<Dedicated to @Encaracolado for being so sweet and suportive.:)>

The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. -Vince Lombardi

Chapter Twenty Three

 Training Phase One

(Maahirah Furqaan)

"Training? What the hell?" I frown staring at Aseer.

"Yes. Training." She smiles.

"Um, elaborate?"

"I will. First you need to get changed." She stands up from her desk and walks up to the closet in her office. I look at her with my mouth open; trying to understand what she meant by training.

She protrudes out a track pant and a sweatshirt.

Cocking her head at tge door on the right side of the room, she says."Go put this on."

"But..."

"I said I'll explain Maahirah."

Gritting my teeth, I stride towards her and angrily snatch the clothing.

I get in the small room. It only has a window jammed shut. Rolling my eyes, I put on the clothes.

"Here." She thrusts a jacket into my chest when I exit.

"Jeez, Aseer. Cool down." I remark, subconsciously while putting on the jacket.

When I'm done, I flicker my gaze towards her to find her staring at me.

"What?" I adjust my hijab.

"You just called me Aseer."

I mentally face-palm myself. But I had to play cool."Yeah. I know." Yeah, you do. But you weren't supposed to say it out loud. "Isn't that your name?"

She closes her eyes."I'm your mother."

"Yes, you're. But a mother doesn't fill her daughter's head with stupid fables."

A look of pure hurt crosses her face but she quickly recovers as she presses her lips in a thin line."Let's go."

I watch her as she turns off her office lights and locks the door with the swipe of her card. She walks on. Her ramrod, rigid back is enough to tell me she's hurt more than she wanted to.

Deep down, I know I'm doing wrong. I'm very well-aware of it, and yet I continue. I continue being a selfish person.

I hurt people. I do. More importantly, I hurt my mother, a parent which according to Islam hurting them is a sin. I close my eyes and take deep breaths to clear my head.

We turn right and there my mother is stopped by Kathy, an High Official Member.

"Hello Aseer." She says and directs a curt nod at me.

"Hello Kathy. How can I assist you?"

"I was wondering when will be the next meeting."

"Next meeting? About?" Aseer scratches her forehead.

"About you know, " She's about to continue but her grey eyes cast me a look. "You know, things." She looks away as she tries to convey my mother her message through coded words.

Aseer stays quiet for few seconds, and then nodding, she says."I'll catch you in a bit!"

Kathy runs her hand through her shoulder length red hair and adds. "Sure!"

With a final glance at me, she walks away. Aseer and I resume our journey.

"What was she talking about?" I ask Aseer.

"Justin."

"Oh. Is he gonna be okay?"

"Hopefully."

I nod as we turn left and now we are walking on a bridge. Since this is my first time going through the bridge; curiosity gets the best of me and I find myself leaning in the railing and peering down.

To my utter horror, I see 'The Trench' which is a huge ground also known as the meeting point. I guess they call it trench because it's deep.

Turning away my gaze, I find Aseer patiently waiting  by the double doors. I hurry to catch up to her.

When I'm standing next to her, she swipes her card. While it is loading, I take a chance to look above the doors:

THE TRAINING CENTRE

Is etched above in bold capital letters. Wow.

The double doors open, taking cautious steps I get in. The doors close behind as I gawk at the interior.

There are five doors on two sides of the wall. The wall across from me has ceiling to floor glass windows. Blue chairs align that wall. The ceiling is made up of glass panes,  permitting the sun rays to enter.

"The last doors on the right and left side of the walls are the 'Test Centres'. After your training, you're compelled to pass the test." Aseer says.

"Okay."

Four doors have BUSY flashing in the small monitor on the door which is connected to a tiny LED. On squinting my eyes, I see the name of the trainer and trainee etched in it.

Once I'm done with the quick inspection, my eyes sweep to Aseer, who is already standing by the open door. She has swiped the card and typed our names.

I trudge behind her inside and the door shuts behind us.

Inside it is like a mini gym room. Except there are no elopements for playing but the wall across from me has a target board and a rack which has the knives, guns, bows and arrows and many different kinds of weapons.

Aseer clears her throat."The technology in here is not advanced here, because the methods and techniques used for fighting are still the same."

"Why? I ask.

"Well, our ancestors believed that if we develop new weapons we are only creating a path for destruction. Since we humans have this ability to make the wrong use of the right thing. Now without further delay, I will ask you a question, Ms.Maahirah. What do you know about self-defense?"

I bite my lip."Um, self-defense is the ability to defend yourself."

She nods."Correct. But how?"

"Um. Ah." I clamp my mouth shut. It's not like I don't know the answer. It is just that I dob't how to put my answer in a concrete form.

"Okay. Well. There are many ways. But...since you've no clue or whatsoever. I'm just going to start with the basics. Okay?"

"Yes." I say, affirmatively.

"First of all, you should know that presentation is the best self-defense. Meaning, if there is an escape and you can run, then it's best you run without a fight. However, if you're unable to avoid this , then you'll have to fight back - and if you do know proper techniques, you can beat your opponent, no matter how big or strong they are.

"So, the basics. When you're in a confrontation, you've only few seconds to decide your move. Make sure you inflict an injury to your opponent before they attack you. This may help you to get the upper-hand. Now, hear me carefully. Aim for the parts which are most likely to do the most damage. These parts are the eyes, nose, ear, neck, knee and leg. Comprehend?"

Eyes, nose, ear, neck, knee and leg. "Okay. Got it."

"Great. If you do not have a gun or knife, you have only one option and that is the fist. For that." She turns to the wall behind her and presses a button the wall.

Few seconds later, a punching bag flings down in front of me. With a scream of surprise, I jolt back.

"Don't worry. It won't fall." She holds it in place so that it can stop swinging."It's attached firmly with the ceiling."

I look up and indeed it is attached.

"I want you to start practising punches on this. Make sure you're fists are tightly closed." Aseer takes my hand and closes my fingers over my palm and presses it. I bite my lip to swallow back the cry. She puts my thumb over my fore-finger and the middle-finger. 

"Now start punching."

Taking deep breathe, I position myself in front of the punching bag. Holding my fists in the air, I look at my mother. She nods, lightly.

With all my might, I aim a punch at the bag. And, guess what, it didn't budge. Another punch but it stayed stubborn.

My mother smiles at me as I give her an exasperated look.

"Already tired, honey. This is just the beginning. You've got a lot of work ahead of you."

Oh, man.

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 Abt the cast.....Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilber in The Vampire Diaries series reminds me of Maahirah. I imagine her as Elena, character vice as well as looks vice. And Andew Garfield as Peter Parker in Amazing Spiderman is someone kinda like Aayan. :)

 I know this is Short and all but I had to update this because today I'm leaving for Pakistan in an emergency. My grandmother is not doing so well. So PLEASE REMEMBER HER IN YOUR PRAYERS.

Take Care!

InShaaAllah I will update after my return!:)

PS: VOTE COMMENT AND PLEASE PROMOTE

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