Chapter 2

While the recruits were busy warming up, the team and the instructor spread out several mats on the field. Later, when these recruits would be out in the real field as agents, there would be no mats, but for now – this was an exercise. And the team intended to teach them some things that the recruits would remember – things that might one day save their lives.

The first lesson was one that Jane had asked to teach. And, she thought smiling, she was gonna bring it across in a way that none of these recruits would ever forget again.

"Alright, class, assemble at the mats!" the instructor called out across the field once Jane gave him a sign. Ethan and Brandt were standing just off the side for now, clearly at ease but listening attentively to what Jane was going to say.

Once the class was assembled, and sat in a half circle around the mats, Jane began:

"Your instructor has taught you how to defend yourself. I assume you also know how to attack. Is that right?"

A recruit from second row, left side, raised his hand, speaking up as he got a nod from Jane:

"Yes, Ma'am, that is correct. We know what to do to defend ourselves against an attacker and to take a man down in as few moves as possible."

Off to the side of the circle, the corner of Ethan's mouth twitched. He tried, but eventually failed to completely suppress the slow smile that threatened to break the edge of his cheek. Next to him, Brandt had straightened just a little more, as well. Without even looking at each other, they both realized that Jane had been spot on with her idea. This would be fun.

"Okay, recruit. Then I assume you can show us how to take down a man?" Jane asked, benevolently motioning for the recruit to stand up and get on the mat. The recruit nodded respectfully, and got up, giving his usual sparring partner a glance so he would get up as well. That's when Jane stepped on the mat.

The look of surprise on the recruit's face was easy to decipher, even though he quickly tried to overcome it.

"Show me." Jane stood on the mat, giving the instructor a glance and getting a 'don't worry, he won't hurt himself' look in return. Okay then.

"Take me down."

In his defence, the recruit was a quick learner. He realized that he had just been given lesson number one. Just because your enemy was a woman, didn't mean you could refrain from attacking her. Now, for the practical part of the lesson.

Jane made a move forward, deliberately setting her foot a bit too far left, giving the recruit an opening so he would start his counter attack. And he did. Only he did it with a little too much confidence. Going for the obviously precarious footing of his opponent, he overbalanced the attack and suddenly found himself without a leg to stand on, when Jane unexpectedly straightened up and put him flat on his back onto the mat.

"That was lesson number two. If your opponent leaves you an angle of attack, don't assume it's the one you should take. Don't let your opponent make the decision where to attack – that's your job."

Jane then leaned down to give the recruit a hand up. He took it, cautiously, half-expecting another lesson to follow right away.

But it didn't. Instead, Jane thanked him for his help in showing the class what they needed to watch out for. She also gave him a few more pointers for his own method of attack, like getting his left shoulder just a tad lower when he moved in, thus reducing the risk of getting taken off his feet.

Surprised by the detailed pointers he was getting from Agent Carter, the recruit actually smiled in the end, grateful for not having been ridiculed but instead actually having been taught how to do better.

Soon, the recruits were all pairing off, training defence and offence manoeuvres, with Jane, Brandt and Ethan making the rounds, sometimes participating to bring a point across, sometimes talking a recruit through a move step by step, eventually helping everyone smoothen out their techniques.

After about two hours of training on the mats, the instructor took a glance at his watch and gestured with his wrist in Jane's direction. She nodded in turn and rose from the mat where she had just been showing one of the recruits how to better catch his landing. Seeing how Ethan and Brandt were also just putting the finishing touches on some of the moves they were giving away to the recruits, she called out to everyone:

"Alright, recruits. I think we got time for a lunch break. Be ready to assemble back at the test course for your driving training at noon sharp."

The recruits got onto their feet, pairing off to grab their mats as they went and filed off in formation towards the mess hall.

Watching Jane and the instructor accompany the class to the mess hall, Brandt opted to lag behind and moved to stand next to Ethan, who hadn't even made a move towards the building. In fact, Ethan was just standing there comfortably, looking across the field, a content smile on his face. When Brandt saw the mischievousness in Ethan's eyes sparkle yet a little brighter, he too couldn't help but smile.

"You're really mean, you know that?" Brandt chuckled half-seriously.

"Why? Because I had Jane put this little break before my training exercise?" Ethan asked innocently. He looked off into the distance where the mess hall was. And then he turned to Brandt with a sly grin:

"Just because Jane told them they had time for a lunch break, doesn't mean they should actually go eat lunch. I never told them to go eat." Ethan spoke with conviction, clearly free of all guilt whatsoever.

Brandt just rolled his eyes, because he knew that Ethan was enjoying this – maybe a tad too much.

"Just go easy on them, will ya?" Brandt chortled, as he, too, headed off into the direction of the mess hall. Ethan, for his part, merely took one last glance at the departing recruits in the distance and then joyously walked off into the other direction, heading for the race course.

'This will be fun.'

-o-o-

-o-o-

To be continued…..