Chapter 3

Brek yawned and then blinked her eyes quickly before completely opening them to stare up at the ceiling. It took her a minute before she remembered where she was. Only two days and she still had no clue of where to find Richie. Ofcouarse most of the time was spent looking at a map and figuring out where she was and how to get around.

Michael had made no contact, which was probably best. Nothing could be found on Richie. Brek had looked in the phone book and had found a couple of Richard Ryans', but none of them had been him. Money was getting scarce. Michael had given Brek $200 and from traveling everwhere by taxi and eating food and paying off people to make it somewhat easier to find places where Richie may be, she was almost down to nothing. The hotel had already been paid for. Michael made sure of that.

As she layed looking up at the ceiling holes, she wandered what to do next. Her legs were sore from walking all over the city and the outskurts. She hada couple more places to look that were possibly places where Richie would be. Michael didn't know for sure but gave her some clues. Because everything was so secret in the Watchers society they couldn't give the exact place. Hell, they didn't give her a place at all. Just areas to look around in. Michael promised that in one of the areas Richie would be found, but he couldn't tell her where, he wasn't even allowed to know. Down the list she went of where to go. China Town and around 62nd street. Those were the two areas. Shit 62nd street or around is almost the whole freakin city, she said to herself. It was worth a shot. Brek pulled out her map, she was still under the covers and lying down, but had grabbed the list and map off the nightstand.

"Let's see...........I can go through Greenwhich to get to China Town and take the subway to 62nd. I'm in Soho so walking will be easy on me today." Brek smiled at the fact that she wouldn't have to walk miles after miles just to get to one street. The routes through the subway and getting to places were getting easier as she had been walking them for two days.

Brek scurried out of bed and put some real clothes on. She pulled on a pair of jeans a white t-shirt and a navy blue V-neck sweater, brushed her shoulder length golden hair, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. It was at that moment that she decided she was hungry. Brek grabbed the hotel key off the nightstand and grabbed her back-pack, which carried everything she owned in it. It went everywhere with her, just in case that day would be the day when she would find Richie.

The sun was bright when she stepped outside the small hotel. She squinced and then opened her eyes completely to take in all that she saw. Even for it being Soho, an area outside New York City itself, was crowded. People hustled as if they were on a mission. No one recognized one anothers' existance except for those they were walking with, if they were walking with anyone.

Greenwhich was closer then any other place for her to go so Brek decided to chose that destination first. It was just as crowded as Soho, but a tad bit different. There were wilder stores that had the funniest looking sunglasses and clothes that Brek had ever seen before, they weren't as funny as they were fascinating. Coffee shops were almost on every corner, so many Starbucks around the area. But she wasn't there for site seeing, she was there to find her brother. Site seeing could be done later. She took a deep breath and went on her way ignoring every shop that didn't look as though Richie would even think of being around. She tried to remember what his interest were, where he would live, he would live close to things he liked. Movie theatres, comic book shops, hot dog stands.... Brek had to laugh at that thought. Richie loved hot dogs in the city, but he wouldn't move to a place just because a hot dog stand was right outside. Martial arts!

"That's it!" Brek said aloud, but would there be one around? She completed her thought silently. Look around, if there is a place around here he could certainly be at it.

As she looked for a phone booth for a phone book she felt a hand grab her shoulder. She didn't know what to expect she looked around to see who it was but there was no time for that he was dragging her by her arm and she couldn't get away. Oh my God, it is someone that has to do with Cameron it has got to be who else would be doing this? She started scrambling trying to get away it didn't work. A rush of panic came over her.

"Relax, and act normal. I'm not here to hurt you," an old raspy man's voice whispered in her ear. He took her to a near by cafe.

"Hey Joe," a guy from behind the counter said while the two were walking in the diner together.

"Hey Claud, hold everything for me will you? Calls, people who want to see me. You know." He smiled as he lead Brek to the back room. Once in the room he let go of the girl who looked up at him with wide eyes, ones that were somewhat in fear and yet somewhat angry too.

Brek backed away from the man. "What do you want from me?" Her voice shaked. "Look here is some money, $50 if you want you can have it, it's yours just as long as you don't tell Cameron you saw me."

"Cameron? Oh, I don't think I have anything to do with him. Look, like I said before, I'm not here to harm you. I think I think you know one of my young friends. Michael Kerrigan? From Pennsylvania?" He smiled at her hoping it would ring a bell. The small girl nodded. "Here maybe this will help," he lifted his sleeve to show her the tattoo on his wrist.

Brek gasped in relief but yet in surprise too. "You're a watcher like he is." She responded quietly.

"And you are---Brek?" Joe once again hoped he was right.

"Yeah, who the hell are you?"

"I'm Joe Dawson, a friend of Michael's obviously. So I hear you need help."

"Yeah, I need to find my brother, Richie."

"Uh-huh, well, I can't tell you where he exactly is, you know for cover reasons, but I can help you somewhat out a little. There is a martial arts place right down the street. My friend owns it. It is for people who practice savat, kickboxing, boxing, karate, juno. Well you know? Anyways. My friend Mac owns it and he'll make you feel right at home. Richie sometimes visits there." Joe knew he couldn't reveal everything, besides even Mac didn't know what he knew about Brek. Richie didn't know anything either. They were clueless to even know Joe was speaking to her.

"Where exactly down the street?" Brek questioned.

"Oh, just go out of the diner take a right follow it straight down and you'll see the sign that says "High Kicks"." He gave a gentle smile that made Brek feel actually comfortable and trustful of the old man's words.

"How do I know Richie will be there?" Brek again had to make sure.

"I don't know, but lets put it this way, you are closer now then you were two days ago. Mac knows Richie and Richie will definately show today or tomorrow. But you have to do something for me since I am giving you this information."

"What?" Brek was scared to ask.

"Don't tell Mac that I sent you and don't tell him who you are. It is to be a surprise."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not even suppose to know about you, Richie doesn't know I know about you. Just show up, like it was nothing. You found the place but didn't know Richie had anything to do with it. I can guarentee if you go in there throw a couple punches let Mac get to meet you he will introduce you to Richie. You are just going to have to trust me."

"I guess I can believe you, but if you are wrong, I'm coming after you, a lot is at stake here."

Brek left the cafe with confidence. like Joe had said, she was closer then she had ever been before in finding her brother. The place was right where he said it would be. It was a loft and as she walked in the building she had to climb a flight of stairs. She could hear the voices and the training coming from the room. She looked in amazement at the workout area, people with punching bags 3 pads for kickboxing, a ring, even sword fighting, it was huge. Men and women, young and old were in there practicing. Brek had to smile at herself in amazement.

"Come on scrub I know you can do better then that!" She heard a voice say. Her eyes followed it to the ring in the middle. Two boys about her age, possibly a little older boxing in the ring. The one talking was tall about 6' and built, the other one was about an inch or so shorter and built as well. But he was struggling.

"Come on Dameon, you know i just got back in from an injury, how about giving me a little bit of a break?" The shorter boy mentioned to the taller one.

"Pain is for losers, if you think that im going to give you a break you are joking," he laughed as he threw punches at the other boy, who took them and tried to block and miss them but it didn't work. Basically he was getting the shit knocked out of him, he took it but it was an unfare fight.

More punches were thrown and finally the shorter boy found the strength to hit back. When he did the one called Dameon took his arm and twisted it around the boys back. He yelled out in pain while Dameon laughed. It got the attention of the whole place.

It pissed Brek off. She knew what it was like for somone to take advantage of her when she was weak, otherwise she could kick ass. Cameron would do it when she had pulled something hurt soemthing. Ofcourse his ass was one she could never kick. But this angered her. This wasn't Cameron and her. She watched DAmeon's technique, he wasn't all that good, she could take him and so could the boy he was hurting, if the boy had the guts to believe it. This made her speak.

"Let him go!" Dropped her backpack and ran to the ring. Other people who were about to do the same thing, including Mac himself, stood back in amazement to watch.

"What?" Dameon was astonished at the fact that a person he didn't even know was trying to stop him.

"You heard what i said and don't make me repeat it. Do as I say, Fight me if you want a challenge. Otherwise fending on the weak only makes you a weaker being."

"Who the hell are you?" He was taken aback.

"No one imparticular, your next rival maybe? that is if you aren't afraid of a girl." Brek said.

"Oh come on, why don't you go home and play with your barbies huh?"

"You know it was a weird fact that while other girls played with barbies i was one to be in gyms like this one practicing my techniques in kickboxing and karate. But you know if you are afraid of me i'll understand, being afraid of a girl isn't so bad." She smerked at her braveness and her cocky attitude. she always called it Richie's mouth 101.

"Bring it, Rainbow Bright." Dameon straightened up.

"As you wish Strawberry Shortcake." BRek went back to her bag and got out her boxing gloves and tape. Quickly she got her tape on her hands and pulled off her sweater and t-shirt revealing a tank top. She pulled on her gloves and climbed in the ring. By then Mac had come in the ring to be referee. Brek didn't know who it was, just thought it was a guy who had come to help out with the fight. He was a handsome man. Short black hair, beautiful sea green eyes, about 6'5 maybe 6'6? She couldn't tell. He was tall though compared to her tiny features.

"Alright you two im assuming you both know the rules of the game, do not go past them. You are allowed to start on my command. Ready?" He had an accent, one that sounded a little scottish or irish, Brek couldn't tell, at the moment she didn't care. "Go!" Mac shouted.

The two danced around the ring waiting to see who would pack the first punch. It seemed like forever before daemon decided to make the first move, he tried to give BRek a cross while she ducked to miss it. AS she ducked she tried to jab his stomach, he blocked that. She backed away some waiting for his next move as he was doing the same for her. She decided to go in for quick jab cross, she wasn't ready for what happened next, Daemon used his legs and tripped her, she fell on her back to the ground. That wasn't suppose to happen, she thought, that was illegal in the game of boxing, but if that is what he wanted to play then she was ready for it. before Mac could say anything to Daemon, Brek was back on her feet and put in a cross at him. He was totally unprepared for it. But, it didn't stop him. It only made him pissed off that a girl had hit him. He tried to go for a jab cross but in doing so Brek had gotten enough distance to be able to take a kick to Daemon's shin and it brought him to the ground.

"You bitch, now you are going to get it." He said getting up quickly.

Brek concentrated on him carefully. She didn't pay attention to his cursing towards her or his mean and ugly face. Just his shoulders and his lower part of the body. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her, but as she tried to do so it failed miserably within the next minute. All the memories of Cameron had come back to her. She hadn't fought ever against anyone other then Cameron. And when they did fight it would end with him beating the shit out of her. Brek all of the sudden decided to look up from the boys shoulders and at his face except when she looked at him she didn't see Daemon, she saw Cameron staring back at her and laughing and taunting getting ready to beat her to a pulp. That is when Brek dropped her arms and lost total concentration.

Daemon wasn't about to let her get away with giving up, that was an opportunity for him to take as many punches as he could. Mac saw this in the boys face and stepped in. He grabbed the boy by the shoulder and threw him up against the side of the ring. "You touch her you are going to have to deal with me, you hear? You are a cheating little bastard, and I don't like you. Get out of here and if I see you in my place again your ass is mine. Now go!" He said letting go of Daemon.

Daemon looked at him and then looked at Brek whose face was contorted of confusion. "We will finish this some other time, not here but somewhere and sooner then you think." He said as he took off his gloves and threw them down grabbed his bag and walked out of the gym. Everyone stared at him until he was out of sight and then looked at Mac who looked at Brek. She couldn't think straight, the world was spinning to her.

"Are you okay?" Mac asked the girl as he walked toward her. Brek nodded but was still in the state of fogginess. "Here lets go sit down and get you a drink of water. Keri, can you go get her some water?" He looked to a woman by the ring.

"Sure thing Mac," she answered and then went out of sight.

Mac took the gloves off the girl, he knew she was in some kind of state, just not sure what was going to happen. "Let's get you sitting down how 'bout that, huh?" He smiled at her and she nodded back again and tried to take a step as she did that is when her whole world went black. Brek saw nothing but spinning people and felt the dizziness swarm over her. When went to walk all of it completely took over and she had passed out.