#cod lazar

The safehouse in West Berlin echoed with the dull thuds of fists striking padded mats and boots scraping against the mats on the floors.

Most of the team was training.

Across the room, Park stood beside Adler, the two of them bent over a spread of documents and photographs from their last mission. Their voices were low, deliberate — chasing threads that might lead them closer to Perseus. Sims lingered nearby, arms crossed, observing the sparring session with clear reluctance. He had no intention of volunteering to get thrown across the room.

At the center of the makeshift training area stood Lazar and the newest addition to the team — Captain Koa Nikau.

Both men carried themselves with quiet authority. Lazar’s movements were precise, controlled. Koa were grounded and heavy, strength contained beneath discipline. After a brief discussion, they had agreed to run the session together.

Mason and Woods stepped up first.

The two veterans circled each other, exchanging sharp blows and testing reactions. Lazar corrected their footing, adjusting Mason’s stance with a firm tap of his boot. Koa said little, but when he did, his voice was calm and direct — a simple instruction, a subtle adjustment of balance.

They let the pair finish before offering further critique.

And that was when Koa’s attention shifted.

Bell stood near the far wall, half-shadowed by the dim overhead light. Watching. Studying. Not moving.

Observing every strike. Every mistake.

Yet making no move to join.

Koa’s dark eyes lingered a moment longer than necessary.

Hesitation.

Koa had watched Bell in the field before — swift, precise, always quick to deal with threats. He had to admit, he was impressed. But now he was curious to see how Bell performed on the training ground. Slowly, he made his way toward the corner where Bell stood.

Pono, his loyal Belgian Malinois, had been resting nearby. The dog’s ears twitched at the sound of boots against the floor. Instantly alert, Pono lifted his head, eyes tracking his master as he approached Bell. A low, cautious whine escaped him — protective, curious, aware.

Koa stopped a foot away from Bell, letting the silence stretch for a moment. “Feeling alright, Bell?” he asked, calm but firm, letting the question hang in the air.

Bell’s eyes flicked toward the captain, body shifting slightly. Slowly, a nod followed.

“I’m… fine. Just watching, waiting for my turn,” Bell said.

Koa noticed the hesitation behind the calm exterior, the thoughts just beneath the surface. But he didn’t press. Instead of asking more questions, he turned and moved toward an open space away from the others.

“Come. Let’s spar,” he called over his shoulder.

Bell’s head perked up at the words. “W-What?”

Koa kicked off his boots before stepping onto the mat, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Did I stutter? Come on. I’ll spar with you.”

The hesitation lingered, but Bell didn’t refuse. Slowly, they walked over, muscles tense under Koa’s unwavering gaze. Pono, the Belgian Malinois, didn’t miss a single step — alert, protective, watching every movement. Bell felt the dog’s eyes as acutely as Koa’s own.

With a deep breath, Bell kicked off their boots and stepped onto the mat, ready for whatever the captain had in store.

Koa’s dark eyes studied Bell for a beat longer. Then, without another word, he stepped back and dropped into a combat stance — deliberate, controlled, showing exactly how a strong opponent moves.

Bell’s eyes flicked up, hesitation still there, but curiosity sparked. Koa didn’t rush them; instead, he circled slowly, like a predator gauging its prey — or, in this case, a soldier gauging another soldier.

“Show me what you’ve got,” Koa said, calm, measured, but carrying weight. “One move at a time. I want to see precision, not strength.”

Pono let out a soft growl, shifting closer, alert. Bell’s posture stiffened — the dog was reading the tension before the human even moved.

Bell tried the first maneuver — a jab, quick, but Koa easily deflected it. “Too fast,” Koa said, his voice quiet but cutting. “Speed means nothing without control. Again.”

Bell adjusted. Koa’s eyes never left them. Every strike, every hesitation, every small mistake — Koa saw it all. Not to belittle, but to teach, to sharpen.

By the end of the set, Bell was breathing harder, more alert, muscles aching. And Koa? He still looked calm, almost untouchable. But under that calm was respect — subtle, silent, growing. "Come on, Bell. I know you’re better than this. You were great on the battlefield. Why hesitate now?” Koa asked, lowering his arm and giving them a small break.

Bell was out of breath, slowly drawing deep breaths to calm their nerves, rubbing the back of their neck while looking away. “It’s nothing, sir… just thinking about the mission. About Perseus.” Their gaze drifted behind Koa toward Park and Adler, hunched over their documents. “I just… don’t know.”

Koa followed their eyes and noticed Bell was mostly watching Adler. Without a word, he stepped slightly, blocking Bell’s view of the CIA agents, wanting them to focus on the training at hand. “Seems Adler’s been using his… questioning methods on you, huh?”

Bell looked at the captain, unsure how to respond.

Pono stayed alert, watching both of them carefully, muscles tensed but still cautious toward Bell.

Bell exhaled slowly, finally replying. “Sometimes… but I still have to work with him to get to Perseus.”

“Well, you’re not working for him now, are you?” Koa said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You’re in training. With me. None of that CIA shits right now. You’re with a Captain who’s training you for a better future.”

Bell’s eyes flicked up, slightly surprised by the words. A small spark of attention and focus appeared as Koa continued.

“And if Adler calls you over later, then you can go. But at this moment, you’re working for me. And I want you focused on this right now.” Koa shifted into his fighting stance, grin still in place. “Now… show me what you really can do. No holding back.”

Bell felt a small surge of confidence rising, a fire pushing past the hesitation. They nodded, settling into their own fighting stance, ready.

Pono’s ears perked up from where the dog had been resting. He sensed the shift in the atmosphere — nothing dark, nothing threatening, just… something different between the two.

Even Sims noticed it, gaze flicking toward the mat. “Hey, look at these two,” he called to the others.

Lazar turned his head toward the pair sparring. Woods and Mason followed suit, attention shifting away from their drills to the new dynamic unfolding on the mat.

Koa and Bell circled each other, eyes locked, waiting for the first move.

Bell feinted a jab, testing Koa’s reflexes. Koa blocked easily, but Bell’s movements were sharper, more deliberate than before. A spark of confidence shone in their eyes.

“You’re faster,” Koa murmured, stepping back, letting them push forward.

Bell’s next strike came quicker — a combination of jabs and a low kick. Koa blocked most of them, but one light hook grazed his side. Bell’s chest swelled with pride, a small grin tugging at their lips.

“Better,” Koa said, his tone approving, but his eyes still sharp. Then he leaned slightly closer, a small challenge in his voice: “Alright… try to pin me down. Let’s see what you’ve really got.”

Bell’s focus sharpened. They ducked under Koa’s swing, shifted their weight, and moved with precision. With a smooth, practiced motion, they took advantage of a small opening and managed to pin Koa to the mat.

For a moment, the mat was silent except for their breathing. Bell had done it. They had pinned the captain — a full, undeniable victory in this round of sparring.

Koa pushed himself up, brushing off the mat, and gave a slow, approving nod. “Impressive. You’ve improved… a lot.”

Pono wagged his tail slightly, ears pricked, sensing the shift — this wasn’t just a fight anymore. It was recognition. Bell had earned it.

“FUCK YEAH, BELL! YOU GOT HIM GOOD!” Woods yelled, giving a thumbs-up.

Mason smiled, pride clear. “Good job, Bell.”

“Remind me not to mess with you,” Lazar said with a laugh. “You already defeated Koa — and from half your size!”

Even Sims chuckled. “Thought they called you Hunter for a reason, Cap,” they teased. Koa rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at his lips.

“I was just giving them a warm-up,” Koa said.

“Yeah, right! They literally got you down!” Woods laughed, pointing at Koa.

“You want to spar with me next, Woods?” Koa asked, smirking.

“Nah, I already sparred with Mason here,” Woods replied, grinning.

Mason laughed and patted his best friend on the back. Bell just smiled, noticing Pono getting up and padding over to Koa, checking to make sure his master was alright.

Koa crouched to pet his dog. “I’m fine, Pono. Just training.” Then he slowly looked up at Bell. “And… they got me pretty good.”

Bell felt a small surge of pride at the captain’s compliment. “You… want to go another round?”

Koa chuckled, standing and bending slightly forward. “I would, but I think you’ve already broken my back, Bell.”

“That’s because you’re old as FUCK!” Woods called out, grinning at Koa’s annoyed expression.

“I can still kick your ass, Woods. Don’t test me,” Koa replied, voice teasing.

Bell chuckled at the exchange and looked at the captain with a soft, appreciative gaze. “Captain?”

Koa turned toward them. “Yeah?”

“Thank you… for helping me out here. Adler’s been on my case ever since we started working together.”

Koa smiled gently, placing a hand on Bell’s shoulder. “Of course. If you ever need a break from him, just give me a call — I’ll let you pet Pono.”

Bell hesitated, remembering how growly Pono could be, but then felt a gentle nudge on their hand. The dog poked his nose forward, asking for pets. Bell smiled softly and began stroking Pono. Even Koa looked pleasantly surprised.

“No fucking way… how come Bell gets the good treatment and we get the shitty ones?!” Woods exclaimed, only to back off quickly when Pono growled at him — a clear warning to choose his words carefully.

Koa laughed and shrugged. “That’s up to him.”

Sims gave Koa a flat, unimpressed look. “You’ve got a weird dog, Nikau.”

Bell laughed softly, glancing at Koa and then down at Pono, who was now contentedly sitting beside them. For the first time since joining the team, they felt… capable. Confident. Like maybe they could handle whatever Adler threw at them next.

Koa straightened, brushing dust from his uniform. “Alright, everyone. Training’s done for now. But remember — what you learned today, take it with you. Precision beats force. Focus beats hesitation.”

Bell gave a small nod, pride swelling in their chest. The captain’s words weren’t just about the sparring; they felt like guidance for the missions ahead.

Woods clapped them on the shoulder. “Seriously, Bell, don’t let this go to your head… but that was impressive.”

Mason chuckled. “Yeah, you’ve definitely earned your stripes today.”

Lazar laughed, shaking his head. “I might need a rematch myself, just to make sure I’m not rusty.”

Even Sims smirked, though he tried to hide it behind an unimpressed expression. “You did well. Don’t expect this to happen every day.”

Bell gave a small grin, feeling lighter than they had in weeks. And as they looked at Koa, who just gave a small approving nod, they knew one thing for sure: they weren’t just a recruit anymore. Today, they’d earned a little respect… and maybe a little fun along the way too.

Pono let out a soft bark, as if agreeing, nudging Bell’s leg again. Bell laughed, reaching down to pet him once more.

“Next round tomorrow,” Koa said casually, watching the team start tidying up. “Don’t disappoint me.”

Bell just smiled, feeling ready.

And somehow, with the sun streaming through the safehouse windows and the sound of laughter echoing in the room, it felt… like they were finally part of something bigger.

THE END

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