oh, I'm not worried about me. I am worried about the other girls/guys."

I look to O, "Will you sponsor me? I can get you the cash. I just need to go to an ATM."

She looks at Micky and says, "I will sponsor her, and we will pay you at the end of the tournament out of her winnings. Does that work for you?"

"Sure, sure, I trust you, O. Welcome to the club Lexa and good luck."

I smile, "Thanks, just remember don't bet against me. How many fighters are there in the tournament?"

"There are thirty-two fighters. Each fight is three, five-minute rounds, and there will be twenty minutes in between each fight. There are three ways to win, knock out, tap out, or judge's scorecard. So, are you in?"

"Yep, when do I fight, and can I place bets on myself?"

"I will give you an hour to get ready. O show Lexa to the locker rooms. Sure, you can bet on yourself to win. You just can't bet on yourself to lose. You understand, right?"

"Sure, I could bet to lose, then throw the fight. Not that I would ever do that."

Once we were outside Micky's office, I turned to Octavia and said, "So, what do you know about the fighters I'll be facing? I need to run to the jeep, get my clothes, and do I need gloves? Also, is there an ATM around?"

O started laughing, "There is an ATM by the ticket booth, and yes, you need gloves, but there is a shop for the fighters near the locker room. As for the fighters, I don't know much about them. Micky has one of these tournaments every so often to find new fighters. Usually, it's just anyone who can pay the entry fee, although sometimes there are some decent fighters."

"So, what does it mean when he said if I win the tournament, I will become a regular?"

"Well, basically, it means you don't have to pay to fight. If Micky gets you a match, he will text you with a time, place, and payout. If you accept the fight, he will expect a 'booking fee,' usually ten percent of your winnings from the fight. Most of the fights are held here, on the weekends, but occasionally there may be a different location or day during the week."

"Seems pretty straightforward, so who do you fight tonight?"

"Whoever wins the tournament held for my weight class which is a super middleweight. Let's go to the car and get your gear. You need to warm up before you fight, and you can stop by the ATM on the way back in and place your bet because I know that is what you are thinking, right?"

"Well yeah. In my mind, I'm a sure thing, so why not earn a little extra?"