Predator If It Bleeds 77

That was a very interesting exhibition," said Chiba as he settled into his own massive chair.

"Just a sparring match, sir. Owl's got some nice moves. Made me work for it."

Chiba grinned. "Bullshit. I saw eleven separate times could have hurt him and you didn't. I could see that you didn't. Not until he gave you no choice."

Fix sipped his drink, said nothing. Waited.

"Why not?" asked Chiba.

"Just a sparring match," Fix repeated.

"Ah," said Chiba, brightening. "You didn't want to go all out because there were no stakes."

"That's part of it, sure."

"Let me guess the rest. There were other fighters in the room. You didn't want to school them on how you really
fight."

Fix nodded. "That's about it, boss."

Chiba swallowed half his drink and sat crunching a cherry, his eyes studying Fix. "You're ex-army?"

"Yes. Been out for a while now."

"Special Forces, as I understand it."

"Sure."

"Where did you see action?"
"Here and there. Lot's been going on around the system. Mostly by the time they sent us in things had either gone to hell or cooled down. The movies they make glamorize it, but we didn't do anything too crazy."

"Oh? It's my understanding you were a team leader when SpecOps breached the prison ship after it had been taken over by the inmates."

Fix said nothing. The records of that mission were sealed. No one outside of the military high command should be able to read that file. Chiba continued,

"Then there was the Rubio Cartel on Mars that got wiped out virtually overnight. And the rescue of the ambassador and her entire staff. A twelve-man team goes in and saves the lives of eighty-six people in a hot zone. One hundred and seventeen hostiles dead."-pg.421-422 chpt.16