“So, that means there’s only one difference. Your fight is just beginning. Mine is over.”
“Your... what?” Owen asked, before it quickly dawned on him. “You got your results...”
Tegan had tears streaming down her cheeks Her lips trembled just like her jaw. “I beat it Owen... I’m OK... ”
Owen felt every beat of his heart as he repeated her words in his head. He glanced up to see Fiona’s face shining with tears, looking overjoyed. Robert, too, the hardest man on the planet, had glistening eyes. Finally, Owen allowed himself to believe it and hugged Tegan, breaking down as he did so.
Tegan gently nestled Owen’s forehead into her chest, cradling him. He held her in silence for a few minutes on the gym floor before softly thanking her. He vowed to do the only thing he could promise: his best.
* * *
There were hugs; there were handshakes. There were apologies, all round. “Now look,” Robert said, addressing all in the room. “As wonderful as this news is, let’s be realistic. The people trying to bring Owen down will, no doubt, know the good news by now. Their plan to use Tegan against Owen has backfired, which is great. But they are bound to have a plan B.”
“But, until we know what that is, we have to work on what we can work on, right? Fiona asked. “Good. Coz I know exactly what to do.”
All eyes were on Fiona, who had the floor, pacing slowly. “To pull this miracle off, we have to do the last thing he would be expecting you to do. The obvious strategy.”
“What?” all three in the room asked collectively.
Fiona rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows that bastard is gonna wanna kill you quick. He knows, even in that egg-shaped head, that you would be crazy to stand toe to toe with him. He’s too strong. He knows you’d fight defensively, tiring him out. Keeping your distance. It’s so obvious, he’d be expecting you not to change. Surprise him. I’m saying we do the defensive strategy and have an added bonus. Using the Cage.”
“How do you use the Cage?” Tegan asked. Though by the faces on the others, only Fiona knew what she was trying to say.
“Look, that gorilla’s first punch is always a straight right. Doesn’t matter if he takes two seconds or twenty. That’s his move. You can tell by the way he gives two quick shuffles of his shoulder before launching each punch. Knowing it’s coming, though, is way different to stopping it. So, the idea is, back into the Cage wall. Make him miss, and every time he does, his fists slam the metal. Given his bulk to twist and deliver, his hooks are at least a second slower.”
“Wait a minute. You want us to back ourselves into a tight space against the most dangerous fighter in the world?” Robert asked. “That’s insane.”
“So is an MMA number one contender with no ground game, but you made it work.”
“That is to gloss over the fact that I refuse to hit people when they’re down.”
“Which, in this sport, is ridiculous. Anyone that tries to fight him hits his forearms, and they’re like granite. If you do manage to get him off his feet, you could go a long way to winning. But on his feet, he’s devastating. You can’t be caught fighting his fight. He’ll kill you.”
“I got this far without it. I’m not going to change my thinking just for this fight. If I get him down, I’ll let him get back up.”
Fiona looked about ready to scream but forced the instinct away as Robert took a phone call and walked a few steps out of earshot. “OK. Look. Do you trust me?”
Owen looked at all the faces in the room before settling on hers. “Yes.”
“Good. But we are going to have to learn to trust each other. All of us. Without it, we’ll fall apart. I know I can do this. I know we can do this.”
“Yes, but adjusting and tweaking isn’t the same as a complete overhaul. We have to work with each other, not against. Help me, please. But don’t ask me to stop being who I am, and doing what got me here. I can’t do that. You’ve been right before. You know what you’re talking about, but I’d rather lose doing what I’ve always done than lose out of fear by changing.”
Fiona registered his words, letting them sink in, “OK. You got it.” She turned to Robert. “You OK?”
“OK? What?” Owen asked before Robert joined them. Looking gravel faced.
“Well... we know their plan B,” Robert said, looking at Owen. I just got off the phone with a detective. He said the woman that made the complaint against you at the gym the last time you were here is going ahead and pressing charges.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“I wish I was. You said you did nothing, and I believe you. But you know the media is going to go to town on you for this. We have to nip it in the bud now.”
“What are you suggesting?” Owen asked.
“Make her an offer she can’t refuse.”
“No. I’m not paying her a single cent.”