Instructor MacDonald’s Office

The Academy

Saturday afternoon

“After the mutant was pinned by the truck I helped El hobble out of eyesight so he could become a real boy again. We laid low and left when the RCMP Heavies showed up. People were crowded around the truck and paying attention to the woman and her boy, so it was easy to keep out of sight.” Laura sat on the edge of the wood-framed office chair and nearly bounced as she finished the telling of the day’s events to MacDonald.

El spoke up at this point, one of the few occasions the reticent young man had done so. “At this point, we were able to get ahold of you on the phone.” The young pair had hurried to the Academy facilities at Fort Calgary, not bothering to clean up or change along the way.

MacDonald leaned back in his leather chair, chin propped in his right hand as he studied his students intently. The staff had talked about the possibility of students seeking out opportunities to test their skills outside of a training venue, but certainly not so early in the program. He had made sure to sternly warn against vigilante behaviours. He raised his gaze to the back of his office where Instructor King sat on the small couch, talking softly on her cell phone. The tightly muscled woman thanked the RCMP sergeant, shut off her phone, and met MacDonald’s eyes.

---Their story matches the reports coming from the scene.--- A person’s thoughts reveal much about them that they might normally keep hidden during verbal communication. King’s thoughts were light, lyrical, the thoughts of a woman who loved to sing in private.

---Social media fallout?--- MacDonald sent back.

---Only pictures focus on the aftermath, namely a big ugly spider smashed by a little woman in a big pickup truck.---

---Video?---

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

---The same thing. We got lucky on this.---

---I know. Besides the physical, there was the risk these kids could have been outed. Well ok, not Elvis but Laura yes.--- MacDonald allowed a grin to creep onto his face, which only made their students more uncomfortable in the silence.

---How honest were they?---

---Very actually. The only thing they hid from us was how frightened they were during the whole thing.---

---What do we do about them? The policy is very clear on this sort of thing.--- King put her phone back in her pocket, stood from the couch and placed herself behind the two young people, arms crossed. Her well-practiced severe manner easily slipped into place. “What is the Academy policy on vigilante actions by students?”

“Expulsion ma’am.” Elvis spoke quietly, took a deep breath and continued, “I should be the one punished for this. I smelled the blood and followed it. Then when the mutant ran off I was the one who went back and pursued.”

Laura shot from her chair, looking from her teammate to the class proctor. “Oh hell no Lassie! It was my call to go look after El told me he smelled blood.”

“Sit,” MacDonald spoke firmly, and gave the teens a slight mental push, causing both of them to slide back into their chairs. “Stay.” Instructor King covered her mouth with her hand and turned away to compose herself.

“Thank you, now if I may continue. Your mutual self-sacrifice will not be needed today. Yes, the punishment for vigilante actions is expulsion, but in this case, you did not seek out a confrontation nor place yourself in a situation where a chance encounter would be anything but random chance. If it had or you had lied to us about your actions, you would both be gone as of right now.” The Academy’s head instructor stood and walked around his desk, leaning on the front of it before his charges. “As it is, you two acted bravely and put others above yourselves. That is the kind of hero Canada needs.”

Behind them, King spoke for only the second time since they entered the office over an hour ago, “But you two got lucky today as well.”

MacDonald nodded. “Go home, clean up, and have a good meal tonight. Reflect on what happened today. Talk to your teammates. Look for lessons you can learn from this. Go on now, we will talk on Monday.”

As the two exited the office King called out to them, “Be sure to rest, because the hard work starts on Monday.”

Laura shut the door and turned to El, “So the ass-kicking she gave us this week was a warm-up? We better go update our wills, Lassie.”