Spy School: Big Shot

Chapter 10: Loss

June 28

Arizona/Mexico

0710 hours

The first punch Joshua threw hurt extremely bad. It felt as though my jaw started to deform. I hit the ground seconds later, and Erica took on Ashley and Nefarious at once. I'd been trying to improve at Self Preservation 102, and had learned quite a few nifty things. I sprung up as quickly as I could and threw a punch. Joshua bent backwards and buckled my kneecaps. He karate chopped me in the back of the neck and threw me to the ground, finishing me off with a kick to the stomach. I knew Joshua was lightyears ahead of Self Preservation compared to me, but I still gave my all. I knew I'd messed up horriibly, and resulted in a pained sensation. Erica was done with Ashley and Nefarious seconds later, sprawling them both out, unconscious. She started on Joshua, but he socked her in the nose once, and that laid her out.

I'd never seen Erica taken out so easily.

I staggered to my feet and punched Joshua in the back. He groaned and pulled out a gun, on the floor. "Give up, Ben. I can get you a nice offer in Hallal-" I backhanded Murray, who'd currently been speaking about Hallal Corp. Personally, I thought it was all bullsh- "You're done for. Operation Black Widow has already been initiated over Virginia." Joshua said, keeping his gun trained. "V-Virginia?" I stuttered. "Aw, c'mon. You haven't figured it out? I knew Murray was wrong to recruit you." he said. My eyes flickered over to Erica, who had a grenade in her hand, although it wasn't live. She winked at me and pretended to be knocked out once more. I tried stalling for the time being. "Yeah. I guess I lost my sharpness, you know, after SPYDER dying. Again." I said. Joshua grimaced, aware he'd lost so embarassingly. "What makes you think you can stop us?" he asked. "Nothing. I guess I'm just confident." I said as we circled each other. "You're unarmed, and you're teammate is down." A cruel smile spread across his face. "Because, I've defeated you bunch of other times. There's no reason I wouldn't defeat you now, is there?" "Actually, there is," he said, clicking on a small remote with his hook. A hologram of fve screens illuminated from the remote. Erica was bound to tear the clip off of the grenade, but stopped halfway, examining the holograms. "You see, Hallal Corp has come up with signals and devices that has taken over the entire CIA. And soon, all of Virginia!" Joshua erupted in several loud, villianous guffaws.
He stopped abruptly and aimed the gun at me. "Sorry, Ben." the gun went off, and I flinched. Then the grenade went off, sending Joshua flying through the air. He screamed horridly, his voice cracking as he looked down at the pit of fire in fear. He landed a few feet away, his peg leg shattering. "Arrgh! Curse you, Ben! Son of a bimmmmtch." He fell unconscious as Mike lowered a tranquilizer  gun. As he yanked the dart out of Joshua's neck, Joshua reacted in surprise and his head collapsed.

"Look who came to the rescue," I said.