Chapter 3

At the hospital, Ashton, Bri, and Amanda sat awkwardly side by side in the waiting room. The "trained" martial artists were unable to avoid the police due to Sommer being shot. After some convincing, the police escorted them here instead of arresting them.

"I bet Sommer's dead." Ashton nodded to herself. She was clearly annoyed by the situation.

"Totally." Amanda agreed.

"Well if she's not, then she'll be when Sensei gets here."

"Sensei's gonna kill all of us." Amanda groaned as she leaned forward and rested her face in her hands.

"Hey guys!" Sommer shouted as she entered the waiting room. Her shoulder was wrapped up and her arm was in sling. "Guess who didn't die?"

Instead of offering comfort and concern, the other three teens gave her a deadly glare.

"What?" she asked innocently. The seriousness of the situation had not yet dawned on her. Bri, who had been quiet all this time, was the first to stand up.

"Well sometimes when vigilantes go out on patrol, they like to be able to avoid the police." She walked towards Sommer as she said this. "But sometimes they can't because someone in the group decided to get shot!" Bri had raised her voice and it had startled the injured teen.

"It's not my fault!" Sommer argued. "Ashton was the one who was supposed to get shot!"

"But she didn't because, guess what? She pays attention. Unlike some people."

Sommer, clearly insulted, wiped the tears from her eyes. She had never seen Bri this angry except for that time Sommer had completely ruined blueprints she had drawn up. Sommer looked over at the other two who were still sitting there. They were in shock at the sudden altercation, but showed no intention on helping. All Sommer could shout was "You're mean!" before shoving Bri away from her.

Bri immediately pushed her back and eventually the two ended up in a scuffle on the floor. That was when Ashton and Amanda decided would be a good time to intervene and break them apart. Sommer swung punch at Bri, who dodged it and made it hit Ashton. Enraged by this action, she grabbed Sommer by the shirt, but before she could throw the first punch, a familiar, but angry voice ordered them to stop.

The four friends stopped in whatever position they were in and stared up at their angry master. Master Soeng, as they referred to him, was not happy.

Amanda sat up on top of Bri. "Can I just say this is totally not my fault?" she smiled sheepishly.

"Hey!" the other girls yelled.

Master Soeng rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Get up, all of you!"

The four girls quickly scrambled onto their feet, shoving each other all the while. They stared at their sensei side by side, hoping he wouldn't punish them too badly.

The girls could see that Master Soeng was angry, as anyone else would be getting a phone call from police at four in the morning. These girls have gotten themselves into trouble before, but never with the police.

"Does someone care to explain?" he asked.

Sommer raised her uninjured hand excitedly and waited for permission to speak.

"Bad guys! Darkness! Guns!" She waved her arm around frantically. "Then, pew pew, BANG!" She held her hand like a gun then held her shoulder and pretended to get shot. "Ow! Bad idea!" She clutched her injured shoulder in pain and ended the performance by falling to the floor.

Master Soeng raised an eyebrow at Sommer and then looked at the other three girls who were still sitting in silence.

"It was my fault" Ashton muttered and broke the silence. "I rushed in without knowing and I wasn't thinking clearly because I was already angry that Bri took down my opponent. That's why Sommer got shot."

"Now you know the whole story." Bri sighed.

"I see. As long as you all have learned from your mistakes, then I am not mad." He looked over at Ashton and gave her a stern look. "Have you learned your lesson?"

"Hai, Sensei." She answered stubbornly with her arms crossed.

"For punishment, I will be sending you all away."

The girls exchanged looks of confusion. "I thought you said you weren't mad?" Bri questioned.

"I'm not." He replied.

"Then why are you sending us away?" Sommer asked, nearly crying for the second time that night.

"Because my dear Sommer, you all need to learn discipline and I'm afraid staying here won't teach you that. There is a small dojo in New York that my family owns that you will all be staying at." He paused and gave a stern look to the teens. "As of now, there will be no more of these night missions. New York is an entirely different place and I don't want anyone else getting shot."

"Aw, no more missions?" Sommer blurted out.

"No, Sommer, and besides, you need to let your shoulder heal before training again." Amanda said calmly, but clearly disappointed by the news.

"Sensei?" Bri questioned once again. "How do you plan on getting us to New York and what about our apartment?"

"I will be paying for your tickets and I will give you directions to the dojo. That will be your living quarters and meals will be provided and you will also start training with an old friend of mine. As for your apartment, I will no longer be paying for it so I suggest you pack everything. New York is your only shot for redemption."

"Wow, hashtag rude." Ashton said under her breath. She was clearly insulted by that last statement. Bri, however, was still trying to comprehend the situation. After minutes of thinking, she asked, "So your basically asking us to live, eat, and breathe martial arts and leave our lives in Tucson behind?"

"Yes." Was Master Soeng's only reply.
"So if we stay, we'll basically have to get jobs and not be allowed to train in your dojo and have no support from you whatsoever?"

"Yes." He repeated.

"But if we go, we continue to live with your support?" Amanda asked this time. She was clearly getting annoyed with Bri over thinking the whole thing.

"Yes." He repeated once more.

"Well staying here's gonna be too hard." Sommer said. "I'll go start packing."

Master Soeng looked at the other three girls, waiting patiently for their replies. Amanda stood up next. "Ok, I'll go too."

"I am ready." Ashton stood up shortly after.

Everyone in the room then turned their attention to Bri, who was still sitting in the chair. "I don't know guys. Maybe working wouldn't be so hard." Bri tried to convince them. "Besides, we already know Tucson really well and it would be tough to get used to a new place."

"Please Bri!" Sommer got down in front of her and was practically begging. "New York won't be that bad. And we'll all be together!"

"Either you all go or none of you go." Master Soeng added. "I will not split you guys up."

Bri sat there in silence as Sommer kept begging and pleading for her to go. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Bri stood up.

"Ok." She sighed. "I'll go."