I charge at her and drop into a slide at the last minute. She goes to kick me, but I grab her leg and drop her to the ground with me. Sim is quick and almost gets me into ahold.
I spin out of it and get on top of her. I have her pinned beneath me where I can strike her in the face. She covers her face with her arms to shield herself from my attack.
“Tasha, enough. Both of you get up and go again,” Onyx calls.
I stand and offer Sim my hand to help her up. She stands and looks back at me sheepishly. I step closer to her.
“Don’t ever throw a match with me again. If you beat me, you beat me,” I say low.
“I only wanted to motivate you with my words. I also don’t want to make you look bad in front of everyone. We have drawn a crowd. I meant no harm.”
“I know. You said all the right things, but I can only get better if you’re at your best. Come on, let’s see what else you’ve got.”
For the next two hours, I fight my way through all my girls. All of us showing our strengths and weaknesses as Onyx corrects us and teaches us to get better. We are all unique in the way we learn and fight, some of us best each other, while others are bested but come back stronger the next time around.
“I’m proud of you,” Val says when the session is over.
“Oh yeah, for what?”
“We all come to train and get better, but you don’t have the same luxury the rest of us do. If you fail, your subordinates watch it happen and think they can take you or your rank. You have found a way to adapt when you struggle and minimize how much we see when you do.
“That’s a talent. Sim wasn’t an easy opponent to face. Onyx knew what she was doing pairing the two of you,” she explains.
“But tell me when I’m ever scared. Heart can’t be taught. So if anyone thinks they can walk in my shoes, they better have just as much heart as I do.”
“Okay, I hear you, sis. That’s that shit I want to hear. I’m not taking no punks into battle with me.”
I laugh and shake my head at Val. “Come on, my son is at your house. Let me get him out of Uri’s hair.”
Sammy
“Where is your vest?”Uncle Uri asks as I’m extra fidgety today.
I don’t have my vest, I hate the fabric of the shirt I have on, and the visions are all over the place today. It feels like I’m coming out of my skin. I’m trying, but this is hard.
“Miss Philps locked them away and hasn’t been back to work since,” I reply.
“Why would she do that?”
“She’s afraid I will hurt myself or one of the other children. She doesn’t like my knives and doesn’t think I should have them. She’s just too scared to say something about it to Mom or Dad.”
“She should mind her own bloody business.” Uncle Uri sighs.
He sits thinking for a moment. Then he stands and takes off his suit jacket and removes his gun holster. He nods for me to take my suit jacket off as well.
“Turn around and hold your arms out,” he commands.
I do as he says, and he slips the holster onto my shoulders. Instantly, I begin to feel a little more settled. Uri places a hand on top of my head.
“You know the rules, right?”
I nod. “Yes. Treat every gun as if it’s loaded. Never aim at anyone or anything I’m not willing to destroy. Never put my finger on the trigger until I’m ready to pull it. Always be absolutely sure of my target and anything behind it.”
“That’s a good lad. Okay, mate. How does that feel?”
“Better.”
“Are we going to the range?” Inzo asks as he and Nori enter their father’s office.
