side between full length mirrors in the middle of
the wall. "Bow to the flags."
Reed took comfort in this ritual. It was how
every class began and ended and it gave her a chance to center her
mind, while she willed her rapidly beating heart to slow. It wasn't
the exertion of earlier making her heart beat too fast, it was
Jordon, tall, dark and ready to eat. At least he had the good sense
to line up to her right. Sensei had obviously met Jordon before
class, because he ushered him into position, two people down from
her to the right. Students always lined up according to rank,
highest to lowest, left to right.
Reed smiled to herself as she stretched in
preparation for class. At least Jordon knew where he stood here,
literally two ranks under her. Actually, he could be one rank under
her fourth degree black belt, had he received his most recent
promotion after Mike, the man positioned between them. Mike was a
big man. Tall and broad shouldered, a fireman by trade, but he
didn't cast a shadow over Jordon, who looked way too sure of
himself in his faded black gi. His black belt was worn and faded as
well. Not a good sign as far as Reed was concerned. It meant he was
no amateur. No one got to be a second or third degree black belt in
their system of karate by accident and she doubted Jordon was the
exception to that rule. He seemed more than capable at everything
he did, including flying a jet.
"Attention." The highest ranking black-belt
on the floor yelled and everyone lined up, again according to rank,
as their teacher, Sensei Schwartz, took the floor again. Now things
were going to get interesting.
"Make two lines. Front line turn around and
face the person behind you. Bow in to each other." Sensei said,
pulling one of the black-belts from the center up to demonstrate
the first move. It happened to be Mike.
Sensei nodded to Mike. "He punches in.
Middle punch. I want you to step to the side, fan block and do a
front kick to the floating ribs. Target your kicks. I don't want to
see any sliding garbage. Hit with the ball of the foot, penetrate
in. Simple and clean. Work with intensity. Let's move."
It was a basic series of moves, one they'd
all executed hundreds of times, even the white belts were familiar
with it. The goal was to do each move perfectly, maintaining
control through every step, and ending in a position to respond
again. Reed didn't think about the moves, she just did them, hard
and fast.
With each rotation to a new partner Sensei
added a move until they got to a take-down that, if done with full
force, would completely disable the attacking person.
"Rotate. Bow in. Kick it up a notch, people.
No one's going to give you time to respond on the street. Make it
real. Feel it."
The class shifted position and Reed found
herself face to chest with Jordon.
...
"I need to talk to you."
"No."
"You can't ignore me forever elf."
"Don't call me that." Reed hissed under her
breath. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I'd think that would be obvious."
"You're not here to work out. You could fly
anywhere to do that."
"I could. But this is my home now, Reed.
This is where my family is." Jordon said while watching Sensei
Schwartz execute the final leg sweep, stomp kick to the face
combination, landing the kick less than an inch from Mike's face as
he completed the demonstration.
Mike had the good sense to remain perfectly
still until Sensei retrieved his kick. Jordon had trained with some
of the best martial artists in the world for more than a decade and
a half. Sensei Schwartz was as good as any, and better than most,
including the best he'd trained with in Japan. Jordon would have
been lucky to train with him under any circumstances. Having Reed
here was a fortuitous bonus, one he fully intended to use to his
advantage.
"So, go away. You don't belong here." Reed
fired the words at him.
"Less talk and more work, Mohr. Get your
skinny rear in gear, kid." Sensei said, not quietly enough,
apparently.
Jordon
the wall. "Bow to the flags."
Reed took comfort in this ritual. It was how
every class began and ended and it gave her a chance to center her
mind, while she willed her rapidly beating heart to slow. It wasn't
the exertion of earlier making her heart beat too fast, it was
Jordon, tall, dark and ready to eat. At least he had the good sense
to line up to her right. Sensei had obviously met Jordon before
class, because he ushered him into position, two people down from
her to the right. Students always lined up according to rank,
highest to lowest, left to right.
Reed smiled to herself as she stretched in
preparation for class. At least Jordon knew where he stood here,
literally two ranks under her. Actually, he could be one rank under
her fourth degree black belt, had he received his most recent
promotion after Mike, the man positioned between them. Mike was a
big man. Tall and broad shouldered, a fireman by trade, but he
didn't cast a shadow over Jordon, who looked way too sure of
himself in his faded black gi. His black belt was worn and faded as
well. Not a good sign as far as Reed was concerned. It meant he was
no amateur. No one got to be a second or third degree black belt in
their system of karate by accident and she doubted Jordon was the
exception to that rule. He seemed more than capable at everything
he did, including flying a jet.
"Attention." The highest ranking black-belt
on the floor yelled and everyone lined up, again according to rank,
as their teacher, Sensei Schwartz, took the floor again. Now things
were going to get interesting.
"Make two lines. Front line turn around and
face the person behind you. Bow in to each other." Sensei said,
pulling one of the black-belts from the center up to demonstrate
the first move. It happened to be Mike.
Sensei nodded to Mike. "He punches in.
Middle punch. I want you to step to the side, fan block and do a
front kick to the floating ribs. Target your kicks. I don't want to
see any sliding garbage. Hit with the ball of the foot, penetrate
in. Simple and clean. Work with intensity. Let's move."
It was a basic series of moves, one they'd
all executed hundreds of times, even the white belts were familiar
with it. The goal was to do each move perfectly, maintaining
control through every step, and ending in a position to respond
again. Reed didn't think about the moves, she just did them, hard
and fast.
With each rotation to a new partner Sensei
added a move until they got to a take-down that, if done with full
force, would completely disable the attacking person.
"Rotate. Bow in. Kick it up a notch, people.
No one's going to give you time to respond on the street. Make it
real. Feel it."
The class shifted position and Reed found
herself face to chest with Jordon.
...
"I need to talk to you."
"No."
"You can't ignore me forever elf."
"Don't call me that." Reed hissed under her
breath. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I'd think that would be obvious."
"You're not here to work out. You could fly
anywhere to do that."
"I could. But this is my home now, Reed.
This is where my family is." Jordon said while watching Sensei
Schwartz execute the final leg sweep, stomp kick to the face
combination, landing the kick less than an inch from Mike's face as
he completed the demonstration.
Mike had the good sense to remain perfectly
still until Sensei retrieved his kick. Jordon had trained with some
of the best martial artists in the world for more than a decade and
a half. Sensei Schwartz was as good as any, and better than most,
including the best he'd trained with in Japan. Jordon would have
been lucky to train with him under any circumstances. Having Reed
here was a fortuitous bonus, one he fully intended to use to his
advantage.
"So, go away. You don't belong here." Reed
fired the words at him.
"Less talk and more work, Mohr. Get your
skinny rear in gear, kid." Sensei said, not quietly enough,
apparently.
Jordon
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