The air is thick with the smell of sweat and anticipation. I’m perched on the edge of my seat, clipboard at the ready, as Magdalena struts onto the competition floor.
“That’s all well and good,” Cautious Cal says. “But does anyone know how Devin got that clipboard?”
“Shhhh!” Daredevil Dan demands. “You’ll ruin the surprise.”
“Surprise for who?” Pessimistic Pete asks.
“Shhhh!” Daredevil Dan insists.
The crowd’s already buzzing—her neon gi is the sort of fashion statement that screams, “I’ve come to blind my enemies with both my skill and my wardrobe.”
There’s no missing her. She’s like a human highlighter in a sea of white gis.
“Stealth…well, that’s a solid zero,” I mutter, scribbling on my clipboard.
“Where did he get the clipboard?!” Cal asks more earnestly this time.
We all ignore him.
The coach, a mountain of a man with a mustache that could sweep the floor, steps forward. Magdalena greets him with a bow so exaggerated, she might as well be auditioning for a role in a kung fu comedy.
“Flair—off the charts,” I note, awarding her a perfect score in that category, while simultaneously giving Cautious Cal a serious side-eye as I write on my clipboard.
Magdalena wastes no time, launching herself at her coach with the ferocity of a wildcat, taking him completely by surprise. The crowd gasps collectively as she lands a lethal blow to his neck, sending him crashing to the ground, lifeless.
“Whoa! Did not see that coming,” Daredevil Dan admits.
“She’s definitely getting that smiley face,” Doubter Dave adds.
As people start to panic, some bolting for the exits while others attempt to subdue Magdalena, I continue grading her form and technique.
“Shouldn’t you be trying to help?” Pessimistic Pete asks. “This is now a crime scene.”
I ignore his observation, noting that her agility and precision are truly a sight to behold, even in this chaotic moment.
Her grace under the pressure of arrest is awe-inspiring.
“Guys, she’s got incoming!” Daredevil Dan warns.
A burly martial artist lunges towards Magdalena, clearly intent on stopping her, but she sidesteps him easily, delivering a swift kick to his gut that sends him sprawling across the floor.
“Ouch,” Risk-taker Ralph winces. “That’s gotta hurt.”
Magdalena winks at me from her place on the floor, and my heart does a somersault. She’s in her element, a queen of combat, and I’m completely, utterly, and hopelessly smitten.
“Screaming spectators,” I note, glancing around as the fans flee the scene. “Minus points for crowd control, but bonus points for dramatic impact.”
“Okay, new plan,” Sneaky Sam announces. “We get Magdalena out of here before things get out of hand.”
I stand to my feet, shaking my head in disbelief. “Overall score…a million! Magdalena, you’re in a league of your own.”
I catch her eye as I make my way towards her, ducking under a flailing arm and side stepping a wild punch.There’s something between us, a spark that tells me this is just the beginning of a crazy, beautiful partnership.
As we walk out together, I realize I’m not just tallying points—I’m head over heels for the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met.
And as I lead her back to the rental car that I didn’t rent, I think she just might feel the same way.
Now to get her back to Assassin U.