"Sorry about this," Alice said as she grabbed the lapels of his suit and head-butted him. His nose broke with a brittle crunch; he howled as she shoved him back and ducked. The baton whistled over her head. She stepped in and kicked him hard in the stomach—he dropped the baton and staggered backward to crash into the table, knocking the screen to the ground. He gave a blooded grunt and rushed her, head down like a bull, to hit her stomach. Alice expelled an oomph as he knocked her to the floor, the man on top, heavy hands finding her throat.