DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER XII

M A K A Y L A

Proximo had long been teasing me of my 'elusive' fighting skill–or lack of.

After everything that had been said and done in the last few days I was just about at the end of my patience with his jabs. He could tell because his smirks grew wider as he lured me to the training floor of the colossal base.

"I have a very eager group of recruits that would love to see what a Sector 1-born can do." He drawled.

I decided to ignore the quip as we walked. "You still didn't tell me where Alex went. It's been hours Proximo. I know your sister is–"

"Your concern is training. Scorpion's concern will soon be no concern at all." He murmured in a darker tone.

I wisely decided to change the subject. "I've seen how she trained me. So I know you never really committed to my training." I accused, eying the side of his face.

He fought a smile and shrugged his muscled arms as we passed another security door.

"What good would breaking a royal's bones do me other than satisfaction?"

I gave him a look of false hurt. "Here I was thinking we got along so well..."

"I do not dislike you, Makayla. Consider that the highest compliment."

I rolled my eyes. "I care whether you live or die too Proximo. Nice to know where we stand."

He grinned now as we entered the fighting hall and the sounds of weapons greeted us. Fists to chests and bows greeted him as we walked. The thoughts still ran in my mind about where Alex had gone in all her armed rage. I would not wish anyone to be on the wrong side of that but the dangers of this city were always excessive. Proximo appeared as if nothing mattered less than the current task of training but I knew his mind and ear was trained on his comm for any change.

"Why don't you get settled in. They have orders to treat you as one of our own." He said suddenly with a trademark look of calm.

I paused and scanned his face. "Is everything–"

"Perfectly fine." He told me emotionless. "I have business to attend to but be sure I will be eagerly listening to feedback." He told me with a darker smile. I did not have a chance to respond because just as quickly he was striding back down the hall to whatever crisis the Division had going on.

As it turned out the style Alex had trained into me differed greatly from the new men and women that drew up to face me in the fighting pit. They drew guards and practiced combinations whereas I worked off the information I could see and used it against them. 

It was exceedingly effective.

By the time the fifth one of them had dropped to the floor I rolled my neck and saw others shaking their heads. Some murmured quietly without meeting my eyes. I sighed and glared at a pair of shirtless men trading glances at me below the raised platform.

"You can just ask me." I interrupted them flatly.

The shorthaired blonde looked up at me startled and tucked muscled arms behind him. "Sorry. We didn't think anyone in Sector 1 received training." He supplied.

I snorted and dropped into a crouch to become more at eye level. "I did not learn much in Sector 1." I agreed, but when he threw me a confused look I went on. "–I learned from someone raised in the outer Sector. She knew a thing or two about hand to hand."