Where Are We Now

Chapter 4

It was late on the afternoon and the training room of the DEO was crowded than usual. Oliver and Sara worked on basic training at first with James and Lyra, Winn's alien girlfriend. Unlike James, she was beyond excited to train with humans that could fight like warriors as she could notice during their training session. Alex and Kara supervised everything from outside, looking through the glass.

- I really don't understand the point... - James said as he looked confused to Oliver – I mean I have my suit... And my shield.

- They are just accessories. I told this to a friend once before, you can't rely on your suit, because something can happen and then what? What if some monster kicks the shield away from your hands? What if your suit is compromised? Your body has to be the weapon.

- It happened before James – Lyra told him as she remembered when they tried to take down some drug dealers once – The guy was so crazy; he took your shield from you in a blink of an eye.

Oliver positioned in front of James, as if he was talking about the weather.

- The secret is to be the surprise. You can't let your target anticipate your moves. And the most important thing: don't let your anger take over you right away.

- Am I supposed to keep calm in a fight?

- You don't understand... Let me show you. Lyra, right? Come here.

Sara smiled at him already knowing what Oliver was trying to explain them. Because she had the same lesson once before. Lyra walked to Oliver as they positioned to fight.

- What was the most infuriating moment for you? The thing that made you want to rip the head out of anyone that crossed your way.

- The monster that took my brother and made me steal for him. I wanted to kill him and everyone that worked for him so badly and I couldn't.

- Pretend I'm this guy and fight me!

Lyra laughed as she looked at Oliver like he was an insane person. She looked from James to Sara but no one said a thing.

- C'mon. Are you trying to make me want to kill again?

- Yes.

Alex and Kara watched everything with curiosity from outside the room. Kara thought that it was definitely the most interesting training she has ever seen. And she couldn't help but feel curious for what was about to come.

- I once challenged Ra's Al Ghul, Head of the Demon, leader of the League of Assassins. In my Earth, they were the kind of people everyone should be afraid of, because they are highly trained to kill. To defy this guy, it was a death sentence. But he was hurting my city, threatening people I loved, so I had to. But I acted like a fool and I can see that now. I was so full of anger, that I was sure I could beat him. I got at the top of this mountain that was as deadly as you can imagine, in a freezing cold, and I got to choose my weapons. I had two swords in my hand, the guy was empty handed and fought me with one hand behind his back. I let the hate and the anger control me. And that was my mistake. – He pointed at Lyra – You, try it...

Lyra closed her eyes and started remember that moment of her life that was a completely nightmare and that made her hate herself for lying to Winn. She opened her eyes, and attacked Oliver with two punches, that he easily deflected. She tried a high kick on his chin, but Oliver held blocked her foot with his arm and held her by the foot, flipping her around in the air, making her fall to the ground. She got up angrier and came to Oliver one more time. Oliver blocked all her hand moves, holding tight in her fist as he made her turn around, his right arm around her neck as if he was going to strangle her and his left hand twisting her left arm behind her back.