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looks around the room, ev eryone now looking at he and Rena, except the table with the two pairs of young men and women.  The three forty-year olds are in an animated discussion, all the while their gazes fix on them both .
    Michael turns his attention to Rena.  She looks pale and he notices her hands shaking.  He glances arou nd, worried for her health, realizing she ’s coming down from the adrenaline rush.  Although she appears capable in a f ight, he suspects she’s probably never been in a situation like this.  He’s seen first time fighters in the cages collapse after matches from over-excitement.   “Are you okay? ” He asks , visibly concerned .
    Rena looks up , meeting his gaze and nods timidly .
    He wants to reach out to her, a show of comfort , but refrains, probing no furth er.
    At that moment, Alexander joins them unexpectedly .  He sits down at the table, smiling, shifting his gaze from one to the other.  “Well done .  Probably the best exhibition I’ve seen.”
    Rena, regaining her color rapidly, glares at him .  “You mean this kind of shit occurs often ?   What the hell do you mean , ‘exhibition’? ”
    Alexander regards her sternly, “Listen you two, I may have seen something in each of you, but the rest of the people that matter, really don’t give a shit what I saw.   Rather than wasting a lot of time and effort on a couple of sandbags, we hold a tryout in front of the evaluators.  Many of the talents we scouts deliver don’t make it past the first night.”
    Mic hael looks around the hall, noticing several physically lacking talents.  He immediately asks the question; “Are you saying everyone here … has had this kind of tryout?”
    A p pearing amused by the implication, Alexander shak es his head, “ No, no.  Only the talents considered for field positions.  As you two were.  Though, young lady I had no idea you could handle yourself so effectively , t he whole head-butt and groin foray was amazing. ”
    Rena regards Alexander with a cocky half smile , effectively convey ing gratitude as much as contempt .
    Alexander ’s gaze passes from Rena to Michael and back.  “I gotta know.  Did you two kn ow each other before yesterday?”
    Michael looking at Rena, mildly embarrassed, responds, “ N oticed her a few times at a couple of my fights , but n ever actually met .  She’s kind of hard not to notice.”
    Blushing slightly, Rena , uncomfortable be ing the object of a conversation , replies, “I ’ve been at a few of his fights.  His style was fun to watch, e legant, efficient.”
    Michael grimaces uncomfortable with the use of ‘elegant’ , in reference to his fighting.
    “Ah yes, his style … it is unique.  Might I ask where you learned it?”
    “Don’t really know; guess I just picked it up as I saw it.  You experience enough fights in the Hustle ; get exposed to a lot of different things.”
    “Listen, y ou two made an impression, a very positive impression.  Thank you very much for making me look good . ” Alexander chides, “ Based on what I saw last night, I had recommended you for field operations, which prompted the tryout. You passed .  Starting tomorrow, you begin evaluation .  They will test various aspects of your person , both physical and psychological.  After that, you will be educated in skills required for your projec ted positions.  Become sponges; absorb everything you can.  Teach each other; learn skills you are not getting formal training .  In other words, become as multifaceted as you can.”
    “You talk as if the two of us are going to be allowed to work together.  I assume Rena and I are not intended for the same f ield positions, our training regiments wouldn’t likely be similar .” Michael questions.
    “Correct, y ou are not expected to perform the same function , but functions that normally work in the field together , as part of a team .  As to your question about access to each other, I recommended last