Chapter 6 - The Challenge at Master Lee's
Master Lee’s academy was nothing like Apex Grappling.
Instead of neon signs, blacked-out windows, and loud rap music blasting through Bluetooth speakers, Master Lee’s gym smelled of polished hardwood, floor wax, and old-school discipline. The walls were covered in vintage black-and-white photographs of judo and jujitsu masters, and every single student—from white belts to black belts—bowed when stepping onto the pristine mat.
Three days after moving into my new apartment, I stepped onto those mats for the first time wearing a crisp, brand-new white gi.
Master Lee was a seventy-year-old Korean-American with white hair cropped close to his scalp and shoulders that still looked like they could carry a log across a river. He watched me execute my breakfalls, nodding approvingly at my technique before calling a brief water break.
As I walked over to grab my water bottle from the edge of the mat, the front door of the academy chimed.
I froze.
Standing in the doorway, wearing an oversized black hoodie with the hood pulled low over his forehead, was Derek.
Behind him stood Marcus Vance and two other heavy-set guys from Apex. They didn't look like students coming to train; they looked like enforcers coming to collect a debt.
The entire gym went dead silent. Master Lee turned slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing as he watched the uninvited guests step onto the pristine wooden floor wearing dirty street shoes.
"Hey!" Master Lee’s voice cracked like a whip through the quiet dojo. "Shoes off the mat! Who are you?"
Derek pulled back his hood, revealing a face twisted into an ugly, sneering grin. His nose was still slightly swollen from where Cole had thrown him days earlier.
"I’m looking for the Navy SEAL," Derek announced loudly, his voice echoing off the high ceiling. "I’m looking for the tough guy who likes to cheap-shot people when they aren't looking."
Before Master Lee could step forward, the office door at the back of the gym opened, and Cole walked out wearing a gray t-shirt and athletic pants, carrying a clipboard. He stopped dead when he saw Derek standing near the entrance.
May you like
A collective murmur rippled through the students standing along the wall.
Derek pointed a thick finger straight at my brother’s chest. "You think you’re a big hero because you caught me off guard? Step onto the mat right now, SEAL. Let's see how tough you are without your military tricks."
