By the time Jack reached the dojo after school, he'd forgotten all about his phone. The day hadn't been horrible without it; he knew people in all of his classes so he wasn't bored without the device, however, he had a strange, gnawing feeling in his stomach all day. It felt like he'd missed something important because his phone was sitting at home on his nightstand.

"Whatever." He told himself as he closed his locker and headed for the mats. "It's nothing."

Kim led warmup and stretch that day, then Jack took over for basic drills and conditioning. He thanked his past self a million times for remembering to pack painkillers to take before practice. If he hadn't, he'd be dead in a heap on the mat by now.

"Okay, let's get to work." Rudy announced once his students were through with their strength training. "We're reviewing our tournament videos today, one by one, Kim, you're first." Rudy sent Jerry and Milton to work their back kicks, told Jack to focus on his bo staff routine, and he and Kim headed for the TV.

Jack let his mind blank out as he went through the motions of his routine. The only thoughts that managed to float through his mind were notes and critiques he would write down and work on after each run through.

"Hey, Jack?" Kim came up to him once he completed the sixth run-through of his routine.

"What's up?" He asked, slightly out of breath and a bit dizzy. His head was still bothering him, but not enough to keep him out of practice.

"Can we spar? I want to try something Rudy pointed out in my tournament video."

"Yeah, for sure." He set his bo staff aside and took a few breaths while he and Kim walked to the center of the mat.

"Ready?" Milton asked when he recognized the focus across both of their faces. "Go!"

Jack barely took a step forward before Kim's foot connected with his rib cage and knocked him to the ground.

"Hey, it worked!" Kim exclaimed. "Rudy! It worked! Jack wasn't that-? Jack?" Kim finally noticed that Jack was on the ground, writhing and clutching his side. "Jack! What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Holy Christmas nuts, Rudy!" Milton called when he noticed the commotion.

"Jack I'm so sorry, I didn't think I'd hit you that hard, I've never knocked you down with a roundhouse before!" Kim couldn't stop rambling as Jack just grunted in pain. He could hardly hear her.

"Jack!" he heard that. Rudy's shouting was loud. "What happened?"

"I was just trying the roundhouse right off the bat like you suggested and he went down."

"Jack, are you okay? Do I need to call an ambulance?"

"No." Jack managed through short breaths. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine!" Jerry argued.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Jack forced himself into a sitting position, fighting the urge to just lay back down and sleep. "I just got hit in the same spot yesterday. Plus, I'm tired and that kick came out of nowhere. I just need to rest a minute."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kim's eyes were wide and full of worry.

"I'm sure." Jack smiled back.

"Well, go lay down in my office." Rudy helped Jack to his feet. "If you don't feel better in half an hour I'm calling your parents to come get you."

"Really, Rudy, you don't need to do that." Jack shook his head.

"Just lay down for now."

"Okay…" Jack heaved a sigh and shut the door. "Great…" He remembered very little of the previous night, but from the searing pain in his side, he assumed Gareth had kicked him in the ribs a good number of times. Kim never would have been able to take him down so easily had he been in better condition. The most she would have done was catch him off guard. "Whatever…" He sighed again as he eased himself onto Rudy's couch. He just needed to rest for a minute or two. He'd be fine.

Jack must have dozed off because he woke up to Rudy calling his name.

"What?" Jack groggily sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Wow, you are tired." Rudy mused. He'd sent Jack to lay down less than fifteen minutes prior and had shouted his name about fifteen times before he finally woke up. "Alexander is here."

"Alexander?" Jack blinked through his haze of sleep.

"Your stepdad? Alexander?" Rudy gestured out into the dojo and Jack turned to peer out the door. There was Gareth, looking over the trophies on the shelf.

"Oh." Jack tried to hide his confusion as he dragged himself off the couch.

"Jack," Rudy grabbed Jack's arm to keep him from leaving the office, "Is everything okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Jack shrugged.

"Just… Making sure."

"Everything's fine, Rudy." Jack smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way. "I should go see what he wants."

Rudy released Jack and followed him out into the dojo. He felt kind of strange about the whole thing but decided to let it go. Jack was clearly exhausted, which would explain the mild confusion upon waking up.

"Uh, Alexander?" Jack called when he was a few feet away from his stepdad. "What are you doing here?"

Gareth turned around with a grim look on his face. "I came to get you. We need to go."

Jack's insides twisted into a knot immediately. "What? Go? Why? I'm in the middle of class." Not once had Gareth picked him up from anything.

"Jack, it's an emergency." Gareth pressed, somehow keeping his composure. He was a good actor, Jack had to give him that.

"Emergency?" Jack's heart sank even more.

"Yes, now come on, we have to go."

"Can I get changed first?"

"No."

"Let me just-"

"Jack." Gareth warned in a lethally low tone. "Now."

"Okay fine." Jack finally submitted. "Sorry, Rudy."

"It's fine, I'll keep your stuff locked in my office."

"Thanks." Jack tried for a smile then slunk away.

"I hope everything's okay." Kim bit her lip as she watched Jack and his stepdad head for the parking lot.

"Is it just me, or did something seem… off… about him?" Milton asked.

"No, somethings weird about that guy." Rudy agreed.

"Well, we've finally met one of Jack's parents." Jerry cut in with a smile, earning unimpressed looks from everyone else in the room. "What?"

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

A couple of hours later the class was finishing their cool-down stretches and Rudy was tidying up when two police officers came into the dojo.

"Uh, can I help you?" Rudy met the cops under the archway with his students close behind.

"We're looking for Jack Brewer." One of the officers flashed her badge.

"Jack?" The uneasy feeling returned to Rudy's stomach. "He left a couple of hours ago."

"He left?" the officer asked while her partner jogged out of the dojo, saying something into his radio. "Was he alone?"

"No, his stepfather came to get him. Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"Thank you." The officer followed her partner out of the dojo and they jogged out of sight.

"Huh, that was weird." Jerry broke the silence. "Wonder what Jack did to have the police after him." Again, everyone glared in his direction. "What?"