I Remember Love

Charlie in the meantime had been scouring the main floor of the club. Having talked with a few of the guys, he understood that Luke had returned to fight Hunter. He had never been so worried or frustrated in his entire life. What was this kid thinking? It was a mercy that Hunter had let him off the last time. Yet he came back.

Charlie pounded back another beer. There was no point in looking for him now. He had sort of overheard some of the talk from other members in the room. It was apparent that after challenging Hunter, Luke had been escorted up stairs and sometime after left.

He had no clue what happened in Hunter's office. He just knew it couldn't have been good. Charlie had stepped out momentarily to drive around. Hoping he could find him but to avail. Having no other options at this point he had returned to the gang headquarters to drown his frustrations.

Upon entering the main floor Hunter happened to have seen Charlie. Someone had to be playing a practical joke on him. Was this for real? Dragging his fingers through his hair he walked over to Charlie and picking up by the collar of his jacket proceeded to drag him toward the door.

"You're coming with me. Put this on."

Hunter tossed a leather jacket at Charlie bearing the club insignia.

Having picked up the coat Charlie could only look at it in astonishment. He had thought Hunter was throwing him out. Apparently, he was wrong. Looking over at his new boss he could see in his free arm he carried another jacket. Was this for Luke?

Luke was being inducted even though he had challenged?

What. The. F*ck. What happened?

He didn't have much time to think about it though as before he could even stop to ask Hunter barked at him.

"Get on your bike and follow me. I want to know everything you know about He.. About the kid"

Hunter caught himself. He wasn't sure but he expected Charlie had no idea that Luke was actually a girl. If Charlie didn't know then there wasn't much point in asking him. It made him all the more suspicious.

Charlie gazed over at his companion and thought for a moment.

"Honestly? I've only known him just outside a year. He hasn't been in the area long. We met at an arcade and from then.."he shrugged. "We just started hangin out I guess."

"Who taught him how to fight?"

"I did to start..but" Charlie hesitated here. Why was Hunter so interested in Luke all of a sudden. He had to admit Luke had decent fighting skills. There had to be something more though. Charlie suddenly had a bad feeling in his stomach something was going on. He wasn't sure what, but he was guaranteed not to like it.

"But what?" Hunter prompted his junior impatiently.

Charlie sighed. "But I suspect he had another teacher. I taught him the basics, mostly self defense stuff. But when he asked to learn the more lethal stuff, I refused, out of principal."

Charlie put on his helmet in silence securing his strap while in thought. He looked over at Hunter put the spare jacket in his saddle bag and started his bike. As Hunter mounted his bike he was just as deep in thought as Charlie.

It didn't make sense.

What could push a girl to such an extreme she would take up such fatal fighting techniques? He looked briefly at the other man through his visor.

"Lets go, I think I know where your friend is."

What he didn't tell him was that he knew exactly where Luke was. Nor what he was doing. That little tidbit he would let Charlie see for himself.

At the same time, while Charlie and Hunter were on their way, Cage was anxiously watching the brawl between Luke and the other men in the bar. One, two, three, four more down. It was becoming evident, however, that Luke's moves were getting more and more sluggish. His reaction time had dropped and the other men had managed to add a hit two.

Cage suspected his adrenaline was starting to wear off and the alcohol was starting to kick in. Judging by the way Luke was starting to stagger was obvious to Cage that he hadn't drunk before either. He raked his hands through hair in frustration. Orders were orders. Cage could only hope the boss showed up. And soon.

Luke was watching the remaining 5 men approach him tiredly. He could see their bodies blurring in his eyes and it was getting harder and harder to keep them open. The room had been spinning for a few moments now, but where the fight had started out of indignation earlier. Now it was life or death. He couldn't pass out. COULD NOT. It would be his end. The only thing he could do was continue to dog and swing. He didn't trust his balance enough to sweep and as it was his aim with his fists was getting sloppy. All he had wanted was information. Now look where he was.

Just when he felt he couldn't stand anymore he saw another two men enter the bar. He had to blink. One of them, he recognized immediately as Charlie. Was that the gang insignia on his coat. He blinked again, too tired and inebriated to tell. The other one. F*ck.! Seriously!? Why of all people did it have to be Hunter, the assh*le that got him this riled up in the first place.

Just as he was trying to figure it out he felt the world go black, his body dropped and he fell. Directly into the arms of last man he wanted to see right now while his good buddy Charlie stared in awe and confusion at the mass of bodies that lay broken and damaged on the floor.

"Cage, you able to handle this? We need to get he..Him..back to the club."

Charlie looked from Cage to Hunter in confusion. He may missed it the second time, but that time he for sure did not. Hunter knew something. He wasn't sure what. Whatever had happened after their fight, he could tell Hunter was keeping something from him. Whatever it was leaving a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He had no choice. He would just have ask Luke when he woke up.