DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER XXX

"I don't usually talk this much when I sit someone back in their place." She returned.

His answered growl told me that she had played him better than he realised as he rushed to begin a duel I never thought I'd witness.

 * * * * * 

I wanted nothing more than to trace every movement of the crime lord fighting her second but Dex reminded me that we were not the only ones fighting to blood draw tonight.

He was all brute force as I expected. But improved.

Proximo must have had a hand in it–but whatever drove him now was beyond me. I dodged two mean swings for my head and torso before skipping behind him and landing a kick to his back that sent him into Proximo himself–I winced.

Proximo didn't even acknowledge him as he turned him in the other direction and threw him away with an iron built arm under his combat shirt.

It gave me precious seconds to take in the spectacle–along with a far larger crowd than had been here seconds before... Apparently word travels quickly when these two engage. Even the god damn techies were betting with credit bars–

I dodged Dex again before taking a harsh punch to the stomach.

He winked. I growled.

My stance shifted. My focus closed in. The training hall faded, the noise, the murmurs, the bodies all fell away as I honed myself on my target. I was back in the coldest winter Naxos had to offer and he was the only threat. Alex's whisper was in my head.

You think I'm here? She chuckled. My blade is already there. Stop thinking only of my weapon. Use your environment, my body, my mind... everything is a weapon, Makayla.

I saw the slight weight dominance in his left ankle. An old injury. A preference for his balance.

I let him land two jabs against my forearms, letting him commit his momentum before letting the third jab fly and punishing that weak leg. He went down onto one knee instantly and the whispers hissed around us–but they meant nothing.

I threw my weight at his body and took him off his feet entirely. My legs wrapped around his neck in a choke hold and I used the seconds of his struggle to glance at Alex.

They were something else entirely. It wasn't just aggression. And I could see why people stopped their work in any part of this base to witness it. There was no blood that I could see. Just sheer speed and technical ability. He feigned she read it, the fists would meet, block, twist, find a new angle–Alex moved in styles I hadn't seen before and she had not taught...

"We're not–done yet–blondie–" Dex panted, wedging his forearm between my legs and using his strength to pull me up entirely before slamming me back to the hard mats. The breath left me in a groan.

Alex glanced at me, only for it to cost her. Proximo made sure it cost her.

She took a fist to the jaw before slipping away and sending off a fresh wave of rapid attacks for his head. I rolled out before Dex could break my nose with his boot. I watched him from a crouch breathing heavy and he did the same.

"You know it's nothing personal right? I still dig you, Makayla–"

I rolled my eyes, dodging a quick jab and sending an elbow into his stomach. He coughed heavily and I had a moment to consider something. If I ended this. If he lost, he wouldn't get a place on the inside. It was better to have someone you could trust on Alex's six–rather than another grey faced killer I couldn't trust as far as I could throw–