Chapter 3

Three seconds.
Five guys. All over six foot.
One woman, around my height.
Analyzing.
First guy: Obnoxiously red hair.
Second guy: large nose, big shoulders.
Third guy: Woman. Short.
Fourth guy: Thin. Brace on right arm.
Fifth guy: Angry Chinese dude.
Sixth guy: Black, curly hair.
The first guy advances.

One breath. Breathe in, breathe out.
Patience.
Anticipate. Don't assume.

He drew his arm back, forming a fist, ready to strike. Just as he launched his arm into action, I grabbed his right with mine, a clump of his hair in the other. With one swift move, I kneed him in the face and rolled him off to my side.

Next opponent.

Anticipating his approach, I roundhoused over my right shoulder, grazed him across the face. Unfortunately, he came back with a punch in my right eye, causing me to stumble onto my back, groaning for only a moment.

"Ok," I grumbled. "I can play rough."

Rolling off my back and onto my hands, I wrapped my legs around his neck, surged my legs forward to perform a backflip, bringing him with me to land with a slam on his back.

Another down. Next one.

The woman approached me, standing just under my height. An easy opponent.

Punch right. Punch left. End with a kick in her chest.
With my leg still extended I put my hand to the ground I swung it around at the next guy. His legs came out from under him, forcing his head to the ground with a thud.

At this point, my muscles were shaking with exertion. A trail of sweat had formed the path of where I had been. Already my strength had begun to fail me.

However, Black Widow was watching, observing my every move. I couldn't let her see me weak. As if I could help it.

Straightening myself I met the gaze of the fifth guy, only to defend myself too late as he kicked me in the stomach. The impact forced me to the ground, knocking the wind out of me.

I struggled to catch my breath as the last one approached me with a grin. Not one to be read in a friendly manner.

He began his advance, but not another step later, Black Widow put a hand to his shoulder so as to stop him, advancing towards me herself. I could read the disappointment in the man's eyes of not getting to punch the tar out of me. But I rathered it be him than what Black Widow was about to do to me.

Oh great.

Expecting to be beaten to a pulp, she instead offered her hand to me. An unexpected gesture, and entirely suspicious.

"Are you alright?"

Of course, my gullible side gladly accepted, hauling myself up to face her.

"Yeah, I'm a little winded."

"Tired?"

I nodded. "Well I ju-"

Not a second later she socked me in the same eye hit by the second guy, this time splitting my brow. She launched her fist again, this time greeting my jaw, sending me face-first into the floor, the taste of blood dripping into my mouth.

I knew there was a catch.

"Your opponent will not wait for you to retaliate!"
She kicked me in the side and legs multiple times, forcing me to retreat across the floor.
"They are not interested in your exhaustion!"

I attempted to stand, only to have her knee jab me in the side.

"All they care about is your submission!" she hit me again. "There is no time for weakness!"

Now I was doing all I could in defense of myself.
"Weariness is weakness! If you ever hope to be an agent, you will learn how to respond without faltering!"

Another jab in my gut knocked the wind out of me.
"Weakness won't save your neck!"

Her words hurt, almost worse than her hits, calling me weak. I was not weak. I was anything but weak.

I can prove her wrong.

As she came in for another kick, I grabbed her at the ankle, twisted her leg and forced her to the ground. Before she rose, I hovered my foot over her knee, ready to jab it with my heel should she rise. Though I knew she could respond with something much worse, despite her position.

Instead, we merely stared vigorously into one another, as if waiting for the other to strike back first.

"Tired already?" I spat roughly.

Her response?

She swung her unthreatened leg around at my threatening one, launched, and pinned me on my back by the wrists.

All I did was freeze, calmly waiting for her to punch my lights out, refusing to break contact.

"Session adjourned," she grumbled and pushed herself up.