by Jon F. Merz
“Yeah, downstairs. Down a lot of stairs.”
She smiled. “Elevators are a luxury most cargo ships don’t have, Jimmy. You’ll get used to it. Besides, it’s good exercise for you. Don’t forget that you’ll be training a lot, okay? The sooner you get used to that, the easier it will get.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. Now go get some rest. I’ll wake you in six hours for a quick meal and then we’re getting started.”
Jimmy groaned. “I could sleep for twelve.”
“I know you could. But you get six.”
Jimmy started for the door and then stopped. “Aren’t you going to rest, too?”
“I will. I’ll probably doze for a few hours. Not much more. I want to keep on my usual schedule.”
“Which is?”
“About six hours a night.”
Jimmy blinked. “That’s normal?”
“It’s my normal,” said Vanessa. “Now get going.”
Jimmy tuned back to the super structure and walked inside and down the flight of metal steps before him. The ship was huge and he hadn’t had a chance to get to know it all that well yet. He felt tiny and insignificant amid the rest of the giant vessel.
Congratulations on your journey thus far.
Jimmy stopped. The voice. It hadn’t left after all.
Where did you go?
Nowhere. I’ve been with you all the time.
But you didn’t talk to me, thought Jimmy.
Doing so would have distracted you. And as you know, that might have proven deadly for you.
I guess. But what is this all about? Vanessa said that I’d find out once we got on our way but I’m still confused.
You must sleep first.
But I want to know now.
For a moment, the voice didn’t respond and Jimmy felt sheepish for sounding so rude. It had been a long night, though and he was tired of not knowing exactly what all this was about.
Impatience is often the cause of death. You must learn to keep your mind, body, and spirit disciplined so as to not rush or act with haste.
Easier said than done, thought Jimmy.
You will learn how.
How? From Vanessa?
She will teach you a great many things. But I will teach you even more. Eventually, you will learn things that you have never dreamed possible. But to reach that level, you must train always as if this is your last moment alive.
I’m still confused, thought Jimmy. Nothing anyone says seems to make any sense to me.
All will be revealed in time. For now, you should move.
Jimmy opened his eyes, unaware that they’d even been closed. “Whoa!”
He jumped back, seeing the boy standing before him for the first time. He was Asian with a mop of black hair and wore a sneer across his face. Jimmy guessed he must have been a few years older than he was.
Jimmy grinned. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
The boy leaned closer and made a gesture as if he was sniffing the air around Jimmy. Then he looked deep into Jimmy’s eyes. “I do not like you.”
“You don’t know me,” said Jimmy. “I just got here.”
“I do not need to know you,” said the boy. “I see a spoiled little brat in front of me. And right now he is blocking the path to the galley. I am hungry. And you are in my way.”
Jimmy turned and moved so the boy could pass. “Really sorry about that. I was just going to bed. I’ve been up for a long time.”
“Why would I care?”
“I’m just saying-“
The boy held up his hand, silencing Jimmy. “I do not care what you are doing. I only care that you make sure you are not in my way. If you cross my path, I will slice you open.” His black eyes gleamed in the dull light. “Do you understand me?”
“Slice me open, yeah,” said Jimmy. “I got it.”
The boy glared at him and drew a finger across his throat.
Jimmy took a breath. “Look, I said I was sorry. You have a good breakfast and I’ll make sure I don’t make the mistake of bumping into you again.”
“Make sure you don’t.”
Jimmy watched him vanish down the hallway and let out a breath of air. “Well, that was some kind of nice welcome.”
He is dangerous.
You don’t say, thought Jimmy. And here I thought he was going to ask me to play poker with him after dinner.
What is… poker?
You don’t- Jimmy frowned. Never mind. It’s not important. He sighed and turned back down the stairs. His feet echoed on the metal framework, descending further into the bowels of the massive ship. Somewhere far down below, the engine room churned an incessant pulsing. But the noise was contained and hardly seemed to permeate the rest of the ship the way Jimmy thought it might.
Eventually, he wanted to get a look at the entire vessel. If this was going to be his home for the next few weeks, he might as well learn every inch of it that he could.
As long as he stayed out of the way of the nasty Asian dude.
That wouldn’t be any fun at all.
Two decks down, Jimmy stopped and wandered down the thin-carpeted corridor that lead to the guest cabins. Vanessa had told him that while the majority of cargo shipping lines didn’t offer travel for non-crew, some still did. And it just so happened that this line in particular was one of the best.
Jimmy opened the door to his cabin and stepped inside. It wasn’t a five-star hotel or anything but the single bed nestled next to a small refrigerator. He had a small bathroom complete with a shower and the porthole above his bed looked out onto the ocean still far below his cabin.
The sun spilled over the ocean now as it rose higher into the sky. Jimmy kicked his shoes off and sat down on his bed, noticing for the first time the bag at the base of his bed.
He opened the bag and found a bunch of clothes, shoes, and a new sketchbook and pencils to replace what he'd lost on his journey so far. He closed everything back up and smiled.
You must sleep now.
I’m going, I’m going, thought Jimmy.
He yawned again and then laid back on the bed. His eyes dropped shut and within seconds, he was fast asleep.
Chapter Twelve
True to her word, six hours later, Vanessa banged on Jimmy's door. Through the veil of sleep that had snuggled over him like a nice warm blanket, Jimmy groggily wiped his eyes. "Already?"
Vanessa' head poked into his cabin. "Let's go sunshine. Time to get the lead out. Meet me on the deck in five minutes with your sweats and trainers on."
"Trainers?"
"Sneakers, silly."
Jimmy found a new bag of gear at the bottom of his bed and rummaging through it, came up with a set of dark sweat pants and a sweatshirt. He slid into them quickly and then laced up his sneakers. Five minutes wasn't a lot of time and Jimmy had to huff his way up the stairs two at a time just to make it out onto the deck in time to meet Vanessa's deadline.
"About time." She looked mildly amused.
"Yeah, well, those stairs are a killer."
"That's the point. Remember what we talked about before: you need strong legs to do martial arts. If you don't have them, the fight's already lost. So all this huffing up and down stairs is a good thing."
Jimmy frowned. "I'll withhold my opinion for now, if that's okay."
"Sure. For now, let's get you doing some laps."
Jimmy glanced around. "Laps?"
Vanessa pointed. "The ship's just a tad over six hundred feet long so that means that one lap should be about a quarter mile or so, give or take a few. So let's start you out with twenty laps."
Jimmy blinked. "That's five miles."
"Oh goodie...you can multiply. Excellent. Now, off you go."
Jimmy frowned. Coming on the heels of what they'd been through over the past few days, he thought this was a bit much. He hadn't even eaten yet. Where was he supposed to find the energy to run five miles right now? He hated running anyway.
"You're wasting time, Jimmy."
Vanessa shot past him and he watched as she easily ran down the length of the ship, dodging hatches, and other dips in the deck. Jimmy frowned. Well, if she was going to do the run, too...
He started to jog and then found he needed to increase his pace just to keep up with Vanessa. She seemed born to run whereas Jimmy's lungs heaved with every step. In no time at all, he was sweating and gulping air.
You are forgetting the lessons.
He frowned. The voice was back again?
Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth, remember?
That's easier said than done, thought Jimmy. How was he supposed to keep his tongue on the roof of his mouth when he couldn't even keep enough air in his lungs? He kept trying and failing.
Relax your body and bend your knees. It will get easier.
Jimmy bent his knees and eased himself into the run, finally reaching the bow of the ship. He turned and ran back toward the stern of the ship. Vanessa was already headed back to the bow. She smiled as she ran past.
"Hanging in there?"
"You know how much this hurts right now?"
She winked. "I can guess."
And then she was gone again, vanishing in his wake as her legs carried her effortlessly over the deck. Jimmy frowned. Why was it so easy for her? He sighed, took another deep breath and then exhaled smoothly, trying to ease himself into the run better. Without thinking about it, his tongue lifted to the roof of his mouth and he found it easier to breathe now.
Yes, that is the way. Now keep your knees bent.
Jimmy bent his knees and continued running. The air seemed to rush in and out of his lungs more easily now and before long, his muscles had warmed up to the point that he started to forget about the pain.
Gradually, he started gnawing down the distance between him and Vanessa. She was still ahead of him, but each step brought Jimmy closer.
She's probably just feeling sorry for me, he thought.
I doubt that very much.
Why?
Because she is not here to feel pity for you. She is here to make sure you train and learn what it is that you need in order to survive.
Oh, great. I thought she was here to protect me.
She did that already. Now she is here to start the next phase of your training. You should endeavor to enjoy it as much as possible.
Sure thing, thought Jimmy. He continued running and finally, he managed to crank out the twenty laps.
Vanessa stood by the superstructure calmly sipping on a bottle of water. A faint sheen of sweat glistened on her skin, but she otherwise looked perfectly normal.
Jimmy, on the other hand, was a sweaty mess. He stopped and bent over double trying to reacquire his wind. He could feel the sweat rolling down his back, soaking his sweats.
Vanessa handed him a bottle of water. "Drink this. Slowly."
Jimmy accepted it and felt the cool water slide down his throat. He opened his eyes and saw Vanessa appraising him.
"Not too bad on that go-round. But you'll have to do better. A lot better. By the time this journey's over, you'll need to be able to endure a lot more than just a nice little jog."
"But why?"
Vanessa sighed. "I suppose you'd like an answer to that question?"
"Yes. I would."
"A lot of this may seem completely bizarre to you, Jimmy. But it's the truth."
Jimmy smirked. "I've nearly been killed multiple times already. Nothing seems bizarre to me anymore."
"Fair one," said Vanessa. "All right, there's no real way to put this gently so I'm just going to say it: you are the last in a line of mighty warriors stretching back nearly one thousand years in Japanese history."
"The last?"
"Which is why this man Kotogawa wants you dead. Your family, the Matsuda-ryu, represents everything that Kotogawa's family has opposed over the centuries. Namely, for all the good the Matsuda-ryu attempted to bring into the world, the Kotogawa family did their best to spread evil, greed, and cynicism."
"Why would they want that?"
"Because they have always known that the best way to control others is by using lies, deceit, trickery, and evil. Such things keep those with simpler minds occupied and enables the Kotogawa to amass more wealth and power."
Jimmy stared at the waves surrounding the ship. "And my family stood up to them?"
"Indeed. Kotogawa comes from a long line of aristocratic samurai who ruled portions of Japan for many years."
"Was the Matsuda-ryu samurai, too?"
Vanessa smiled. "No. They were Ninja."
Jimmy looked at her. "Ninja. You mean those guys who wear black and sneak around at night killing people?"
"Don't fall for the common misconceptions purported by those who would rather you believed exactly that." She took a breath. "Ninja were the super spies of feudal Japan. The used all manner of technique to gather intelligence on their enemies, they were supremely trained warriors able to do things that seemed to defy logic. And while there may have been some clans that hired their services out to the highest bidder, your clan - the Matsuda-ryu - were honorable and devoted to the notions of peace and prosperity for all."
"And Kotogawa didn't like that."
"No. They did their best to stamp your family out in ruthless fashion."
"But they didn't succeed, did they?"
Vanessa shook her head. "No, they were unable to find all of the family's operatives. But they tried their best. And when they realized they couldn't find everyone, they did the next best thing to killing everyone: they stole the very things that gave your family its power."
"Things? Like what?"
Vanessa sighed. "Apparently, your family possessed a series of relics that represented what they stood for, gave them their purpose in life, and, in some way I don't quite understand, supplied them with the power of good."
Jimmy frowned. "So, I'm here because there's no one else?"
"Exactly. And if Kotogawa manages to kill you, the Matsuda-ryu will die out for good."
"Yeah, but this isn't feudal Japan anymore. I mean, what's the point?"
"The point, Jimmy, is that the need for the Matsuda-ryu is now even greater than it ever was back hundreds of years ago. Kotogawa has spent years building up his family to the point that they now have their hands in almost every country on the planet. Their reach and influence is without measure. As such, they are slowly steering the planet toward an almost inevitable future of darkness."
"Almost inevitable?"
Vanessa aimed a finger at him. "You're the almost, Jimmy."
"But I'm just a kid."
"You're fourteen now. Back the heyday of the Matsuda-ryu, field operatives were sent on their first missions when they were fifteen and sixteen years old." Vanessa smiled. "Of course, they'd been trained since about the age of three, but no matter. We'll get you up to snuff soon enough."
"Three?" Jimmy shook his head. "Wow, that really makes my two days look impressive, huh?"
"All the better that I start you on another technique," said Vanessa. "But first-"
Her punch arced out at Jimmy's head faster than he would have expected. He swung his left arm up and blocked its path, then using the water bottle, he stepped in and drove it up under Vanessa's chin, snapping her head back. He moved forward and drove Vanessa down on to the seat of her pants.
Vanessa laughed. "Fair one. Nicely done. I like the addition of the water bottle."
"I didn't have time to put it down," said Jimmy. "Had to make do with what I had."
Vanessa's smile faded into a more serious expression. "Exactly. You had to make do with what you had. Never forget that you said that because it's critical that you remember it. Improvisation is an integral part of surviving a confrontation. You won't usually have the luxury of scheduling a fight or being able to know what will be going on when a fight breaks out. They will simply happen and you had best be able to deal with them, regardless of what you might have been doing seconds before."
She dus
ted herself off as she got to her feet and nodded. "So: not bad, Jimmy."
"Thanks."
"Just don't let it give you a big head. You're a long way from being a competent fighter."
Jimmy set the water bottle down. "All right, so show me some more."
Vanessa held up her hands so they floated in front of her. "Always keep your guard up. Stay behind it and it will protect you. Don't chase punches that don't come near your core or head because you'll just be wasting energy. Only defend against stuff that can truly harm you." She smiled. "Now give me a straight punch and aim it at my head."
"Left or right?"
"No matter."
Jimmy unloaded a solid shot aimed directly at Vanessa's head. But instead of intercepting it as she had shown him in the previous technique, this time, Vanessa simply brought her whole body off the line of the attack. As Jimmy's hand sailed through empty space, she snapped her fist up into the softer muscles on the inside of his punching arm, right above the elbow.
Jimmy's arm exploded in pain. "Yow!"
But Vanessa was already counterattacking, driving off her rear leg and punching into Jimmy's midsection. The punch impacted and Jimmy found himself driven back and down to the deck.
Just as he landed, Vanessa brought her rear foot up and drove her heel right into his chest. The force knocked him back until he was sprawled out on the deck like a rag doll.
"Ordinarily," said Vanessa as she helped him to his feet. "That last kick would have been to your groin or ribs. The result would have been far more devastating."
"How did you do that? You weren't even where my punch was."
Vanessa smiled. "Well, why would I stay there? I had room to maneuver and I chose to use the environment to my advantage. And by angling off the line of the attack, I was able to choose a spot to counterattack. You felt the effectiveness of my counter punch, right?"
Jimmy rubbed the inside of his arm. "I'd say so. Hurts like hell."
"And so it should have," said Vanessa. "There's a bundle of nerves near that spot that I hit. If you can damage the opponent's weapons, he won't be able to hurt you." She removed a piece of chalk from her sweatpants. "Now watch."
Jimmy watched as she drew a straight line on the deck. "This is the direction of your punch on a straight line." She then drew another line angled off at forty-five degrees. "And this is where I moved to."