Chapter 13: The Cruel Tutelage of Elle Driver
Nicki looked at the trailer with anticipation. For the last two days, she had hitchhiked here from her home in Pasadena, leaving a note with her father. She no longer cared about what he knew, now that he couldn't stop her. Now she was at her destination, the trailer right where the letter said it would be. She stepped up and opened the door.
Inside it was musty and dank, and all over were signs of quick and dirty repairs. At the far end sat a woman, her back to Nicki. Nicki saw her long blond hair and briefly thought it was Beatrix, but then saw that this hair was duller and straighter. Suddenly, the woman spoke.
"I could have killed you from the second you walked through that door." She paused briefly, then went on. "Your breathing is fast and shallow. Are you afraid?" Nicki replied, "Not really. I just don't know what's going on. Who are you?" The woman responded, "Someone who knows Beatrix Kiddo. I've heard that you're looking for her." Nicki said, "Yes. You said in the letter that you knew my mother. How?"
"We were partners. Not in the holding hands kind of way; the way that really matters. We were part of a team. She saved my life many times, just as many as I saved hers." "So you're one of the deadly vipers." "You've done some research." "Not really; I just asked my father about it." "Well, if he knew, Copperhead must have been going soft."
Nicki felt a brief surge of anger at the stranger talking about her mother like that, but thought better of rebutting it. If this woman could help her find Beatrix, she had to stay on her good side. Instead she said, "So, can you help me find Beatrix?" After a few seconds, she got another question. "Just what are you going to do if you find her?" Nicki wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say, but she had to say it: "I'm going to kill her."
"Okay. I'll start training you tomorrow." Nicki didn't know what answer she was expecting, but that wasn't it. "I've already trained." "All right then. If you think you're ready, step outside."
The woman turned around, and Nicki uttered a loud gasp. Both of the woman's eyes were gone, seemingly ripped right out of her head. She stuck her hand out. "Elle Driver, nice to meet you. But until I think you're ready to say my name, you can call me California Mountain Snake." Nicki shook Elle's hand, then followed her outside.
Once under the sweltering sun, Elle said, "All right, attack me." Nicki, not wanting to hurt a blind woman, took one cautionary punch. Elle blocked it so fast it felt like her arm was being pulled off. "Is that it?" she taunted. This time Nicki tried a kick, which Elle caught and threw back, Nicki fell to the sand. Now enraged, she came at Elle with everything she had. However, whatever she threw out Elle blocked. Finally, Elle struck Nicki's face with her palm, and she fell back in tremendous pain.
"Beatrix was able to defeat me when I could see. If you think you can take her with whatever that was you were doing, be my guest. But if you're smart, you'll let me help you." Nicki stood up, holding her head and moaning. She was barely able to croak out, "Please, help me...California Mountain Snake." Elle spat back, "My pleasure."
For the next year, Nicki did whatever Elle said. It was the most hellish year of her life. Under the broiling Texas sun she had to practice her moves six hours a day, under Elle's guidance. If Elle ever thought she was slacking, she would challenge Nicki to a fight, and always won. Then she would say, "If you want to get better, you'll have to want to learn."
Ever so slowly, Nicki began to improve. As time went on, she noticed that the heat didn't seem quite as unbearable, and the time seemed to pass more quickly. Elle sensed her pupil's growth, and stepped up her training. Now Nicki worked from dawn till dusk, stopping only to eat lunch. Many times, Nicki began to fell that her revenge wasn't worth this at all. Then she'd see her mother's body falling to the floor, and Beatrix standing over her, and she resolved to keep going.
At the end of the year, Elle challenged her to one more duel. This time, Nicki was able to match her every move. Every punch and kick Elle threw out, she countered, while Elle did the same to her. Finally, Nicki glimpsed a microscopic gap in Elle's defense, and put her fist into it. Elle was struck hard in the stomach, and bent over gasping for breath, a mirror image of Nicki after their first fight.
Finally, she stood up. "Very good," she said. "You've learned well. I think you're ready." Nicki responded, "Thank you." The reply was something else she did not expect. "Go ahead, say it." The respect she had gained for her master held her back for a second, but then she did her bidding. "Thank you, Elle."
For the next month, Nicki went through databases of American citizens, using the few clues Elle was able to give her: Beatrix would probably be living under the name Arlene Plimpton, and she had a daughter named BB. Finally, she found them: they were living in California, just outside Pasadena, in fact. Nicki felt her blood boiling; she was almost done.
Nicki looked at the trailer with anticipation. For the last two days, she had hitchhiked here from her home in Pasadena, leaving a note with her father. She no longer cared about what he knew, now that he couldn't stop her. Now she was at her destination, the trailer right where the letter said it would be. She stepped up and opened the door.
Inside it was musty and dank, and all over were signs of quick and dirty repairs. At the far end sat a woman, her back to Nicki. Nicki saw her long blond hair and briefly thought it was Beatrix, but then saw that this hair was duller and straighter. Suddenly, the woman spoke.
"I could have killed you from the second you walked through that door." She paused briefly, then went on. "Your breathing is fast and shallow. Are you afraid?" Nicki replied, "Not really. I just don't know what's going on. Who are you?" The woman responded, "Someone who knows Beatrix Kiddo. I've heard that you're looking for her." Nicki said, "Yes. You said in the letter that you knew my mother. How?"
"We were partners. Not in the holding hands kind of way; the way that really matters. We were part of a team. She saved my life many times, just as many as I saved hers." "So you're one of the deadly vipers." "You've done some research." "Not really; I just asked my father about it." "Well, if he knew, Copperhead must have been going soft."
Nicki felt a brief surge of anger at the stranger talking about her mother like that, but thought better of rebutting it. If this woman could help her find Beatrix, she had to stay on her good side. Instead she said, "So, can you help me find Beatrix?" After a few seconds, she got another question. "Just what are you going to do if you find her?" Nicki wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say, but she had to say it: "I'm going to kill her."
"Okay. I'll start training you tomorrow." Nicki didn't know what answer she was expecting, but that wasn't it. "I've already trained." "All right then. If you think you're ready, step outside."
The woman turned around, and Nicki uttered a loud gasp. Both of the woman's eyes were gone, seemingly ripped right out of her head. She stuck her hand out. "Elle Driver, nice to meet you. But until I think you're ready to say my name, you can call me California Mountain Snake." Nicki shook Elle's hand, then followed her outside.
Once under the sweltering sun, Elle said, "All right, attack me." Nicki, not wanting to hurt a blind woman, took one cautionary punch. Elle blocked it so fast it felt like her arm was being pulled off. "Is that it?" she taunted. This time Nicki tried a kick, which Elle caught and threw back, Nicki fell to the sand. Now enraged, she came at Elle with everything she had. However, whatever she threw out Elle blocked. Finally, Elle struck Nicki's face with her palm, and she fell back in tremendous pain.
"Beatrix was able to defeat me when I could see. If you think you can take her with whatever that was you were doing, be my guest. But if you're smart, you'll let me help you." Nicki stood up, holding her head and moaning. She was barely able to croak out, "Please, help me...California Mountain Snake." Elle spat back, "My pleasure."
For the next year, Nicki did whatever Elle said. It was the most hellish year of her life. Under the broiling Texas sun she had to practice her moves six hours a day, under Elle's guidance. If Elle ever thought she was slacking, she would challenge Nicki to a fight, and always won. Then she would say, "If you want to get better, you'll have to want to learn."
Ever so slowly, Nicki began to improve. As time went on, she noticed that the heat didn't seem quite as unbearable, and the time seemed to pass more quickly. Elle sensed her pupil's growth, and stepped up her training. Now Nicki worked from dawn till dusk, stopping only to eat lunch. Many times, Nicki began to fell that her revenge wasn't worth this at all. Then she'd see her mother's body falling to the floor, and Beatrix standing over her, and she resolved to keep going.
At the end of the year, Elle challenged her to one more duel. This time, Nicki was able to match her every move. Every punch and kick Elle threw out, she countered, while Elle did the same to her. Finally, Nicki glimpsed a microscopic gap in Elle's defense, and put her fist into it. Elle was struck hard in the stomach, and bent over gasping for breath, a mirror image of Nicki after their first fight.
Finally, she stood up. "Very good," she said. "You've learned well. I think you're ready." Nicki responded, "Thank you." The reply was something else she did not expect. "Go ahead, say it." The respect she had gained for her master held her back for a second, but then she did her bidding. "Thank you, Elle."
For the next month, Nicki went through databases of American citizens, using the few clues Elle was able to give her: Beatrix would probably be living under the name Arlene Plimpton, and she had a daughter named BB. Finally, she found them: they were living in California, just outside Pasadena, in fact. Nicki felt her blood boiling; she was almost done.