Do not make me look bad in front of Baji.
Roen lifted the bar and steadied it. This wasn’t too tough, at least not as bad as he feared. He lowered the bar to his chest, surprised at the ease. When he tried to lift the bar back up though, it wouldn’t budge. Roen strained harder. He pushed. He grunted. He yelled. His arms responded by collapsing, bouncing the bar once off his chest.
“Errr… gr… arghh,” he groaned, squirming and straining. “It’s on my chest,” was all he could gasp.
Come on, you can do it!
“My, we do have our work cut out for us,” she murmured. “Baji thought you were further along than this.” She lifted the bar off him and put it back onto the stand.
Stop making me look bad then.
“Piss off, Tao,” Roen growled in between deep breaths.
“Sorry? What did you say?” Sonya’s upside-down face came into view as she leaned forward. Roen had to take a moment to admire her perfect complexion.
“Um… nothing,” he replied lamely.
They spent the rest of the morning working on different weights and machines. Since Roen was new to weight lifting, Sonya took the time to teach him the proper techniques and, as she claimed, was able to out-lift him on every apparatus. He marveled at how someone with such a small frame could be so strong. By mid-morning, Roen lay on the floor exhausted as his muscles ached and begged for mercy.
She knelt next to him and handed him a cup of water. “Not bad for your first time. Don’t worry about the low weights. You were game to try and that’s really all that matters. The rest will come.”
“Are we done?” he begged, bone-tired.
“One more thing,” she said, walking over to the wall and picking out two pairs of boxing gloves. “Put these on.” She tossed a pair to him. Roen fumbled the catch and the gloves bounced off his chest. He stared at them as if they were spiders.
“I don’t like to fight,” he said.
Oh, come on, Roen. What are you going to do next time a Genjix wants to kill you, beg him to death?
“What’re you going to do when a Genjix tries to kill you?” Sonya asked, giving him a stern look.
Roen shook his head. “Seems both you and Tao are preoccupied about me getting killed.”
“You should be too.” Sonya climbed through the ropes and waited. “Get used to it. You are what you are now. The sooner you embrace it, the better off you’ll be. Come on, get into the ring.”
Sighing, he climbed in and put on the gloves. They squared off in the center of the ring. Roen had no idea what he was doing. He planted his feet on the canvas and held his hands up like he remembered in those Samurai Sunday movies he watched as a kid. Sonya promptly batted them away with her left fist and smashed him in the cheek with her right, knocking him down to the canvas.
This is serious business, Roen.
“Ow!” Roen lay on the floor and looked at the ceiling. That girl could hit! Her face appeared over him again, and she offered her hand.
“If you’re going to treat this lightly, you’re in for a long three minutes, because I’m going to knock you silly.” All of a sudden, she didn’t look so sweet or cute anymore. He grabbed her hand and got up, this time far more wary of her as she closed in again.
Watch her range. Use your reach. Move your feet. Do not let her just walk in on you.
Sonya grinned and circled like a shark coming in for the kill. She moved in and threw three quick punches. The first connected with his face before he was able to back up and avoid the others. He lunged, batting his hands and striking only air as his momentum carried him forward.
Do not overcommit. Watch your center of gravity, and keep your guard up!
Sonya sidestepped his clumsy wide swingsand popped him once in the face with a left followed by a hard right that sent him sprawling back down to the floor. With a loud frustrated growl, Roen punched the canvas, jumped to his feet, and bull-rushed her like a crazed gorilla. She dodged his attacks with ease, dancing around his slow combinations and giving him another peck on the cheek with her fist. Roen snarled and lunged again, throwing a wild punch that popped her in the ear. Immediately, Sonya cried in pain and clutched the side of her head, going down on one knee.
“Oh my God, are you all right?” Horrified, Roen ran over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. I’m sorry!”
Roen, no! An image of a nude woman covered in blood wielding an ax flashed in his head.
“That was dumb,” was all Sonya said before her uppercut caught him flush on the chin, snapping his head back and flooring him for a third time.
Idiot! How can you fall for that?
Roen groaned as bursts of bright stars obscured his vision and a single tear ran down his face. His jaw went numb and he couldn’t quite feel all his fingers and toes. His hearing became muffled as if he was at the bottom of a swimming pool. In the distance, he heard the muffled roar of a waterfall. Suddenly, everything popped and his vision cleared.
“Ow… I always wondered what a concussion felt like,” Roen finally managed to say. He sat up and looked around. Sonya had already taken off both their gloves and was handing him a cup of water.
“Don’t fall victim to the helpless woman crap,” she said, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him to his feet. “It’s insulting. We can pull the trigger as well as any guy.”
“You could have taught me that lesson in a less painful way.” He grimaced.
“But it wouldn’t be as much fun.” She grinned. “Now the lesson is ingrained in you. Better that lesson from me than from a Genjix. I think that’s enough for this morning.”
“You’re a dark, dark woman,” Roen groused. “I think my brain moved in my skull.” He looked up at the clock. “Oh, wow, it’s almost noon. Time really flies when you’re having fun.” He chuckled sarcastically as he climbed out of the ring, his weary muscles protesting. Sonya leaped out of the ring – like a dancer or a ninja would – and followed, locking the main door behind her as they stepped outside. The warm morning had lost its chilliness, making way for a beautiful day.
“Do you think we can take a cab back?” Roen asked as they walked to the corner. “I’m pretty beat.”
“Tired?” She grinned. “We’re not done yet. Let’s go to lunch – on you, of course. I haven’t had a man buy me a meal in months. I feel like Thai. Afterward, we need to get some paperwork done.” She gave him a sharp slap on the butt and jogged him down the street.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: JOINING THE NETWORK
My dreams were nearly realized when Temujin, now known as Genghis Khan, had united all the tribes. He was my greatest achievement, the human host who would change history and reshape the world. It was then that I faltered. I should have ordered Temujin to build that new world with what he already owned. Instead, he wanted more, and I did not stop him. I was greedy as well. Together, we had built the greatest army the world has ever seen, and we could not stop ourselves from using it.
Roen and Sonya had a quick lunch at a local diner down the street. He was positively giddy spending time with who he considered the most beautiful girl he’d ever met. Even better, Sonya was so easy to get along with. He peppered her with questions about the Prophus and the war, and she gave him honest answers, never making him feel foolish for asking. Throughout the entire meal, he couldn’t help but grin like a puppy. They returned to the safe house and relaxed on the couch in the living area.
Roen’s stomach was gratified after many weeks of eating Tao’s prescribed rabbit food diet. Tao had objected to almost all the dishes Roen wanted. Thankfully, Sonya gave him a pass and he pigged out. He knew that Tao would make him pay for this dietary indiscretion later on, but for now, he just burped contently like a sloth and began to doze off.