Crazy Core Gym, Upper East Side, New York:
“Again!” Jamie looks down at Teela as she lies on the training mats.
“Fine!” Teela springs up from the training mat.
She was getting frustrated from training with Jamie/Jester. Aylin couldn’t make their planned training. Jamie didn’t go into detail on why Aylin and Mark couldn’t make it. So, instead, it was Jamie and a friend of hers named Kristie.
Kristie was working with Emily and she was training with Jamie. They had split up the training because Emily only wanted to act as backup, should Teela need her. Teela watches Jamie to predict how she is going to respond. Jamie told her that she should pay attention to how her opponent used their body. She should watch her opponent's body language because everyone broadcasts what they are going to do.
Jamie watched Teela and could tell she was being cautious. She knew Teela had certain moves she liked using when she attacked. Teela was a decent fighter, but against some of the people she would be going against, she had to become better.
Jamie protects herself when Teela attacks her. A sly smile appears on her face “Good, now try to take me down.”
Teela moves in quickly using the move Jamie taught her. She almost had Jamie in the hold she was going for before Jamie turned the tables on her and sent her towards the mat. But instead of landing on her back, like before. Teela turns the tables lands on her feet and counterattacks.
Jamie was caught by surprise and found herself hitting the mats. She looked up at Teela as she looked down at her “That was good. Here, give me a hand getting up.”
Teela reaches down to help Jamie up off the mats but is grabbed by Jamie and pulled down. She feels Jamie’s foot pressed against her abdomen and flipped over onto her own back. She lands on her back on the other side of Jamie.
Jamie springs up off the mat and with a smile on her face she looks down at Teela “Never, lower your guard.”
“That was mean, Jamie.” Teela kicks upward and stands up.
“True, but when you’re fighting in the streets or against someone else. Even if they are friends with you, you need to always have your guard up. Sometimes, you can be tricked even by people who you thought were your friends or at least your partners.”
“Has that ever happened to you?” Teela looks at the blonde-haired woman.
“Only once. I trusted someone I shouldn’t have and, in the end, I had to take that person down. I know Aylin and Mark would never do that to me, but you should always keep your guard up.” Jamie knew she could always count on Aylin, Mark, and her wife.
“I’ll remember that. I heard a rumor the other day while I was out buying a new box truck for my special effects company. There’s been reports of a group of hi-tech scavengers hitting research facilities and developers of unique technology.”
“Where did you hear this rumor?” Jamie was curious because she knew Terry and several companies, he did freelance work for.
He would develop unique tech or modify their technology for special purposes. Hell, Terry has done work for the US government and helped develop an advanced drone tank for a Swedish defense firm. She knew Wraith and several other vehicles Terry has built were using cutting-edge technology he developed or were developed from already existing designs.
“One of the mechanics at the trucking company I was at was talking to some of his coworkers. He said a company his brother worked for had been broken into.”
“Do you think they might come after your wings?” Jamie wonders what type of technology allowed Teela to fly.
“I hope not.” Teela was concerned about that.
“Then, we better continue our training, so they don’t.” Jamie attacks Teela.
While Jamie is fighting against Teela, she makes a mental note to warn Terry and Carla. Terry she wasn’t too concerned about, because of the lengths Terry went to protect his stuff. However, Carla on the other hand. The armor she wore was based on technology the Hunter Organization developed to fight supernatural creatures and there were only a few people Carla trusted to take her armor to for repairs if she couldn’t fix it herself.
By the time training was over. Teela and Emily had bruises in places they never had bruises before. Jamie suggested they should visit Marshal and buy specialized training outfits. She gave them the address because each training suit was custom-made to their body measurements.
She did mention that the suits were a little expensive, but worth the money. She also invited the two women over for dinner. She also invited them to join her and her parkour group for a workout.
After showering and changing clothes. Teela and Emily head towards their favorite delicatessen. Emily orders a Rueban sandwich with freshly made onion rings. Teela orders a pastrami sandwich with salt and vinegar potato chips. All the meats for their sandwiches were made by the deli they were eating at.
“I can’t believe Jamie and Kristie were so rough on us today.” Emily takes a bite from her Rueban.
“Things are getting crazy out on the streets. Between this new group stealing advanced technology from places and a hit squad that has been going around killing people. We need to be prepared.”
“What hit squad is going around killing people?” This was the first Emily had heard about this squad.
“They call themselves Murder Incorporated. I came across some information about them the other day while surfing the web. It’s based on Murder Inc. from the 1930’s. The older group used to be associated with the National Crime Syndicate and did a lot of their dirty work.
They used to be based out of a candy store in Brooklyn. The new group is based out of Los Angeles, California, and has been expanding across the United States. Their members aren’t afraid of taking any type of contract. Several of them have already taken shots at the President and members of his family.”
“Why hasn’t anyone heard about that?” Emily was curious.
“Because the Secret Service doesn’t want to encourage people to keep trying. Plus, I would think they would have several undercover agents in the organization as well.” Teela knew she would go that route.
“You don’t think someone sent them after Aylin and Mark, do you?” Emily wonders if that was the reason they didn’t show up for training.
“If someone did, and Aylin’s mother and her team heard about it. They would be opening themselves up for a massive payback. Jamie said that attacking her, Aylin, and Mark is like disturbing a hornet’s nest. The people they are related to won’t stand for it.”
“Remind me not to piss them off.” Emily takes another bite from her sandwich.
“We need to be aware and careful this group doesn’t come after us.” Teela takes a bite from her sandwich.
After lunch, the two women stopped by the paint shop they took their new box truck to be painted. The painters haven’t started on it yet. They were fourth in line to have their truck done. They take one more look over the advertisement they wanted to be painted on the truck and the color scheme. Once they got the truck back from the painters, they were going to put a hidden switch in it so it couldn’t be stolen again.
After visiting the body shop. Emily and Teela do some window shopping and visit some of the high-end dress shops they have been meaning to visit. In a few of the shops, they got dirty looks and were rudely ignored or told they couldn’t touch the merchandise.
Of course, Emily recorded everything to post on all the social sites she belonged to. She even had friends who reported on the bad behavior of some of the shops they were treated poorly at. Her friends were hugely popular on a lot of social sites.
Teela spotted a teenage girl with emo-colored hair dressed like a character from Tina Turner’s Thunder Dome music video. She would accidentally bump into a businessman and pick their pockets. Teela continued to watch the young woman as she bumped into a rich-looking woman and robbed her blind.
“Did you see that?” Teela knew Emily was watching the crowd.
“Yeah, that young woman is very skillful and smooth.” Emily had spotted the same girl.
They continued to watch the young woman until a police officer walking their beat spotted her. The officer tried to ambush the girl, but she was too smart for them and disappeared among the crowd. The cop stood looking around for her.
“I wonder if Jamie knows her?” Teela knew Jamie had a lot of connections in New York.
“It’s possible.” Emily has learned that Jamie was a bounty hunter and tracked people down.
The rest of the afternoon, Emily and Teela enjoy the day out and about in New York.