Hey, Everyone! As we saw last chapter, Drake proved worthy to enter Damian Diablo's Gauntlet, MON is on his trail, and the mysterious Master Caine has arrived with some covert help. But what's next?

Qinda is worried that her Darling must now face the first of Diablo's elite fighters, while his special guests rabidly place bets on the outcome! Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Down on the Docks

Drake guesstimated that the elevator went down about fifty feet when it stopped in darkness. Then lights snapped on in-sequence to illuminate a tunnel.

"Proceed, Mr. Pendragon", the distorted voice told him, and he started down the tunnel. "Your first real fight awaits. The rules are simple: survive and win to move on. Each battle will take place on a unique battleground, guarded by one of my elite fighters. Each level also has four trainees like those above to test you before your opponent engages you. Emerge victorious, and you will be given 30 minutes to rest, plus whatever time you take to reach the next battlezone. Ah! Your first battle is just beyond that door. Good luck, Mr. Pendragon."

Drake opened and stepped through the door. It looked like a movie set of the dock area of a small, seaside town. Small docks, water, small fishing-boats tied up to docks and pilings, facades for typical shops found in such an area, and one longer pier at the far end extending over the water to a wide platform at the end. Seeing movement in the corner of his eye, he looked more closely at the dark water a few feet lower than the docks. It didn't take long to see triangular fins cut the surface now and then. Sharks. Not smelling the ocean-like scent of salt, he deduced they were bull sharks; not only able to survive in fresh water, but one of the most dangerous and aggressive species in the world. Whoever this mastermind is, he isn't fooling around.

xXx

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight's challenger has just entered the first Battlezone!", Wade Norton announced to the cheering crowd. "But before Mr. Pendragon can face his opponent, he must survive the hazards of the Danger Docks!"

Damian Diablo smirked as he turned from observing the betting of the crowd to the lovely face of Qinda. The echidna was hiding her concern for her lover well. She was confident that his fighting abilities would prevail, and that he would rescue her. But her love was so great that she couldn't deny the thread of fear in her heart for his safety.

"Brother, Dear, why didn't you tell me there was a challenger tonight?", a sultry female voice pouted from the door. Qinda looked to see the darkly beautiful woman who entered, and her resemblance to Damian was unmistakable; this must be his sister. Her long, fingerless evening gloves matched the short, black dress she was wearing that clung tightly to her dangerous curves. Her lips and long fingernails were blood-red. And her eyes flashed with the same darkness as Damian's own.

"Apologies, Lilith", Damian grinned with a hint of sheepishness. "Rather short notice and impossible to reschedule. May I present my next wife Qinda. Qinda? This is my sister Lilith."

"Charmed, I'm sure", Lilith grinned. "An echidna. I'm impressed, Damian. But why is she here and not already your wife?"

"Because she is currently bonded to tonight's challenger", he smirked. "But not for much longer."

"Don't be so sure, you monster!", Qinda hissed.

"A feisty one, isn't she?", Lilith giggled, then looked Drake over on all the monitors and bit her lower-lip, her hand drifting toward her crotch. "Not that I blame you, Qinda. He's handsome, and I can sense he has power. A shame he must die. I would've enjoyed…."

"Don't you dare talk about my Darling like that!"

xXx

Drake made his way cautiously along the docks toward the long pier, all his senses attuned to his surroundings. He jumped back as a grey ninja dropped down, landing in front of him on the spot he was just in! Drake blocked a punch then caught a kick, and shoved the ninja tumbling away on the ground as another grey ninja popped out of the door to the dock bar.

As Drake fought those two, a third ninja emerged from the cabin of a small boat tied to a piling and jumped onto the dock, rushing to engage as well. A fourth ninja dove out of a nearby window and rolled to his feet.

Driving the first three back with a wide round-house kick gave Drake a moment to grab a life preserver from the wall next to him to use as an impromptu weapon. These 'ninjas' were no more skilled than his earlier opponents up top. But the limited space of the dock made things more difficult. Fortunately, this hindered his opponents as much as it helped them.

After using it in a series of blocks and strikes, Drake threw the life preserver like a Frisbee, knocking one ninja off the dock and into a row-boat. Vaulting over the others, Drake shoved the boat hard away from the dock. There were no oars in the boat, so if the guy wanted to paddle he'd have to do it by hand with sharks in the water!

The other three rushed in to press an attack, but they were nowhere near his level, easily blocking or evading everything they threw at him. He knocked one away with a thrust kick, tangling him in a net as he fell. A back-flip kick sent another smashing through a window and into unconsciousness.

The last ninja came at him in a fury. Drake caught his wide punch, spinning in to reverse elbow him in the face, turning his nose into a fountain of blood. At the same time, Drake broke the arm he was holding. Screaming in pain, the ninja didn't see the reverse spin-kick that turned him inside-out in the air as he fell into the water. Blood in the water, the sharks converged of the screaming man in a frenzy.

By now, the other ninja had freed himself from the net. He assessed the situation and was shocked. One comrade drifting helplessly in a boat, another being torn apart by the sharks, the other nowhere to be seen, and a challenger unscathed and ready to keep fighting. This ninja was no fool. He saluted Drake, conceding the battle, and withdrew through the same door Drake had entered through.

Drake watched him leave, then turned toward the well-lit pier.

xXx

"How about that, folks?", Wade almost cheered, still playing the crowd. "It sure looks like Drake Pendragon is on fire tonight! And that was just the appetizer! But here's the question; how many of you think that a martial artist can beat a heavy-weight champion boxer? How many believe 'yes'?"

There were some cheers from the crowd.

"How many believe 'no'?"

Many more cheers this time. A lot of boxing fans in the crowd tonight.

"Well I say 'let's find out'!", Wade proposed dramatically. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present former World Heavyweight Champion; Tyson Michaels!"

The crowd cheered wildly as the screens showed a small boat ferrying a large, robed figure toward the pier from across the water, just as Drake reached the wide platform at the end. The boat docked with the pier and the big man climbed up the short ladder to the platform. He pushed the hood of his satin robe off of his head and glared at his smaller opponent.

Drake recognized him; Tyson Michaels, a former heavy-weight champion who was known for his brutality in the ring. Over the years of his career he had killed, crippled, or brain-damaged a few of his opponents in the ring. But during the rematch with the fighter who had beaten him for the title, he not only killed his opponent in the ring but an investigation revealed that he had 'loaded' his gloves for the fight with mercury! He was summarily kicked out of the rankings in disgrace, his pro-boxing license suspended for life.

"Aren't you kinda young for the Gauntlet, kid?", The boxer said as he removed his robe. Underneath, he wore matching trunks and ring-shoes. His hands were covered by standard 'wraps' but there were no gloves to be seen. He cracked his knuckles loudly and 'put up his dukes' in a speedy display. "Not that I really care. I'm gonna beat you down anyway."

"Are you just gonna stand there talkin' about it?", Drake said, dropping into a Dragon-stance. "Or are you gonna step up? I don't have all night."

Tyson snorted in amusement and advanced in classic boxing fashion. He snapped out a few quick jabs, feeling Drake out as he slapped them aside. The kid was quick, but the reach and strength advantage was his. He danced around his young opponent, shooting out jabs and hooks, probing for an opening, weakness, or blind-spot. Drake dodged or blocked adeptly, matching move for move. There! An opening! Tyson threw a right-handed haymaker! This kid is done!

Drake side-stepped and stomp-kicked the outside of Tyson's right knee, breaking it painfully at an awkward angle. His scream of agony as he fell was cut short by a left-hook to his jaw, followed by a kick to the face. He was mercifully out cold before he slumped to the deck.

xXx

"Whoooo! That's my Darling!", Qinda squealed happily.

"Brother dear, you may have finally found a worthy opponent", Lilith smirked at the brooding Damian. Wade played to the cheering crowd as bets were paid and collected.

'No one has ever taken Tyson Michaels down that fast before, other than myself', Damian Diablo thought to himself. 'And he may never fight again with that leg, dammit! Such a waste.' He picked up the mic again…

xXx

"An impressive victory, Mr. Pendragon. Board the boat Mr. Michaels arrived in, and it will ferry you toward your next challenge. My people will tend to your opponent once you're gone."

Drake reined in his anger. He didn't like crippling the former boxing champ, but this mystery-man behind the scenes has Qinda and he needs to get to her as quickly as he can. It would've taken too long to beat Tyson without injuring him.

Drake sat in the small boat, and moments later it pulled away from the pier, heading toward the far side of the water.

xxXXxx

Agent Smith and the MON team disembarked from the agency jet at the terminal specifically used for the ICEP in Las Vegas. The place was filled with newly arrived monster girls just waiting for their coordinators to pick them up or for their local documents to be processed.

"So what have you come up with, Unica?", Smith asked the monoeye once they were out of ear-shot of the potential homestays.

"Well, the tracker stopped moving in a rather remote location in the desert approximately 30 miles outside the city", she replied, pouring over her tablet. "Satelite images show it to be an old, abandoned airstrip. The tracker seems to be located inside the hanger, which appears to be the only structure left in usable condition."

"So are we headed out there, boss?", Doppel asked playfully as they all piled into an unmarked van.

"No", Smith said. "I doubt that Qinda or Mr. Pendragon are still there, or the thermal images would have picked them up. Who owns the land the airstrip is located on?"

"Hmmmmm…Here it is! Damian Diablo", the monoeye stated.

"Diablo?", Smith queried, her interest greatly piqued. "As in one of the wealthiest and most generous supporters of the Homestay Program?"

"Bingo. Plus the top 3 floors of his 'Diablo Caldera' hotel-resort and casino were built specifically to be his residence and primary business headquarters", Unica finished.

Taking the tablet from Unica while Lupa started the van and drove toward the city, Smith read the file and swiped through all the attached images, her mind already working. One of the wealthiest men in the world, philanthropist, generous donor and supporter of the ICEP, and hosting several monster girls through the program himself with a perfect score on every inspection by his coordinator since day one of his first homestay.

Red flag! Nobody scores perfect on every inspection….unless the coordinator was looking the other way. She called up the file of the case coordinator, Agent Jones. Just as over-worked and underpaid as herself, and yet he lives in an up-scale condo and just bought a brand new Corvette convertible. And prior to Diablo's first homestay? Jones was living in a run-down studio unit and forced to drive an agency vehicle after the Ford he'd driven since high school finally broke down for good. All told of a prime candidate for bribery.

'I can deal with him later', Smith thought to herself as she went back to the Diablo file, especially the business dealings. Hmmmmm…It seemed that the lion's share of his wealth comes from his pharmaceutical division, especially drugs derived from monster girl products. And many of his other high-profit divisions and investments are based on monster girl products or other crops originally cultivated only in monster girl lands.

"So where to, chief?", Lupa asked as they neared the city.

"The Diablo Caldera Casino Resort", Smith said. "And change into your civies, ladies. We're going in as a host and her homestays to search and investigate covertly."

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Author's notes: The whole 'fall from grace' scenario for Tyson Michaels with loading his gloves with mercury was inspired by an episode of the original "CSI" series.

As for his name, yup I totally chose it on purpose. Years ago I got so sick of hearing how 'unbeatable' Mike Tyson was! And the hypotheticals got totally ridiculous! Tyson vs Ali, Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, etc. I will grant that even the best martial artists often grant that a well-trained boxer is among the toughest opponents they could face, but Bruce was a master and Tyson relied almost entirely on his strength and power to put his opponent away as quickly as possible rather than risk going the distance.

At best, Tyson would have had the advantage in reach and power, but that's it. The speed, skill, and endurance go to Bruce. Sensei Lee could either take Tyson down as quickly as I laid out in this chapter, or taken his time picking the larger man apart.

As always, long reviews and suggestions are welcome! Flames will be used to grill steaks.

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