CHAPTER 1 THE CALL
On a bright sunny day Cody Locke is awoken by the beautiful sunshine passing through his bedroom window, he relaxes for a while enjoying the feeling as the sun hits his weary face. His phone beeps when he switches it on, followed by another, snd then a constant barrage of almost a hundred whatapp messages, but he is too tired to open his eyes fully, he places his phone back on the bed. He closes his bruised eyes, as a up and coming prize fighter from Mill Hill, London, he wonders if he lost his fight last night would his phone be a trickle of messages, he basks in the shy and rare sunshine resting his a little more and feeling good, he almost falls asleep again, but his phone beeps one more time just as he was drifting, he decides its time to get up, and reads his last message
"TIME TO GET UP CHAMP I HAVE A SUPRISE FOR YOU" The message says. But the number has no name, it's not somebody he knows, he texts back asking who it is, to which the reply comes swiftly
"I am the guy who is going to help you get the middle weight championship belt, But you can save my number as Derek!" Comes the reply
Cody brushes it off and doesn't even reply, he heads down to make his breakfast as he waits for his girlfriend to call him, he blends his smoothie and is distracted this time by a call, he quickly answers the unknown number.
"Alright who is this ?" He asks
"Already told ya, it's Derek! Cody, Cody , Cody, Cody...your going places...and im the guy who taking you their.. in a limo and in style, I was at the fight last night, you saw me right at the front row, Derek Goldman..ring a bell?"
"You was in the ring last night right, Blue suit, before the fight, you shook my hand your Vinnys Manager ?"
"Thats right my boy" He continues "You beat my guy last night,Vincent Pena, actually you didn't just beat him, you tore him apart, Just got back from the hospital, he's like a lump of Latino Pulp now,can't eat right cant talk right ..don't look right..You have Iron in them gloves, I am telling ya"
"So what's this about? You want a rematch?"
"That's funny, Very funny if you fight Vincent again...You wouldn't be sending him to the hospital next time, it would be the morgue, No No my boy that ship has long since sailed, he blew it, but you on the other hand did not ....I want you to work for me , I want you to fight for me, and I figure I been in this game a long time you see and no man comes back from a beating like that, you basically retired him last night at twenty five, so technically you owe me a new fighter ....and I want you sunshine ...I want you, with all my heart and all my money and power, me and you together, their be no stopping us, Champion of the World...Cody Locke! Can almost hear it, can you hear it? Cody Cody Cody Cody..like a echo the crowd chanting your name,Do You like that? Thats sounds pretty good right?"
"All I hear is a Bullshit Artist Sorry alright but I dont need no Manager I have Donny Mcauley, He's my manager"
"He's, small time, you will never be champion with that guy, but I heard theirs no contract with him, and You made only £17,000 in your last fight right and you give him fifteen percent right , some type of gentlemans agreement, that's my understanding"
"I don't mean to be rude but what I get or don't get .... or he gets isn't of your concern or business ok, we have agreement, I've know him since I was fourteen, If im a contender, it's all down to him" Cody states, being as blunt as possible
"No,no, Your not a contender yet, contenders don't make a measly Seventeen Grande a fight, listen listen alright...ask me how much my guy got in the last fight"
"I don't care what he got, obviously he was paid more he was a up and coming name"
"Thats right...was! Past tense, But you your the future I see it, I see it clear as day... in how you fight, how you carry yourself, your loyalty to generics"
Cody steps in annoyed "Don't be calling my coach and Manager names, he's clearly twice the man you are and your right I am loyal, that's why this conversation is over" As he is about to close the call Derek raises his voice
"CODYYYY!, Don't pass this chance up, Just hear me out, You have no contract your a free agent, if you like what I say I am offering you the World here , You can even set up the old timer for life, its a win win situation, I can guarantee you a three fight deal your first fight you will get double what you just got, second fight against a good fighter and I guarantee you eighty grande, win that and your third fight I your lookimg at ...Half A Million...all you got to do is win the money guaranteed in the contract, if you win, however, if you lose I have the option to cut all ties"
"Like you Did with Vincent Pena?"
"Vinny became a liabilty, wasnt eating right wasn't training right, You saw the size of him,You will never be on a undercard again ....if you work for me. Well.. have peaked your interest?..Listen .. I'm a business man, that's all it is....and In you see a guy, that can make us both a lot of money, Meet me today at Cafe Dolci, at Park Lane..you know it right?"
"I know it" Comes the reply
"Alright then, Meet me their at lets say Two PM?
He thinks for a moment then decides their is nothing to lose by meeting
"I Will be their" He reluctantly confirms
YOU ARE READING
Darkness Follows
Mystery / ThrillerA Dark drama about a guy who has a dream but his dream is stolen and the thief is himself, Vices, Distractions and weakness for cutting corners all play their part in his journey
