Excuses and Bruises
John turned to confront the only remaining attacker.
"Stand up! This ends now, either give up or end up like your friends."
He turned and glared at John, but he did as he was told. Bruce stood there with his fists balled and stared John down.
"This is all your fault!" Bruce said as he ran forth to attack.
Bruce swung with his left fist, but John easily stepped aside and then elbowed him in the head. Bruce turned and was met with two more elbows, only this time they were directed at his face. His nose began to drip blood, but he continued to fight undaunted. Bruce was able to catch John's neck with a Mongolian chop and finally get John on the defensive. However it was not as effective as he had hoped because John continued to fight.
He tried the maneuver again, but John was expecting it; John grabbed his arm and jumped up to knee him. He went down, the knee to his chin was too much for him to take he lay unconscious sprawled on the ground. John surveyed the playground one last time before walking off, he went home feeling confident that those guys wouldn't be bothering Micheal for a while.
However only three minutes later Bruce awoke regained consciousness and was able call up a Lotus official to get Danny and the other boy some medical attention from doctors working for the Black Lotus. Danny was treated for a mild concussion and the other boy for broken ribs. After getting bandaged and stopping his nose from bleeding, Bruce went to room where Ryu normally presiding to give him a briefing on the night's events.
"How did all of this happen ?"
"Two other Lotuses and I were awaiting a possible recruit in the park when a stranger attacked us. Please do not be angry, although we may have outnumbered him his skills were nowhere near our level."
Ryu sighed and thought to himself, "Are all these New York members destined to pathetic wastes of time that pale in comparison to the Japanese. Thank goodness the last of the Japanese trainees have arrived, all I need now is that senior officer and the Black Lotus will be unstoppable once more."
"All right describe how he fought as well as his appearance."
"He was skilled I can tell ya that much, he fought using martial arts but didn't use any particular type. He was quick and aware, his attacks were fairly strong as well. As for his looks there's not much to say, black hair, brown eyes, no scars or distinguishing features, he was young though between the ages of seventeen to twenty one, really all I can say I that he's Asian."
"Did you or any of the others provoke him into fighting?"
"That's the strange thing about his attack we gave him an opportunity to leave, but he said we should leave then he mocked us. Then we gave him another chance to escape, but he did the same so we thought we'd show him whose boss and fought. He didn't even seem intimidated when we said he was on Black Lotus territory."
"Hmm... this might be an important piece of information. This 'man' approaches you and warns that you should leave the park for no apparent reason and he was not even intimidated by the fact that he was on Lotus ground. I find that strange because even the police and the Foot fear us, I will have to get to the bottom of this when the opportunity presents itself. Ah yes I almost forgot, did the recruit ever show?"
"I stayed after our men came to pick up the two injured members and left when only fifteen minutes were left till the deadline."
"While that is cutting it close we need all the bodies we can get so make sure you find the boy tomorrow and make sure he joins."
"Yes sir. I'll make sure he does."
"Did you or any of the others provoke him into fighting?"
"That's the strange thing about his attack we gave him an opportunity to leave, but he said we should leave then he mocked us. Then we gave him another chance to escape, but he did the same so we thought we'd show him whose boss and fought. He didn't even seem intimidated when we said he was on Black Lotus territory."
"Hmm... this might be an important piece of information. This 'man' approaches you and warns that you should leave the park for no apparent reason and he was not even intimidated by the fact that he was on Lotus ground. I find that strange because even the police and the Foot fear us, I will have to get to the bottom of this when the opportunity presents itself. Ah yes I almost forgot, did the recruit ever show?"
"I stayed after our men came to pick up the two injured members and left when only fifteen minutes were left till the deadline."
"While that is cutting it close we need all the bodies we can get so make sure you find the boy tomorrow and make sure he joins."
"Yes sir. I'll make sure he does."
The following day Micheal was in the bathroom at school washing his hands, when he saw Bruce in the mirror. Bruce looked so even more dangerous now that he didn't have Danny there to curb his emotions. Micheal turned off the faucet and dried his hands with some paper towels and turned slowly trying to think of some plausible lies.
"I didn't see you yesterday Mike, what happened?"
"I was there, I got there like ten minutes before the deadline. My mom she wouldn't me leave until I fed her some crap about getting some homework help from a friend."
Bruce didn't believe him, but he said nothing.
"So I guess you're ready to join then?"
"I'm ready as I'll ever be."
"Fine. Go to the abandoned plastics warehouse tomorrow at nine and I will see you there."
He nodded and Bruce finally left the bathroom. Micheal checked the mirror and saw he was soaked with sweat.
"Crap Bruce probably saw right through me, I'll have to be careful tomorrow."
The school day sped by and before he knew it Micheal was in the middle of karate class. The class was learning defense and counter techniques; most were basic, but very effective. Once again Micheal stayed after a session to talk to his Sensei about problems with the Lotus.
"Sensei, I don't mean to doubt you, but I thought you'd said you would end my problems?"
"I did, at first I tried talking, but that didn't work so they attacked me. One of them injured their own member, another ran into a pole, and the last guy he..." "Ahh nothing happened to the last guy! Micheal I'm sorry to put you into this mess."
"You got rid of Danny, but missed Bruce so I had to join, I had no choice. Now I have to meet him at some warehouse tomorrow night."
John turned to confront the only remaining attacker.
"Stand up! This ends now, either give up or end up like your friends."
He turned and glared at John, but he did as he was told. Bruce stood there with his fists balled and stared John down.
"This is all your fault!" Bruce said as he ran forth to attack.
Bruce swung with his left fist, but John easily stepped aside and then elbowed him in the head. Bruce turned and was met with two more elbows, only this time they were directed at his face. His nose began to drip blood, but he continued to fight undaunted. Bruce was able to catch John's neck with a Mongolian chop and finally get John on the defensive. However it was not as effective as he had hoped because John continued to fight.
He tried the maneuver again, but John was expecting it; John grabbed his arm and jumped up to knee him. He went down, the knee to his chin was too much for him to take he lay unconscious sprawled on the ground. John surveyed the playground one last time before walking off, he went home feeling confident that those guys wouldn't be bothering Micheal for a while.
However only three minutes later Bruce awoke regained consciousness and was able call up a Lotus official to get Danny and the other boy some medical attention from doctors working for the Black Lotus. Danny was treated for a mild concussion and the other boy for broken ribs. After getting bandaged and stopping his nose from bleeding, Bruce went to room where Ryu normally presiding to give him a briefing on the night's events.
"How did all of this happen ?"
"Two other Lotuses and I were awaiting a possible recruit in the park when a stranger attacked us. Please do not be angry, although we may have outnumbered him his skills were nowhere near our level."
Ryu sighed and thought to himself, "Are all these New York members destined to pathetic wastes of time that pale in comparison to the Japanese. Thank goodness the last of the Japanese trainees have arrived, all I need now is that senior officer and the Black Lotus will be unstoppable once more."
"All right describe how he fought as well as his appearance."
"He was skilled I can tell ya that much, he fought using martial arts but didn't use any particular type. He was quick and aware, his attacks were fairly strong as well. As for his looks there's not much to say, black hair, brown eyes, no scars or distinguishing features, he was young though between the ages of seventeen to twenty one, really all I can say I that he's Asian."
"Did you or any of the others provoke him into fighting?"
"That's the strange thing about his attack we gave him an opportunity to leave, but he said we should leave then he mocked us. Then we gave him another chance to escape, but he did the same so we thought we'd show him whose boss and fought. He didn't even seem intimidated when we said he was on Black Lotus territory."
"Hmm... this might be an important piece of information. This 'man' approaches you and warns that you should leave the park for no apparent reason and he was not even intimidated by the fact that he was on Lotus ground. I find that strange because even the police and the Foot fear us, I will have to get to the bottom of this when the opportunity presents itself. Ah yes I almost forgot, did the recruit ever show?"
"I stayed after our men came to pick up the two injured members and left when only fifteen minutes were left till the deadline."
"While that is cutting it close we need all the bodies we can get so make sure you find the boy tomorrow and make sure he joins."
"Yes sir. I'll make sure he does."
"Did you or any of the others provoke him into fighting?"
"That's the strange thing about his attack we gave him an opportunity to leave, but he said we should leave then he mocked us. Then we gave him another chance to escape, but he did the same so we thought we'd show him whose boss and fought. He didn't even seem intimidated when we said he was on Black Lotus territory."
"Hmm... this might be an important piece of information. This 'man' approaches you and warns that you should leave the park for no apparent reason and he was not even intimidated by the fact that he was on Lotus ground. I find that strange because even the police and the Foot fear us, I will have to get to the bottom of this when the opportunity presents itself. Ah yes I almost forgot, did the recruit ever show?"
"I stayed after our men came to pick up the two injured members and left when only fifteen minutes were left till the deadline."
"While that is cutting it close we need all the bodies we can get so make sure you find the boy tomorrow and make sure he joins."
"Yes sir. I'll make sure he does."
The following day Micheal was in the bathroom at school washing his hands, when he saw Bruce in the mirror. Bruce looked so even more dangerous now that he didn't have Danny there to curb his emotions. Micheal turned off the faucet and dried his hands with some paper towels and turned slowly trying to think of some plausible lies.
"I didn't see you yesterday Mike, what happened?"
"I was there, I got there like ten minutes before the deadline. My mom she wouldn't me leave until I fed her some crap about getting some homework help from a friend."
Bruce didn't believe him, but he said nothing.
"So I guess you're ready to join then?"
"I'm ready as I'll ever be."
"Fine. Go to the abandoned plastics warehouse tomorrow at nine and I will see you there."
He nodded and Bruce finally left the bathroom. Micheal checked the mirror and saw he was soaked with sweat.
"Crap Bruce probably saw right through me, I'll have to be careful tomorrow."
The school day sped by and before he knew it Micheal was in the middle of karate class. The class was learning defense and counter techniques; most were basic, but very effective. Once again Micheal stayed after a session to talk to his Sensei about problems with the Lotus.
"Sensei, I don't mean to doubt you, but I thought you'd said you would end my problems?"
"I did, at first I tried talking, but that didn't work so they attacked me. One of them injured their own member, another ran into a pole, and the last guy he..." "Ahh nothing happened to the last guy! Micheal I'm sorry to put you into this mess."
"You got rid of Danny, but missed Bruce so I had to join, I had no choice. Now I have to meet him at some warehouse tomorrow night."