OK no more shocks in this chapter, I promise and thanks for all you encouraging replies - it was hard for me to publish the last chapter. although it was an integral part of the story and not just a shock device!
Other comments and feedback are cherished!
9
Mary put the programme to one side as the lights dimmed and Adam returned just as the announcer announced the first fight. Mary closed her eyes and waited, hearing the crowd around her whistling and cheering at the spectacle. She couldn't close out the grunts, cries and sounds of punching coming from the arena and as she opened her eyes a crack she was sickened at the sight of two women with blood lust in their eyes, leaning over the wooden boards of the arena walls to try and touch the fighters.
Guards pushed them bodily back and within 5 minutes the first fight had ended sickeningly with Black's arm dangling limply from his side, broken, as he stood over the dead body of Red, panting and swaying.
The crowd went wild as men rushed into the arena to lead Black away and remove the loser's corpse from view, and Adam cheered along with the rest as he calculated how much he'd won on the first game. He put his arm around Mary and pulled her to him in a deep kiss.
'We're gonna be rich honey' he chuckled as Mary smiled wanly and wondered how she was going to get through the next two fights.
Adam went to the betting office to collect his winnings and Mary sat staring at the arena where a man had just lost his life in the name of "sport". She shuddered. Was a new boyfriend worth all this? Adam returned with another drink for her, and she took a deep pull at it as the announcer bounced back into the ring.
'Ladies and Gentlemen. Our next round features two fighters you've seen here before. Matched against each other for the first time tonight we have White 3. With 7 wins to his credit, White is an old favourite, so give him a big hand here' he held out his arm as though welcoming a friend and an enormous mountain of a man walked calmly into the arena. Mary estimated he stood at about 6'6" and must have weighed over 230lbs. He glared at the audience from big brown eyes and stood casually, waiting as the muscles on his chest and arms rippled beneath his pale skin.
'And matched against White, we have a relative newcomer. Blue has had 4 wins to his credit and is hoping to make it 5 tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Blue 1'.
Mary was about to close her eyes in preparation for the fight, but instead, they flew open in disbelief. Blue had been almost pushed into the arena and was now standing with much the same bewildered look in his deep blue eyes as the blond had had last tonight. As the handsome face looked around the crowd, Mary suddenly and clearly remembered where she'd seen the blond fighter.
Her mind went back to a sunny afternoon in her old front room. A table, a crystal ball and two cops. One blond and tanned, the other olive toned and ruggedly handsome. She'd been captivated by his cheeky charm, his beautiful eyes and his abundant ebony curls and she'd held onto his hand long after he'd wanted it back.
Now she looked down at the man in the fighting pit in amazement. It was the same man, but changed somehow. The light had gone from his eyes but he looked alert and angry, but frightened in some way, the stark white bandage around his middle contrasting sharply with his tanned skin.
He swayed and watched Black approaching him with resignation in his eyes as he prepared to fight for his life.
Making her apologies to Adam, Mary got up and went out into the foyer, her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to come to terms with what she'd seen. Starsky! That was his name and his partner was Hutch. What were they doing here? Neither man looked as though they belonged. Were they undercover? She'd heard of that before, but somehow that didn't ring true either. They looked as though they'd been forced.
Mary ducked into the ladies bathroom and bolted the door behind her with shaking hands, needing some peace and quiet to get her thoughts in order. What was she going to do now?
Mary made her quiet way back into the main auditorium, startled by the ferocity of the cheering and screaming from the audience and she braced herself for the sight. As she sat quietly back down in her seat next to Adam, she glanced down at the two men in the arena.
Black was standing over the body of Blue who was lying on his back. Both men were sweat soaked and panting heavily and Black had a large red bruise appearing over his right ribs and the beginnings of a black eye. Blue had a dazed look in his eyes as he stared back up at his opponent. He was gasping for breath and clutching a protective arm around his middle, cradling the injury with his right hand, while his left arm propped him up. There was a bleeding cut above his right eye and another on his right cheek, as though he'd taken several blows to his face and Mary looked away as Black bore down on the much smaller man once again.
She took hold of Adam's sleeve and wove her fingers into the material as she buried her face in the shoulder of his jacket, not wanting to see the end of the brave cop. But as she braced herself she heard a concerted gasp from the audience and then cheers resounding around the room again as a whistle blew and the announcer came back onto the microphone.
Blue had stared defiantly at Black as the enormous man stood above him and as he saw the big foot take a swing back to connect for the final time with his head, Blue had swung his legs round on the ground in a roundhouse kick to Black's remaining leg. The big man had plunged to the floor, taken off balance by the unexpected move and had hit his head hard on the floor, knocking him out instantly. The crowd went wild, obviously routing for the smaller, much more handsome fighter and the commentator had a hard job to make himself heard above the noise of the cheering
'Ladies and gentlemen, Blue 1 wins his fifth fight in succession. Let's hear it now for Blue!'
The crowd erupted into another round of applause, but Blue wasn't in a fit state to enjoy it in his collapsed and exhausted state and Mary closed her eyes in sympathy as men dressed in black tee shirts and pants came into the arena. Two headed for the unconscious Black and dragged his body away, his bare feet leaving tracks in the sandy floor. Two more men descended on the man she knew as Starsky and he cried out in pain as they took hold of him under his arms, stretching his cracked ribs and pulling at the various other cuts and bruises marring his handsome body. She watched with tears in her eyes as they pulled the victor roughly from the arena, Blue's legs hardly having the strength to support himself and throughout the next and final fight, her mind worked overtime, thinking what she could do.
If Starsky and his partner were undercover, and God help them if they were, she knew she would be in trouble and would maybe jeopardise their lives if she telephoned the wrong people. But if they weren't, and they were somehow here against their will, she knew she'd never forgive herself if she didn't try to do something to help.
By the end of the last bout of fighting, when Adam had collected his substantial winnings from the betting office, Mary had formulated a plan. She forced herself to laugh and joke with her boyfriend on the way back to her house. It wasn't his fault after all. He was just another punter out to have a good time and firmly of the belief that the fighters were all well paid and cosseted volunteers. And if that was the case, well, she'd look a fool, but no-one would be hurt. But if her suspicions were right, then maybe more than the two cop's lives would be saved.
At her door, Adam bent and kissed her.
'Are you going to invite me in for coffee?' he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
Mary smiled at him. 'I'm sorry love. I have a terrible headache. Must be all the smoke and the shouting at the club. Do you mind if we just say goodnight? I just need to turn in and go to sleep'.
Adam put his hand on her shoulder, concern showing in his eyes. 'Whatever you say honey. I'll ring you tomorrow and check on you, ok? We'll do something quieter tomorrow night, promise'. He kissed her again and Mary waved as he got into the car and drove away. Quickly closing the door, she reached once again for her Tarot cards, trusting in them to give her the assurance to do what she knew she had to do.
With shaking hands, she walked to her table and sat down, calming herself as she unwrapped the black velvet package again. She started to lay the cards out, preparing herself for a full reading.
Card 1 - this card representing the theme of the problem. She laid the Magician down - taking charge. That's what she must do.
Card 2 - These are the obstacles in the way – the Devil: Anger, violence, jealousy, greed, deceit. All things she'd suspected. Not good!
Card 3 - representing the conscious plans and intentions - The High Priestess- Intuition, wisdom, mysteries, secrets, tenacity.
Card 4 -The card indicating Mary's inner feelings, and state of mind - The Emperor: Willpower, stability, benefactor. Did that mean she would win?
Card 5 -Influences that are passing away - The Hermit - a lonely spiritual quest, caution, inertia – were the cards telling her she must act?
Card 6 – (she braced herself for this one) The Priestess representing the immediate future events – strength, fortitude, courage, success. She breathed a sigh of relief – the best card to draw!
Card 7 - this signifying Mary's attitude. The card surprised her- The Hierophant - Marriage, good advice, the higher self, mercy. She smiled excitedly
Card 8 - Signifying other's attitude to Mary – The Empress -Mother, health, kindliness.- were the cards saying she would be Starsky and Hutch's saviour? She hoped so, and her cards had never lied before.
Card 9 - Influenced by card three – conscious plans and intentions, showing how hopes and fears influence Mary's intended goals -. The Hanged Man: Wisdom in difficulties, self-sacrifice, intuition, initiation, prophesy. Oh how she hoped she had the wisdom to deal with this situation!
Mary's hand trembled as she turned over the 10th and most important card, showing the outcome, or the potential outcome of the events. She plucked it from the pack and held her breath before she turned it over, laying it down at the bottom of the cross she'd formed on the table. Opening her eyes, she studied the card intently, her breath exiting in a sigh of contentment.
Death: Transformation, events beyond your control, ending corruption, a new but difficult start, inevitable major changes.Other than The Last Judgement, this was the card she would most have wanted to see, and she breathed a sigh of relief, putting her head in her hands as she gazed at her cards one last time. With their reading ingrained in her mind, she knew now what she had to do.
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