Every hesitation bought her another second.
Thirty-five seconds.
Owen finally said,
“Marcus, left.”
Marcus listened.
Derek went right.
Leah’s options narrowed.
Good.
She stepped back.
Owen held center.
Marcus cut.
Derek approached.
Leah slipped between Marcus and Owen before they fully closed.
Derek laughed.
“She’s not running.”
Marcus breathed harder.
“No.”
“She’s steering.”
Daniel heard that.
Good.
Forty-five seconds.
The black belts started talking.
“Hold.”
“Switch.”
“Go.”
“Wait.”
Now the drill changed.
Leah had less control.
Derek touched one shoulder.
Owen almost reached the other.
Leah spun away.
Not dramatic.
Barely.
Fifty-five seconds.
Marcus stopped rushing.
That mattered.
He waited.
Leah watched him.
He smiled.
“Not giving it to you.”
She nodded.
“Better.”
Marcus hated that.
Good.
Owen advanced.
Derek held angle.
Marcus waited for Leah to turn.
She did.
He moved.
This time two hands reached at once.
Leah ducked under one line.
Not under arms physically.
Under timing.
Owen’s hand touched.
Marcus missed.
No score.
Sixty-five seconds.
Now Leah was breathing hard.
The black belts noticed.
Derek said,
“She’s slowing.”
Leah smiled.
“That took you long enough.”
Marcus laughed.
Seventy seconds.
They tightened.
Owen center.
Derek right.
Marcus left.
Leah had no clean line.
She stepped backward.
Daniel watched the boundary.
Still safe.
Marcus feinted.
Leah reacted.
Derek moved.
Owen held.
Two shoulders touched.
Almost simultaneous.
Daniel raised a hand.
“Score.”
The room reacted.
The three black belts smiled.
Leah stepped away.
Timer showed seventy-eight seconds.
Marcus looked at her.
“Done.”
Leah nodded.
“You got it.”
Derek laughed.
“That’s it?”
“What do you want?”
“You challenged three black belts.”
“And lost.”
Owen looked at her carefully.
“You don’t care.”
Leah shrugged.
“I care.”
“Doesn’t look like it.”
She pointed at the timer.
“Seventy-eight seconds.”
Marcus frowned.
“So?”
Leah looked at all three.
“You started communicating at fifty-five.”
Silence.
Daniel smiled.
There it was.
The real challenge.
Leah had not wanted to prove she could beat three black belts.
She wanted to see how long three skilled people took to stop acting like three individuals.
Marcus looked annoyed.
“Who are you?”
Leah smiled.
“Beginner.”
The room laughed.
Daniel did not.
He asked,
“Beginner at what?”
Leah looked at him.
“Here.”
Different answer.
Daniel nodded.
“Training background?”
Leah hesitated.
Then said,
“Movement coaching.”
Marcus frowned.
“That’s not a martial art.”
“No.”
“What kind of movement?”
“Team sports.”
“Which?”
“Basketball.”
Derek laughed.
“You play?”
“Used to.”
Owen looked at her feet.
“What level?”
Leah sighed.
“College.”
Marcus smiled.
“There it is.”
Leah raised a hand.
“Not what you think.”
Daniel waited.
She continued.
“I wasn’t a star.”
“Bench guard.”
“Two years.”
“Then assistant student coach.”
“Sports performance after.”
Derek frowned.
“So how do you know this?”
Leah looked at him.
“Spacing is spacing.”
“Pressure is pressure.”
“Angles are angles.”
Marcus said,
“That sounds too convenient.”
Leah smiled.
“My brother wrestled.”
Daniel looked up.