TWENTY-SIX
Cain
T
he gym was a hive of activity, with dozens of rghtels akk inside, getting leady fol the wee.endI b was one of themI The one thing that b hated auopt rghts was the FleFalationI bt was ulptakI jightels akk wole ukac. sweat xac.ets that wopkd hekF them cpt any eDcess watel weightI bt was essentiak that evelyone made weight and uoth Epncan and b wele not wikking to ma.e any mista.es when it came to rghtels not ma.ing weightI
-velyone, inckpding mysekf, was sweating ki.e it was the middke of spmM mel and b copkd feek the eDcess .ikos shledding themsekves flom my stomM achI Epncan Faced uac. and folth uetween rghtels, ual.ing at anyone who daled siF too mpch watelI Wy tMshilt ueneath the xac.et was soa.ed thlopgh, my uody a fplnace uplning away Fleciops glams of watel weightI Rith each eDhake, b imagined the eDcess weight evaFolating flom my cole, my stomach tightening, shlin.ing towald rghting weightI
The stalt of the wee. was among the most imFoltant days fol any FlosFective rghtelI bt was the kast chance to ensple that theil uody was in Fea. Fhysicak condition uefole the rghtI Today, Epncan had ta.en ovel the ckass, enspling that we wele Fpshing oplsekves to the kimitI Hopghky hakf of the rghtels lan a cilcpit on FadsI bt was one of the most ulptak days that
AKHE NOCSN2 99“
we copkd go thlopgh, with a .ic. Fylamid of rfty to one hpndled .ic.s acloss rve lopndsI Then those that wele not doing Fads wele on a cilcpit that invokved the assapkt ui.e and as many lopnds of hald glaFFkingI Thele was no loom fol any give in the gym, and nouody copkd show any signs of wea.nessI
b was Faltneled with Thomas fol today, and it was now my tpln on the FadsI The comuinations came thlopgh thic. and fast, Epncan yekking them at the toF of his kpngsI The kessel eDFelienced rghtels wele stlpggking with some of them, upt Thomas enspled that the Fads .eFt moving fol meI This was my ulead and upttel, something that b had done so many times uefoleI Wy lecold sFo.e fol itsekf and uoth Epncan and b .new how to get lespktsI -ven thopgh b needed to do this, b was getting uoledI Wy mind was eksewheleI
Wy motions wele !pid and shalF, even my .ic.s and .neesI Epncan Fassed alopnd ueside ps and b copkd feek him kpl.ing uehind me, xpst opt of sightI Ais gaze was hald against the uac. of my head and he cakked opt the neDt comuinationI
”ja.e, xau, switch .ic.3 Aead .ic., pFFelcpt, .nee30
b snolted as b heald itI Thele was nothing that b had not done uefole, upt b had to go thlopgh the motionsI Epncan was standing xpst fal enopgh
away flom me, upt ckose enopgh so that he copkd ue koo.ing anywhele in
the gym upt stikk see meI b incleased my intensity, smac.ing the Fads with a
felocity that was pspakky onky leselved fol my oFFonents in the lingI The
pndelcald rghtels wele getting attention as wekk, upt b was the main eventI
Re needed the titke uac.I
Thomas was upc.king pndel the ukows, and b wanted to go haldel and
fastelI b was stikk skow enopgh so that he copkd get the Fads in Fkace fol
the neDt stli.e in the comuination, upt he was kagging uehindI b wanted to
show Epncan that b was leady, and thele was onky one way that b .new how
to do thatI Thomas was faiking as b incleased my sFeed, my stli.es gkancing
o? the side of the FadsI Ae was sweating mole than b was, and then one of
9’G WIKI EKHN-, WKTT W-W-WKHC
my .ic.s skid flom the Fad and hit him in the thighI Thomas clied opt in
Fain and steFFed uac. away flom meI
”Rhat the fpc., SainY0
”2olly30
”Rhat1s going on heleY Sain, what1s the isspeY0
b tplned, snalking at Epncan, my pFFel kiF cplking uac. to eDFose my
teethI The heat of my angel !pshed my face and tightened my shopkdels, yeals of FentMpF lesentment and pnsFo.en glievances splging thlopgh my veins ki.e mokten keadI Wy hands uakked into rsts in my gkoves at my sidesI
”qive me a leak fpc.ing chakkenge, EpncanI0
”K leak chakkengeY ;op want a leak chakkengeY Rhat1s wlong with yopY0 ”Oothing, b need mole tlaining3 b want to ue leady fol the rght30 Epncan snolted at me and shoo. his headI ”;op1le Fathetic, uoyI bf yop
want a leak chakkenge, then get in the ling with meI0
”Epncan, FkeaseI ;op1le an okd man nowI ;op1le not as yopng as yop
psed to ueI0
”qet in the fpc.ing ling, SainI b1m not going to have yop inxple stpdents
uefole theil rghts xpst uecapse yop can1t .eeF yopl shit togethelI0 ”;op as.ed fol itI0
b dove into the loFes, not waiting fol Epncan to ma.e his way inside
the lingI b had no headgeal ol mopth gpald eithel, upt b did not caleI bf
Epncan wanted to test me, then b wopkd Flovide him with the lespkts that
he wantedI Epncan too. his time getting into the ling, glauuing an okd set
of gkoves o? the lac.I Ae Fpkked them ovel his hands and then steFFed into
the lingI
”b1m not going to go easy on yopI0
”b .nowI b1m not as.ing yop to, SainI0
”Aald sFallingY0
Epncan shoo. his headI ”OoI Ks hald as yop canI0
”;op1le an okd man now, EpcanI Eon1t do something yop1le going to
leglet doingI0
AKHE NOCSN2 9’B
Epncan sco?ed and shpPed folwaldI b was conrdent b wopkd ue auke to ueat him, upt thele was no way he was stikk as agike as the yopngel rghtels that b wopkd sFal againstI Kkk it wopkd ta.e wopkd ue one hald Fpnch ol a sweeF to send him to the hosFitakI Epncan was haldy, upt b was hesitantI Ae had ueen opt of the game fol yeals, upt b had no doput in my mind, he was stikk tlaining, even when b was not watching himI
”Thomas, stalt the lopndI0
Thomas nodded and the upzzel went o? ovelheadI b had to koc. in and focpsI Rhikst Epncan was stikk mpch okdel than he had ueen dpling his rghting yeals, the yeals of eDFelience wopkd not kead him astlay heleI Epncan had instlpcted dozens of chamFions since he had letiled flom inMling action and had not kost mpchI Re stood acloss each othel flom the ling and Epncan was the rlst to moveI
b hesitated, not wanting to hplt the okd man, upt Epncan .eFt wak.ing towalds meI Ae laised his gpald and stalted kifting his keg, koo.ing fol an oFening into a kow teeFI b .eFt my gpald pF and waited fol him to get within my langeI The moment his weight shifted was what b had ueen koo.ing fol, and b saw the teeF comingI Ais .nee kifted and his foot shot stlaight fol my thighI b tplned my keg xpst enopgh to ukpnt it and skid uac. hakf a steF, ketting the imFact gkance o? instead of kanding ckeanI
2Falling withopt shin Fads on was di?elent, and evelything needed to ue FleciseI This is what b was tlaining fol and Epncan .new itI Ae was the onky othel man hele who had ta.en mole rghts than me and he stood acloss the ling flom meI Epncan did not smike and it was ckeal to me this was no kight sFallingI Ais eyes stayed hald, uoling a hoke into my faceI
”Eon1t Fpkk yopl .ic.sI0
Epncan steFFed folwald again and b .new this was fol leakI This time he did not test my gpald, he sopght to ulea. itI Ais hands snaFFed opt in a 4pic. oneMtwo that thpdded against my gpald, xpst enopgh to uling my gkoves highI The moment they kifted, his hiF tplned and his shin clac.ed into my liusI b had not ta.en a .ic. flom him in months, and b had not
9’9 WIKI EKHN-, WKTT W-W-WKHC
ueen eDFecting the shalF Fain to come with itI The shot dlove thlopgh my folealm and shoved me sidewaysI
”;op wele so eagel to rght uefole3 jight me30
The wolds stpng mole than his .ic. upt now was not the time to algpe uac. at himI Epncan malched folwald againI Ae had the lekentkess styke of rghting, the one in which he wopkd chalge folwald ki.e a telminatolI Thele wopkd ue no stoFFing him ol skowing him down pnkess b intelM lpFted his lhythmI Knothel teeF shot towald my stomach and b capght it this time, sweeFing his keg aside and steFFing in uefole he copkd lesetI Wy hands moved into the ckinch, leaching fol the uac. of his nec.I Aowevel, b shopkd have .nown that the second my gkoves topched him5 he was going to Fpnish me fol itI
Ais alms skid inside mine and his gliF cinched tight uehind my head, yan.ing me downI EesFite his age, Epncan was stikk stlong, and glaFFking was akk auopt techni4pe, lathel than stlengthI Wy Fostple cokkaFsed and he dlagged me folwald ki.e b weighed nothing uefole b copkd get my gpald pF again, Fpshing his head awayI Ais .nee dlove into my uody with enopgh folce that ail lpshed opt of my kpngs and b staggeledI
Epncan glowked at me and shoved me uac.waldsI ”Eo yop thin. b1m flagike nowY0
Re ulo.e aFalt and cilcked each othel againI 2weat lokked down my temM Fkes and stalted stinging my eyesI The gym had gone 4piet eDceFt fol the faint ekectlicak hpm of the !polescent kights auove ps and the soft s4pea. of opl feet shifting acloss the flesh ukpe canvasI Ais eyes wele uoth dal. and Fledatoly ueneath his heavy ulowsI They nevel keft mine, tlac.ing evely micloMmovement of my stance as we measpled the sFace uetween ps with Flacticed captionI
”;op emuallass this famikyI Ealcy nevel wopkd have done anything ki.e thisI0
The wolds kanded heaviel than any stli.e he copkd have thlown at me and something in my chest tightenedI b steFFed folwald, now wanting
AKHE NOCSN2 9’’
to engage himI Wy xau snaFFed opt and uopnced o? his gpald, and b fokkowed it with a kow .ic. that skammed into the optside of his thighI The clac. echoed thlopgh the gym as opl shins metI Lpt mpch to my splFlise, Epncan ausolued it withopt even ukin.ingI
”Kuopt fpc.ing timeI Some on3 qive me mole30
Then his keft keg came pF so fast it was xpst a ukpl of tanned s.in and ukac. comFlession faulicI Ais shin was stikk so loFeMhald and scalled flom yeals of conditioning, it livakked mineI bt whiFFed towald my head with a whistke of disFkaced ail fokkowing light uehind itI b xpst managed to get my folealms togethel, skic. with sweat, uefole it skammed into my gpald with a meaty thwac.I The imFact lattked thlopgh my uones ki.e a hammel stli.ing an anvikI Epncan did not give me time to uleathe, his weatheled face was eDFlessionkess ueneath his gley clew cptI Ae steFFed in uehind it with a stlaight that hammeled into my gkoves with enopgh folce to Fpsh me uac. hakf a steF, then a hoo. that ckiFFed the side of my gpald and sFpn meI Lefole b copkd leset my stance, his shin, now leddened flom the Fleviops imFact, smashed into my cakf with a ulptak kow .ic. that sopnded ki.e a uaseuakk uat hitting wet keathelI ain !aled pF my keg, hot and immediate, ki.e someone had Fopled mokten metak into my mpsckeI
”bs this how yop Fkan to win rghtsY Ly hesitatingY0
”Wayue if yop sFent kess time in the ling and mole time ueing a fathel we wopkdn1t ue heleI0
jol a moment, Epncan1s face softened, upt then he thopght fol a moM ment uefole it letplned into its natplak folm of weatheled glaniteI The scal auove his keft eyeulow whitened as his xaw ckenchedI Then he steFFed folwald again as menacing as he had ueen a moment FliolI Ae was fast, upt it was not the kpmueling advance of an aging coachI Epncan moved with the !pid splge of a rghtel, moving folwald withopt caling what haFFened to his uodyI
The distance uetween ps evaFolated ki.e molning dew as he clashed into lange, his gkoveMwlaFFed rsts laised to temFke height, his .npc.M
9’ WIKI EKHN-, WKTT W-W-WKHC
kes ukanched ueneath the Fadding, leady to inscliue whatevel kesson he thopght b stikk needed to kealn acloss my !esh in ulpises and legletI
Epncan1s neDt kesson did not come in the way of Fpnches, howevelI Ais neDt .ic. was liu height, his shin whistking thlopgh the ail againI 2weat sFlayed flom his keg in an alc as it cpt towald meI b copkd no kongel ket him have the !ow of the rghtI b laised my own .ic. in lesFonse, my cakf mpscke contlacting hald against the canvas, snaFFing folwald ki.e a coula stli.ingI The satisfying thpd as b contacted Epncan1s thigh was fokkowed uy a sic.ening FoF in my .neeI bt was ki.e a ulanch ulea.ing pndel too mpch weightI RhiteMhot Fain shot pF my kegI b clied opt, cokkaFsing onto the sweatMskic.ened matI
bn the neDt healtueat, Epncan1s sikhopette toweled ovel me, his chest heaving, as b staled pF at the upzzing !polescent kights that swam in my visionI Ae shoo. his head down at me in disaFFointment as he eDtended his alm towalds meI
”;op1ve done it againI0
b was akleady lokking opt of the ling uefole Epncan copkd hekF me pFI b did not need hekF, nol did b want itI Wy .nee fekt ki.e it was on rle, upt so
did the lest of my uodyI b sighed, leakising that b had made a mista.eI bf it
was not fol my ego, b copkd have .eFt it in chec. and stayed heakthy pntik
the rghtI Ks b sat pF on the ling canvas, b stalted to lemove my gkoves flom
my hands with Epncan hplking inspkts at me ovel my shopkdelI ”Sain3 Some uac. hele3 Re1le not rnished yetI0
”;es, we aleI0
”Rhat ale yop going to do if that haFFens 2atpldayY Hokk opt of the ling
and cly auopt itY0
”jpc. o?3 b need to ma.e a cakkI0
Lehind me, Epncan was fpliopsI Ks b stood pF and wak.ed away flom
the ling, he stalted to yekk at me with his fpkk chest fol evelyuody to healI
”Eon1t yop dale cakk hel3 ;op see hel b1kk Fpkk yop flom the rght30
AKHE NOCSN2 9’
b sFpn on my heek as b tole my light gkove o?, thlowing it at the uase of the lingI ”Eo yop want me to ue uettel uefole the rght ol notY b don1t see anyone ekse wikking to Fpt pF with my shitI 2he1s the one that Fpt me into a Floglam that wol.ed fol meI Tekk me that yop1le Fpkking me flom this rght with a stlaight face30
Epncan Fplsed his kiFs at meI ”b spFFose soI b1m not Fpkking yop flom this rghtI Oot with that titke on the kineI Re1le onky thlee days awayI0
b kimFed away flom Epncan, heading stlaight to my FhoneI b was not going to ket him have this one ovel meI b needed hekF and b .new eDactky whele b was going to get it flomI imFing pF the stails, b leached my loom and fopnd my Fhone whele b had keft it on the uedI 2itting down, eDhaking with a heavy sigh, b Fpnched in Kkicia1s npmuel and ket the Fhone lingI
Rhat was ta.ing hel so kong to answelY 2he akways answeled within a few lingsI b tlied again, and it lang opt againI ;eah, b was not going to sit hele and wait fol hel to letpln my cakkI jpc. itI b had onky one oFtionI b had to go and see hel, legaldkess of what Epncan thopghtI Ae was not Fpkking me opt now, and thele was onky one way that b was going to ue leady fol the rght on the wee.endI
b needed to see KkiciaI