The Red Nights

Jamal feeling like the sun was about to rise soon he started by opening his eyes while his mind was gradually waking up. When he tried to sit up two soft hands came to hold his broad and strong c.h.e.s.t and before he figured out what was going on he got pulled back on the bed. Lina passed her sweet and slander leg around his while holding tight his upper body.

" Where do you think you're sneaking out like that? " Lina teasingly whispered in his ear.

" Lina " Jamal implored " I have to go, we are in a very crucial circ.u.mstance and you know that very well, I can't allow myself to slack off on my bed while our one- ".

Lina put her forefinger on his mouth holding him to talk more, " shhhhh ", she started to kiss delicately his neck while her hand was gently running down his n.a.k.e.d body search for his lower parts. Before she could go further Jamal stopped her by holding her wrist and turned his head to face.

" Don't tell me you're asking for another round? "

" You didn't enough show me you were missing me " she tried to justify while slowly moving her head towards his, her lips looking for his.

The corners of Jamal's lips extended to reveal a teasing smile, " what are you saying? I know you've reached your limits, you are barely able to stand up I can even feel your legs still shaking ".

" Yeah, I admit it you did a great job " Lina couldn't help but acknowledge, but since she didn't want to lose she continued insisting, " but still we don't have to do the same thing, we can just snuggle on the bed while debating about random subjects, it's been a while we didn't do that ".

" I know and you can't imagine how I would want it but you know that we have many responsibilities to fulfil, many people are counting on us we can't let them down " Jamal calmly replied.

As Lina stayed silent for a moment while he was burying her face in his arms Jamal started to feel something tickling his neck so he asked " what are you doing? "

" Give me a moment I want to inhale as much of your smell as I can so that I can hold until we meet again later ".

Jamal, who didn't expect such an answer, burst out laughing.

" Why are you laughing? " Lina asked while faking a pouting, " it's the least I can do since instead of waiting to spend more time with me my man preferred to stay all the morning staring at younger girls as they are moving their bodies here and there excitingly ".

" What are you saying now? " Jamal replied while still trying to control his laughter.

" Am I wrong? Then look at in the eyes and promise you don't find them more attractive than me ", as Jamal was about to respond Lina quickly blocked his mouth with her hand and before he could talk she exclaimed " you see? You don't even try to refute. Oh dear, you're supposed to say no and calm the heart of this maiden in front of you ", she then pushed him out of the bed while carrying on her acting " now get out of here you insensible and heartbreaking lover ".

As he was standing next to the bed after been ejected, Jamal pulled the woman by the arm " no you get up too, don't forget that you have a load of work waiting for you in your office, we can't be working our asses while you're slacking off in your bed ".

" I do have worked my asses too since yesterday, and the result is that I'm not yet able to use my legs " Lina replied while resisting, " since you're responsible of that you have to leave some time to recover and on contrary to you in my office, we don't start working when the sun rises ".

" I give up " Jamal chuckled and moved to go pick his clothes, " see you later ".

" Wait " Lina stopped him as he was about to leave the room, he turned and she asked " will you stay tonight here again? "

He shook his head " no sorry I will be in my apartment ".

" So can I come over? "

" Sure, but why ask me now? you could have waited until later when I would come to pick you for the lunch " Jamal said a little curious.

" Because I don't plan to eat with you later. To much work, I have to finish them by today so I don't think I would be able to leave my office. Anyway, see you ".

Jamal just nodded before he left the room while Lina was going for another one hour of sleep.

•••

" I hope you will have been able to have a good rest ", Jamal was standing in the courtyard next to the control post where he had taken the habit to train Natasha. Carla and she was standing before him dressed in their sports outfits when they shouted " yes! " to make him know that they were both physically and mentally ready to start the training.

Carla was wearing a simple sleeveless t-shirt with a legging which she surely had borrowed from Natasha while the latter was wearing her habitual training suit.

They had run the length of the barrier earlier just like he told them so Jamal considered that they had already warmed up.

They were standing there wondering what would the next part of the program when Jamal attacked them suddenly. As he didn't them any warning both young women were completely shocked but not enough to be left immobile, having quite good skills and most importantly sharp reflexes they managed to dodge his first attack, however, what came next was so fast that they didn't have been able to defend themselves against it even less to counter before they knew they were thrown down.

Jamal was standing in front staring down at them as they were struggling to get on their feet.

" What the hell was that? " Natasha cried out while she was rubbing the parts she got hit.

" A surprise attack, " Jamal said calmly as if nothing happened.

" We had already figured out that but why? " Carla insisted while rubbing the back of her head.

" Remember how will be our next mission? " he firstly said without any more hints, seeing them as they glanced at each other a bit confused he gave clearer explanations, he pointed to the barrier a little afar, " we will be heading beyond this wall of iron wire. There we will be constantly under the probability of being attacked by the undead at any time just like that or maybe faster, as you just witnessed you can't exclusively rely on your reflexes, you have to train yourself to keep an eye on the surrounding while still focusing on the danger ahead of you and that will be our lesson of the day ".

Jamal moved aside where a bag was left on the ground, he opened it and pulled out a wooden sword and a long wooden stick. He threw the weapons to Natasha and Carla respectively and said " you will be sparring with each other and as you are fighting you to be cautious of my surprise attacks. At the end of the session, the who didn't have been able to block or dodge most of my assaults will be given a penalty ".

He waited for a short moment for them to tell him that they understood and that they were ready before he gave them the signal to start.

Two hours later right after Jamal announced the end of the session both Natasha and Carla fell on the ground completely exhausted. While they were struggling to catch their breath Jamal went in the control post and came out a moment later with two bottles of fresh water, he put one at each side of the women.

" Is it like this every day? " Carla turned her head and asked Natasha between two breaths.

" No " She responded before she sat up and picked her bottle of water, she finished it in one breath and added, " it's the first time since a while I'm so tired ".

" Every time the situation keeps on changing, then, of course, we can't remain in the same level as before. We, too, have to evolve " Jamal replied a little amused by their reaction.

In the end, Jamal couldn't give a real judgement on who should get the penalty since the result was quite awkward. Carla was the one who had been able to avoid the most of his surprise attacks but as a result, she always got instantly defeated by Natasha since she wasn't paying enough attention to their combat while with Natasha it was the total opposite, she was so focused on her opponent before her that, the most of time, she couldn't even barely see Jamal's attacks coming.

Instead of finishing her bottle of water Carla just drank the half and sprayed the rest on her face to cool her head, she then sighed and said: " but I thought you would train me how to use my power or at least to improve my martial art ".

" In fact, I can't really show you how to use your power since it's your own power you have to develop it by yourself " Jamal shrugged, " And concerning your martial art I don't think we have much to do about it. Hopefully, back in your hometown, you have been shown how to fight, your moves are not perfect but you have a good level. I think you already got an idea on why I made you use a wooden stick, didn't you? "

" Yes, it's in relation with my power which is to transform my hair into weapons " she responded studiously.

" That's right " Jamal confirmed, " so about that all I have to do is to introduce you in all the kind of martial arts involving those types of weapons you can summon. so I will try to show the basis of each style whatever it is the handling of a spear or the different stick-fighting styles. But not that I can only show you the basis the rest will be left to you on how you improve yourself. Every day I will show you a new style and you will have to use it against Natasha the next day, by sparring continuously with her you can gain in experience and sharpen your skills ".

He, then, turned to Natasha " you, too, have to use this opportunity to gain in experience and figure out how to adapt your blade to each of all those kinds of fighting styles, got it? "

The young women nodded.

Carla, who still couldn't get rid of her old habits, raised her hand and asked " since today's training is finished when, then, will you teach me those fighting styles? "

" Hmm, it's just your private training which is over later on when we will join the others in the dojo I will teach you " Jamal replied.

" The others " Carla repeated naturally confused.

" Actually, Jamal doesn't teach only us how to fight, he personally took in charge all the youngsters of Stainfall to initiate them in self-defence and other kinds of fighting styles " Natasha clarified to her.

" Oh, I see " Carla nodded thoughtful then asked again " are new citizens like I authorized to participate? "

" Yes, of course, why wouldn't they be allowed? " Jamal replied with a smile. " Now let's go we shouldn't waste too much of our time ".

•••

" Where are we going? " Andre asked again while his sight was running here and there around as he tried to figure out their destination since a moment while at the same time he wanted to memorize the way.

" You're persistent " Volga joked, " can't you be a little patient? We are almost there ".

They stopped nearby a hangar where all the vehicles there had been brought from the other neighbour cities where stocked.

" Lina has agreed with the representative of each city to leave all these cars for the public services. I have to admit that the competences of negotiations of that woman are quite scary " Volga told him as he seemed curious, " anyway it's not because of that we are here, follow me " she said with a gesture of her hand.

She guided him before a steel gate locked with a chain and a padlock. Volga pulled a key from the pocket of her pants and with it she opened the padlock, she removed the chain and slowly opened the gate.

" Normally I shouldn't show this to people since they can get bad thoughts " she started to say while Andre began to see what was hidden in that room, " but I know I can trust and I'm sure Jamal would have done the same thing... or at least wouldn't say that I was wrong to show this to you ".

Andre's eyes widened when he finally saw what was inside. The room was filled with so many guns and fire weapons that he wouldn't be able to count. When Volga pulled him inside he saw that in both sides of the room, boxes of ammunition were piled up along the walls.

" That's all the weapons that have been used in the battles we undergo along with all the ammunition we have collected " Volga informed while he was examining the room, she pushed him lightly by the back and said, " well, pick one of those and let's go shoot some shots ".

" Huh? " Andre was a bit confused and couldn't figure out what was she thinking.

" Don't be shy and the one which pleases you the most, I have the authority to let you take whatever you want so don't worry " she reassured him.

The young man observed around a little before something picked his interest. He moved and came back with a rifle in his hands. As he showed it to Volga, the latter nodded and with a smile, she said " an M16 assault rifle, huh? You have a good taste ". She went to pick a weapon for herself too and with a bag of ammunition, she started walking towards the exit. " What are you waiting for? Let's go " she shouted at Andre.

The man followed and when he left the room Volga closed the steel gate behind him and put back the chain and the padlock before she told Andre to follow her again.