He stood across the street and read the sign, "Adam's Gym". He'd done his research. He knew this is where the big boys in town trained. He knew this is where he'd find Jonny Romero. Petrowski twisted to his side, cracking his back and loosening up his muscles. He walked toward the door.

As he stepped inside, he noticed ten or so guys standing near a power rack. Other guys were working out on a variety of machines or using free weights. Some turned to him, but immediately turned away, totally disinterested, and continued their workouts. No one seemed shocked to see a guy the size of Petrowski come into the gym. Petrowski felt a pang of anger at the let down.

In the corner, he heard guys counting. "forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty..." There was a steady rhythm -- each second ticking off another number.

Petrowski walked over to the desk. "How much for a day's workout?" he asked.

The guy behind the desk looked up, shrugged and said "Ten dollars." Petrowski banged down ten bucks and walked toward the locker room, looking over to the crowd. The counting had now gotten into the 80s.

Through the spectators, Petrowski saw a guy on a bench. He was moving at least 20 plates, the bar sagging on either end from the stress. He couldn't see much of the lifter, but did see that his legs were massive. They reminded Petrowski of his own powerful wheels.

Petrowski walked into the locker room and found a place to stow his gear. He stipped off his 9X sweatpants that covered his workout shorts and put on a green t-shirt that said 'Army'. Then, he went back into the gym. The process took about a minute.

The crowd was still counting. They were now into the 140s. The bencher hadn't slowed down and was still cranking out rep after rep like a machine. Petrowski began to walk over, twisting his back and stretching his torso as he walked. When he got closer he could finally see the lifter's face. It was Jonny Romero.

"One forty-nine! One fifty!" Jonny lifted the bar for a final time and placed it on the rack, totally in control.

"Man! That was incredible!" screamed one of the on-lookers. There was a noticable bulge in his pants.

"No problem. Could have gone on longer, but that's a good warm up." Jonny said, grabbing a towel and dabbing some small amount of sweat from his forehead.

"Mind if I work in?" asked Petrowski. People turned to look at him. Sure, people challenged Jonny on occassion. Even Adam liked to have fun with the big kid, pushing him to his limits to help him grow. Nobody was ready for a new comer to take Jonny on though.

Jonny stood up. He was slightly shorter than Petrowski, but his body looked thicker. Petrowski's mind couldn't comprehend that anyone might actually be bigger than he, so he rejected that. He knew he was stronger than this kid.

"Sure," said Jonny casually. "You're new here. Welcome." Jonny extended his hand. Petrowski grasped it firmly and shook once. Jonny grinned. He watched the new guy's forearm tense and ripple into hard, thick muscle. Jonny felt the pressure build in the grip, and returned the squeeze. They stood, hands locked for several seconds. A bead of sweat appeared on Petrowski's forehead, and Jonny let go. "Go ahead man, the bench is yours. Want me to change weights."

Petrowski shook out his hand. The kid had a killer grip. "Nah. That looks like a good weight to start. What'd you just do, 150?"

"Yep," said Jonny. "Go for it." Jonny's self-confidence aggrevated Petrowski. He used it to fuel his lift -- get angry at the weights, not the kid.

The crowd made room for Petrowski. The big man lifted a leg over the bench, then sat down. He stretched and spun his muscular arms in little circles, loosening up his shoulders. When he was ready, he laid on the bench under the bar. He positioned his hands and demanded power from his pecs, delts and tris. The bar went up. Petrowski smiled as he cranked out the reps with ease. Ten. Twenty. The crowd counted with him, a rep a second, just like the kid. Rep after rep Petrowski lifted, his muscles swelling from the exertion. He heard a small ripping sound from his shirt as his muscles pumped bigger. After a minute and a half, Petrowski began to feel the weight. If the kid could do it, so could he. He got mad that his muscles would begin to rebel and continued to crank out the weight. The crowd continued to count, watching as the bar touched his chest then was raised up with perfect form and control. At 120, Petrowski began to slow. His face turned red and sweat eeked through his shirt. Still, he demanded more strength from his body as he continued to lift with perfect form. The clock neared four minutes by the time he finished the 150th rep. Jonny was ready with a spot that was never needed, but helped the man position the bar back on the rack. Petrowski sat up and Jonny handed him a towel.

"That was good man! Congratulations," Jonny said, patting the man on the back.

Petrowski sneered a 'thanks', upset that he hadn't performed to his best.

"You gonna be lift'n heavy, big guy?" asked Jonny. "My workout partner bailed on me today, so if you need someone to spot you, I wouldn't mind. Since school started, the other big guys use that gym. My name's Jonny Romero, but everyone around here calls me 'The Weed'."

Petrowski stood up. "Ya, could use a partner today if you don't mind. Name's Petrowski. Amos Petrowski. Why 'Weed'?"

"Ha. Well, " said Jonny, hitting a most muscular pose that showed his substantial mass, thickness, hardess and vascularity, "when I started lifting I grew like a weed. Still not big enough though."

For the next hour and a half, Petrowski and 'The Weed' lifted. Jonny had no problem matching Petrowski's strength. If anything, Petrowski had trouble remembering a harder workout he had been put through recently. He had gone to the gym to get a handle on the kid's size and strength, expecting to be able to handle anything he found. He hadn't expected The Weed to be able to match his physical power, let alone surpass it.

"Good workout man," said Jonny as they walked into the locker room. Jonny stripped off his shirt. Petrowski watched as Jonny flexed his bicep, raising and lower the arm, checking out his pump. Jonny contracted the muscle, the huge peak raising above his fist. He held the flex, forcing it harder. Petrowski noticed the river of veins that covered his massive forearm. "Gotta get bigger," muttered Jonny as he willed his muscles harder and bigger.

Petrowski lifted his shirt, examining the tears where the fabric had failed against his powerful body. The shirt was wet and had the musky smell of a man's sweat. He walked behind Jonny and flexed his massive arm. The peak was huge and Petrowski thought looked like a twin of Jonny's powerful arm. Petrowski squeezed his flex harder, forcing the striations in the muscle to become visible and the veins to pulse beneath the paper-thin skin.

Jonny looked at Petrowski. "Looks like you got a good pump too."

"Gotta lift heavy to get big," said Petrowski, bringing the other arm up, flaring his lats and hitting a double bicep pose.

Jonny hit the same pose. Jonny judged that his body looked tighter and his muscle's harder than Petrowski's. "I went a little light today," admitted Jonny. "I didn't want to show off since you're new here."

Petrowski pulled his arms down and in, hitting a crab, leaning into it to show the huge mounds of his chest and hardness of his waist. "Kid, you may be strong, but you aren't that strong." Petrowski's voice was pure confidence. He knew it was a challenge, but now he'd show this kid what pure Army power is.

Jonny followed, forcing his chest to display raw striations. Each chest muscle forced into the other, bulging hard. "Dude, don't make statements that you can't back up."

Petrowski stood up and approached Jonny. They stood pec to pec, Petrowski trying to intimidate the college stud with his slight height advantage. "You wanna take this somewhere?"

Jonny looked the taller man in the eyes, his own eyes squinted with contempt for the challenge. He nodded toward a door on the right behind Petrowski. "You ever wrestle?"

Petrowski grinned. "A little," he said.

Jonny moved, brushing past Petrowski and pushing the big man out of the way. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some keys and unlocked the door. He opened it and turned on the lights. "You comin'?" he called back to Petrowski.

The room was bright, with mirrors on every wall. The floor was covered with padding that was delineated with circles and squares. Jonny walked to one side of the room and turned toward Petrowski who was standing in the door. Petrowski closed the door and took a couple steps into the room. He stopped and stared at Jonny.

"Thought you were a nice guy and smarter than this," said Jonny as he began to walk toward Petrowski's left.

"Just seein' what you're made of boy," said Petrowski, moving around the edge of the room and keeping his distance from Jonny as he sized him up. "You always been strong?"

Jonny laughed. "Got big for football. That was the start. Now, all I care about is getting bigger, though I'm sure that I'm big enough to handle you."

"Think so?" chided Petrowski. The two men continued to circle. "Ever hear of a couple of guys named Tim and Derek?"

"Nah. They go to City?" asked Jonny.

Petroski made his move. He ran toward Jonny, going low, hitting the kid in the knees and knocking him to the ground. Quickly, Petrowski grabs Jonny's arms and pulled them back, wrapping his own massive guns around them. Petrowski grabbed his arms, pulling Jonny back and exerting force against Jonny's massive back. Petrwoski next slipped his massive legs around Jonny's waist and locked his ankles together, pressing his incredibly strong legs into Jonny's stomach. Jonny gasped as Petrowski's scissor hold and full nelson forced the air out of his lungs.

Petrowski pulled tighter, his massive muscles in control of the powerful football player. He applied more force, his back flaring wide with incredible power, his legs rippling and defined as he squeezed Jonny harder.

Petrowski was about to ask Jonny if he gave up when he felt something. First, his legs were pushed out as Jonny flexed his abs and intercostals against Petrowski's legs. Petrwoski tried to increase the pressure, but felt the steely-hard waist containing his power. Next, he felt Jonny take a deep breath, expanding his chest and flaring his back. Jonny's arms burst into a sea of huge muscle.

Petrowski increased his pressure on Jonny's back. Jonny's lats burst in a mass of rippling rock as he began to lean forward. His pecs bulged into his chin as he forced his arms forward and down. Petrowski felt his hold weakening, being overpowered by the massive stud. Petrowski grunted, demanding more power from his body but Jonny continued to press forward.

Jonny's shoulder's were boulders, three heads clearly defined. His muscles were thickly corded as he forced them against Petrowski's might. Petrowski could barely believe his eyes when he saw that Jonny's upper arms were thicker than his own. Jonny's upper body lurched forward as Petrowski's grip failed. Petrowski saw the determination and glee in the kid's face as he escaped the full nelson.

Petrowski leaned back, forcing more power into his legs, demanding that they squeeze tighter. He felt them press against Jonny's waist, contracting it.

Jonny grabbed at Petrowski's legs. His fingers pressed into Petrowski's diamond hard calves and Jonny's forearms thickened into rivers of ultra-defined muscled. Jonny's grip could crush steel and his fingers dug into Petrowski's hard muscle. Petrowski resisted, trying to flex his diamond calves even more, but there was no resistence for Jonny's grip. Jonny's triceps and biceps exploded in size and his lats contracted as he forced Petrowski's ankles apart.

Petrowski screamed, looking for more strength demanding that his legs come together. Jonny continued to outmuscle Petrowski's thighs. He forced his waist to be free. Petrowski felt a pain rush through his legs as Jonny overpowered his crushing grip. Petrowski reluctantly gave up and stopped flexing.

Jonny rolled to his knees and got behind Petrowski. Jonny's face was determined. Petrowski was strong, but Jonny knew he would win. He had to win. Before Petrowski could get to his feet, he placed one arm between the powerful legs that had tried to crush him. From behind, his hand reached over and grabbed Petrwoski's crotch. Jonny felt that it was big, but not as big as his own. Jonny reached his other arm over the soldier's thick lats and grabbed onto his massive pec. Petrowski was beefy and strong, but Jonny needed to teach the man what real muscle power is.

Jonny started to lift Petrowski. Sensing the move, Petrowski acted to counter it. Moving quickly, he shifted his legs up and over Jonny's shoulders. Using his massive arms to add to his momentum, he pushed against Jonny's thighs, jumping over the unsuspecting muscleboy.

Petrowski now stood behind Jonny. For the first time he realized he might have to rely on skill rather than strength to win. Reluctantly he admitted Jonny was just too strong. He needed to try to force Jonny to submit.

As Jonny began to get up, Petrowski wrapped his right arm around Jonny's left. Petrowski tossed himself against Jonny's back. Jonny expected something and absorbed the blow with his thighs, but this was what Petrowski wanted. He grabbed Jonny's right arm with his left, locking this elbows around Jonny's. Petrowski leaned forward, forcing Jonny's arms up so that they hung over his shoulders. Jonny began to be lifted from the ground. Petrowski heard Jonny's back crack and the football powerhouse grunt, taken by surprise.

Jonny refused to give up. He began to flay about, searching for a way out of this standing crucifix. Jonny wrapped his legs around Petrowski's tree-thick thighs and began to flex his abs, forcing Petrowski up and freeing the pressure on his arms. Jonny's face turned red as he demanded his eight-pack abs contract and overpower the other wrestler. Petrowski fought, but felt Jonny's unbelievable power once again dominate him. Jonny's arms slid down Petrowski's and Jonny flared his powerful lats. Petrowski's back began to crack and Jonny let his feet fall to the floor. Lifting Petrowski up, Jonny successfully reversed the crucifix on Petrowski. Petrowski fought, but to no avail. Nothing he could do could break the hold as Jonny stretched the taller man's spine.

"Give?" cried Jonny, his face red and his body sweaty with the effort of the match.

Petrowski screamed in one final effort to break free, then admitted defeat. Jonny held him for a second before dropping him to the ground.

Petrowski panted as he sat on the mats, defeated.

"Where'd YOU get to be so strong?" Jonny demanded as he stood over his fallen foe.

"Army. Special Forces. Can't talk about it," Petrowski admitted. He saw Jonny walk over to him, and expected the kid to help him up. Instead, Jonny wrapped his massive arm around Petrowski's neck and started to squeeze.

"Thought it might be something like that," said Jonny.

Petrowski grabbed at Jonny's arm. Jonny tightend his grip. Petrowski flexed his bull neck, but Jonny's rock-hard bicep dug into the soldier's muscles. Petrowski's face turned red as the blood was cut off to his brain. Jonny's sleeper hold was merciless. Petrowski used all his might trying desperately to escape, but Jonny was too strong.

"Why?" Petrowski gurgled as he felt the room begin to grow dark around him.

"I always liked Air Force better," said Jonny.

When Petrowski was out, Jonny walked back into the locker room. He opened his locker and took out three syringes. Bringing them back to the unconscious man, he took a thick needle and pushed it into Petrowski's thigh, extracting a small slice of muscle. Next, he took a vialed syringe and extracted a blood sample from the man. Lastly, he took a syringe and stuck it into the man's nuts, getting a sample of the juice that resides there. "It's all for the good of research," said Jonny as he put the samples away for safe keeping.

Amos Petrowski awoke in the alley outside the gym. There was a small bandage on his leg and his balls hurt. His gear was intact, and there was a voucher for one free workout at Adam's Gym with a note that said, "Thanks, The Weed." He got up and walked back to his hotel. He'd need to find another way to deal with Jonny Romero. •