WAR
Taking it past the limit
Simo was watching Chen and Xander sparring on the large monitor in his office on Ari’s estate. He grunted in amusement as Chen countered Xander’s attack, then Xander once again threw Chen. Suddenly, Chen was back up and Xander was on the mat, locked in a vicious hold.
“You always like watching…” Eleni said in Greek as she sat down next to Simo.
Simo grunted and continued to watch the match.
“How is Xan holding up today?”
Without looking at her, he replied, “He’ll never beat Chen in hand-to-hand…”
“You mean he will never beat you?” Eleni countered.
Simo turned to her, eyebrow raised. “Always busting my balls?”
“Yes. You let them get too big.”
Simo shook his head. “He is progressing. With time, he may take you.” His eyebrow arched again.
Eleni gave him a shove.
“What do you want?” Simo stared at her for a moment, then something on the monitor caught his attention. His eyebrows furrowed as he turned intently toward the monitor, watching.
“What is going on?” Eleni followed Simo’s eyes to the screen.
“What the fuck?” Simo grumbled.
“Ha! It seems like Chen has met his match in something… besides you,” Eleni chuckled.
They watched as Xander had a four-sided, split bamboo and leather-wrapped sword called a shinai in hand and was pressing his attack hard and fast at Chen, who was desperately retreating, trying to fend off Xander’s attack.
“Simo… we need to talk.”
“Eleni, wait. I want to see this, so should you. Watch.”
They both watched as Chen began attacking back, using Kung Fu sword techniques.
They watched as Xander closed in hard on Chen; suddenly, Xander shoulder-slammed him.
Chen was flailing backwards as Xander’s shinai raised up and whipped down so fast it was a blur.
Chen’s shinai was ripped from his hand and bounced on the mat as Xander’s own shinai rested against Chen’s neck.
Xander backed away as Chen smiled broadly.
He gave Xander a deep bow, and Xander returned it.
“Maybe you should go in there and show Xan a thing or two.” Eleni smiled mischievously.
He shot her a look and replied in English, “Waste of my time.”
Simo was drying off and sitting on the bench as Chen came into the gym’s small locker room.
“Hello, Simo,” Chen smiled.
Simo nodded. “What the fuck was that with Xan earlier?”
Chen chuckled. “Totally surprised me.”
“I saw that.”
“He’s a natural with a sword. I will be integrating that into his attacks.”
Simo nodded, then paused as he was about to reply, thinking.
“What is it?” Chen asked.
“Next training day, bring in an ASP and a police baton. Those are concealable. See if he can wield those. If so, train him in Philippine stick fighting… Kali and Escrima, nea?”
“Great plan.” Chen smiled, then sat down at the end of the bench. “You still pissed at him?”
Simo turned to him. “He’s unpredictable. I don’t trust him.”
Chen shook his head. “I’ve known you for a long time… are you angry because he caught you off guard, threw you, and got the drop on you?”
Simo shot him a dire look, then sighed. “Fuck, no.”
“I think, yes… in part at least,” Chen replied.
Simo eyed his longtime friend. “Xan is an enigma… that fucker was fighting me, then he is almost dying because he didn’t want to go to Halo’s house, because he can’t see her,” he mocked. “Then, weeks later, he plans this big party and asks her to marry him.” Simo shook his head in disgust.
Chen chuckled. “And now Theo and Xan are friends… are you thinking that our group is going to fall apart? Is that why you keep training Xan here? To keep him close, thus keeping things together?”
“Maybe…”
“Simo, we all like the man. I would wager my life that he would have any of our backs if we needed him.”
“Unless Halo was involved.”
Chen smiled. “You can’t blame him for that; she is his family. From my perception, he would give up and possibly die without her…”
“And that’s why he is a liability!”
“That is one way to look at it, but I surmise she is where his strength comes from. So, I will ask you now: what really is the problem with you and Xan?”
Simo stared at Chen for a long moment, then threw his hands up in the air. “There are times he reminds me of me, then other times he gets so squishy… he’s so fucking unpredictable.”
Chen nodded. “And you believe you can’t afford to be squishy yourself…”
Simo shot him an angry glare.
“Simo, I trust you more than anyone. I will always be at your side, and my respect for you is immeasurable. I know you will shake down heaven or raze hell if any one of us is in trouble; so would Xan if it came down to it…” He paused for several moments, then continued, “You realize that it’s been quite some time since you have spoken with him. Please, speak with him.”
“For his sake, I better not.”
“Simo…” Chen chided.
“Maybe… fine,” Simo sighed.
Chen nodded to Simo as he pulled a towel out of his locker. He stripped down, wrapped the towel around himself, and headed toward the shower. He stopped and turned back to Simo.
“Simo, if it ever came down to a choice between me or Jessie? I expect you to save Jessie first and foremost.” Chen turned and headed off without another word.
Xander saw Simo’s black Challenger rumbling at idle in the driveway. With his bag in hand, he walked toward the car, watching the driver’s side window rolling down. “Simo? I thought Jessie was picking me up today.”
Simo shot him a dark glare. “It is your lucky day. Today you train with me.”
As Xander came around and got inside the car, the hair on his neck stood up. He buckled up and looked at Simo. Without a word or a glance, Simo put the car in drive and headed out. “Payback time, nea?” Xander sighed.
“Maybe…”
“I was wondering when this was coming.”
“Did you now?”
“Yes. You’ve been quiet too long.” He watched Simo nod once as they drove on in silence.
As they were pulling into Ari’s estate, Simo finally spoke as he parked the car. “If you knew this, why keep training here? Still have that death wish?”
“So, it’s to the death, is it?” He heard Simo’s chuckle. It sounded so deadly a tingle shot up his spine. He followed Simo out of the car and into the expansive gym in the basement of Ari’s home. He noticed that they did not pass a single soul on the way in.
Once in the gym, he watched Simo slip off his boots and socks and begin limbering up on the mats.
Xander followed suit, removing his boots and socks, then rolled up his black combat pants.
With a sigh, he stepped up to the mat, then bowed his head for a moment.
Once he was on the mat, he began doing his Aikido warm-up stretches.
He couldn’t help but notice Simo watching him.
He ignored him as he tried to center himself through his exercises.
When he was done, Simo was still watching him. “Now what?”
“You tell me.”
Xander shook his head. “We both know I can’t beat you…”
Simo chuckled, then stepped off the mat to the weapons rack. He pulled out four Kali fighting sticks. He tossed two at Xander’s feet.
“You seen these before?”
“I have,” Xander replied, picking up the sticks. He watched as Simo began limbering up by spinning the sticks, with speedy precision, all around himself.
Xander knew the damage these sticks could do as he watched Simo warm up. Xander shook his head and left the mat.
“Afraid?” Simo laughed.
Xander turned and smiled. “I’m not stupid, Simo.” Thanking Chen under his breath, he reached into his bag, pulled out a mouthpiece and racquetball protective glasses, and put them on.
“Don’t trust me?” Simo accused.
After a quick nod to the mat, Xander stepped back on and looked directly at Simo. “No, I don’t.”
“Good.”
Without warning, Simo rushed at Xander, sticks spinning.
Xander rolled out of the way of the first strike, came up holding the sticks in a defensive manner.
He gauged Simo to have at least a five-inch height advantage, as well as a longer reach, and a shit ton stronger.
Suddenly, a barrage of flying sticks was aiming for various parts of his body.
He took a hard shot to his shoulder and managed to block several more as Simo pressed his attack.
Xander began retreating under the onslaught.
At one point, he tripped on a seam in the mat and managed a backfall.
While down, he feinted a kick to Simo’s knee and got a hard smack against his calf for his effort.
Knowing no respite was coming, he spun away and began retreating fast from the advancing giant.
Simo began to casually speak as the relentless pursuit around the mat began. “Come on… stop and stand your ground already,” he taunted.
Xander kept quiet as he fended off a series of strikes, then jumped back as Simo pressed.
“Pussy,” Simo laughed.
Xander remained quiet as Simo leapt at him, sticks spinning.
He missed a block and felt contact as a burn ripped across his ribs.
He countered with a thrust toward Simo’s throat and was immediately blocked, then body-slammed.
Keeping his sticks up, he fended several more strikes as he fell backward, once more, into a backwards roll.
He knew then and there that any Sumo move on Simo was going to be like running into a brick wall.
“That all you got… hero boy?” Simo sneered.
Xander shrugged as he distanced himself from the giant. As Simo began to approach his next attack, Xander began spinning his own sticks.
“So pussy boy knows how to spin sticks?” Simo laughed.
Xander smiled. “I have a good teacher.” He paused and recited to himself what he could remember of a kata he was once taught by the neighbor kid so long ago. Temple, temple, collarbone, collarbone, ribs, ribs, knee, knee, groin, throat stab, top of head. Then, he launched that attack at Simo.