“For what?”
“They have fights in the basement. He recruits new contenders,” he explained.
“Underground fights?” I asked.
Grant nodded. “Yeah. They have one every other weekend, I think. I’ve never been to one, but I’ve heard they’re brutal.”
I glanced over at Coal before I focused on the road. “How long have they been doing this?”
Grant shrugged. “I don’t know. The first time I heard about it was a few months ago.”
After that, Coal changed the subject until we dropped Grant off at his place. He lived in the same complex as us, but his apartment was at the front of the complex while our building was near the back.
“You think we should tell Copper about the fights at the gym?”
“Yeah, I do. I doubt he knows about them, and I’m pretty sure he won’t be happy knowing they’re trying to recruit his members,” I said. “But I think it can wait until the next time we’re at the clubhouse.”
“You think we should find another place to work out?”
I shook my head. “No. I like working out there, and I’m not going to let some slimy motherfucker keep me from doing what I like,” I stated.
* * *
The following Friday,we were at the clubhouse for the monthly meeting with all the members. When Copper asked if there was anything that needed to be discussed, I stood from my seat and cleared my throat. “A guy from the gym where Coal and I work out tried to recruit us for the underground fights held there.”
Copper’s jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists. “And what did you say?”
I shrugged. “I told him thanks, but no thanks. He didn’t seem happy with my answer.”
“Is it that new place off Jefferson Street?” he asked. “I think it’s called Pumpers.”
I chuckled. “I didn’t know it was new, but yeah, it’s Pumpers off Jefferson.”
“It’s not exactly new. It wasn’t turning a profit, so the previous owners shut it down. Somebody bought it and reopened it a few months ago,” he explained.
“Yeah, Grant said he heard about the fights a few months ago.”
“What else did he say?”
“He said they held them every other weekend, and he’d heard they were brutal.”
Copper nodded. “You boys find someplace else to work out for now. I’m going to go by there and have a chat with the new owner, but I don’t want you getting wrapped up in whatever the hell is going on over there.”
“Will do, Prez.”
Copper continued to talk for another twenty minutes before dismissing us. I usually hung around the clubhouse after meetings to have a few drinks or shoot the shit, but I wasn’t in the mood to be social.
“I’m gonna head out,” I told Coal.
“Same here. That new routine we started this week has kicked my ass.”
I laughed. “Yeah, man, I know what you mean. My arms were so sore yesterday I didn’t think I was going to be able to wipe my own ass.”
Coal threw his head back and laughed. “I wondered what the fuck was going on in there. Figured you ate something that fucked up your stomach.”
I shook my head and laughed. “Let’s go.”
As soon as we pulled into the parking spaces in front of our apartment, it was obvious something was wrong. I pulled my gun from the waistband of my jeans and checked the chamber. “Call Copper,” I told him.
