Free The Collection by Shannon Stoker

was pretty good,” Riley said.
    Mia’s heart raced. “A knife? You threw a knife at me?”
    Riley was seated at her desk. She clicked a button on her computer and music started playing.
    â€œAnd you reacted,” Riley said. “You didn’t freeze up.”
    â€œYou could have killed me,” Mia said. “What were you thinking? Do you want me dead?”
    â€œI was thinking I have great aim, and you want to save your friends,” Riley said. “That and it’s almost noon.”
    â€œI’ve only slept for seven hours,” Mia said with a groan.
    â€œNot everyone is so lucky,” Riley said.
    â€œI think I’m going to throw up,” Mia said.
    She started breathing heavily and leaned toward the side.
    â€œThat’s the adrenaline,” Riley said. “It kicked in with your wake-up call and got sucked out when the danger vanished. Don’t get too comfortable. The danger is always around. Keep your body moving.”
    Riley stood up and gave Mia a shove. Mia stood up straight, but the heavy feeling in her legs returned.
    â€œKeep it going,” Riley said. “The more you stay still the worse you’ll feel.”
    She started bouncing back and forth on the floor. Mia tried to echo her movements. She started to feel better.
    â€œThere you go,” Riley said. “The color in your cheeks is coming back. Don’t give in to the dread. Work through it. Now, when someone attacks you, remember this: If you give in to the fear you’ll freeze. If you work through it you’ll get some energy.”
    As Mia bounced up and down she realized she was moving to the beat of the music. It was happy and catchy, unlike any noise she’d ever heard before. It spread through her like an infection.
    â€œWhat is this?” Mia asked.
    â€œPop music,” Riley said. “An Irish band. If you can’t think of a fight move, try and think of this song. It’ll keep your body moving until an idea presents itself. Keep it quiet, like it is now, in the back of your mind until a move comes to you.”
    With the last comment Riley raised her fist and threw it at Mia. Mia lifted her arm at the elbow and blocked the punch, just like Carter taught her. Riley grinned at Mia’s defense.
    â€œI told you in my long, rambling story,” Mia said. “Carter taught me some self-defense.”
    â€œHad to see the skills in action myself,” Riley said. “Nice work.”
    Riley pulled her fist back and stopped moving. Mia couldn’t believe how good she felt. She wasn’t scared at all, even though minutes ago a knife was staring her in the eyes. Riley moved over to the computer and stopped the music.
    â€œYou’ve never heard pop music?” Riley asked.
    â€œNone like that,” Mia said. “Mainly slow songs, some with twangs or classical music. I’m a terrible singer.”
    â€œThey don’t want you girls to wiggle your bodies around too much up there, huh?”
    Mia shrugged. She wasn’t so sure of the motivations in her world. Some of the questions that had raced through her head during their initial meeting returned.
    â€œDo you know why?”
    â€œThey want you to seem pure?” Riley asked.
    â€œNo,” Mia said. “I mean how the Registry came to be. Why America is the way it is.”
    â€œOh,” Riley said. “I know what everyone knows, not much more. America is a very private country.”
    Mia looked at Riley with eager eyes.
    â€œDon’t you want to start on your friends’ case?” Riley asked. “What do you have as a plan to rescue them so far?”
    â€œNot this time,” Mia said. “You change the subject whenever you don’t want to give an answer to something. I love those boys and I would do anything for them, but I need answers.”
    â€œIt’s part of your past,” Riley said.
    â€œBut I can’t move on unless I have