Night School: Legacy

‘What were you and Patel talking about?’ His eyes studied hers. ‘It looked a bit intense.’ As she told him about the man in the woods, his lips tightened. Jules and Lucas moved in closer to listen.

‘You didn’t get a good look at him?’ Lucas asked before she’d finished.

She shook her head. ‘It was super dark there. I only saw him for a second. When I doubled back he was gone.’

‘And you’re sure it wasn’t just your imagination?’ Carter asked. ‘Nobody could blame you for being a bit paranoid after all you’ve been through.’

His question revived her own self-doubt and she felt a twinge of defensive anger. ‘I can’t be certain, Carter. But I had to tell Raj what I saw.’

‘Carter’s not saying you did anything wrong, Allie.’ Jules adopted a soothing tone. ‘I think he’s just trying to decide how worried to be.’

‘Well, don’t be worried.’ Allie knew she sounded snappish but she couldn’t seem to help it. If somebody else had just seen the freaky banker in the woods they wouldn’t be having this conversation. Everybody would just believe it. ‘Raj sent some of his manimals out to look for him.’ Her gaze skittered off Carter’s. ‘And we’re all here, safe and sound.’

‘Everybody up.’ Mr Patel stood in the middle of the room. His tone brooked no opposition and the students climbed to their feet, groaning. ‘Find your training partners and prepare for basic self-defence techniques.’

Carter bounded to his feet but Allie didn’t move. ‘He must be joking,’ she said.

Across the room Mr Patel snapped, ‘Right now, people!’

With a sigh, Allie stood gingerly – all her muscles ached.

‘You’re sort of out of shape.’ Zoe’s piping voice came from right behind her; Allie paused to take a calming breath before turning to face her. She looked none the worse for wear after the run. Her ponytail hung limply down her back and a sheen of perspiration covered her face, but she looked as energetic as ever.

‘No,’ Allie said. ‘I’m not.’

Zoe shrugged, doubt clear on her face. ‘Are you ready?’ No, Allie thought.

‘Yes,’ she said curtly.

‘So you’ve done this before?’

Before Allie could reply, Mr Patel spoke again. ‘Each pair choose one to act as an attacker, the other is the attacked.”

‘I’ll be the attacker,’ Zoe volunteered.

‘Awesome,’ Allie muttered.

‘The attack will come from the left side,’ Mr Patel called, walking around the room to study the students’ preparation. ‘The attacked will attempt to throw the attacker to the ground and subdue them.’

This all sounded very bad to Allie, who had no idea how to throw an attacker to the ground. But then, Zoe was little. How hard could it be?

‘In three,’ Mr Patel called. ‘Two …’

Allie braced herself, shoulders stiff. Zoe stepped out of her sightline.

‘One!’ Mr Patel called out.

Hands grabbed her arm. When Allie tried to pull free the room whirled and she landed flat on her back looking up at the ornate plaster ceiling. Zoe’s foot rested on her abdomen.

‘Pathetic.’ Zoe lifted her foot and stepped back.

‘What the hell …’ Allie groaned, ‘just happened?’

‘I dropped you.’ Zoe’s tone was matter-of-fact.

‘Good!’ Mr Patel said to a pair across the room. ‘Now … Switch!’

Allie looked up at Zoe in confusion. The younger girl sighed. ‘Now you try and attack me.’

Allie scrambled to her feet. For a second she looked around the room desperately to see what everyone else was doing. Her eyes met Sylvain’s and she saw concern on his face.

Focus, Allie, she told herself.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to figure out what Zoe had done when she’d attacked her. Then she lunged at her.

The room whirled again. She hit the ground hard.

‘How?’ she gasped. Her ribcage felt assaulted.

Standing with her hands on her hips, Zoe looked down at her as if she were a maths problem she didn’t know how to solve.

‘Why aren’t you better?’ she asked.

Mr Patel appeared above Allie, his head blocking the fluorescent ceiling light.

‘Nice job, Zoe.’ Mr Patel leaned down to help Allie to her feet. ‘Now why don’t you try teaching instead of just hurting?’

‘I don’t get it,’ Zoe said, cocking her head to one side with the alertness of a robin.

‘This is Allie’s first class,’ he explained. ‘She’s never done this before. I didn’t pair you with her so you could put her in hospital. I paired you with her so you could teach her.’ He turned to Allie. ‘Zoe is one of the best in the class – she’s a natural – so I thought it would be good to put you two together. But she’s never taught anyone before.’ Turning back to Zoe, he said, ‘Stop hurting her and just help her, OK? You win when Allie learns.’

‘Ok.’ Zoe’s voice held no rancour. She turned to Allie. ‘Want me to show you how to knock me down?’

‘God yes.’ Allie spoke through gritted teeth.