The lights were bright, the arena had to hold about 7 to 800 people, all of them screaming, hollering, yelling. None of it mattered to the two who everyone was here to see. Danny saw the right jab coming from his opponent before his trainer could yell at him to watch for it. It wasn’t the first and it was far from the last he’d see. He quickly moved his head around the punch that was incoming and fired back with a counter jab of his own. The punch hit his opponent flush, and drew a loud reaction from the crowd of onlookers. 

Danny knew better than to let it affect him, in fact, the crowd of onlookers and their noise could’ve just been wind or anything else that was simply just there to him. It was white noise, Danny’s was very skilled in being able to block out certain things in high pressure situations. It was a skill he honed in the gym, the same with his ability to counter and fight back, the same with most of his offensive and most of his defensive capabilities. The only thing he didn’t learn in the gym was his heart. His ability to take a punch, his ability to withstand a beating and the pressure of an opposing fighter. Those were things he couldn’t be taught in the gym. Those were the only useful things his useless father taught him. 

Danny, born Daniel Fitzgerald, had grown up the eldest of two children. It was a four person household, him, his mother, his father, and younger sister. Most of the kids he knew grew up with two parents. Danny wished he only grew up with one instead. His father was a drunk. He made enough money to keep a roof over their head, and to keep the lights and the water on, but the rest he wasted on booze. It was one of the things that brought him relief. If that was all, Danny thought he could get by on a life with that, but that wasn’t the only thing that brought him relief. The other thing that brought Danny’s father relief, the main thing in Danny’s opinion, was him beating up his own his own family. Danny and his mother to be more precise. Danny’s sister was luckily able to escape the beatings, Danny guessed even his evil, drunk, bastard of a father had some limits. 

Danny’s father had a temper, at any given time, for any given reason, he would explode and beat upon his son, or his wife, but Danny would always get the worst of it. Danny’s mother would be slapped around, while Danny would always actually be beat upon. At first he wondered why, why would his own father who was supposed to protect him, guide him, teach him, beat his own family so much? HOW could he do such a thing? After awhile Danny stopped caring. Danny began to find solace in the little things. The fact he’d be too drunk and too tired to carry on a longer beating. The fact that he had saved his mother from getting the worst of it. The fact that Elena, his younger sister, didn’t have to go through these same ordeals. 

The heart he gained from those beatings at the hands of his father, helped him to become fearless when taking on other situations. Bullies didn’t matter, beatings from other kids, even the older ones didn’t matter, dealing with adults didn’t matter. Soon enough, nothing scared him anymore. Nobody he knew could hit him, or beat him worse than his father, with that in mind he didn’t have anything to worry about. He began standing up to those who thought it fun to mess with him, he fearlessly protected his sister, more importantly he began to gain a reputation. In the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, things were closely watched. 

It was a tight knit Irish community where most people there knew each other. It was a neighborhood that was protected by its own people. The people who lived there looked after one another and protected one another. This was influenced and adapted by Irish organized crime, which also operated in the area. While most of New York was controlled by Italian and other forms of organized crime, Hell’s Kitchen was notoriously ran by the Irish community. When they heard tales of Italian kids and others attempting to beat on a kid with sometimes three or four others, and said kid wouldn’t stay down, well that made the rounds in the tight knit community. Eventually, even the Irish mob couldn’t ignore the wild stories about a young boy who just kept taking hit after hit, beating after beating, and wouldn’t stay down until the beaters grew tired and gave up themselves. A few gangsters even seen the kid in action every once in awhile. 

Eventually one day, Danny grew fed up with being the punching bag. After one particular bad beating, Danny decided to head into the local boxing gym. It was a rundown place, it stunk, and looked like it could come crumbling down at any moment, but Danny felt a kind of serene peace when he entered. The sound of the heavy bag and speed bags being hit, trainers yelling at their fighters as some sparred in one ring and others did reps on some of the other machines, made Danny feel at peace. Like this was a place where he could let go and relax. Strangely enough, the place where people were training and learning how to beat on other people for sport made Danny feel at home. 

He walked up to one of the open heavy bags and began to throw punches at it like he’d seen some of the other fighters do. Some of the fighters in the gym laughed, others shook their head and paid the young Danny no mind. It was a trainer named Gary, and older man, but one who had as much fire in him as Danny himself, that came over there and got Danny properly situated. Explained to him that he would learn properly how to do this, and use it for sport, or use it in defense, and not to just beat down any mook that came across his path. 

So Danny learned, everyday he would go to the gym and get better and better at formally learning the art of boxing. He would first be drilled and learn how to not be hit. His trainer told him that just because he could take a punch didn’t make him tough, it made him stupid. There was indeed a method to this. Gary knew better than to let Danny continue going around, thinking it was a good idea to let Danny get his brains bashed in, and tiring his opponent that way. So he made him master defense first, how to block, how to dodge, how to bob-n-weave, head movement, feet movement, everything. Gary made sure he mastered all of that before he properly taught him how to throw a punch. 

From there the two took off. Danny while training with Gary had risen to become one of the gym best prospects. He fought smart, and learned how to properly use his gift of being fearless. It would do no good to be fearless and stupid, it would only serve to get his head knocked off, or worse, get him killed. Danny didn’t much care for the ruling of actual boxing, he didn’t care for rules much at all. He was definitely more of a brawler than a boxer, but he was a dangerous combination of a brawler who COULD box, but he wanted to be able to punch anywhere, everywhere, and as much as he wanted. He didn’t like the breaks or certain rule restrictions, he didn’t like that he was also restricted to fight only certain people of a specific age and weight. Danny seeking a less strict fighting experience, took his skills and began competing in illegal street fights. With his combined knowledge and abilities in both street fighting and boxing, mixed with all his skills and talents, he easily dominated the circuit. With gamblers and those who were into organizing the fights took interest in him, word got back to the bigger organizations, of course this meant he was being talked about by the Irish mob once more. The same kid who fearlessly took beatings was now giving the beatings and doing it damn well. 

One of the lieutenants in the mob took a special interest and made his way to witness the kid in action himself. That was when Danny met Derrick Flanagan. One of the Irish mobsters who was on the rise in Hell’s Kitchen and took a special interest in Danny and his street fighting prowess. Derrick began to setup bigger fights for Danny to take on for bigger payouts. Derrick would also give Danny a piece of the winnings they all made when they won big on him. Before long, Danny indirectly became one of the biggest money makers for Derrick and the mob. 

This built up a bond between the two. It also caused Derrick to become more protecting of the young Danny Fitz, as he was beginning to be called around his way. Derrick was so protective, that when one of his boys had told him about selling the father of Danny, a handgun and then hearing him talk drunkenly one night, in a bar, about how he was going to kill his “good for nothing son.” That Derrick took matters in his own hands. Danny’s father would never be seen or heard from from that night onward. If rumors were to be believed, he was floating at the bottom of a vat of acid, on orders of Derrick. 

Danny didn’t care and whenever Elena would ask about him or where he might be, Danny would simply tell his younger sister that he probably ran off for good. It would annoy him that what relieved him and their mother, made Elena sad, but she probably didn’t fully understand what he was and just how much he was ruining their lives. Regardless, to fill the gaps and help take care of the family, Derrick began giving Danny petty jobs to run for his crew. Delivery jobs, shakedowns, collections, and some other muscle work. Many people around the way had heard of Danny’s fighting abilities, so to see him come to get some money from you, it stopped regular nuisances from putting up resistance. 

Derrick had also come up with the idea of having Derrick get on the path for a professional fighting career so that he’d both have options for a legit career in the future and also so he’d have a cover for why he had so much money at such a young age. Danny begrudgingly did and went to Gary the trainer for the gym, to ask for help with that and for his services. A few years of that, a jr. golden glove championship, and a few other jr. boxing accolades later and here we are. An old show house in lower Manhattan, on a Friday night. 

The fight picked back up in his mind, his opponent, some guy who the Italians set up for him to fight, wasn’t much of a challenge. Danny was toying with him all night long. He’d show him an opening, and like an idiot, he’d try for it and Dany would respond with a counter punch. Danny knew he could end this guy’s night easily, anytime he wanted, but no, he couldn’t. Derrick had told him again that he was being set up to take a fall for a big payoff including both the Italian and Irish mobs. It wasn’t the first time he’d done such a thing. The first and only other time, Derrick told him the Italians came to him to fix a fight like this, Danny had wrecked his mentor’s office. Surprisingly, it seemed his temper had amused his boss and mentor on that day. Derrick had taken Danny more under his wing at the time, showing him the ropes in the underworld as he continued to work for him, when he wasn’t fighting. 

That time Danny took the fall in the fight, but it didn’t go as intended. Blinded by rage, Danny had knocked out his opponent, but he was so angry that when the referee had called off the fight, Danny had continued to beat his opponent down, causing the ref to reverse the decision and disqualify Danny. He’d loss, but not the way he was supposed to. Those who bet that Danny would lose by knockout were out of their money, and the Italian’s were pissed because Danny had beaten their golden boy, and he would be unable to fight for the forseeable future due to the beating from Danny. 

A new agreement was made that would see Danny become the new golden boy fighter for both organizations. It would seem with this fight tonight, that deal was now up. The Italians, not being able to turn down a big money making opportunity had chose to sacrifice the career of Danny to fill their pockets on the big time underdog. Danny knew he outclassed this opponent in every way, he knew that before they stepped in the ring together, and still, they all expected him to get knocked down by this chump and not get up. 

The thought infuriated Danny, as he caught his opponent again, this time with a counter uppercut that sent him stumbling back against the ropes. For some reason, Danny paused, he never let outside noise or the fans reactions distract him from a fight or anything that he was intensely focused on, but for some reason, this time something did catch his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, in one of the ringside seats, a woman stood shouting at him and watching the fight with almost as much intensity as he was fighting it. It intrigued him, excited him, and stunned him all at the same time. She shouted something else and he had no idea what it was she was saying. It was in another language, that much he was certain, though which one he didn’t know. Whatever it was she said, it was beautiful,  if it was another time in another place he’d allow himself to be stunned by her beauty, but the fact that he was here to lose a fight in front of such a person brought him back to reality. 

He didn’t want to lose in front of that woman, or these people. He didn’t want to lose for the Italians, he didn’t want to lose period. He turned back on his opponent who was still recovering from being rocked, this also pissed him off. This guy was a clown, that shouldn’t even be Danny’s sparring partner, never mind the person to hand him his first official defeat.

“Fuck this.” He muttered under his breath. 

Danny closed the distance between him and his opponent, he landed another straight left hand to stun him once more followed by a right hook, and finished with a left to put him on the ground. He walked back to his corner, he knew this fight was done, that guy was not getting back up. Danny shot Derrick a look, and could see the concern on his face. He looked over and told his trainer to get ready to head to the back. By the time the referee got up to a seven count and didn’t see the fighter on the ground move at all, he waved his hands. No sooner than when the bell rung, had the ring been mobbed by a couple of Derrick’s people. Danny was already exiting the ring, not even waiting to get his hand raised. This confused most people, but Derrick and his crew were on the move. Some were moving toward the exit, and others were trying to make a beeline toward the back to where the locker rooms were. Danny was leading the way, he hated having to run out like that, but he didn’t want to risk a situation right here and now. 

Derrick had taught him to be careful when picking his spots. He was hoping he got out of here quickly so he didn’t have to deal with any of the nonsense. He couldn’t help the slight smirk spreading across his face thinking how pissed off those wise guys might be. He only wished that he got to see that beautiful woman one more time, but his smirk returned when he thought about how he didn’t end up losing in front of her at the very least. These were his last thoughts as he was hurriedly escorted to the locker room by his training staff.

Once in the locker room, everything was a mad dash to hurry and clean it out so that they could make their exit. It wouldn’t take the Italians long before they were hunting for him, angry at the fact that they had once again been duped. Danny didn’t know whether it was good or bad luck that Derrick was able to pick up on the plan and put one into place as quickly as he did. On the one hand, it meant that they were all on one accord and they’d be able to move out faster. On the other, it meant that the man was in the back here bitching in his ear instead of helping him get prepared to move out faster. 

“Danny, we had a deal lad, what the hell was that out there?” He asked. 

He wasn’t exactly showing clear anger in his Irish accented voice, but Danny having been around him long enough could pick up the disapproval. It was more of an annoyance than anything else, Danny believed he did the right thing out there so that’s what mattered most to him. Whatever scolding Derrick was ready to give would be blocked out by Danny like the white noise of the crowd back when he was in the ring. 

“C’mon Derrick. We all saw that bum out there. He couldn’t even fuckin’ touch me. He was dancin’ on my strings all night long. It’d make no fuckin’ sense for me to go down to a bum like that.” Danny responded. 

Derrick just sighed. He expected this response. He was visibly exasperated but he was trying his best to keep it in check. He knew Danny was difficult to work with and wouldn’t listen if he wasn’t learning something or didn’t feel like he was in the wrong. This was pretty much pointless to try and talk to him about it and he knew it, his protege was even more stubborn than a bull sometimes. 

“That’s beside the point. The deal was-” 

“I know what the deal was Derrick, but fuck the deal, and fuck the Italians, we don’t need them anyway. I got more talent in one hand then all those bastards and their fighters have in their whole bodies. Probably combined. Every fuckin’ mope they put in front of me hasn’t even been sparring material. So they expect me to bend over because the odds say I’ll whip whatever candyass they put in front of me? Fuck em.” Danny interjected. 

Though he didn’t have as thick an accent, if you could even call it an accent,  as Derrick did, you could tell he had all the pride and fire of an Irishman. He had stopped trying to pull the tape around his boxing gloves off momentarily to address his mentor. Once he was finished speaking he returned back to the locker he was using, and continued trying to pull the tape off with his teeth. Derrick sighed frustratedly this time. He went over to one of the benches and found some scissors, grabbed Danny’s arm, and began cutting the tape off. 

He finished one arm and took off the glove, and then the other. As Derrick finished taking the second one off, the door to the locker room was opened. Both Danny and Derrick turned to see it be one of the guys who worked for Derrick come in. 

“The cars are ready outside boss.” The man informed them. 

Derrick nodded. 

“Alright, you and Mick stay by the door. Danny you finish up here and meet us outside, right by the back entrance.” Derrick instructed. 

Danny threw his gloves in his duffel bag and made a grunting noise to show that he heard Derrick. 

“I got it, I got it.” He replied, continuing to pack and proceeding to change out of his ring gear and back into his regular clothes. 

Derrick quickly made his exit to head outside and left Danny to continue packing. For a few moments in the peace and quiet, reflecting on his win. It was while he was lost in these thoughts he had barely heard shouting coming from outside his room. It would seem that the ones Derrick had placed at the door were shouting at someone. As Danny turned around, he saw the door open and was greeted by the face of one angry Italian. If looks could kill, Danny would be a bloodstain on the floor, but fortunately for Danny, looks didn’t do shit to him. In fact, Danny turned around once he saw who it was that had entered. 

Danny knew him as the liaison between on of the captains in the Italian mob, and Derrick. The operation with gambling on Danny’s fights was overseen by the man who was now in the locker room. It didn’t take for Danny to be a genius to figure that this man had probably lost a lot of money, along with all the other people who were in the loop on how the results would go. 

Danny was pulled away from packing his gear by the angered Italian. He’d forcibly spun him around by pulling on his arm. This now pissed Danny off who was looking at the spot on his arm which the Italian grabbed before glaring at him in the face. 

“You stupid, non instruction following mother fucker. Do you have any idea how much money you just cost us?!” The man yelled. 

Danny wanted badly to just break the man’s jaw on the spot, but he restrained himself. The man had no business being in the locker room and to be honest the two people guarding the door should’ve stopped him. The reason why they probably didn’t was he threatened them with his status. The man yelling in Danny’s face was a made guy, meaning he couldn’t be touched without permission from the higher ups in his organization. That was the way they operated, this was also the way the Irish agreed to operate, playing nice with the Italians, this wasn’t how Danny operated. He did however just cost both organizations a lot, and despite his usual non caring attitude, he didn’t wish to cause too many problems for Derrick if he could help it. So knocking this clown out wasn’t something that would just go over well with anyone, so he’d let him off with a warning this time. 

“Listen, I’ll be nice this time. Get the fuck outta my face and you won’t have to pick your teeth up off the floor.” Danny said as calm as possible. 

He then turned his back on the man and went back to continue packing his stuff. This didn’t go over well with the Italian man, but he didn’t turn him around again. 

“You can’t touch me, like I told ya pals outside the door, I’m made, that means somethin’ where I’m from, even if you people don’t have the same kinda class. Fuckin’ idiots who can’t do business right.” He insulted. 

If he was trying to get under Danny’s skin it was working. He knew he didn’t have to take that kind of talk from this guy. Made or not, it didn’t really matter, Danny wasn’t in the business of letting anyone talk down to him this way. Still he tried his best to ignore it and to continue packing, he was just about finished. Seeing that the insults still weren’t working the Italian man stepped closer behind Danny’s back before speaking this time. Danny was aware of his position but still didn’t turn. 

“I gotta get paid somehow. You know, I hear you got a single mother at home. She may be a bit old and worn out, but I know some people who pay good money for that kinda thing. They got some weird fantasy they’d like to play out and shit.” The man provoked. 

Danny knew exactly what this was now. Now he was trying to create a reason to get Danny and the Irish organization messed up. Again it was working, Danny’s restraint was really being put to the test. Danny didn’t know if he gave an outward sign showing that he was being affected by the words, but he was trying his best to ignore them and not to lash out. The man took another step closer and spoke close to his ear. 

“I also heard you have a little sister too. Now while it’s not my cup of tea, some p..”

He didn’t get to finish what he was saying. Danny turned on him with lightening speed and tackled him to the ground. He didn’t know much of what was happening, one minute someone was talking and he was trying to finish packing. The moment his sister was mentioned it was like a switch went off in his head. He’d tackled the man down and began punching him, hit after hit. All Danny could see was red, and not the blood on his knuckles. Imagining his mother and his sister put in danger once more at the man’s words had set something off in him. This man who was making threats and talking shit was a threat to his family’s safety, so he had to be removed. Danny continued to punch the man from a mounted position, long after the man had stopped breathing. 

He didn’t know when the two mooks who were supposed to be guarding the door rushed in. He didn’t know when they had pulled them off the man that was a threat. He didn’t know when Gary and Derrick had both entered the locker room. All he knew was that he needed to finish what he started. He didn’t know why Gary was looking at him the way he used to look at his father when he’d seen what he did to his mother. He didn’t know why Derrick was covering his mouth while it was open in shock in horror. Then he saw it, he looked back down to the man who a few moments ago was threatening his family’s safety, to the man who was talking a bunch of shit just moments ago, and he saw it. He looked to the man’s face, or what was left of it, and realized he couldn’t make out much of it any longer. Anyway you cut it, the man was a threat no longer, he wasn’t even breathing any longer from the looks of it. 

“Danny boy… What the fuck did you just do?” Derrick asked as everyone in the room was now looking at the motionless mobster lying on the ground in the locker room.