Stealth Specialist || Simon Riley

I'm Fine, Really

12:00 pm

My alarm buzzes next to my ear loudly, rousing me from my unintentional nap. My eyes are slow to open, basking in the dim relaxation that has overtaken me.

I roll to the side, wincing minorly at my bruise as I fumble with my phone to cease the loud alarm. I look at the time and furrow my brow, confused. Midnight?

The daze and disorientation cloud my conscious mind, not knowing what world or dimension I'm in, it seems like. I unlock my phone and browse through my calendar events, trying to decipher what this alarm is for.

Oh, fuck.

I push myself up off the mattress and immediately into a warmer set of clothes, since training has already begun outside in the frigid British winter. 

My dark grey fleece crewneck makes it way over my other clothes, as well as a thick pair of fuzzy socks, shoved into my boots and tied tight. I fasten my black beanie over my mess of hair and ram my keycard into my pocket before swinging open my door and speed-walking down to the atrium. 

I open the front doors of the building and am immediately met with the crisp cool air of the January breeze. I spot the small group of guys off a ways into one of the fields to my right. I walk briskly toward them, not wanting to be too late. 

"Nice of you to join us," Ghost says, pausing his explanation to the rest of the guys in order to single me out. 

"I, uh, lost track of time. My apologies," I muster out. All eyes have turned their attention from Ghost to me as I respond. Only some of the guys have showed up: Soap, Keegan, Rudy, and Roach stand before me, ready to train.

"As I was saying," Ghost begins, attention returning to him, "We're working on hand-to-hand today. You never know when you're lost of a weapon and all you've got is your hands."

He continues, "We've done exercises like this before, so I shouldn't have to explain this in detail for you lads. Mats are over there," he points at a few foam mats set up on the ground, "pair up and beat the shit out of each other."

The guys pair up and move to the mats, Keegan with Roach and Soap with Rudy. They all remove their coats and hats before beginning to throw punches at one another.

I, without a partner, walk closer to Keegan's mat where he fights with Roach. Roach throws the first punch, but Keegan dodges it. They go back and forth in the same fashion, Roach attacking and Keegan dodging.

"You gonna hit back?" Roach calls to Keegan, who is masked fully by his balaclava and eye paint. Roach throws another punch, this time more aggressively than the last few. Keegan ducks to the side, avoiding it completely. 

I can tell what Keegan is doing. I smile deviously, watching Roach become more and more frustrated by Keegan's defense. They spar like that for several minutes before Keegan throws his first punch.

He dodges Roach's swing and swiftly throws a right hook at the unguarded spot Roach leaves directly after he punches. Roach catches himself, but is thrown off balance for a second, not anticipating it.

Soap yells in victory as he pins Rudy down on the mat, distracting me from Keegan and Roach. Ghost stands over Soap, announcing his victory as he helps both the men up and off the ground. In the seconds I spent watching Soap win, I missed Keegan somehow getting Roach to the ground while putting him in a cross armbar on the ground, preventing Roach from fighting back. They both grunt and struggle on the ground, drawing the attention of the other guys. All three walk over to us.

"Mate, Keegan's already won this," Ghost says to Roach, who stills tries to free himself from Keegan's grasp. 

Keegan lets go of Roach's arm and pushes himself up off the ground. He comically brushes some imaginary dust from his shoulder before walking off the mat.