He came high and fast. She ducked under the blow and sliced upward, missing him by inches. They parted, turned, and adopted combat stances. Alice kept herself crouched, ready to drive into him; he took a dancer’s pose, light on his feet. She went first this time, a horizontal slice aimed at his torso; he sidestepped to slash down, opening a foot-long gash in her arm. She staggered backward, blood soaking her side, as he kicked her knife into the filth.