“I need a good sparring match right now.” Brian let out a sigh of relief, followed by a chuckle. You may kick my ass, my Sicilian friend, but don’t forget I'll have you on your back in bed submitting to me, showing you who you belong to...pet.” It was the librarian’s turn to grin as the call ended.
Brian went back to his seat and started to work, while Lazzaro plopped down in a chair, head buried in his hands, thinking about all the things he found out while listening to the conversation between the librarian and the blind guy. If only half of what they said about training, sparring, and learning how to fight is true, this is the place for me, he said to himself.
Lazzaro was a cage fighter, but he had no style, at least according to the owner of the illegal fighting pit who the young man worked for, and who used him as the eternal loser. Financially, the young man couldn’t complain; he earned a nice buck out of it, but got tired of the role, and wanted some real matches.
The owner of the underground fight club refused to give Lazzaro the chance to fight against someone big, in a real fight, so he ran away and got to The Base, a place where he was safe from his boss’ wrath. At least, that was what the blond, curly-haired, nerdy-looking guy who provided him with the directions and some basic info about who was who.
According to that fellow, the first place Lazzaro should go once he passed the gates of the enclosure was the library, described as the center of the universe. Well, he wasn’t wrong, the cage fighter thought, doing a recap of everything he found out from the conversation between the librarian and his sightless friend.
Somewhere within those thick walls was a gym, and at least one very skilled fighter, the Luca guy, who kept kicking the librarian’s ass. Apparently, he was pretty well-versed in the art of hand-to-hand combat, and sparred a lot. Lazzaro raised his head and looked at the clock mounted on the wall in front of him; it was eleven in the morning, and he wondered what time the librarian, whose name he didn’t get, would finish work for the day and go to spar with Luca-the-champion.
If the guy would agree to help me improve my style, everything would pay off, Lazzaro said to himself, shutting his eyes and balling his hands into fists. Escaping from the barracks where the cage fighters were kept, heavily guarded and locked, wasn’t a piece of cake, on the contrary, the move was planned one month in advance.
Once out, Lazzaro ran and never looked back; he knew that, if the owner of the underground cage fighting circuit would get him back, the punishment would be drastic. The young man didn’t even dare to think about it; his boss had the reputation of a sadistic bastard, very inventive when it came to finding new ways of torturing those who disobeyed him, one way or another.
Lazzaro wondered where the librarian kept the books on fighting styles; they must have a special section, he said to himself, leaving his seat and started walking through the rows of shelves, reading the titles with great attention. An hour later, he still couldn’t find what he was looking for, and was about to ask the librarian, when he saw the man leaving his seat after exchanging a few words with the other, younger guy behind the counter, and heading to the door.
This is it, Lazzaro said to himself, following the librarian, whose name he finally remembered was Brian. He’s going to the gym to spar with Luca and most likely other skilled fighters. He wasn’t wrong, as the librarian stopped in front of a one-story, rectangular building, looking through the window at the men warming up in the ring or by punching the bag, then he walked inside.
Unnoticed by the librarian, or at least he hoped so, Lazzaro sneaked inside, just in time to see Brian into the ring, wearing a pair of trunks, sparring with a slightly shorter, but a bit more muscular guy. This must be the Luca they talked about in the library, the cage fighter said, totally fascinated by the man’s complex fighting style. However, he also admired Brian, who he considered a worthy opponent.
That nerdy librarian may have his ass kicked in the end, but at least he’d given the champion quite a hard time. He’s not easy prey or a sitting duck, like that bastard wanted me to be,the young man continued in his internal monologue, his respect for the glass-wearing, long-haired guy raised by a notch.
“Hello champion, happy to see you!” The librarian’s younger version walked inside the gym, a wide grin stretching his mouth from ear to ear. “Are you in for some sparring?”
“Anytime.” The answer came in an enthusiastic voice. “You know me, always ready for another fight.” Luca discreetly coughed, pointing to the librarian, who was slightly panting. “Your poor papa, on the other hand, is getting old.””
“Papa, are you alright?” Liam went next to the librarian and put a hand on his shoulder. “Did your friend kick your ass again?”
“Nah.” Brian waved his hand dismissively. “This old man is just…resting his eyes.” The joke made the Sicilian burst in a wild fit of laughter. “Keep laughing, my friend; I’ll wait until later, after my son will kick your ass royally.”
“I have a surprise for you.” Luca gestured to Tanner and Malaspina, who got into the ring, threateningly cracking theirknuckles. “Let’s see how good you are in a real-life combat situation, against multiple opponents who attack you all at once.”
“Bring it on, I’m more than ready for you.” A half-smirk, half-smile tugged at the corner of Liam’s lips. “To be honest, I was wondering when you were going to pull this move on me.”
“Someone slap me, pinch me, or whatever.” Tanner muttered, twenty minutes later, getting up from the floor, eyes wide in disbelief. “Hey, boss, with your son here watching your back, you can very well fire me.” He added, shaking his head.
“Mamma mia, Capo, your firstborn surely knows how to make good use of his fists, legs, and all the other parts of his body I came in contact with.” Malaspina ran a hand over his face. “I’m starting to wonder if I’m really good at this, as I thought for so many years.”
“Thank you, Andrea, my friend.” A smiling, victorious Liam took a towel and started to wipe the sweat off his torso and arms. “You are very good at what you do, but there’s always room for improvement. The big secret is to know your opponent, anticipate their next move, and never underestimate them.”
“A god is born.” Luca bowed before Brian’s firstborn. “I’m very proud of you, I can’t tell you how much; you motivated me to train more, work harder, to become better, so you won’t kick my ass in the future.”
“My son, you will go far in this life.” Brian, who didn’t say anything until then, spoke in an affectionate voice. “You are a man, in every sense of the word. You’re a warrior who won’t give up, no matter how great the obstacles and challenges. Well done.”
“Thank you, papa, I’m lucky to have you, dad, and all the others who love and support me.” Liam gave his father a tight hug. “Now I'll go home and rest a bit, then it's time for me to study. I swear, I never thought a sweet guy like Baldassare could be so strict when it comes to teaching the Laws.” The young man shook his head. “As for Don Calogero...the Educator gives me a run for my money every time.” He grinned. “But I love it. They are the best.”
Brian laughed wholeheartedly, hugging his son back.“Yes, go rest and then study. Don Calogero got on to me a time or two. Baldassare and Luca were the ones who helped me. They really are the best.” He said in a gratitude-filled voice.
“I agree.”Liam went to Luca and gave him a bear hug, too. “Thank you for teaching me so many great things.”
“I should be the one who thanks you.” The Sicilian smiled. “I learn something new from you every day.”
That guy is really good, Lazzaro said to himself, slowly shaking his head in disbelief, still processing the scene he just witnessed. Liam was fluid and deceiving, like water, and shifted between different styles of combat, so his opponents couldn’t predict his next move. He must’ve read a lot on military strategy, too, the young cage fighter thought with admiration.
Lazzaro was determined to approach Liam and ask him to become his trainer, once everyone was gone and there were only the two of them. He couldn’t risk being seen by the librarian, who could tell his son about the incident from the library, and that could influence his decision.Damn,he cursed mentally,who would’ve thought…
You!Lazzaro scolded himself mentally, you are the only one to blame if that Liam fellow refuses to train you because of what you said to his dad and the blind guy, not to mention you punched his old man in the arm.He shook his head in defeat. This time, you screwed things up big time, the young man thought, letting out a long sigh.
