Chapter Five

The Meeting

Uploaded on 3/13/07

The man next to him was saying something, but Boyd honestly was not listening. The words were just white background noise that mingled with the hushed conversations of people passing them by. He had walked this way to the same training room so many times that he could probably do it without looking. Several months of intense physical training to be decent at weaponry would do that to a person.

"Are you even listening?"

Boyd looked sidelong at the man, whose name he had not even bothered remembering. He said nothing, which only resulted in the man huffing in annoyance and stopping abruptly in front of the door.

"These are the training grounds," he said rather curtly. "I'm sure you'll recognize the freak."

Boyd walked past him, not even pausing. The room that opened before him was large, full of mats and sweat. There were already several partners sparring, scattered around so there was enough space to move between them. The walls were filled with weapons of every make, size, and style, but the one commonality was that they were all superbly crafted. It was here that Boyd first learned how to fight in any manner, and here that he was nearly killed many times. Many of the men were people he had sparred with before, though their schedules were different. They were taught in a collective group while Boyd got intensive one-on-one training in order to be ready for the missions as soon as possible.

As for his future partner, it was no trouble picking him out. For one, he was very tall, and stood a head above many men. Beyond that, he was the only person with a group of people hovering in his vicinity, watching his every move carefully to be sure he did not get access to the weapons.

"Don't worry," the man said at Boyd's shoulder, misinterpreting Boyd's glance from Sin to the wall of weapons, "We've got the collar to control him."

Boyd did not particularly care so he said nothing. The man just moved toward the group, motioning for Boyd to follow. Boyd looked bored as he trailed along behind him, but the man did not seem to notice as he said, "I'll introduce you."

Sin's eyes were narrowed and lips tilted into a smirk as he watched Boyd approach. He seemed almost amused by Boyd's appearance although the amusement didn't reach the cold glint of his surprisingly pale, green eyes. He stood with perfect posture, broad shoulders thrown back and arms crossed over his chest in an almost defensive manner. Now that he was standing in plain sight and not slouching behind his psychiatrist's table, Boyd could see that the clothing he wore was quite thread bare and ragged, boots badly scuffed with laces that seemed to be falling apart.

He did not particularly look the part of a serial killing psychopath, for all his height and generally large presence; instead his appearance gave the impression of an unruly youth, or it would have if it wasn't for the almost tangible aura of danger that seemed to hover around him. It was difficult to tell if he was Asian or Hispanic, and though Boyd did not particularly notice people, he had to admit Sin was very distinctive. His hair was odd; short black on the bottom with longer red on top, and his cheeks and jaw were covered by the barest shadow of stubble. He struck a rather odd figure in comparison to the other field agents who were always well-maintained and clean shaven in their crisp uniforms.

Captain Darrell stepped forward and nodded at the man next to Boyd. "Lt. Taylor."

"Captain Darrell," Taylor said with a nod. He gestured behind him. "I've brought Boyd Beaulieu. He needs to be instructed on the proper usage of the collar, and as I understand it they are supposed to spar too, but I was only supposed to bring him here. Is there anything else you need from me?"

Boyd ignored the conversation and watched Sin in silence, no expression on his face except the default generic boredom. It almost seemed as though Sin were sizing him up; the look on his expressive face gave the impression that he was not impressed with the boy who would be "controlling him."

"No, that will be all," Darrell said and turned to Boyd. "This is Hsin Liu Vega, AKA Sin. You've read his file and seen other data on him?" He spoke as if Sin was not right there and the small remote he held in one hand gave him the relaxed air of someone who wasn't standing next to a man who wished to rip his throat out.

"Yes," Boyd said with a slight incline of his head. His voice was reserved, like the rest of him. Instead of making eye contact with Darrell, his gaze lingered on the remote.

"So you know what he's capable of?"

"Of course." Boyd looked at Sin before he looked at Darrell. He sounded completely impassive as he continued, "He can overpower nearly anyone when uncontrolled, rip out a man's throat with his teeth, and in general do whatever he wishes." He paused slightly. "There are few people alive who are capable of such freedom."

"Fortunately, the monster isn't going to be allowed the freedom." He held up the remote so that Boyd could see. Boyd glanced at the remote, but found his attention straying to Sin after a few moments.

Darrell did not seem to notice. "Despite his appearance, he is strong and very dangerous. He has been trained to be a killer since he was a child and he is in no uncertain terms a walking weapon. We have lost many men to his hands. Because of the danger he poses when uncontrolled, our scientists devised a means of protection against him."

Sin's smirk widened and he stared directly into Boyd's eyes.

"Note the collar on his neck," Darrell was saying curtly, moving the remote around. "This remote activates it. What do you think it does?"

"Probably mutes the television," Boyd said, not looking away from Sin. If Darrell was going to assume he had the intelligence of a slow toddler, than he may as well not disappoint.

Darrell ignored the comment and stepped back from Sin, motioning Boyd to do the same. The others in the room moved away, looking over with varying discretion. Some outright stopped what they were doing to watch, while others tried to catch glimpses in their peripheral vision.

Sin seemed unaffected by the attention. "I so look forward to these little demonstrations, Captain," he drawled.

"So do I, Vega", Darrell said with a cruel smirk. He glanced over at Boyd, who was waiting for directions. "The collar is kind of like a tazer. The first button here is like a warning. It will send a strong shock through him." He pressed the top button and looked over at Sin almost eagerly.

As the collar activated, Sin began to shudder violently. He squeezed his hands into fists and maintained eye contact with Boyd, even as the currents of electricity raced through his limbs. Despite the fact the collar was obviously causing his body pain, not even a hint made it into his eyes.

"Obviously it won't disable him," Darrell said as he watched Sin with a strange light in his eyes, "but believe me, it causes the crazy fuck pain. The second button--" He pressed it and a high-pitched sound filled the air followed closely by a loud buzzing erupting from the collar. This time Sin's eyes rolled back in his head and he stumbled forward uncontrollably, his body shaking as he fell to his knees and clawed at his neck. His skin turned pale, the blood receding even from his lips, and his expression twisted just slightly. It was a measure of his self-control that he did not scream despite the obvious agony he was experiencing.

"--will make him completely incapacitated depending on how long you hold it down," Darrell said with a calm sort of superiority. He continued to hold the button down as he spoke, not seeming to mind that Sin's shaking had shifted to jerking and twitching.

Boyd watched with no expression as Sin spasmed on the ground, his gaze as perfectly remote as ever. After a moment he looked idly at Darrell, who did not seem ready to stop any time soon. "If it is a question of incapacitation," he said with no emotion, "I would judge you've achieved it by now."

Darrell laughed and eyed Sin. "He can take it."

"I'm certain," Boyd said, looking down at Sin again expressionlessly. "However, if I am to spend my day sparring, I would prefer to get to that. Is there any reason other than personal dislike that leads you to extend this demonstration?"

"No, not really," the Captain replied casually. He held it down for a few more seconds before finally stopping.

It was a long moment before Sin stopped shuddering, but when he finally came to himself he looked up at Darrell with a look of pure hate. A low, animalistic growl escaped his lips and he seemed on the verge of attacking the man.

"Ah, ah, ah," Darrell said with an amused smile. "Attack me and I'll fry your brain, freak."

"You better make sure you fry it in about ten seconds because that's how long it will take me to rip your heart out of your chest," Sin said softly as he got to his feet shakily.

Boyd watched the exchange impassively, but his gaze unwittingly lingered on the collar. It was such a primitive construction for all its technology; in the end, it said nothing more than that those who held power kept it only through fear and coercion. Yet one more example of how man's intellect and ability to reason with his fellow had failed, and in its place he created machines to think and control for him. Pathetic.

Darrell hesitated and his bravado flickered. He straightened after a moment and tucked the remote away. "You can do that if you like, but eventually you'll be restrained and spend another few months in the box."

Sin sneered at him and went back to staring at Boyd. "Are you going to let the boy test it out now?"

Meeting the stare, Boyd shrugged idly. "It is a remote. I highly doubt the effectiveness will change regardless of who holds it."

"Still... maybe you should try," Darrell said with a grin. "Just to make sure."

Sin raised an eyebrow at Boyd, his expression challenging.

"Very well." Boyd held his hand out for the remote. He found the contraption distasteful, and he did not particularly view Sin as an animal to be controlled, but it was clear the two believed him to be soft. If Sin or the Agency thought Boyd incapable of a little cruelty, they were sorely mistaken.

Sin's lip curled and his eyes narrowed. "Do it then."

Darrell seemed thrilled at the idea of torturing Sin further, but before he could hand over the remote, General Carhart strode through the doors. Darrell stood up straight and saluted immediately. "Good morning, sir."

"How is my protégé doing today?" Carhart looked over Sin.

Sin gave him a disdainful look and said nothing.

"I was about to allow Beaulieu to test out the collar, sir."

General Carhart threw Darrell an annoyed look. "That won't be necessary. He looks like a smart boy, I'm sure he can figure it out."

"I agree that two buttons are hardly rocket science," Boyd said calmly.

Darrell looked at him sidelong in irritation, but nodded curtly to Carhart. "Of course, General."

"How disappointing. I was looking forward to a bit more torture today," Sin said mildly.

Carhart gave him an exasperated look. "The purpose of this exercise is not to torture you, Hsin. It is to see how you and Boyd work together as a team."

"Oh?"

Carhart nodded. "We'll have some drills. As you know, Hsin, and as you will soon find out Boyd, you will find yourself in many situations where you will be surrounded by hostiles and it is pertinent that you work together, trust each other and know that the other is capable of getting out alive. This is not just a situation where Hsin is the muscle and Boyd is the brains. You must both be competent fighters or it is likely that you will both be killed." He looked at Darrell. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes, sir." Darrell stepped back, gesturing to a nearby empty mat. "They can spar whoever here, but with all due respect, I don't see what that will do. In a real battle it won't be so perfect. Why not set the whole room on them at once and see if they can handle that?" Despite his words, there was a definite undercurrent of sarcasm in his voice.

Sin's pale green eyes flicked around the room before his gaze settled on Darrell with barely concealed mirth. "Now there's a challenge," he deadpanned.

Carhart stared at him for a long moment as though he were trying to figure out whether or not he was being sarcastic. He must have come to a conclusion because he turned to Darrell with a smart nod. "I think you have a point, Darrell. That may be the best thing to do."

Darrell was careful to only nod respectfully toward Carhart, but he shot Sin a concealed, smug look. "I think so, sir. It will be the quickest way to determine how well they work together." He turned to the room at large and suddenly yelled loudly, "Everyone, stop! We have a new exercise. I want everyone to attack these two at once." He pointed to Sin and Boyd. "And don't hold back. Really try to kill them. It's the only way we'll get anywhere."

Boyd did not react in the slightest to the concept of an entire room of fully trained men attacking him while he had the sole help of a man he only properly met just now.

Carhart and Darrell moved away to stand at a safe distance. Sin gave Carhart a disgusted and mildly insulted look before blowing the man a kiss and turning to the crowd of men that were advancing on him and Boyd. The group was made up entirely of professionally trained killers, all of whom appeared to zero in on Sin with blood thirsty gleams in their eyes; however there wasn't one of them who looked confidant enough to make the first move. There was a long hesitation as they were surrounded.

Sin stood casually, arms dangling at his sides as he watched the men with faint amusement in his oddly colored eyes. Despite the fact that he had just been electrocuted, he showed no visible sign of lingering pain; either he recovered at an alarming speed or his tolerance for pain was extremely high. He appeared more than ready to take on any attacker, but none of the men seemed ready to go for him. As if connected in thought, they turned to Boyd collectively.

Boyd knew he would probably be singled out; despite the fact he had sparred with most of them, their contact had been few and far between. They didn't know how he had improved in the last few months. Beyond that, they seemed reluctant to actually attack the 'monster' from fourth.

The first man had a knife in his right hand; Boyd was fairly certain he was named Tom. Swiping the knife toward Boyd, who only shifted to a better posture, Tom moved in quickly. Boyd grabbed Tom's wrist and twisted his arm around and down, using his free arm to punch Tom in the chest. Boyd's arms wheeled around, and with a sudden grip around the man's lower hand, he forced the knife out of his hand. In a matter of seconds, he shifted his grip and forced Tom toward the ground.

On the way down, he punched Tom soundly in the face, hard enough that his head rocked back and smashed into the mats before he fell to a rest. In the same kneeling motion, Boyd swiped the knife from Tom's side and stood calmly, ready for the next man who was already nearly upon him. Boyd took quick stock of his opponents, skimming for a rattan stick, nunchaku, tonfa, or something blunt; he refused to use a blade on anyone. Even so, he needed a weapon and he would take what he could get. He would just have to use the hilt somehow until he could get something else that worked for him better.

Sin seemed to watch with interest as Boyd successfully defended himself against consecutive opponents without much difficulty. It was hard to tell if he was impressed or just intrigued with the surprising turn of events. However, just as Boyd was proving to be something of a challenge, the other men decided to get more involved in the fight and they surrounded him. Sin sighed in irritation, almost seeming bored by the entire ordeal. He reluctantly grabbed one of the men out of the unorganized group, breaking his neck with two concise movements.

Only a few men noticed Sin's actions, and that he had just killed someone instead of simply decommissioning him. More than a few glanced toward General Carhart and Captain Darrell to see if they were stopping this. When neither motioned to end the fight, the men who were aware of Sin just moved out of his reach so some other poor fool could be killed instead.

Boyd anticipated being targeted, but he found their preoccupation with him foolish. While they were looking at him, it would be that much easier for Sin to get them from behind. Perhaps that would be Boyd's role in the future; a decoy.

Although trained in Eskrima, and taught how to deal with groups of people coming at once, he was not necessarily ready to be the sole focus of attention for a large group of trained killers. Despite his quick reflexes and the second knife he had swiped from another man, several of his opponents had gotten good hits in. One of them surprised him on the right and slammed his Boyd's wrist so hard that his fingers tingled and slackened automatically, the knife dropping to the ground. He quickly defended against the second attack with his left knife deflecting the weapon, but it would be at least a minute before he could properly hold something in his right hand again.

The knife skittered out of his hand from the sheer power of the blow he defended against, so he let it drop and twirled back on one foot to steal a tonfa from one of the men nearby. This gave him more range but hardly more options, and he knew it would only be a matter of minutes before he was taken down. He could not see Sin or the two men in charge from his angle, but if they did not stop things soon then they would have to spend another half-year training someone else. Even so, his expression did not change. It did not particularly matter to him if he died or lost in this room; it would simply be an unfortunate, and pathetic, turn of events.

The bored look on Sin's face changed to one of annoyance, perhaps because he had to be part of such a pathetic excuse for a fight at all, or maybe he was annoyed because he was expected to defend Boyd. He sneered and grabbed two of the men attacking Boyd and cracked their skulls together so hard that they collapsed to the floor in an unmoving heap. Several of the men dove towards him. An older man behind him seized his right arm while another aimed a kick at his groin. The man behind him got an elbow viciously rammed into his solar plexus while Sin grabbed the other's foot and twisted it before head-butting him. Before the man even hit the ground, a high whine hissed through the air and Sin's collar was suddenly activated. Darrell stood to the side, his hand on the remote and a small grin playing at his lips.

They were on him as soon as the collar activated but Sin grit his teeth and managed to incapacitate two more before sinking to his knees. He began to shudder uncontrollably and clawed at his throat with a furious roar. Darrell walked closer to get a better view of Sin, his grin only stretching at Sin's anger.

Boyd slid into an opening of men while everyone was distracted. He grabbed one man who was not even looking at him and, planting his feet firmly on the ground and with a sudden burst of pivoted strength, pushed him so violently that the man fell into one of the men heading toward Sin. The two stumbled back and slammed into Darrell, who was so focused on Sin that he had no chance to defend himself. The three collapsed with a loud whump accompanied by angry shouts, and the remote skittered away from Darrell's hand. With the button no longer pressed, the collar abruptly shut off. There was a flurry of confusion, and most of the men stopped attacking, opting instead to look between the two in charge and Boyd with wary expressions. Darrell did not take kindly to being thwarted, especially not his power over Sin.

Darrell began to curse angrily as he struggled to get up.

"Ah," Boyd said mildly to Darrell while he tried to catch his breath. "Apologies. I thought you were further away."

Darrell yelled something furiously but it was muffled by the men, one of whom appeared to be dazed while the other's attempts to scramble off of Darrell only succeeded in tangling them further.

Sin was a little dazed from the collar, but he seemed to come to himself when he heard Darrell's voice. A primitive growl escaped his lips and he leapt to his feet instantly, flinging the fallen agents off Darrell effortlessly before pouncing on him like a savage. He bit the man's neck viciously and blood appeared to fill his mouth. However, before he could continue his attack, the collar was activated once again and several agents pounced on him, dragging him away. It all happened in the space of a few seconds, making it difficult to understand for a moment what occurred.

"I hate to use this contraption, Hsin, but you leave me little choice." Carhart waited until Sin was properly restrained before releasing the button. "And you--" He cast an annoyed glare at Darrell. "Who told you to interfere?"

Darrell held one hand to his neck, looking furious and indignant. "He was killing our men and you're siding with him? I was only stopping him from murdering them all! And just now he fucking bit me in the goddamned neck! The only way to stop his murder sprees when he acts like that is the collar - Even you had to use it."

"Interesting," Boyd remarked idly from the side. "I was under the impression that the men were to act as if they were killing us, and yet it is not alright for us to return the favor?"

"And you," Darrell said, turning his furious glare on Boyd. "Shut the fuck up or I'll get one installed on you too!"

Boyd merely watched him calmly, no expression on his face. "If you feel it necessary," he said with a slight one-shouldered shrug.

"You presume to have more authority than you actually possess," Carhart said coldly, looking at Darrell firmly. "You will not be putting a collar on anyone else. It makes you feel far more empowered than you actually are. And if these men--" he cast a disgusted look at the lingering agents in the area, "who are trained and are supposed to be hardened soldiers, cannot handle two men... That is their problem and they'll eventually die in the field anyway."

Darrell fell silent, though he was fuming and could not withhold his dark glare.

Carhart walked over to where the men were restraining Sin and stared down at him. "I give you chance after chance because I knew your father and respected him, but if you continue to pull these stunts you will receive no more chances and finish the rest of your sentence. In the box."

Boyd ignored the General and Captain, opting to watch Sin's response instead. He found it interesting that along with the expected dazed confusion due to the shock from the collar, Sin actually looked a little scared by what the General said. What could 'the box' be to instill even a small amount of fear in such a man?

Looking slightly mollified by the General's displeasure with Sin as well, Darrell motioned a man closer and ordered him to hand over his shirt so he had something to slow the blood from his neck. "Permission to seek medical assistance, sir?" he asked General Carhart, managing to wipe all but the faintest hint of sullen indignation from his tone.

"Granted." Carhart waved a hand at him dismissively.

Darrell strode out of the room, hand still pressed to his neck. A few men trailed behind him at his orders and they disappeared into the hallway in an orderly file. The remaining men scattered to their original mats to slowly continue sparring again, a few staying behind to cart the bodies away while several others hovered near Sin to keep him still.

Carhart continued to gaze into Sin's eyes. "Are you going to behave now?"

Sin smirked, obviously recovered enough to regain his cocky sarcasm. "Only if you give me a spanking first, cupcake."

Carhart stared at him. "Oh, I forget. You like to pretend in front of the others. Of course. In that case-'Yes, General Carhart, I will be the very best agent there ever was until there is someone better to replace me. I would salute but unfortunately I do not have proper use of my hands.'"

Sin smirked but did not reply.

Carhart looked away briefly and sighed. "Release him."

"But sir--"

"He's fine. Release him. Do not question me again." Carhart sent a black look towards the agents and they obediently let him go before trailing after the others. He was silent for a long moment before turning to Sin again. "I take chances for you, boy."

"You take no chances for me," Sin spat. "You keep me around because your professionally trained men are a joke and I'm the only one who can take care of your laundry. Don't condescend to me, old man. The only reason I haven't killed you yet is because you have your little toys to control me. And if you idiots didn't want me to kill them you shouldn't have told them to try to kill me. Be specific next time."

Carhart was silent for a moment before turning to Boyd. "Now you see the true danger of your mission. Are you prepared for it? To be alone with this man?"

Boyd tilted his head, giving Carhart a respectful look despite his slightly raised eyebrows. "I see nothing to prepare for. He is just another person, whether I am alone with him or not. A man who can kill is a man nonetheless."

Carhart watched him for a moment then smiled. "Good." He looked at Sin with a raised eyebrow. "Seems you were right again, Hsin."

Sin shrugged and adopted a bored expression. "We didn't get to finish our game. I hardly got to see him in action."

"Perhaps if you ask nicely you will get your wish," Boyd said idly. He seemed to be paying more attention to the men starting to spar again in the background than he was the conversation in front of him.

Both Sin and Carhart blinked at him in surprise but Sin was the first to recover. "What kind of action do I get to see?" He leered.

Boyd idly turned his attention to Sin, staring him straight in the eyes. He seemed completely unaffected and only stated what he felt was a fact. "The sort that could knock you to the ground if you underestimate me."

"Sexy," Sin drawled, looking somewhat amused as he raised an eyebrow. "Was that a formal challenge?"

"Not particularly," Boyd said emotionlessly, "but I suspect you would like it to be."

Sin smirked and narrowed his eyes. "I would."

Carhart raised his eyebrows, looking between the two. "By all means."

Boyd tilted his head down in a slight nod, though he shrugged his trench coat off for this one. It would just get in the way. He looked at Sin for one long moment, analyzing him, and skimmed the weapons wall nearby. From what he had seen of Sin's fighting style, he moved in quickly and used brute strength to overpower his victims. Although there were several weapons that would work in that instance, Boyd pulled down the first staff he saw.

Moving to an empty mat, Boyd held the staff loosely in his tingling right hand. It was longer than a rattan stick, which was unfortunate as he was better with those, but it would do. A staff-like object would be best, he felt. If Sin got in close, he could use it to bar his teeth, but it also could not be turned back on Boyd as a sharp weapon. Idly flipping the staff in a circular pattern, he watched Sin move to the mat as well.

They stared at each other for a long moment, Sin with a smirk and Boyd with a blank expression. Then, between one blink and the next, Sin was suddenly nearly on Boyd, his speed faster than most men his size. Boyd fell back in a fluid dodge, but Sin accounted for it without even the slightest pause. One hand caught Boyd's sleeve, but Boyd twirled the staff and pushed his arm away before he could get a good grip. Boyd tried to slam the staff into Sin's side, but he merely took the blow and nearly wrenched the weapon from Boyd's hands.

Sin slid into Boyd's personal space quickly with a disconcerting grin, one hand gripping him around his throat, the other holding the other end of the staff to the side. Sin was stronger than Boyd, so instead of trying to pull the weapon from his hands, Boyd slammed up and down in quick succession on the staff with enough strength to loosen Sin's hold.

Although that was accomplished, Sin merely tightened his grip on Boyd's throat and pushed him back a step. If he had wanted to kill Boyd, he already would have. He could easily snap his neck any time, or merely lean forward and bite through his artery. For that matter, he could probably hold the staff absolutely still regardless of how much Boyd tried to hit it. Whether Sin was playing with him or showing the futility of the fight, it was unclear.

The hand on his throat tightened and it was getting hard for Boyd to breathe. He knew he only had a few minutes to be able to properly fight if this continued, so he sagged abruptly, letting all his dead weight pull on Sin's arm in a one burst. Sin was strong enough to hold him up, but Boyd's move was just sudden enough to loosen his hand slightly. Before Sin got a better grip, Boyd put one foot on the ground and used his body weight to wrench the staff to the side and out of Sin's grip. With that free, he twirled it around and slammed it up into Sin's elbow with both hands. Sin's fingers slipped free of Boyd's neck, and Boyd fell back a few steps as he panted to catch his breath, the staff held up at a defensive angle.

Sin watched him calmly for a few seconds, and suddenly came at him again. Boyd raised the staff to fend off one hand, the other, and managed to evade another few attacks in a row. Sin grabbed him by the arm and wrenched him around, but Boyd twirled the staff and slammed it into Sin's knee hard enough and at the right angle to make even him falter briefly. Just as it seemed Boyd was going to get away that time, Sin shoved him so hard that he stumbled back and almost tripped over the mat. While Boyd was off-balance, Sin moved in so close that the staff, even held between them, was not going to help unless Boyd could overpower him. His fingers dug into Boyd's upper arms with a vice-like grip.

"Give up?" Sin asked Boyd with a smirk.

Boyd raised his eyebrows slightly and suddenly kneed Sin in the groin with all his strength. Sin's grip on him faltered just a little, and though it was clear it pained him he did not fall back or down as Boyd had been expecting. Boyd tried to shove him back in his brief hesitation, but one of Sin's hands snaked up and grabbed a fistful of Boyd's hair at the base of his neck, pulling back and down. Boyd's face twisted in pain but he said nothing, not even when his head was drawn back so far that it burned and his neck was at perfect access for Sin to rip his throat out. His mouth just fell open to breathe better and he watched Sin with a squinted, calculating look.

Trying to shove Sin away didn't work so Boyd tried to push his arms off him. But Sin was too close and even with one hand relatively free Boyd had no leverage. He let all his weight drop again, hoping to catch Sin off-guard, but Sin was unmoved. Sin simply held Boyd incapacitated and watched him with some form of amusement, as if he were merely playing with him. Which he was.

Boyd was not ready to stop yet, though. Kicking at Sin's leg suddenly proved no help, resulting only in Sin pulling his head back further so sharply that Boyd let out a soft, pained breath. Sin smirked and within a few seconds of movement too fast to follow, Boyd found himself suddenly on the ground with Sin holding him down firmly. He tried to squirm away, or shove at him, but Sin was heavier and a hell of a lot stronger and the staff had fallen from his hands somewhere in the confusion.

Panting, Boyd watched Sin with slightly widened eyes when he realized he was trapped. "Inevitably, you win the draw," he said after a moment, his voice relatively calm despite the tension in his muscles.

Releasing Boyd, Sin got to his feet. "That was surprisingly well done for someone of your level. Carhart's idiotic agents assumed you were an easy target but they were stupid to underestimate you." He said it as more of a statement of fact than a compliment.

Boyd sat up and held one hand to the back of his head, where his scalp still throbbed. He didn't comment, though, as his kneeing Sin in the groin was far dirtier than a hand in his hair. "Unfortunately, you did not." He watched Sin with a blank expression, though there was a trace of irony in his voice. "Perhaps I should not have warned you."

Sin shrugged. "I stopped underestimating you after you took down two of the General's toy soldiers. Let's see if you can actually cut it in the field." He looked Boyd up and down briefly and then wandered off in the direction the others had gone.

The General looked at Boyd with new respect. "You handle yourself well. I hate to say it, but I really am surprised. I see why your mother recommended you. She told me you were smart, and I can see she was right."

Boyd did not seem affected by the comment. He turned to the General with a blank look, his voice emotionless. "While I appreciate the compliment, General, do not misunderstand my mother's motivation. She 'recommended' me solely for her own benefit. No doubt she receives a raise or promotion if I do well. I suspect she expects me to die in the field, and would not in any way anticipate me being even a mild threat to someone like Sin."

The General looked startled at the response but waved his hand dismissively. "I respect your mother but I assume you know her far better than I do." He started to say something else but thought better of it. "At any rate, I'm pleased that you were brought to our attention. Hsin's other partners were dead men walking. You will be briefed in the morning on your first mission. Good work, son." He nodded at Boyd and left.

'Everyone knows my mother better than I do,' Boyd thought, but he said nothing. Pushing himself up, he swiped the staff off the ground and slid it back onto the wall. Several of the men who were sparring had stopped to watch Sin and Boyd's fight and the conversation afterward. Now, they stared at him in varying degrees of distrust and surprise. Ignoring them and the awkward silence, Boyd grabbed his trench coat from the ground and slipped it on as he strode out of the room. There were several minor wounds he should get looked at, but it seemed a prime time to practice his field medic skills if his first mission would come so quickly.

He headed out of the building and towards his car; after he'd completed the months of grueling training, they'd allowed him to leave the dorms and return to his house once again. As he drove, he silently considered what supplies he should gather for the mission. It would be interesting to see where they would send him, but he did not care to dwell on it. Within an hour of reaching his home, he went to sleep and did not dream all night.

Continue to Ch 6 ~ Dialogue