Disclaimer: I do not own any Alex Rider characters. Any mentioned that appear at any time in this story are the property of A.H. Any others are of my own making; and if there are any references outside of A.R series that are real, such as places or people, it is not intentional.
Alex stood uncertainly. He had not enter this building in months. He was sure it was the same. The padded floors, the long mirror at the front of the room, the boxing tubes posed angst the wall. He was quite sure the dojo had not changed. what he was not sure about was himself. Jack had suggested that he re-join. She wanted him to try to have a normal life. Well, as normal as his life could be.
He slowly pushedopen the door. There was a bell attached to it, and when it tinkled, he flinched. He hated being noted. Because if you were noted, you died. At least, in his line of work.
When he entered people turned to stare. He had come right on time, dressed in street clothes. He was just singing up, he reminded himself. No one would know him.
No such luck.
"Hey Alex! long time no see!" The man who spoke was older, with gray hair and laugh lines. He was kind, Alex remembered.
"You finally came back." From anyone else, this would have been a welcoming. But this was George. One year, and one belt Alex noted in surprise, higher than him.
"'Lo George." Alex responded quietly.
"Come on to the mat." The smile was anything but inviting.
Alex felt strange as he slipped off his shoes. It was calm, peaceful. And here people were learning how to kill. No, he corrected himself, to defend themselves.
A small woman stepped onto the mat. She smiled slightly.
"It is good to see you again. Today is a sparring day. You will all be participating."
Alex swore the woman looked at he when she said the last words. "anyone new will be sparring at the end. You may wach to see how it is done."
She gestured to two people, who qiuckly put on padding.
Alex watched. Some were good, he admitted. but a few were slow and clumsy. Easy to take down. He saw that George delcined every fight, and had started to get a bad feeling.
"George, you may spar against Alex."
Alex quickly slipped on his gear.
"Don't run away little boy. You're in the big leagues now."
Alex spoke before he could think. "I hope this is not the 'big leuges', because I am sorely disappointed."
It was not the reply that angered George, but the way Alex said them. Clam and measured. George lunged forward and danced back, but Alex didn't even blink. George was getting frustrated. He lashed out, using every move he knew. Alex calmly blocked every blow, but never switched into offence. By the time the master had called for the end, George had not landed one blow, and Alex had not retaliated.
"That was very good. You may leave now. Class is finished."
Alex stripped off the gear and put it away. Then he crossed the room to get his shoes. He felt it before he heard anything. He crouched, and a fist shot over his head. He twisted around, already bringing up a block. By now the whole dojo had stopped to watch. Alex sized up his opponent. It was George. And by the way he moved, Alex was sure he had been holding back on the sparring session. George lashed out viciously, but Alex was slow, and George's foot caught him on the jaw. Alex's head snapped back and his whole body tensed. He spat out a curse. then he switched into offence.
George felt himself stating to panic. At first Alex was slow, calm, but when George kicked Alex, it was as if George had flipped a switch. From a boy to a killer. George tried desperately to defend himself against the rain of blows. He knew he was being battered mercilessly. Then he slipped. He felt himself falling. Then someone caught him thank god... and shoved him into a wall.
A voice spoke slowly into his ear. "You are pathetic." It staed coldly. "In a real fight, you would not last a second. You would die. Yet you walk around here like you own it. You don't. You are slow and clumsy. And you overconfidence will get you killed."
Hands released him, and George fell to the floor. He looked up to see his attacker...and was surprised to find Alex standing back.
"But, you haven't been here in months! How could you get so good?"
The answer to George's question was...none. Alex simply slipped on his shoes and left the dojo. But on the way out he signed up for next weeks lessons. Just in case.