Read Bodyguard: Ransom (Book 2) for Free Online

that’s what I call fighting fit.’
    Connor managed a weak smile. ‘Well, I’m fit for nothing now!’

 
    Connor slumped on the bench and reached inside his training bag for his water bottle. Popping the cap, he almost drained it in one slug. Amir lay at his side, breathing hard, a weary arm draped across his forehead.
    ‘I shouldn’t have … made that joke … about hiring us too late,’ panted Amir.
    Connor looked over at his friend, unable to believe Amir had the energy to dwell on the buddyguard assignment after such a gruelling circuit session. ‘The colonel’s choice had nothing to do with your joke. He’d have made up his mind before the briefing.’
    Amir propped himself up on one elbow, sweat dripping from his brow. ‘Then why didn’t he choose me? I’m the only one in Alpha team who hasn’t yet been on an assignment.’
    ‘Must be because you’re so good with the tech stuff,’ said Marc, chucking Amir a towel. Amir wiped the sweat from his face but his dejected expression remained.
    Connor nodded encouragingly. ‘That’s it! The colonel’s playing to your strengths. During the mission, you’ll be needed in HQ to maintain comms and run the IT. Rememberlast time, it was
you
and Bugsy who figured out the Cell-Finity bug.’
    ‘Great,’ said Amir without much enthusiasm. ‘So while you’re off sunning yourself in the Seychelles with “Miss Swimsuit”, I get stuck in wet Wales doing circuits!’
    ‘Look, Amir,’ said Connor, trying one last time to console his friend. ‘Ling was the most obvious choice.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Because she’s a girl.’
    ‘
Just
because I’m a girl!’ remarked Ling, shooting daggers at Connor as she leant against the ropes of the sports hall boxing ring.
    ‘No … I didn’t mean it like that,’ Connor stammered.
    ‘Whatever,
Boss
,’ she replied, her tone laced with sarcasm.
    Connor sighed. This didn’t bode well for their forthcoming
assignment. ‘Let me explain –’
    ‘Be my guest,’ she said, lifting the ropes of the boxing ring and inviting him to join her.
    ‘But we’ve just done circuits!’ exclaimed Connor.
    ‘Is that your excuse?’ Ling gave him a withering look, somehow still appearing as fresh as a daisy herself. ‘Or is it because I’m a
girl
you don’t want to fight?’
    Connor shook his head, wondering how he was going to avoid the sparring challenge. Although he was a black belt in jujitsu and kickboxing, that didn’t mean he took a match with Ling lightly. At their very first encounter, she’d demonstrated she was a supremely tough combatant. In Amir’s words, ‘Ling
always
wins her fights.’
    It was as if she had something to prove. And Ling wasn’t to be dissuaded now. She bounced nimbly on her feet and pulled on the sparring gloves Jason offered.
    ‘I don’t think Connor’s up for it,’ Jason remarked, handing Ling her gumshield while eyeballing Connor. ‘I hope he’s not going to be a liability on your mission.’
    Members of Bravo and Delta teams were soon drawn to the ring by the excitement of a challenge fight.
    ‘I thought you were Battle of Britain Kickboxing Champion,’ remarked Luciana, still gloating over her victory. ‘Let’s see you prove it.’
    ‘Go on, Connor,’ urged Sean. ‘You know how “Lightning Ling” only sees sense in the ring!’
    Connor looked to Amir for a way out. But his friend just shrugged his shoulders. ‘You don’t seem to have much choice,’ he said. ‘You’ll have to play to
your
strengths.’
    Despite his exhausted state, Connor ducked under the rope, entered the ring, put on a pair of sparring gloves and turned to face his opponent –
    An explosive jab almost took his head off. Only blind instinct enabled him to spin away in time. A right hook came flying in and Connor had to weave sharply aside again. Ling certainly wasn’t waiting around to start the fight officially.
    ‘So the colonel’s choice,’ said Ling, launching a roundhouse kick to his