Matt pushed away from the wall and approached Clint.
“Sorry,” Clint said, “I didn’t have time to check with you.”
“You told me about Maggio,” Matt said. “Makes more sense for me to face him than you.” He handed Clint his gun and removed his coat, then rolled up his sleeves. It was the first time Clint had seen his thick, hairy forearms.
“Do you want to keep the gun?” Clint asked. “Just in case?”
“I’m not gonna shoot him, Clint,” Matt said, “I’m gonna beat him.”
“Okay.” Clint stuck the gun in his belt. Truth be told, he felt better with the bigger weapon.
“What are you gonna do?” Matt asked.
“I’ll try and use the distraction,” Clint said, “but I’ll need some time.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Matt nodded, and moved to the center of the court.
~*~
“Are you gonna have a problem with this doorman?” Conroy asked Maggio.
“I’m gonna break him in half,” Maggio said. “What’re you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna take advantage of the distraction.”
Maggio, naked to the waist, moved forward.
~*~
Clint watched both men come together. Maggio’s body gleamed even in the paltry light thrown by the moon. It was probably meant to frighten Matt, but Clint knew it wasn’t going to work. Matt had been in the ring with too many big men.
He saw the two men exchange a few words, and then Maggio threw a punch.
~*~
“I have to kill you,” Maggio said to Matt.
“Go ahead and try.” Matt thought the statement almost sounded like an apology.
Maggio threw a punch, and Matt moved forward.
~*~
Conroy started to move, but stopped as Maggio threw the first punch. He was concerned that punch might end the fight, but it didn’t. Instead, the doorman moved forward, seemingly unfazed by a blow that sounded like it would have felled a tree.
As Maggio threw another punch, Conroy continued to move.
~*~
Clint got off the doorstep and moved further into darkness, away from the moonlight, but he could still see the two fighters. Maggio threw another punch, and Clint thought that perhaps he felt it more than Matt. The doorman absorbed the blow, and continued forward. It was the way he’d said all his fights went. He absorbed a lot of punishment to land his own blows, which usually ended the fight.
Would that work against Maggio?
~*~
When Maggio threw the next punch, Matt tucked his chin and was struck on his forehead. He heard the bones in the big man’s hand crunched. Matt had used his hard head in this way against many opponents. But even though he knew Maggio’s right hand was broken, the black man threw it again.
~*~
Maggio felt the bones in his right hand break, but ignored the pain. He knew a moment of weakness might be his undoing. He threw a punch with his left hand, which landed, then threw the right again. He hit Matt beneath the right eye, and the skin split. Blood spurted, but still the doorman didn’t stop.
~*~
Clint stopped watching the fight, but continued to hear the sound of the blows. As his eyes became used to the shadows he saw the other two men, one on each side of the court. Still, he didn’t think either of them was the spokesman, the leader. That man was still out there.
To his advantage, the other two were intent on the fight.
~*~
Matt felt the blood running down his cheek, but that was better than having been cut above the eye. If that were the case, he’d be half blind. But the more blows he absorbed from Maggio, the more chance there was that would happen, as well.
Maggio launched his right hand again, and Matt could see how it had swelled. He didn’t know how much longer the black man would be able to use it.
He threw his first punch, a heavy right hand . . . and missed.
~*~
Clint was on Pitt before the man could react.
“Easy,” he said, pushing the barrel of Matt’s gun into the small of his back.
“Jesus, Mister . . .” Pitt said.
Clint took the man’s gun from his hand, then brought his big gun crashing down on the man’s head.
One down.
~*~
Maggio was fast.
He saw Matt’s right hand coming at him, and jerked his head to one side, causing the doorman to miss. Then he made him pay by hitting him in the ribs on the right side once, using his left hand. With satisfaction, he heard some air escape from Matt’s lungs.
~*~
Matt knew that Maggio had been in the ring. That much was obvious. He didn’t know that before. He threw another punch, and Maggio avoided it again.
Matt saw an opening, but knew that Clint needed some more time.
And Maggio hit him, again.