Page 52 of Secret Weapon

Alex raised an eyebrow.“Is that wise?”

“I once jumped out of a plane without a parachute.A little alcohol poisoning won’t hurt me.”

“Do I want to hear this story?”

I shrugged.“My target jumped out with the only ’chute, so I killed him during free fall and took it.”I swallowed another mouthful of horilka.“It really wasn’t that exciting.”

“Doesanythingget your adrenaline pumping?”

“Today’s altercation did,” I admitted.Or maybe it was the alcohol talking?“Emmy’s a bitch.”

“She’d take that as a compliment.”

“I meant it as one.”A groan slipped from my lips as I sank onto the couch.“I’m out of practice.No amount of solo training can replace a proper sparring session.”I nodded toward the punching bag.“That doesn’t hit back.”

“What did Emmy come up with today?”

“A rear naked chokehold.”

“Da, we practise that.”

“Once, I could have gotten out of it.Hell, five years ago, she’d never have gotten me into it.”

“Shoulders up, chin down, intercept one hand, trap the other, and wriggle to the under-hook side.”

“You think I don’t know this?But my muscle memory is gone.”

“You still have muscle memory, but these days, you’re using it for knitting instead.”

“Shut up.”

“Am I wrong?”

“No, and I hate that.”

“You should work with a trainer.”

“Oh, sure, I’ll just join the taekwondo club in Coos Bay and get ready to answer lots of awkward questions.I don’t suppose you offer Skype sessions?”

Alex swallowed his drink and sat beside me.Close beside me.When he took the bottle out of my hand, I began to wonder if he was going to make some kind of move.And he did.But notthatkind of move.A second later, I was on my back again, this time with a pair of tree trunks wrapped around my waist.

“No, but I’m here now,” he murmured as he snaked a hand across my chest.“Be careful of your arm.”

And also my rib, but the painkillers I’d taken had done their job.Plus Alex was breaking me in slowly.Moving at half speed while I found my form.I tore his top hand away and trapped the bottom one under my armpit, then used the space to scramble sideways.Tried to turn the tables and pin him down.Failed.Found myself underneath him, but that was an easier hold to get out of.I bucked him off with my hips and rolled, then I was on my feet and my backup gun was in my hand, and if I’d felt so inclined, Alex would have had a third eye.

“Again.”

He drilled me through the moves over and over until they began to flow once more, and I understood why Emmy had kept him for so long.He was a good trainer.A great trainer.Calm, knowledgeable, and tough.Plus he had two heads, which was sort of weird, but this whole day had been strange, hadn’t it?I reached out to push him away, but my hands closed around thin air.

Fuck.

“Stop moving,” I told him.

“I’m sitting still.”

Was he?Then that must mean…I was moving?Or the floor, or maybe both?My stomach was doing something weird as well.

“I feel sick.”

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