Everybody rushed out of the classroom looking forward to seeing the posted grades. After listening to Miranda tell them all that they had all passed with flying colours they all wanted to be the first to see their results.
"Wait, that's not my score! That's my profile." Caleb complained as he read his posted sheet.
"Miranda took our profiles and boiled them down to our greatest hits."
"Amin is clearly the weakest link among the trainees. Her ability is subpar and her attitude is so unpredictable its like she has a split personality, says Vasquez."
"Alex relies on the approval of authority figures, but only men?! Are you serious Nimah?" Alex looks over at Nimah exasperated.
"A jar head drone who will follow anyone's orders and never question anything… nice one buddy." Booth reads out loud glaring at Simon.
"Wyatt exploits her personal tragedy to justify a simplistic black and white crusade." Shelby looks at Alex, hurt, "How dare you."
"The truth hurts." Miranda snuck up behind the group, "But its what's most important. Knowing the truth about yourself, no matter how painful, is what your training here is all about. Your lives will depend on it."
After explaining to the NATS that they did the lesson to help them understand everyone's, including their own, weakest traits, she gave them an ultimatum. They could vote on cutting three of their own, or Miranda would choose 10 NATS herself.
Liam had told everyone to pair up for their workout. Today it wasn't push ups or pull ups it was sparring on the mats. Liam knew that tempers would be high after Miranda's lesson. He hoped that this spar on the mats would let those emotions run them selves out. Today it looked like he might be wrong. Shelby and Alex glared at each other as they circled the mat, fists up in preparation. Alex continued to block Shelby's punches as they circled, grunting as Shelby landed a high kick to the shoulder.
"I'm sorry I guess the zealot who exploits 9/11 should be more careful." Disdain practically dripped from Shelby's voice as she talked to Alex.
"It's OK you know, this control freak teacher's pet who only looks out for herself didn't even notice."
"Oh really? It looks like you notice plenty, like my late night phone calls that apparently I lie about." Shelby continued circling starting to bounce gently on her toes. "Hey sweetheart, maybe if you made a couple friends they'd call you too."
Tension broke as Alex stepped forward throwing a punch at Shelby's face. Quickly trying to block the kick to the side Shelby retaliated with. Angry, Alex and Shelby started throwing punches with everything they had. Shelby's right hook slid through Alex's block landing square on her jaw knocking Alex on her ass. Not missing a beat Shelby kicked Alex in the ribs as she rolled to the side lessening the blow. As Alex rolled, she grabbed for Shelby's leg pulling it out from under her as the kick landed to the ribs knocking the air out of her lungs. Just as Alex scrambled on top of Shelby, fist in the air Liam called the class to an end.
"Rematch" Shelby spat at Alex, "tonight, after dinner."
"I could go for another round of beating your ass." Alex replied letting go of Shelby and walking to the locker room.
"Are you going to get out here or are you chickening out?" Shelby called to out to the closed locked room door.
Alex strode out barefoot; hair tied back, casually tugging on her combat gloves. Not bothering to reply, Alex bounced up and down a couple times taking up stance across the mat. Shelby smiled slightly, taking a moment to slow down her breathing as she started to circle forcing Alex to move in the opposite direction.
Shelby waited for the strike to come as Alex's weight shifted to her left as Alex stepped forward striking with her right. Shelby stepped back grabbing Alex's arm she thrust her hip into Alex's side twisting Alex over her and onto her back. Alex lifted her other arm, blocking a blow to the face. Shelby continued to hammer Alex's arms crossed over her face with her left hand, her weight placed over Alex's body balanced on her right arm.
Alex could barely see past her own arms as punch after punch landed blocking her view. Alex closed her eyes timing Shelby's punches, waiting for Shelby's next wind up Alex rolled into Shelby's supporting arm. Shelby lost her balance her weight momentarily on top of Alex. Alex moved quickly flipping Shelby onto her back, pinning Shelby's hands over her heads.
"Enough." Alex said, her voice falling on deaf ears. Shelby twisted and arched her body underneath Alex desperate to break the iron grasp on her wrists. Alex braced her legs, pressing into Shelby, lowering her elbows onto Shelby's preventing her arms from lifting, their faces inches apart.
"Shelby! Enough." Something in Alex's voice cut through Shelby, her movements slowing to a stop. "Enough." Alex repeated again, softer. Shelby stared into Alex's face her lips slightly parted, her breath coming out in light pants. Alex's eyes flicked to Shelby's lips, her tongue involuntarily passing over her lower lip.
Shelby could see Alex's pupils blow up, her brown eyes almost black. Shelby shamelessly rolled her hips against Alex encouraged by Alex gazing at her lips.
"Alex, get off me." Shelby growled, her eyes narrowing. Alex lifted her hands from Shelby's wrists straightening her back. Pushing off the mat, Alex stood over Shelby extending her hand out to help Shelby stand. Shelby grabbed Alex's hand letting her be pulled to her feet, coming to a stand pressed against Alex.
Wrapping her hands around Alex's, Shelby yanked Alex towards the locker room. Bursting through the locker room door, Shelby pushed Alex against a locker with a bang. Smashing their lips together Shelby dragged her hands up Alex's stomach latching on to her breasts. Shelby swallowed Alex's moan, switching from her lips to Alex's neck biting and sucking leaving bruises everywhere her mouth touched. Alex started to move off the lockers only to have Shelby shove her back, driving her leg between Alex's thighs. Shelby ground herself against Alex's thigh as she moved her hands from over Alex's shirt to under it. Alex lifted her hands over her head as Shelby pulled Alex's shirt off before biting Alex's nipples through her sports bra.
"You're overdressed," Alex complained. Shelby smiled, stepping back to make a show of crossing her arms in front of her and pulling her shirt up over her head. Alex stepped forward slamming Shelby into the opposite set of lockers raking her nails down Shelby's chest and stomach leaving behind red scratches. Shoving her hand down Alex's pants, Shelby used Alex's surprise to switch places. Bruised and sore Alex moaned at Shelby's touch.
"Alex? Shelby?" Nimah's voice bounced off the locker room walls. "Are you two in here?"
Shelby froze knuckle deep in Alex. Alex placed a hand over her mouth stifling her breathing. Both sighed as the locker room door clicked, as it swung closed behind Nimah's exit. Removing her hand from her mouth Alex stared at Shelby both suddenly laughing at the position they were nearly caught in. Shelby pulled out of Alex, sucking on her fingers as she looked over her shoulder for their shirts.
"Where do you think you're going?" Shelby turned back to Alex surprised. "You owe me after that. We finish this. My room, tonight." With that Alex grabbed her shirt off the floor pulling it over her head as she walked out of the locker room leaving behind a stunned Shelby.