CHAPTER 2

Tate arrived at his locker room. He brought out his clothes quickly and shoved them inside his polythene bag. He knew he had nowhere to run to, but this was his best option now. 

He turned to leave only to see some beefy men were already standing close to the door. He recognized the men as Sir Connor bodyguards. 

'Dammit! I am screwed!'

Tate subconsciously stepped backwards. 

"Tate, where do you think you are going?"

A short man putting on a blue suit entered the room. He was the person that was sounding in the earbuds. He was Sir Connor left hand man, Mr. Bushman. 

"Did you think you could escape this building! after what you just did! Did you!"

Bushman roared as he rushed to Tate. Tate continued to step backwards, not that he was afraid of Mr Bushman, but what was coming next.  

Tate stammered. 

"No... I wasn't trying to run away, how can I..."

"That is enough!"

A loud male voice was heard, and it shook the surrounding, more like Tate was vibrated by the voice. 

A man dressed in white suit entered then. He was standing about 208cm tall, almost reaching to the ceiling of the room. His muscles were robust and a red dragon tattoo could be seen on both of his hands. The man was no other than Sir Connor, the owner of Apex Grove fighting arena in Grove town. 

He was exuding a terrifying aura as he entered the room. 

"I thought you understood the rules, kid. You borrowed money from me, and you promised to pay back this way. I not only lost the bet I made with a friend, but I lost a good sum of money from the people that bet on you!"

Sir Connor stopped in the middle of the room, his deadly eyes on Tate. He removed his white fedora cap. 

"How are you going to pay, kid. Be quick with your answer."

Tate was shaking, he struggled to voice out. 

"Sir Connor.... I didn't mean to hit him that hard... I didn't even... "

Before Tate could finish his words, somebody's palm covered his face and his head was smashed to the wall. Tate lost his sight for some seconds, before he could recover from the shock, the person smashed him in his middle. The impact caused Tate to cough out blood. He spat blood on the floor and collapsed to his knees. 

"Didn't you hear Sir Connor's words.. How are you going to pay? he didn't ask you what happened!"

Ryker, Sir Connor's personal bodyguard, sounded as he looked down on Tate. 

Tate continued to cough out blood, but he quickly put it under control.

"I.... I... I would lose the final. That should get you your money back."

Ryker couldn't help but laugh at Tate's words. He picked Tate up with his collar, and he was only using one hand. 

"Boy, it seems you don't understand what is going on here.. You still think your little deal is on after today.. You must be joking!"

He gripped Tate on his neck and suspended him in the air. 

Tate tried to free himself but he couldn't. 

"You have no idea how much Sir Connor lost today!! Never have we lost that kind of money in a single day, and you think losing the final would fetch Sir Connor the money back.. What about the money you borrowed, how are you going to pay that?"

Ryker demanded answers from Tate. Tate tried to free himself but Ryker was tightening his grip, causing Tate to lose his breathing. 

"Answer me Punk! How are you paying back your money now!"

Seeing Tate wasn't answering, Ryker continued to tighten his grip.

"Bastard!"

He got angry and smashed Tate to the wall again. Tate coughed out blood when his back smashed the wall, but Ryker wasn't done. He sent several blows to Tate's face and body. 

Blow! 

Blow! 

Blow! 

Tate collapsed after receiving what seemed to be endless blows. His face was swollen, his eyes weren't visible anymore and his nose was that of a pig. 

Tate felt pain all over his body, it was like he had several broken bones. 

"How are you going to pay!"

Ryker kicked Tate on his stomach. He wanted to continue when Sir Connor cleared his throat. Ryker stopped then. He stepped backwards and gave Sir Connor the space again. 

Sir Connor put on his white fedora back. 

"Since you have broken the deal. I am giving you one week to fork out the money you borrowed and the money I lost today, otherwise, I will take your family house as collateral, I might as well take your sister too. She would work well in my nightclub."

The men in the premises chuckled then. Sir Connor and everyone left, leaving Tate on the floor. 

Tate had tightly squeezed his fist when he heard his sister was being mentioned, but what could he do? He had no money, no power, no father, just a mother who was currently in coma after some tragic accident. 

Tate stayed on the floor for a while before he found himself staggering home. His family house was the only thing they owned, it was the only thing his father left behind after he died from cancer. 

A house was more than something, but soon, they wouldn't be having anything.  His mother had a terrible accident, he had to look for money to pay for the surgery the doctor demanded. 

This was what led him to Mr Bushman, eventually to the deal he made with Sir Connor. 

Tate got home, nobody was around, his sister wasn't back from school yet. 

'Thank goodness she is not back.'

Tate entered the house and went straight to his room. He wanted to jump on his bed and sleep this day off, but his thoughts were weighing down on him. 

'What would Lora say once she comes back. I cannot hide this face.'

Tate sat down on the floor, close to his door. He promised his sister that he would never go into fighting, just like their father, but he broke that promise and he even did something worse. 

He caused people to lose their money, unlike their father who was putting smiles on people's faces. 

Tate's eyes moved to the floor, he was passing through a lot of pain, but the thought of Lora finding all his deeds for the past three years, and the thoughts of losing the house was more overwhelming than the pain his body was passing through now.

Tate started crying. 

'How am I going to pay for mom's medical bills now, what about Lora's school fees? Are we going to be sleeping under the bridge now!'

Tate tears continued to pour out.

The only thing that would be left after the house gets sold would be his dad necklace. 

That was basically nothing. 

Tate touched the necklace he was putting on then.

Immediately his blood stained hand made contact with the dragon pendant necklace, it started glowing.

[Ding!]