1 Manic Monday Read Online Free PDF

body out of the lock she had on his arm.  At the
same time, he leaned forward quickly, pushing his wrist painfully toward her,
releasing the pressure from his shoulder.  He hoped he would not break his
wrist.
    He realized with a mounting fear that his left arm was numb.
    But, he was finally free.  He scrambled sideways,
seeking the toe of her foot with his right hand.  He grabbed it with his
thumb on the top of her arch and pulled down as he rolled.
    Violet growled and rolled with him, desperately trying to
regain the hold on his legs.
    And then he was free, rolling to his knees and lurching
forward to his feet.  He whirled to meet her advance and managed to block
two quick jabs.  He had lost the knife and the armor was cumbersome.
    She was quicker, more aggressive, and had him cornered.
    Jake fell into a quick trance, realizing that he could only
make things worse if he did not get his head back into this game.
    As Violet closed on him, blood staining her perfect white
teeth, Jake widened his stance and brought his both hands out to his
sides.  Violet let out a scream as she brought her foot up in a front
kick.
    Jake dodged, used her body as a fulcrum, and ended up behind
her.  He brought his hands together behind her neck and pushed her
supporting leg in from behind, pushing down with his weight over her
shoulders.  She collapsed. 
    He could hear her leg pop.
    That is unfortunate.  I hope the company medical
plan will cover that, he thought.  The voice in his head was full of
poison.
    "No!" Violet cried out.
    Jake saw the knife on the ground beside him.  He
reached down to pick it up, watching Violet grab her injured left leg. He
stepped up to her just as she jumped to standing, hobbling on one leg. 
    "Done?" He asked.  Jake held the knife at his
side, his stance relaxed.
    The anger he saw in her eyes was shocking.
    "For now, pretty boy," she said through clenched
teeth.  She spit blood on the mat.
    Their audience was turning back to their sparring.  The
room was much quieter, several of the pairs half-heartedly going through the
motions. 
    "Sorry about your leg," he offered weakly.
    She glowered at him.
    "It's just a sprain.  It will heal.  I won't
go easy on you next time," Violet said as she limped off toward the
dressing room.  She threw the gloves into a corner.
    Sergei offered her a smile and an approving nod.
    She just lowered her head and continued on, the sweat
dripping down her matted hair as she pulled off her head gear.
    Sergei sauntered over, his eyes scanning the pathetic
performances around him with a wry smile.
    "You got the upper hand, comrade.  You fight well
against women.  They should not pursue you so much, I would think. 
Dangerous."
    Sergei Vissarionovich was rarely in a joking mood. 
Jake did not feel like being the object of his amusement.
    "I do what I must to win.  Isn't that what you
teach us?"
    He chuckled.
    "I teach no man to play hard-to-get.  You take it
too seriously, Sergei thinks."
    With that he turned and yelled at the rest of the room, his
normal demeanor returned.
    "Everyone stop!  No more bad fighting.  Go run bleachers!  Twenty minutes then shower."
    Jake removed the armor, his clothes soaked in sweat.
    Sergei turned back to him.
    "I think you should go to sauna now before it gets
crowded.  I think you need extra humidity today."  He laughed as
he sauntered back to his office.  His assistants picked up the sparring
equipment and wiped up Violet's blood from the mat.
    Jake frowned and then walked solemnly to the showers. 
He would be bruised and battered for days.  Mostly his pride,
though.  Maybe Sergei was right.  He took things too seriously. 
He needed a little fun.  He made a mental note to find out what Gary had
planned this weekend as he put the rubber knife back in its bin and hung the
sweaty armor back on its hook.

Chapter 5
    I Like the Night Life
    Jake looked at the lights of the city sparkling across the
waters of Long Island Sound.