to three in her head. The way MCMAP doctrine had taught her. Three seconds, the
mandatory pause before any escalation decision in close quarters.
Three seconds to choose a path she could live with. She chose. She stayed still. Tyler
smiled wide.
He took a half step back. He looked her up and down again. You know what I think,
folks? I think you're one of those women who watches MMA on TV and thinks she
could do it.
You ever hit a heavy bag, sweetheart? You ever thrown a punch? Whitney said
nothing. Answer me when I'm talking, woman. You ever thrown a punch?
Whitney looked him in the eye for the first time. Her voice was so quiet the
microphone almost missed it. Please let me go. The crowd went quieter.
Not silent, but quieter. Something in her voice had shifted the room. A man in row
two stopped recording. A young woman in row six lowered her phone.