Black Market Merchant

Lisa and Sadie walked down two blocks in silence before Lisa turned around.

"So, your name is Sadie, right?" Lisa asked looking down at the small woman.

Sadie raised the envelope up to her mouth and with a nervous expression nodded ‘yes’. She brushed back her gentle brown hair, which was tied in a long single braid, back behind her thick rimmed black glasses, before speaking nervously. "My name is Sadie Blake. I have been working with the Match Fighter Association at the Mad Dogs Warehouse Arena for four years now. But before that I interned at Phoenix MFA Arena for two years and that was when I was still doing my studies at the University of Arizona." She then tentatively raised her hand in an offer to shake Lisa's.

Lisa looked at her hand for a brief second while thinking. "Well, this is interesting. I didn't expect that this town, out here in the middle of practically nowhere, would actually have some decent people. I thought Jackson would have given me one of his goons to keep tabs on me. But this woman seems like she's actually legit."

Lisa grasped Sadie's hand warmly and gave a sincere smile. "Wonderful to meet you. You can call me Lisa, at least only when we aren't around anyone else."

"Ok, I will." Sadie answered sounding a bit relieved.

Once again thinking fast, Lisa talked to herself, "I'll play along for now. Just until I find out what her intentions are going to be. Timid or not, she could be a threat."

"So, I am guessing there are some things we need to discuss?" Lisa continued speaking aloud. Then pointing at the envelope in Sadie's hands, she said, "I assume that that might have to do with this envelopes contents?"

"O-oh. Yes, it does. Well mostly. Do you want to talk about the MFA here or somewhere else…?" Sadie asked as her voice faded off while looking around at the dingy empty street.

"Here probably wouldn't be very appropriate." Lisa said also looking around at the empty rundown street. "Let's go to a bar nearby. We can talk much more comfortably once we are sitting down. Also, I am so very thirsty! All that fighting and talking has just made my mouth as dry as the desert." She then smacked her lips together, as if proving her point.

Sadie nodded. "That's fine with me. Um, you're going to have to lead the way. I don't know my way around this town all too well."

Lisa turned to lead the way and they started to chat as they walked.

"What do you mean you don't know the way around town? Didn't you say that you had been here for four years?" Lisa inquired.

"Well, yes." Sadie said a bit apprehensive. "I did come here through town when I first arrived, but it was in an armored truck convoy. So, I only saw it through the window. I spent the rest of my time in the Mad Dogs conclave working with my boss, Rickshaw, in the MFA headquarters there. Believe it or not, but this is the largest MFA headquarters from Moab City to Salt Lake City."

Sadie had been looking around at the tattered and worn shops and building lining the streets while she spoke with Lisa. She quite possibly starred a bit too long at the ragged and dirty people trudging by them. They started giving her their own sneers and looks of distain.

"I knew this town wasn't in all that good of a condition, but I never expected it to be this, depressing. I guess that is one way to put it?" Sadie said quietly to Lisa.

"Yes, most of the country is just like this town. If you are saying this now, then I can assume Phenix is doing very well?" Lisa replied.

"Oh yes. Despite the heat, Phoenix is such a lovely and beautiful place to live. I grew up there from birth." Sadie said giving a smile as she thought of home.

"I see." Lisa replied.

Just then they arrived their destination, The Ragged Flagon. When Lisa pushed open the two front doors, she noticed right away that the bar had been nearly fully repaired. The only sign of her fight, with the two other Match Fighters, was that the areas where the floors had been damaged had been replaced with brand new looking wood flooring. Even the destroyed tables and chairs looked fairly new. For a decaying town with little infrastructure they sure did fix this bar quickly.

"So, should we sit in a booth or a table?" Sadie asked looking around the room with some excitement.

It was pretty clear to Lisa now, that Sadie probably didn't go to such places very much. Also, from the nerdy attitude and her timid antics, Sadie seemed like the type that kept to herself a lot.

"A booth is good." Lisa replied while heading for a booth near the front of the bar. It wasn't as crowded there, so they would be able to talk about possible sensitive topics.

They sat down and a waitress came over to them. "What can I get for you?" She asked sounding slightly board.

"Any light beer you have and make it a large, please." Lisa replied right away.

"Uh, just water for me, thank you." Sadie said. "I don't do so well with alcohol."

The waitress left and Lisa clasped her hands together and set them onto the table. "So, let's get right to business. What is the Match Fighter Association? Why do I need a manager? And what conditions am I being forced to follow, if I do comply?"

Sadie shifted slightly nervous in her seat before replying. "Well the Match Fighter Association, or MFA, started up in 2156. The two largest and longest running Mixed Martial Arts groups at the time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and ONE Championship, merged to create what the MFA is today. They combined their own unique styles and rules, as well as creating a new unique matching system. However, they didn't just stop there. They expanded their influence too even the political realm."

Just then the waitress returned with their drinks. "Here you two are. Just let me know if you want to order anything else."

"Thankyou." Lisa replied. Then she motioned for Sadie to continue.

Sadie took a sip of the water. "Eh, the water out her in town isn't cold at all."

"Yes, it is hard to keep anything cold without electricity." Lisa said nodding and picking up her beer mug.

"Well anyhow, back to your questions." Sadie replied. "The MFA started to solve local and occasionally State affected issues. Though at the time, all of these were done in illegal underground fights. The two opposing sides would bet their own policy's and votes on these match's. Eventually they were found out and it went to trial. However, the betting battles eventually won the right to continue and be legal. All this had taken place during the rapid decline of the USA's Democratic Republic government. Then war broke out between several Asian countries verse the USA and its subsequent allies. Since the MFA was a part of both countries, and after all the bombings had settled, it was through the MFA fights that many of these issues were eventually resolved between the two sides."

"Hmm, that's actually pretty interesting. Please go on." Lisa said draining the last drop of her beer. She waved to the waitress for another.

Sadie cleared her throat and continued. She seemed to enjoy explaining her knowledge of the organization’s history. "As time went on to where we are today, there are three distinct levels in the MFA. First, is the one you are being ranked in. The Shadow League or MFASL. The Shadow League is comprised of basically all the new and lowest ranking members of the MFA. They are also the most numerous, as they are practically in every midsized to large town on every continent. The other two leagues are the Mountain League and the Sun League. The Mountain League fights are nearly always televised and happen in arenas by those fighters that have outstanding records. The Sun League is the best of the best. They typically fight for political people or the ultra-wealthy. Many see them as the gods that determine how the world will be run, but that's just some people’s silly opinions."

"Now for your second question. You need a manger for several reasons. To keep track on your fighting record is one reason. Unlike traditional matches, MFA fights rarely take place on a predetermined time or place. So, a manager from the MFA needs to be with each Match Fighter in order to send the results to the MFA data base. To move up into the Mountain League you not only need to win a lot but beat people worthy of causing your promotion. That is entirely determined by the MFA higher ups. I don't know all the specifics at the moment, but I will soon." Sadie said this while patting the envelope on the table between them.

"So, I will be your manager. I report to Rickshaw, who reports to his boss in Salt Lake City. I'm sure the chain of command keeps going up, but that's as far as I have been allowed to know so far. Also, mangers can oversee numerous Match Fighters at a time and have been known to have up to twenty fighters to keep track of." Sadie took a breath and then said slowly. "As of now you are my first and only Match Fighter under my supervision. So that said, you have my full attention, always. I won't interfere with your personal life or affairs. So, feel free to use the Association to benefit your intentions if you do desire. There really aren't that many things I could possibly forbid you to do."

"You’re just now becoming a rookie manager?" Lisa said raising an eyebrow. "Didn't they give you any responsibility in the four years you've been here?"

"Well, yes but really no." Sadie replied blushing slightly. "I handled a lot of the headquarters paperwork and organizing things. But I was never granted any official managerial spots."

"I see. What about these conditions I need to follow?" Lisa asked.

"Ah, those would be listed in this envelope. In here are the Match Fighter Regulation and Rulings." Sadie opened the envelope. She reached in and started to pull out the stack of papers to present them. However, the thick stack of papers was not stapled or pinned together. So, when she pulled them out of the envelope fully, her fingers slipped! Sending papers flying all over the table and floor!

One of the waitresses was walking by at just at that unfortunate moment. She stepped on the loose papers and slipped. The tray of drinks and food she was carrying flew out of her grasp and splattered all over five men drinking at a table behind the two ladies.

The men yelled out in surprise. They turned to see the cause of the problem and seeing Sadie's shocked face and papers scattered everywhere, they knew who the culprit was. They got up and surrounded the two lady’s booth.

"Look what you did, you clumsy wench." One man said gesturing to his stained shirt.

"You're going to have to pay us for new clothing." Another man snarled.

"Ya, or else you’re going to regret disrespecting us like this." A third man complained while rubbing on his pants with a towel.

"S-sorry it was an accident! I didn't mean for this to happen." Sadie said flustered.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it. Now pay up!" The first man spoke.

"I-I don't have enough money at the moment!" Sadie replied nervously.

"Oh, that won't be a problem." One of the men said taking a step towards her. "I think we can come up with a solution." As he said this, he picked up her braided hair and ran his fingers through it. Sadie shuddered as she understood what he meant.

"That enough!" Lisa said angrily seeing this. "It was an accident! She owes you nothing."

"Oh, what are you going to do about it?" The second man replied. "You going to join her in helping apologize?"

Lisa snorted angrily. "No, I'm going to do this!"

The last thing the man saw was a flash of light as a fist came smashing into his jaw.