Chapter 12

Kiana was sitting on her bunk in the barracks, reading a textbook about basic interrogation techniques, when she heard the building’s main door open and someone walk in. At first, she didn’t look up since she assumed it was one of the other teens returning from a task. But her eyes immediately got big as she heard a familiar voice.

“Hey, kiddo. Long time, no see.”

Kiana couldn’t believe it. It was Michael. She tossed her book to the side, hopped up, and gave him a hug.

“Dad. I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I wanted to surprise you. I was handling an op in Salt Lake City so I thought I’d swing by on my way home. Of course I had to pull a few strings to get clearance onto the facility, but I have my ways. I can only stay for a few hours, though.”

She smiled. As far as she was concerned, any amount of time would suffice.

“How are you doing?” he asked. “The instructors treating you okay?”

“I’m learning a lot. We’re working on basic interrogation techniques in one of my classes, and in another we did some international law basics, and we’ve got our survival test coming up next week so that should be pretty interesting.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Interesting? I remember the survival test well. I hate to say it, but I’m not envious of you at all.”

“What’s it like?”

“Pretty much exactly how they describe it in class. They dump you in the middle of the desert, with just some basic supplies, and you have to make your way back to the training center all by yourself. In the meantime, you just hope you don’t die of sunstroke, dehydration, or both. And watch out for the rattlesnakes - they’re nasty out there.”

Kiana cringed. She had always hated snakes. Especially big ones like rattlesnakes.

Michael was going to say something more about the survival test but got distracted as he looked down and saw her legs for the first time. She was wearing shorts so her legs were fully exposed from the thigh down and they were covered with bruises and scrapes.

“Oh my god. Look at your legs.”

Kiana shrugged. “My training with Master Gwon is pretty intense. I’ve always got a few bruises.”

“A few?” he asked. “That isn’t a few. You’ve got bruises on top of your bruises. Do you realize if you went to school like that they’d immediately think I was beating you and call CPS?”

She smiled. “You have nothing to worry about. When I return to school I’ll wear jeans. That way they won’t see anything.”

He chuckled. “Speaking of Master Gwon, I saw him on my way over here. He says he wants to see you in twenty minutes, and he wants you in your dobok. He said he has something special planned for you.”

Kiana raised an eyebrow. Master Gwon’s request was unusual. They had already completed their sparring sessions for the day and he hadn’t mentioned anything to her about doing another.

Regardless, she got ready and the two of them headed to the gymnasium. Kiana was actually kind of excited because she wanted Michael to see her in action and see how far she had progressed.

“Master Gwon says my speed has increased dramatically in recent weeks. And my form has improved, too. And I can fight multiple opponents at once. You should have seen me at the real-life simulation in Vegas last week.”

Michael smiled. “I took a look at Master Gwon’s report. He gave you the highest marks possible. Said he had never seen a teen applicant handle the real-life simulation any better.”

They walked in silence for a minute before he said anything more.

“It’s funny. For years, I never wanted you to become an agent. But now that you are, I see you’re excelling. I guess it’s true what people say. Some things are just meant to be.”

At that, they reached the gymnasium. Master Gwon stood on their normal practice mat, but unlike normal, he was not wearing his dobok. Instead, he was wearing blue jeans and a white, button-up shirt. Kiana was immediately confused because she knew he would never spar in clothing like that.

“Good,” he said as they approached. There was a large smile on his face. “Thank you both for coming.”

“I thought we were going to train,” Kiana said.

“Not now. We will train again tomorrow and tomorrow we will begin working with weapons: staffs and nunchaku. But for now I have something different planned for you. I’ve actually been contemplating this for a while, since you have definitely earned it, but when I saw your father was here I decided there was no better time.”

Kiana was puzzled. She had no idea what he was talking about. She had earned something? What?

“Please remove your belt,” Master Gwon said. “And hand it to me.”

Kiana’s eyes got big. “Remove my belt? Why?”

“Because you will not be needing it any more. I have a new one for you.”

At that, he revealed his hand, which he had been holding behind his back. In it was a new belt. It looked just like Kiana’s but it had one notable - and very significant - difference. Kiana’s belt had four stripes, indicating her rank as a fourth degree black belt. This new one had five.

Kiana’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets the minute she saw it. She couldn’t believe it. Normally, a taekwondo practitioner was only allowed to be promoted to the next degree after a set amount of time, and that amount of time was equivalent to the person’s degree at the time. As such, a person who was a first degree could only be promoted to second degree after one year of training, a second degree could only be promoted to a third degree after two years, a third to fourth after three years, and a fourth to fifth after four years. Kiana had become a fourth degree when she had been fourteen, so technically she had two more years left until she was eligible to become a fifth degree.

“Are you serious?” she asked. Despite her confusion, she could barely contain the excitement in her voice. “I still have -”

Master Gwon knew what she was going to ask even before she asked it.

“The rules for promotion are not rigid. A grand master may alter them if circumstances warrant. And in your case, they definitely do. Your skills are far beyond any fourth degree I have ever worked with. As such, you are ready for, and you have earned, promotion to the next degree.”

Kiana didn’t know what to do. She was completely flabbergasted. She just stood there with a stupid look on her face.

“Well?” Master Gwon said, indicating the belt, which was still in his hand. Kiana was so surprised she hadn’t taken it yet. “Do you want it or not?”

“I want it.” She snatched it away so quickly her hand looked like nothing but a blur as she did. Michael and Master Gwon couldn’t help but laugh at her response.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening with your father. I will see you first thing in the morning. As always, do not be late.”

With a smile and a bow, he turned and left.

“Wow,” Michael said. “I didn’t see that coming.”

He wasn’t the only one. Kiana was still in shock. It was going to take her quite a while to settle down and return to normal. Her heart was racing in her chest and it wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down any time soon.

“I’m kinda jealous,” Michael said.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a higher rank than me.”

Kiana smiled as she realized what he was talking about. Michael was good at taekwondo, too, and he himself was a fourth degree black belt. He probably could have gone further, but upon Kiana’s birth he had cut back on his own training so he could focus on hers.

Kiana was never one to pass up a good opportunity to tease him.

“Don’t worry. When we spar, I promise I won’t beat you up too bad. And since I’m a higher rank now, that means I’m in charge from now on. Right? Even around the house?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t get your hopes up, young lady.”

They laughed, he put an arm around her, and they headed back toward the barracks.