“You might give a guy a break,” I muttered, as I reached her.
“You’ll get no break from me …” she began.
I shot out my hands, seeking her throat. Then I got the surprise of my life. Moving like a lizard, she caught my wrists, pulled me towards her, bent. The next second I was flying through the air. I thudded against steel bars, bounced to the floor. I lay there, stunned.
“I told you I could handle anything on this floor,” she said, standing over me. “And that includes you.” She drew back her foot and kicked me in the face. “Get up, and come quietly, or I’ll break your goddamn neck.”
Gritting my teeth, cold with rage, I rolled towards her, grabbed at her legs. I heaved. I heard her quick gasp as she lost her balance, but she was smart enough to throw herself forward, breaking her fall on me.
I clutched at her body, hard as steel under my fingers. I tried to jab her in the face with my head.
She hit me in the eye with bony knuckles, rammed her knee in my chest and caught hold of my wrist with both hands. She was strong and full of jiu-jitsu tricks. She was getting a lock on my arm which threatened to break it. Pain crawled into my brain.
“I’ll teach you to fight me,” she panted, heaving down on my arm.
Somehow I rolled over, taking her with me. She clung to my arm like a bulldog as I threw her about. Each heave I gave sent fresh waves of pain up my arm. My sinews cracked.
I caught a glimpse of her blonde head and I slammed a punch at it. My fist caught her in the neck. She let go of my arm, flopped on the floor.