Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Bug?!

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….

Lemu looked at Natasha and beckoned her forward with a finger. Come on, keep trying.

Natasha shook her head with a small smile, a hint of seriousness in her expression.

But she didn't hold back. She launched forward, feinting a high kick before suddenly dropping low for a sweep. As Lemu dodged, she spun instantly, bringing her other leg down in a sharp vertical chop. 

Natasha knew she was stronger than many, and facing a small kid, her plan was simple: overwhelm with speed and power, using wide, fast attacks that looked full of openings but were hard to counter due to their sheer force.

This time, though, it didn't work.

As her leg chopped down, she realized her target was gone. Vanished. Not left, not right… just… poof.

A jolt of alarm shot through Natasha. This was bad.

She instinctively dropped into a crouch, fists up, swinging a punch behind her— Hitting nothing but air! Where is he?! Is this place haunted?! A light tug on her hair from behind. Natasha reacted instantly, whipping a back kick—

Again, nothing. She spun around the moment her foot landed. Still empty space behind her.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down her forehead. On a real mission, she'd have been dead several times over by now.

Suddenly, a hand clamped onto her shoulder from behind, forcing her down onto the mat with surprising strength.

At the same time, a small fist flew towards her face… stopping just millimeters from her nose, perfectly reflected in her wide eyes.

Only then did she see Lemu, crouched over her.

He had used his impossible speed and reflexes to stay perfectly in her blind spot. No matter how she turned, he was always just behind her, unseen.

Lemu sighed, slowly standing up.

Well, that was boring, he thought. Only won because I'm way beyond human limits. He stretched. Being unbeatable is kind of lonely.

Still, the short spar had cleared his head. Listening to Tony's confession earlier had left him feeling surprisingly down. He hadn't shown it, even pulling out the grenade gag to try and lighten the mood (which hadn't really worked). A quick fight was a good distraction.

Natasha took a deep breath, recovering her composure instantly. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and clapped lightly, a genuine smile back on her face.

"Very impressive," she conceded. "But fighting isn't very ladylike, you know. Boys don't usually like girls who are too rough."

Lemu rolled his eyes, leaning casually against the ropes again. "Doesn't matter. As long as the girls like it, I'm good."

Natasha raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised but not shocked. Things were different these days. She looked Lemu over again. There was a certain boyish quality to him, definitely not like most girls.

She grinned, teasingly. "Oh? So you like girls? Was picking a fight with me your way of getting my attention?"

She winked. "Too bad, cutie. Even though you're good-looking and know how to pull your punches, I prefer someone… taller and more rugged."

Lemu just shrugged. "Like who?"

Natasha simply blinked, offering no answer.

Interestingly, someone seemed to have forgotten to deny being called a girl again. Maybe he was finally getting used to it?

….

The bell rang, sharp and clear, signaling the end of the school day.

The small classroom, holding only a dozen or so students, quickly emptied out. Alice finished packing her bag and was about to leave when a student she didn't quite recognize walked in.

He was male, carrying a single-strap backpack. He looked young, maybe late teens, but already had noticeable stubble shadowing his jawline.

"Uh, hi," he mumbled, stopping in front of Alice's desk. He kept his head slightly lowered, his eyes darting around nervously, not quite meeting hers. He looked like any shy kid trying to work up the nerve to talk to someone they liked. "Can I… ask you something?"

It seemed like a typical scene playing out in any school hallway.

"The other day… I happened to see you walking with a girl, the one with the light blue hair?" the young man began, his voice hesitant. "I… I saw her, and I just… instantly liked her…"

He shifted his weight. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about her… day and night…"

He risked a quick glance up at Alice before looking away again, his shyness seeming genuine. "If it's okay… could I maybe learn a little about her from you?"

Inside, however, he was carefully watching Alice's reaction. His real target, Lemu, lived alone in a high-tech villa impossible for his organization to get near or observe. 

This girl, Alice, was new to the target's circle and worked inside the villa she was the only possible way in. 

His plan was to get close to Alice, gather information, and maybe even turn her into an informant. Starting with a believable, harmless excuse was step one.

Alice frowned slightly, looking at the unexpected visitor. She pursed her lips, clearly not pleased. "I'm sorry, but I don't know her very well either. And I can't just share her personal information without her permission."

The young man's face fell, disappointment washing over him as if he'd received terrible news.

After a few seconds, he seemed to gather his courage again, looking at Alice with a last shred of hope. "Then… could you maybe introduce us? I… I'd really like to meet her properly…"

His voice became pleading. "Please… I just want to see her again… Just once is fine…"

Alice picked up her already packed bag and turned away, her expression firm. "Sorry, sir. I have somewhere to be. If you keep bothering me, I'll have to call security."

She walked out, leaving the young man alone in the empty classroom. He dropped the act immediately, a casual smirk replacing the shyness. He hopped onto a desk, crossed his legs, and pulled out an American cigarette, lighting it with practiced ease.

Once outside, Alice walked calmly to the bright yellow sports car waiting for her.

She glanced left and right, making sure no one was watching, before reaching into her backpack. Hidden deep in an inner seam, her fingers found something small and hard.

A tiny, button-sized listening device.

….

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