Joints cracked as Ashe stretched, her efforts at the Viuda wellness center proving to be time well spent. The public classes were slowly transforming from part of her training into more of a warm up for her one on one lessons with Eric and Kyle. She was even starting to help instruct the newest group to come in. They didn’t hold back in their lessons, cramming an entire week’s worth of military instruction into her twice a week lessons.
She was preparing to run through one set of drills before her morning jog, something she refused to give up on despite how overprotective her parents were about things. Her leg was healing, though slower than she would have liked. She carried her Glock for the runs, despite not being able to take it to school, she was damned determined to make sure it was available at all times otherwise. She had enemies now, more than before.
“Ashe, you up?” her mom asked, knocking on her door.
She began her exercises, moving through the strikes with now practiced ease. “Door’s open.”
Her mom stepped in, and just stood there for a moment as Ashe rolled from strike, to block to killing blow. The Israeli martial art was anything but gentle, and Ashe had no intention of playing nice when her life was on the line.
“You’re really getting into that, aren’t you?” her mom asked, stepping into the room proper.
Ashe rolled from an elbow strike into a knife draw and made a few cuts through the open air. “I don’t want to be helpless again. Your training kept me alive, and hopefully this training keeps me from any further major injuries.”
Her mom had a sad sort of smile on her face as Ashe ran through her knife strikes. She considered drawing her Glock and running through the close quarters gunplay but thought better of it. She was more likely to use that while on the job and the last thing she needed was for some video of her doing something obvious to wind up in her parents hands and get them asking questions.
“Are you sure you aren’t overdoing things?” she asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed as her eyes narrowed. “You’re favoring your left leg.”
“Took a bad hit during the last session,” Ashe said quickly, the lie rolling off her tongue with sickening ease. “It’s not that bad, just a bit sore.”
The truth was, the wound hurt like a bitch, even nearly two weeks later. It was healing well, despite that she wasn’t quite babying it as much as she should. She would at least have a bitching scar out of it, and already had plans to have it covered with a tattoo once she was all healed up and of age.
“Has anyone looked at it?”
Ashe took a breath, settling as she finished the exercise. “Yeah, the instructors are both field medics and checked it out. Turns out dulled blades can still cut if you slip.”
“Ashe,” her mother said sharply. “Please tell me you had an actual doctor check things over.”
“Of course I did,” she said truthfully. “Even got an updated Tetanus just to be safe.”
She just wasn’t going to mention that it was a Viuda run clinic or that the doctor’s medical license was just a touch sketchy. The stitches should start coming out on their own soon, and she would be glad to be done with the itchy little bastards. The shot had just been a precaution, and Keiko had made a bad joke about getting a shot for being shot.
“I just worry about you,” her mom said. “I’m glad you didn’t curl in on yourself over this, but I’m scared you’re overcompensating for the close call.”
Ashe sighed, sitting down beside her. “I probably am, to be honest. I’d just rather be over prepared than find myself powerless when some asshole tries something.”
“You think it’s only a matter of time?” her mom asked.
A stiff nod was her answer, though she wasn’t about to mention that Gray had already attempted something. “You know how these fuckers don’t let shit go. They’ll try again when they think my guard is down.”
Ashe found herself enveloped in a crushing hug as her mom buried her face in her shoulder. What truly surprised her was the gentle sobbing that followed. Her heart cracked as she wrapped her own arms around her mom’s back, rubbing gently.
“I just feel like we failed you,” she said between sharp breaths. “Those men violated you, they took a feeling of security away from you and the law has done nothing to help.”
She wasn’t wrong, which was why Ashe was so determined to gain the power and influence needed to make sure people like her didn’t continue to suffer at the hands of monsters like those the Patriots tended to attract. The worst part of it all was that her parents helped to support the very foundations that allowed it to happen in the first place.
“You did what you could,” Ashe said, giving her one more squeeze. “I’m doing the same. Little by little, I’m regaining my confidence.”
Not to mention slowly sticking it to those that directly hurt her, the pawn shop was ash and ruin, and Jack was nothing more than a lump of charcoal. Daniel was dead, indirectly due to her own actions and Crystal’s prodding early on. If that encounter had happened now, she knew she would probably just kill the man or let him OD rather than attempt to save his life.
Her lines were thoroughly eroding with each action she took, and Ashe was finding it difficult to care. Barely two months following the attack and there was no doubt that she had changed. Her drive was obvious to any that actually knew her before, which was fortunately a select few aside from her bullies, which were all but under her thumb.
Rachel was going to meet Jessica after school let out, and she was going to shadow them along with Crystal. That was partially to ensure that Jessica stayed safe, but the rest of it was just ensuring that her own secrets weren’t spilled without her permission. Ashe knew full well that anyone who discovered who she was would be a liability. Even if they were perfectly loyal, which was already a stretch as it was with Jessica, someone could easily torture the information out of her.
She was getting into a fucked up world of reputation and violence, and she needed to be a quick study if she was going to play the game with the best of them.
Giving her mom a final squeeze, she pulled away from the hug and moved to stand back up, stretching as she did. “I’d better get my morning run in if I want to have time to shower and eat breakfast before I get to school.”
“Crystal is still giving you a ride home tonight?” her mom asked.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Yeah,” Ashe answered. “Though we were going to meet up with some friends after school for coffee, plan the weekend.”
“Just be safe,” she said, her face damp from shed tears.
Ashe smiled, patting her holster. “I intend to.”
----------------------------------------
School was once again a pointless exercise in wasting time. None of the lessons actually taught her anything, though she was applying herself more in Spanish due to the number of people that spoke it that she needed to deal with. Jessica might have been a willing interpreter, but Ashe couldn’t rely on her for everything.
Rumor had it that Gray was set to return again next week, which would be some added drama no doubt, but she wasn’t concerned with his little group anymore. She’d put him in his place once, she could do so again. Of course, there was always the off chance he would try something stupid, like bringing a gun, but the school’s security was strict for a reason.
Keeping an eye on Rachel was done in passing, because for all everyone knew, Ashe wasn’t interested in having anything more to do with her former tormentor. She’d been growing more anxious as the day wore on, which wasn’t much of a surprise given she was about to meet her missing friend. Controlling either girl would be an exercise in futility once they were reunited, and despite what they had done for years, Ashe wasn’t about to remove them as potential problems.
She didn’t want to be that sort of monster, even if she was well on her way. Ashe would cling to what she could, but she wouldn’t let it hold her back from doing what she needed to.
Rachel exited the school rather quickly, Ashe hurrying after her as they left the grounds. Rachel had a car, which was why Crystal was waiting, just as she always did.
“That her?” Crystal asked as Ashe pulled her helmet on.
Looking off to the side, Ashe nodded as she tightened the straps. “Time to see if Jessica can be trusted or not.”
“I just hope you don’t get burned by this,” Crystal said, saddling her bike. “You have the most to lose out of all of us.”
Ashe smiled softly under her helmet, not that Crystal could see it. “And they’ve already lost a fair bit as well.”
“I’d call you soft hearted, but you’d just punch me,” Crystal snarked, revving her engine.
Ashe laughed, and hung on as they peeled out, making their way towards the planned meet up between the two girls. The city passed by quickly, the gang signs fading from the Patriots to the Viuda as they traveled north across the Suwannee. It didn’t take long after that to reach the coffee shop they were meeting at.
Ashe had suggested the spot because it was Viuda owned, and Crystal let the workers know to keep an eye out for the girls, claiming one just escaped an abusive ex and is laying low until he’s arrested. A bit of a lie, but Ashe wasn’t certain the Viuda weren’t in on it to some degree just yet. She knew she needed to play things close to the vest, especially if she ended up opposed to the gang alliance in the future.
Just the thought of having to take charge in a future war on the streets sent a shiver down her spine. She didn’t want to be responsible for that level of violence, to hold the lives of so many in the palm of her hands. The worst part was, she was setting herself up to do just that.
Crystal pulling into the parking lot beside the bistro jarred her from those thoughts and she hopped off the bike. She pulled a red flannel from the storage compartment and passed it over to Ashe. It was the closest she was willing to dress to her persona when not actively on the job. Crystal had pulled on a blue flannel, enough that the pair could talk their way through a confrontation if needed.
Ashe secured her civilian side arm under the jacket and took a deep breath. It wasn’t her first idea for a date, but in a way it would be a memorable one, even if it also wasn’t given they would have a third wheel. Waiting was so damn hard, but she already had the shape of a plan in mind, and she hoped things worked out that way.
“Someone’s thinking happy thoughts,” Crystal said, elbowing her gently.
Ashe’s cheeks warmed, and she looked away, rubbing the back of her head as she did.
“Thinking about prom,” she said softly.
“Oh,” Crystal said, falling silent.
Goddess, they were both gay messes, but boundaries would be respected for as long as she could manage it. She really couldn’t wait for prom night, but it was still months off, but patience was a virtue and it was one of the few she had left.
Ashe took a look around, spotting a pair of guys in Alejandro’s colors smoking something as they watched the streets. The green and blue accents they wore didn’t stand out in any meaningful way, and often were quite innocuous in reality. Gang holdings and leaders shifted often enough that most people didn’t need to worry about the small details. Only the Patriot’s black and gold, or the Viuda blue and silver really mattered in the grand scheme, and both were tricky to pull off on accident.
The bistro wasn’t terribly busy, the outdoor seating sparse due to the windy day. Ashe and Crystal went inside and took a seat by the window which had been reserved for them by Keiko who seemed amused at something.
“God, you two are such gay disasters right now,” Keiko said, laughing. “I mean, the flannel, Crystal’s hair… Ashe, you need a butch cut and proper highlights and you’ll be a proper mess too!”
Ashe flipped her off, but took her seat anyway. “I see Jessica’s already here.”
“Yeah, she’s been there for almost twenty minutes,” Keiko said. “I think the girl was so paranoid that someone might recognize her that she didn’t even notice I was following her.”
Crystal groaned, pinching her nose. “Please tell me you didn’t do anything to fuel that paranoia.”
Keiko reared back, hand to her chest as she gasped. “How dare you, as if I would do such a thing! Why, I am the definition of circumspect.”
“You tried to build a literal nuke in your garage when you were ten,” Crystal said, her voice completely flat. Ashe was about to ask when Crystal held up a hand. “No, that isn’t an exaggeration, the defense department thought she was a terrorist until they saw her literal science fair display to go along with it and her notes.”
Keiko pouted almost petulantly. “Would have worked too if they hadn’t stopped me from buying that Russian surplus.”
“Seriously?” Ashe asked.
“She has the report framed on her wall,” Crystal said. “Yes, it would have worked and that spooked the spooks in DC something fierce.”
“Probably would have ended up working for them if I hadn’t caught a felony three years later,” Keiko said with a shrug. “Doesn’t matter, pretty sure this pays better.”
“Also means they know you’re Hanabi,” Ashe muttered.
Keiko blinked. “Seriously?”
Ashe nodded. “Yeah, you’re on a watchlist for life after something like that.”
“Sounds about right,” Crystal said, then held up her hand as a silver haired waitress approached. Crystal smiled up at the woman and quickly rattled off her order. “Lemonade and a bowl of tomato basil with grilled cheese.”
The woman nodded, a grin on her face as she scratched it on her pad before turning to Ashe.
“Some fried pickles and broccoli cheddar soup with unsweet tea to drink.”
“Breaking my southern heart with that one, sweetie,” she said, noting it down.
“I’ll add some sugar, I just don’t like it as sweet as most tend to make it,” Ashe said, dejectedly, the explanation long since grown tired.
That managed to draw a genuine smile from the older waitress as she jotted it down and hurried off to the cook’s station where someone clearly tweaking was working to prepare the food. It was better to not pry too deeply behind the curtain of any restaurant, the kitchen staff were usually on meth or coke no matter where you went.
She almost called out that she forgot Keiko’s order, but then she saw her cup and realized that she had likely ordered ahead of them. Sighing, Ashe turned her attention out the window just in time to catch the stunned expression on Rachel’s face as she saw Jessica sitting at the table.