Little Seven's heart skipped, but she didn't let it show as she took a blade from the tray and faced the dummy.
Vince pointed. "You're not strong enough to overpower a grown man in a fair fight. So don't fight fair. Strike to disable. Groin, throat, underarm artery, what do you choose?"
She adjusted her grip and slid the knife into the side of the rib cage with fluid motion, aiming upward toward the heart.
"Smart," Vince said. "You avoided armor zones. Good angle." He didn't smile, but there was something in his eyes approval, perhaps.
Jane approached the edge of the arena as she watched the training session again, and this time, she didn't hide her interest.
The air seemed to thicken the moment Jane stepped into view. Every muscle in Vince and the other older members of Team Five went rigid, their heads bowing almost in unison.
"Second Elder," their voices rumbled collectively as Jane acknowledged their greeting with a low hum, her eyes already fixed on the training ground. Specifically, on Little Seven, who moved with a surprising grace despite the sweat plastering strands of hair to her temples.
Jane's reputation preceded her: the most ruthless master of poisons in the organization, a woman who had held the Second position in ZERO for a decade, capable of ending life without a trace. It was a known truth, cross her and your death would be a bewildering mystery.
But she had never interacted with recruits before; her life had been a mystery to almost everyone at ZERO.
"You," Jane's sharp voice cut through the air, addressing Little Seven. "What's your name?"
But before little seven could answer, a lean figure stepped forward, completely obscuring the girl from Jane's view.
Seko's eyes were dark and direct as he met the Second elder without a flicker of fear. Amusement danced in Jane's eyes at his audacity.
"My name is Little Seven, Second Elder," the girl's voice, though a bit shy, managed to bypass Seko's protective stance.
"Come forward," Jane commanded, her tone allowing no room for arguments. Little Seven hesitated, then took a few tentative steps. Jane closed the distance, her hand reaching out, her touch surprisingly gentle as her fingers brushed Little Seven's head.
But the warmth of the gesture evaporated instantly as Jane's hand recoiled. A chilling, wordless glare from Seko had struck her as if it were a silent warning promising death if she dared to harm her.
Her lips twitched. what the heck! Jane thought, a smile spreading across her face. what will I gain from killing this little girl? I've just taken a liking to her combat abilities.
Her gaze then snapped to Vince, the smile vanishing. Her expression turned to Ice, a stark contrast to the momentary warmth she'd shown Little Seven. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then thought better of it, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Continue with the training," she ordered.
And then, just as abruptly as she had appeared, she turned and walked away, leaving Vince and the rest of the group utterly dumbfounded. They watched her retreating with shock and confusion, trying to reconcile the smiling elder with the chilling master of poisons they knew.
Later that evening, Jane found herself standing outside the medical wing with her husband discussing Little Seven again.
"She's not just talented," she said with arms behind her back. "She's wired differently, I can feel it. Still raw but resilient, I want to bring her in."
"To live with us! So you were serious about that adoption thing?" he asked, surprised.
"Yes, I am," Jane said simply. "And it's only a matter of time before someone tries to kill her again. You saw the report from our spies, one of her teammates tried to drown her. If she's under our roof, she's less vulnerable."
"And what about the Big Boss?"
Jane frowned and waved her hand. "Leave that old hag to me."