Girl Punches Out

by Jacques Antoine

  The house was sparsely furnished inside. A few rugs, more bare wood floors. There were enough chairs, couches and assorted tables. But it was far from lush. Elegant, not overdone. Whose house was this? Indications of a small domestic staff here and there. She met the cook and a housekeeper when they walked in. There may have been more.

  “Jan, I’m going back now. You’ll be safe here,” Emily told her an hour or so later. “I’ll be back on Friday after school.”

  “I almost forgot. You’re just a school girl. And here I am, a grown woman hiding behind your skirts. I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “Just do what Ethan and Jesse say and you’ll be fine. You can trust them. My mom will be here by the weekend. Then we can all sit down together and figure out what to do.”

  ~~~~~~~

  Jesse drove Emily back to Warm Springs. They approached her block with considerable circumspection. Drove past and circled the block once before parking a few doors down and approaching on foot. She was pleased to show him her living arrangements. He had opinions about security and offered some advice. She wanted him to be aware of the danger Danny and his mom might be in living next door.

  “I’ll come back tomorrow to set up some electronic surveillance,” Jesse said to reassure her. “I’m not sure how wise it is for you to stay here.”

  “I’m not ready to leave Warm Springs yet. I still have to finish school, you know.”

  “Then we’ll have to figure something out, I guess.”

  After he left, she made sure her homework was in order. If she missed any assignments in school today, she’d have to catch up on them over the weekend. Since it was still early she went down and tapped on Danny’s kitchen door. His mom opened it and invited her in.

  “Is Danny in, or did he go to the dojo, Mrs. Rincon?”

  “No, he’s upstairs. Didn’t you hear? The dojo’s closed for the next few weeks. Some sort of emergency in Sensei’s family. I hope it’s nothing serious.”

  “Me, too,” she replied earnestly.

  Danny must have heard them in the kitchen and came tumbling down the stairs.

  “Hey, Em. We missed you today. Everything okay,” he asked knowingly.

  “Yeah, everything’s ready at the house in Charlottesville. My mom will be there by the weekend. Maybe we can all head out there on Saturday. I’m sure she’d like to meet all my friends.”

  “Your mom’s back! That’s wonderful news, Emily,” Danny’s mom interjected. “You must be so happy.”

  “Yeah, it is kinda great. I can hardly wait to see her.”

  “Is that okay with you, Mom, if I spend the day there? We don’t have any other plans, do we? I’m all caught up on homework.”

  “Of course it is,” she replied beaming at her son.

  “We may not get back until late,” Emily said.

  “That’s okay. You just have a wonderful time. I’m so happy for you.”

  Emily said her goodnights and went back up to her apartment over the garage. She changed into dark sweats, dug her sleeping bag out of the closet and went back downstairs. She had a well-concealed place in the garden behind a large rhododendron in mind. She would be practically invisible there, but would have a view of the driveway and the kitchen door as well as all the back windows of the house. Of course, she could also see the staircase on the side of the garage.

  She dozed off sometime after midnight having spent the interim weighing the possibilities as they occurred to her. The North Koreans seemed to be in no hurry. Were they waiting for an opportune moment? She would have to watch for it too. The two men in Pennsylvania, who were they working for? Meacham? Burzynski? Were they helping the Koreans, or did they have their own plan? She was worried about Danny and his mom. Had she brought dangers to their doorstep that she couldn’t protect them from?

  The sun awakened her early. That’s one of the consequences of sleeping under the open sky. As far as she could tell, nothing untoward had transpired during the night. The telltale slip of paper she left stuck in her door was still in place when she went upstairs. She showered and dressed, then got her lunch ready. Today was going to be cold sesame noodles with cucumber spears. She put a few rice balls together for sharing. She just had time to collect Danny and head over to school.

  The news that Miss Park had not returned to work was a relief. It confirmed her suspicions of the other day, if she really needed confirmation. At lunch she dodged questions about Dr. Tarleton, as much as possible. Even so, some questions would have to be answered given how restless her friends were becoming, especially Wendy.

  “She was pretty freaked out by the fire at her office. It looks like her nurse was killed in it,” she offered.

  “That’s horrible,” Billy said. “Do they know who did it?”

  “Not that I’ve heard,” Danny said.

  “What’s it got to do with you, Em?” Wendy pressed innocently.

  “I’m pretty sure whoever it was wanted my medical records,” she said after a moment’s hesitation.

  “How do you know that?” Wayne asked.

  “The doctor told me two men posing as FBI agents were asking for them.”

  That information brought the conversation to a stop while everyone digested it.

  “Were these the same guys who had us pulled over on the road last weekend,” Wendy asked after a moment.

  “I don’t think it could have been. Not unless they were limping and bandaged up.”

  “What happened? How come we haven’t heard about any of this until now,” Danny demanded.

  “I’m sorry, Em,” Wendy said a little embarrassed. “It just popped out.”

  “It’s okay. It’s probably better this way.” She sketched in the basic facts, leaving out the gruesome elements. “I’m sorry guys. I just thought it would be better if the story didn’t make it’s way around the school. Those guys probably didn’t know where we live, and they still may not. But if the story gets around town, they’ll figure it out pretty quickly. So if you could keep it quiet, it might delay their arrival in Warm Springs.” Then almost as an after thought she brought up the dojo. “I asked Sensei to close it for a few weeks. I didn’t want to make any of you into targets.”

  “It sounds like we’re under siege,” Wayne blurted out.

  “Wendy will tease me for saying this, but it’s me they want, not you guys. Try to stay out of the crossfire.”

  She looked at Melanie as she said this. How much could she tell her? She had only just joined their little circle, after all. If she told Amanda about any of this, she would be sure to look for some way to use it against her. She didn’t particularly care about Amanda’s schemes, unless they inadvertently put her friends in danger.

  As they walked to afternoon classes, Emily drew Melanie and Wayne aside. She urged him to tell her whatever he wanted her to know. Melanie shooed Wayne off to class and pulled her into an alcove to whisper a word in her ear.

  “Emily, this sounds really nasty, what’s going on. I’m frightened for Wayne. You know how he is. If he sees you in trouble, he’ll charge into the middle of it.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of, too. That’s what we all love about him. But I don’t want him to get hurt again. That was a lucky escape the other day in the parking lot. I need your help, Mel. I can’t keep him safe by myself.”

  “Whatever I can do.”

  “The most important thing is not to let this story make the rounds. I’m sorry to say this, but it means not telling Amanda.” Melanie knew exactly what she meant.

  “I’m sorry, Em… about those pictures, I mean. It was a nasty thing to do. It was Amanda’s idea, but I went along with it at first. By the time I came to my senses and tried to stop her, it was too late. I’m really sorry.”

  She kept her eyes on her shoes as she said this, trembling a bit as she went on. Emily looked up into her eyes and touched her shoulder, but said nothing.

  “And when she sent the pictures around, and I saw the bruises on your ar
ms and legs, I was so frightened for you.” She took a deep breath after she said this. “And so ashamed for my part in it. Are those bruises connected to what’s happening now?”

  “I have to admit, I was pissed when I saw the pictures, and I knew you had a part in it. But I don’t really care about it anymore. I’ve got more important things to worry about than Amanda. About those bruises, I got most of them at a karate tournament a while back. Ask Wayne to show you the video. It’s okay. Don’t worry about me.” She smiled and tried to let her find a way to feel better about things. “Look, Mel, Wayne likes you, so I like you. That’s how we all feel. Just keep an eye on him in case there’s trouble, okay?”

  “Don’t worry about that, Em. I’m on it,” she said in cheerier tones.

  -back to top-

  Chapter 14

  An Interview Up North

  Friday morning Emily got to school early and popped into the Assistant Principal’s office. She showed her the letter from the Naval Academy.

  “It’s about a four hour drive up there. I’ll need to leave around ten to be sure to make a 3:00 appointment.”

  “I suppose that’s okay, Emily. I’ll notify your teachers. Is the Academy your first choice?”

  “I’m not sure. I have a good offer from Charlottesville… oh, and another from Stanford. But I don’t know if I want to go that far away.”

  “That’s pretty impressive. We’re all very proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Abernathy. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

  The drive was tedious if uneventful. She stopped for lunch at an Indian restaurant in Alexandria: samosas and lamb vindaloo. It was spicy and a bit starchier than she was used to. But she enjoyed it all the same. Afterwards she made a point of driving past the address on the business card Jiang gave her. It was an ordinary looking storefront with a sign reading “Shanghai Treasures.” From what she could see, they mainly traded in ceramics, trinkets and assorted bric-a-brac. Some larger pieces were visible through the window: a painted screen, some wicker fan chairs, a few small tables. There was a loading dock in the rear with a separate walk-in entrance, and very little activity at the moment. She thought of stopping by on her way home for another chance to size up Jiang.

  She arrived in Annapolis driving along Rt. 50, the main connector to the District of Columbia. It’s a quaint, historic city with cobblestone streets and brick sidewalks made uneven by the occasional tree root. State offices mark the edge of the historic district around State Circle. The Naval Academy and a small liberal arts college next door occupy much of the waterfront property on College Creek and the Severn River. The city is also a much frequented crossroads on the Chesapeake Bay for commercial shipping and recreational boating. It is often choked with tourists, especially in the summer. Emily made her way over to King George Street, found a parking space on Maryland Avenue and entered through Gate Three.

  She showed the guard her letter and was directed to the Deputy Commandant’s office in a building on Buchanan Road. Captain Jefferies and Captain Creighton were expecting her. It was a large room with a desk on one end near the window and a large conference table in the center. Several other officers were seated at the table.

  “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Tenno,” said the Deputy Commandant. He made introductions and offered routine hospitality.

  “Is it true? Are you really George Kane’s daughter,” Captain Creighton asked.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We served together briefly in the Philippines. How is he, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  “He’s dead,” she said, trying not to betray any emotion.

  Creighton was crestfallen. One of the other officers around the table started at the news, but said nothing.

  “I’m very sorry to hear it,” Creighton said. “He was a very good man.”

  “Thank you, sir, for the sentiment,” she replied, with a wan smile.

  “We were all quite impressed by your credentials,” Jefferies continued. “It seemed like a good idea to meet you.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, are interviews like this normal procedure?”

  “Strictly speaking, no,” he replied. “But your application came through late in the season, and we only have a few discretionary spots to fill.”

  For the better part of half an hour, she fielded questions from the entire panel, though Creighton was the most talkative member. They wanted to know about her interests, her ambitions, even her personal life. She answered what she could and evaded questions she thought were impertinent.

  “If you don’t mind, can you tell us how your father died?” an officer named Carver asked.

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t see the relevance of that question,” she replied, with a stern look.

  “Neither do I, Carver,” Jefferies said in a sharp tone, interceding on her behalf.

  “Unless you have any more questions for me, maybe it’s time for you to show me what I can expect as a plebe.” Jefferies raised an eyebrow and turned a significant look toward Creighton.

  “Fair enough,” he replied. “I’m tired of sitting in this chair, too. Why don’t we take a turn around the grounds and you can ask us whatever you like, Miss Tenno.” He turned to Creighton and invited him along. “I don’t think we need the rest of you.”

  It was clear from his peremptory tone he ran the show. She guessed he would make whatever decision was to be made concerning her application without further input. It was also obvious he was impressed by her.

  They spent the next hour touring the Academy grounds, talking generally about student life and the opportunities that would be available to her if she matriculated in the fall. She had a feeling it was not an ordinary occurrence for the Deputy Commandant and the Director of Admissions to be seen giving tours to prospective Midshipmen. Her guides had to return seemingly endless salutes along the way.

  In the end, they were pleased to take her into one of the enormous field houses, where a self defense class was underway. She recognized the teacher as her first opponent from the tournament at Norfolk. They watched from the side of the room for a few minutes as he put a class of third year cadets through their paces. They were not training in a specific style. Instead it seemed to be an amalgam of useful techniques, though it tended to favor elements of the Israeli style, krav maga, in its conservatism. No spinning kicks, nothing flamboyant, just some basic, but effective joint locks, low kicks and short, fast punch techniques.

  When there was a pause in the class, Captain Jefferies cleared his throat to make their presence known.

  ~~~~~~~

  “Mr. Parker, I think you’ve already met Miss Tenno here,” Captain Creighton said, smiling broadly. Parker’s eyes lit up the second he saw her.

  “Indeed I have,” he said beaming. “Does your presence here mean you’ll be with us in the fall?”

  “Well that partly depends on what these gentlemen have to say, I think. I haven’t exactly received an acceptance letter yet.”

  “Are you implying that you’re willing if we are,” Creighton asked.

  “I think we don’t need to leave her hanging any longer,” the Deputy Commandant interrupted. “Miss Tenno, you can expect an official acceptance letter in the next few days. We would be very pleased to have you.”

  Parker was overjoyed to hear this news and looked at her expectantly.

  “Thank you, sir,” she said with a smile.

  “That’s not exactly an answer to my question,” Creighton said to needle her with every appearance of good humor.

  She looked directly at him and smiled again. He caught a glimpse into her eyes and was quite taken aback. Her gaze felt like the firm, cold hand of command, telling him he had gone as far as she would permit. Still, it was a kindly smile, even if her resolution was adamantine. Jefferies noticed it too.

  As they walked her back out toward Gate Three, Creighton couldn’t resist inquiring about her father.

  “Please excuse me if I’m intr
uding, but I’d really like to know how your father died. It’s just that I consider him a friend. He pulled me out of a couple of tight situations.”

  Emily hesitated for a moment before answering, looking closely at his face. Creighton had the distinct impression he had just been measured and assessed. He wondered what sort of judgment she had formed of him.

  “It happened last fall,” she began tentatively. “We lived on a large estate where he was the chauffeur, and informal bodyguard, I suppose. One night it was invaded by a team of armed men. We were caught in the crossfire. He died trying to keep me safe.”

  Creighton lost the power of speech for a long moment. He expected to hear about an accident or an illness. He was unprepared for what he actually heard. The friend who protected him all those years ago died protecting his daughter, and now she stood before him, blank, dark eyes flashing as she recounted the event.

  “Oh my God. I’m so sorry,” he finally blurted out. “Do you know who they were? Have the police found them?”

  She looked at him again with a wistful smile. He saw the same deep darkness. But it seemed to mean something different this time. What was it? Generosity and forgiveness was there. But also something darker, fiercer. He didn’t want to probe it any further.

  After she had gone, Creighton turned to Jefferies with an I-told-you-so look on his face.

  “You see what I saw?”

  “Yeah,” Jefferies conceded. “There’s definitely some steel in her, and maybe some magic behind those eyes. I don’t see anyone resisting her command.”

  “Hell, I think I’d follow her into the breach.”

  “Do you think she’ll come?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Creighton said wistfully.

  ~~~~~~~

  Emily had no further curiosity about Annapolis. She retraced her steps out to Rt. 50 and took the Capital Beltway south toward Alexandria. The first exit after the Woodrow Wilson Bridge is Duke Street. It led her to the commercial district and Jiang Xi. She couldn’t quite say why she wanted to see him just now, but that didn’t deter her.