Public and Private, Part 1 
by Bomur
A Sue Graham story


        Ever been to a cinema?  Comfortable seats, good view, charged
atmosphere?  Nice, isn't it!  Always been a video type myself, but now I
might try a multiplex sometime...

        Setting up the contracts between Jenny and Jackie has resulted
in some unexpected benefits; employee status - limited term salary
included, full use of the Admin department's considerable resources, and
(believe it or not) a paid-for Arena seat at Jackie's latest match.

        Actually, I'm not sure who's responsible for that last item.
Lewis is a bastard, and he doesn't like me much either, but he sticks to
his own rules even when he doesn't want to. No matter that I'm only a
nominal and temporary member of his staff, he'd ensure that I get
whatever benefits I'm entitled to. On the other hand, Bambi probably has
a hand in it too.. I can imagine her reminding Lewis of his obligations
if he started backsliding.

        And then there's Jackie. Twice yesterday I'd mentioned that I'd
never seen her in action, first to Bambi, then to the woman herself.
Either of them has the power to get a reserved seat at the snap of a
finger, and when you add Lewis into the equation... well, I just don't
know.  But I think I'd like to.

        So here I am sitting in this nice comfortable seat with a great
view of the mat. The place is starting to fill up with punters and the
air of expectation is so thick I can almost taste it.  Even so, it's
nothing compared with actually being on the mat waiting for the start of
a match, you can take it from me!  Still, I can see it has a certain
appeal.

        Oh yes. I met Jackie.  I haven't told you about that, have I?
Well, most of the dealings I've done in this contract business have been
with Jenny, and only a handful of them face-to-face, leaving Bambi to
take care of the other half.  Then Jackie phones me up yesterday and
invites me to lunch.  Something of a surprise to say the least.  Even
more of a surprise when she was late.

        She'd suggested we meet and this riverside bar, interesting view
etc.  I got there early and chose a table outside since the weather was
nice.  She was right about the view.
So I ordered a two drinks (she'd told me what to order for her) and
waited.  After a while I started going over the contract she was going
to sign to see if there was anything Bambi and I had missed, some small
clause that she may object to.  There had to be some reason she wanted
to meet with me.  Bambi had said that everything had been going smoothly
with Jackie, and had expressed considerable surprise when I told her
about the phone call.

        Anyway, time was passing and there was no sign of her.  I was
starting to think she wasn't going to show up when I heard a motorbike
roar up the nearby road an pull up nearby.  Then this biker in red
leathers walks up to me.  I couldn't even tell if it was male or female.
A gloved hand undid the jawstrap and took off the helmet, and Jackie's
first words to me were "Good, you got the drinks in then.".

        I'd seen photos of her, and noted what seemed to be natural red
hair, but photos always fail to properly convey personality.  Where
before I'd thought of her as a bit glum, here was this vibrant,
intelligent twentysomething who chatting quite casually about taking on
a very, very serious match.  She's actually quite pretty.  I found
myself wondering how long that was going to last. She's also maybe an
inch taller than Jenny, but nowhere near as heavily built.

        She signed the contract almost without looking at it.  There
were no problems, she just wanted to chat with me. I asked what about.
Jenny, she said.

        Now I don't know Jenny that well.  I had a match with her once,
and nearly won. I've been to her house a few times, but I know full well
there are whole section of her life that I know nothing about.  What do
you want to know, I asked.

        Jackie wanted to know about Jenny's attitude to the match with
her.  So I told her what Jenny had said almost verbatim. If there was
one thing I did know, it was that Jenny wanted her to know.  If  she had
been sitting beside me, I'm sure Jenny would have told Jackie herself.
I told her that Jenny wanted not just to beat her, but to hurt her.  To
make an example of her, so that other potential challengers would be
warned about what they could expect.

        Jackie listened, nodding occasionally.  It wasn't any big
surprise to her.  Then she asked how friendly I was with Jenny.  I
started to feel distinctly uncomfortable.  We're friends, says I, we've
had a match, I've been to her house.  That gets me an appraising stare.

        Jackie looked at her drink, then said that she could take
anything that Jenny could throw at her and give it back with interest.
My scepticism must have shown on my face, because her expression became
hard and sharp.  I quickly pointed out that I'd never seen her fight,
whereas I knew some of what Jenny was capable of, and Jenny was capable
of a lot.

        She took this in while still staring at her drink. When I had
finished talking, she sighed.  She understood Jenny, she said, because
that was how she felt too.  Jenny had to be defeated, beaten so badly
and viciously that the League would have to treat her as a serious
contender for the championship. Jenny was on the way down, but she was
on her way up.  Up to the top.  The match for the Judo jacket was just a
stepping stone.

        I was stunned.  I never dreamed she had championship
aspirations.  True, although Jenny was starting to fall down the
rankings (she didn't do many top-ranking League matches these days), she
was still considered to be amongst the best wrestlers in the world. But
to the best of my knowledge, no-one had ever claimed to be capable of
giving Jenny the sort of beating this girl was talking about.  It defied
belief.  On top of which, she then intends to take on the very best the
League has to offer.  Awesome.

        She giggled.  I must have looked quite a sight, with my jaw
hanging open. What was really amazing was the difference in our
perspectives.  She saw herself as three, maybe two matches away from the
championship.  I saw her as one match away from a wheelchair.  I could
probably take her fairly easily myself.

        I felt myself wanting to talk her out of her elaborate suicide.
I reminded her about the terms she had agreed to:  best of nineteen
submissions, strangles that bring unconsciousness scoring points.  With
that sort of timescale, sooner or later Jenny was going to get her hands
on her, no matter how fast and agile she was.

        Jackie simply repeated that she could take whatever Jenny would
throw at her.  But she wasn't Raksha, who took the punishment for the
pleasure of the punters.  She would accept the punishment as a price
worth paying for the championship. It was something she well understood.  

        I was thinking that she didn't understand at all.  She had no
idea what she was talking about.  Jenny was going to mangle her, and
here she was, practically dismissing it out of hand.

        She finished her drink, got up, gave me a girlish little wave,
and left.  I sat there for the next ten minutes wondering whether I
ought to phone Bambi and call the whole thing off, on the grounds that
Jackie was clearly insane.
        
        Anyway, that was my meeting with Jackie.  I hightailed it back
to Bambi's office, prepared to give her the less-than-glad tidings, but
she wasn't there.  At my hotel room, however, was an envelope containing
seating arrangements for me at the next night's Arena match.

        Which is where I am now.  Now I guess I'll see what Jackie can
do, so I can make a more informed judgement about her chances against
Jenny.  Like I said, it would be really interesting to know who arranged
for me to be here.

        There's a short announcement that the match is about to begin.
The last of the punters get to their seats, although the seats either
side of me remain empty.  Otherwise, the place looks full.  Interesting.

        The lights go down, and another announcement gives the bare
details of the match:  Judo Jackie against Lisa Marie.  That's a
surprise.  Lisa Marie is the Australian all-rounder that Barney has
mentioned as a possible opponent for me.  Quick, strong, agile, she
should be quite a decent test.  My interest in this match is increased
threefold.

        There's quite a wait until the women come up from the
stairwells, to stand on opposite sides of the mat.  Jackie is dressed in
what I suppose is her usual white Judo jacket, with I would guess a
white bikini underneath.  Like Jenny, she doesn't wear the trousers.
Her hair is done up into a topknot ponytail.
  
        Lisa Marie wears a small electric blue bikini, which barely
covers her.  She's got an ample chest, bigger than mine.  Apart from
that, she looks quite well defined, good arms and legs, perhaps just a
bit too much fat around the hips.  She's also got a height advantage of
about five inches, although from here it's hard to be precise.  In terms
of weight, she wins hands down.  Her black frizzy hair that comes about
halfway down her neck, and I've got to admit, she looks dangerous.

        They both look up at the lights, and start moving when they go
out.  Jackie does an odd sideways skip, and it seems that her bare feet
are hardly touching the mat at all.
Lisa Marie circles slowly, watching the smaller girl carefully.

        Jackie circles first one way, then the other.  It seems as
though she's looking for the right sort of opening, and is patient
enough to wait for it.  It sounds boring for the punters, but so far
they're not complaining.  Perhaps this sort of thing heightens
expectations.  From a professional standpoint, I find it engrossing,
rather like a game of chess.

        But there's a bigger picture here.  Why is Jackie fighting
tonight?  She doesn't have to.  The contracts for the specialist match
are complete.  Why risk getting beaten so close to a much more important
match?  Lisa Marie is not quite in the same class as Jenny,  but she's
not at all bad.  This is not going to be an easy match.  If Jackie gets
beaten now, then even a clear win against Jenny would look less
convincing.  Added to which, a twisted ankle or suchlike would render
all the contracts and arrangements and plans meaningless.  I can't
figure out what the girl's game is.

        Jackie makes her move.  Lisa Marie isn't exactly caught flat-
footed, it's just that the smaller girl is so damn fast!  A blur of
movement, then Jackie delivers a sweeping kick to the outside of the
bigger girl's left thigh, just below the buttock, and dances away before
Lisa Marie can close on her.  Then the circling continues.

        Jackie waits about thirty seconds before doing it again.  The
Arena echoes with the sound of the top of foot striking upper thigh
muscle with considerable force.  Again Jackie dances out of the larger
girl's clutches.  Hit and run tactics may seem old hat, but God they are
effective.  All the slower girl can hope to do is anticipate an attack,
or just hope the faster girl makes a mistake.

        Lisa Marie appears to be ignoring these leg attacks.
Individually they don't do much damage, but the effect can be
cumulative.  She still has her eyes locked on her opponent, and keeps to
her own pace.  She can be patient too, but it's different when you're on
the receiving end of attacks.

        Again Jackie kicks her, and this time with savage force.  Even
some of the punters wince.  The larger girl continues her relentless
pursuit, but it's now clear that she cannot afford to play a waiting
game.

        Then Jackie varies the attack by using her knee, which crunches
in the side of Lisa Marie's left thigh.  The 'dead leg'  move isn't seen
very often in League matches.  The smaller girl doesn't back up this
time, but darts behind her opponent.  I expect her to launch another
kick, but instead she simply returns to her unusual light-footed
sideways skipping.  Both wrestlers continue as they started, circling
each other, watching the other closely.

        After thirty seconds Jackie unleashes the kick again, landing
precisely the same place as the others, but this time there's a barely
audible gasp of pain from Lisa Marie. The larger girl swings an arm at
her opponent, but is much too slow.  Moreover, when
she continues her pursuit, she's noticeably limping.

        I must admit that so far I find Jackie quite capable.  Small,
fast and smart enough to go with what works, rather than what may look
appealing.  So far it's been effective. So far.

        Jackie continues to circle, then darts in for what looks to be
another kick, but she goes to one knee and executes a copybook leg
sweep,  grabbing Lisa Marie's nearside arm by the wrist even before the
bigger girl has hit the mat.  As she rams one foot under her opponent's
back ribs and places her other ankle across the bigger girl's throat,  I
gasp with the pleasure of recognition and admiration for that grand old
Judo standby, the cross arm lock, classical form.

        Make no mistake, this is no weakener, this is a finisher. When
applied with proper force, it results in either a submission or a broken
arm. Once in position, all the girl applying the hold has to do is raise
her pelvis, using her pubic bone as a fulcrum against her victim's
elbow.  As you probably know, I'm quite fond of arm locks, and I used
this one once or twice in my younger days.  It worked for me.  I also
have been in it a few times, and believe me, you submit because that's
all that's left for you to do, and the pain it inflicts on your elbow
joint is awful.

        But through a combination of luck and quick thinking, Lisa Marie
manages to use her free hand to push Jackie foot from across her neck to
above her head before the full force of the hold can be applied,
enabling the larger girl to sit up and negate the pressure on her arm.
Suddenly things are reversed.  Jackie can't disentangle herself fast
enough to get clear.  Lisa Marie realises that she very nearly lost the
match to the first hold to be applied, and is very, very angry.

        As Lisa Marie grabs Jackie by the arm and shoulder and starts to
lift her into a standing position, the expression on Jackie's face is
instructive; she gambled but it didn't come off, so now she knows she's
going to be hurt but is prepared for it.

        It seems Lisa Marie is already decided on which hold to apply :-
an entwined leg, an immobilised arm, a little downward and forward
pressure, and hey presto! Jackie is wrapped up into an abdominal
stretch.

        Usually, this hold is more of a crowd pleaser than a submission
getter.  While it is punishing, pressurising the abdomen, back and
shoulder, it looks quite spectacular without causing the hot pain you
get with, say, an armlock. Added to which, it isn't often applied for
very long, since two very static wrestlers can bore the punters.

        Lisa Marie's height advantage changes things. This is a rather
nasty hold for a smaller victim.  Jackie's feet are only just touching
the floor (Lisa Marie's trapping hold on her arm is lifting her as
well), and if they were not then things would be even worse.
Added to which, the larger girl  is intent on tightening the hold,
pulling the trapped arm and entwined leg back, and pushing her pelvis
forward.  She looks like holding on to this one for some while.

        I sit back in my chair and consider.  Lisa Marie could get a
submission out of this, if she simply holds her there long enough.
Things are only going to get more painful for Jackie, and if she loses
her balance then she'll be snapped like a twig.  As I watch the pair on
the mat, I remember something I noticed earlier.  This seat comes with a
set of opera glasses, like small binoculars. I pick them up and focus on
Jackie.

        Her head is lowered, her face not quite visible, but a certain
amount of suffering is evident.  The action so far has pulled her jacket
open, so her bikini-clad torso is on full view.  The rising and falling
of her tummy suggests effort on her part, and a thin film of sweat is
forming. 

        I notice something else.  Jackie's bikini briefs are somewhat
low-slung, and a tuft of ginger pubic hair is visible from the top of
them.  So, a natural red-head, then.  Hmm.
This sort of thing is a no-no for League matches,  and Jackie could get
penalised if one of the official types notices.  Lucky I'm not an
official type.

        It's been two minutes now.  Lisa Marie asks Jackie if she wants
to submit.  Jackie shakes her head. The bigger girl tightens the hold
again, and the smaller girl gasps and struggles to maintain her balance.

        I wonder if she's one of those who enjoy being hurt.  I've had
matches with girls like that.  Weird little bitches.  You have to crank
a hold up to extreme pressure before they give.  Mind you, my arm locks
don't seem to be too popular with them, they seem to prefer muscle
holds, strangles and back attacks.  Don't ask me why.   

        Three and a half minutes.  Lisa Marie asks again.  Jackie says
no.  Lisa Marie tightens the hold yet again (I wonder if she's going to
end up ripping the girl in half) and Jackie groans.  Lisa Marie asks
again.  Jackie says no through gritted teeth, and now the effort is
audible.

        I feel my interest in this match start to wane.  It's simply a
matter of time now. Even if Lisa Marie immediately lets Jackie go, the
smaller girl will be so weakened that she would be capable of only token
resistance to whatever finishing hold the big Australian decided to use.
Jackie's blown it, and she risks the lucrative deal with the match with
Jenny too.  And it was completely unnecessary.

        Five minutes, which is a lifetime in this hold.  Lisa Marie asks
again.  Jackie shakes her head.  Lisa Marie smiles slightly, then lets
the smaller girl go, who falls to the mat, face down.  Lisa Marie stands
astride her, sits down on the middle of Jackie's back and pulls both the
girl's arms backwards, trapping them between the bigger girl's legs and
abdomen.  Finally, she reaches forward, lacing her fingers together
around her victims chin, and proceeds to pull backwards and upwards.

        The camel clutch functions as both weakener and finisher.  What
it does to the back and neck of the victim is difficult for anyone who's
not been in it to appreciate.  And Jackie has already been suffering the
ab stretch for five minutes solid.  It won't be long now.

        Once again Lisa Marie asks Jackie to submit.  Jackie says no.
Lisa Marie pulls backward and upward.  Jackie groans.  Lisa Marie asks
again.  Jackie still says no.  The big girl leans back slowly.  The
smaller girl repeats her refusal without being asked.  Then Jackie
starts to scream.

        Lisa Marie is doing something to Jackie's jaw. I can't quite see
what, but it must be some sort of nerve hold that she can apply while
still keeping the clutch on.  Whatever it is, it must be really bad for
Jackie to yell like this.  But she still won't give in.  The hold
is kept on for a little while longer, then the bigger girl simply
releases the smaller, who falls face first to the mat.

        The Australian stands up, still astride the fallen girl, and
takes hold of one of her arms.  I can almost see her mind working.  She
knows many submission holds, not choosing to specialise in any one
field, so if one will not bring about the desired result, there are
always others...

        Beneath her, Jackie suddenly writhes like a snake, and in less
than a second applies a dazzling lock on Lisa Marie's previously injured
leg using her two good ones.  The look of surprise on the bigger girl,
as she is unbalanced by the sudden pressure and falls awkwardly to the
mat, is matched by the punters.  And me.  I've seen turnarounds before,
but this take not just the cake but the whole damn dinner.

        Maintaining the leglock,  Jackie rolls Lisa Marie onto her
stomach and applies pressure to the trapped limb by sitting on it, which
looks uncomfortable for the aggressor, but is far worse for the victim.
The bigger girl wails in agony.  Then Jackie falls to one side, and Lisa
Marie is just a little too slow to roll with her, and her leg in
wrenched at a horrible angle.

        Lisa Marie submits.  I wouldn't be surprised if she's dislocated
at the hip.  As the lights go up and the victory announcement is made,
Jackie disentangles her legs and stands up.  Playing to the punters, she
rolls the fallen girl onto her back and plants a foot on top of one of
Lisa Marie's sizeable breasts, completing the picture with a victory
salute.  The punters applaud enthusiastically. I get up and make for the
exit.

        I walk to the car park, considering carefully the match I've
just watched.  So.  Is Jackie good enough to beat Jenny?  At least, one
of my questions about her is answered. She can take punishment.  Against
Jenny, that's going to tested to the limit, probably beyond.  Skill?
Nothing extraordinary,  but sometimes that's not really a decisive
factor. As for speed,  she make me look like a sloth. 

        Still, she's going to be taking on Jenny.  And no ordinary
match, either.  Stamina is going to be important.  I can imagine that
tactics are going to be of crucial importance. I wonder if anyone is
running a book on the match?  Not officially, of course, since the
League frowns on that sort of thing (it seems to frown on a lot of
things), but I think that while Jenny should remain favourite, Jackie's
odds should have shortened somewhat based on tonight's performance.
Hmmm.  Perhaps that was the reason for the match?  After all, who cares
about a two horse race where both horses are on even money?

        Or maybe it was a League plan to raise interest in a lucrative
match.  No, they wouldn't need to do that.  These sort of matches are
too rare for the punters to be indifferent and uninterested.  I imagine
the seats were sold out weeks ago, some of them before they went on
sale.  Or maybe it was just a scheduled match.  Jackie could have turned
it down, claiming that the upcoming match was of more importance, which
it is, but she just didn't want to deny the punters the pleasure of
watching her in action.

        There's someone leaning against my car.  I don't like that.
Messing with my wonderful car is one of the few things guaranteed to get
me annoyed.  As I get nearer I see who it is, and I stop dead in my
tracks.

        "Enjoy the match?" asks Jenny.

        "It was food for thought." I answer.  What the hell is she doing
here?  Was she watching the match as well?  Has she been watching me?!?
Following me??  No, that's silly, why should she do that... but what
does she want?

        "Yeah.  Come round to my place tomorrow morning and we'll
discuss it."  And with that Jenny turns and walks away.
  
        I guess I'm a little more shaken by seeing her here than I
should be.  But Jenny has never shown a taste for clandestine meetings
like this before.  And what does she want to talk about?  Her contract
is already signed.  There are no details to discuss. So what...?

        Jenny hasn't taken a dozen steps before she pauses and looks
back at me over her shoulder, wearing a slightly pained expression.

        "You might have at least thanked me for the ticket."  

        "Thank you for the ticket, Jenny."

        "See you tomorrow, Suzy."  says Jenny, and she walks away
without looking back.
 
  

  Bomur 1997
        



-- 
Bomur
"Living well is the best revenge"
                                       - Proverb