My Predator System

Blocked

His mind roved deeply around that question. 'Why did you come here...'

"Because...my friend's dad asked me to be here."

"Your true reason."

He hardened. "Well...I came here to learn combat so I could teach a few conceited bastards a lesson." He punched his palm.

Wu laughed heartily. "You sure that's why you are here?"

Maks eyed him from head to toe.

"Yes. I'm walking on a thin line, I might actually lose my scholarship. I need to fend for myself."

"You start immediately."

"What? So do we have like a schedule?"

He was quick to overreact. He blushed. "Because, I have school to go to and a job."

Wu cupped the end of his sleeves together.

"We start at dawn."

"Will you get me to use light energy balls like that?"

"Perhaps." He teased walking toward the valley.

Maks lurched when Wu jabbed him in the shoulder with a forefinger.

Regardless it felt like he had been jabbed in the heart by defibrillator pads. A shock went through his body and suddenly felt like his spirit would drift out of his body but it stayed, he felt his whole mortality to the hair of his skin.

Wheeze*

"Ow? How did you_how did you do that? Why?"

Wu stood up straight. "You have too many concerns. Many of which hold you back. You must step back and breath and believe."

"No kidding, Shifu." His limbs wobbled as he tried to readjust his limb.

"My question for you, Xuesheng, is, are you willing to take up this lesson?"

"Yes!"

***

Maks gasped awake, he coughed at the timer, he thought his head would implode after that.

Maks!!!!

Jess yelled outside his room and he felt himself wakefully coming out of his fatigue. Her voice was so loud, it charged his body with nervous energy.

He opened the door. "Why are you screaming!?" He exploded.

She held her hands together innocently with beady blue eyes. "Nothing?"

He face-palmed. And took his leave.

His neck had knots, he felt old and he winced at the pain on his lower back and muscles.

"Morning." Doreen said arranging the curtains into a tie-back loop and Maks felt uneasy about talking to her.

"Morning um what about Tucker, any news?"

He ate cereal and spread vegemite on toast.

"Your father sent a few souvenirs." She said casually. Her voice dripped like warm honey.

His lips pursed. "Cool. Can I see them?"

Doreen smiled, she had honey-brown hair, her eyes smiled and she had dimples on her cheeks. She wore a midnight blue ensemble.

She slipped the box on the table.

He unraveled the novelty infrared goggles, dropping them down on the desk and a journal. Then a picture of him.

His eyes stirred at that.

He was an adult version of Maks his brown hair was cropped short and he wore a white camouflage uniform with a helm under his arm. He had a see-ya kind of salute beaming with a mischievous set of green eyes. He was in a boat, out at sea.

[ Miss you dad. ]

***

He went to the training grounds and Wu stood on a greening lion-turtle podium by the tree. practicing Taijiquan moves on the tip of his toe. He waved his arms in circular motions.

"Morning."

"You are early, Xuesheng."

The clouds swirled and the weather changed periodically when the sun came out.

***

Wu jumped down.

Maks's jaw dropped, he had dropped as lightly as a feather. Like the air was his support, the tip of his toe touched the ground_slowly, first.

"Welcome, Maks. Your aura is quite stormy today."

"Yeah? How would you know?"

Wu withered at his attitude. "Your first lesson will be on the life force of the universe. Chi or formally known as qi."

"Does it make a difference?"

Wu frowned slightly. "Our life force runs through our bodies. It is everywhere, take this apricot tree for example, it is a force of nature, electricity, sound, light, gas."

[ He just said gas. ] He snickered.

Wu opened his eyes. "Affirmative. Your very life force is blocked. You must allow it to flow through you. Give back."

Maks looked uneasy. "Give...back?"

"You must train your qi, Xuesheng, your breathing, your sense of timing and control of your body through mindfulness training."

Wu tapped his head. "You must also be still in here." He touched his heart.

He wasn't sure if that would apply. He had no control of his system.

Wu sat down on the grass.

Maks sat back and tucked his legs under him. He had seen Victor do this one too many times. His back and pelvis were hurting.

His eyes squeezed shut. He kept ruminating on his father's journal. Why would Tucker Reed go to such lengths? And why after one month?

He thought about Carlyle Rogers's impending backlash_if the authorities paid any attention to him at all. The system!

His pelvis was not only the thing hurting. His spine was starting to give out.

He could not concentrate on his breathing.

His negative thoughts were swirling around his centre of awareness. He had to stop thinking too hard. He needed to lie down. His body hurt. What if he turned into a mink?

Should he tell Wu about his system? No, that wouldn't help at all.

He wasn't going to defend himself just by sitting down and doing nothing. Was this some kind of punishment? Did his stepmom just agree to this just so he could learn freaking Tai Chi??

Maks opened one eye.

"Master Wu? Look, it'd be better if I just get some tips just for self-defence, just in case, like that thing you did?"

He closed his eyes when Wu did not answer. Grunting.

They sat steady.

"Which reminds me. You have an acupuncture appointment this afternoon."

Sweat coursed down his face where he sat down. Maks gulped. "I feel fine, I'll practice more Taijiquan, Master Wu, I promise_"

Wu nodded victoriously.

Hours later.

"It's just a few stressor problems, I_I have a heightened fear of needles!" Maks said pale now.

"Sure." The acupuncturist pinned him down from his shoulder blade. She looked slender but she was as sturdy as an anvil.

***

Maks groaned after that forced acupuncture session and pulled up his robe. He felt like something had been flushed out of his system. His stomach felt like a living ball of energy.

"How do you feel?"