The bell rang it was the end of the day. Isabella had finished what she was now terming, another boring day. She was too advanced for those here and the level of teaching. So far, she had only made one friend, which was Tamara. It always seemed like she was having to help Tamara. She wasn't a very strong person and from talking to her had always been picked on for being smart. Well Isabella was way smarter, but after what had happened near the changing rooms no one had wanted to even be near her. She gathered her things and left the room. With her mum not being around. Well not even on the planet, or to be more precise not even in this solar system. It was hard on Isabella. Not because she wasn't here, well a small part, but because she wasn't included. After everything that she had been told and trained to do she had been left behind, because of him. She had started to resent Kern. If only he knew what her mum had done, he may have let her be apart of it, but Mercy had forbidden her to talk about it and even sealed the files within Sentinel.

Those she had been staying with had been good to her, provided a home while Mercy was gone. Isabella had no idea if they knew where Mercy was or even if they knew who she was. For her own safety she had said nothing, just gone about her normal day. Yet it was not enough, she still went to a local dojo. With her mum not here to train with she needed something, problem was that even fighting there was not even a challenge. She had very quickly worked her way up to a black belt in a matter of a few months. They had asked if she had any experience when she joined. Isabella had explained that her mother had been in the military and was now doing private work, which kept her away a lot and that she had taught her much. They had decided to see what she had learned on her first day there. Initially it had been with another beginner. It was apparent very quickly that she surpassed the newer and lower level students. They then made her spar with a black belt fighter. He didn't even get a chance to fight he was out in a second. The master of the dojo spoke to her and said that he would help her learn more styles, but she had been taught very well and was a gifted fighter. He wouldn't elaborate on how good.

It still wasn't enough, but allowed her to at least get some practice. Then one day she heard a couple of the older students talking about an underground illegal fight club. She pretended not to hear, but managed to pick up on the fact that it was held at an abandoned multi storey car park. The car park had several lower levels and it took place there. The upper levels were no longer used for parking there were several squatters who frequented it from time to time. One day after martial arts practice, she had hung around outside. The two, who had previously been talking, were headed to the fight club. She had ensured that she was wearing something black so that she would not be noticed and also decided to use the shadows. Not that they were checking for someone following them. It was a long walk, but at least now she knew exactly where it was.

Today Isabella had made her way there alone. The car park was on the edge of the old factory district that bordered a run-down slum area. A few people lived there, but were not very well off. There was always said to be a lot of crime there too. Isabella was wearing a hoody and entered the car park; she hadn't wanted to be recognised and kept her face covered as much as possible. Quite a crowd had gathered. She watched from the edges as the first fight took place. The men who fought were very strong and muscular looking. She watched each one carefully. It was her way of being able to size them up, learn how they fought. The fight lasted until one could no longer continue. The fights were quite brutal and there didn't really seem to be any kind of rules. She was able to see that a lot were making bets. Several fights took place. With everything else that she did during the week she only came on the night that she had seen those from her dojo come. She was unsure how often the fights took place.

It was getting late.

"So, do we have anymore takers," asked the guy stood in the centre.

He raised his arms up and looked around the faces that were there. This guy had just beaten the previous two and still wanted more. Isabella had watched how he fought.

"Sure," came the voice.

The crowd parted to see who at the back had spoken. Isabella was stood there she lowered her hood. He started to laugh, go home little girl. Even the rest of the crowd had started to laugh. Isabella was almost seventeen now, so she resented that remark. She took a step towards him past the crowd so that she was in the ring.

"So, you afraid of a little girl then," she emphasised the last part.

"I'm likely to crush you with the first blow."

"What if I hit you?"

They laughed even louder. She hadn't moved just stood her ground.

"Hell, I'd even let you have the first punch."

"And what's it worth if can hit you a second time," she asked.

"Only the first is free."

She pulled out some money from her pocket.

"I have five hundred here. If I don't hit you a second time you can have it."

Now he felt insulted that she would say that. Someone else spoke before he had a chance to respond.

"If you hit him a second time, I'll double your money."

She looked in the direction of who had spoken. He was the fight club organiser. It was interesting to see how this would turn out. Also, the crowd were starting to get interested seeing as she hadn't left yet. The organiser nodded at his fighter.

"Well you got some balls girl," he said, before he lowered his head for her to take the first punch.

Her opponent was taller than her so he had to squat slightly, with his legs bent he pushed his face out to make it easy for her to hit him. Isabella didn't wait; she struck him hard with her right fist. The guy reeled and staggered as he was knocked back. It surprised the crowd and some could be heard gasping with shock. Without hesitation she then quickly placed her left foot on his bent right thigh and launched herself upwards arching over with a backwards flip, she brought her leg up hard and fast, hitting her opponent hard in the face. He was now staggering being totally caught off guard. As she landed on the ground she stepped forward and using her right leg kicked hard upwards between his legs. The guy crumbled to the floor.

"Now I have yours," she said.

The organiser could not believe that his best fighter had just been downed.

"My money," she said, holding out her hand.

He handed her the money his mouth was still agape. She took it and went to leave the crowd parted. Still shocked and surprised.

Isabella hadn't realised that someone from her school had been there the night before. Cathy was the new girl. She had come to be known as the spoiled rich girl. Her father was some very wealthy businessman and travelled around the country. She was never in the same school for long. Cathy was also a year older than Isabella, but because she was so smart Isabella had been placed a year higher for her study and still it was not challenging. Cathy was in her science class.

"Hey," she said, catching up to Isabella.

She looked around to see who had called. Cathy was now walking at her side.

"I saw you at the fight the other night."

"So."

"Where did you learn to fight like that? I mean not only are you brilliant at every subject, but you also kick ass too."

Isabella was surprisingly quiet. Other than Tamara no one else took an interest in her. Although she only saw Tamara at break or after school. Perhaps another reason for her not liking school was that she had only the one friend and she no longer had any classes with her. So, she was effectively alone. Cathy kept talking, but Isabella wasn't really paying attention. She didn't really know how to talk to people or even make friends. Her friendship with Tamara had never been planned it just happened. She only had science with Cathy so fortunately she would not be bumping into her too often at least she didn't feel like she would have to be making conversation.

Later, back at the penthouse suite where Cathy and her father were staying, whilst he conducted his business.

"Hello, daddy," she said as she walked in and went over to him, kissing him on the cheek.

"You seem in good spirits."

"Well I have finally made contact with that girl you were so interested in."

"And how did that go?"

"Not sure really. She doesn't really talk that much."

Her father had heard about Isabella and her academic genius. He was intrigued, as he owned a think tank company. The various breakthroughs' that had happened over the past few decades had inspired him to try and get ahead of the game. There were so many advancements in a lot of different fields. He wasn't sure how it was being achieved, but one day decided that he needed to get as many of the greatest minds as he could in one place to use their skills to help him build an empire. Isaac Rennington had become a power man over the years and wanted it to stay that way. This girl seemed to have an incredible IQ, but no one had ever mentioned her intellectual potential. Yet from what Cathy had told him about seeing at the fight club, he had never approved of his daughters means for entertainment, but just couldn't refuse her. There were hidden talents to this girl and he wanted to know more and about her family too. Although he was only aware of a mother and no father. It was strange that the birth certificate had been left blank in this area. He was curious as to who he was.

"Well darling you keep being her friend and perhaps we will get to know more in time. You will have to be patient with her. Once she is used to you then perhaps she will open up to you."

"Okay daddy. I need to study anyway."

Her father had interests other than his legitimate business. He was always looking for new talent in the less respectful areas too.

Where Isabella live, they never questioned her about what she did. It was difficult to put a restriction on her when she wasn't your daughter. Even though they knew her mother and the responsibility involved with looking after her. They never distrusted her. If she said she was studying at Tamara's or stopping over they accepted it. The majority of the time she was where she said, but like the night she went to the fight club. No. She had not been honest. It was something she had to do. There were also other times too when she would just wander the streets. Dressed similar to how she had been at the fight club. Doing her best to hide her features. She would be looking for a means to keep testing herself. Seeing a confrontation, she just had to get involved. It had become a huge adrenaline rush for her. If her mum wasn't her to educate her and she wasn't allowed to train as a cadet, then she would find ways to test herself and if it got too easy then she would just keeping looking for more and more to satisfy the need she had inside of her. Hence why she had sought out the fight club, but that too had not proven to be much of a challenge. She would keep searching. Hopefully as she was getting older her options would eventually become greater once she was an adult and perhaps her mother and the so-called Kern would take more of an interest. Not that her mother didn't take an interest. She knew that protecting the others was important to her. It just meant that she was alone so much. She sometimes wondered if this is how it was for youngsters of military families on Earth or whether her own situation was more unique.