The Cagliostro Chronicles by Ralph L. Angelo Jr. Page B

wide eyed.
    “What other way is there , little human?” Endorf laughed hysterically, his voice sounding like granite plates grinding together loudly. Spittle dripped from his jaws uncontrollably as his big red shoulders bounced up and down with joy.
    “Okay, fine you want a fight, you got one. But I’m not going to do the fighting here. ” The big alien began to protest as Mark raised a hand stopping him. “You want Ariel as your winning piece; I’m totally against that, where we come from slavery is not tolerated in any way shape or form. One sentient creature owning another is barbaric and absolutely deplorable.”
    “And yet it is your only bargaining chip that I will accept.”
    Ariel looked at Mark cautiously, in his mind he said ‘ Relax, I’ve got this. ’
    “I hope you know what you’re doing.” She answered for all to hear, verbally.
    “So who do you propose to fight in your stead, human?”
    Red began to stand , cracking his knuckles as a wicked smile cracked across his lips.
    Mark grabbed his arm and sat him back down. “Not you Red, and no buts.” Mark turned to Dan Sledge and nodded with a wicked grin of his own.
    Dan stood and nodded once to his friends, then turned and walked towards the fighting ring.
    ‘ I gotta tell you Mark, I’m against this. ’ Red growled over the mental link, ‘ This is my job, not Dan’s. ’
    ‘ I need you here, Red. There’s a reason. ’
    ‘ You mean besides the fact that he’s a hundred times stronger than me, or anyone else that we know of? ’
    ‘ Well, there is that, mostly. ’ Mark admitted.
    ‘ Even so I’m the better fighter, you know that. ’
    ‘ Yes you are, but with his strength he doesn’t have to be. Now let’s watch the show, this should be interesting, and keep an eye on our pal here, in case he tries to bolt out of here. ’ Mark answered mentally.
    Dan Sledge entered the newly repaired ring, stepping over the ropes and facing his fo e.
    Credom sneered at him, “Little human, I will try not to hurt you, much. I know how delicate your species is.”
    Then, like lightning, the alien struck at Sledge, its bright red fist slashing forward and smacking Dan across the jaw.
    But Dan Sledge’s reaction was not what Credom expected, not by half. Dan stood his ground and smirked, rubbing his jaw with the back of his hand. Credom quickly threw a right cross at Dan, who blocked it with his left arm, and then retaliated with a lightning fast attack of his own. His right fist shot out, as if from a cannon, and struck Credom’s jaw with such force that the red skinned brute shot across the ring and collided with the cables on the opposite side, and then fell to the mat like a puppet with its strings cut.
    Credom was stunned. He was lying on the mat and slowly got to all fours unsteadily as Dan stood back, giving him room. The alien stood shakily, and shook his head one time then charged Dan, ramming into his mid-section head first with his bony skull.
    But where this would normally have guaranteed Credom a victory against anyone else, against Dan Sledge it was like running into a mountain . Credom rolled over, out cold before he hit the mat.
    A deafening cheer went up all through the bar as the patrons celebrated in disbelief.
    Slowly, surreptitiously, Endorf made his way to his feet and looked side to side, before turning and quickly, especially for someone so large, headed toward the exit.
    Sledge exited the arena and walked back towards the table. What he saw made him run the last few feet towards his friends.
    “You’re not going anywhere!” Red shouted as he held Endorf by the collar, and forced back against the wall. Eddie stood across from Endorf with his pistol trained on him while the bartender shouted “No Blasters!”
    “Uhh, Best out of three?” Endorf replied with a sheepish grin.
    “I think not.” Mark replied. Now it was his turn to smile like the fox in a hen house. “I want that information you promised. No more