A healthy fear flowed through Coop’s veins, waking up the next morning, knowing TAKASHI would be waiting for him in the pit that night. TAKASHI was one of his toughest fights before he left Ushinatta. Although it pained him to admit it, he thought he’d be stuck there for the rest of his life until Regis came along. Regis hated Ushinatta, seeing it for what it was: a dead end for most of those fighters. Without regen tanks, it meant the worst injuries were treated with augmentations, most of which were illegal in the Intergalactic Deathmatch, leaving those fighters to languish.

“You never told me why this TAKASHI is so legendary,” Sam said while Coop stretched in their room, preparing for the fight. “I’ve never heard of him and I’ve been following the league for a while now.”

“Because most of these fighters never get off of Ushinatta.”

“Because they’re no good?” she asked.

“Nah, are you kidding me?” Of course she wouldn’t know. She didn’t even know about Ushinatta in the first place. “TAKASHI in his prime could’ve destroyed Kriger.”

“Yet this is the first I’m hearing about him.”

“You didn’t get a good look at him, did you?” Coop asked.

“It was dark, and I was more focused on getting your stubborn ass back here to rest, so no, I didn’t look him over.”

“Figured as much,” he said. “So you didn’t see the leg.”

“What about his leg?”

“He suffered a severe injury and without regen tanks, they had to amputate part of his leg.”

“Shit.”

“I know,” Coop said. “The league doesn’t allow augments to compete, so TAKASHI has a cybernetic leg, fucker kicks harder than a mule. Means he couldn’t compete for them no matter what.”

“That guy you fought last night an augment?” she asked.

“Not that I can tell. No.” Coop rubbed his shoulder, still sore from the battle. “Fucker hit hard, but it was mostly the chains. Lotta heart but no augments.”

“If that’s true, then why would he be here and not fight in the league?”

“You saw that crowd, didn’t you?” he asked. “Felt the energy emanating from them? That’s something you don’t get everywhere.”

“C’mon, Coop, you’ve fought for some massive crowds before,” she said.

“In the league it’s different. They want blood and brutality, yeah, but it’s more about teams. Alien races pulling for their favorite. It’s not about the fight or the passion, it’s politics and bullshit. This is different here.”

“You’re really a believer, aren’t you?” she asked. Her tone was half-joking, but Coop could feel the apprehension dripping from her.

“It’s hard to understand, I know...”

“Okay, then, I’m not getting it, but this place is something special to you. You got your new bat, won a fight, can’t we get out of here already? Without regen tanks and knowing the stakes at play here, I don’t like it, Coop. We’re here to get you back into the league, aren’t we?”

“I don’t know!” He shouted, balling his fist up and regretting it immediately. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Sam. You gotta believe me, but I don’t know why I’m here. Last time I was here, Regis had to drag me outta here. He booked some fight in the league and I thought it was all bullshit. I was ready to stay here.”

“You never told me that,” she said. “I thought this place was just some curiosity to you.”

“There’ve only been two places I thought I’d stay forever and die in: Birmingham and Ushinatta. Now I don’t know where I belong. Please, I promise after tonight’s fight we’ll get out of here, I just gotta do this.”

Coop sat down next to her on the lip of the bed, hands crossed over his legs, with his stomach turning in knots. Hearing it all out loud, he sounded like a fool; trying to recapture some past glory and looking to the past like this. He thought coming here to Ushinatta, without Regis, would help him get closure on that chapter of his life and control his own destiny. Instead, he just sounded like a broken down, washed up fighter on the station of the lost looking for any fleeting glory.

“Do you miss him?” she asked, breaking the silence.

“Who? TAKASHI? I’m fighting him tonight,” he said.

“No. I mean Regis.”

“Oh.”

Sam leaned in, nestling herself against Coop, who welcomed the embrace. He’d like to pretend Regis turning his back on him was expected or just business, but it was deeper than that and it stung. They were family. That had to count for something.

“I’m sorry, Coop,” she said. “I know he hurt you. He means a lot to you, but he’s just... he’s not here right now and I am.”

“I know, babe. I know.” He pulled her in tight, catching a whiff of her hair and the floral shampoo she’d used that morning. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate it. You don’t even know how much I do. Can you believe Regis gave me a fucking metal bat?”

“He’s an asshole. Of course he would.”

“Yeah, well, he’d be mighty pissed knowing I’m back here,” Coop said. “He fucking hated this place and was happy to get me away from here. As much as I hate to admit it... he was probably right.”

“You know what they say about broken clocks, right?” she asked.

“Broken clock? Not really.”

“Old clocks were mechanical, all wound up and stuff,” she said, pantomiming clock hands spinning with her fingers. “If the battery ran out or they weren’t wound often, they’d stop, and it’d be right twice a day. Even a broken clock is right twice a day was the old saying.”

“No shit?” he laughed. “That’s a new one by me.”

“So?” she asked. “Are you ready to go fight this legend or what?”

“Then we’re out of here,” he said. “I promise.”

“I’m gonna hold you to this. No big injuries tonight, okay?” Sam picked herself up and headed toward the door. “This is the start of something new, Coop. You just gotta give it time.”

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Gonna go look around while you get ready, make a few calls. You know? Manager stuff.”

Her lips tasted sweet when she came in for a quick kiss, Coop pulling her down toward the bed while she laughed and pushed him off of her. Coop sat back, raising his eyebrows at her.

“I’m serious. Give me some time, you asshole,” she laughed.

“Fine, go already. Manager stuff.”