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Message-ID: <34066asstr$1008457802@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: JesseDraven@aol.com
Subject: {ASSM} "Gabriel" RP 2/?  (mf mc rom)
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2001 18:10:03 -0500
Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail
Approved: <assm@asstr-mirror.org>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d


 


<1st attachment, "Gabriel2.txt" begin>

Author's Note: K', Ya'll, here's chapter two. Tell me what you
think. Send all comments to JesseDraven@aol.com




                                                                
Gabriel   
By Jesse Draven


                        


Chapter Two




Gabriel's brown eyes opened slowly, the light from the large
window assaulting them as best as it could. The first emotion
that came to his mind was panic. Pure and simple. This was
because, for the first few minutes he hadn't the slightest clue
as to where he was at. But his turbulent mind settled a great
deal when his thoughts remembered Rachel.

Rachel... But the last thing I remember was... His thoughts
trailed as he remembered. The last thing he remembered was
falling asleep with one of the most beautiful girls he had ever
seen on a Martial Arts mat. But now... But now he was in the room
that Dawna had assigned him and he was very neatly tucked into
the covers, as if someone paid extra special care of him. He then
looked uner the coverers. Yep. Naked. He thought wryly.

Gabriel wondered how he had managed to sleep so much. He had
never slept this much in this short of a time in years. S'pose I
should join the world of the living. He thought with a chuckle
and slipped out of the bed.

It felt kind of weird to get out of bed completely naked. He had
always slept with his clothes on, or at least his jeans. Gabriel
looked at the door of what he was pretty sure was a walk-in
closet. I wonder, he thought as he walked over to the closet and
opened the door. Yep, full of clothes.

Gabriel gave a short laugh at just how many clothes there were.
The closet was packed with every kind of clothes he could
possibly want or need. He stared at the selection, for what
seemed like about five minutes. Gabriel wanted to make a good
impression on his new family.

But in the end, instead of dress clothes (like slacks and
blazers) he picked out a pair of new black Levi jeans and a
dark-blue button-up shirt. That and a pair of new black leather
boots called out to him. He took these items, along with some
underclothes and walked out of the closet.

Gabriel took his time on getting dressed. His mind was absorbed
in thought. What happened last night? I know I'm not the most
experienced on the subject of romance... But I'm pretty sure that
what happened last night, is not the fuckin' 'norm'. His mind
kept spinning the question around in his head. And what is gonna
happen today? His thoughts added.

He quit buttoning the shirt about three quarters of the way up
and didn't bother tucking it in as he walked over to the mirror
on the wall. Cocking his head to the right, Gabriel surveyed his
image. Never before had he worried about his image, but for some
reason, he really cared about what Dawna and Rachel thought of
him. He looked into his intense brown eyes with a quizzical
expression.

Then Gabriel just chastised himself. Fuck it, if they want me
better than this, they're just gonna have to be disappointed. He
thought, giving the mirror a curt nod. With that thought in mind,
he glanced at the clock. 11:30??? Fuck! His mind screamed.
Gabriel suddenly felt like a heel. Time to get a move on, Old
Boy.

He gave the mirror one last glance. The shirt he was wearing was
about two sizes too big, but that was the way he liked button-up
shirts. It also just barely gave a glimpse of his chest.
Satisfied, he turned and started for the door. Even though he was
in a hurry he took his time as he walked. He didn't want to look
like he was in a hurry.

As his new leather boots carried him down the stairs, his
thoughts kept drifting to Rachel. Gabriel wondered how she would
act this morning. He hoped not shy, Gabriel really liked the way
she acted last night. The house seemed quiet, but then again, he
imagined all huge houses seemed quiet.

Even though he was wearing brand-new boots, he made it down the
stairs rather incredibly quiet. Again, he wasn't trying to be, it
just always seemed that it turned out that way. I wonder what
Rachel is doing... He thought as he reached the bottom of the
stairs. Gabriel couldn't help but like her. But he did have to
admit, the fact that she slept with him made him a little bias.

After a few steps, Gabriel heard Dawna's voice and followed it.
He found Dawna and Rachel sitting at the kitchen table. Rachel
was drinking a Mt. Dew and Dawna was sipping on a cup of coffee.
He could tell, he could smell it from where he stood.

He just stood and admired the beauty of the two of them. Neither
knew he was standing and watching them. He listened with slight
awe at the conversation they were having. Damn. He thought, not
knowing what emotion he should be having at the moment.

"Why Rachel, you look like you're positively glowing! Must have
been some Kondo work out," Dawna said, the mischief was apparent
in her eyes. And she was just speaking the truth.

"It's Tae Kwon Doe," Rachel stated with an exaggerated sigh. "And
yes, it was a pretty good work out," She said, taking another sip
of soda.

"Did you get to meet Gabriel?" This was asked with one of those
coy looks that Dawna was so good at.

"Yes, "

"And how did that go?" Dawna asked, she was very amused when she
saw the red flush spread from Rachel's neck and into her cheeks.

"I-I-It went pretty good," She stuttered out. More like
incredibly AWESOME, but let's not go there. Rachel's thoughts
added. And it was, at least for her, she had been wondering how
Gabriel would act ever since she got up, though. She really hoped
that he would not withdraw like his file said he was prone todo.

"Well, I still say you look better this mornin' than you have in
a while, Rachel," Dawna said, sipping her coffee some more.

Gabriel stood at the edge of the kitchen, watching his new
foster-mother tweak her daughter, with amusement. With the coy
look Dawna had, Gabriel had no doubt that she knew exactly what
they were doing last night. And she doesn't even care... He
thought. But his thoughts were cut short.

"Well, good morning, Gabriel," Dawna said, raising her cup as if
to toast him. She noticed her daughter flush even harder just at
the mere mention of his name.

Gabriel had the good grace to blush a little to at being caught
eavesdropping. Good one, Gabe. Real good impression. "Good
morning," He said with a nod, making his way to the table and
taking a seat. "Rachel," He said, acknowledging the girl across
from him.

"Gabriel. I would ask you if you would like some breakfast, but
its lunch time," Dawna said, tweaking him for a little fun. She
watched him as his eyes gave her an apologetic look. She couldn't
have that, with it only being his second day there. "But that's
ok, you needed your rest," She said with a wink, then stood up
and made her way into the kitchen.

Rachel spoke up before Gabriel could be embarrassed by the
statement. "I'm s'posed to meet a couple of people at a place
called Blues at about two. You wanna come?" She asked with the
smallest of a smile. Jesus, he looks good in his new clothes...
She thought, and that made the smile bigger.

People? I thought Dawna said she didn't like people. He thought.
"What kind of people?" He asked. Gabriel really didn't like
socializing.

"What? Ya don't trust me???" Rachel said, her eyes sparkling. I
think he'll like her. Rachel thought with an inward grin.

I'm being tweaked. Gabriel thought wryly. "Yeah, sure. I'm game,
when do we leave out?"
"After lunch... I can still borrow the car, can't I, Mom?" She
asked, looking over her shoulder at Dawna, who was frying some
beacon and eggs.

"I suppose. But be careful with her," Dawna never really
understood why she thought of that Mustang as more of a person
than a car. And they both knew that Rachel was not old enough to
drive yet, but some of the rules of life did not apply to the
Chosen Ones.

Rachel noticed a look of doubt on Gabriel's face and a little bit
of nervousness in his eyes. That's right, it said he didn't like
socializing in his file. I don't think he'll mind once he meets
her... "Gabe, listen, they're pretty cool people. Just stick by
me if you don't like'em. But I'm sure once you get to know them,
you'll thank me," She soothed, not even noticing she called him
'Gabe'.

Gabriel gave her a wry grin and a look that said: Whatever you
say.

They all fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for Dawna
to finish lunch. Gabriel's head was spinning with questions about
the place called Blues. He had no clue as to what it was and
wasn't sure if he would like it when he found out. Other
questions were flying through his mind as well.

Like, why is Dawna giving the keys to her 'Baby' to Rachel when
she knows she is fifteen? Rachel seems mature enough, but still,
it's against the fuckin' law. So, what's up with that??? And what
was that feeling that I had last night... It felt like a damn
spark behind my eyes. Not that I'm complaining about the
after-effects. But its still as weird as hell. Gabriel thought
with more than a little confusion.

Finally, Gabriel got up the nerve to ask a question. "What are
these friends of yours like?" He asked, looking pointedly at
Rachel, but he tried to leave the edge out of his voice. Gabriel
couldn't help it. When he got real confused, he also got annoyed
at being confused.

"Just a couple of people that I told I would come and watch
compete... I might compete myself, I haven't decided yet," She
said with somewhat of a smirk.

"If you ask me, it is a bunch of foolishness," Dawna said as she
sat the plates of food in front of the teenagers.

Gabriel looked questionably at Rachel. Rachel just shrugged her
shoulders and gave an innocent look. "It's just a street
tournament, "

That could be interesting. I always liked WATCHING fights, never
cared to be in them though. He thought. His curiosity was
definitely peaking. "Rules?" He asked, clearly interested.

Rachel could see the interest almost glowing from the boy across
from her. He is just TOO cute for words! She thought... Again.
"Knock out or submission. That's the only way a person can win.
Winner takes home the pot, which is usually around five hundred
or so," She stated in a calm voice.

Gabriel lowered his head, his eyes staring intently at the
table's surface. You could make a little money, if you were
willing to take a little risk... His thoughts trailed. He knew
that he would probably want money sooner or later and hated
asking for it. In his way of thinking, this could be an
opportunity.

He lifted his intense spanish-brown eyes from the table and
stared into Rachel's green ones. "Sounds like fun," He said with
a twitch of a smile. Might even impress her... Don't go that far,
Gabe. You know better than to make assumptions. He chided
himself. "How many people are in it?" Gabriel could tell that
Dawna did not like his line of questioning one bit. He could see
the side of her face and her jaw was clenching and unclenching.
She's already protective of me. For some reason, that made him
feel warm inside.

"'Bout... Twenty-three, I think. Maybe twenty-five. Why all the
questions?" Rachel asked with inquisitive green eyes. And then
watched Gabriel take on a look of complete innocence.

"Just curious," He replied simply. And started on the food in
front of him.

"Uh-huh," Rachel replied, but dropped the subject with a smile.
One thing is for sure, if he fights, I sure as hell won't. She
thought with a little humor. I've seen his skills. Just thinking
of their so-called sparring match last night made the girl flush
slightly, again.

I know my daughter thinks she knows what she's doing... But I
still don't think some stupid tournament will boost his
confidence. Dawna thought as she nibbled on some bacon. The
daughter in question raised an eyebrow at her, as if saying: He's
my student. Dawna kept quiet.

The rest of lunch went by fairly quiet. Hardly anyone spoke. They
were all thinking about different things. Gabriel was wondering
if it was really a smart move to get involved in a tournament.
Especially an illegal one.

Rachel was thinking about how she would subtly acquaint Gabriel
with his latent abilities. She knew the best course was the one
her mother laid out for her. But it was hard not to just tell
him. She knew that she had not known him long, but... She liked
him. A LOT. So this was sort of an inner struggle for her. She
was already starting to grow attached to him.

Dawna, on the other hand, was thinking of a couple of things. She
knew what Rachel was going through. The Chosen always became
attached to one another after they consummated their
relationship. And she could tell by the way her daughter acted
this morning, they had done just that last night.

Dawna's other thought was a simple one: God, I hope he doesn't
get hurt.

__________________________________________________________


Blues, as Gabriel would soon find out was a bar. But not an
ordinary one. The bar itself was quite ordinary, it was what was
in the basement once a month that was a step beyond. The basement
was rather large, and was filled with twenty-five teenaged
fighters. Along with a bunch of middle-aged men ready to place
their bets on the combatants.

Holly Denmark sat like a true queen in the corner. Her black hair
falling to the middle of her back and her grayish blue eyes
scanning the room with unnerving accuracy. She was wearing her
trademark sports bra and black leather jacket, along with a pair
of tight jeans.

Her main purpose in life was to be a protector of The Chosen. But
the Chosen had become very scarce... And since Rachel had refused
her services (but not her friendship) Holly decided to amuse
herself with this little tournament for the last few months.

So, when Rachel said that she agreed to come watch her fight a
few days ago, it was a surprise. But Holly was surprised even
further when she got a phone call from the beautiful girl this
morning, telling her that she was going to bring another Chosen
with her. Rachel knew her friend well. She knew that she would
off her services.

But her hopes fell when she told her that Gabriel did not know of
his gifts yet. But what Rachel told Holly next on the phone made
the girl a VERY happy Protector. She wanted Holly to move in with
her and start her duties unknown to Gabriel. She had to be covert
about the whole thing, though.

Rachel had explained the whole situation to Holly. Even though
she thought that she didn't need protection, and she was pretty
sure Gabriel didn't, but Rachel explained that it never hurt to
have back-up and made it very clear she wanted nothing to happen
to Gabriel.

She looked over at her associate that was also competing. His
name was Josh. He had short brown hair and looked very average.
Even though he was also a Protector. But he knew nothing about
Gabriel, for the simple fact that Rachel had told her to keep
this close to her vest, so to speak. It's gonna be a shame when I
knock poor Josh smooth out, though. She thought wryly.

Holly's eyes scanned the room once more, looking for Rachel and
Gabriel. She had asked her what Gabriel looked like, all Rachel
had to say was "Oh, you'll know him when you see him. He sorta
stands out," Holly didn't know whether or not to be happy or sad
for her friend over this forced relationship. But, by the sound
of her friend's voice when she called... It hardly sounded forced
any longer.

She kept the corner of her eye on the stair case that led up to
the bar. With all the noise in the room, she had no chance of
hearing the door open. There were about 45 to 50 people in the
room. It was a little smokey, do to the cigarette smoke, but she
adjusted nicely. She had learned to block out the noise after her
first visit here. So, she was doing all right.

Holly watched as the light cascaded down the staircase as the
door at the top opened. In walked a boy that looked to be about
fifteen years old. He was wearing a dark-blue button-up shirt.
The sleeves of it were rolled to about mid-forearm. There was a
look in his spanish-brown eyes that sent a shiver down her body.
That has to be him... She thought. And if it wasn't she knew that
she would be disappointed.

But Holly knew... She could feel the presence that Gabriel
radiated. She could feel the power that was unknown to him as of
yet. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Rachel following
behind him.

Her friend was dressed in a tight white t-shirt and faded blue
jeans. A pair of well-worn sneakers carried her down the stairs.
Holly watched as her friend ran her hand through her hair in an
unconscious gesture. She was always doing that since her bangs
were a little long.

<'Don't move, I have to talk to you.'> Holly heard the telepathic
command in her head. She knew the voice well. It was Rachel.

Holly's response was simple enough. <'Ok.'> Then she settled back
down in her seat. She watched as Rachel whispered something to
Gabriel, and started in her direction. The smooth strides of
Rachel, The Chosen, always was noticed by Holly. Rachel was
definitely a vision.

"Hey," Rachel started as she made it to Holly. She took a seat
beside her friend. "Josh, take a walk." She said as she satdown.

"C'mon Rachel-" The boy with brown hair started to protest.

"I mean it Josh, I gotta talk to Holly," Rachel said, looking at
him pointedly. She never did like him, but couldn't understand
why. She watched as Josh grumbled something and got up and walked
out of ear-shot.

"So what's up... no change in plans I hope," Holly said, looking
into her friends sea-green eyes. Man, I hope she don't change the
plans... This is my chance to prove my worth to SOMA. She thought
with a frown.

"Tch, Holly, always thinking the worst," Rachel chided her
friend. I hope Gabriel doesn't get mad over these so-called
plans... She thought a little sadly. She hated being sneaky with
him, but it was for his own good. "Well, I've got good news and I
got bad news. Which do ya want first?" She asked in an eventone.

Oh boy. Holly thought. "The good," She replied in a smooth and
low voice. It portrayed confidence when she had none at the
moment. Holly really did always look for the worst scenarios to
happen.

"The good news is, there is no way in hell you're gonna lose this
tournament," Rachel said with a crooked grin.

"The bad?" Holly asked, waiting for the worst.

"The bad is... You're not competing in it," Rachel said evenly,
squinting her eyes in anticipation of the explosion from her
friend. She was pretty sure there was going to be one, given
Holly's famous temper. But none came. In fact, Rachel was
surprised to see a look of relief on her friend's face.

That ain't so bad. I thought for a minute she was gonna tell me
she didn't need me. Holly thought, obviously relieved. But she
was curious as to why she couldn't compete. "Why not?" She asked
in a light and curious tone.

"Because Gabriel is," She said in an equally light voice. "He
told me so on the way over," Now, here is where the explosion
comes. She thought with wry humor.

"Are you fuckin' crazy!?" Holly said a little too loudly. It drew
several looks their way. She lowered her voice somewhat then. "As
his future Protector, I highly disagree with this!" She said in a
harsh whisper. "He could get hurt," Holly added with serious
eyes. What's she thinking???

As if! Rachel thought wildly. "And as his Mate, I think it is
imperative that we build his confidence. He'll need it to reach
his full potential," Rachel said with die-hard logic. She then
looked over to where Gabriel was standing. He was leaning against
the wall, scanning the room. Rachel then looked back at Holly.
"This is not negotiable."

Damn it, damn it, damn it!!! Holly's mind screamed. But finally
she relented. She knew that Rachel was a Chosen One, and hence,
Rachel out ranked her... That is until she was officially
Gabriel's protector. Then the only people that could give her
order's were him and SOMA.

"All right. But I am still going home with you after this,
right?" She asked, showing a bit of hope in her grayish-blue
eyes.

"As planned," Rachel agreed with a nod. That was easier than I
thought. She thought, as she stood back up. "C'mon, I have to
show Gabriel where to sign up at," She said, motioning with her
head for Holly to follow. "What's the competition like today?"
She then asked making her way to Gabriel.

"Are you competing?" Holly asked, watching her friend give a
shake of her head. "Well, then it will be an 'all boys'
tournament, since I ain't fighting either," Holly replied with a
smirk. 

"How good is he anyway?" Holly asked, talking about Gabriel.

"Let me put it this way... You're in for a treat," Rachel replied
as they came to a stop in front of Gabriel. She was pretty sure
that he heard her, but she was also pretty sure that he didn't
know what they were talking about.

Gabriel had been standing in that spot ever since Rachel told him
to. He wondered what she was talking about to her friend that
would make her friend ask 'Are you fuckin' crazy!?' But he wasn't
the kind to be nosey, so he let it drop. He also let the
statement 'You're in for a treat' drop. He watched with
semi-quizzical eyes as the girl with the long midnight-black hair
approached him.

"My name is Holly. Pleasure to meet you," Holly said and stuck
out her hand.

Gabriel reached his hand out, grasping hers gently. "Gabriel," He
said in a low voice. You know, Gabriel my boy, you should really
learn small-talk some times... He thought to himself wryly. But
he just looked over at Rachel. He berated himself silently for
not talking to her enough on the way over. "So how do I sign up
for this?" Was all he asked, though.

"Well, there is a thirty-dollar entry fee you pay to that man
over there," Rachel replied with a smirk, pointing to the man in
question. She knew that he didn't have thirty dollars. She
watched a brief moment of worry cross Gabriel's intense
spanish-brown eyes. Then added 

"Which I will pay... Seeing how this is you're first time and
all, "

Rachel saw the gratitude in his eyes for a moment, then it
disappeared, leaving that impassive look she had grown used to
over the day. Jesus, he's more closed than I am, now that's bad.
She thought sadly. "C'mon, let's get this over with," She said
with an affectionate smile and tugged on his sleeve.

The three of them walked over to the overly large man with a clip
board in his hand and a small table beside him. On top of the
table was a metal box that was used to keep money in. The man's
gut hung a good four inches over his belt and he was completely
bald on top of his head, but had hair on the sides of his head.
He gave a gracious smile when he saw Rachel and holly approach.

"Holly! Rachel!It's always a pleasure to see you here. I take it
that you two lovely ladies wish to sign up?" The man asked with a
cheerful voice. Gabriel thought the man was a little drunk. But
he thought he could be wrong. Gabriel didn't know why, but he
just didn't like cheerful people.

"Not this time, Old Man. But I do want to sign my friend here
up," She said with good nature, looking at Gabriel. She reached
in her back pocket and pulled out a stack of neatly folded bills.
She counted out thirty dollars and gave it to the man, who took
it with a smile. He then put it in the box on the table.

The man turned to Gabriel and stuck out his hand. "Ah, any friend
of Rachel's is a friend of mine. What's your name, boy?" He asked
as Gabriel gave his hand one firm shake and let it go.

My name is 'Trouble' if you call me 'boy' again. Gabriel thought,
not nicely. "Gabriel," was all he said, though.

"Well, Gabriel, I trust that Rachel here has filled you in on the
house rules?" He watched as Gabriel gave a brief nod. "Ok, all
you have to do is wait until your name is called, then you just
enter the circle... I have to ask, you don't look very big, are
you sure you want to do this?" He watched irritation and more
than a little anger flash in Gabriel's eyes. "I'll take that as a
'yes'," He added with a chuckle.

Then he continued. "You look pretty sure of yourself, Boy...
Would you care to place a side bet?" The man asked. He was pretty
sure that he knew who was going to win. And his name was Josh. He
would have put his money on Holly but she wasn't in it anymore.

At this point of the conversation, Gabriel was a lot more than a
little irritated. If I had money, I'd bet just to knock that smug
fuckin' look off your face. White rage was beginning to fill his
eyes at this point. He was beginning to consider just knocking
the smirk off the old-fashioned way.

Uh-oh. Rachel thought. She could see Gabriel tense up and his
eyes squint. She watched in amusement at first, but saw his
fingers start to twitch. Better do something. She thought
quickly. "No, he doesn't want to place a side bet, but I would,"
Rachel said quickly.

"I never took you for the gambling type, Rachel. But sure. How
much?" He asked, he was on his favorite subject now: Money.

<'How much money do you have?'> Rachel asked Holly
telepathically.

<'Bout three hundred... Why?'>

<'Give it to me. I'll pay you back later, '> Rachel replied. She
watched as Holly just shrugged and reached into her leather
jacket, handing over a money clip.

"How's a thousand sound?" Rachel asked, putting Holly's money
with hers. She chuckled as the man's eyebrows shot straight up.
This should prove to Gabriel that I have a lot of confidence in
him... She thought with an inward grin. "Whatsa matter... too
much for ya?" She asked tauntingly to the large man.

Gabriel had to actually bite his lip to keep from laughing. Holly
was about in the same condition as well.

The large man's face stayed very uncertain for a few more
seconds, then that smug, condescending 'look' came back to his
face. I can't let a kid make me look bad... He thought. "Alright
Darlin', it's a bet," He said with confidence.

Now I really have to win. Gabriel thought, giving Rachel an
affectionate look he had no idea he was giving. Then he turned
his eyes back to the large man, the affection turned to coldness.
"This young lady has a lot of faith in you, Boy. Let's see if its
well spent," He told Gabriel. Then he turned back to Rachel.
"Show him where to go," He said in a clipped tone.
Rachel did not miss the affectionate look that Gabriel gave her.
It made her feel warm inside. 

She knew that Holly didn't miss it as well because she sent her a
message. <'I think he has a soft spot, '> Holly told her smugly.
Rachel just smiled at her and looked at Gabriel.

"C'mon, Gabe. Let's show baldy there that he is SO out of his
league," She said with a chuckle, tugging on his sleeve again.

Gabriel gave her a lopsided grin and a wink. "Whatever you say,
Cutie," The nickname slipped out of its own accord and he snapped
his mouth shut. He had no intention of saying that out loud.

Ohhhhh. I could tweak him good over THAT one. She thought evilly.
But she decided to let it go and pray that it happened again.

The three of them made a steady pace to the east wall of the
basement. On the east wall was three long wooden benches put
together for the fighters to sit on. They heard the fat man's
voice ring out and tell everyone to get situated. Rachel led
Gabriel to a spot and motioned for him to sit. She sat on one
side of him and Holly sat on the other.

Gabriel had one thought: I hope I don't disappoint them.

Then, as if reading his mind, Rachel placed a hand on his knee
and gave a little squeeze. She leaned over and whispered
something to him. "You'll do fine," She said in a voice of
velvet. Then straightened herself.

Gabriel gave her a twitch of a smile and nodded. Maybe I will. He
thought. He watched the fat man step to the middle of the
basement floor, noticing everything got quiet. There were a few
people milling about, but they quickly got situated when they saw
that the show was about to begin.

The fat man stood as a lone figure in the middle of the room. He
was looking at the fighters. He was looking at Gabriel. "You all
know the rules. Nobody leaves the fight until they knock their
opponent out or make them submit... Or have the same done to
them. The bets have already been placed, so it is time to begin.
First up," He looked at the clip board purely for show, he wanted
Gabriel to go first. "Gabriel against Tim Winters. Let it begin,"
He finished, then walked across the room to take a seat.

Rachel gave Gabriel a nod that said 'I know you can do it' as he
stood up and started for the middle of the room. As he was
walking, he noticed that his opponent had started to the middle
as well. His 'opponent' looked like he outweighed him by fifty
pounds. No sweat. He thought wryly and stopped in the middle of
the room, his opponent was about five feet from him.

Tim wore a smirk of confidence. He had no doubt that he was going
to squash Gabriel like a bug. Rachel had told Gabriel the rules
before they got there, so he knew not to move until the fat man
said go. But he was hard pressed when his opponent spoke. But he
knew that Tim was trying to get him angry so he let it slide.

But Tim's cocky grin was almost too much for Gabriel. He wanted
to erase it in a big way. Then the bastard spoke. "Ya know,
that's an awfully pretty shirt... Might want to take it off. I'd
hate to rip it when I'm tearing into you," He said in a
condescending tone.

Gabriel didn't miss a beat though and spoke in a very neutral
voice, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't worry
about it, I have dozens," He said. That got a few snickers from
the other fighters.

Finally, the fat man spoke up. "GO!" He said loudly.

Tim let out an ear piercing scream and flew into the attack.
Gabriel on the other hand, stood stalk still until his opponent
was in reach. When Tim's right fist came flying at his face,
Gabriel used his right hand for an inside block, but he also
stepped into it.

When his loose hand blocked the punch that Tim threw rather
easily, he just made his arm keep going, and made his elbow slam
into Tim's face. It slammed, and cut, just above his eyebrow to
be exact. The blow sent Tim reeling and made him fall to the
cement floor.
Gabriel watched Tim closely. His blood was pouring from the cut.
Gabriel was actually hoping that Tim would submit right then. But
that wasn't the case. Tim slowly pulled himself to his feet.

Fuck it. If that's the way you want it... His thoughts trailed as
Tim stood completely upright and came at him again. Gabriel did a
lightning fast spin kick, that landed with unnerving accuracy. He
felt the side of his foot connect with Tim's jaw. He also heard
the sickening 'crunch' when Tim's jaw broke and watched Tim fall
to a heap in the floor, unconscious.
Gabriel stood still, head cocked to one side, as if analyzing
what he had just done. He took in the people that were cheering
and yelling because they won their bet, or booing because they
lost, with an absent ear. He felt pretty good. With a shrug of
his right shoulder he walked back to the bench.

With a little bitterness, the fat man said "Winner... Gabriel!"

Gabriel looked at Rachel as he made his way back to the bench.
His face was totally impassive. A person would have thought that
he didn't care one way or the other about how the match went. But
Rachel saw the light twinkling in his brown eyes, she knew he was
happy with the outcome.

He sat down between the two prettiest, at least he thought so,
girls in the room, casually. 

Rachel looked at him with a smirk. "You think you're hot shit,
huh?" She said in a teasing, but flirtatious voice.

Gabriel gave her a crooked grin and lifted up his hand, doing a
'come closer' motion. Rachel leaned in, thinking Gabriel was
going to whisper a secret to her. Gabriel leaned closer as well.
Then Rachel got a surprise when, instead of whispering a secret,
Gabriel nipped her ear lobe lightly with his teeth. She flushed
deeply.

"What do you think?" He whispered, watching Rachel blush harder.

Ok. He's more confident. This was what I wanted. She thought, she
could feel her wetness inside her jeans. "Ummm..." She started.

Holly laughed out loud, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"God, ya'll. Get a room!" She said, giggling her head off.

Gabriel winked at Rachel and leaned back against the wall. He was
acutely aware of the looks he was getting from the other
fighters. He wasn't a nobody anymore, to them. Now he was a
dangerous enemy. He listened to whispers they didn't think he
could here. Whispers of strategy.

Rachel recovered somewhat and watched as Tim was carried out. A
thought occurred to her at that moment. Josh. Josh was a
Protector, that meant that he was really good at what he did.
SOMA doesn't hire hacks. That was when she started to worry and
berate herself for not thinking of it earlier.

She leaned back against the wall. <'Holly, tell me Josh isn't
competing.'> She said telepathically.

Holly looked around Gabriel and gave her friend a quizzical, if
not annoyed, look. <'Oh, NOW you're worried?'> She replied
pointedly, looking at her friend's worried face. She then felt
bad about taking such a sharp tone. <'Don't sell Gabriel short.
After what I saw, I think he has a fighting chance. He's so...
so... So fast!'> She added.

<'Yeah, you're right. Josh will be lucky to make it out alive.'>
She replied with a light chuckle.

Gabriel, having heard nothing funny, wondered why Rachel was
chuckling. Ordinarily, he wouldn't bother to ask. But he just
felt good for some reason. "What's so funny?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing," Holly and Rachel said in unison, cryptically. That
confused him even more, but he just shrugged the question out of
his mind. Then he thought about the tournament at hand. I might
actually have a chance at winning this... He thought. The thought
made him feel even better.

There was one thing that Gabriel found a little amusing about the
tournament... He hardly saw any of the fights. Mainly because his
eyes were trained on Rachel most of the time. Gabriel couldn't
get over her beauty.

And I actually called her, 'Cutie'! He thought wildly, about a
quarter through the tournament. Gabriel was amazed by the strong
feelings he had towards Rachel, only having met her yesterday. He
had never felt this way with any one before. It was confusing the
hell out of him.

The rest of the tournament went by like a blur for Gabriel. He
knocked down opponent after opponent. Making most of them need
medical attention, because he broke a lot of bones. 
The strange thing was, he didn't feel a bit guilty for any of it,
the way he usually did.

The next thing Gabriel knew was that the Fat Man was in the
middle of the room telling everyone that it was time for the main
event. "That's right, ladies and gentlemen. The best of the best
in this tournament are about to trade blows. And at this time, I
would like you to place your final bets!" The Fat Man's voice
boomed loudly.

Gabriel just sat quietly. He really wasn't that worried. Well,
that wasn't exactly true, he was a little worried. But that worry
was just at the prospect of letting down Rachel. This Josh kid
wasn't worrying him much. But then again, he wasn't in the habit
of being too cocky.

Rachel looked over at Gabriel with appraising green eyes. Gabriel
looked like he was just a spectator. He didn't look like he had
been in one fight. His face was impassive, his posture relaxed
and his eyes were calm. But Rachel, herself, was more than a bit
nervous.

Josh wasn't a normal competitor. He was a Protector. A skilled
one, who had put more than one man in the ground. Even though she
didn't like him, Rachel could not deny his skill. So, she leaned
over to Gabriel and whispered something to him. "Gabe, be careful
on this one, ok?" Her voice was tinged with a bit of worry.

Gabriel gave her a curious look. "Why are you worrying about it
now?" He asked, there was no sarcasm, only curiosity.

"Let's just say that I've watched him fight outside of the
tournament. I'm not gonna lie, Gabe. He's ten times better than
the rest of these hacks... Just be careful, huh?" Her eyes were
pleading that he didn't question him.

"She's right, Gabriel. And stay away from his right leg," Holly
piped in, her grayish blue eyes serious.

Gabriel didn't know what to say to the worried girls, so he just
nodded his head as he watched the fat man walk back to the middle
of the room. "All right," The Fat Man started. 

"Now it is time for the main event... Are you ready?!" His voice
boomed and the small crowd cheered. "All right, let it begin.
Gabriel vs. Josh!" He boomed as he walked back to his seat.
Gabriel stood up slowly. He saw the look of worry in both of the
girls' eyes as he did so. Why would the worry now? He thought
again. He walked to the middle of the room with slow steps,
noting that Josh already stood there.

Gabriel could feel every eye in the room on him. The worried
looks of the girls made him doubt himself a little... Well, more
than a little. He looked at his opponent. Josh was about his size
and build. If anything else, I'll have that on my side. He
thought wryly.

"So, you're a friend of Rachel's, huh?" Josh asked. He looked
very relaxed, almost as much as Gabriel looked.

"I guess you could say that," Gabriel replied, wishing the fat
man would hurry up and say 'go'.

"You must be a good Follower and a good roll in the sack then,"
Josh spouted off.

But before Gabriel had a chance to contemplate what that meant,
the Fat Man said "GO!" And Josh moved like lighting.

Josh landed a vicious front kick right into the lower part of
Gabriel's stomach, effectively knocking Gabriel's feet out from
under him, putting him on his hands and knees, gasping for air.

"That's why they were worried... Fucker's fast," He muttered to
himself. Gabriel thought about his position, kneeling on his
hands and knees. And in front of Rachel, no less. He thought a
little angrily.

As he thought about that, the anger grew and grew. But something
else also grew. It was a odd tingling shock that felt like it was
on the inside of his head. It sparked once, then a cascade of
heat seemed to surround him, body and mind. But it was nothing
like the heat he felt with Rachel.

"Well, so much for Rachel's little toy," Josh said with a
chuckle. He had no idea that Josh was a Chosen.

Protector's cannot detect when The Chosens are about to use one
of their abilities. But another Chosen can. And Rachel felt
Gabriel radiating God awful amounts of power. It was like
something you couldn't see... But you could feel it. It was like
a calm before a hurricane.

<'Call your friend off, Holly! Gabriel's gonna put him through a
fuckin' wall!'> She shot the thought to her friend.

But it was too late. "Say good night, lover-boy," Josh said and
went in for the finishing blow.
Gabriel looked up from his kneeling position just in time to see
Josh starting a round-house kick that would've connected to his
face. But it didn't. Right before it struck, Gabriel's hand shot
out like lighting, grabbing Josh's shin and stopping his foot
mere inches from his face.

Josh looked down into Gabriel's Spanish-brown eyes, and what he
saw there... What he saw there suddenly made him want say 'I take
it back!' But all that came out was "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!" As Gabriel
squeezed his shin bone, crushing it to almost powder in a white
knuckle death grip.

As Josh started to fall, passing out from pain, Gabriel came up
with such speed that everyone in the room gasped. Everyone but
Rachel and Holly, that is. Because Gabriel came from a kneeling
position, into a full kick in one motion. A kick that connected
with Josh's side, and ribs, and sent him flying into the west
cement wall... About nine or ten feet away.

Gabriel landed on his feet as graceful as a cat. His glacial
brown eyes never moving from the still form. Gabriel felt the
breaking of the ribs with satisfaction. But then, he realized
what he had just done. His first question was: What the fuck???
Then his eyes shot to Rachel. She was giving him a quizzical
look. Holly was giving him a look of what could only be described
as awe.

At that moment, everyone that had won money, burst into applause.
Three people started to make their way to him then. Rachel, Holly
and the Fat Man. They all made it at the same time. The Fat Man
had a look of disgust on his face. Rachel had an impish grin
though.
The Fat Man stuck a stack of bills out to her. "Here's your damn
money. And I don't wanna see any of you brats here again," He
looked at all three of them when he said it.

"Oh, I don't think that will be a problem," Rachel said, taking
the money. "Let's get the fuck out of here guys... The company is
making me nauseous," Rachel said in a clipped tone, then started
for the door.

Gabriel reluctantly followed. What the fuck happened?!? His mind
screamed.

Two Hours Later

Ok, how do you tell someone they just neurally charged their
muscles enough to kick a person ten feet across the room??? After
they crushed their leg simply by squeezing it? Rachel thought for
what seemed like the thousandth time.

After the three left "Blues", they went to a small restaurant on
main street. It was a Japanese restaurant that Holly recommended.
It was not surprising, to Rachel at least, that Gabriel was
fairly quiet and withdrawn again. No, telling what's going
through that cute little head of his... Rachel's thoughts cleared
a little as she ate a piece of food.

Rachel knew that Gabriel might be feeling a little guilty. What
he didn't know was that Josh could have defended himself way
better if he knew that Gabriel had the ability. Josh never
thought to use his. He thought that he was going up against a
Normal.

What Rachel also found a little odd was the fact that Gabriel
completely took it in stride when she told him that Holly would
be moving into their home as well. He just gave her one of those
shrugs that he usually gives and one of them impassive looks that
she had became all too familiar with.

Holly looked over at Gabriel with sympathetic eyes. She knew that
he probably had no idea as to what was going on. She also felt a
stab of anger toward Josh. That son of a bitch was gonna kick him
when he was down! She thought. She had little pity for his
current condition.
She also thought it best to break the ice with her future
employer. "So, Gabriel, you did pretty damn good in the
tournament... How long have you studied the Arts?" She asked with
good nature, idly poking at her food.

Gabriel gave her the barest twitch of a smile before he spoke.
"Long enough," He replied in a neutral voice. Come on, Gabe, this
is one of Rachel's friends... She can't be all that bad. He
chided himself when he saw Holly frown somewhat. "How long have
you known Rachel?" He asked, trying to make Holly's smile come
back and spark conversation.

"Oh, Hell, I've known Rachel for close to... What? 'Bout ten
years?" She asked Rachel as she took a sip of water. It wasn't
until she sat the glass down did she spoke again. "We used to
train together when we were little, "

"Yep, I got to kick her ugly ass all over the mat!" Rachel said
with a wink at Gabriel.

"Yeeeeaaah, RIGHT!" Holly retorted sarcastically. Then she got
the 'look' from Rachel and conceded. "But I was a challenge
though," She added to save face.

Holly and Rachel were right about one thing, Gabriel was thinking
about what happened at the tournament. And what happened the
night before with Rachel. Rachel's known Holly since they were
four... So I guess I could spout off something front of her.
Because, if there is one thing a know for a FACT, is that what
happened in that tournament was not normal. Gabriel had enough
chit-chat for the moment.

He also had this sneaking suspicion, that since Rachel and Holly
both were taking him kicking his opponent ten feet, and were
acting like it was the 'norm, they knew more than they were
letting on.

Rachel was the first to see it. It was an evil little capricious
look that Gabriel's eyes took on all at once. At least for her
(But the same could be said for Holly) all of the sounds of the
restaurant seemed to die away. Both of the girls lost their
cheery smile. They knew what Gabriel wanted to talk about.

Gabriel's Spanish-brown eyes were, oh, so serious when he spoke.
"What happened today was definitely not fuckin' normal. And for
some reason... I think you two ladies know exactly what I'm
talking about."

Oh, NOW he decides to speak in full sentences. Rachel thought
wryly. Her friend Holly had gone a little pale. "Do you trust me,
Gabriel?" Rachel asked in a neutral voice. She knew that she had
to make her words precise.

Why don't I like it when people say 'Do you trust me, Gabriel?'
It always makes things complicated. But I do trust her more than
anyone than I have in a long time... "I guess." He replied with a
charm.

Mom is gonna fuckin' kill me for breaking protocol. "Where should
I start..."

"At the beginning would be a damn good place." Gabriel said with
just a twitch of a smile. He thought that he already had a faint
idea of what was going on, but he wasn't for sure.

"Mom took you in for a reason."

"Figured." He replied simply, his impassive face firmly in face.

"You are like I, and I are like you." Rachel said, purposely
speaking vaguely to peek his curiosity. She then got a telepathic
question from Holly, asking her what was she doing. 

<'Go with the flow.'> She replied simply.

Gabriel drained what was left of his water and sat in back on the
table. Then he leaned forward, hands on the table, his eyes
squinted. "What do you mean?" It can't be worse than I think,
Rachel, spit it out!

Protocol be damned!!! Sorry, Mom, but I gotta show him a little
of what he is capable of. "See your glass?" Rachel asked with a
nod of the head.

Gabriel looked at his glass, then back at Rachel. And he felt it.
It was a deep-seated power that was coming from Rachel. It seemed
to build, but only for a second. Gabriel could feel it be
projected towards the glass. The glass just, flat out, shattered,
right before his eyes.
Fuck me!!! He thought wildly. But his impassive face never left,
and he moved his very curious eyes to Rachel.

He didn't even fuckin' flinch! Holly thought, somewhatimpressed.

A waiter suddenly rushed over and asked if everything was all
right. And after Rachel told him it was, he cleaned up the glass
shards. When the waiter left, Gabriel's curious, but intense,
eyes bore into Rachel. "Are you saying that I can do that?" After
what he saw, his voice was surprisingly neutral.

"Are you telling me that you're not ready to bolt?" Rachel asked,
leaning into the table as well. The worry that was in her
sea-green eyes was evident.

"Once ya get to know me, you'll figure out I'm a sucker for
learning something new." He replied, trying to play down the
situation. Besides, Gabe my boy, that would explain why you
always felt different than others... You were. And no matter
what, Gabriel still felt a strong connection to Rachel.

"Not even close... But me and your Mother, are gonna have a long
talk," He stated, then his gaze turned to Holly. "Where do you
come in at?"

"I'm a Protector... Yours if you wish. SOMA lets the Chosen have
them." Oops. That might have been more than I shoulda said... She
sent Rachel an apologetic look.

"SOMA??? Protector???" He shot Rachel a very curious look.

"Can we just go home? I really don't think this is the time for
this discussion," Rachel said, looking at Gabriel's eyes... They
said it was definitely time. "Look, I promise I'll tell you
everything I can when we get home."

"I'll hold you to that." He said. And if Rachel didn't know
better, she could swear that Gabriel's voice held amusement.

And with that, they all got up and left the restaurant.

__________________________________________________________



On the ride home, Gabriel's mind was spinning with questions,
disappointment and even anger. Not enough anger for him to lash
out. But he was mad that Rachel would lie and withhold this kind
of information from him. You were too quick to trust, Gabe. You
knew better. His mind scolded.

Yes, Gabriel had a lot of time to think on the ride home. And he
never said one word to either Rachel or Holly. Holly the
Protector. Why would I need a Protector? And what is SOMA? And
why the fuck do I care? I could pack and tell them I want to go
back to Social Services for a transfer. But... His thoughts
trailed.

Gabriel didn't want to do that. Even in the short time that he
had known Rachel, he had become extremely attached. So, Gabriel
did what he was good at. He started to retreat into himself.
Making everything but critical things not important. But he would
still ask questions when they made it home. Oh, that was
something that he most certainly would do.

The three pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the
Mustang. Gabriel still hadn't said a word. When they made it to
the door, Rachel found a note on it.
Rachel,

Sorry but I had some business to handle in town. You kids have
fun, but stay out of trouble.
Later,
Mom

When they walked into the house. Rachel's sea-green eyes were
showing more than a little worried. <'Hey, Holly... You think
he's upset? He's being real quiet. More than he normally is.'>

<'NO! Ya don't say? I'd be pissed too.'> Holly thought at her
with a shrug. She was trying to hide the fact that she was
worried too.

"Gabriel, we can go up to my room. You'll get your answers
there." She said, watching him give a nod. I can see that I am
going to be doing most of the talking. She thought wryly.

Gabriel realized that this was the first time that he had ever
been in Rachel's room. On one of the walls was a shelf that was
completely filled with Martial Arts trophies. She had a big king
sized bed, much like his and her book shelf... Well, she had
about twice as many books as he did.

See what happens when you let your guard down, Gabe. BOOM! You're
on the receiving end of deception. He thought. But I really like
her. I might even- His thoughts were cut short.
Rachel had walked over, and stood by, the large glass window that
overlooked the grounds below. Holly decided that she would just
sit on the bed and watch. "I suppose you want some answers now.
So, ask you first question, I'll answer if I can." Here is where
he asks how I broke the glass. She thought.

It was just a bare whisper. "Why did you lie to me?" Gabriel
asked. Rachel could swear there was a hint of pain in his voice.

"I didn't li--" She started.
For the first time in years, Gabriel actually screamed. "YOU
LIED!!!" Gabriel felt a heat leave him before he could even think
about what it was, let alone stop it. It was a raw power that
seemed to fly from his being.

Rachel on the other hand, felt it come right at her. She barely
had enough time to throw up a defense. The only thing that the
raw kinetic energy did to her was blow her blond hair back. But
the huge, and very expensive, window behind her wasn't so lucky.

The window shattered into so many pieces that no one could count
them, even if they tried. Rachel looked at where the window used
to be, feeling the cool breeze brush against her skin. She looked
back at Gabriel and the sight of him scared her more than what he
did to the window.

He was as pale as a sheet. The usual impassive look was
completely gone. He looked scared, real scared. I could've killed
her!!! His mind screamed. And he was ready to bolt, for fear of
what he would do next.

Rachel must have sensed that he was about to run, because she was
across the room in the blink of an eye. Powerful neurally charged
arms encased Gabriel gently, but firmly as she whispered in his
ear.

"It's all right. I'm fine. Look, see? You didn't harm a hair on
my head. Even if you did, you wouldn't have done it on purpose."
She said soothingly, stroking his hair. "Would you have?"

Gabriel was still trembling. He was getting a hold of himself
though. "N-N-No." He stammered out. "What did I do?"

"Let's get you something to drink and I'll tell you OK?" She
looked over at Holly, who also looked a little pale. After all,
it wasn't everyday that she saw the power of a Chosen. "That
sounds good, right Holly?" Holly gave a nod.

Then they went back downstairs.


___________________________________________



A few minutes later, all three of them were seated at the dining
room table with a soda in front of them. None of them really
wanted to start the conversation. But Rachel began with a sigh.

"Look, Gabriel, I can't tell you everything. The reason I can't
tell you is because it's against the protocol of SOMA." Rachel
said and took a sip of her soda.

Gabriel just nodded his head in agreement. "First off, what's
'SOMA'?" He asked, some of the fear had rapidly disappeared from
his eyes and was being replaced with curiosity.
Holly and Rachel gave each other a look, then Rachel just shruged
and went on to explain. 

"SOMA stands for "School of Mental Acuity." It's for people like
you and me. We're known as the Chosens."

Gabriel gave her a questionable look.

"The Chosens can do things that not many people in the world can
do... Like shatter three thousand dollar windows with only a
thought." She added with wry amusement. "Telekinesis in other
words." She added. At least he looks calm again. She thought to
herself.

Gabriel looked at Holly. "Are you a Chosen?" He asked with a low
voice.

"Hell no. I ain't that powerful, mentally anyway. I can do what
you did at the tournament though. I'm a Protector." She looked
thoughtful for a moment. "That and telepathy."

"You can read people's minds???" Gabriel finally sounded
genuinely impressed.

"Normals? Sure, that's easy. I can only read our kind's mind if
they want to communicate, though." Holly replied with good
nature.

Gabriel then looked back at Rachel, pointedly. "What all can I
do? Why did your Mom bring me here and when were you gonna tell
me?"

Rachel seemed to shrink under Gabriel's gaze. Now he decides to
spout questions like bullets. Rachel thought without humor.
"There's some things I can't tell you. I can tell you that you
have the potential of Mind-Control and you already saw that you
can do telekinesis. As for why Mom brought you home... I'll tell
you if you promise not to lose your cool." She said the last
almost as a whisper.

Mind-Control?!? Fuck me. She's gotta be jerkin' my chain. We'll
see. He thought with a nod. 

"I promise."

"Well, the first was because you're a Chosen. The second is
because she wanted me to train you. And the third," Oh boy. "She
was sorta... Well, I mean... She was playing match maker." I
don't think I'm gonna mention the word 'baby' right now. He don't
need to know, right? Right.

_________________

Send all comments to JesseDraven@aol.com

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