- Phase
LA, California
January 30th, 2020
Iris Cox
__________________________________
Champagne pink hair still slick from the shower, towel wrapped snugly around her body, breasts heaving, she unconsciously caressed her toned calves as her eyes remained glued to the screen. A pair of full lips beneath an aquiline nose, cheekbones high and proud, even without the usual repertoire of makeup she adorned in public the 18-year old model was every bit the sensuous damsel she'd played in that blockbuster spy action movie.
And most men would have given up a year's worth of salary just to have a glimpse of Iris in the state she was in. Many gave chase regardless of whether she was interested or not. They tried.
Something buzzed beside her bare butt. She spared a glance at the phone. Kiara Cox. Mother Too worn out to roll her eyes again, she ignored it and continued watching. The popularity poll was up. Quite prompt as well. Right as the soft orange glow of 'HERONET' appeared, the screen blinked black.
She sighed, tossed the remote away and laid back on the mattress, towel falling off her porcelain curves. Another buzz. This time a text. She had to turn up for this one. But the bed was so warm...A slight burning sensation caught her attention. And it would keep it for a while.
- Frost
LA, California
January 30th, 2020
Tano Daou
__________________________________
It would also be a while until he was free of the immediate cleansing process. When he finally was, a set of fresh formal clothes awaited him. Putting on a tux over his white, rose-flowered patterned shirt, he strode free of the complex after mandatory gestures of goodbye to a dozen or so colleagues. Some wanted to give him a pat or a hug but they hadn't got rid of the oil on themselves yet so it was a easy 'No' from Tano.
The raw nature of it all...The scenes of the debut carnage replaying in his mind as he drove his violet-streaked Lamborghini through the packed freeway of LA made him break out in a light sweat. A lull in traffic allowed him to give his hands a light freeze. An unfreeze later and the salty moisture was gone. There was just so much to take in. He pursed his lips. He'd made the wrong choice not attending but it was a lesson learned.
Notorious Biggie blaring from the stereo, he hyped himself for the inevitable encounter. He didn't know much about Matthew but combat revealed the essentials. The guy had been cooler than ice. He'd looked as if he'd been there and done that. That performance was something training couldn't replicate, no, only raw experience under duress could provide that. Experienced recognized experienced.
It'd been a hell of a firefight. Tano wasn't going to kid himself with visions of illusory grandeur. That kind of shit? In that kind of environment? He might not break but he may not perform as well. He was going into this as a rookie, his signing of the contract having been so recent he doubted he'd even appear on any of the original public lists. This wasn't sport, no, this was life and death.
But he wouldn't be diving headfirst without at least some degree of confidence...and some knowledge of the danger he was putting himself in. Tano smirked amidst the glare of the sun against his shades. It'd been an impulse signing. He'd always been an instincts first boxer.