Does he choose who he wants to fight?
No. I’m sure that’s Sebastian’s decision. Noab and I have fought on the same side in many a battle over the years. If the choice is left to him, he won’t go against me.
“Oliver?” Sebastian said. “This is Noab. He is your opponent today. Please step onto the mat.”
Oliver did, as did Noab. Everyone else moved against walls, away from the fight.
“Begin,” Sebastian said.
Noab moved so fast, I couldn’t track him. Suddenly he was in the center of the mat and Oliver was crumpled at the base of the far wall. To his credit, Oliver stood, shaking it off, and then moved back into position.
When Noab lashed out, Oliver blocked and delivered a rib punch. Unfortunately, that triumph was short-lived. He was flipped and went facedown on the mat with Noab on his back, his hands around Oliver’s neck.
“Stop,” Sebastian said.
Noab stood and held out his hand to Oliver, who took it, shaking out his sore arm.
“That was embarrassingly fast,” Oliver said. “Thank you for not taking my head.”
Noab nodded and then moved to the wall where the judges were standing.
Frank had a smirk on his face. It was brief, but I saw it.
Sebastian opened the door again and this time a tiny Asian woman walked out.
Oh, no, Clive said. I don’t envy whoever is going up against Wei. She’s deadly and vicious with it. She’s not going to want to pull her punches.
I found myself chanting, not Clive not Clive, over and over in my head.
Don’t worry, darling. We’ve never been allies, but I know how she fights.
“Delores, you will be sparring with Wei. Please come to the center of the mat,” Sebastian said.
Like the other women, Wei wore a black tank top and yoga pants. She wore her hair in a very short pixie cut, insuring no one could get a grip on it. Her eyes were a magnetic amber brown, and her lips were hitched up in a sneer.
Delores glared at Wei and moved forward.
I like this pairing. They’re both dirty fighters. Nothing is off-limits to either of them.
Delores charged before Wei moved, but that was clearly Wei’s plan. She stepped into Delores at the last moment, slamming an arm into Delores’ stomach, using her momentum to spin out of Delores’ reach. Doubled over, Delores shot out a well-placed fist, breaking Wei’s knee. Wei went down, tumbling toward Delores and pinning her with her good knee. She grabbed Delores’ right arm and with a grunt, ripped it off Delores’ body.
“Now, now,” Sebastian said, rushing forward. “That’s enough.” He leaned over Delores as she stared at her right arm, the one she’d just picked up off the mat.
“You bitch!” she screamed. “Do you know how long it takes to regrow an arm?”
“Oh, no.” Wei made a mocking sad face, slowing getting to her feet, all her weight on her right side. “You broke my knee. You’re lucky I let you live.” She limped to the side wall to stand beside Noab.
Ava looks green.
I noticed, Clive said. I believe it’s safe to say that hand-to-hand combat is not her forte.
Ava had reared so far back from the mat, she looked as though she was trying to break through the wall to get out of the room.
Fifteen
How Is That Fair?
Sebastian went back to the door and let in a tall man with a dark olive complexion. He had short black hair and big brown eyes.
