Chapter 5

After that chaotic ending of the conference I didn't even had time to find Apollo to confront him. I was already running late and with what happened I didn't want to ask either men if they could give me a ride to the hotel where Drago was staying at. Thankfully it wasn't that far away from where the press was 12:30 p.m. just like Koloff said.

„Ah, Miss Young?", i turn around as soon as I heard a Russian accent behind me.

„Mr. Koloff."

„Please, follow me to the suite." We enter the elevator and I can't help but feel weird around this men.

„Ivan went to workout, after the insults we had to indure earlier on, he needed to clear his head." I look at him confused and just give him a nod as he continues on „Don't worry in the mean time Ludmila and myself are more then willing to give you an interview until Drago comes back."

As soon as we entered the room a blond women greeting us from the chair she was sitting on with a cigarette in her hand.

"One zdes'dlya interv'yu" Koloff says something to her in Russian which I can't understand and she quickly stands up to shake my hand.

„Miss Young", she smiles her biggest fake smile „thank you for coming" her accent isn't as thick as the men's.

„Thank you for your time Mrs. Dr..." She quickly interrupts me.

„Ludmila Vobet."

„I have told Miss Young, that Ivan is going to join later on" her smile is now genuine towards the elderly men. I know I shouldn't be judging but this is getting really weird.

Two hours passed and Ludmila still talks about how she is the Olympic Champion in Swimming and when she´s finally done it´s almost 3:00 p.m.

„Miss Young" Koloff starts „we are sorry but Ludmila and I have to go. Drago is on his way, please you can wait here for him." I look at him dumbfounded. They are leaving together? I look at my notes that I took the last hour but I can't help my notice in the corner of my eye I see Ludmila kiss Nikoli! I wonder if Drago knows about this.

After they left I sit around for another 15 minutes when I finally hear the door open. My head slowly turns and there he is. He wears his military uniform, that he wore at the conference. He notices me and starts to approach me slowly. I stand up and have to bend my neck to look at him as he stands now directly in front of me. He already looked so extremly tall earlier on, but having him now towering over me, his presence is taking my breath away.

„Mr. Drago, it's nice to meet you. I'm- I'm Alexa. Alexa Young." I stutter my word out and extant my hand.

For a while he just looks at me and at my hand bevor extandng his huge hand and it covers mine completely but it's also soft and smooth. I didn't expact that. Apollo and Rocky often had so rough hands espacially when they would prepare for a match.

„Ivan" is the only thing he says bevor sitting in the chair opposite from mine.

His accent is so much stronger then Koloffs and his voice is deep he's presence is scary, but he looks so young. I wonder how old he actually is.

„If you don't mind, I just have a few questions „ my words are mumbled. He doesn't say anything and just nods for me to go on.

„Mr. Drago how does it feel to spar with the great former champion?", I ask the same question that I ask a few hours earlier hoping to get an answer this time. Though he doesn´t say anything. His eyes staring right through mine,

„After what happened today what are your thoughts on the fight? " I try my luck with another question, but just like earlier on he just sits there not hinting at breaking the eye contact.

Not sure what do to I just go on with the next question.

„Do you have anything you want to say about the comments that Apollo Creed just made?" The silence is driving me insane. Can he even understand me? Maybe he doesn't speak English, I think to myself, after all he didn't say a word at the conference.

„How- How are you preparing for the fight? Do you think Apollo has an advantage being the experienced one?"

„Net." The first anwser I get from him. He stands up and moves his chair closer to mine as my heart starts to beat faster. „Creed is experienced, but he is old. Weak. No threat"

I just look at him while he talks. I can't help but notice how blue his eyes are and his facial features are distinctive.

„That might be true, but he may know some tricks that you've never heard of. Experience can beat youth." After the words leave my mouth I freez. Did I really just said that to him, but Drago doesn't seem do be angry with my comment.

„You were at press?" he asks. I just give him a little nod scared that my voice is going to fail me.

„Your questions are smart. Everytime I hear same questions, but yours are different."

„How so?" I ask him my voice is so thin almost shaking.

„You ask about fight and ..." he takes a moment to figure out how to say a word „training. Everyone else asks K.O. in first round and that we hate amerikans and ask about politics." Its the first time that someone complimentet my work and the first time that it comes from a mens mouth. „You ask about the match, not politics."

„Why didn't you anwser my questions earlier?" I gather up my courage to ask him. He still just looks at me. „Not supposed to. Nikolai and Mila anwser. I just sit there." That was something we all realized. Ivan never spoke, his people always anwsered every question for him.

At this point he starts to look around the room realizing that his team was not in the room. „Mr. Koloff and your wife left, they said they had plans", I whisper-tell him. He just nods not bothered at all.

„She is not my wife" he simply states. „She is Nikolais wife, but he thinks for press its better image."

I look at him not expecting him to be this honest. „Why are you telling me this?" my voice is so thin as he leans his body a little bit closer.

„Because you intrige me." His eyes not leaving mine as he stands up. „Do want to go out with me? Go for dinner or walk?"

My heartbeat increases. I don't know what to say, as my mind keeps screaming at me to say no and go home. After all this men is going to fight one of my friends. How can I possibly even consider going on a date with him?

„I don't- I mean I don't know you" my word are stuttered as he comes near me.

„Then get to know me." I just nod slightly not able to form anymore words.