Fighting Like Cub

After we had finished our lunch in virtual silence still tired from the long obstacle course that we had underwent we were split into two groups. A Unit, B Unit, I Unit, M Unit and N Unit went for hand to hand combat training with the Sergeant whilst C Unit, D Unit, F Unit, and R Unit were going to the shooting range. The four units were ordered to get into pairs so that the sergeant could see what they were capable of. I paired up with Bat whilst Dog paired up with Polar Bear. I found out that Bat was a lot better at combat fighting than I had previously through.

But I had to learn that the hard way.

I was balancing on the balls of my feet with my hands balled up into fists in a protective stance. I was waiting for Bat to make the first move. I had always been recommended to let the other person make the first move. That way I would be able to judge their skills. Bat seemed to be doing the same as I was. We were circling one another waiting for who would be the first one to lose their patience and lash out. It turned out it was me. I'd never been a particularly patient person no matter how many times dad had tried to install patience into me.

I used the jab punch which was also known as the kizami zuki. This was just a distraction tactic after which I would then use a palm heel strike probably to the stomach. The head would be more effective but as I didn't want to cause permanent injury to my comrade then no. Maybe the groin I thought with a grimace. What? I couldn't help it. I'm a man I have absolutely no wish to be kicked in the groin. No man did or boy either.

I lashed out moving quickly through the air my right hand (I was left handed) aiming to strike Bat in the stomach. But he was no longer there. I had underestimated him and that would be my downfall. Bat was quick on his feet and was suddenly behind me. I knew he was about to attack so I used the back kick or the ushi geri a technique in karate used when you are about to be attacked from behind. I had my feet slightly apart waiting for the right moment looking out of the corner of my eye for any movement from Bat.

Then I span around on the heel of my right foot lashing out with my stronger left foot. This time I managed simply by doing an unexpected move when Bat thought he had me to sink my foot into Bat's gut. Bat groaned and reached out to grab me. I responded by lashing my hand into his side. I knew I was good. But I forgot my dad's primary lesson; over confidence kills. Bat aimed an elbow in the face but I bent backwards. Unfortunately I ended up on the floor in my efforts to dodge. Bat attempted to pin me down but I kneed him in the nose.

Okay I knew that was a legal move in karate. But dad had always told us that in a real life situation nobody is going to care whether or not your moves are legal or not. When someone is trying to kill you it's best to give them as good as they give you. So I didn't bother with that for very long as Bat sported a bloody nose and was obviously having trouble seeing through the blood. I then jumped up from the floor and aimed a round out kick at my team mate. Bat went down with a bang. I had won. By this time the rest of the cabin had gathered around us the only two left fighting.

The sergeant seemed to be actually quite impressed with the two of us even if he was trying not to show it. But I had grown up with Alex Rider so knew how to read almost expressionless faces. Why did dad have to try and pretend to be an emotionless unfeeling man when I'd seen how he treated us and the after math of mum's death. I tried not to think too much on mum's death. It was unfair and tragic because some nutter who had got hold of a gun went trigger happy. Why did it have to be her? I'd read the news reports – rather obsessively I had to admit – and she was the only one to die.

Why here? Why did it have to be my mother? But I knew if it wasn't my mum it would have been someone else. Someone else's mother, father, brother, sister, lover, child who would have been killed. A selfish part of me wished it had been. But I squashed it down. This was why I had joined the army in the first place, to protect innocent civilians like my mother! Before I could become even more depressed with the way my thoughts were heading I turned to the sergeant who seemed to be holding back a smile.

I couldn't believe it. And it seemed nobody else could either by the looks of things. And here we had thought that the sergeant only had two emotions; grumpy and grumpier. Apparently I was wrong about that. But then again I should have listened to dad. It had been my first time of leave after joining the army. I was still twenty one. Dad, the clumsy oaf as he always seemed to be, at work. I wondered why that was since he had never so much as broke a tea cup at home. Well he had managed to sprain his wrist, again!

We were all sitting around the kitchen table with Nelly looking oddly between me and dad. She had been fifteen at the time. But she seemed to notice the fact that while I had calloused hands from my handling of weapons and a few burn marks from explosions on my arms and dad had sprained his wrist doing too much writing! (1) How he had managed to do that I didn't know. Nelly had made a comment about me and dad being so alike. I had told her that getting badly burned in Afghanistan wasn't the same as spraining your wrist from writing too much.

'I don't know how you do it, dad,' I had said. 'You get hurt so much but you're just a boring old banker.'

'Never judge a book by its cover,' said dad smiling his "I know something you don't smile".

Nelly had looked like she understood. I was a little jealous of my baby sister's relationship with dad but didn't say anything. But here again was one of those times when dad's advice had proven true. It always was though. As a small child I wondered if dad knew everything about everything. But I stopped thinking that when mum had died. If dad knew everything then he would have been able to save mum. But he didn't so he couldn't. I knew that all children eventually found out their parents couldn't solve everything and that was the day I had realised that.

'Tiger I haven't seen someone fight like that since Cub,' growled the sergeant.

Cub? I wondered who Cub was. By the name I could tell it was a soldier. But he obviously hadn't made the greatest first impression on the sergeant as he had been nicknamed Cub. But by the respectful and familiar way that the sergeant had said Cub's name I could tell that the sergeant saw this Cub person as a worthy comrade. I hate mysteries and here was Cub, another mystery. I'd ask the others when we finished hand to hand combat. Surely they would know after all Polar Bear had been here before.

But Polar Bear didn't like speaking so probably even if Polar Bear did know who the mysterious Cub was didn't mean that he would tell them. Here was yet another mystery, Polar Bear. I had no idea about Polar Bear's life history or personality or skills. Other than the fact he was the silent and broody type. The kind of guy girls would call strong and handsome. And also there was the fact that he had been picked to be leader of our unit. I wished that the sergeant – was it the sergeant how picked leaders? – had chosen someone with a bit more people skills.

I looked around to see if the others knew who the sarge was talking about. There was recognition in Polar Bear's eyes. So he did know this Cub fellow. I'd have to try and prize the information out of him. I had a feeling it would be like getting blood from a stone or secrets from dad. As a child I would try and guess what dad had got me but he would never so much as drop a hint. Pigeon of I unit also seemed to know what the sergeant was talking about. But the rest of us were at loss to what our sergeant was talking about.

'Now change partners,' ordered the sergeant.

I ended up with Dog this time. I was personally quite glad as much as I wanted to talk to Polar Bear he didn't half intimidate me. Maybe it was because he just didn't talk to anyone. He just sat there glowering at people. I looked at the other blonde with large grey eyes. Dog had the advantage of already seeing me fight. He must know my style. But then I remembered how he had told me that he was good at escaping confrontation. So I decided this time to go on defensive even if I hated waiting for someone else to make the first move.

But it would be worse if I went second and kept missing until I tired myself out and was defeated. Dog and I started pacing both in defensive stances. I was getting more and more impatient. But luckily I was as impatient as I was stubborn. Stubbornness won out over my impatience for the battle to start. Finally after about five minutes of circling each other Dog made his move. Dog struck out with the heel of his palm obviously going for my nose as I had done with Bat. I wasn't sure if it was a coincidence (even if dad said there was no such thing) or whether he was using my own moves against me.

Surely he wouldn't use my move to tackle me. But whichever it was I had to block it before the older blonde broke my nose. It was more than a possibility after all. At last possible moment I pulled my left arm up covered my face with my palm just where Dog's hand was coming. It was too late for Dog to move his hand from his attack. This, of course, was exactly what I had planned. I grabbed hold of his forearm. Then I aimed a knee at the other blonde's groin. I heard the man groan at this and I pushed him down to the ground keeping him there with my booted foot.

'Good Tiger,' growled the sergeant. 'See that's how you do it you maggots.'

'Yes, sergeant,' the rest of them said.

Finally I was placed with Polar Bear. I had no idea how this was going to pan out. I always planned things out, it made me feel in control. But I had no chance to do it this time because before I had even had a chance to get into a defensive position the older man had employed a front kick to my chest. I found myself once again on the floor of the shack. Polar Bear was going to finish off what he had begun with pinning me down with his two feet. But I managed to roll away and get up again. But once more I was kicked to the ground.

This went on for a while before I realised that he was allowing me to get up every time. Just to kick me to the ground once again. I decided to change my routine. I got kicked to the ground. But as Polar Bear waited for me to get up again I managed to grab onto his legs. He fell over with me. Okay I hadn't won this but neither had I lost. I hated loosing! I'd have preferred to win but drawing was no worry for me. The sergeant saw the two of us lying tangled up on the ground and looked at us furiously.

'Polar Bear, Tiger, what do you think you are doing?' the sergeant demanded.

'Sarge-'I began.

'Did I ask for your input?' demanded the sergeant.

'No sergeant,' I replied.

'Then why are you interrupting me?' demanded the sergeant.

I hadn't thought I was interrupting him considering he had asked me a question and I had replied. But I realised that it wasn't the best time to tell an angry SAS sergeant that. The sergeant must have been using a rhetorical question. And I had interrupted his train of thought I thought with a groan. I was in for it now. And the way Polar Bear was looking at me he obviously thought he was too. Well we were a team. I just hoped that I didn't end up binned for disrespecting my sergeant. I waited with bated breath for the sergeant's judgement.

'First of all you two were rolling around the floor like a couple of high school kids even Cub wouldn't do that!' the sergeant yelled.

My ears pricked up. There was that name again. But in the same sentence as "a couple of high school kids" I frowned at this. Was this Cub person young then? But there were young soldiers in their training camp like the brunette in R who looked to be only just turning twenty. And why did he say it like it was a surprise that this Cub had done better than them? I was getting more and more intrigued than ever. And I knew that if it was the last thing I ever did I would find out who this Cub was although now probably wasn't the best time.

'The whole of B Unit are on kitchen duty tonight. Dismissed,' ordered the sergeant.

It wasn't until we were out of the hut did my unit all groan. I could see Bat still with his nose all bloody from where I had kneed him in the nose and Dog glaring at us. I realised that they blamed us for landing us on mess duty. Not that I blamed them at all. The four of us were walking in silence each of nursing our own injuries from the hand to hand combat. And it had all started out so good. I had even almost made the sergeant smile and feat that I had previously thought impossible. But it had ended up with us on mess duty.

'Why did you answer back?' demanded Polar Bear roughly.

'I thought he was asking for an explanation,' I said.

'Fool,' growled Polar Bear.

Someone had told me this a month ago when we had a thirty page essay, ten page essay, two presentations all in for the same week for my course at university. And I just had to use it because my friend generally was wearing a bandage. I haven't figured out how she hurt her wrist doing too much writing as she said. But ah well weird people you meet at Uni.

Hope you like the fight scenes. I tried to make each one of them different showing John and their fighting styles. And now I've introduced to legend of Cub to John. Next he's going to attempt to get Polar Bear to talk to him about Cub.