Fan Fiction 1: Brody vs. Ram (Part 1 of 5)

This story was written by Anonymous featuring characters from The Cave.

The Cave Unleashed: Brody vs. Ram

Saturday Afternoon

"Hell yeah – that's what I'm talkin' about!"

Having just finished a phenomenal workout, Brody admired the results of his efforts. Standing shirtless in front of the locker room mirror, his muscles pumped and glistening with the sweat of a heavy lifting session, he struck pose after pose with his 5'10", 230-lb frame. A lifetime of athletics – beginning with gymnastics at a young age, to wrestling in middle school, to powerlifting in high school, and finally bodybuilding post-graduation – created a body for him few men could achieve.

Brody.

Life had been hard for Brody since leaving his small-town rural community for the bright lights of L.A. at the young age of 19. He rarely left his hometown as a kid and was therefore totally unprepared when he struck off on his own for the big city. Forced to learn quick and grow up fast, he took a variety of odd jobs to afford the exorbitant cost of living in Southern California – jobs where his size and strength proved beneficial. The job he had tonight was one of those occasions, working as a doorman and head of security at an ultra-exclusive concert for one of the world's top DJs. His heavy workout was designed to pump his muscles so he could look his best and most intimidating for anyone who thought about causing trouble at the event that evening.

As he admired his physique in the mirror, Brody felt somewhat unfulfilled. He made a lot of friends since moving to L.A. 15 years ago and earned a reputation as a hard worker and a reliable person, but the jobs for which he was hired rarely gave him a chance to use his full strength. It also meant taking a lot of shit from a lot of people – people Brody could easily snap in half if so inclined. Some of his friends introduced Brody to the world of underground wrestling, where he could work out his frustrations and earn some extra cash, which he desperately needed. This wasn't the kind of wrestling you see on TV, though – it involved real hard-hitting action, often with significant stakes for the loser. Unfortunately for Brody, his matches were almost always against greatly undersized or outmuscled opponents. Some of them could put up quite a fight, and some even managed to beat him fair and square using a combination of speed, skill, and a decent amount of luck, but Brody always held back his true strength for fear of injuring his fellow competitors.

The only person who could ever give Brody a true wrestling challenge was Buck, his best friend from back home. Brody and Buck were nearly inseparable as children and wrestled each other frequently while growing up in the country, but as time went on, Buck grew significantly larger than Brody and possessed that freakish "farmer’s strength" you sometimes hear about. Though Brody was by far the superior wrestler, he now had to rely more on skill than strength to beat Buck – something that was made painfully obvious when Brody returned to his hometown to visit Buck a couple years ago and rekindle their rivalry after a 5-year hiatus. Now that Buck was visiting Brody in L.A. for an extended stay, the two formed a tag team in the underground wrestling ranks known as "The Country Boys". However, with Buck's superior size and uncanny strength, he quickly became the "power man" of their duo while Brody was relegated to more of the "technician" role – a role that didn’t sit well with Brody. Just once he wished he could take on someone his own size and strength so he could unleash his full power on his opponent.

Perhaps someday...

Saturday Afternoon, Across Town

"Hell yeah – that's what I'm talkin' about!"

Having just finished a phenomenal workout, Rowen Ramsey III – or "Ram" as his friends called him – admired the fruit of his labor. Standing shirtless in front of the locker room mirror, his muscles pumped and glistening with the sweat of a heavy lifting session, he struck pose after pose with his 5'10", 235-lb frame. A lifetime of athletics – beginning with horseback riding at a young age, to baseball, basketball, track and field, wrestling, football, MMA, and eventually bodybuilding – created a body for him few men could achieve.

Rowen "Ram" Ramsey III

Life had been easy for Ram growing up. His grandfather was an industrial shipping magnate, making his family incredibly wealthy, but his grandfather's work ethic also taught Ram to forge his own path in life. Fortunately, Ram possessed his grandfather's business acumen and "never say never" spirit, and that – combined with his great looks and imposing physique – made him quite successful in his own right. People often told him the nickname “Ram” was fitting for him because he met any challenges head-on and smashed right through them just like a battering ram.

By age 33, Ram was partners in one of L.A.'s most exclusive promotion and production companies, hosting major events for some of Hollywood's most famous glitterati. Now at age 35, the event his company was hosting tonight was its most important to date – an ultra-exclusive concert for one of the world's most famous DJs, with a very strict VIP guest list. His heavy workout that day was designed to pump his muscles up so he could look his best and most intimidating for his clients and guests.

As he admired his physique in the mirror, Ram felt somewhat unfulfilled. He made a lot of friends since moving to L.A. from New England 15 years ago and earned a reputation as a hard worker and reliable business partner, but his career rarely gave him a chance to use his full strength. It also meant taking a lot of shit from a lot of ultra-conceited Hollywood types – people Ram could easily snap in half if so inclined. Some of his friends introduced Ram to the world of underground wrestling, where he could work out his frustrations and earn a little extra cash, though he hardly needed the money. This wasn't the kind of wrestling you see on TV, though – it involved real hard-hitting action, often with significant stakes for the loser. Unfortunately for Ram, his matches were almost always against greatly undersized or outmuscled opponents. Some of them could put up quite a fight, and some even managed to beat him fair and square using a combination of speed, skill, and a decent amount of luck, but Ram always held back his true strength for fear of injuring his fellow competitors. Just once he wished he could take on someone his own size and strength so he could unleash his full power on his opponent.

Perhaps someday...

Saturday Evening

"What the hell do you mean I'm not on the list?!"

"I said there's no 'Rowen Ramsey' on the list."

As the hard-pounding beats from the undercard DJs currently performing created a low rumble outside the building, Ram knew the doorman was right. He was so preoccupied making sure everything was ready for the evening's concert earlier in the day that he forgot to include himself on the guest list. He hadn't planned to arrive to the concert this late, though, expecting to be there well before the security team arrived. As usual, Ram’s business partners in his production company, Brad and Joel, were slacking off and arrived at the concert venue – an old warehouse owned by Ram's family that also happened to be the business office of Ram’s production company – just a few hours before the show began, leaving Ram to tend to most of the final preparations himself.

Once he brought Brad and Joel up to speed on what still needed to be done, Ram left the concert venue much later than planned and returned to his home in the hills overlooking the city to work out, eat, shower, and change before the show. Normally he would've showered and changed in the private bathroom in his office at the warehouse, but there was a particular suit he wanted to wear to the show that evening that was back at his house, and he also needed to pick up some important papers from his home office for a client who would be at the show that evening. He knew he would return to the concert very shortly before the concert began, but he forgot to consider the fact that the security staff wouldn't know who he was, and Brad and Joel would probably be too busy schmoozing their clients and guests to check their phone messages and clear Ram through security. The extremely meticulous Ram was very angry with himself for forgetting such an important detail, but for now his anger was directed at the musclebound doorman in black preventing him from entering his own event.

"Look... Brody," Ram said, glancing down at the nametag lanyard the man had around his neck to catch his name. "Just radio for Brad or Joel. I work with them, and they'll vouch for me."

Ram had dealt with guys like this "Brody" many times before when hosting big events – meatheads who are used to getting their way due to their good looks and big muscles but are dumber than a box of rocks. Give them a little authority, and they let the power go to their heads and start pushing people around even more than usual. Well Ram was no pushover. If necessary, he'd show this asshole who the stronger man was.

"Brad and Joel personally went over this list with me about an hour ago, and they confirmed that everyone who should be on here is," Brody stated, "and you're not on the list."

Brody had dealt with guys like this "Rowen Ramsey" many times before as a doorman and bouncer – lunkheads who were used to getting their way due to their good looks and big muscles but are dumber than a tree stump. Give them a little money and a place to show off, and they let their egos go to their heads and start pushing people around even more than usual. Well Brody was no pushover. If necessary, he'd show this douchebag who the stronger man was.

"I don't fucking believe this!" Ram said, starting to lose his cool. "I'm the promoter of this event. My family owns this warehouse for god's sake!" he exclaimed, texting Brad and Joel for the tenth time to come let him in.

"Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before," Brody curtly replied. "Move along now, sir. People who are supposed to be here are trying to get in."

Not one to be made a fool of in front of his own guests, especially in his best-looking and most expensive gray suit and black shirt, Ram shouted, "If you don't let me in right now, I'll make sure you're cleaning up the piss and puke in the bathrooms after this damned show is over!"

Not one to be threatened, Brody shouted back, "The only way you're getting in here is by going through me!"

"That shouldn't be too hard!" Ram countered.

The challenged laid down, both men stood eye to eye, simultaneously swelling their massive chests. The fibers in Brody's skin-tight spandex shirt stretched the fabric to its limit, while the uppermost button of Ram's shirt – previously buttoned to just above the cleft between his huge pecs – popped off, unable to contain the muscle within. The button flew through the air and gently struck Brody in the chest, but that was all the muscular doorman needed for the provocation he so desperately wanted.

"That's it! You're outta here!" Brody yelled, but just before he grabbed Ram's jacket, a much smaller man stepped between the two behemoths.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's dial back a bit on the testosterone, fellas!" the man said.

"It's about fucking time you showed up, Brad!" Ram spat, livid.

"This guy's trying to crash the gate, sir," Brody stated.

"It's OK, Brody... Bro... Bro Man... He's with me," Brad said, placing an arm around Brody’s thick shoulders and neck. Brad had clearly been doing a little entertaining of the company's high-profile clients already judging by his slightly slurred speech, overly-friendly demeanor, and the smell of scotch on his breath. "Now c'mon, Ram Man, we gotta get back inside. This show is gonna be insane! You won't believe some of the celebrities who are here already!" Brad added as he turned to reenter the venue.

"No!" Ram shouted. "I want you to fire this idiot right now!"

Brad turned to Ram with a suddenly serious expression and approached him for a private conversation. "We CAN'T fire him, Ram Man. This concert is gonna be crazy with all these spoiled rich kids here drinking and probably doing drugs. We're gonna need all the help we can get to keep things under control, and that guy looks like he can handle several dudes all by himself. This show is too important for our agency. There's too much riding on this. Now calm down, check your ego, and come inside and do what you do best, which is throw the best damned parties in L.A.!" Brad suggested, shaking Ram's shoulder.

"That asshole made me pop a button," Ram sulked, his temper subsiding.

"C'mon, Ram Man," Brad smiled. "That shirt is, what... one, maybe two sizes too small for you? There's no way that button would've lasted the night. Just be glad it didn't come flying off while you were talking to the Kardashians and hit one of them in the face!" he chuckled.

Turning to Brody, Brad instantly regained his cheerfully inebriated disposition and placed his hand on Brody's massive deltoid. He tried squeezing it, but his slender fingers were no match for the immovable muscle. "You're doing a great job, Brosef,” he complimented. “Keep up the good work!"

With one last parting glare between the two musclemen, Ram went inside the warehouse with Brad.

The Wee Hours of Sunday Morning

The concert was a smashing success, with Ram, Brad, and Joel’s agency getting several requests from some of L.A.’s most influential movers and shakers to plan future events for them. Although Ram regained his composure around his clientele and returned to the sharp and well-liked businessman everyone knew him to be, he couldn't help but think of the challenge laid out by the beefy bouncer earlier in the evening. The only way you're getting in here is by going through me! Ram contemplated the various interpretations of the words "getting in here” and “going thru me" within that challenge.

Throughout the night, between conducting business and entertaining his guests, Ram scanned the venue for Brody, occasionally spotting the big man here and there once his doorman duties outside shifted to event security inside. Realizing that he and Brody were virtually the same size and looked to be about the same age, he wondered if he would ever have a chance to take the muscular security guard up on his challenge. Brody could finally be the one upon whom Ram could unleash his full strength without fear of seriously injuring anyone because the big boy looked like he could take the punishment. Oh, what a match that would be!

Unfortunately, as the night neared its end, Ram found himself increasingly busy with the duties of any service-based company: Taking names and numbers for potential new business, hearing the rave reviews about the concert from friends and clientele, and making sure guests had rides home for their safety – which, with this being such an exclusive event, usually meant summoning their chauffeurs and personally escorting them to their waiting limousines while fending off several of his inebriated clients' advances. He also had to delegate clean-up assignments and count the money in the cash registers at the various bars set up around the old warehouse.

Ram was so preoccupied with his responsibilities that he never saw what happened to Brody or when the big man left the venue. He asked Brad to give him the name of the security company that worked the event that evening, but Brad refused to do so out of concern that Ram might call them to try to get the musclebound doorman fired. In reality, Ram wanted to know the name of the security firm so he could hire that company again for future events and hopefully see Brody once more. He made a mental note to ask his other business partner, Joel, for the information.

Likewise, Brody spent most of the evening thinking about the night's earlier confrontation. He couldn't help but think of the way that “Rowen Ramsey” guy had so casually dismissed his threat. That shouldn't be too hard! Brody contemplated the various interpretations of the word "hard" within that statement. He also couldn’t stop thinking about how those massive pecs of Rowen's had swelled so large that they actually launched a shirt button at him.

Throughout the night, between surveying the venue for trouble and dealing with overly rowdy or drunk concert goers, Brody scanned the venue for Rowen, or "Ram Man" as that guy, Brad, called him. He occasionally spotted the big man here and there laughing it up with a bunch of famous rich people. Realizing that he and Rowen were virtually the same size and looked to be about the same age, he wondered if he would ever have a chance to take on the muscular event promoter in an actual fight. Rowen could finally be the one upon whom Brody could unleash his full strength without fear of seriously injuring anyone because the big guy looked like he could take the punishment. Oh, what a match that would be!

Unfortunately, as the night neared its end, Brody found himself increasingly busy with the duties of any security chief: Coordinating efforts among the rest of the security team, breaking up fights, escorting troublemakers out, and calling for medical attention for people who had too much to drink or had ingested too many drugs. He also began to worry about whether he was going to be fired for the earlier altercation with Rowen. Good job, Bro, he thought to himself. Lose the best paying security gig in the city by threatening one of your firm's most important clients, all because you can't get your head on straight. Brody decided to try to make things right by being the bigger man and apologizing to Mr. Ramsey.

After all the guests left and the "ugly lights" came on in the makeshift concert venue, Ram was speaking with one of the bartenders as she cleaned her station when he heard someone behind him clear his throat and politely ask, "Excuse me? Mr. Ramsey, sir?"

Ram turned to see he was face to face with Brody.

"I, uh, just want to apologize for the misunderstanding earlier this evening, sir,” Brody stated. “Brad and Joel both made it very clear that only people who were on the guest list were allowed in here tonight, and they said that if I didn't do my job, I'd have to answer to ‘the big boss’, who I assume is you now that I’ve met you.” Ram did his best to stifle a smile.

“I take my job very seriously, sir,” Brody continued, “and I didn't want to let them or ‘the big boss’ down. I hope you understand and that this mishap won't reflect poorly on my performance evaluation when the security company calls you with their survey next week. Truth be told, I really need this job."

Doing his best to hide his elation, Ram asked coolly, "How old are you, man?"

"I'll be 35 at the end of March, sir."

"Yeah, well I just turned 35 in July, so that makes us, what... less than 8 months apart in age? In other words, you can stop with the 'sir'. It makes me feel old," Ram replied, cracking a slight smile and showing perfect, gleaming white teeth. It was then that Brody realized just how good-looking the man was.

Brody gave an impish grin. "Sure thing, Mr. Ramsey."

"Call me Ram."

"Ram," Brody confirmed, extending his big right hand for a handshake. "I'm Brody – but you already knew that," he said as he used his left hand to hold up the nametag lanyard around his neck that Ram observed earlier. The two musclemen shook hands, which lasted longer than it should’ve as both tried to test each other's strength with their grip.

"That was an awesome concert, Mr. Rams-, uh, Ram," Brody observed. "Definitely one of the best I've ever worked. You and Brad and Joel really put all this together?"

"Yup."

"And your family really owns this neat old warehouse?"

"Yup."

"Wow. It's the perfect place for an event like this,” Brody said. “That DJ is one of my favorites. I listen to his stuff all the time when I lift."

"Me too," Ram replied. "I've been trying to book a show with him for over a year now."

"Yeah, you look like you lift," Brody stated, awkwardly changing the subject. He mentally smacked himself for being so abrupt.

"Likewise," Ram replied.

"How serious are you into lifting? Like, do you do any bodybuilding shows?" Brody inquired, genuinely curious. "You look like you could compete."

"I competed at the nationals 4 years ago. Placed 2nd in my class," Ram stated. "Really?" Brody asked, looking somewhat puzzled. "I did the nationals 4 years ago, too. What class were you in?"

"Heavyweight... of course," Ram replied with a quick flex of his pecs.

"Well that makes sense,” Brody said. “I was confused because I also placed 2nd at the nationals that year, but in the Super Heavyweight division. So when you said you placed 2nd, I was like, 'Wait a minute – I KNOW you didn't beat me'!" Brody added with a laugh and a quick pec flex of his own.

"I've slimmed down a bit since then, so I'd be competing in the Heavyweight division now myself,” Brody continued. “I figure it's better to be the biggest guy in a lower weight class than the smallest guy in a higher weight class. Maybe we’ll compete against each other sometime," Brody smiled.

Ram contemplated the thought of yet another challenge laid down by the big stud, but he didn't want to compete against Brody in a bodybuilding competition – he wanted him in a wrestling match. It was time to cast a line and see if the fish would take the bait.

"Well, I'm afraid my bodybuilding days are mostly behind me now,” Ram stated. “That was before the whole event planning business took off, so now I have to find other ways to keep in shape with what little free time I have. You know, weightlifting, cardio, wrestling..." he said, deliberately leaving the word "wrestling" dangling.

"Whoa!" Brody exclaimed, perhaps a little too excitedly. "You wrestle?"

"Whenever I get a chance," Ram replied. "It's hard to find someone who's willing to go up against me, though. They're usually too intimidated by my size, and for anyone I do wrestle, I always have to hold back so I don't hurt them."

"I know exactly what you mean," Brody said, feeling he had met a kindred spirit. "Are you a member of an amateur wrestling club or something?"

"Well, most of the amateur wrestling clubs around here are geared towards either high school or collegiate athletes," Ram stated, "and at 35, I'm getting a little too old for that, so I mainly just wrestle around with some friends for fun."

"I had the same problem the older and bigger I got, too," Brody lamented. "The amateur clubs are more for kids, and I was always afraid I'd hurt 'em, so I started looking around for other outlets. Are you a fan of pro wrestling?"

"I grew up in the 80s and 90s – of course I'm a fan of pro wrestling!" Ram laughed. "I looked into some of the minor league indy wrestling circuits around here, but those guys take things pretty seriously and don't necessarily cater to part-timers and outsiders like me. Plus, I'm not a big fan of getting hit with metal chairs and going through wooden tables."

"Well I've found something else you might be interested in that actually does cater to part-timers and outsiders,” Brody stated. "They're called 'underground' wrestling clubs, and they take the best parts of pro wrestling, like the gimmicks and action and stuff, and remove all the craziness that pro wrestling has become."

Brody then gulped before asking his next question, knowing that if Ram knew of the topic he was about to mention and wasn't an open-minded person, it could cost him his only shot at taking on this monster of a man.

"Like, for example..." Brody nervously asked, "... have you ever heard of a wrestling promotion called 'The Cave'?'"

"Never heard of it," Ram replied, deciding to conceal from Brody that he was, in fact, one of The Cave's most popular stars.

"It's really cool!" Brody continued, feeling quite relieved. "It's a superhero-themed wrestling promotion where guys can choose gimmicks based on existing superheroes and villains from comics, or they can create their own characters. It started out as a play on the Batman comics, which is why it's called 'The Cave', and the guy who plays the Batman character is the promotion's co-owner and biggest star."

"Really?" Ram asked, feigning ignorance. He himself had gone toe-to-toe with The Bat in one of his Cave matches – and lost.

"Yeah. I know it sounds kinda cheesy, but it's a lot of fun, and some of the guys there are bigger guys like us, so you can actually get a pretty decent workout without having to worry too much about injuring someone," Brody replied.

"So, do you wrestle for this 'Cave' promotion?" Ram asked. He knew he'd remember if a guy like Brody was on The Cave’s roster but couldn't recall ever seeing him. He sincerely hoped Brody was about to tell him that he just signed with The Cave because, if so, Ram was going to call The Cave's owners, Cody and Ryan, first thing in the morning and demand to be the first to face the musclestud.

"I know one of the owners real well – the guy who plays the Batman character," Brody replied, causing Ram's heart to skip a beat with excitement, "but I haven't had an official match there yet. My buddy, Buck, and I just did a few matches with a new promotion, though, called 'Rival Pro Wrestling'. It's similar to The Cave, but instead of a superhero theme, it's more geared towards the classic good guy/bad guy pro wrestling gimmicks from the 1980s, like Russians and rednecks and post-apocalyptic bikers and stuff. Buck and I are a tag team called 'The Country Boys' since we both grew up in the country."

Ram was starting to admire the youthful exuberance of the he-man standing before him, and with Brody's reference to growing up in the country, Ram noticed for the first time an ever so slight country drawl in Brody's speech, almost as if Brody was trying to conceal it. He probably tries to hide his accent so people don't think of him as some dumb country bumpkin. The people in this city can be so damned judgmental, Ram thought to himself. He, however, found Brody's combination of child-like excitement and modesty to be quite charming and was quickly becoming even more smitten with the hunky farm boy.

"And these promotions use an actual wrestling ring like in the pros?" Ram asked, still playing innocent.

"Sure do! It's all top-of-the-line stuff, too," Brody confirmed. "Actually, in addition to being on the roster, I'm a part owner in Rival along with some other guys who used to wrestle for The Cave, so we're making sure we do things right as we get started. I've sank my whole life savings into it, which is why I have to work all these security gigs to pay the bills," Brody grinned.

"You should definitely come by and check out our matches some time. I bet you'd be great!” Brody added, hoping to take Ram's interest in wrestling to the next level and impress him with the fact that he wasn't just a lowly security guard but a fellow business owner.

Ram was a little surprised that a friend of Cody's would have the audacity to start a rival promotion behind his back. Cody and Ryan were great guys, and Ram was sure neither of them were aware of this start-up organization created by people they knew and trusted. But that was none of his business. Ram's only interest at the moment was taking on the hulking mass of muscle in front of him.

"Well, the reason I ask," Ram stated, "is that this warehouse used to be a boxing gym back in the day."

"Do you mean 'back in the day' like when guys had thick, curly mustaches and said the word 'bully' a lot?" Brody laughed.

Ram smiled. "Not quite that far back, but we still keep the old boxing ring stored here. It's right there under the DJ's stage and is in pretty good shape. I use it to spar with some friends occasionally, but my arms are too heavy to hold in a boxer's stance for very long. I'm usually drenched with sweat after just a few minutes." Brody took a moment to imagine a shirtless, sweaty, glistening Ram.

"I don't see why a boxing ring couldn't also be used as a wrestling ring, though” Ram continued. “If you don't mind working a little overtime, maybe you could show me some moves and see if I have what it takes for your promotion. I don't wanna embarrass myself in front of the rest of your league if it turns out I'm just a big, clumsy oaf with no in-ring charisma."

Now it was Brody's heart that skipped a beat. He had fantasized about putting this muscular man in various holds from the moment he laid eyes on him, and having witnessed first-hand Ram charming the pants off the millionaires and movie stars at the concert throughout the night, he was sure charisma wouldn't be a problem for the beefy promoter. Ram looked like a movie star in his own right, with piercing blue eyes and a strong, prominent jaw. He could even be a runway model, although he'd definitely be the biggest runway model in history physically! Brody thought. He was certain Ram could win Rival's viewing audience over with just a single smile from his gleaming teeth. But that was for another time. Brody's only interest at the moment was taking on the hulking mass of muscle in front of him.

Brody involuntarily gulped at Ram's request. "Like... like right now?" he asked.

Now it was Ram's turn to laugh. "No way, man! It's 4 in the morning, which means I've been up for about 21 hours straight, most of that time on my feet. You've been on your feet all night, too. I don't know about you, but my dogs are barking. I need a protein shake, a hot shower, and a good night's sleep."

"Yeah," Brody agreed, imagining a nude Ram in a steaming hot shower. "That sounds really good."

"I'm having some workers come by later today to take the stage down and set the ring back up," Ram stated. "The front part of this warehouse also happens to be the business office for my production company, and since I spend so much time here, I like to have the ring available in case I ever want to get a quick workout in. I'd be willing to pay you double your normal pay for a personal pro wrestling evaluation and sparring session here this evening if you're free. Say 6pm?" Ram asked.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! I'll be free!" Brody stammered, again mentally kicking himself for his over-eagerness.

"Good," Ram said. "If you get here before I do, the passcode to the padlock on that back door over there is 3827, so you can let yourself in. Brad and Joel were both so drunk by the end of the show that they had to Uber it home. They'll be nursing some serious hangovers for the next 24 hours, so they won't be in at all tomorrow, which means there will be no one here to vouch for me this time!" Both men laughed at the reference to the unpleasant situation earlier in the evening, while Brody entered the meeting time and keypad code into the schedule app on his phone.

"Oh, and you should probably bring a change of clothes or two," Ram continued. "This back section of the warehouse where we're standing will be closed off from the rest of the building tomorrow as a security measure to protect the offices up front, but that also cuts off the air conditioning flow to this area, so it can get pretty hot back here. Since this place used to be a boxing gym, there are some decent locker room facilities behind that curtain over there where we can shower and change afterward."

"Sure thing! I look forward to it!" Brody said, once again offering his hand to Ram and once again engaging in an impromptu test of grip strength. The thought of not only sparring with but also possibly changing clothes with and even showering with Ram was leaving him feeling a little light-headed. Never could he have imagined that such an awkward first encounter would lead to something so great!

"And thank you again for accepting my apology for the misunderstanding earlier," Brody added. "No problem. Don't stand me up tonight, though, because I know where you work!" Ram joked. There was no way in hell Brody was missing this!

Early Sunday Evening

Though it had only been a little more than half a day since Ram and Brody parted ways, to each man it seemed like an eternity, and the hours until 6pm dragged by. Neither man could stop thinking about their upcoming "sparring session" with the other later that night. Both men hit the gym hard to look their best and impress/outshine the other, and both picked out their best-looking athletic gear for the evening's events.

Living downtown and much closer to the warehouse than Ram's house in the hills, Brody arrived at the venue around 5:30 that evening. He wanted to engage in his pre-match stretching routine to allow him to more easily handle the muscular opponent he was about to face. Clad in black athletic shoes, loose-fitting black gym shorts, and a red tank top, Brody grabbed his gym bag out of his car and punched the access code to enter the warehouse through the backdoor.

The lights were left on by the setup crew per Ram's instructions, and just as Ram stated earlier, the back section of the warehouse was closed off from the rest of the building by a giant metal interior garage door. The space was much smaller than the previous evening when the entire warehouse was open, although the ceiling was very high, so it still seemed like a large area. The walls and ceiling were painted white and brightly lit, and in the middle of the room sat a regulation size boxing ring. Surrounding the ring were several ambient light towers, TV cameras, and other audio/video equipment that Brody recognized from the night before that were used to record the concert, except instead of pointing at a stage, they were now located at strategic angles around the ring. Brody wondered exactly what Ram had planned.

Ram arrived at 6 pm on the money, clad in a black hoodie with a white and gray graphic on the front, a white V-neck T- shirt, designer blue jeans, and black workboots and carrying a large gym bag – all of which looked very expensive. Even in casual clothes, Ram looked like a fashion model.

Brody, who was in the middle of a stretching routine on the floor near the ring, rose to greet his sparring partner, once again shaking his hand with an iron grip.

"So what do you think of the ring?" Ram asked. "It's awesome – just like the one we have at Rival," Brody replied.

"Our production company owns the lights, cameras, and a/v equipment," Ram stated. "After all, you can't throw huge events and awesome parties without recording everything for posterity, right? I asked the crew to set everything up around the ring to record my performance so I can see how foolish I look. I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all," said Brody. "In fact, the matches at Rival are all recorded, too."

"So, did I interrupt your stretching routine?" Ram asked.

"No, I was just about finished,” Brody said. “I got here a little early because I like to stretch for 15 or 20 minutes before working out. It all goes back to my old gymnastics days," Brody said.

"A guy your size did GYMNASTICS?" a shocked Ram asked.

"Well, it was a long time ago!" Brody laughed. "I was about 5 years old and competed in gymnastics until I was 12, when country boys like me aren't supposed to do that kind of 'sissy stuff' anymore according to my parents. Still, it helped me develop great core strength and flexibility. Like this..."

Kicking off his shoes, Brody raised his arms above his head and then bent backwards from a standing position into a bridge. From there, he pushed upwards with his feet into a full handstand.

After holding the vertical position for a moment, Brody proceeded to engage in a set of handstand pushups. The combination of gravity and the movement of his body while upside-down caused Brody's tank top to fall up his inverted chest and around his head, arms, and wrists to the floor, exposing Brody's massive torso.

With Brody’s back facing him, Ram had an opportunity to take in the sight of the former gymnast’s thick back and shoulder muscles in action. The legs of Brody’s loose gym shorts also lifted upward towards his waist to reveal tight- fitting red boxer-briefs beneath, which were stretched to the limit around Brody’s large thighs and hamstrings. Ram gasped, but only partly due to the display of strength and balance before him.

Brody then kicked his legs slightly to upset his balance and fell forward to complete his rotation. He returned to a standing position facing Ram, picking up his shirt off the floor as he rose. After the impressive demonstration, he was red-faced, slightly winded, and beginning to work up a light sweat. Every muscle in his upper body was pumped and swollen from his efforts. He patted his forehead and face dry with his shirt, then his neck, shoulders, and chest for added effect to emphasize their size to his new friend and potential rival.

"Since I was so much stronger and more flexible than all the other 12-year-old boys in my town due to gymnastics, the next logical sport to try was wrestling," Brody said, choosing to remain shirtless. "Wrestling then led to powerlifting, and powerlifting led to bodybuilding, and that led to what you see here today," he stated, proudly flexing his upper body slightly.

"That was amazing," Ram said, stunned. "I can't believe a guy your size can do that!"

"Most guys my size can't," Brody replied, smiling. "The thing is, I never gave up on my passion. I really enjoyed gymnastics, so I continued to practice it every day even as I bulked up. It really helped me out with my weightlifting and bodybuilding by allowing me to lift heavier weights and avoid injury."

With such strength, flexibility, and determination, Ram realized that Brody was indeed the total package. For the first time, he questioned his ability to overpower the superman who stood before him.

"Speaking of 'bulked up'," Ram pivoted, "I remember you saying you competed in the Super Heavyweight class at the bodybuilding nationals a few years ago but have slimmed down since then. How much do you weigh now?" he inquired.

"Well, I was down to about 210 a couple Thanksgivings ago, but I'm trying to get back into bodybuilding again, so I'm up to about 230 now," Brody replied as he again flexed his upper body slightly. "My plan is to get as big as possible – but not so big that I lose my definition – then trim down right before my next competition so I can come in at the upper end of the Heavyweight division. I was one of the smaller Super Heavyweights at the nationals, which I think is why I came in 2nd place. Now I'll be one of the biggest – if not THE biggest – Heavyweights on stage."

"And you're, what, 5-foot-10?" Ram asked.

"Just shy of that, yeah. 5-foot-9-and-7/8ths," Brody grinned.

Ram once against noticed that hint of a charming country drawl, and it was making him melt inside. Brody's combination of confidence and modesty, along with his speech patterns and subtle down-home country twang, reminded him a lot of Tim Tebow, who Ram recently worked with to produce a big charity event – and who, it turned out, was a huge fan of both The Cave and wrestling for stakes, putting up quite a fight in several private matches with Ram during their time working together.

"Your upper body is fucking huge, man, but I saw a glimpse of your quads as well while you were upside-down. You mind if I check out those legs of yours?" Ram asked, his mouth almost dry with anticipation.

"Sure thing!" Brody said cheerfully, shedding his gym shorts and presenting his full physique to Ram.

Ram whistled loudly as Brody showed off his quads and calves while clad in skin-tight red boxer-briefs with a white elastic band at the top.

"Those are mighty impressive stems, man... but, uh, I think I might actually have you beat," Ram replied. "Oh yeah?" Brody asked, taken slightly off his game by his sparring partner's assertion. "Let's see what you've got."

Ram slowly took off his hoodie to reveal the skin-tight white T-shirt underneath. The hoodie had done much to conceal the muscle beneath it.

From there, Ram lifted his shirt, -- first exposing his rock-hard abs, then his thick, muscular pecs – and finally pulled the garment over his boulder-like shoulders. The way Ram slowly removed his shirt reminded Brody of a male model posing for a camera, moving at a snail’s pace to allow a fashion photographer time to snap a bunch of shots.

Once shirtless, Ram gave a quick flex of his upper body, causing Brody to say, "Dang! I thought you said your bodybuilding days were behind you?!" Brody also noticed a tattoo on Ram’s right shoulder that looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite remember where he’d seen it.

"If you think that's good, check this out..." Ram said, beginning to unbuckle his pants as he turned his back to Brody, allowing Brody to get a glimpse of his tight jeans around his glutes.

Ram kicked off his boots and slowly pulled his jeans down to reveal the biggest set of hamstrings and quads Brody had ever seen. The enormous muscles stretched the fabric of a pair of blue designer boxer-briefs with a red and white waistband Ram was wearing, which were similar to Brody's red-and-white pair but seemingly much more expensive.

To emphasize that his musculature wasn’t all just lower body, Ram flexed his massive lats, causing Brody’s jaw to hang slightly.

After finishing his mini posing routine, Ram turned to face Brody.

Seeing Ram now in his entirety – the movie star good looks, the amazing physique, and the apparent brains to run such a successful company – Brody realized that Ram was indeed the total package. With beauty, brawn, brains, and that killer charm he used to wow his celebrity guests last evening, Brody questioned his ability to defeat the musclestud who stood before him.

"I noticed we both have on CK boxer-briefs. Great minds not only think alike, they apparently dress alike, too," Ram joked of their similar taste in underwear, breaking Brody's awe-struck silence.

Brody embarrassingly snapped out of his trance. "I'll say, but forget about that – check out those legs! Your quads are HUGE, man! And look at the definition in those hamstrings and calves!" Brody sounded like a kid in a toy store explaining all the features of the must-have toy of the season to his parents to justify them buying it for him – and Ram’s body was indeed a must-have toy for Brody. "I gotta know how you built those legs," he added. "In fact, how did you get into bodybuilding in the first place?"

"By way of male modeling," Ram stated.

Brody laughed. "I thought you looked like a model!"

"That was the jumping-off point," Ram explained. "I've always been into sports and was pretty athletic growing up. I started by riding horses as a kid, which helped me develop my leg strength, then I played every sport I could in school: Baseball, basketball, track and field, wrestling. I even did some MMA stuff after college and had a few amateur matches when the sport was at the height of its popularity a few years ago, but my real love was football. I used to be a beast on the gridiron. I was a little short for a running back, but I was so solid and strong that it was hard for anyone to bring me down. My coaches used to say I would drop my shoulder and smash through defenses like a battering ram, and that – combined with my last name, 'Ramsey' – was how I got the nickname, 'Ram'. People say I do the same thing in the business world with my direct and aggressive style of negotiation, so the 'Ram' nickname stuck."

(Ram during his football playing days)

“During my senior year in college, I suffered a career-ending football injury, so my playing days were over,” Ram continued. “I was very depressed, but I kept myself in shape, and this being L.A., eventually you get noticed – especially when you come from a famous family like I do. My grandfather is the shipping industrialist, Rowen Ramsey, so my family is pretty wealthy, and the paparazzi are never far away."

"You mean 'Rowen Ramsey' as in the guy whose name is on all those big shipping containers and warehouses down by the port?” Brody asked. “Isn't he, like, a gazillionaire or something?"

"Maybe not quite a 'gazillionaire', but close," Ram chuckled. "As I got older and more muscular, I started to draw more and more attention from the paparazzi’s cameras whenever I was at the beach or on vacation and stuff, and eventually a talent agency approached me with a modeling contract. I figured, 'Why not?’ and decided to give it a try.”

(Paparazzi photos of a young Ram while on vacation)

“Fashion modeling then turned into fitness modeling and landed me a few endorsements, and my agent suggested that I try bodybuilding to get more exposure in the fitness industry,” Ram continued. “That landed me more lucrative deals and even some television ads.”

(Ram's TV ads)

“The more famous I became, the more I got invited to bigger and more awesome events,” Ram recalled, “but as cool as some of those events were, I always thought I could do a better job organizing and hosting them. I'm definitely a Type-A personality and like to manage all the little details, so I took the money I made from my endorsements and commercials and started this production company with my buddies, Brad, Joel, and Tomaso. You met Brad and Joel last night, and Tomaso is on leave taking care of his sick mom in Italy. We used some of my connections in the fitness industry and with other wealthy families to land some pretty high-profile gigs. I enjoyed bodybuilding so much, though, that I continued to do it until running the production company took up too much of my time, but even though I don't compete professionally anymore, I still try to keep myself in shape."

Brody stood listening to Ram's story intently. He admired that a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth still had the drive to try to make his own way in life, but he couldn't help but be a little jealous of all the opportunities Ram was given due to his luck of being born into a wealthy family while Brody had struggled his whole life just to make ends meet. He also noticed that Ram’s voice was a bit softer and quieter than one would expect from a man of his immense size and chiseled good looks, and there was an air of sophistication in Ram’s tone that made him sound confident without sounding arrogant. Brody figured the reason Ram was so soft-spoken was that with his good looks, wealth, and imposing physique, he rarely needed to raise his voice to get everyone’s attention. The combination of admiration and jealousy was getting Brody's competitive juices flowing.

Pose Down

"But enough about me," Ram concluded. "We should probably get down to business. I dragged you all the way down here again, and I don’t want to waste your time. Before we get to the action, though, I was wondering if you could help me test the cameras and lighting in here?"

"Sure thing," Brody replied.

"Great," Ram said. "Why don't you go in the ring, and I'll check out the camera angles and lighting from the monitors over here on the control panel."

Brody nodded his head and climbed into the ring while Ram went behind the control panel at the edge of the room. Ram observed Brody on the monitors standing in the middle of the ring looking relaxed.

"Camera angles look good," Ram said. "Let's test the lighting out now. How about you go through a quick posing routine?"

Not wanting to miss a chance to impress his muscular employer for the night, Brody gave an ab crunch and a double biceps pose, holding the latter pose in front of different cameras to test the lighting.

"The lighting in here is perfect for this," Ram commented. "I'm recording you so you can see how good you look under these lights."

"Ungh... thanks, man," Brody grunted as he squeezed out another pose, choosing to finish with the crowd-pleasing most-muscular display. Brody clasped his hands together and flexed every muscle in his body. His muscles jumped to new proportions as he imagined using this same position to bearhug Ram into submission, proving that his muscles not only looked better but were stronger than the man behind the monitors who was his equal in size. He noticed that the bulge in his boxer-briefs was also beginning to swell, hoping Ram wouldn’t notice.

After temporarily maxing-out his endurance with his bearhug fantasy final pose, Brody put his hands on his hips and slowly paced around the ring to catch his breath and calm his arousal.

"Come check this footage out when you're ready," Ram said.

Brody hopped out of the ring, landing on his feet much lighter than most 230-pound men would, and approached the control panel, where Ram had queued up Brody's impromptu bodybuilding display on the monitors. Brody was amazed at just how accurate Ram's statement was about the lighting. He had never looked better in a posing routine, especially his most-muscular pose at the end. The lighting was even better than some of the actual bodybuilding contests he’d competed in.

"Wow – that is sick!" Brody exclaimed.

"It sure is. Hey, would you mind checking me out now?" Ram asked. "Your talk about getting back into competitive bodybuilding has really rekindled my love for the sport, and I'd like to use this lighting to see just how much work I'd need to do to get back to competition shape."

"No problem, and I can tell you right now that you wouldn't have to do much work at all because you're pretty close to contest shape already for someone who hasn't actively competed in a while," Brody commented. "What do I need to do to work the cameras?" he then asked.

"I've activated the recording again,” Ram said. “Just hit this red button to stop it when I'm finished with my routine, and be sure to tell me how I look."

Ram entered the ring slowly, confidently, and engaged in the same poses Brody just did, but with more elegance and grace, trying to impress Brody with his symmetry and lines. His posing routine was more like art than sport, conducted with the techniques mastered from hundreds of modeling sessions.

"That's... that's beautiful, man," Brody commented, completely mesmerized.

"Ssss... Thanks," Ram hissed through his teeth as he engaged in another pose, choosing to finish with, as Brody had done, the crowd-pleasing most-muscular look. Ram clasped his hands together and flexed every muscle in his body. Like Brody, his muscles jumped to new proportions as he imagined using this same position to bearhug Brody into submission, proving that his muscles not only looked better, but were stronger than the man behind the monitors who was his equal in size. Ram also felt the bulge in his boxer-briefs start to rise, hoping it wouldn’t catch Brody’s attention.

After temporarily maxing-out his endurance with his bearhug fantasy final pose, Ram put his hands on his hips and slowly paced around the ring to catch his breath and cool his libido while Brody stopped the recording. After a moment, Ram joined Brody behind the control panel, still a little winded, and reviewed the footage of his own routine, pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

"Lookin' good, brotha!" Brody chimed in.

"Yeah, but I don't have anything – or rather, anyone – to compare myself to in this footage. You said you're about 5'10" and 230, right? Well, I'm 5'10," too, and I usually weigh in about 240, but I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to eat or work out like I usually do, so I'm probably around 235 now. Since we're virtually the same age and the same size, would you mind doing another routine with me, together, for comparison purposes?" Ram asked.

"A little one-on-one competition, eh? Sounds great!" Brody excitedly agreed.

"Hopefully we’ll do it again at the nationals," Ram smiled.

Ram reactivated the recording as the two men entered the ring together, both barefoot as neither chose to wear socks for the day. They engaged in full posing routines this time, side-by-side and simultaneously, hitting all the major muscle groups one pose at a time. The colors of their boxer-briefs – red versus blue – made for an interesting contrast as the fabric hugged their massive quads and glutes, emphasizing those areas of their bodies even more.

After each pose, the two men would take a break, then redo that pose one at a time to admire and critique each other's size and definition up close and ask each other questions.

"What do your biceps measure?"

"How much do you squat?"

"What's your competition diet like?"

As time went on and the heat of the room increased, both men started to break out in a moderate sweat, and the combination of heat, perspiration, testosterone, and desire began to override their modesty. Pointing to each other's muscles turned into brief touching. Brief touching turned into illustrative sliding. Illustrative sliding turned into gentle squeezing and light punching. Gentle squeezing and light punching turned into harder squeezing and harder punching. Finally, before the joint posing session evolved into full-on groping, Ram suggested, "How about one last head-to-head most-muscular pose? Then we'll move on to what we're here to do: Wrestle."

"Let's do it!" Brody yelled as the two men went forehead-to-forehead while roaring out a final, massive most-muscular pose, then parted laughing.

To be continued ...