Aidan swore, hands blurring as he worked to sever the binding around his legs. Seconds later, the last cord snapped free, but Aidan was already beginning to feel the effects of the gas. Uttering one last, choice curse word, Aidan dropped to the ground and sucked in a deep breath, snapping the switchblade back into his watch.

He kept his eyes closed and his muscles loose, allowing his body to adapt to the lack of oxygen. A minute later, a voice ordered that the gas be shut off, and another minute passed before the door swung cautiously open, and then closed again. By then, Aidan's body was beginning to clench in minute, rhythmic spasms from the lack of oxygen, and it was a struggle to appear limp as three pairs of footsteps approached.

Aidan exploded upwards, lungs pumping furiously as he propelled a leg into the air, taking the man closest to him in the head. This time it was he who had the advantage of surprise, and the man dropped without a sound.

Samar and a woman with dark hair were the two other people who Aidan had heard enter the room. The woman glanced to the closed door, gauging the distance, and evidently deciding against it. They would not have made it in time, anyway; Aidan was a bare two feet away from them.

Aidan feinted, and the woman stepped back at the same time that Samar moved forward to block Aidan's strike. A half-grin tilted Aidan's mouth, daring either of the others to attack him first as they circled each other warily.

It was the woman who broke first, dropping to the ground and sweeping her legs out towards Aidan's in an attempt to knock him off his feet. A faint look of resignation on his face, Samar moved forward as Aidan jumped lightly over the woman's legs, countering with a blinding series of blows that drove Aidan back against the wall as he regained his balance.

Samar stepped back, allowing the woman to take the initiative. She was several inches shorter than Aidan, perhaps five foot eight, and he could already tell that, in terms of experience, she would not prove much of a challenge to him. However, Aidan wasn't overly eager to meet with the pair of brass knuckles that she wore.

She feinted an uppercut to his stomach, instead twisting her body into a hook that Aidan turned away to deflect. Anticipating his motion, she slammed her other fist into his stomach, and Aidan winced as the brass knuckles connected with his flesh.

Abruptly tired of the confrontation, Aidan jabbed his fist into the woman's throat, not feeling the slightest hint of remorse for her femininity as he delivered an uppercut to her solar plexus for good measure.

Samar winced slightly as the woman crumpled unceremoniously to the floor, but didn't hesitate before moving in and engaging Aidan with a powerful strike to his jaw. Swaying backwards to evade the blow, Aidan countered by planting his foot firmly in Samar's stomach.

The only evidence of Samar's discomfort was a clenching of the jaw as he moved forward once more, backing Aidan against the wall. Aidan spun to the side, clipping Samar with a blow to the temple. A flick of his wrist and two deft steps later, Aidan was standing behind Samar, one arm securing Samar's upper body to his and his other hand angled so that the switchblade of the watch was placed at Samar's throat. Samar stilled, head held high.

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A/N:
Ooh, Ismael's in for it now, darlings--or is he? Let me know your theories in the comments or PMs, and be sure to vote if you liked this installment!