<div style="text-align: justify"><i>"Never come close. Stand still, secure your stance, slow your breathing. Shoot. Good." <br/>
<br/>
Mallory stood on the training grounds, which was nothing but a glorified, empty square with some targets to shoot at. With the heavy gun in her hands, she felt the adrenaline hiking up in her veins, enhancing and sharpening her senses. It was difficult to listen to her trainer as he spoke in a monotonous tone, devoid of any significant emotion.<br/>
<br/>
"Never engage. Not in Dome. The moment you come close, you'll leave with your guts spilled on the ground; or not at all. Stand, shoot. Don't think."<br/>
<br/>
The man gave her a nod and took the weapon from her, walking away to issue commands to more recruits. The woman shook with excitement still, the feel of the weapon burned into her muscles and brain. She took a moment to stare at the others, noticing their postures and mistakes they made. With an arrogant smirk, she turned around on her heel, only to almost bump into someone.<br/>
<br/>
Lavonne. A gasp escaped her lips and, without thinking, she raised her arms in front, as if to cover from an upcoming attack. But the dark figure only smiled.<br/>
<br/>
"Idiots, the whole lot." Victor spat on the ground, close to Mallory's shoes. "Stand and shoot and get a bullet first." He mocked the trainer's boring tone, then leaned in against Mallory, much to her terror. "He got one thing right. Don't. Think. But use everything you have to fight.. And win."<br/>
<br/>
***</i><br/>
<br/>
Mallory heard her own groan leave her throat, a primal, deep sound that she couldn't possibly feign. Falling down with her prey, the officer hit her shoulder hard again the wet stones, an explosion of pain taking her mind off of the task at hand for a moment. A moment long enough for the other party - soon enough, Mallory felt an elbow barely missing her nose. With air in or out of her lungs, there was no pause. <i>No time to think</i>.<br/>
<br/>
They struggled in the dark alley. Mallory's brain, drunk on adrenaline, began to notice the smallest details of their surroundings, filling her head with unnecessary information. She noticed how quiet, even if intense, their fight was; if it wasn't for an occassional growl and huff, and the other girl's furious words, they could've fooled anyone. Someone could have been standing in an alley next to this one, and notice nothing.<br/>
<br/>
She had been forced to fight for her life before, of course. But usually, she had back up; people ready to kick and punch when her own body failed her. Comrades more than happy to offer a few additional favors, especially if they included abuse, when her mind faltered. But now, she was alone. Mallory grabbed the other person by the collar and laid a punch close to her temple. Enough for it to be a promise for more, hopefully enough to have the catch stop thrashing underneath her.<br/>
<br/>
The girl's words took her by surprise, but so did her face. With her arm raised for another punch, other hand wrapped and clutching onto the prey's clothing, Mallory blinked. Hesitated. The girl couldn't have been much younger than her. Mallory was used to dealing with men. Militia loved men in uniform way more than it did women, though there were some special cases where female officers were feared even more than their male counterparts.<br/>
<br/>
Her lips parted as she was about to spoke, but suddenly, the silent alley filled with a booming, deep and dark growl, followed by a short-lived scream, and then another. A gunshot. And more thrashing.<br/>
<br/>
"Lavonne, stop!" someone yelled out in a nearby alley.<br/>
<br/>
Cold sweat appeared on Mallory's back again. Her body moved on its own, not letting go of her prize. "Move!" She commanded, half pushing and half dragging the girl with her. Only one thing was on Mallory's mind now: get away, and get away fast. She put her hand across the brick wall and slammed her burning shoulder into the first door they came by. Pulling the girl inside and forcing her down, Mallory put a hand over her mouth, crouching in front of her smaller body.<br/>
<br/>
The dark-haired woman twitched when something fleshy hit the wall outside, close to them. They could hear heavy stomping, breathing, then an even fleshier crush of something definitely organic. And then silence. Mallory took her hand away, slowly, but kept it lower, on the girl's throat.<br/>
<br/>
"I saw you. In the crowd, you little bitch." She whispered. "Had it not been for you and your idiotic friends, we wouldn't be dealing with that now." She added, almost crazy-like undertone in her voice, eyes wide open and clearly scared.<br/>
<br/>​</div>