Bam! Bam! Bam!

He woke to pounding on his door. He struggled upright, groggy and sore all over.

"What is it," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The pounding went on again, driving into his brain like a dagger.

"Alright, alright, I'm up," he said, stumbling to the door.

How long had he been asleep? Light was streaming into the room. He opened the door just as Liz was raising her fist to again abuse the door.

"Oh, hi," she said, "Guess what? I’m not sick anymore! You should hurry up or we’ll be late"

"I can't do it," he said, his voice coming out as a croak. "My bed needs me."

She stood there in the doorway, eyeing him up and down. “You look awful.”

“I feel terrible. A monkey beat me up last night. Now let me sleep”

"Oh that's silly," she said, stepping past him into the room. "You know we've got a quiz today. I'd be a terrible friend if I let you miss it."

He stood there, blinking owlishly.

"Now," she said. "Straighten up your hair and you can tell me about the… monkey? on the way." As she talked she grabbed his jacket and backpack from the bedpost, handing them to him. "Well?"

Finally he sighed. "Alright, I'm coming."

"Oh, good, class is going to be so fun."

Normally her cheerfulness was endearing, today he wished she'd just stop talking.

Hurrying along the sidewalk as fast as he could, he told her everything that had happened, though it came out in a jumble. She was a great audience, interested in all the right things, and alarmed at all the right places.

"That sounds so cool. I wish I could have come." She looked momentarily crestfallen as she said this.

He rubbed his aching ribs. “Don’t worry, it sounds a lot more fun than it was. You’d just have ended up sore like the rest of us.”

She gave him a look that he felt had some meaning he couldn’t fathom. “You’re probably right. But I’d love to be on real hunter business. It’s so frustrating that I haven’t been able to do anything like that yet. My dad is sooo protective. I need something to show him he doesn’t need to worry so much.”

"Yeah? You’re probably better off with something more impressive than getting beat up by a monkey in someone’s basement. Please don’t tell anyone about that.” he begged her.. “It’s kinda illegal and embarrassing too."

The look turned into a playful grin and she patted him on the cheek. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. And if I do, I’ll make sure you sound heroic.” He was pretty sure she was teasing him.

###

That afternoon they met up together in their usual study room. They were a happier group then the day before, though he and Paul looked like they’d been sucked up by a tornado and spit out. It wasn’t just that Liz was back either, Levi felt like a weight had been taken off, just by being able to do something. Even though they’d gotten soundly thrashed by some deranged pet, at least they’d done something. The first real something they’d done since being almost killed by that ogre. Everyone else seemed happier too.

Alice said she’d already talked to Beth and she’d been told the situation would be handled. She seemed relieved that Beth hadn’t asked too much about how she’d overheard the conversation. Just told her she not to be careless. It sounded to everyone like she’d gotten off with only a slap on the wrist.

“I told you the hunters aren’t scary.” She said, shaking her head.

“I’ve said it before,” said Paul, “it’s cause you don’t have Connolly as your professor. You get grilled by him and come back and tell me that.”

They were all back to their different studies, when Levi brought up something that had been bothering him since the night before. “So, do any of you guys really know anything about these?” He asked, holding up his arm to display the tattoo. It glittered a red-gold in the sunlight.

“No, not really,” said Liz, “I mean besides the hunters having them.”

Paul shrugged, “Hey, if she doesn’t know anything, it’s not like we’ll know more than her. But why do you ask?”

He hesitated, worried he’d sound silly. “Well, it’s just that, so that other time when there was something dangerous, my adjutor flared up. I mean, so hot that I couldn’t move cause of the pain. Then last night there was nothing, even when that creature attacked us, nothing. I figured it was safe there cause it would warn me like the other time. But it didn’t and, even though it was small, that thing could have seriously hurt someone.

Also, even though there was no heads up about the monkey from hell, I think it gave me a boost of speed or… something when I almost knocked over the boxes. But then it didn’t help me at all when I got attacked. So I guess what I’m wondering is, what exactly is it supposed to do? It helps sometimes and other times it just sits there. It’s supposed to help with the guides and our training too, but how? I guess I still don’t understand how they work.”

“You’ve got a point,” said Alice, examining hers. “It would be really important to know how they work if we’ll be relying on them in the future.”

Levi nodded, excitedly. “Exactly. it’s acted so weird and I don’t even know why most of the time. I have a feeling there’s something more to it than I know, but… I can’t figure it out.”

Then Liz, who'd been unusually quiet, spoke up. "Levi? If you want to know more, you should come with me to my place. My parents could teach you a lot."

They all looked at her, surprised.

She saw everyone staring and blushed, tugging on her hair. “What?”

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“Well, it’s just, we’ve never been to your place, or met your folks.” Said Levi.

“Well, if you don’t want to, that’s fine.”

"No, no, no.” He said, shaking his head. “I mean yeah, thanks, I’d love to go. Your mom was a hunter right? She probably knows all about this stuff."

"Um, yeah, well she knows a lot, and my dad knows a lot too. There’s tons of tradition and history involved with the hunters and Dad knows more about that stuff than anyone."

"Great, thanks Liz. You’re awesome." Levi said.

She brightened up. "Of course I am, this'll be fun, but we don't get many new visitors, so I should ask before just bringing you home. I'll have to tell them why you're coming too, we don't want them getting the wrong idea about us."

Levi tried to laugh, but it died uncomfortably. What was the right idea? They got along really well, but were they just friends or… he cut himself off mid thought. Of course there wasn’t anything more, he hadn’t even asked her out. Still… Maybe this could be a good thing.

As they were leaving Paul pulled him aside.

"So, meeting the parents huh?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, I know you like the girl. Even Alice knows that, and she's a total book nerd. So, you gonna make a move or what?"

"No, it's not like that. Really." Was he that easy to read?

"Alright man, well, at least tell me how it goes. I can only imagine what sort of place that girl lives in." He winked, slapping Levi on the shoulder.

"See you Paul."

“See ya.”

###

Levi was whistling happily as he walked in his door, at least he was untill he saw the letter on his table -Connolly’s favorite means of communication. Sure enough, it was a summons to Connolly’s office the next day and it didn’t sound good.

That night he had trouble focusing on his homework and kept glancing at the letter and its two lines.

My office, two p.m.

Don’t be late.

He knew enough to recognize an angry note when he saw one, and the deep indentations made by the pen on the paper, as well as a painful recollection of yesterday’s events, gave him some clue as to his advisor’s mood.

That night he dreamed of a monkey creature, with Connolly’s face, chasing him down dark hallways, yelling at him that he was going to be expelled. He woke up in a panic around four am, and was too freaked out to fall back asleep. Instead he used the next few hours to finally finish memorizing the poisons assignment. At least he’d know how to cure himself if that’s the way Connolly was planning on finishing him off.

###

That afternoon found him sitting uncomfortably outside Connolly’s office, waiting for the dreaded meeting. Paul showed up a few minutes before two, looking like he’d just swallowed a jar of worms. He nodded to Levi and sat down without a word. To his surprise, Alice showed up a moment later, also looking ill. She didn’t have a chance to say anything, as the door opened immediately after, and Connolly’s voice called, “Come in you three.”

They shuffled in, to sit in the seats provided, lined up in front of the solid desk. Connolly looked at them sternly from beneath his greying brow.

“Well?” It seemed more of a command than a question, heavy with meaning.

They all started talking at once; Levi was apologizing, Paul seemed to be making a case for why they’d been right in breaking in, and Alice was trying to tell him about what she’d overheard. It just turned into one incomprehensible mess. Connolly cleared his throat, and all their talk died immediately.

“Mr. Grant.”

“I’m sorry sir, it was my fault. I saw a monkey thing pickpocketing a lady, and since the adjutor didn’t flare up I figured it wasn’t dangerous. I didn’t want to go to you for something small, so I…” His voice trailed off under Connolly’s gaze.

“It’s a liderc.”

“Sir?”

“The creature you saw is a liderc. A sort of familiar that does the bidding of its master. The only one who’s ever really in danger from one of those is its master… Unless you happen to get between it and it’s hoard, in which case you better be stronger than a three foot tall imp.”

Alice, either bravely or stupidly --Levi wasn’t quite sure which-- spoke up then. “Did Beth tell you about what the man said? I think it might-”

“Yes, she did and, speaking of ‘that man’, the Brezhnev’s were quite happy to inform me that their pet did quite a number on the three of you. For all your sakes, it’s a good thing they didn’t find you, or we might not be having this conversation. Levi, I believe you were warned about going anywhere near that place.”

“Yes sir, I’m sorry sir.”

“It had better not. But, since it appears that you are going to find trouble whether you are monitored or not, I have discussed the matter with the others, and we have come up with an appropriate punishment.”

“Levi cringed, wondering what type of torture Connolly would submit them to.

Connolly went on. “The task has fallen on me to train the lot of you in the art of self defense.”

There was an uncomprehending silence.

“Well?” Connolly said harshly. “What do you have to say about that?”

“Thank you sir.” Said Levi, confused. This was punishment?

“Don’t thank me.” Connolly said with a growl. “ I won’t be easy on any of you and I will not give those Bulgarian brothers another chance to gloat over us.”

Paul leaned forward. “Hey, about that. They won’t be pressing charges, will they?”

“No. They deal in things illegal in both our worlds, so they don’t care to talk to the authorities if they don’t have to. Besides, their methods for finding you out aren’t exactly recognized by the local PD.

But” he said, his voice turning to a growl. “I want each of you to understand, this doesn’t mean any of what you did was acceptable. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”

“Yes, yes you do.” Paul said, then shut up like a clam.

“Now all of you get out. Except you Alice. I need to ask you something.”

Levi started to rise but froze, not wanting to leave Alice alone, especially with an angry Connolly.

Connolly seemed to divine Levi’s thoughts. “I’m not going to bite her head off Mr. Grant. Now get going.”

They waited outside the office for a tense several minutes, wondering what would happen to Alice. The time seemed to drag on and Levi was just beginning to wonder if it was his duty to go in and rescue her --an action equal, in his mind, to jumping on a grenade, and with the same chance of survival-- when the door opened and Alice came out.

“Well?” Paul asked, once they were well enough away. “What was that about?”

“Let’s just get out of here.” She kept walking but Levi thought that she seemed… amused? That couldn’t be right.

###

“So like Karate Kid right?”

“What?”

“It’s an 80’s movie about a kid who learned karate by waxing cars and, oh never mind.” His explanation withered up under Connolly’s stare.

He doubted Connolly even watched movies. Connolly had summoned him to the physical fitness building, where Connolly explained his plan for Levi’s self defense training. It turned out it would be one-on-one.

“It’s called Pankration, and it’s a traditional martial art from Greece that we hunters have been practicing for millenia. Heracles used it to take down the Nemean lion. Theseus used it on a minotaur. It’s what the Spartans used for unarmed combat, and it’s what I’ll attempt to teach you. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir.”

Levi wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but not this. The older man turned out to be a lot faster, and a lot stronger than he let on. He spent an hour going through drills with Levi, and by the end Levi was dripping, his whole body shaking from exhaustion. Connolly, on the other hand, hadn’t even broken a sweat, although he did take off his cardigan, so that was something. He wondered if the man was even human underneath that worn button up.

“You’re weak Levi, you need to work on your stamina.” Connolly said as he once again demonstrated the simple strike that Levi apparently couldn’t do to Connolly’s satisfaction. “Fifty more times on the bag.”

“We’ve been at this for like an hour,” he complained between pants. “It’s not like I’ll ever have to fight for an hour straight.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Well, no, I guess not.”

“Then back on your feet. I still have half an hour.”

Connolly was right, it was punishment, and he soon grew to dread it.

###

Connolly didn’t have endless time, so Liz helped him too and Levi figured it might go easier with her, but he was wrong. It turned out she didn’t sweat either.

“So did Connolly teach you too?” Levi gasped out during a water break. It had been a rough session, but he felt like he was making some headway.

“No, my mom mostly. She figured I should be able to handle myself. But these are way basic, it’ll be more fun when we can actually do some sparring.”

“I thought we were sparring.” His estimation of his progress withered away. He felt defeated.

“Nope, not close. we’ve just been doing back and forth combos to get you used to the moves, get your feet moving the right way. and we haven’t even touched grappling. It gets it all in your muscle memory. Real fights, and even sparring matches, are way less predictable.”

“You’ve been in fights?” He had trouble picturing her in a brawl.

“You haven’t?” She looked surprised.

“Uh, let’s do some more of those drills.”