It's the wind she notices first. Not the rustling or the climbing, but the shift in the breeze, that's what makes her step aside just in time. But not just in time enough. The subject of her investigation slams into her side like a car doing itself an injury slicing past a traffic sign.

The attacker slides across the clearing like a tightly controlled motorcycle coming to a stop across a barren highway in the middle of a stressful night.

Avi had been prepared for a confrontation, but had hoped it would be one of words, of her asking questions and getting answers, and not one of kicks and punches.

Avi did not think she was very good at kicks and punches.