Eva’s Revenge

Chapter 5 – Interview

Chapter 5 – Interview

On her eighteenth birthday Eva visits the Combat Sport Academy for an interview. She did her research and was convinced that this academy will provide her with the best preparation to challenge and kill Emily Theron, the woman who challenged her mother and then paid a professional fighter to kill her. She tried to join earlier, but this academy, unlike some others, was very strict on the rules and only interviewed new girls when they've reached the legal age of eighteen. Eva ignored the temptation to join another academy earlier, as the Combat Sport Academy had a track record of producing top fighters. Eva nervously sits in the reception area, waiting to be called for her interview. Less than five percent of applicants are accepted by the Combat Sport Academy, so she goes over her strategy for the umpteenth time. She will show her commitment by sharing her story and her goals with them. For the next three years she will do whatever they expect from her. She will give it her all, her live depends on it. Then after she revenged her mother’s murder, she will stay with the Combat Sport Academy for at least another three years to pay them back for the training she received. The clincher, she hopes, will be the fact that they don’t have to pay her a salary during the entire period. The academies do not charge fees to their students. Instead, they make money from fighting sports events in which their students participate. The students are paid a small fee based on their skills, the number of events they participate in and the success of the teams they are part of. She will even pay her own medical bills and anything else they want her to pay. The money awarded to her by the court will hopefully guarantee her acceptance into the most prestigious fighting academy. A hand on her shoulder startles Eva and she spins around raising her left arm in defence. She did not hear the other woman approach her and she needs a few moments to compose herself slightly as her eyes focus on a tall woman with a bemused smile on her face. The woman is wearing training shorts and a sports bra only. Her muscular body is glistening with fresh sweat. It’s Helga Brand. She knew she was meeting with Helga today, but the sight of the best fighting trainer around still makes her nervous.

‘Did I scare you?’ Helga is still grinning. Her voice is soft, yet strong. A voice of someone who is at ease with herself, confident that she can hold her own, no matter what the circumstances are.

‘No, just surprised that’s all’. In contrast Eva’s voice sounds nervous and devoid of confidence. Her mind is racing at a thousand miles a second. She shoots out a hand and grabs Helga’s hand in an awkward manner. ‘I am so please to meet you miss Brand. I really respect you. You are the best trainer and I really want to be trained by you.’ Her mind is shouting at her to shut up, but she can’t help herself, when she is nervous she talks a lot. ‘I will do whatever, you tell me to. You will not regret it if you give me a chance.’ Eva is relieved when Helga interrupts her.

‘Why do you want to join us?’

Without hesitation and unfortunately without thinking Eva just spurts it out. 'Revenge, I want revenge.’

Helga stops her again. Her tone has changed to one of irritation. ‘We don’t train girls to take revenge here. The Combat Sport Academy is a respected academy. We do not get involved with underground fights or death matches. We do train girls who enjoy fighting sports and we do train them to be competitive and to win, but we do not train them to kill each other, whether or not they believe that revenge is justified. Thanks for coming in, your application is unfortunately not accepted.’

Eva cannot stop the tears from flowing. ‘But you don’t understand. She murdered my mother. I need to kill her as I promised my mother that I will revenge her death.’

Helga’s voice is softer again. ‘I read your application. I know who you are. What happened to your mother was awful and it must have been very difficult for you. I would also take revenge if I was in your shoes. However, we do not get involved with death matches and we cannot risk our reputation by training you to kill someone. I wish you all the best, but unfortunately we cannot accept your application.’

With that Helga turns around and walks back to the training grounds. Eva stands around for a moment, tears still rolling down her cheeks. How did this go so wrong? After a while she composes herself enough to walk to the bathrooms to clean up. As she washes her face, she hears the bathroom door open, but she does not turn around as she does not want anybody else to see her crying. She feels humiliated enough as it is.

‘Hello Eva, I am sorry you had to go though that, it was brutal.’ The voice lacks the empathy one would expect to accompany such a statement.

Eva looks up and sees Nancy O’Grady in the mirror. She did not expect to see the owner of Combat Sport Academy behind her. She slowly turns around. ‘Hi miss O’Grady. I just wanted to join. Whatever I do after my three year contract should not make a difference.’

Nancy gives her a forced smile. ‘Call me Nancy. Let’s go talk in my office.’

Eva somehow feels uneasy, but the hint of a second chance quickly drowns that feeling.

Nancy has a large office with a view of the training grounds. A display case in one corner is filled with trophies and the walls are covered by photos of girls in action in all kinds of sports events. Nancy takes a seat behind a large, very tidy, desk and motions for Eva to take a seat on one of the two visitor chairs. Helga is busy training a few girls outside and for a moment it seems to Eva that she is looking straight at her. ‘Don’t worry, they cannot see us. I had one-way windows installed. I love to watch them, but I don’t like it when they are watching me.’ Eva turns her attention back to Nancy. ‘Let me get straight to the point. How do you plan to convince Emily Theron to fight you? She did not pitch up for the fight against your mother, even though she was the one who challenged your mother.’

Eva has never really thought about this. She planned her revenge so many times, but never entertained the thought that Emily may not accept her challenge. ‘I don’t know yet.’ she says sheepishly.

‘I can help you with that, but you have to understand that I never overturn Helga’s decisions. I will give you one chance. You accept my offer and I guarantee you a death match against Emily Theron. Alternatively, we shake hands and you leave and figure our all by yourself how you will convince Emily Theron to accept your challenge to a duel.’

Eva doesn’t want to lose the opportunity again. ‘I accept.’

Nancy raises her hand to stop Eva, ‘Not so fast, you need to listen to my offer. I want you to be absolutely sure before you sign the agreement.’ Eva nods in agreement. Nancy watches her intently for a few seconds before she carries on. ‘We will train you for three years, during which you will compete for us in various competitions. When you turn twenty-one, you will fight three death matches for Combat Sport Academy. The third fight will be against Emily Theron.’

Eva can’t stop herself. She half-shouts. ‘No, I want to fight her as soon as I turn twenty-one. I will fight more death matches for you after that, but I want to fight her first’

She regrets the outburst immediately. Once again, there is a few seconds silence before Nancy calmly talks again. ‘I understand, but my plan to get her to fight you will only work if we are patient. You will have to trust me on this.’

Eva nods her head, relieved that she did not ruin her last chance. ‘I trust you, I agree to your stipulations.’

Nancy smiles again, this time a real smile. ‘Great, one more thing though. You will not share your story, or our agreement, with any of the other girls.’ Eva nods again.

After she signs the agreement, Eva waits in the reception area as instructed by Nancy. Helga walks into the reception area, clearly surprised to see Eva is still there, but she does not say anything to Eva before she enters Nancy’s office. Eva can hear raised voices for a good couple of minutes. When Helga comes out of Nancy’s office, her face is red and her eyes wild with rage. She starts towards Eva, thinks better of it, turns around and walks back to the training area. Eva nervously sits on the edge of her chair. She is not sure what to do next. Should she follow Helga? That does not seem like a good idea as Helga is obviously very upset with her. Should she go back to Nancy’s office? She decides to rather wait a bit longer in the reception area.