He flails backward.

I step in for the killing blow. His eyes are wide, his mouth open in surprise, and at the last second I pull my punch. Instead of a hard blow to the groin, I give his abdomen a light tap.

He blinks rapidly, opening his mouth wide to test his jaw.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you!” I say. “Are you all right?”

He nods before finding his voice. “That was well done. Excessive, but well done.”

A smattering of applause hits my back.

I breathe relief.

“Now what if I came at you with a forward choke hold?” He raises his hands to my throat again, except now he’s facing me.

I’m less panicky, more calculated this time. I drop my head low so his thumbs can’t maintain pressure on my neck, duck under, shoot back up, and send an elbow screaming down against his arm to open his torso to attack. I make as if to knee his groin, but I stop short. It’s just a demonstration.

“That was acceptable,” Bruno says. “We’ll teach you two alternative escapes and work on your technique for the one you just performed—your ducking angle was off, and a trained warrior might have been able to reestablish his grip. Now please return to your place in line.”

He’s lucky I didn’t use the escape that includes sticking my thumbs in my attacker’s eye sockets.

“Red, that was great,” Aldo whispers as I take up formation.

“Thank you.” My mind has calmed, but my heart is still pounding, my skin sheening with far more sweat than the amount of exertion justified. The soldier sickness almost took over.

Bruno resumes pacing. “It takes six seconds for someone to choke you unconscious,” he says. “You must not waste even a moment in panic or indecision. Therefore, we will practice escapes—and all their variations—until they are second nature.

“For example, in addition to the rear-choke-hold escape Red demonstrated, you have the option of repeated elbow strikes to the abdomen, a blow to the instep—and, for the strongest among you, a downward hook with your hands, which will force a release. We will teach you all of them, and drill them until you instinctively know which option to use in which situation. Everyone find a partner.”

I look for Iván, but Aldo grabs my elbow, claiming me. “We’ve made good partners before,” he points out.

I grin. “And we will again.”

“Don’t worry about who your partner is to begin with,” Bruno says, noting our conversation. “We’re going to rotate so that everyone gets practice against opponents of different sizes and strength.”

Once everyone is paired, Bruno says, “We’ll begin with a forward choke hold. I’ll demonstrate with Recruit Itzal, and you will follow. I recognize that not everyone has had defense training. Don’t worry; you’ll all become adept soon enough. Those of you who learn this well will be given free time this afternoon.”

I reach out, pretending to choke Aldo. We both grin.