Knocked Out: A Red, Hot and BOOM! Story Read Free Page A

got.
    “Ok, that makes me feel better. Guess it’s time to see who passes go and collects $200 now, huh?”
    “That’s my girl.” Tucker said as their got into the car and headed towards the gym.

    ***
At Rounders University, the place was packed full of men in various sizes, shapes and styles.
    Tucker was right. This group was definitely different from the previous ones she had witnessed. Cameras were stationed all around the gym, catching every single drill Billy and Tucker put them through. Hayley watched everything on a TV screen in Tucker’s office. She was impressed with how well the 20 men were holding up through the grueling workouts and an obstacle course that needed to be finished to move onto the next round. .
    Twenty went down to 10; more workouts resumed. Only this time; there was a mock interview
    session where the candidates they had to tell the public what being the ‘Next Great Hope’ meant to them.
    At midnight, the top 10 became the top five. If these five got through their background checks, she could have them on a plane and into the training house in the undisclosed location of Los Angeles by the end of the week.
    It was after midnight; she watched the last interview with pride. The candidate she watched was
    named Mike Tunney. He was young, talented, and could charm his way out of the match with Jackson Briggs if he had to. His smile was infectious, and one couldn’t help but to be drawn to his passion of the sport. She was relieved at this group that Tucker and Billy brought in. Her enthusiasm couldn’t be contained when Tucker and Billy walked into Tucker’s office. Hayley sprang up and drew the two men into a hug. “Oh, my god, thank you! All of these guys were fantastic.”
    Soaked in sweat with a towel draped around his head, Billy asked with uncertainty, “Yeah?”
    Hayley was all smiles as she nodded. “Hell yeah. This was excellent. Now, these five men are
    guys that I’d want to see on my TV! Where in the hell have you been hiding these guys, Tucker?”
    “Deep in my basement.” The middle aged man had quipped before he continued. “They’ve
    always been here. They wanted a chance to show you what they could do, since they heard about the show. They figured it was the one of the only ways to get to the next level.”
    She sat back down and told them both. “And then there is one…”
    Billy sat on the edge of the desk. “See anyone else in the files that you can pull?” he asked.
    “If Hayley couldn’t find them before, I doubt she’d find them again.” Tucker said.
    “Are there any gyms we missed?” she asked with interest.
    “There are a couple of smaller ones I can check out in the morning. But Hayley let me ask you
    something. If you want the people with you, then why don’t you let them choose the last one?” Tucker suggested.
    Hayley’s eyes rose. She wrapped a strand of long hair around her ear and took a long swig of her water. “I want to give this one more try. I want authentic athletes like the five we have. They’ve got stories compelling enough to make you want to root for them throughout the series.”
    With a half-yawn, Billy said, “Back to the drawing board.”
    “We’ll try the gyms once more. If we can’t, then I promise to go on TV and appeal to the public.”
    Hayley suggested. “Deal?”
    Both men nodded. “Deal.”

Chapter Four
    “I’m sorry Evan. We’re going to have to let you go.”
    It was the news he dreaded while sitting in his foreman’s office. How would he explain to his
    mother, attorney and the bank that held his mortgage that he was unemployed-again?
    “Isn’t there anything you can do for me? I’ll do anything. Hell, I’ll sweep floors if you want me to.” Evan pleaded.
    The foreman sat staring at him with a grim face. “You know I would if there were something, but
    our whole section has been cut including me. Management put everything they had into that Halliburton deal and came up empty. I’m sorry,