After breakfast, the four of them set out for Hartford.
"I'll go up with Heather," Juno suggested upon arrival. "It'll keep from provoking him."
"You're still worried about that?" Adam asked with amusement.
"Do you think the past and now are the same?" Juno shot him a glance.
Adam was momentarily speechless.
"I'll wait at the stairwell. Call me if anything happens," Adam decided to play it safe.
Juno was strong, but only relatively so. The only reason she had managed to take him down with her Black Widow-style scissor hold before was because it was unexpected and because Adam hadn't taken it seriously. In a real fight, the effectiveness of that move was still untested.
"Alright," Juno agreed without hesitation.
Except for her inexplicable "edgy" moment yesterday, she was usually quite steady, so she naturally didn't reject this extra precaution.
"Karen, stay in the car. Keep the engine running."
"..."
Heather watched the scene unfold, both shocked and speechless. After a moment, she muttered, "Isn't this a bit much? You guys look like a tactical team from an action movie."
"Or maybe a professional heist crew?" Juno joked.
"Get in and out quickly," Adam reminded them.
Juno and Heather went inside and up to the second floor.
Adam stood by the stairwell, listening carefully. With his keen hearing, he ensured that no conflict arose. Hearing nothing unusual, he waited patiently.
A few minutes later, Juno and Heather came down, carrying two boxes and a suitcase.
Ryan stood on the second floor, looking at Adam with a complicated expression. Beside him stood Heather's best friend, Nikki.
Adam immediately understood why there had been no trouble yesterday.
On the way back to the cabin in the woods, he asked about it, and Juno and Heather confirmed his suspicions.
Ryan hadn't made any moves because he wasn't the violent type. He might have talked tough out of pain and frustration, but when it came to actual confrontation, he didn't have the guts.
That was why he had bolted in fear when he first heard gunshots, and why he had surrendered immediately when faced with Adam and the others armed with firearms.
He could handle a fistfight, but against Adam, he stood no chance.
Besides, breakups were commonplace among American young adults. Heather had made it clear that they were over. After venting his emotions, with Nikki comforting him, whatever little aggression Ryan had left completely faded away.
In his "saintly" state, of course, he chose to forgive.
Only someone with nothing to lose would take reckless action—and with Nikki around, Ryan clearly wasn't that kind of person.
As for David?
He was even more of a pragmatist.
That's why the breakup ended on a "peaceful" note.
**"Let's do some training this afternoon,"** Adam suggested.
He wanted to improve Heather's combat skills. In this world full of unknowns and dangers, the only real safety came from being able to protect oneself.
**"Sounds good!"**
Juno was eager. **"I also want to see how much progress you've made this semester."**
Adam chuckled. **"Just don't be too surprised."**
Juno smirked. **"I already know you're strong. Worst case, we'll just gang up on you—three against one!"**
Adam countered with a grin. **"I could take on ten."**
Heather watched the playful banter with a smile, feeling warm inside. She was also looking forward to the training session.
Having experienced real danger before, she had no reason to refuse the opportunity to become stronger.
---
In the afternoon, the four of them trained on a flat patch of ground outside the cabin.
Juno primarily taught Heather, while Adam served as the training dummy.
After two hours of practice, Juno challenged Adam to a fight.
This time, with his fully developed combat techniques, Adam easily overpowered her.
When Juno attempted her Black Widow-style scissor hold, Adam countered by grabbing her, spinning her around to dissipate her momentum, and then flipping her into an inverted position before slamming her down in a controlled manner.
Juno was completely immobilized and had no choice but to admit defeat.
Frustrated, she teamed up with Karen and Heather—three against one—but Adam still effortlessly handled them.
Left with no choice, Juno could only yell, **"You monster!"** before finally giving up.
Afterward, Adam began teaching Heather how to shoot. This time, he personally guided her.
Firearms weren't just a man's passion—many women enjoyed shooting as well, since it was a great equalizer in combat.
In *The Big Bang Theory*, Penny had taken Leonard to a shooting range, and when Leonard tried to act like a pro because of his video game experience, he ended up accidentally firing a round into his own foot.
Luckily, the bullet only grazed his little toe, requiring nothing more than a band-aid. Otherwise, the pain would have completely ruined his attempts to impress Penny with his "battle scars."
Some women were absolute gun enthusiasts.
For example, in *How I Met Your Mother*, Robin—who played S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Deputy Director Maria Hill—was a classic example.
Whenever she was in a bad mood, she would head straight to the shooting range for stress relief. Her house was practically an armory, filled with all kinds of firearms.
Heather, however, wasn't particularly interested in shooting. In fact, she didn't like it much at all—the recoil and her body type made her more prone to injuries than others.
Adam couldn't do much about that.
Fortunately, Karen stepped in, sharing some special tricks she had figured out on her own.
By the time they finished, all four of them were drenched in sweat.
**"Let's go for a swim in the lake,"** Heather suggested.
**"Great idea,"** Juno agreed.
Adam thought about it for a moment before nodding.
Being from Galveston, Adam and the others were strong swimmers. If Heather suggested it, she probably was too.
While the cabin had a shower system, it couldn't compare to the refreshing feel of swimming in a lake.
Besides, the sight of someone emerging from the water was one of the most beautiful things in the world—Adam had no intention of missing out.
Bringing their guns, Adam and Juno led the way, while Karen and Heather carried their swimsuits.
When they reached the lake, Adam smiled. **"You all go ahead. I'll keep watch."**
Juno teased, **"Make sure to stay alert. Don't let us distract you too much."**
Adam smirked. **"I'll do my best."**
Juno playfully cursed at him before turning away.
Once Adam had his back turned, the three of them changed into their swimsuits.
Heather took a running start and dove gracefully into the lake, moving with the fluidity of a mermaid.
**"Wow, Heather! Were you a professional swimmer?"** Juno asked in amazement as Heather effortlessly circled them.
**"Nope,"** Heather laughed. **"I just love swimming. I even considered becoming a lifeguard."**
By this time, Adam had turned around. Seeing Heather in the water, his eyes lit up.
He thought to himself, *If she were on Chandler and Joey's favorite show, *Baywatch*, they'd never leave their TV screens again.*
No, he had to push Heather further. Tonight's training? It would be a combat session… in the rain.
(*End of chapter.*) !