Average Joe (2018)

26

"Can we hurry this up? This is the second time in forty-eight hours I ditched Ross. He's not going to be very happy with me." Cora and Bryan zipped around the bottom floor of the clock tower, moving equipment and gadgets around. I walked to a back wall and picked up a gadget that was hanging there. "This stuff will help me use my powers?"

Cora snatched the thing from my hand and hung it on the wall.

"We think so," she replied.

"Before we can get to your powers," Bryan said, shoving a treadmill to the back wall. "We have to train you to fight."

"Oh," I said, remembering my fifth-grade boxing class. Cora stepped up to me.

"Give me your hands." I did and she started to wrap my hands and fists in boxing bandages. "We'll start with the basics. How to punch and kick and stuff."

"Where'd you learn to fight?" I asked her.

"The streets." I looked at her. She smiled. "No, my dad taught me. He was in the military."

"My brother taught me," Bryan said, hefting boxes. He smiled a little. "Let's just say the bullies in middle school left me alone."

"Did you guys decrypt the messages?" I asked.

"Not yet. The hard drive is on it though."

"What would my mom even want with the thing?"

"We just found out your mom works for Shadow Global, maybe Oblivion wanted it."

"But If Shadow Global is a major company that has people in the government, why would they need someone to steal it?"

"Who knows? Right now we just need to focus on training you." Cora put on boxing bandages and stepped in front of me, her stance strong. Bryan stepped behind me.

"You want me to hit Cora?"

"You have a problem with that?"

"Oh, no, I'll hit her."

"Okay, remember guys, this is just a sparring match. Don't hurt each other."

I threw my fist forward and Cora sidestepped, dodging my punch, locking my fist in her arms and pulling back with strength, I flew forward and slammed to the ground, my rib cage aching.

"Ow."

"Twig," Cora coughed. I sat up, spitting dirt from my mouth.

"No fair, your dad was a soldier."

"And your dad is a superhero. What's your excuse?"

"Good point." I stood up.

"Okay," Bryan said. "Norman, what was wrong with your punch?"

"I was trying to hit G.I. Jessie?"

"No. For one thing, your stance was all wrong. And your punch was flimsy. If your fist even made contact with her, it probably wouldn't do anything."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Bryan snagged me by the back of my collar and slammed me into the wall.

"You think I'm teaching you how to hit? I'm teaching you how to survive."

"Sir, yes sir," I grunted. I stood back where I was and Cora stood in front of me.

"Stand properly," Bryan told me, adjusting me slightly. "Face Cora by turning sideways slightly, pointing your non-dominant side towards Cora, like that. If you're right-handed, which you are, turn your left hip towards her. Don't turn completely perpendicular with your torso, just lead with your non-dominant leg and hip."