A door knock woke Damon up from his short nap, jolting him back to reality.
He cleared his throat, gathering himself as he sat up. "Ahh, fuck," he muttered, feeling the adrenaline wear off and the pain of the punches setting in.
He slowly got up from the table, his muscles aching as he walked towards the door.
He opened the door to find a man in a black uniform standing in the hallway. It was the same guy who had led him to the arena for the weigh-in. "Mr. Cross, congratulations on your debut," the man said, his voice firm and professional.
Damon scratched his head, still trying to shake off the sleep. "Thanks," he replied, his voice gruff from disuse.
The man smiled slightly. "Well, I'm here to lead you to the shower locker room. You must be eager to clean up after that intense fight."
Damon couldn't help but look down at himself, taking in his sweat-stained clothes and the bruises already forming on his skin.
He sniffed, wincing at his own smell. He knew he needed a shower badly. "Okay, wait here," he said, turning back into the room to grab his clothes.
He emerged a moment later, his gear in hand. "Alright, lead the way," he said, following the man out of the room and into the hallway.
As they walked, Damon's eyes took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The hallway was long and narrow, with doors leading off to either side.
The man in black led him to a door at the far end, which he pushed open with a nod. " Locker room showers," he said. "You'll find everything you need in there."
Damon nodded, stepping inside as the man turned to leave. The door closed behind him, and he was alone once more. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his exhaustion.
He found the showers, a row of stalls lined up against the wall. He walked in, placing his clothes on the bench, and began undressing, starting with the shorts.
He took out the cup and rolled up the clothes in one bundle, then headed into the shower. As he opened the water, it ran down his battered body, soothing his muscles. "First win," he mumbled to himself, a small smile on his face.
He closed his eyes, letting the water wash over him, and began to wash himself gently, careful not to hurt his bruises.
The warm water felt good on his skin, relaxing his muscles and calming his mind. He stood there for 30 minutes, enjoying the sensation of the water and the quiet of the locker room.
Finally, he turned off the water and pulled a towel from the rack, drying himself carefully. He wrapped the towel around his waist and got out of the shower, looking around the locker room.
That's when he saw a plastic bag next to his clothes, with a note attached to it. He walked over and opened the bag, finding a set of clean clothes inside.
He also saw a paper with a message: "Congratulations on your win, keep up the good work and your rewards will be better." He smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment.
He read the rest of the note, his eyes scanning the page. "Go to the office to get your pay," it said. Damon's smile grew even wider as he read the words.
He felt a sense of excitement and anticipation at the prospect of receiving his payment.
He took off the towel and began dressing in the clean clothes, feeling the soft fabric against his skin. The clothes were a bit bigger than he was used to, but they were good enough.
He noticed that they had 'Battle Xtreme' written on them, so he assumed they must be merchandise from the organization.
He took the shorts and cup from the shower and stuffed them into the plastic bag, tying it up neatly. Then, he walked back to his room, the plastic bag in hand.
He entered the room and placed the plastic bag into the box, leaving it there. "I hope they don't lock it," he muttered to himself, wondering if his belongings would be safe.
He took a deep breath, feeling the exhaustion start to creep back in. He knew he needed to go to the office and collect his pay, but he just wanted to rest.
Damon forced himself to move, his legs feeling heavy with exhaustion. He wandered around the building, looking for a staff member to ask where the office was.
He walked down a long hallway, his footsteps echoing off the walls. The fluorescent lights overhead cast a bright glow, making him squint.
After a few minutes of walking, he saw a staff member standing at a desk, typing away on a computer.
Damon approached him, clearing his throat to get his attention. "Excuse me," he said, trying to sound clear and concise. "Can you tell me where the office is?"
The staff member looked up, a friendly smile on his face. "Ah, yeah! The office is just down that way," he said, pointing down a nearby hallway. "You can't miss it. Just look for the sign that says 'Office'."
Damon nodded, thanking him, and set off in the direction he had been pointed. He walked for a few minutes, his eyes scanning the doors for the right one. Finally, he saw it - a door with a simple sign that read "Office".
Damon was surprised by how easily he found the office.
He had expected a long search, but instead, he was pointed in the right direction and found it quickly.
He wondered if the building only had one office, or if 'The Office' was just a well-known location.
He stood in front of the door, his hand hesitating for a moment before knocking. KNOCK!! KNOCK!! The sound echoed through the hallway, and a deep voice boomed from inside. "Come in!" it said.
Damon took a deep breath, turned the handle, and pushed the door open.