B. Schenley presents
RING OF FIRE: Chapter I-Rise of the Scorpio

The place was simply called The Cat House. It was a huge playground for adults. Gambling, girls, sports, sex and then some. The walls were covered with expensive paintings of beautiful people and a large portrait of the club's owner.
The hostesses in the main lounge wore nothing but heels, a thong and a smile.
Downstairs in the lower level was the ultimate man-cave. Several large screen projection TVs to show all the pay-per-view boxing, wrestling, ultimate fighting events, and classic fights on demand. An old friend of Madam Diana named Ce-Ce was placed in charge of maintaining this area which did alot of business but the real money was made in the club's cavernous basement. Ce-Ce had installed a pro-standard size boxing ring with seating for nearly 100 spectators and dressing rooms for participants. This is where they organized and conducted illegal underground boxing matches. Diana sponsored a small stable of fighters and made a mint from charging admission as well as side bets. The rules were strictly enforced and though weight classes were sometimes mixed, it was a class operation. There had been dozens of boxing events in this arena.
Some of the fights were set up to settle personal differences, others were just for money or action, and there had even been a few wrestling matches over the years. The club's current champion was Sandy Reed. Sandy was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 130 pounds. She was undefeated in 14 fights and Ce-Ce, her sponsor and lover had an open invitation to all comers to challenge Sandy for the title.

One afternoon a man walked into The Cat House with a very attractive, petite Spanish girl wearing a tight black mini-dress, black fishnet stockings and high heels, accompanying him. The man went to the bartender and said he was looking for "The Boss". Diana was nearby and heard the man, "Frankie E, what can I do for you?"

"I have a fighter to challenge your girl Sandy", said Frankie. The madam responded, "OK, come into my office and we'll discuss the details. Your girlfriend can stay out here and have a drink on the house if she likes."

Frankie gave his trademark million dollar smile and said, "Well thanks for the hospitality but she can come with us."

"Suit yourself." said Diana.

The three of them went upstairs into the madam's plush office. Diana sat behind her desk as Frankie sat in a chair across the desk from her, and the girl sat on a couch against the wall opposite the desk,surveying the lavishly decorated room. Diana made a phone call to Sandy and Ce-Ce and told them to come to her office. Diana and Frankie began discussing the monetary details. Much to Diana's delight, Mr. Escalade was ready to bet $50,000 that his fighter could beat Sandy Reed. They decided the fight would be held that Friday night. Soon Sandy and Ce-Ce came into the office. Sandy sat down and asked when her next victim would be ready for a beating after she was told the details and agreed to all of them.

Finally, Ce-Ce chimed in "When can we meet your fighter?"

Frankie responded, "You already have."
"You mean you?" asked a shocked Diana.

Frankie answered with a chuckle, "No, not me. Her.", gesturing to the Spanish girl sitting behind him.

Sandy and Ce-Ce burst out in laughter. When she regained her composure, Sandy said,
"You gotta be kidding. You're going to bet 50 large that this girl can beat me in a boxing match? How much does she weigh, 100 pounds?"

Frankie responded smoothly, "She's 5 foot 4, weighs exactly 125 pounds, 24 years old and yes I will bet $50,000 that she can beat you, champ. Now are you willing to take on all comers or not?"

Diana had known Frankie for years and realized the man was serious. She looked over his shoulder at the girl sitting on the couch and asked, "Honey are you really willing to get in the ring and fight Sandy here?"

The girl looked at her with her beautiful dark eyes and long black hair
that framed her flawless Spanish face and said, "Si."

Ce-Ce, who just noticed how incredibly attractive she was, looked back at Frankie and said, "Where is she from?"

"Meh-hee-co.", answered Frankie with a sly smile.

Sandy chimed in, "I got no problem whipping on this girl for $50,000."

"OK, you got yourself a fight Frankie. I hope she doesn't get killed, Sandy isn't going to hold anything back." said Ce-Ce.

Frankie responded as he shook the madams' hand, "We wouldn't have it any other way, would we? See you Friday night Boss-Lady." As Frankie and the girl left she lit up a cigarette and wondered what "Frankie the Gambler" had up his sleeve.

Fight night arrived and the arena was packed. The preliminary bout was over.
The fight was good and the crowd had gotten its money's worth.
Now it was time for the main event. Scorpio come out of her dressing room and walked down the aisle escorted by Frankie and another woman. Frankie was smiling widely as he had made a large number of side bets and expected to make a huge profit on this fight. The crowd applauded as Scorpio moved down to the ring and climbed through the ropes. She was a vision of exotic beauty. Her wavy hair fell loosely about her face. She removed her minuscule red robe to reveal her toned arms and firm breasts. Her abdominal muscles tight from hours of work. Her soft toasted almond skin glowed from a light coating of baby oil. She wore a tight red and black thong that clung to her hips and firm ass like it was painted on. On her hands was a pair of red 12oz. boxing gloves. Despite her size she looked like a true athlete standing in her corner throwing punches in the air as her corner girl massaged her shoulders.

Soon Sandy came to the ring with her entourage and the club's title belt around her waist and her blue gloves raised over her head as she walked. She was a long legged blonde in her mid 40's with a pretty face and a smug air of confidence. The announcer entered the ring just as Madam Diana had gotten to her seat at ringside next to Frankie and Ce-Ce.

"Ladies and gentlemen this is the main event of the evening, 12 rounds of boxing for the Cat House Club Championship. In the corner to my left from Tijuana, making her Cat House debut, wearing the red thong, she weighs in at 125lbs., "The Pride of Mexico, Lady Scorpio!" Cheers and whistles went up from the crowd. "And in the corner to my right, our hometown favorite, wearing the white panties with blue gloves, she weighs in at 130 lbs, undefeated with 14 wins, no losses, and 11 knockouts, the champion Sandy Reed!" A huge roar went up from the crowd for the popular champion. Looking at the two combatants receiving their instructions most of the people in the audience thought this match would be an easy win for the champion. Sandy towered over Scorpio and outweighed her. Scorpio was small and slender, obviously in shape but no match for a fighter like Sandy.

The formalities were over and the bell sounded for Round 1. The two fighters moved out of their corners and to the center of the ring. Scorpio was bouncing lightly on her feet with her gloves in front of her face as they circled each other. Sandy had decided she would show her no mercy and fight her as she would any other opponent. The champ threw a right hook that Scorpio ducked under. She then snapped out 3 quick right jabs that were each blocked by Scorpio's left glove. Sandy was surprised by the girl's skill. She threw a right-left combination and Scorpio slipped the punches. Then Sandy swung a right hay maker at her opponent's head. Scorpio ducked under the blow stepped into Sandy and began pounding away at her mid section. Her fists moved like pistons, the punches landed with huge thuds. Sandy let out a loud "OOF" with each blow. She tried to back away and put some space between herself and the latina but Scorpio stuck to her and continued punching away at her stomach as she backed into the ropes. Sandy was unable to effectively punch downward at her attacker. The champion tried to cover up but most of the punches were getting through and Sandy was being chopped down like a tree. The champ was now bending forward at the waist and Scorpio took advantage,delivering a huge right uppercut into Sandy's chin. The blow straightened her up and sent her bouncing off the ropes. As she came off the ropes she wrapped her arms around Scorpio in a clinch. The two grappled out into the center of the ring. Sandy freed her right arm and began pounding her fist into Scorpio's ribs. Four blows thudded home before the referee was able to make Sandy break the clinch.
Sandy tried to back pedal away from Scorpio,who stalked her and cut off the ring. When she moved in Sandy saw an opportunity and threw a right cross that caught her on the jaw snapping her head to the right. She countered with a right-left-right combination to the champ's face that drove her into a corner. Sandy was stunned and tried to cover up in the corner. Scorpio was moving in when the bell sounded ending the first round.

Scorpio sat down in her corner and rested her arms on the second rope as her corner girl gave her water and rubbed her down. Ce-Ce looked very concerned as Sandy's corner man frantically gave her instructions and worked on her. The bell sounded for round 2.

Sandy rushed across the ring and caught Scorpio coming out of her corner with a left and right to her head that drove her back into the corner. Scorpio covered her face and Sandy went downstairs punching away at her mid-section.
The blows appeared to have no effect as they bounced off of her stomach muscles that lay just beneath the soft smooth skin of the Spanish warrior. After landing 6 or 7 blows to Scorpio's stomach Sandy tried to move up to her head. But her blows were blocked and Scorpio countered with a series of lightning fast punches that drove the taller fighter out of the corner and into the center of the ring. There she tried to fight back but the lithe challenger circled and danced around her, dodging her punches and moving in to land her own at will. Finally, Scorpio landed a right cross to Sandy's temple. Her knees buckled and she crumpled to the canvas. The ref ordered Scorpio to a neutral corner. She moved to the farthest corner and stood there with her arms resting on the top rope breathing easily.

The ref began the count, "1...2...3...4..." Sandy was close enough to the ropes that she could grab them and began climbing up the ropes like a ladder.
She was dizzy and could not see straight but she knew she had to get up, "6...7...8" Sandy was on her feet. She was unsteady but her hands were up and she told the ref she was okay when asked. The ref said, "Fight."

When Scorpio moved in Sandy grabbed her and held on for dear life. The ref broke the clinch just as the bell rang ending the round. Sandy moved to her corner and her people began working furiously on her. There was a cut over her right eye and swelling under her left. Scorpio sat down with her arms resting on her thighs and her gloves between her legs as she glanced out at Frankie. "This is the round." he thought to himself. The look in her eyes told everything. Painful destruction.

The bell rang for round 3.

The champ moved tentatively out of her corner. Scorpio moved deliberately across the ring and began stalking her prey. She cut off the ring until Sandy could no longer move away. As she moved in Sandy threw a right hand that was blocked. Scorpio fired off a right cross-followed by 3 left jabs, another right cross and a left hook that sprayed blood and sweat through the air. The series of devastating punches left Sandy bleeding & staggering across the ring. She appeared to be out on her feet. Scorpio moved in and threw a few light punches to drive Sandy out into the center of the ring. The crowd was on its feet screaming wildly. They sensed a knockout was imminent. Ce-Ce was yelling at the top of her lungs for Sandy to cover up and move away from Scorpio but Sandy was beyond hearing anything. Scorpio moved slowly towards Sandy in the middle of the ring. She sent a huge left uppercut into the champ's solar plexus causing her mouthpiece to come out and her knees to buckle. Then she swung an overhand right into the side of her head that sent her down face-first into the canvas with a sickening thud. She hit the mat hard and out cold. Scorpio stood quietly in the corner as the ref completed the 10 count and ended the fight. The only thing Sandy did during the count was blink her blackened eyes. They were almost focused when Ce-Ce ran into the ring to see if she was all right.

The announcer entered the ring to make it official, "The winner at 1 minute 12 seconds of round three by knockout and NEW CHAMPION, LADY SCORPIO!" The crowd went wild. The ref raised Scorpio's hand high in victory. When the ref let go, Scorpio raised both gloved hands above her head in triumph. The 5 foot 4 inch tigress held the victory pose and paraded around the ring so everyone could see her powerful beauty. The now ex-champion Sandy watched the young Spanish beauty move around the ring as she was helped to her feet and through the ropes. As she looked into her cold eyes, her body shuddered as she thought to herself, "I do not want a rematch."

Frankie glanced over at Diana who sat in shock and amazement at what she just saw. Her eyes met with the Spanish girl in the ring and she nodded her approval. She may have lost $50,000 dollars but she planned on investing in the Mexican mauler. Ce-Ce looked on silent disgust as she watched Sandy head back to the dressing room the disgraced victim of a knockout.

The next few months yeilded brisk business as Scorpio built a cult following among Sin City's
fight fans. Madam Diana seen her profits increase with each sound beating her new champion
laid on her chalengers. It didnt take long for Ce-Ce to warm up to the young latina and did all she could to keep the club's meal ticket healthy and in top fighting shape.