The girl Finch had called Jane rolled her shoulders once, then twice, settling into a stance that was relaxed but ready. Her hands came up, loose fists near her chin, elbows tucked just enough to protect her ribs without limiting movement. "Sorry about this," she said calmly. "It's nothing personal."
I looked at her, expression flat. "Don't be," I replied. "You're choosing to listen to someone who can't fight for himself and is clearly an idiot who doesn't mind getting his friends hurt."
Finch's jaw tightened clearly in anger.
Then she moved. She was fast. Not sloppy fast. Not desperate fast. Clean, trained fast.
Her fist snapped forward in a sharp jab aimed straight for my nose. I shifted my head just enough to let it skim past, the air displacement brushing my cheek. But I felt it—an invisible pressure ripple, like the atmosphere itself had been shoved aside by her punch.
She didn't stop, and sent a second jab. A third. Then a cross. Then another jab. Each strike came with weight behind it, compact and efficient. I weaved back, pivoted sideways, letting her punches pass inches from my face. Her tempo was relentless, each blow chaining into the next with no wasted motion.
I misjudged one dodge by half a step. Her fist followed through and slammed into the dumpster behind me.
The metal screamed. A deep dent caved inward like it had been struck by a sledgehammer.
Jane barely reacted. She didn't shake her hand. Didn't flex her fingers. She simply reset her stance, eyes locked on me like she'd just tapped a wall instead of crushed steel.
Victoria's eyes went wide. Finch laughed, blood still on his lip. "See? That's my gang's heaviest hitter."
Interesting. Very interesting. I straightened, rolling my neck once. Maybe I didn't need to hold back as much as I thought with her.
"Looks like you're stronger than you look," I said evenly. "So how about I show you how strong I am—and you do the same."
Jane frowned slightly. "You don't want this. I could hurt you really bad, or worse."
I met her gaze without blinking. "I can too, so let's see who hurts who more."
I then bursted forward. My foot snapped up in a sharp kick aimed at her side. Jane reacted instantly, raising her forearm to block—but the impact still sent her skidding sideways. Her shoes scraped against the pavement as she slammed into the alley wall hard enough to form spiderweb cracks through the concrete.
She pushed herself off the wall like nothing happened.
Finch's smirk then faltered as his jaw almost dropped.
I followed up immediately, throwing a straight punch where her face had been a moment earlier. She slipped to the side, and my fist buried itself into the wall behind her. Cracks spread outward, and a chunk of concrete broke loose, I pulled my fist back slowly leaving a shallow hole.
Jane stared at the wall, then back at me. "What are you?"
I ignored the question. "My question is," I said calmly, "what exactly are you?"
She hesitated for half a second. "That's a secret."
" Same here, but that doesn't matter right now," I replied. "I just have to beat you and your friend. For now."
We both rushed forward and collided again. Fists met forearms. Kicks were checked at the knee. Elbows skimmed ribs. Our movements blurred together—close-range exchanges that rattled the alley with every impact.
Jane smiled and grabbed my collar and drove me backward into the wall. The air exploded out of my lungs as concrete cracked behind my shoulders.
I grinned and responded with a brutal kick to her midsection. She lifted off the ground a few feet before slamming back down several feet away.
Victoria watched in stunned silence, hands over her mouth. Finch looked like he was watching two monsters tear into each other.
Jane wiped dirt from her cheek and grinned slightly. "You hit hard, maybe I can cut loose."
"So do you," I admitted.
We clashed again—crosses, hooks, knees. She slammed me once more, and I returned it with a shoulder charge that sent her skidding across wet pavement.
Minutes blurred together in our exchange. Then—"FREEZE!"
The shout echoed down the alley. Jane and I had each other by the front of our shirts, fists drawn back mid-swing. We both turned our heads to see the Police. There were Several of them. With their hands close to their weapon holsters.
We both didn't hesitate.
"Run!."
I scooped Victoria up into a bridal carry and took off at a full sprint. She yelped, then laughed, cheeks flushed. "Oh my God—!"
Jane bolted alongside us, matching my speed with terrifying ease. Behind us, Finch ran the opposite direction—and immediately got tackled.
"Follow me!" Jane shouted. She vaulted a high fence in one smooth motion. I tightened my grip on Victoria. "Hold on."
She wrapped an arm around my neck just as I vaulted and in one big jump planted a foot against the fence, kicked off the top rail, and cleared it in a single leap. I landed, barely breaking stride, then surged forward again.
Victoria laughed breathlessly. " That was so scary...Let's do that again!" She said all wide eye
"Fine," I said. "Next time I'll throw you. and catch you on the other side"
She grinned. "Deal."
We ran for what felt like miles, the city blurring past, until Jane finally slowed near an abandoned building overlooking the water.
"This is the place," she said. "We can lay low here."
I then dropped Victoria unceremoniously. She hit the ground with a soft thud. "Ow! I am a lady—no need to be so rough!"
I looked down at her. "I fought for you and carried you two and a half miles at a full sprint. Did you expect me to carry you inside too?"
She stood, brushing herself off. "A girl can dream."
I rolled my eyes and followed Jane inside, Victoria trailing behind us, still smiling like she'd just had the time of her life.