This is a rough piece from near the beginning of FIXED FIGHTS. The second book in the Mike Chance series. I’m editing this today so this is like a still frame of a work in motion.

FIXED FIGHTS

When Mike came out the door to the alley, he swung the skate over his head at the light above the door and smashed it. The alley got dark. Mike moved quickly into the shadows.

Seconds later, Grey Suit stepped out into the pitch black alley and scanned the alley in the weak lightspill from the interior. He saw nothing. After a while, he let the door close behind him and he crept out into the alley.

Mike waited in the recessed doorway of the building across the way. It was so dark, Grey Suit stared right at him and didn’t see him. When the man turned away, Mike pulled the pistol from his coat pocket. He extended his arm until the barrel was inches away from the back of Grey Suit’s head. With a cool calm, he pulled the trigger. There was a loud click. Misfire.

Grey Suit spun around toward the sound, leading with his pistol. Mike dropped his gun and grabbed the tall man’s gun arm. With his other hand, Mike swung the skate upward from where it had dangled at his side. He caught Grey Suit right under the chin. The blade cut an inch deep into the bone and stuck hard. Mike could not pull it out.

Grey Suit gurgled blood. His fingers clenched and pulled the trigger of his piece. Shots ricocheted around the alley. Mike squeezed the wrist. His hand was strong like a vice and Grey Suit dropped the pistol and fell to his knees.

Mike wrenched the skate upward with all his might and freed it from the man’s jawbone. As Grey Suit clutched at the gushing blood with both hands, Mike fixed his grip on the skate and swung it again. Another blow to the face tore through the man’s cheek and shattered his jaw. Teeth fell to the floor and blood poured from the wound. Mike swung again. This time, the blades slashed across Grey Suit’s temple. The man teetered on his knees. He was out, but a quirk of balance kept him upright.

Mike caught his breathe and gathered his strength to hit the man again. Before he did, he looked over at the doorway to the Polar Palace. Roger stood there gawking with the last of his cigarette dangling in his lips.

Mike turned back to Grey Suit. He hit him again. This time the man fell forward. The body twitched in light seizure, then stopped. Mike dropped the skate, straightened his suit, and brushed himself off. Roger stared with mouth so agape the cigarette fell out of it and sparked on the floor.