{Emily}

"Okay why are we here?" I asked. I had a feeling of why we were standing in a dojo but I asked to confirm it.

"I think it's time you brush up on your hand to hand combat skills today. You've been playing with your guns and keep getting yourself injured by it. So I figured hand to hand would be a nice change of pace," Anna said.

"Aww come on, hand to hand is way too easy!" I whined, "Why do you think I'd rather play with my guns instead?"

"Well since hand to hand combat is too easy for you then this training session should be a piece of cake!" Anna said with a smirk.

We both got into an empty fighting ring and readied our fighting stances. We circled each other like sharks in the water sizing each other up and then Anna made her move first. She landed a punch to the jaw and I grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. She stomped on my foot making me yelp in pain and I had to let go.

After I let her go we exchanged punches and kicks and we landed some good hits on each other. A couple of times Anna managed to flip me over her back. The last time Anna flipped me over her back I laid on my back trying to catch my breath. Anna held out a hand and helped me get to my feet.

"But I thought you said hand to hand combat was too easy!" Anna teased.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay I see your point, I'm just a little bit rusty that's all."

Anna scoffed. "A little rusty? Please girl you can barely take on me! Yeah I think we need to take a break from your guns and stick to hand to hand combat for a while. Once you're back up to par on your fighting skills then we can go back to playing with your guns."

I sighed, "Fine, I'll stick to hand to hand combat for now…"

Anna doubled over in laughter.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You just don't want to be ripped away from your guns, that's what's funny!" Anna said.

"Yeah I disagree," I said, shaking my head.

She raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh sure whatever you say. Anyway, how's your love life going?"

I smiled. "It's going rather well considering Toby just can't keep his hands off me."

"Aww how cute!" Anna said, "Next you know you'll be getting married!"

I choked. "Uh, no marriage," I shook my head. "Not a good idea at the moment, not as long as A-Circle is coming after me!"

"Oh crap!" Anna said.

I tilted my head. "What?"

"Well you're dating someone and it's very possible that A-Circle just might go after him, married or not," Anna stated.

"Oh," I said, then my eyes went wide, "Oh! That's not good!"

"Don't worry, I'll protect him as much as I can protect you, scouts honor!" Anna declared.

I smiled again and I couldn't help but admire Anna wanting to protect me so much. She's like the big sister that I always wanted and she's a better big sister than Sergeant 22 any day!

***

{Toby}

I frowned after I saw Emily come into work with a bruise on her neck like someone strangled her. I asked to see her in my office and when she came in she looked tired.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Let me guess you're concerned about the bruise on my neck right?" Emily said, "I got that from practicing hand to hand combat with Anna. She seems to think that I should stay away from the gun range for a while and get back up to par with that. I've been out of practice with that for a while now. It's been months since I've done hand to hand combat. Don't worry, the bruise will be gone by the end of the day."

"Yeah I don't blame her for wanting to keep you away from the gun range for a while because you ended up in the hospital a few days ago," I said. "Speaking of keeping you away from the gun range, what do you think about going out on a date this weekend?"

Emily nodded. "Sure."

I went over to Emily and pulled her into my arms. I started to kiss her and I led her over to the couch and sat her down on my lap. I continued to kiss her until I needed to come up for air so to speak. "You have no idea how I much I want to fuck you right now!"

"Oh?" She said.

I nodded. "Oh yeah, it's everything within me to keep myself from pushing you down on this couch and pulling your pants and just go at it." I breathed into her ear. I could tell by how her body was reacting to me that she was turned on by me saying that.

"Hmmm, that sounds really-" Emily started to say. She didn't get to finish her sentence when there was a knock on the door.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I groaned and had her get off my lap so I could go answer the door. I narrowed my eyes when I saw it was Susan at the door. "Yes, what is it?"

"Oh uh, here's the file that Eric wanted me to give to you for the project we're working on," Susan said. She handed me a large envelope that was sure to have a nice thick stack of paperwork for me.

I took it from her and said, "Is there anything else?"

She gave me a sly smile. "I know she's in there."

"She who?" I said.

"Emily's in there and trust me the whole office knows about you two," Susan said. "I was going to ask about that bruise on her neck but you seemed to have beat me to it, oh well."

"She's fine, she got it from hand to hand combat practice apparently," I said.

Susan's face brightened. "Oh wow! She knows martial arts, cool! But then again she did a number on me when I tried to touch her that one day."

I nodded slowly. "Okay is there anything else?"

She shook her head. "Nope! That was it."

There was an awkward pause between us and I broke it by saying, "Okay then, you may go now."

I closed the door and turned to Emily. "Well that was awkward."

Emily nodded. "Yeah that sounded awkward, I swear Susan is just being really nosy! I mean if she really wanted to know about the bruise she would've asked me before you called me into the office. She had plenty of time to do that."

"Hmm," I said thoughtfully. "I'm wondering if I should move your spot into my office and you can just work from here via laptop?"

Emily groaned, "Look I appreciate you trying to protect me and all but I think that's a bit much don't you think? But then again, if you want to do that it's up to you because you're the boss."

I sighed, "You know it's okay to lean on someone for help right?"

"I know it's just I feel like I'm a child doing that," Emily said.

I shook my head. "You're not a child if you ask for help. Who gave you that idea?" I paused. "No, wait let me guess it has something to do with A-Circle doesn't it?"

Emily nodded.

I balled my hands into fists and then unbaled them. Stupid A-Circle! I composed myself, "Well then I'm going to show you that it's okay to lean on someone for support."

She nodded again and I pulled her back into my arms and kissed her. I broke away from the kiss and led her to the couch again, putting her on my lap. She smiled at me. "Okay I'll try to lean on you. And the keyword is 'try' to lean on you."

I didn't say anything else but I kissed her again. After the kiss I had her leave and when she left I started debating about whether or not to have her do her work in my office instead of sitting next to Susan all day.

***

{Susan}

I sat in a bathroom stall masturbating because the thought of 32401 and Toby together in Toby's office alone doing who knows what turned me on. It's too bad Toby doesn't know who I really am or I wouldn't mind him joining in on a threesome with Dominic, 32401 and I. I still can't believe 32401 managed to escape from A-Circle and took on that dreadful name Emily.

Seriously, she doesn't even look like an Emily. Honestly, I think the name Sarah or Sally would've been better for her mostly because of my bias in favor of names that start with the letter S. I guess I favor names that start with the letter S because my real name is Sergeant 22.

As soon as I finished using the bathroom my phone rang. I smiled because I knew who it was. It was Dominic and he was probably wanting me to give him an update. I answered the phone and smiled when Dominic said, "So how's 32401 doing today?"

"Well right now she's probably having her daily makeout session with her boss," I chuckled.

"I think once we make a move to capture her we include Mr. Anakin into our family circle," Dominic said. "He's cute and he's perfect for 32401! And if they had children their powers would be natural no tests needed to create them!"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay calm down as far as the update goes, 32401 came in with a bruise on her neck today and according to Mr. Anakin 32401 was doing hand to hand combat."

"Makes sense, it probably has something to do with her friend Anna," Dominic said. "I wonder how long it's been since she's practiced that?"

"I have no idea," I said. "You know how 32401 is, she'd rather play with her guns than work on anything else. And if that bruise really was from hand to hand combat then she's probably a little rusty at it."

Dominic snorted. "A little rusty? If she's getting a bruise like that that takes a whole day to heal, she's a lot rusty at it! Her friend Anna seems to be way too overprotective of her. Once we make a move to capture 32401, we'll have to do something about her. Until then keep me posted."

Dominic hung up the phone and I nodded. I felt excited because I wanted 32401 to be back where she belongs.

***

{Emily}

"Get up!" Dominic growled. "I swear if you don't move within the next five seconds…"

"Dominic, stop!" I heard someone shout. "It's just her first time with this test!"

Dominic rolled his eyes. "Seriously Uncle 42? Why must you always get in my way of this? Okay fine then, I'll stop."

I was yanked off the cold cement floor and I noticed that I had been lying in a pool of my own blood. I hated this memory every time I had it. It was a memory of the test that was done to see how fast I could heal from an injury. I remember the first beating I took from Dominic the first time I was tested on. I also remember after doing that test Dominic was obviously having way too much fun with Uncle 42 would grumble about Dominic needing to restrain himself and if he kills me he'll kill him next. Every time I wake from that memory I always wind up throwing up. Today was no different.

As soon as I woke up I automatically grabbed the trash can next to me and threw up in it. After that I got ready to go for the day. When I heard a knock on the door Red barked excitedly and I knew it was Anna behind the door. I opened the door and Anna gave me a look of concern. "What?"

"You don't look so good," Anna noted as she came in and took a seat by the kitchen table. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah I'm fine. I just had that memory again."

Her eyes went wide. "You mean the memory where…" She trailed off because I knew she didn't want to finish her thought. She knew what the memory that I was talking about was.

"I'll be fine in a little bit," I said. "Don't worry about me."

"I wonder if me training you with your hand to hand combat skills has triggered you having that memory again?" Anna asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I was having that memory quite a bit once you mentioned Dominic was after me again. Don't worry I'll be fine."

I grabbed a cup of coffee after I got dressed and ready for work. I have no idea why this happens but coffee seems to settle my stomach down a little bit after I've had that memory. I looked at the clock and sighed, "Well it's time for me to go to work. See you when I get home."

Anna nodded and I gave her a hug and went to work.