Hearing her groan, JJ tried again, “That’s it Jane…open your
eyes…come on please.”

“JJ?”  Her mouth felt
like it was full of cotton, “what the hell…”

“Happened? I don’t know…I ran out when I heard Morgan and
then” JJ felt her face, the swelling evident on her left cheek, “somebody
punched me in the face,”

“Rodriguez…owww *****” she tried to shift completely into a
sitting position and felt every blow she had received.

“Slowly Jane,” helping her into a sitting position, she
watched as Jane held a hand to her ribs.

“Rodriguez, and his father.
His father attacked me when you left.
They must have taken Morgan out first.”

Looking around, “where are we?”

“I think we’re in a cellar, but I can’t be…” The stomping
down the stairs stopped their conversation.

Father and son stood in front of the women and with a nod,
Max grabbed JJ by the arm and pulled her up, her cry of pain ignored as he
wrenched her left arm.

“Leave her alone!”
Jane forced herself into a standing position and grabbed at his
arm.  Shaking her off he let go of JJ
making her fall to the ground.

Jane held her ground, she would not back down from these
two, and she refused.  “Or what Jane,
what are you going to do?  You couldn’t
even defend yourself against my father.” Laughing, the elder Rodriguez joined
him.

“How do you defend yourself when someone is to much of a
coward to face you first.” The fierce way she said it shut them both up.  The elder Rodriguez went after her but was
held back by his son.

“You really think you can defend yourself Jane?  What about her, do you think she can?  I don’t think so,” reaching down to grab her
again, he was surprised when Jane rushed him, “leave her alone!”

Knocked backwards, he regained his footing and swung at
her.  Moving away from him it was only a
glancing blow against her shoulder but it hurt nonetheless.  Bringing her hands up in front of her, she
readied herself for another attack.  She
didn’t have to wait long. She was able to deflect his jab but she forgot he was
on the boxing team; his right hand came in under her hands and slammed into her
abdomen.  Doubling over she went to her
knees and tried to catch her breath.
Looking down at her he laughed and went for JJ again.