Blood for Blood (Blood Series 1) (COMPLETED)

30: Training Grounds

The Navarro Estate training grounds had shooting ranges, rope trails, and lots of open spaces like some camp of a military academy. It obviously catered the old mafia the Navarros was managing. Kung totoong wala na ang mafia, baka ito ang dahilan kung bakit sarado na ito? Everything they need to train was right here.

Naglakad si Aria papunta sa shooting range. There was Charmaine and Gio, shooting targets without any ear protection. Charmaine may be scared of loud sounds like explosions but she isn't scared of gun shots. Aria finds it weird about her.

Gio is also a sharp shooter and it looks like Charmaine learned from him. Kanina pa nakaka-headshot si Gio sa mga cardboard human-like targets. Si Charmaine naman, may mga tama na minsan ay sumasablay.

"I need more practice." wika ni Charmaine. The three red lady sharp shooters each took their individual places and practiced.

"You do." sang-ayon ni Gio. Nang tingnan ni Aria ang paligid, napansin niyang magkasama si C.C. at Maki. Apparently, these two knows their ways with knives. Nasa gilid lang si Ali, nanunuod, ngumunguya ng isang mansanas .

Nang lumapit si Aria kung nasaan si Maki at C.C., minamata niya si Maki.

"You look doubtful," pansin ni Ali. Hindi ito pinansin ni Aria. Maki looks like a harmless guy. Batak din naman ang katawan nito. But seeing how gentle he is even to snakes, he can't be used to hurting people, right?

"Wala kang tiwala kay Maki ano? Come see this." wika ni Ali.

"Maki!"

Binato ni Ali ang kanyang mansanas sa ere, ang direksyon ay papunta kay Maki. Pagkabato ni Maki ng kutsilyo, tinamaan niya ang mansanas na tumama ito sa pader sa likod ng cardboard targets.

"How on earth is that possible?" tanong ni CC.

"Dating taga-circus iyang si Maki eh," pabirong sagot ni Ali. Tiningnan niya muna ng masama ang kuya bago siya nagpaliwanag.

"Sharp knives, really sharp knives that are custom made." sagot ni Maki. C.C. was the sharp and sword experts of the Red Ladies. She uses a small knife she hides between her breasts with a holster tied around her underboob area. Thanks to Grace, that little equipment was possible. Aria thinks it's silly but at the same time, smart. This is why Cassandra Cornelia could lure men into their rooms and kill them without being suspected. Just in queue, C.C. reached in between her cleavage and took out her small knife. Aria could tell that shocked Gio and his brothers, well except Ali.

"You always have that?" tanong ni Maki.

C.C. smiled. "You don't know when you'll need it."

Si C.C. naman ang nagbato ng kutsilyo, and it landed where the heart is on the fake human target.

"Nice," puri ni Maki.

"Sir Maki, can I see your knives?" biglang sulpot ni Grace. Of course, Grace would be interested on Maki's custom made weapons.

Aria wondered about what Ali could do. Impossibleng wala. As for her? She sucks at using guns but her strength lies on her speed and combat skills. She doesn't even think highly of her skills, pangkanto nga eh. Speaking of speed, she wanted to ask one of the ladies, Lian for a race just to see who's faster. Maybe she will later.

"Kuya Gio, why don't we have duels?" wika ni Ali. Nabasag ang pag-iisip ni Aria dahil dito. Ang tunog ng isang motor ang kumuha ng attention nilang lahat. 

"Just in time," wika ni Ali. Bumaba si Zach mula sa motor na tumigil sa harap nilang lahat.

"The Red Ladies' best versus our best." dagdag ni Ali. Their best is C.C. Meanwhile, for the Navarros...

Narinig ni Aria ang tunog ng isang sampal. Gio was laughing on the side.

"I'm a sex worker but that doesn't give you the right to touch me!" inis na wika ni C.C.

"Alright! I'm just joking, damn woman!" reklamo ni Zach. Hindi napansin ni Aria na nakalapit na pala ito kay C.C. Napangiti si Aria. C.C. is not a woman to be messed with. Nasa gilid naman si Ali, nanlilisik na ang mga mata.

"Why don't you entertain us? Show us a good fight." wika ni Gio. Tumingin si Zach kay Gio habang hawak-hawak pa rin ang kanyang pisnging nasampal.

"Our best one is Zach," dagdag ni Gio. If they're serious about the best one vs best one, C.C. should face Zach. But that's an understatement, Zach never won against Gio in terms of fights. Gio is still considered their best. Zach is just fearless and reckless.

"Or what about leader vs leader?" tanong ni Ali.

Nagtama ang mata ni Aria at Gio.

"I would love to see that." sang-ayon ni Maki. Napatingin si Aria dito.

"And what happens after?" tanong ni Aria. Gio took that as a yes.

Napaisip si Ali. "The winner group get to use the best equipment and weapons, including Kuya Gio's legendary 4x4.." sagot ni Ali. Ali looked at Gio, as if waiting for his agreement.

"What do you say, Trinity leader?" tanong ni Ali kay Aria. Gio meanwhile eyed his brother. 

"Deal." tipid na sagot ni Aria.

Gio kind of hoped Aria won't agree to this nonsense. If it's between leaders, that means he has to face that woman. However, Gio is curious as well.

"No guns because we don't one anyone dead. Arm-to-arm combat, something both of you are good at." wika ni Ali.

So Gio is also good in combat.

"Game." sagot ni Gio. Pagkatapos noon, sabay-sabay silang pumunta sa bakanteng lupa ng training grounds. Hindi alam ni Aria kung ilang duels na ang nasaksihan ng lupaing ito. It probably goes way back the mafia boss says of Ricardo Navarro.

Aria is familliar of Gio's body language but not with the way he fights. She has seen him hold a gun but that doesn't count. Nakita ni Aria na sumusugod na si Gio papunta sa kanya. She easily dodged Gio's first punch. So he's about brute force, Aria was able to dodge another hit. Gio was still recovering from that move when Aria found an opening. Aria's knuckles then landed on Gio's stomach. The man held on the hit spot.

Aria planned to kick Gio's leg rightaway too to make him fall down on the ground. But before she could, she felt a sharp pain from her right knee. Dahil dito, nawalan ng momentum si Aria kaya madaling nakabawi si Gio. Gio grabbed her left arm that's about to give a punch again. He twisted it towards her back. Aria groaned in pain, both from her twisted arm and right knee.

Binitiwan siya agad ni Gio nang marinig niyang uminda si Aria.

Aria sighed and tried to catch her breath. Knee still painful.

"Nice fight." wika niya nang maka-recover. She walked towards Gio and offered her hand. Gio's eye was able to catch her limp when Aria approached her.

Aria was expecting that Gio will mock her. Kinagulat ni Aria nang nakadikit na ang mukha ni Gio sa kanya. Gio gave her a peck on her lips. Like some sort of reflex, Aria's hand landed on Gio's cheek.

"Oh!" sigaw ni Zach. The Red Ladies mouths dropped wide open, including Maki's. Ali was just chuckling

"It's an honor to be slapped by a Red Lady." wika ni Zach sa likod ni Gio na natatawa. The guy was tapping Gio's back. Gio meanwhile looked pleased at what he did.

"The honor was all mine." pabirong ni Gio. And Aria swore she wanted to smack this man again. Naramdaman naman niyang hawak-hawak na siya ni C.C.

"Not worth the energy, Sis." paalala nito.

Si Ali naman ang lumapit sa kapatid.

"Wala kang kupas, Giovanni Navarro." palokong puri nito. So Ali did learn his tricks from Gio. 

These brothers!

Aria could feel herself fuming with anger.