After his encounter with Alexa, Marcus returned to the compound and went straight to the cafeteria. The Quantum Group provided Sanctuary Isle with a well-stocked cafeteria and staff on-hand twenty-four hours a day. He was just about to refill his now-empty coffee cup when he heard a familiar voice utter the phrase, “Good morning.”
“Doc,” he said, and quickly nodded to Candace as he filled his cup from the coffee dispenser.
Candace studied his reaction and then asked, “You okay, Marc?”
“Of course.”
“You just seem a bit more laconic than usual.” Candace filled up her own cup and then followed him to an empty table in the cafeteria. “Which I admit, I didn’t think was possible.
“Just a…trying morning is all.” He sat down at the table and sipped the black coffee. “I’ve got a morning session with the team and for the life of me, I’m not sure how I’m gonna get through it.”
“I’m sure they’re wondering the same thing,” said Candace. “I heard about yesterday.”
Marcus rolled his eyes and huffed a “Great…” before taking another sip. “Like I haven’t heard enough about it.”
“Is that why you’re in a mood?”
Marcus held out his arms in a shrug-like gesture. “How do you know when I’m in a mood?”
“We’ve been working together for ten years and I know how you act when you’re annoyed.”
“I’m always annoyed.”
“Well…more annoyed than usual.”
He scoffed and then nodded. “Okay, fine. You got me. I’m in a mood. Happy?”
“What happened?” asked Candace.
“I was feelin’ a little off about yesterday, so I went to talk to Jackson and Monroe. And Jackson…he heard me out. Said he could understand where I was comin’ from and that he’d also try to do better.”
“And Alexa?”
“She locked herself in her room. Found her training this morning and tried to extend an olive branch, but she slapped it away and read me the riot act.”
Candace paused and ruminated over the information. “When you say you ‘extended an olive branch,’ what exactly do you mean?”
“I tried to bring her some coffee.”
“I like coffee as much as anyone else, but when I’m pissed at my wife, it takes more than that to set things right,” said Candace. “What did you say?”
“Pretty much the same thing I said to Jackson. Said I can get a bit intense at times, but that’s because I’m supposed to give them the skills to keep them alive.”
“Okay…” said Candace. “And then?”
“And then she got pissy and stormed off,” said Marcus. “Weird, right?”
Candace blinked a few times and her lips moved, as if she were trying to suss out what to say next. She shook her head and then said, “So…let’s see if I’ve got this all straight in my head. You overreacted during a training session, and then your way of making things right with them was to explain why they were wrong to be annoyed?”
Marcus shook his head. “No, that’s not what happened. I was just explaining that…” His voice trailed off as he started to realize the problem. “What I mean is I told them I…you know, I’m…” He paused to clear his throat. “…intense.”
“Yeah, I got that part just fine,” said Candace. “When was the part when you apologized?”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Apologize?”
“Yeah, apologize. It’s that thing you do when you want to admit that you did something wrong and you feel bad about it,” said Candace. “Typically summed up with the simple phrase, ‘I’m sorry.’”
Marcus appeared incredulous. “What am I apologizing for? Keeping them alive?”
Candace sighed. He was a hard man with a head even harder than that. The indirect approach was clearly not going to work.“You’re apologizing for being a dick on their first day when they’re just starting to learn how to use these powers.”
“They were acting like this is a game. It’s not. While there have been exceptions, a Knight’s life expectancy isn’t very long. You just don’t get it, Doc.”
“I don’t get it?” Candace started to feel her own anger beginning to bubble up, but she kept a lid on things. “Did you forget that I’m the one who patches them up after missions? That I—” She paused, swallowing to suppress the emotion she’d started to feel in her throat. “I see the bodies when they don’t make it back?”
That wasn’t how I meant it. I just meant that I’m…y’know…” He sighed, struggling with the words.
“You’re really something.” Candace shook her head and stood from the table. “Marc, I love you. But for someone as tactically smart as you are, you can be a stunning dunce at times.”
“Fact is, I don’t feel I did anything wrong.” Marcus gestured to himself as he spoke. “Maybe I overreacted, okay. But it’s still my job to keep them alive and that means I need them to focus on what I’m trying to teach them instead of horsing around.”
“Maybe the better question is why did you overreact?” asked Candace.
“I just told you why.”
“If it were Emily and Scott, would you have acted the same way?”
Marcus looked as if he was confounded that Candace would even ask that. As if the answer to the question was so obvious, it shouldn’t need to be asked.
“Of course I would.”
Candace looked at him cross-eyed. “You would?”
He sighed. “Whatever you’ve got to say, just come out and say—”
Marcus was interrupted by his smartwatch beeping, as was Candace. They both looked at their respective devices. Marcus’s device displayed an urgent summons from the Quantum Tribunal. He looked at Candace and her expression showed that she got the same summons.
“What do you think this is about?” she asked.
“Fuck if I know, but probably nothing good.”
----------------------------------------
“Are you out’ve your goddamn minds?” asked Marcus.
“Do you have a problem with your orders, Agent Kane?” asked one of the Quantum Tribunal.
“I thought that much was obvious,” said Marcus. “These rookies have had their powers for less than a day and already you want to send them out on a mission? We still have countless training scenarios to run them through before they’re field-ready.”
“We understand your trepidation, Agent Kane,” said another of the Tribunal. “But the fact of the matter is the situation is urgent.”
“Much as I hate to do so, I’ve gotta agree with Kane,” said Orion. “Not only are the rookies too green for this, but the Titans won’t be ready for deployment for at least another week. They’ll be going in with half their strength.”
“We’ve determined this mission is classed as a Level 2. Even without their Titans, they should have sufficient power to complete the task.”
“What about the lack of training?” asked Marcus. “Knights Jackson and Monroe have some skills, true, but Knight Reyes would be completely out of her depth.”
“We also aren’t yet aware of how well the bonding process has worked. There are still tests and observation that needs to be done to ensure that these Knights have fully bonded with their Titans,” added Candace.
“We appreciate the three of you sharing your concerns with us in such a candid manner. This sort of open and constructive dialogue is necessary for the Omega Knights to properly function,” said the third of the Tribunal.
“However, the final decision on when and where to deploy the Knights ultimately falls to the Tribunal and we have determined this breach is of sufficient danger that the Knights must be deployed.”
“What if we just sent Knights Stone and Kim? Surely they could handle a Level 2 by themselves,” said Marcus.
“A Level 2 necessitates the intervention of no less than three Knights.”
“Fine, then let’s just send Jackson with them. He’s already got some fighting skills and of the three, he seems to be in the best headspace. Monroe and Reyes should really undergo more training before they enter the field.,” said Marcus.
“If Knight Jackson had obtained more training, that would be acceptable. However, given their lack of proficiency, it would be best for all three to accompany Knights Stone and Kim.”
Marcus jabbed a finger towards the holographic projections of the Tribunal. “We just lost three Knights and now you’re dead-set on losing three more? Do you have any goddamn idea how stupid this is?”
The three members of the Tribunal exchanged silent glances and turned back to Marcus.
“You have your orders, Agent Kane. Should you be unwilling or unable to execute said orders, we can find someone who is.”
Marcus narrowed his eyes and looked at Candace for some support. Her eyes were sympathetic, but she ultimately shook her head and mouthed the words, “I don’t know.” He then looked at Orion, but the old man just kept staring at the Tribunal, not even acknowledging Marcus’s stare. They were serious about their threat—no matter what Marcus said, they were going to proceed. And if he stood against it, he’d just be fired and someone less competent would take his place.
“Fine,” he begrudgingly said. “But if this goes south, it’s on your heads.”