The basement smelled of stale sweat and rubber mats. A sterile place much different from the garage.
This was a place for work and training.
I stood in the center of the training room watching Lena who was waiting across from me.
She was breathing evenly, ready for the next strike.
"Again," I said and moved behind her.
Today we were practicing basic defense. I needed to see if she had retained the last lesson that I thought her.
I reached out and clamped my forearm across her throat to demonstrate the choke and for the whole five seconds, she didn't panic.
She didn't freeze.
She shifted her weight and hooked my leg, using her hips to generate torque allowing gravity to do the rest.
I hit the mat flat on my back and the impact knocked the wind out of me. I stared at the cei
