The Training Begins

We were outside for gym class and I sat on the hill, watching my peers running and walking on the track. I kept thinking about the offer Charlotte made to me and it made me realize the duality of Paid Relationships. It really isn't just a company used for men and women to rent other women out. The Agents are also getting paid to save these different women from people who abuse their women. Getting paid to assassinate, getting paid to protect their women. As Top Agent, I am on the front lines. I could only wonder how Rebecca's experience was as Top Agent.

I sighed and looked at my phone. If I truly go through with this job, I would become an agent who helps people. I wondered why keeping my identity is so important. I would have to kill the person who figures out who I am while I'm working, but why? Most agent's identities always get revealed either on accident or on purpose. What makes these agents different..?

Classes went by smoothly and slowly. Once the final bell rang, I left the main building and went to my car. I got in my car and started it up then drove off to the HQ. I parked my car in the agency section of the HQ and took the elevator up to the top floor. Once the elevator stopped, I walked out and walked into Charlotte's office.

Charlotte looked up from her reports and took her glasses off. She smiled and sat back in her chair. "I didn't know you were coming this early. Do you need anything?"

"I want some of my questions answered. I want to know if my identity gets revealed, why is it so bad?" I asked.

Charlotte looked at me and closed her eyes. "These criminals who kidnap my women work for the Black Market. They are very intelligent and can gain all of your personal information just by your face. They rent out my women and sell them on the black market to some other people and they aren't seen again. If your identity gets compromised, you will not only be putting yourself in danger but everyone associated with you. If they know you work for me, they won't hesitate to kill you."

"This agency job seems a bit much for just five or six people. Don't you have like the CIA with you or something?" I asked.

"I do, but this is the Black Market and Dark Web we are talking about. It isn't really that easy to find my women with no leads or anything. Our only tactic is to allow my agents to be rented or bought our to gain any form of leads. My sisters and their agents are helping so don't think it's just me." Charlotte smiled and opened her eyes.

"Had Rebecca done the same before?" I asked.

"Yeah. She always succeeded at bringing my women back alive, but since she no longer works for us we can't send her on any missions." Charlotte nodded. "You know...when I first made this company, I didn't really think much of this happening. I didn't think I needed agents or the help of the police or any form of government assistance. When some of my women went missing the first time, that's when it dawned on me that I needed help keeping everything in order. That's where my agents come in. Every woman who gets rented out has to sign into their account every 24 hours. If they don't, I send one of my agents to check to see if they are okay. If they are then nothing happens, we just remind them to sign in everyday. If something is wrong, that's when we act."

"Like the Aidan situation when he hurt Jade. She must've sent a distress signal to you?" I asked.

"No she signed in and filed a report. She told me what happened and I sent Wendy to handle the issue. Unfortunately she wasn't able to eliminate the target." Charlotte said then rose an eyebrow.

"Come on, you can't fully blame me. I didn't know about any of this before hand. Now that I know, I can't really get in the middle of anything anymore." I said.

Charlotte stood up and walked over to me. She grabbed my hand then led me to another room. "Let me show you something."

I followed her to another room and looked around. I looked a bit surprised to see all of the different gadgets and technology in the room. She let go of my hand and allowed me to walk around and touch a few of the items.

"This is our weaponry. Each agent specializes in one of the weapons of choice. Wendy is good with hand to hand combat, Eliza is great at throwing weapons, Alice is good with fire arms, and Rhea is good with bladed weapons or you can say armed combat. As Top Agent, you have to be versatile." Charlotte said and watched me pick up a katana.

"These weapons are pretty cool. I never thought I'd see one in real life." I said then put the katana down then picked up a pistol then gently placed it down.

"The four will train you until they see you are ready for your first mission. Don't worry your first missions will be fairly easy. We won't send you straight into a criminal organization. And for the record, we don't do law enforcement. My job is strictly to get my women back and nothing more." Charlotte said and continued to watch me.

I picked up a mask and looked at it. "What do I do when I find the suspects?"

"Kill them. Anyone who puts my women in danger in the worst ways deserve death. They will always pay the price." Charlotte said and watched me put the mask on. "If things get too hard for you, you always have us to lean on. You're one of my beloved now as well, Ryder. I'll always come to your aid."

I took the mask off and looked at her. I smiled and closed my eyes then set the mask back where I found it. "I'm glad to be one of your beloved. I hope I can meet expectations."

We walked out of the weapon room and noticed Wendy and the others made it. Charlotte nodded at them and we all went into the elevator to go to the underground area of the HQ. The elevator stopped after a couple minutes and the door opened. We all walked out and I looked amazed at how big the training area was.

"Whoa. I can only imagine how long this took to build.." I said and walked around.

"Funny enough, this place had always been down here. This HQ used to belong to another organization that is no longer together." Charlotte said.

"Wow." I said then noticed the agents putting on their training clothes and gear.

"My agents don't use the common training you see the CIA or the Military use. Their fighting styles have developed into personal styles made for them, but to make your own personal style of fighting, you have to know the basics." Charlotte said. "First you'll be training with Wendy. Before she teaches you, I want you to spar with her. One round."

I nodded and followed Wendy inside the hand to hand combat area. Charlotte and the others watched through the windows.

Wendy put her pink hair in a ponytail and got in her stance. I looked at her and put my fists up. I moved forward a bit and she stayed still. I rushed to her and went for a straight punch. She caught my hand then grabbed my arm and flipped me around her side then slammed me on my back. I groaned and closed my eyes tightly. She let my arm go then stood up and walked backwards.

I stood up and coughed a bit. I looked at Wendy and was amazed by her strength. I put my hands back up again then ran to her and feinted with my right hand then swung with my left. She didn't even flinch as she blocked my attack then hit my stomach with an open handed strike, using the heel of her hand. I grunted then she kicked my leg from under me, causing me to fall on my back. I coughed a bit and softly groaned.

"He's...not that good at fighting." Alice said.

"Well at a basic level he's good, but for an agent he's completely worthless. That's why we are training him." Charlotte said.

"One more...One more go." I said and stood up slowly.

Wendy looked at me and got in her stance again. "Come at me with everything."

I nodded and ran to her then went for a right hook. She weaved my attack then quickly jabbed my stomach. I grunted and stumbled back. She went for another quick strike at my face, but I managed to dodge it. I tried to kick her, but she grabbed my leg and hopped backwards twice, making me hop with her then she pushed me to the ground. I grunted and tried to get her off, but she had me pinned.

"One. Two. Three. You lose." Wendy said then got off me and stood up. She fixed her clothes and smiled then helped me up.

"Damn you're fucking strong. I couldn't even touch you." I said.

"Your body language is predicable and you only know the basics of fist fighting. You genuinely surprised me when you went for a kick, but because I read your body language, I was able to become aware of your movements before you did it." Wendy said.

"I want to read body language like you do. Well I can do it, but I want to do it at your level." I said.

"I can't really teach you to read body language, but I'll try and I'll teach you more fighting techniques other than punching. Now I don't know who taught you to fight, but you never want your legs to be straight. You always want your knees to be bent just a little." Wendy said then walked to me. "Get in your stance."

I got in my fighting stance and she crouched down then made me bend my knees slightly. I watched her then she stood up.

"Next raise your heel off the floor slightly, not too much though." She said.

I rose my heel off the ground just a bit and she nodded. "Why so I need to raise my heel?"

"It's for the mobility. For offensive and defensive reasons. Mobility is very important if you're in unarmed and armed combat. How quickly you move and respond to certain situations will give you an upperhand in battle. You have quick mobility, but you're hyper offensive which is bad in a fight plus you have a tendency to always start with your right hand each time you strike. Doing the same thing will allow your opponent to recognize your pattern and counter you each time." Wendy said.

"I see.." I nodded and looked at her.

Wendy grabbed my arm and made me extend my arm. "Just as you are always offensive. Be defensive. Defense is your best offense. Bob and Weave. Duck!"

She went for a kick and I ducked. I stood back up and looked surprised. She went for multiple strikes and I blocked and weaved her attacks. She went for a jumping kicked then I dodged and she extended her other leg, kicking my cheek. I groaned and fell to the ground. She landed on her right foot and got into a one foot stance.

"Fuck.." I said and stood up then looked at Wendy. "Charlotte wasn't lying when she said you were a hand to hand combat specialist.."

"Expect the unexpected in a fight. Your eyes will always deceive you. You mustn't accept what your eyes show you, but also don't overthink. You must flow. You must do. As an assassin, you mustn't second guess. You have to know what you want to do and carry it out with no hesitation. If you know you should dodge then dodge, if you must attack then attack. Don't be afraid to get hit. Getting hit is a natural part of fighting. It is what you do after getting hit. Will you counter? Will you distance yourself? Or will you fall?" Wendy said.

I looked at her and nodded then she smiled at me.

"Dodge!" She yelled and kicked.

I dodged her kick then she spun around and jumped, kicking down. I blocked her overhead attack then grabbed her ankle and pulled her to the floor. She grunted as she hit her back on the floor. I looked down at her and she looked up at me.

"That will be all for today." Wendy smiled and I released her leg.

"Wow, he really got her on the ground." Eliza smiled.

"He's a very quick learner it seems." Alice nodded.

Charlotte crossed her arms and smiled then closed her eyes and walked off. "This is only the start. Save your praises for after he completes his first mission."

Rhea looked at me and smiled. She closed her eyes and walked with Charlotte to the elevator followed by Alice and Eliza.

Wendy stood up and fixed her clothes again then looked at me. She touched my arm then walked to the elevator. I watched her and looked at my hands. I then followed the others to the elevator and we left the training area.