Free Guns And Dogs by T.A. Uner Page B

admirably against that feral creature. You see bullies come in all shapes and forms. Unfortunately, some of them even wield the power of the law.”
    Johnny wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’m just glad you appeared when you did, sir.”
    The old man smiled at Johnny. “You would’ve handled him; of that I have little doubt, farewell my young friend.” Seconds later the old man disappeared, along with the park. Johnny was back in Training Room 2. Then the holographic room disappeared and he found himself in a dark alley that smelled like rotten fish. Above him a sliver of moon appeared behind a cluster of dark clouds. In his hand was a briefcase.
    He heard some sneering and looked to see two men wearing leather jackets. One had a green mohawk and a black lightning bolt tattooed across his forehead and the other one was a hulking giant carrying a thick chain. “Alright punk,” Mohawk said, “hand over the briefcase.”
    “Yeah you little turd,” said his companion. “Hand it over squirt.”
    Johnny didn’t know what was in the briefcase but he knew that he couldn’t give it up to these two miscreants. Summoning his courage, he shook his head. “I don’t think so guys.”
    Both men laughed. “Kid has some cahones on him, ehh Larry?” Mohawk told his companion.
    Larry the hulk laughed. “Yeah Sid, let’s bust ‘em up.”
    Sid pulled out a switchblade and came at Johnny. He thrust the knife at him but Johnny ducked and slammed the briefcase into Sid’s nose, causing blood to erupt from his nostrils like a geyser. He fell to his knees and started cursing. Then Larry came at him. He lashed his chain at Johnny who moved to avoid getting hit by it. Larry started grunting like a gorilla and moved in on Johnny, who was running out of room to move. Meanwhile, Sid had gotten to his feet and had a murderous look on his face.
    Sweat clung to Johnny’s back and he felt his heart pumping hard in his chest. Sid came at him again and elbowed Johnny in the side of his face. Johnny shook it off but seconds later Larry’s chain wrapped itself around his ankle and Johnny found his feet sliding out from under him. His head banged against the surface of his briefcase but he remained in the fight. Sid launched a steel-tipped boot at him but Johnny grabbed the man’s ankle and twisted it with all his strength. Sid cried out in pain and crashed into Larry who lost his footing and banged his head against the side of a dumpster, knocking himself out. Sid was trying to get up but Johnny blindsided him in the face with the briefcase which knocked him to the ground. He lay docile on the concrete next to the unconscious Larry.
    A sense of pride, something he hadn’t felt in ages, rose within Johnny as he gazed victoriously upon his vanquished foes. Then the holographic alley disappeared, and he found himself back in Training Room 2.
    “You’ve completed the first part of your holographic character training, Mr. Veto,” Patrice’s voice said through the intercom speaker. “You may now exit the Training Room, you’re done for today.
     
     
    Inside the control room Argos looked over Johnny’s test scores. “Johnny is on course to breaking some AL training records.”
    Patrice was busy at her station. Her fingers dancing across the touch screen monitor. “You seem overly pleased, Agent Better. Do I detect a personal bias?”
    “C’mon Patrice. Even you can’t be oblivious to his talent. He’s passed all his psychological tests with flying colors. And I’m pretty sure he’ll make it through the physical training too. So, what do you have against this kid anyway?”
    Patrice turned away from her monitor. “I have nothing against Mr. Veto. But I fail to see what’s so special about him. He’s just another AL candidate.”
    Argos smirked. “You forget, that’s Scott Veto’s son. And we all know the type of man Scott was. Admit it, you’re a little jealous of our new golden boy.”
    Patrice scoffed at Argos’