Kenji froze as a woman in a stained summer dress launched at him, hands grasping. Her hair was a moving net; Kenji flinched back—and tripped.
Riku pivoted before the thought finished forming. He slammed his forearm into the woman's throat, pinning her to a pillar, and snapped to Kenji. "Up! Up now!" His boot shoved Kenji's shin under his own body; leverage did the rest. Kenji popped to a knee, pipe up, eyes wild.
"Breathe!" Riku barked into his face. "Step in and strike."
Kenji stepped. The pipe hit temple. The woman slid down the pillar like spilled paint.
