Chapter 18

"Well, well, well," said Cisco with a heavy southern

accent. "It looks like our guest have finally arrived!"

"You were expecting us?" I asked.

"Why after Cyrus here tol' me 'bout yo lil run in, I

knew yousen come find me," he said. "Now what can I do fa ya?"

"Well I understand that you have some friends and a

serum, both of which Eli has an affinity for," I said.

"Wooo-hoooo! Listen ta da big words. You got some

mouth on you boy. Now I think you better shud it fo' you git hurt!" Cisco said.

"Well it seems that is your business, isn't it?

Hurting? What do you have here a little fighting match?" I asked. "Are you

laying odds? You know, bets?"

"Well damn! You got some balls on ya ta walk inta

anudder man's house and bet 'em," he said.

"I'm just looking for an opportunity," I said.

"What kinda opportunity?" he asked.

"Well, if you were a betting man, and you had faith in

your fighters, I'd challenge you to a four on four fight in your arena here," I

said.

"Agin you fo'?" he asked.

"Yes. And if we win, we get the girls and the serum,"

I said.

"What do I git iffen I win?" he asked.

"Why, you get me," I said.

"What is dat s'posed ta mean?" he asked. "I ain't no

fancy pants fruit booty!"

"Well, it means that everything in that vial is based

on my research and work. It means that Eli is alive today because of my

abilities and the treatment that I administered. It means that a cure WILL NOT

happen without me," I said.

"You a doctor, den?" he asked.

"I am," I responded.

"Den why are ya fightin?" he asked.

"Because I have no other choice. Will you give me what

I ask for if I just ask?" I said. "Now do we have a deal, or do you not have

any faith in your bitches…I mean fighters?"

"I tell you what, if you lose, I'll keep you and kill

the rest," he said.

"The only way I lose, is if you kill me," I said.

"I like the cut of yo jib, boy," he said. "You got a

deal!"

"Okay look, this is not like when we train or spar.

This is for real and for keeps," I whispered to Joshua, JoJo and Tank. "JoJo,

there are no rules here. No points, either. You cheat, you gouge, and you throw

dirt if you have to in order to win. Joshua, cut loose and Tank…SMASH!"

I removed my jacket and limbered up; readying myself

for an adversary I had no time to size up. I was also nervous having these

three kids fight in a life and death situation. But now-a-days, every day is a

life or death situation. I just hope T, Leon, Andre and Gerald got all of that

on the comm.

We walked towards the center of the park where the

grass had receded and there was nothing but dirt. JoJo looked nervous, Joshua

looked excited and Tank looked bored. I had the three of them kneel as I said a

prayer of protection.

"Are weapons allowed in this fight?" I asked.

"Yeah, handheld weapons like bats and knives," said

Cisco. "But no guns, cause that's cheatin'!"

Joshua was good with his staff. I opened my bag and

pulled out a pair of nunchaku and handed them to JoJo.

"Do you know how to use these?" I asked. He nodded as

he took them. He held them so tight his knuckles were white. I looked at Tank

as he slammed his taped fist into his massive palms.

"Yeah, you're good," I said to Tank.

Four guys approached the dirt area in the park. One of

them was huge, but not as big as Tank. The other three looked like they were

moderate in size, but capable fighters. We circled each other as they grinned

and made light of the doctor and his misfits. We stood ready and then JoJo

yelled something to Tank.

"Tank! They are bad men and they want to hurt me and

our new friends!" JoJo yelled.

It was amazing. Tank had a physical manifestation as

he changed from his docile hulking mode to that of a savage. He charged the

four men as two scattered. The larger of the two was caught flat-footed as Tank

ran right through him like a linebacker through a kicker. There was a sickening

thud as his head poured out viscous fluid and grey matter as it bounced off a

rock in the dirt.

As the other three reacted to Tank, Joshua leapt into

action and struck one on the side of the head with his staff. The sheer force

caused his neck to snap and he was down for the count. The other two began to

retreat as Cisco stepped in front of them.

"Well it looks like dese fellas don't wanna fight!" he

shouted. "Y'all know da drill!"

A box truck backed up to the dirt area. The two

fighters ran up to it and pulled up the door as half a dozen DCs stumbled out

towards us. Tank had recovered and ran head long right into their midst

punching and shoving.

"Okay fellas, we can't let Tank have all of the fun!"

I shouted to Joshua and JoJo.

They took off cracking the heads of each DC that got

close enough. I stood there like a proud father. Then I heard it, that

sickening gurgling sound that they make. The guy who had his neck broken by

Joshua had reanimated. In one swift motion I unsheathed my sword, cleaved off

the left side of his temporal lobe, shook off the blood and reseated my sword

in its sheath.

I ran towards the last two DCs as they stumbled past

Joshua and JoJo, and jumped with my knees forward as I landed on their

respective faces to a thud as they caved under my weight and the force of the

contact. I looked up at the two remaining men by the truck.

"You boys let me handle these two!" I said. I tossed

my sword to Joshua. "Hold on to that for me son."

"Ooow, this is going to be good," said Joshua as he

addressed JoJo.  "You're in for a treat."

I stretched and flexed as I approached them. The first

guy wildly telegraphed a haymaker punch. I let him land it as I recovered from

the blow and looked him square in the eye.

"Really? That's what I'm up against? Are you ready to

die?" I asked calmly.

Again, he swung wildly as I stepped back, and he

missed. He followed that up with a front kick, which I side-stepped and kneeled

as I caught his leg on my shoulder. I stood quickly as I gripped his ankle

while still on my shoulder. The sight of a man approximately 5'8" with his foot

on the shoulder of a man 6'1" as he stood tall was almost humorous.

The second guy ran towards me from behind as he swung

a bat. I pivoted inwards so that the only thing he made contact with was the

now stretched groin of the other assailant. The first man fell to the ground

unconscious from the blow. The second man took a second swing, but the bat met

the bottom of my foot has I forced it to the ground.

The man grabbed me at the waist as he rushed me, and

his nose met my knee as blood splattered over the field as the cartilage from

his nose penetrated his cerebral cortex.

"Cisco all of your fighters are down, with one

remaining alive," I said. "Do we call this a victory, or do I have to kill him

too?"

"You ain't won shit!" he said with a snide look on his

face. "You think Imma let chu jus waltz in here and take what's mine?"

"We had a deal," I said.

"Fuck dat deal," he said, as his men chambered rounds

in their weapons.

"And here I thought we were civilized men," I said as

I picked a piece of brain from by knee pads.

"Youse fucks are mine. I'll never lose anudder fight,"

he said as he grinned.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree, "I said.

"I have all da guns, you chop sockey mudder fucka!" he

shouted.

Suddenly approximately three dozen armed men poured

out into the field led by Cyrus.

"Watch out Cisco!" shouted Cyrus. "I'm certain that

prick has snipers setup somewhere!"

As if it were on cue, bullets began striking the

ground to deter the armed men's advancement.

"Joshua, JoJo, Tank, find cover!" I yelled. Cisco and

Cyrus jumped behind a bench as the rounds struck the wood.

"So that I understand this, you're welching on our

agreement, Cisco?!" I yelled.

"Fuck you and dem kids," shouted Cisco.

"Dark Lightning to Doc, the packages are secure," said

Leon on the comm.

"Let's be reasonable men here, Cisco!" I shouted. "That

vial is worthless to you without me! If you give it to me, I promise on my

honor that I'll share whatever becomes of it with you!"

"You thenk I jus done fell offen the turnip truck last

night boy?" Cisco yelled. "The only way you git dis hear vial is outta ma cold

dead hands!"

"Be careful boss, he'll kill you!" said Cyrus.

"Shut da fuck up Cyrus! Dis here is yo fault!" He

yelled! "You led him to my door stoop!"

"Boss I would never—" began Cyrus.

But Cyrus Solomon Gold would never finish that

sentence, as Cisco plunged a knife into his heart.

"Now let's see iffen dis shit werks," said Cisco. He

uncorked the vial and poured a little into Cyrus mouth just as he was going

through his final death throws.

Again, a shot rang out as Gerald's scope found Cisco's

left lung. He lurched forward as the vial flew from his hand splashing some of

the solution on his face. I lunged forward to grab it as some of it got in my

eyes and mouth. The last thing I remember was the shots increasing as the APC

crashed through their gate and a searing pain in my chest as I fell to the

ground. Then there was nothingness. Just a black void. Eternity. Is this death?