Reid made his presence known while enjoying a few drinks at Clancy's bar. He had hoped to run into Colm or at least get word for another job, any kind of lead. He decided to pack it in and return later that evening when he was sure Jannon and the others would be there.
After settling his tab, he went to the rack where he picked up his coat and prepared himself to step out into the brisk weather. He started down the street and noticed a man leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette, but as Reid got closer, the man pushed himself from the wall and stood in his path.
Reid stopped a few feet away and paused. "Can I help you?" Reid questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I think you can," he replied with a snarl in his voice.
Reid felt the presence of at least two more men standing behind him. "I must advise against whatever you think you're going to do."
"Don't be an eejit," one grumbled.
The group pushed and pulled him down the alley and threw him up against the wall. "I'm sorry, did you want something from me?" Reid asked.
"Shut it!" The first guy ordered.
"Okay," Reid nodded and looked around to see four men prepared to kick his ass. He grabbed hold of the wrist of the man in front of him, pulling him man closer and using him as a shield to block the lead pipe being used by the second man. The first man was hit twice then Reid tossed him to the ground.
As the man with the pipe prepared to swing once again, Reid caught the pipe then used it to jab into the third guy's gut. Then he swung it upwards into the second man's jaw while he was still holding onto it. Reid kicked him into a pile of garbage.
The last man standing pulled out a knife and started to make large swoops toward Reid's chest yet Reid was able to bob and weave. He then turned around in front of the man, grabbed onto the hand holding the knife, and sliced into the second man as he was coming back toward him. He then twisted the wrist of the fourth, breaking it, and finally elbowed the man in the face.
The second man looked at his bloody shoulder then back to Reid and rushed toward him. The two exchanged blows, both being evenly matched until Reid spun behind him and pushed his head into the brick wall.
He stood for a moment over his four assailants, prepared if they were to get back up. When suddenly he heard someone clapping from the entrance to the alley. He looked up to see Colm standing alone giving him a sinister applause. The men slowly started to get up and walk past Colm, leaving the two of them alone.
"What the hell was this, some sort of test?" Reid asked.
"Precisely," Colm agreed. "If you are going to come work for me, then I need to know what you are able to handle."
"I can handle whatever you can throw at me," Reid spouted.
Colm smirked, "yes, I can see that." He put his hand on Reid's shoulder while escorting him back towards the pub. "Come, let's have a drink and we will discuss your future."
Later that evening Alex entered Clancy's to see that it was standing room only. Most of the patrons were shouting and cheering as they watched the football match on the TV. Alex noticed her little group seated in their usual corner and gladly joined them.
"This round's on me," Alex announced then went to the bar. She used it as an excuse to scan the crowded room. Her husband was nowhere in sight. She returned with an appeasing attitude and knew she was just going to have to hold out until he got there.
It was almost an hour before Reid showed up and he was with Colm. The two walked into the bar as if they were lifelong friends. Dougal O'Connor and Jannon followed a few feet behind. Alex tried to make eye contact with Reid but he went to sit in the corner with Colm as she went unnoticed.
While trying to remain inconspicuous, she would attempt to sneak peaks across the room to where Reid was sitting. She had no idea if he even knew she was there. She hadn't received an update from him and wanted to make sure everything was okay.
"So, I heard that you were getting acquainted with Nixer," Kyra nudged Alex as she noticed her looking towards him.
"Yeah, you could say that," Alex smirked.
"Well, just between us, there were a lot of girls who wished they were as lucky as you, back in the day," Kyra shared.
"Most of them were," Shawn added.
"Shut it," Kyra smacked him. "You were just jealous."
"How could I be jealous when I already have the girl of my dreams in you," Shawn held her hand in his.
"Oh, you see, flattery will get you everything," Kyra giggled.
Suddenly everyone turned their attention to the far corner of the bar. "You should see him throw!" Jannon shouted from the other end of the room as he stood up excitedly.
The patrons were watching to see what the commotion was about. Alex figured Jannon was telling a story from his body language. Reid was obviously the subject and appeared to be a bit self-conscious.
"Stand up, man. Show them!" Jannon demanded.
Alex watched as Colm crossed his arms over his chest and gave a nod as if he was Caesar giving a thumbs-up to his gladiator.
Reid stood up and pulled a knife from his belt. He held onto the tip of the blade, bobbing it up and down, getting the right feel from the weight of the weapon.
Jannon rushed toward the restrooms and wedged a Guinness coaster between the doorframe. He then made sure everyone stood back.
Colm studied the coaster as he stood up. "Do you think you could aim for the harp?" He asked referring to the small picture on the already daunting sized target.
Reid nodded, "I believe so." He took a moment to breathe then tossed the blade. It landed square in the middle of the coaster, just under the harp.
The crowd went crazy with cheers. Colm still impressed.
"Watch out," Kyra called out as another blade flew across the bar and landed above Reid's, in the middle of the of the harp.
Everyone turned to look at Alex who stood twice the distance as Reid and their celebration increased ten-fold.
Reid smirked at her knowing that she was just trying to show him up. He went over to shake her hand. "You're a brat," he whispered in her ear.
"I needed to get your attention somehow," she whispered back.
"Quite impressive," Colm expressed to Alex. "I might be needing someone of your skills on my team." Dougal whispered in Colm's ear. "I hear you are already helping us in a few things."
"I'm just doing what I can." She watched as Reid returned to the table with Colm then went back to her party and sat down.
"Where the hell did you learn to throw like that?" Patty asked.
"In my line of work, you better know how to take care of yourself," she responded vaguely . She came off cool and confident, and as if she was always able to be a knife throwing master, but it didn't always come that easy for her.
Reid, Charles, Alex, and Hugh were training at the outdoor range. Their targets were specifically set up for knife throwing.
Hugh stood at the last stall and launched his last few knifes, all making perfectly acceptable shots then turned to his friend. "I have completed my required training for this. I am going back to the library to work on my linguistics. Anyone care to join me?"
"Is that where you learn I before E except after C?" Charles asked.
"I find that kind of a remark shallow and pedantic," Hugh replied, dryly.
Reid and Charles fell onto each other as they burst into laughter.
"Please," Alex snapped. "You guys are distracting me." She tossed her blade and just barely made it onto the target.
"I'll tell you what, Alex, every time you make a bullseye, I will do fifty pushups," Charles suggested.
"No, thank you. You can keep your encouragement to yourself." She threw another blade, but missed entirely. She let out a frustrated sigh.
"Alex, do you want some help?" Reid asked.
"No, just focus on yourself. I just need more practice, that's all." She walked towards her target to retrieve her knives.
Later that evening she knocked on Hugh's door. "Come in," he called out while keeping his nose in his book.
"I was hoping you could help me with something," she said. She had to build up a lot of courage to even come to him, and it showed.
"We'll meet tomorrow at the range at 6:00 a.m.," he announced as he turned the page in his book.
"How did you—"
"That's why you came to see me, isn't it? Now, go get some rest. You will want to be the best you can be."
Alex entered the range just after daybreak to see Hugh toss a knife and hit dead center.
"What is it about this qualification?" Hugh asked. "Everything else you exceed expectations. You have a natural ability for languages, you're the fastest of all the team, your IQ is off the charts, not to mention your firearms ability is exemplary. Why are knives your weak point?"
"When I was in foster care, I didn't have much as far as personal items, but I did always keep a pocket knife with me. I was able to keep it hidden because it looked like a pen to the unsuspecting eye. Well, one night, I had to use it when another kid was going through my stuff. I cut him badly and I just hated myself afterwards. The knife was taken away from me and I told myself that I would never use a knife like that again."
Hugh held onto her shoulders and looked at her in the eye. "This isn't the same. You aren't a scared kid anymore. You work for the CIA, you are protecting your country. And when your team needs your help, I expect you to throw that knife and hit your target. Am I making myself clear?"
Alex nodded.
"Good, now let's get started."
They spent the morning going over technique and various stances. Once she was comfortable, she practiced on her own. Alex pulled out her Walkman and had a mixtape she liked to play during training sessions. She pressed play and listed to The Touch by Stan Bush.
Alex threw knife after knife at her target, all shapes and sizes. She started to step backwards, making it more difficult for herself. Hugh then rigged up some moving targets as well as a mini obstacle course. Each time she was better than the last.
She rushed up to Hugh to give him a high five, but he stood there wondering why she was going to smack him in the face. "Never mind," she shook her head and walked away.
The official qualification day came as one-by-one they hit their targets. Finally, all eyes were on Alex as she surpassed the rest of her team by getting a perfect score.
"You just had to show me up, didn't you?" Reid smirked.