Part 1

Case 30 - The Neighborhood Part 2


    Ã¢â‚¬Å“The first things we must work on are discipline and perception.”  Keiko began as she began Corey’s first lesson in the basement of his home.  That was said after she asked him to move all the furniture from the center of the room to the edges, and unroll an old rug onto the concrete floor.  After that, she asked him to sit on his knees on the rug.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Perception?”  Corey asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes, perception.”  Keiko confirmed.  “In this house, for example, I know approximately where both of your parents are.  The floor creaks slightly when they walk around, they turn on water faucets and open and close doors, so I just remember where they last stopped.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why is that important?”

    Keiko finally joined him, sitting on the rug directly in front of him.  “Because bullies have to surprise you.  If you see them coming you’ll go the opposite way, or hide, yes?”

    Corey nodded.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“If you know they’re coming you’ll be prepared.  You’ll learn to listen for their voices, for the distinct sound of their lockers opening or closing.  A jacket zipper, distinctive sounding boots or shoes.  Anything you can use to single them out.”

    The teen finally smiled.  “This is sounding pretty cool.”  he said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It is pretty cool.”  Keiko agreed with an amused smile.  “Perception is most important, Corey.  While you will use it simply to detect and avoid bullies if possible, it was far more important for me, to avoid certain death.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What do you mean, avoid?”  Corey caught on to.

    Keiko’s smile disappeared, and she became serious.  “Corey, if you’re thinking of beating up someone larger and stronger than you...it takes years of training.  The most I can hope to do quickly is teach you how to avoid them, or how to disable them temporarily.  But you won’t win a fight...unless you’re extremely lucky.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Have you ever lost a fight?”  he finally asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Keiko replied plainly.  “But the stakes were different, Corey.  I’m highly trained, and if I lost a fight I wouldn’t have survived it.”

    A moment of silent realization passed between them, as if Corey found the whole concept of Keiko as a female ninja amusing...up until now.  Suddenly it seemed a little dark and scary.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That wouldn’t happen to me, would it?”  he asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Very unlikely.”  Keiko replied.  “You won’t play with death as I did.  If by some unlikely circumstance your life is in danger, however, this training will help improve your chances.”

    Finally, the discussion about it was over.  Corey set aside his curiosity and sat back.  “What do I do first?”  he asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You listen.”  Keiko told him, lowering her voice to a whisper.  “You listen, and you think.”


---


    The basement had been silent for around a half hour.  Corey’s parents decided to go out for dinner, so the last sounds heard from them were the garage opening, and the car starting up.  All that was left now were the air conditioning starting up once in a while, and the distant rumbling of thunder and rain from outside.

    Corey was holding steady with Keiko’s first lesson.  He sat on the floor, remaining mostly still, and listening.  Keiko sat directly in front of him, also sitting on the floor and listening.  He wasn’t sure of the purpose of it until Keiko finally spoke up.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Now tell me something you remember from listening.”  she requested.  “Something less obvious than your parents leaving for dinner.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I heard a siren from somewhere.”  Corey replied.  “Like a fire engine, or an ambulance, or something.  Does that count?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.”  Keiko replied with a smile and a nod.  “That’s very good.  Most people are not perceptive of distant sirens...you’re getting--.”  She stopped talking suddenly when she heard something upstairs.  Then she slipped her shoes on quickly.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I heard it too.”  Corey whispered.

    Keiko motioned for Corey to stay put, and she went up the steps - quietly, but not slowly.  The teen was amazed to see how quickly she moved without making a sound.    She silently slipped through the door at the top.

    She breathed a sigh of relief, though quietly, when she realized what the sound was.  There was another teenage boy, this one with long hair, taller, and slightly overweight, who seemed all too confident about strolling into the kitchen and raiding the refrigerator while listening to a music.  He was in the midst of making a sandwich when Keiko spotted him.

    Keiko leaned against the doorway to the kitchen casually and crossed her arms.  “Friend of Corey’s?”  she asked out loud.

    The teenager turned white as a sheet and dropped the knife he was using to spread mayonnaise onto the floor with a pair of clangs.  One earphone dropped out of his ear.  He remained perfectly frozen.

    Corey heard what Keiko said and raced up the stairs to the kitchen noisily.  

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hey, bud!”  he exclaimed as he slipped past the small Asian woman.  He quickly made an introduction to un-freeze his friend.  “This is Keiko, she’s teaching me how to fight.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“A girl?  Teaching you how to fight?”  His friend laughed.  He then looked at Keiko and added, “No offense.”

    Keiko patiently didn’t respond.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Mouse...dude, She’s a real kunoichi.”  Corey tried to explain in a near whisper.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No way.”  his friend Mouse replied.  He looked at Keiko again, who didn’t seem all that threatening at the moment.  She just stood perfectly still, against the doorway of the kitchen, watching quietly.

    He finally asked, “What’s your special ninja skill?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Stealth.”  Keiko replied plainly, as if her previous silence was evidence enough.  She looked at Corey and added, “You two can hang out if you wish.  I should go home and take care of some things.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“We could hang out with you.”  Corey suggested.

    Keiko gave him a friendly smile in response.  “I don’t think it would look too cool hanging out with someone so much older than you.  I’ll see you at your next lesson tomorrow.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Okay.”  he reluctantly agreed.  He then wordlessly walked Keiko to the front door.

    Once the door opened, Keiko realized that it was still raining.  Not the violent, driving rain that hit when the storm began, but enough to get soaked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You sure you want to go now?”  he asked again.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes.”  Keiko replied firmly.  “I’m sorry to sound so stubborn, but I’ve been neglecting my work while here.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Corey replied.  “Well um...good luck.  I’ll seeya.”

    Practically before Corey finished that sentence, Keiko sprinted across the street, careful to follow the sidewalks so she wouldn’t end up with soaked shoes.

    When she arrived at home, she felt a little relieved.  But once she managed to change to dry clothing and put a towel over her damp hair, she also felt a little lonely.  Suddenly, she was not the center of attention any longer.  She didn’t anticipate how much she would enjoy having a student.

    Keiko walked into her small office and study, just off of the living room, and shut the door.  It was a mental cue that separated her from her house.  She sat in the leather office chair and picked up the phone to call Ron Clancy.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah?”  Ron answered the phone in his office.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Is it raining over there?”  Keiko asked him, trying to make a little small talk.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It is.  That what you’re callin’ about?”  Ron asked suspiciously.

    Keiko sighed.  Small talk was never his strong suit.  “You know the car scam case?  The one with disappearing in-transit cars?  I’ll do it.”


TO BE CONTINUED
    


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2008 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- World Class and all characters therein are property of 
--    Strike Two and Jason Froikin.