Read Hard Case V: Blood and Fear (A John Harding Novel Book 5) for Free Online Page B

were settled into our seats, I drank down my Beam brother, and half my Bud brother. From now on, I planned to make this meeting entertaining and enjoyable – for me at least.
    “You drink like a Cossack,” Yuri commented with thoughtful speculation, as Marla slipped in a refill on my Jim Beam. “It is a wonder you have survived the street fighting, and UFC matches. You have quickness and strength, but no will power I think.”
    Tommy chuckled. “Well that was an eye opening first dip in the pool. I think it best if you simply tell us the deal. We’ll make a decision from that without personal comment. How’s that?”
    “Yuri is offering fifty thousand dollars for John to fight Marko,” Alexi said. “It will not be a UFC fight nor will it be under the same rules. The fight will be refereed by Jack Korlos. John and Marko will be given a list of what each fighter can do without getting sapped. The winner is whoever Jack states has won the fight. Both of you are familiar with his work, because both John and Marko have fought street fights with Jack refereeing. I take ten percent of all side bets, and an even split on any money from video rights or sales. I do not take care of collections other than guarding the process. For an extra five percent, my people will act as intermediaries. Are there any questions?”
    I nodded at Tommy. It was a nice piece of change. No, we didn’t need any money, but in this case we definitely had a dog in the hunt. Terrorists and their enablers are our business. It would be in bad taste for me to get preachy about laundering money. With the vast amounts we have taken from recently deceased bad guys who died violently at our hands, I don’t get moralistic about money. After going through a past period of not having any, a fifty thousand dollar guaranteed cash payout makes us smile even now.
    “We’ll take it,” Tommy said.
    “Since Yuri has already made the offer, and knows the parameters, the deal’s done. He and I have a separate wager which will remain between us. The only other matter is when. How much time will you require for training and rehab from your ‘Rattler’ fight, John?”
    “Six weeks would be great.”
    “Good,” Alexi said. “Yuri already agreed to a time parameter up to two months. Let us agree on middle April for the fight then. I will spell out all the details in contract letters to both parties. Is there anything else?”
    “Yes,” Marko spoke for the first time, his voice like small rocks ground together in a mixer. “What will happen to me if I kill this man?”
    “Nothing,” Alexi said. “We don’t allow killings, and Jack Korlos has not lost a single fighter, but accidents happen. It’s a rough sport.”
    “It will not be an accident,” Marko said.
    “Jack will tell you to stop if he sees John’s in danger, or has tapped out, or been knocked out. If you try to continue, he will sap you in the back of the head. It’s bad business to allow killings to happen with many political figures in attendance.”
    Marko smiled as Alexi finished. “I will be careful then.”
    “If we are finished, Marko and I will take our leave. I do not care for these two gentlemen. I will leave them to overindulge in peace.”
    Without another word, Yuri walked away with Marko following. I then explained the ploy Kornev had tried on me. Alexi listened intently until I finished. I could nearly feel the inner rage building inside him.
    “I cannot believe what a fool I am. Nothing in our violent universe happens by accident. The last fighter Marko beat here three weeks ago was one of my top heavyweight prospects: Eric Minor. Marko nearly killed him. An odd thing occurred at a restaurant bar I was not present at to the young fighter. A guy at the bar kept a steady flow of invective aimed at Eric going until the bartender called the police. The instigator threw a punch, and Eric decked him. Even with witnesses, the police arrested Eric. It took me a few days to get him