Page 355 of Rangers Mountain Rescue

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Reaches instead—

Knife.

Of course.

Close quarters.

Smart.

I holster mine.

Step in.

Because this?

This ends up close anyway.

We collide hard.

Impact shakes through both of us.

He’s strong.

Fast.

Trained.

But so am I.

He swings—

I block—

Counter—

Drive him back into the wall.

Concrete cracks.

He grins.

Actually grins.

“Been a while since someone pushed back,” he says.

I don’t answer.

Don’t waste breath.

I go again.

Harder.

We trade blows.

Fists.

Elbows.

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