"I'm serious, dude, one of these days, you're gonna realize that you're hopelessly behind my skill levels. One of these days, you might put out one piece, tops, thats gonna equal one of mine, but until then, you might just give it up and admit the truth." Alec Montane laughed as his best friend ranted over the phone. Through five years on the cage fighting circuit, and three years in security, the two men were friends closer than brothers.
Alec sighed theatrically at Lauren, Jason's sister, who pointed at her wrist and frowned. Alec nodded, and flashed her a cheeky grin. "So when you comin' back, bro? Your sister won't stop hitting on me, and it's getting old. Not that I'd knock her back, I'm just worried about what you'd do to me if I knocked her up." A deep laughed barked down the phone.
"Dunno man, I'm still touring with the wood show. Might be a couple of months." Alec snorted loudly. "You mean, you're too busy showing Rhona your wood. Hey, listen man; I'd do the same thing in your position. Only I'd keep changing positions, 'cos that way you last longer."
Jason laughed. "Yeah, of course, and your best trait is your modesty! I'll catch up with you later, man."
Alec nodded to Lauren, who was glaring at him, and flashed her his grin again. "Sure man. I think your sister wants to talk, dude. Just do me one favour and hang up on her?" Alec held the phone out towards Lauren, who shook her head in exsasperation, and snatched the phone out of his hand.
Alec's gray eyes surveyed the dance floor as Lauren began to talk excitedly into the phone. The Nhyte was packed to the rafters tonight, with the new UV light show blazing across the roof, bathing the dance floor in glowing shirts and pants. One of the other bouncers, Michel, nodded towards the balcony tables, where a broad shouldered bikie was leaning heavily on a table occupied by three women.
He nodded, even as the bikie grew more and more insistent. The bouncer grinned as Alec lifted his fingers to his lips, and took a deep breath. An ear-splitting whistle cut across the dance floor, stopping the action, and getting just about everyone's attention, including the bikie. He turned and sized Alec up with a glance. When he locked eyes finally, Alec shook his head once, slowly.
His long hair shadowed his eyes, but didn't soften his steel-hard gaze. The biker straightened, and Alec's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion as he realised that the man had a notebook in his hand. He shook his head once again, and the biker's lip curled in anger, and he turned and made his way towards the spiral staircase.
With the Grand Prix in Melbourne, bikers, motorcycle enthusiasts and general petrol junkies were everywhere, and they bought cash. The Nhyte was just like any other club, and full of them. Tonight though, there seemed to be only two or three different jacket shields in sight, with the God Squad and the Finks. Alec let his eye wander over the crowd in detachment, seeking any trouble spots.
A heavy hand dropped onto Alec's shoulder, and he turned to come face to face with the biker. His upper lip was still curled belligerently, and his hand was heavy on Alec's muscled shoulder. "You think just because I'm wearing bike gear that I was hassling those broads? I was just after an autograph for my niece, ya nazi." Alec frowned and looked back up towards the balcony. He could make out platinum blonde hair and dark, possible brown or dark auburn locks on another girl.
He turned back to the biker, and raised an eyebrow. The bikie looked at him incredulously. "Jessica Simpson? Dukes of Hazzard? Newlyweds, sings a lot?" Alec shrugged and ordered a beer for the man. He made no move to grab it, and Alec frowned again. "C'mon man, the most gorgeous blonde on the planet, and you don't know who she is?" Alec turned back, and looked again up to the balcony, but the platinum blonde was gone.
There was a hiss of gas, and the top flipped off of the beer. Alec's eyes roved over the dance floor, and the surrounding areas with practiced ease, noting a few trouble spots, but nothing serious. The platinum blonde, who looked nothing like a bright yellow cartoon character, was making her way through the crowd towards the dance floor, a creamy silk dress hugging to her slim figure.
She smiled and began to dance, to the voyeuristic pleasure of two dozen or so local kids, and like sharks in a chum slick, they began to cross in her wake.
The redhead looked familiar, and from the movies, but not the blonde. The kids began to bulk up, stretching shoulders and clenching fists. The biker laughed.
"Looks like you're in for a good night, kid." Alec scoffed at him softly, his eyes riveted to the blonde. The biker wasn't wrong, her face and form were outrageously beautiful. Alec scoffed at him again and pushed off the counter. He stopped when the biker quietly swore, and jumped off the stool. "Jesus, the Angels."
Alec turned and followed the guy's line of vision, to the door. A very large and very mean looking group of bikers were surveying the dance floor. Danny, the bouncer on point tonight, was frantically trying to push them back, and turned to look towards Alec for help. The tall blond swore as Danny's head broke a swung bottle of beer.
Bouncers began to move towards the door, and dancers stopped and began to step away. Several bikers already in the club began to gather at the back of the club. Alec shook his head as he met them at the entrance to the dance floor.
"Not in my club, boys. Take it somewhere else." The guy in front reached behind him and brought out a bike chain. He shook his head, and Alec stepped up to face him. The jukebox switched songs, and Alec smiled.
"This is gonna end in real embarrassing circumstances. I don't play fair. Don't let it get started." There were a couple of calls from inside the club, for the bikers to leave. The guy in front snarled and the catcalls fell silent.
"This isn't your fight, bouncer. Move." Alec looked around at the people in the club. And the six guys gathered at the back, clad in leather and jackets. He turned back to the Angels.
"You got a beef, man, its yours. Don't start it here. Go somewhere else." He stood straight and tall, and the bikers at the back began to look at one another a little nervously, as the time stretched out longer and longer.
The man in front took a deep breath and spat on Alec's leg. "You don't know who I am, boy, but you..." Alec's fist slammed into his throat, knocking the man backwards.
There was only an instant's pause, then the others surged forwards, pushing Alec in front of them. Michel leapt up and wrenched Alec out of the way, and the two of them steadied themselves. Michel gave a short, sharp laugh as the bikers sized them up. "Here we go again. Woo!"
Alec's blood began to pound as the sea of bikers spilled onto the dance floor. A guy in front of him threw a punch, and Alec jerked his head out of the way, and stepped inside the guy's circle and landed a solid punch onto his chest.
The guy staggered back and Alec shook his head warningly. The guy elbowed across and grazed his cheekbone. Alec shook his head again, clearing it, and rolled his shoulders once. He raised his chin, offering it to the thug in front of him.
"Try for seconds?" His mocking tone brought the biker back, swinging a wide haymaker. Alec shot his arm up, catching the guy's fist on the end of his elbow. There was a wail of pain and a satisfying crunch of bone, and the guy stared at his swelling hand in shock. Alec clenched his fist and stepped back. "Get these Bastards OUT of my CLUB!"
There were screams from patrons and bikers alike as the bouncers cut loose, throwing their weight around. Michel caught a bike chain whipping past him and dragged the biker holding it inside of his grip. With one hand on the guy's collar and the other holding his hand in a crushing grip, the big Tongan was the first to burst out into the streets, baggage in hand.
Alec blocked the fist meant for his chin as the biker tried to return the favour. The bike chain opened his forearm, but Alec didn't bat an eyelid. The biker's eyes narrowed and a smile played about the edge of his mouth, and Alec was suddenly lifted of the ground in a crushing bear hug.
The chain guy punched him once, across the side of the face, and blood showered the dance floor as Alec was cut open by the sharp edges of the bike chain. He screamed in animal rage and tore an arm free.
His elbow slammed into the person holding him three times, and on the fourth he felt bone give. The huge arms holding him fell, and he turned, blasting a vicious kick into the jaw of the guy with the bike chain, who lurched backwards in shock and pain. The man who had grabbed him from behind was big, a largesse of bone and thick, ropy tendon rather than fat.
The man looked at Alec, his blood flowing freely from the slash across his eye. Both eyes burned with an insurmountable rage, and Alec levelled a finger at the huge man. "You. Now."
The biker nodded, his grin spreading, and he crouched down into a boxer's hunker, his fists up. He lashed out a lightning strike, but met Alec's forearm. Another one two combination, beaten again. Alec moved forwards, open and ready, his eyes hungry on his target.
The boxer's eyes showed his fear and disbelief as Alec blocked another combination of blows, and a well aimed kick. The boxer leant back and lashed out with his leg again in a straight, powerful mule kick.
Alec's tall frame darted forwards, slamming his elbow down into the man's knee with a massive downward strike. The entire leg shifted, and the boxer screamed, trying to fall back and regain his balance. Alec's arm snaked around the man's leg, holding him in place. The boxer, realising he was caught, launched a straight punch that landed solidly on Alec's jaw.
Alec snarled and roared as his open hand slammed into the boxer's stomach. His shoulder and arm bunched as he pushed upwards with an unbelievable surge of strength. The boxer struggled, but he was already in the air.
He held him there for a moment, before the weight became too much, and he shoved him down onto the floor with a twist of his huge shoulders. The man's head bounced onto the floor, and he lay still, breathing raggedly.
Michel and another bouncer stepped forwards to pick up the boxer's limp body and dragged him out the door. There was a moment of silence in the club, and then cheering began. Alec turned and surveyed the crowd.
The platinum blonde cringed at his blood soaked face and turned away. She and her friends were standing at the bar on their cell phones. Alec closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his jaw.
