Chapter 36: Recommended

In a large conference room, a group of men sat around a long, polished table, engaged in a heated discussion.

Only one woman was present, taking notes and occasionally glancing up at the speakers. The atmosphere was tense, with everyone focused on the topic at hand.

Suddenly, a man in a black suit stood up, his presence commanding attention. "Okay, I have something to announce," he said, his voice firm and authoritative.

The room fell silent, with all eyes on the man. He nodded, surveying the room before continuing. "Okay, the event was supposed to have 15 matches, but we've decided to add one more."

The man in the black suit paused, letting the news sink in. He scanned the room again, his eyes locking onto each person, before nodding and sitting back down.

A man across from Victor suddenly spoke up, his voice firm and demanding. "Victor, who are the match-ups?"

Victor, anticipating a reaction, pulled out papers from a folder and began distributing them to each member. He sighed, knowing what was coming.

As expected, the man across from him slammed his fist on the table. "Oh no, hell no, Victor! Are you trying to ruin the event? This kid doesn't even have a fighting record, let alone a team or a gym, and you're trying to add him to this event?"

The other members nodded in agreement, their faces filled with disapproval. Victor sighed, expecting this reaction.

"I understand your concerns," Victor began, "but I have reasons for this decision. First of all, this kid was recommended by The Titan."

The man across from him mumbled, "Jake Morales?"

Victor nodded. "Yes. Now, while that may not mean anything to all of you, you should understand how Jake was discovered. He had no gym, no legal record of fights. But look what a monster he is. While this kid he recommended might not be the same, I don't see why we shouldn't try."

The room fell silent, with all eyes on Victor. The members looked at each other, seemingly unsure of what to say next. The tension in the room was palpable, with everyone waiting for someone to speak up.

The man across from Victor shook his head, his face red with frustration. "This is a mistake, Victor. A big mistake."

Victor held up his hands, palms facing the group, trying to calm the situation. "Hear me out, please. I know this is unconventional, but we can still make this work to our advantage. We are in Stockton, and from what Jake said, this kid has rallied a bit of fame."

The man across from him, Ben, spoke up, his voice laced with skepticism. "Being known around the streets isn't fame, Victor."

Victor nodded, anticipating this response. "Yes, I know, Ben. But since he's well-known, we can pose his fight as giving a chance to non-experienced fighters, a chance in a large event. We can market it as a way to give back to the community."

Ben chuckled, his expression unimpressed. "There's already an event for that, Victor. But I suppose since this is your turn to organize, we can let you fail on your own. However, I think everyone wants to know, what if he fails? What if he doesn't perform as you want him to? What if he's bad?"

Victor smirked, confident in his plan. "That's why he'll be opening the event. If he's good, then he'll be good enough to make the crowd remember him throughout the show. If he's bad, then they'll forget him by the end of the show."

Ben retorted, his voice firm. "Unless he's so bad that he ruins the entire show itself." The room fell silent, with all eyes on Victor. Deep down, they agreed with Ben that this was a bad idea.

****

Two weeks had passed since Joey left Stockton, and Damon's life had fallen into a familiar routine. Every day was the same: wake up, train, and help his mother with her job.

He had taken the first step towards becoming a professional fighter by visiting the California State Athleticism Organization (CSAO), the governing body that handled MMA fights in Stockton, to obtain his fighting license.

However, the process was not as smooth as he had hoped. The CSAO had informed him that it might take some time to process his application.

Damon had asked if he could participate in fights while waiting for his license, and the answer was yes, but only in amateur fights that didn't require a license.

Damon left the CSAO office feeling a bit frustrated but determined. He knew that getting his license was crucial to his fighting career, and he was willing to wait.

In the meantime, he could still gain experience and hone his skills by participating in amateur fights.

Damon stood in the parking lot of the motel, sweat dripping down his face as he caught his breath from his intense workout.

The scorching sun beat down on him, but he didn't notice, still focused on his training. Suddenly, his phone rang, breaking the silence.

He pulled it out of his pocket, looking at the number on the screen. It was an unknown number, but he answered anyway, pressing the small button.

"Hello," he said, his voice firm.

A voice came from the phone, "Good morning, is this Mr. Cross?"

Damon nodded, forgetting he was on the phone. "I mean, yes, this is Damon Cross. How may I help?"

The voice on the phone continued, "Mr. Cross, I'm calling from the event Battle Xtreme. We need you to come to the medical center in two days' time to get a medical clearance before your fight."

Damon listened intently, his smile growing wider with each passing second. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was finally going to get his chance to fight.

"Okay, got it," Damon said, trying to contain his excitement. "I'll be there in two days."

The voice on the phone confirmed, "Great, Mr. Cross. We'll see you then."

Damon hung up the phone, his heart racing with excitement. He couldn't wait to get to the medical center and start preparing for his fight.

He felt a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing he had made it to this point.