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Jack made sure Alicia and Laney knew what time to be at the house.  He was waiting in the gym when they go their.  He let Alicia do warm ups while he walked Laney through the equipment and told her about safety.  Jack had her repeat things back to him, and any time her attention looked like it might be getting focused on something he'd reach out and touch her nose until she was reconnected to him and the conversation.  "I'm going to focus on teaching you how to fall down and not get hurt.  How to get out of the line of fire.  How to protect your soft spots.  Most important, I'm going to teach you to the secrets of the ninja.  I don't need you to be able to kick people's assess.  I need you to minimize that chance yours will get kicked.  Foollowing me so far?"

Laney had the good sense to wear unrestrictive clothing and pull her hair back into a messy braid.  Nervous and guilt-ridden, she repeatedly thanked Alicia for coming with her, unable to explain to the girl just how much her presence would help.  Alone with a stranger in a strange house, physical contact necessary…Oh, it would be an embarrassing disaster.  As it is, Laney loses her focus so many times when she studies the equipment that Alicia may be hearing mumbled apologies in her sleep tonight.

Vaguely familiar and not overly complicated, it’s no great feat for Laney to parrot back the lessons as asked, word for word.

The ninja comment seems to come out of nowhere.  Laney struggles not to smile, to let the bubbling giggle out, unsure whether or not Jack is serious.   She manages a straight, “Yes, sir.”

Alicia goes through the now-thoroughly familiar routines mechanically, her ears perked to catch the exchange between Jack and Laney.

Heh, she thinks as she grunts her way through a rep of headstand push-ups. Even he's taking it easy on her. Must be her secret power. She makes anyone feel sorry for her.

She almost loses concentration at the "ninja" comment, letting out a small choked gurgle that might have been a laugh.

After only a couple of apologies in Jack' direction he starts to put his finger on her lips when she's about to utter another one.  "Shh."  is the sound that follows.  He does it until she gets the idea.  "Apologies are not a sign of weakness.  You generally apologize when you have done something wrong, but you have to use them sparingly, otherwise people get annoyed.  Find a new tick.  Try smiling for half of them."  Once he's covered safety, Jack takes Laney onto the mats and proceeds to teach her to fall down.  He doesn't talk much during the lessons, but he guides her to the floor.  Repetition is key to any training of this nature, and Jack made everyone go through the falling down training.  With Laney, this part lasts longer.  He teaches her how to fall, how to roll away from impact, how to drop her shoulders, bend like a reed in the wind, and he does it over and over, changing the tempo of the moves, the order, and the intensity.

Once Alicia is warmed up Jack has her stand opposite of him, a few feet and Laney between them.  "Delaney, I'm going to use you to help me teach Alicia a few lessons.  I need you to learn to relax.  So I want you to just stand there, with your eyes closed, and take deep breaths.  Then, when you're ready, I want you to raise your right hand.  Then I want you to trust Alicia and me.  And under no circumstances open your eyes until I tell you to.  Can you do that?"

It’s a strange request, but Laney accepts it with a subdued, “Yes, sir,” having no idea what kind of training he’s been doing with Alicia and curious about a previously mentioned “secret project.” 

Also, it’s a break. This is more involved than she expected and the time has taken its toll.  She’s tired, more mentally from prolonged concentration than physically, and relieved to be able to stand quietly for a moment.  To let her thoughts splinter and infiltrate the corners of the room, like she’d been trying so hard not to let them do.  It wasn’t difficult to relax this way, not with her eyes closed, though she could swear she could still see the worn patterns on the mat. 

She almost forgets to raise her hand.

Alicia stands where ordered, her confusion plain on her face. What are you playing, Jack? She thinks furiously.

She didn't miss the reference that she, not Laney, is the target of the lesson, and she's been there enough times to be nervous.

As Delaney's hand comes up Jack nods and looks at Alicia, "Tag her."  is all he says, and then the pair snap into a flurry of motion.  Jack snatches Delaney's hand and begins to shift her, twirl her, and juggle her.  She's the target and Alicia goes on the offensive.  It was a simple instruction, and it had barely registered before Jack was in motion.  Delaney's body remembers Jack's instructions about how to fall, how to roll, and how to bend.  There is a pattern to the shifting of her center of gravity, a music to the to and fro of her roller coaster ride.  Even with her eyes closed she can feel the warmth of the two people, and how they shift around her, and she shifts around them.

Jack blocks as Alicia jabs.  Their shins collide, a leg sweep has Jack and Delaney in a spin, and Jack manages a bodily pivot that seems to defy how bones and joints work.  They perch for only a second on the mat and Jack bodily shoves Delaney into the air, where she feels that moment of free fall, and flings himself upright.  Alicia sees her chance and sends one hand up towards Delaney and a foot towards Jack, making herself airborne as well.  The impact rocks Jack backwards, and he snags Delaney's outstretched hand, yanking her away from Alicia's fingers at the last second.

Momentum is on her side though, and Alicia lets herself fall in a three point landing, then twirls her body weight fully towards Jack.  Jack and Delaney are falling, but Delaney is falling at a softer angle.  Jack lets her weight come fully into him, and at the perfect moment pushes her off his chest into another arch, outbound and away from Alica.  "Open your eyes."  he says, and grabs lets Alicia's incoming attack land home, causing them both to crash to the floor.

Delaney opens her eyes and sees the world moving by her at an angle that doesn't seem normal, then she sees Jack and Alicia for a second in a pile on the floor, and then the ceiling again, and then Jack and Alicia.  It's like snapshots of time, but she knows things are happening when she can't see them.  Happening.  Her weight, Jack's height, angular energy, how many times in a second does she see them?  the ceiling?  Each mat was how big again?  If there are X mats between me and them.  Her body ignores the stream of thoughts, and tucks for the landing.  It was bouncy, more bouncy then the hardwoods in the living room, and three more rolls.  Then stillness.  No pain.  No sprains.  Nothing broken.  But a little sore from all the exhertion.

"Stop!"  Jack says.  Alicia and he have been exchanging kicks, punches, and assorted other friendly gestures.  He goes to get water to give both girls.  "Good work, both of you.  You saw the opportunities, and moved on them."  he looks at Delaney.  "You ready to go again?  This time, without my help?"

There's a fierce grin on Alicia's face. It's those sweet moments of motion, of lightning-speed action that fill her senses with pleasure.

At Jack's offer, she stands in a neutral stance, waiting expectantly, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet.

Laney remains in precisely the same position she was when Jack ordered them to stop, either because this was the only thing about that encounter her mind could make sense of, or because she’s waiting for her thoughts to sync up with her body.  Anyone’s guess.  There was no harm done.  In fact, it had been exciting; Laney would’ve called it fun, not frightening at all.  But it was beyond explanation – any explanation she could provide.  Which is why when her vision blurs with unshed tears, she becomes so frustrated with herself that she can’t answer Jack with anything more than a small, unintelligible sound. 

Jack takes a seat on the mat and drinks some water.  "Give her a minute."  he says to Alicia.  "Have you started prowling the streets yet?"

It takes a minute.  Two.  Three.  Then Laney twists about so she sits upright and crossed-legged, rubbing her eyes like a fretful child.  She doesn't mumble her usual apologies, yet, both out of a polite desire not to interrupt their conversation and a wish not to make an ass of herself again.

Keeping an eye on Laney, Alicia off-handedly answers Jack, "Yeah, I've been mostly checking out the 'hood, seeing where the hot spots are, testing the waters, that sort of stuff."

She chuckles, "You wouldn't believe it. One of the hottest spots for drug deals is the McDonald's right across the police station on Madison."

In a more sober tone, she adds, "Once I have the area mapped out, I can start tracking where the shit's coming from, start working my way up the chain, maybe redirect the traffic away from the civilians."

"You ready for some more Delaney?"  Jacks asks, getting to his feet and going to squat in front of her.  "You're doing good so far."

In spite of her determination not to call attention to herself by intruding upon their chat, the moment Alicia mentions Madison, Laney blurts out a number.  As luck would have it, the number she remembered from a painting she recently ruined. Ruined in her opinion, anyway  It's the address of a particular fast-food restaurant...

She quickly mumbles, "Sorry. If you think I'm ready. Then I'm ready," and sucks on her water bottle in a desperate attempt to shut herself up.

Alicia arches her eyebrow at Laney's outburst. She catches the significance of the number (111), but doesn't mention it.

I should bring her over to the 7-11 and let her loose on the Keno board, she idly considers as she impatiently waits for Jack's go-ahead.

"Okay then."  Jack helps Delaney to her feet, leading her over to near Alicia.  "Similar exercise.  Delaney will close her eyes, and when she feels she's ready she'll raise her hand.  Then, Alicia needs to tag her.  Two differences.  One, Alicia must tag Delaney on the tip of her nose.  Two, Delaney has to move herself."  He gets in position.  "Okay Delaney.  Close your eyes, and breath."

Once Laney closes her eyes, Alicia looks mischieviously at Jack and extends one finger, the exposed claw gleaming dully in the gym's light. She then retracts the claw and looks positively angelic.

She positions herself in ready stance and waits.

Wow. I couldn't think of a faster way to break my nose if I tried. Laney can't disguise in her expression just how insane Jack's suggestion sounds, but this entire evening's been like one strange dream. There's a moment she's torn between demanding an explanation and blindly obeying. But he is the teacher, she is the student, and when you're told to do something...Can't get worse, right?

With tired resignation, she closes her eyes.  It takes her longer this time to compose herself. Or decompose herself.  However you wish to word it.  She tries to remember Alicia's place within the room, regretting she doesn't have John's amazing hearing to depend on, or Sarah's travelling trick, or...anything would be nice right about now.  It's actually concern over broken bones which finally allows the girl to center herself, for the worry subsides into calm reminiscence of past injuries; and she begins to create an image in her mind of her own body.  She thought if she analyzed the pattern of bone fractures...or fractured the pattern of bones...or...Wasn't some sort of movement expected?

Laney slowly raises her hand.


Edit:
die,typos, DIE!

Alicia, contrary as always, silently and casually walks up to Laney to tap her on the nose, without the slightest concern or hesitation.

Alicia's finger is just about to land when a cramp pulls Delaney down and left to grab her calf.  And then Jack is there.  The pair exchange blows and blocks like a pair of limb tornadoes, dancing around Delaney who, unable to see what's happening tries to get out of the way.  And get out of the way she does.  She remembers the room, if she can just get out of the gym, across the mats and out the door.  The cramp subsides and she manages to get up, having until now tried to just stay clear of the pair by rolling around like a skinny tumbleweed.

On her feet she tries to move, the sounds of the pair struggling filling her ears.  Her hands come up and away from time to time, swatting away perceived objects, always connecting with some limb from someone.  Flailing, stumbling over legs, feet, water bottles, towels and the uneven edges of mats she makes her way towards the door, she thinks.  She knows they are near by, and every time they move into her path she changes direction.  Moving, stopping, sidestepping.  After a few minutes she begins to feel comfortable.  Almost at ease without her sight.  A tightness in her stomach begins to loosen, one that she hadn't realized was there.  Her shoulders feel loose, and it feels like a weight has been taken off her shoulders.  She lets her head rock back and holds out her arms, letting her balance shift and her feet carry her around in a dance all her own. 

Alicia worked hard.  It wasn't so much that Jack was protecting Delaney, as he was just keeping Alicia busy.  More then once the girl walked right between them, while Alicia was in a spin kick, entering and exiting at the perfect moments.  Random flailings of her arms deflected what should have been easy tags.  Then she just started to move around like some she were playing blind man's bluff.  Arms out, walking like some drunken sailor, and still she was exactly where Alicia wasn't.  It might have gone on for hours, until Delaney swung her arms in a helicopter motion, spinning faster and faster, then stopping and falling, right into Alicia's arms.

"Stop."  Jack says.  "Open your eyes Delaney."  He helps her up, and Alicia gratifies herself by touching the other girl's nose and letting her cat grin of hers widen.  "Good work you two.  Next time, Delaney will work on strength training and cardio, and falling down."  He gets water for the three of them.  "Any questions?"

Alicia couldn't be certain when she let go, Laney wouldn't collapse like a doll, but Jack was there.  Laney's cheeks bear round redness from exertion, such a stark contrast to her palor they look painted.  Her large eyes seem made of glass, unreal, not enough is reflected in them.

By the time Jack is offering water, Laney has caught her breath - and herself.  Mostly.  She seems reluctant to move far from Alicia, still in contact with her if she can be, in spite of any discomfort the closeness of overheated bodies may cause.

"I- I don't understand.  Sorry.  What just happened?"

Alicia is in her happy place, the fatigue burning in her muscles sending a pleasant buzz in her head. She doesn't notice holding Laney up or even having her close by at first, but soon the smell of her sweat and the heat from her body are unavoidable. Unavoidable but not unpleasant.

There's a tingle in her belly, but she figures that's just the dopamine talking. She gratefully accepts the water bottle but wisely only sips. She sits on a bench to let the slight shakes work their way out her limbs.

At Laney's question, Alicia grins, "You kicked ass without having to, girl."

Laney tucks herself as close to the bench as she can, curled on the floor, if not beneath it.  She doesn't seem to realize how ridiculous this looks, or that her head is resting on Alicia's foot.  She would smile in return, hearing the amusement in Alicia's voice without seeing that grin, but she's too tired.

"I remember.  It wasn’t…Why is it easier when I don’t…see?  If I don’t understand what I’m doing, then how do I know if I’m doing it wrong? I mean, how do I get better at it?   It's not new.   It gets me into trouble at school. I end up in places I shouldn’t be.  Don’t remember how I got there...or why there are people staring at me...or what they're saying...Whose pattern is it?  Yours or Jack's?  I just wanted to the reach door.”

"You have an ability that goes by a lot of names.  Probability Control, Luck Control, Hex Power, and an assortment of names I wont say in mixed company.  The reason it's easier when your eyes are closed is that you knew two things, and only those two things.  You had to let go and just see where it took you.  One, Alicia was going to try and touch your nose.  Two was that I expected you to move.  Your powers, as powerful as they are, essentially make you into the equivalent of a highly functional autistic.  For people with this power it's always a sort of struggle.  Holding on too tightly, or not tight enough.  You need to sit everyone in your orbit down and explain to them the best way to interact with you.  Danger signs to look out for.  It's different for everyone, you'll experiment and eventually find your own balance.  How to be a person you're comfortable being, and this strange divining rod.  We'll practice a lot of the falling down, it's your best defense against those times when you hold too tight and probability snaps back on you.  I'm going to tell you a mental image to use.  Imagine a rope that's being pulled and you're holding onto it.  If you hold tight enough you can cause the rope to stop and stretch.  You can not hold on at all and let it run wild.  Or you can hold on with enough strength to let it flow at a safe speed.  That is what you want to work for.  Letting probability run along smoothly through your grasp.  When you need it, you can tighten up or loosen your grip to change how it behaves.  Make sense?"

Alicia looks down at Laney with a smile. Damn me if the girl isn't gaming me too. Shit. She doesn't pull her foot away, though.

She listens to Jack's explanation with raised eyebrows. She's super-lucky. Well, coño, that explains it. Or maybe not. I am seriously confused.

“That's what Adrien said.   I tried telling Colin what we think works.    Yes, I can see that.   A fire hose is too heavy.  How did you learn all this, Jack?  You’re not the same.  Even Adrien said so.   Not over five. I don’t know who else to tell except John.   Maybe.   No one is…I have to get better first.  If you and Alicia switched, she couldn’t stop you.  The world lets you by.  I get more things falling on me than the other way around, though.  Because I don’t want to scare them away.”

Alicia chuckles. She'd already experienced Laney's Gordian conversational threads and is curious as to how Jack will handle the full barrage. She wisely remains quiet and listens attentively.

"There's nothing wrong with you.  Not really.  You just need to learn to live differently.  Like someone who looses their sight, they have to adjust to operating in the world a different way.  And I am like you and Adrien.  I'm a three.  Or so he tells me.  I'm very lucky.  And at times, very unlucky.  I don't have the full on smashing sense of the world spinning around you like you guys do.  At least you can get around and live a life.  That's something.  Apparently nines are usually on a thorazine drip and strapped to a bed most of their adult life.  Just try to find something to help you cope.  For Adrien it's puzzles, but you could try music or juggling, maybe martial arts."  he snaps his fingers, "Which reminds me.  I'll be right back."  he glides to his feet and leaves, returning a few minutes later with a box.  It's white with a red bow tied around it.  He tosses it to Alicia's feet.  "We're heroes.  We play by rules.  Looser than some sets, but there are lines we don't cross.  Dead people don't pay for their crimes, they don't suffer shame at defeat, they don't get a chance for redemption."

OOC: Inside the box are a pair of expandable batons and a double shoulder holster rig for them.  There is a card.  Swords and knives are for pros.  Batons are for pros that want to gloat  :)

"I like puzzles.  Then it was your pattern, not mine.  Who stopped it, though?  Not great at them, just like them. Paint more maybe. Jean's going to have to replace the carpet.  They took me off that because it-"   At the snap of Jack's fingers, Laney shuts up like he flipped a switch.

She's startled into sitting upright when the box comes flying near her head.  Muttering something about lines, the girl scans the room with the open wonder of someone seeing a place for the first time.

Jack's sudden segue startles Alicia. She was starting to nod off as she always does when epxosition time occurs.

She sees the contents of the box and, from her vantage point, Laney can see Alicia's golden eyes swirl and the pupils dilate. Alicia removes the batons and throws a calculating look at Jack. She steps out on the mat to get some open space.

With a snap of her arm, she extends a baton and examines it, twirling it lazily on her hand with the ease of a majorette. She snaps the other one open and proceeds to do some simple katas, as if to test their balance and feel. With another look from Jack for confirmation, she glides over to the heavy punching bag.

Alicia takes a deep breath and explodes into action. The batons lash out, striking the heavy bag in a syncopated rhythm. She moves smoothly around it, blows causing the bag to bounce and rattle as if joining her in the dance.

Finally, she stops, breathing heavily, sweat soaking her skin. A wide grin splits her face as she turns towards Jack

"How do I close them back up? Wait, I think I got it..." She spins the batons on her hands, twirls around and slams the tips against the bag, causing it to jerk on the chain and the batons to retract back.

Alicia slinks back to the bench, but stops halfway. With a solemn expression, she faces Jack, crosses her arms in salute, and bows deeply.

"Arigatou gozaimashita, sensei." Alicia's used Japanese phrases before to tease Jack during their sparring sessions, but this time there is not trace of mockery in her words.

"Stop short of murder.  Stand just in the shadows.  And never forget there are millions of people who don't have your option, but could use your help."  He finishes his water and looks at his watch.  "You girls should head home.  You want me to get you a cab, or you feel safe enough walking home at night, just the two of you?"  He lets a slim smile spread over his lips.

His smile is mirrored in the feral grin plastered on Alicia's face.

"I could us a bit more exercise," she says nonchalantly. She looks at Laney expectantly.

Laney rested her head on the bench to watch Alicia's manuevers.  By the time Jack asks his question, the girl appears to have fallen asleep with her eyes half closed and doesn't respond.  Not even to the murder comment, which might have been interesting...  He is correct in his omission: Laney probably shouldn't be driving herself home.

Alicia gives Jack a wry look. "I'm guessing a cab for her. You want me to back her up?"

Jack shakes his head.  "Nah, I'll get her home.  You get changed and go."  he goes over to collect Delaney to take her home.

"Aye aye, Cap'n," she replies with a jaunty salute, then gives a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Damn, maybe I'll wait to try the toys out tomorrow night," she mutters as she hooks her bag and heads for the bathroom.

The instant she's touched, Laney wakes and blinks until her dry eyes can function properly.  When she's able, she looks directly up at Jack, opens her mouth to apologize, shuts it, and smiles crookedly instead.

"She's fast.  When I'm not in the middle, sometime I'd like to watch the lessons if that's alright, please.  Thanks for helping me, Jack.  I'm hard to deal with.  Are the others?"

"Everyone is hard to deal with.  Since none of us come with an instruction manual.  And watching is okay, so long as they don't mind."  Jack bundles her up and drives her home in her car, then sees her to the door.  Once she's inside he walks off.