“That sounded like yes.”

“It wasn’t.”

Then Devin said:

“Want to try it?”

Tessa looked at the square.

Then at Marcus.

“Me alone?”

Chase laughed.

“Obviously not with a backup team.”

Several people smiled.

Tessa said:

“No, I mean which role?”

“Containment or runner?”

“Runner.”

She thought.

“Against?”

That was when Chase gestured toward the three men.

“Pick one.”

Tessa looked at him.

“One?”

“For the first round.”

Devin grinned.

“Which one of us do you want first?”

And now the whole gym was listening.

Tessa could have chosen Devin.

Smallest of the three.

Could have chosen Luis.

Most patient, but slower.

Could have chosen Chase.

Biggest ego in the room, although not the biggest ego she had ever met.

Instead Tessa asked:

“What are the exact rules?”

Marcus unfolded his arms.

Chapter 2

Good question.

He stepped forward.

“Before anything happens, we clarify something.”

Everyone looked at him.

“This is a positional containment game.”

“Not fighting.”

“No submissions.”

“No chokes.”

“No joint attacks.”

“No striking.”

“No slams.”

“No hard takedowns.”

“No neck pressure.”

“No body-lock lifting.”

“If anyone loses balance in a bad way, release.”

“Runner wins by touching the outside boundary with both hands.”

“Containment side wins by keeping runner inside for sixty seconds.”

He looked toward Tessa.

“And you can still say no.”

Tessa nodded.

“I know.”

Chase said:

“So?”

Tessa looked at all three men again.

Then smiled.

“Together.”

The room went silent.

Devin’s grin disappeared.

Luis laughed first.

“Seriously?”

Tessa nodded.

Chase looked toward Marcus.

Marcus immediately shook his head.

“No.”

Tessa turned.

“Why?”

“Because three experienced men against one smaller person becomes stupid fast if anybody forgets what the drill is.”

“I understand.”

“That’s not permission.”

Tessa nodded.

Good.

She did not argue.

That mattered too.

Marcus looked toward Chase, Devin, and Luis.

All three were suddenly much less amused.

Then he looked back at Tessa.

“What exactly are you proposing?”

“The same containment game.”

“All three.”

“No submissions.”

“No striking.”

“No takedowns.”

“No lifting.”

“No twisting.”

“No dogpile.”

“If I’m grounded, they release and reset standing.”

Marcus studied her.

“How long?”

“Sixty seconds.”

“Why?”

Tessa thought.

That answer mattered more than the challenge.

“Because they’re not coordinated.”

Chase smiled again.

“Confident.”

Tessa looked at him.

“No.”

“Specific.”

Luis laughed.

Marcus did not.

He asked:

“Have you done this kind of drill before?”

Tessa hesitated.

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“A lot.”

There it was again.

A lot.

Marcus’ expression changed.

“How much is a lot?”

Tessa looked around the room.

She realized she had finally run out of vague answers.

“College wrestling team used versions of it.”

Devin stopped smiling.

“College?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

Tessa sighed.

“Ohio.”

Chase asked:

“What school?”

“Lakehurst.”

Marcus’ eyes sharpened.

Lakehurst University.

Division II.

Strong women’s wrestling program.

Not famous nationally to casual fans.

Very familiar to coaches.

“What years?”

“2016 through 2020.”

Marcus looked at her.

“Monroe.”

“Yes.”

“Tessa Monroe?”

She smiled.

“That is generally how names work.”

Marcus walked toward his phone.

Chase looked confused.

“You know her?”

“No.”

Marcus opened a wrestling database.

Typed.

The result appeared.

He stared.

Then looked up.

“Two-time All-American?”

Tessa grimaced.

“Here we go.”

The room changed.

Marcus continued reading.

“Conference champion.”

“National semifinalist.”

“Never champion.”

Tessa said quickly.

“Important distinction.”

Devin looked toward her.

“You were an All-American wrestler?”

“Yes.”