Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Five: Combat

“Do you know Jennie?” Samantha asked Taylor.

Taylor crossed her arms with a bitchy face. “Yes, because like you, she also ruined my day by bumping into me first thing in the morning,” she said with a high note in her voice, almost singing it like a song. “What are you doing here?  To clean?”

“Are you deaf, or are you just retarded?” I retaliated sarcastically. “Samantha just mentioned that if the combat clothes would fit me or not, I’d tell her. If you have common sense, wouldn’t you think I would be a Red Cartel member like you?”

Her jaw dropped. Samantha chuckled beside me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head in dismay, facing the locker where the combat clothes were located. Taylor marched towards us with a disgruntled face, but before she could even reach me, Samantha already blocked her way.

“Think twice before you do a stupid thing against Jennie,” Samantha warned Taylor. “You would receive another punch on the nose, and no surgery would be able to treat it.”

Taylor and Samantha glared at each other. I smirked at Taylor before I turned my back and went to a seemingly washroom to change.

“Ciao!” I said without looking at them and went inside the washroom.

The combat clothes consisted of a black racerback top that showed my bare arms and soldier-thick pants for the bottom. It also had a new pair of boots inside the bag that was wrapped in a separate paper bag. I smiled when I saw a pair of black gloves, but my fingers were still visible that covered my wrists and palms. To complete my look, I rummaged through my bag to find ties so I could braid my hair two ways.

I went outside the cubicle with the empty bag of the combat clothes where I stashed my office dress and heels. In my other hand was my mini Chanel bag. The first thing I saw was my reflection in the mirror outside. It was still me, but a different one. Not the spoiled brat. Not the CEO. But a different identity. Jennie, huh?

“Nice to meet you, Jennie,” I whispered. “What kind of person will you be here in the headquarters?”

When I stepped outside the washroom, the locker area was already empty. Samantha and Taylor were nowhere to be seen, but I saw drops of blood on the floor just in front of my locker. I just dismissed it and placed the two bags inside. I opened the door, exiting the locker area just to see Karlo outside. Timothy and Glaidel were watching the assassins' combat training from afar. Everyone was busy already with their tasks, except Karlo, who was leaning against the partition with his hands in his pockets.

“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly and faced him.

He stood up straight and took a step forward. “Hey…” he called.

My eyes went to Samantha, who was boxing in the air alone in the corner. Karlo’s handkerchief was hanging behind the pocket of her pants. Would she really keep it? Tss. Now my irritation is back!

“I feel like you have been angry at me or something for a while now. You moved away from me-“

“You let go of my hand,” I cut him off and placed my hand on my waist. “And for what? To give a stupid handkerchief to Samantha?”

“She was bleeding from her nose, baby.”

“Don’t you baby me. She could have taken care of herself, you know. They already expect to bleed when it comes to assassinating, so did you have to step in the middle of their punishment?” I patted and widened my eyes.

“Yes, I know. It was an act of kindness. Every gentleman would do that-“

“Why does it have to be you? Timothy can be a gentleman and offer her a handkerchief!”

“Baby, it’s not like a big deal.”

“It is to me!”

He watched me raise my voice, so when his expression slowly changed into relief, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. When I was calm enough, I opened my eyes again. He was still staring at me.

“Are you perhaps jealous?” he slowly asked.

“What?!” I exclaimed and glared at him, pointing my index finger at his face. “How dare you accuse me of something that is not even true!”

His smile showed up in his lips, and he even licked his lower lip. I had to glare hard at him so he wouldn’t notice that I was very flustered, but when he eventually laughed, I grunted and marched away from him.

That bastard! Is he making fun of me?!

I approached Glaidel and Timothy. When they noticed that I was nearing them, they both faced me.

“So what am I going to do first?” I asked them.

“You will have to show me what you learned from the previous months when you were being trained by Mr. Rodriguez,” Glaidel lectured and smiled at me. “Can you fight me, Jennie?”

Timothy winked at me. I saw sparks in Glaidel’s eyes as if it excited her, but she just wouldn’t show it because there were assassins who might be listening to the conversation. As much as possible, we have to act. I will be trained. She will be my personal trainer; my supervisor.

“Yes,” I answered. “I also want to learn from you… Miss Glaidel.”

Just as she suggested I address her, I made it more dramatic. Not to tease her, but to finally acknowledge the act I have to do in order to be an effective identity as Jennie.

“Good,” she said. “Then go to your position at the center of the arena. Let me assess what you can do.”

“Sure!” I said and shrugged.

I cleared my throat and stepped forward towards the center of the arena. Again, I felt the watchful gazes of the assassins, as if they were anticipating my skills in combat. While walking, I glanced at Karlo, who was leaning against the partition again. Even though he was far from the people, I could still observe his eyes following where I was.

What are you looking at?

I rolled my eyes at him, although I was not sure if he would notice.

When I positioned myself, Glaidel also went to the place opposite me. Timothy backed away, blending through the assassins. He was smirking. I raised my fists and balanced myself. Silence engulfed the arena. Glaidel didn’t even have a combat stance and just stared at me. One to two minutes had passed, but she was still not moving. I arched my eyebrow at her.

“You have to be the one to attack me, Jennie,” she pointed out.

Everyone laughed that echoed through my ears. Glaidel cleared her throat. Timothy even slapped her face to cover embarrassment. I swallowed the humiliation I felt and didn’t waste time to advance and throw a punch at Glaidel. But before I could even hit her, she caught my punch and twisted it. Not what I expected from my wild imagination, she pulled it and carried my weight on my shoulder. My back hit the ground, and I had to cough several times because of the impact and the pain I felt.

Laughter and mockery started again. It pissed me off. I twirled my body and locked my feet to catch Glaidel’s knees, making her fall to the ground, that is the same as me. I didn’t fail. She really did fall. I stood up fast. Her expression didn’t change, and she also stood up slowly. I caught my breath before I advanced and rained her with kicks that she dodged. When it wasn’t successful, I replaced it with punches. She was so fast in dodges, and before I knew it, she shifted her weight until she was behind me and pushed my back.

And again, I fell to the ground with my face! There were even assassins who just made way so I could hit myself that badly.

“Stand up,” Glaidel commanded. “It’s still not enough…”

I gritted my teeth and wiped my lips before turning to her. I stood up slowly, feeling the aches in my body. I glared at her.

“You’ll pay for this!” I exclaimed before running towards her.

I examined her moves while raining her with punches and kicks on her. I noticed that she was dodging up and down, not sideways. I smirked and pretended that I was tired. When she was about to pull me again to knock me to the ground, I slapped both her hands and pull it downward. I met my knees on her jaw before kicking her chest with my boots. The painful impact of her back against the ground only reciprocated what I experienced a while ago.

“You don’t get to hurt me like that,” I firmly said with a straining voice.

Glaidel coughed, but there was an escaping smile escaped her lips. I maintained a stoic face as a warning to her.