#cipher five

Why he couldn’t have chosen one of the arrogant bred-for-intelligence types to pick on every time he needed to demonstrate some new and exciting way to kick someone’s ass instead of her? She had been able to beat him all of once, and even then her victory was short lived when he had turned on a dime to place the hypothetical knife at her throat. 

Damn him. He was much better to read about in the Academy archives than to deal with in person. 

“To prove a point, Torven.” He pivoted on his heel, boot heels clicking on the floor as he made his way back towards her with one brow arched. “Never, ever ignore a potential enemy.” 

He extended a hand towards her. She ignored it, scowl deepening. “But you aren’t a potential enemy in that scenario! You never said to look out for a secondary enemy!”

Just as quickly as it had been offered the hand was drawn back, whatever moment of helpful weakness shown to her dissipating in an instant. “Agent, the best way to learn is by doing. Were I to lay out a mission before you like data for the Fixers then you’d never learn to think on you’re own.” 

Resisting the urge to slam her palms down on the floor in a childish show of frustration, Era stood, choosing to glare at him instead. He met her look evenly, hardly phased by the young woman’s show of angry disrespect. “I’m not learning anything with you throwing me down every time.” 

“You’ll check you’re tongue, agent.” 

Despite her better judgement, ignoring the class watching–or fixing their eyes away from–the daring agent-in-training standing toe to toe with the pride of Intelligence. “Then teach me instead of feeding you’re ego.” 

At that he drew back, tilting his head even as he uncrossed his arms from his resting position. There was something in his expression, a shift as though he had suddenly heard something interesting in a conversation. “Prove my theory wrong then, through the paces once more.” 

Oh for fuck’s sake. “Fine,” she spat, squaring back up. He stood back, letting his defenses down, taunting her. Her first move was a mistake, the first shift of her foot, the first breath, something that cued him in exactly to what she planned. When she aimed a swipe at him he caught her arm, slipping behind her to pin it at her back. 

“If you’re going to prove me wrong, then think.” He growled. “Don’t just act.” 

Left, right, feint up, then hit down, slip past and regain her footing. 

Take a breath, let it out, anticipate. Read the lines–line of sight, line of balance, watch where their feet are going to go. Watch where they think to go, where are they looking? Leaning? Don’t just guess.

Wait for it…wait for it…there!

Slip to the left, catch an arm in the crook of her elbow, a leg in front of their’s and use their momentum to send them crashing to the floor. Follow to pin, knocking aside any weapons and–

“Yes! Finally!”

Cipher Nine released her hold on Five’s arms to throw hers up in the air, celebration written all over her face. From the corner of her eye she saw him shift and slammed her hands back down, trapping his hands back by his head and narrowing her eyes. “Ah, ah, no dirty tricks. I win. Fair and square.”

“You need to think, Nine.” Before she could even register what he was doing she was hitting the mat of the training floor with her back, pinned by the very agent she thought she had beat. Of course she had forgotten to account for the fact that he was both taller and heavier than she was. He could toss her aside easy as a leaf. Dammit. “Finish the job before you celebrate.” 

Biting back an audible curse she let her head thump back against the mat. “Point taken.” In just as a swift a motion as he had used on her, she pushed his wrist out from under him, sending him listing to the side. When he regained his balance he found he couldn’t move, her hand poised at his neck in the mimicry of a knife. “I still win.”