Chapter 5 - The Unraveling
The referee dropped to one knee, counting over Briggs’ groaning form. “ONE! TWO! THREE!”
Briggs pushed himself up with trembling arms, spitting blood onto the mat. His eyes were wide, bloodshot, and filled with wild, unhinged fury. He looked up at the stands, seeing his fellow instructors staring at him in shock, seeing the Pentagon observers taking notes on their tablets.
His reputation was disintegrating in real-time.
“I’m fine!” Briggs spat at the referee, shoving the official’s hands away as he stumbled back to his feet. “Restart the fight!”
The referee checked Briggs’ pupils, hesitating. “Fighter, are you clear to continue?”
“I said I’m fine!” Briggs screamed, his voice cracking with embarrassment and rage.
The referee stepped back and lowered his hand. “RESUME!”
Briggs abandoned all technique, form, and military discipline. He charged Avery like a mad bull, swinging wild, sweeping hammer-fists aimed at taking her head off.
Avery moved with fluid, effortless grace. She leaned back, letting his fist miss her nose by an inch, then stepped sideways, letting his momentum carry him past her.
As he stumbled by, she delivered two crisp, lightning-fast palm strikes to his liver and ribs.
THWACK! THWACK!
Briggs wheezed, buckling sideways, his mouth agape as his internal organs screamed in pain.
Avery didn't pause. She executed a rapid spin, bringing her heel around in a textbook tornado kick that landed with crackling precision straight against the side of Briggs’ helmeted ear.
Briggs dropped like a felled oak tree, striking the mat face-first and sliding three feet across the slick vinyl.
He didn't get up.
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The referee dropped down, checked Briggs’ unmoving eyes, and immediately waved his arms above his head in a cross.
“KNOCKOUT! WINNER BY KO... MITCHELL!”
