Induction by T.K. Eldridge (howl and other poems TXT) đź“•
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“We can do that, Grandma. Don’t worry about things here. We haven’t even got our assignments yet, so we have the time and the resources,” I said.
“Good. Good,” Grandma said and patted her cheek. “Now get back in your seat and eat those before they get cold. I’m going to see if my waffles are done and join you.”
There was a smile on her face, but her eyes still looked shadowed with worry. As Grandma sat down with her food, a knock sounded at the back door.
“I’ll get it,” Sid said as she got up with her empty plate. “I’m done eating anyway.”
I waved my fork at her, my mouth full of perfect waffle and homemade whipped cream.
Sid came back through to the kitchen with a mischievous grin on her face. “Hey, look who just showed up. I’m going to make him some waffles, okay Grandma?”
Grandma turned in her chair as I looked up to see Grampa Walsh following behind Sin.
“Hey, Grampa,” I waved, then watched Grandma move faster than I’d seen her do in a while. “Sidonie, you get out of that kitchen. I’ll make sure Liam Walsh gets a good breakfast. It’s my recipe, after all.”
Sid raised both hands and backed away from the counter. “All yours, Grandma. Let me just get the coffee and a mug.”
Sid grabbed the coffee and mug for Grampa, then sidestepped out of the way as Grampa went up to Grandma and took her hand.
“Alicia Fortin, you’re more beautiful now than the day I first met you,” Grampa said and kissed the back of her hand.
Grandma blushed and, I swear, batted her lashes at him. “Liam Walsh, you old rascal. Sit yourself down and visit with the kids. I’ll get you some breakfast if you’ve got the time?”
“I’ll always have time for whatever you’re dishing up, Alicia,” Grampa flirted right back and winked at her before he released her hand and came to sit with us.
My mouth snapped shut when Grampa gave me a look and I just grinned at him.
Sid handed him the mug of coffee.
I murmured, “I need to take lessons from you, Grampa. That was masterful.”
“Watch it, boy, or you’ll be dating my bulldog, Suzie,” Grampa said. “And she’s been spayed.”
I almost snorted my coffee. Almost. It was a near thing.
Sid leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee. “The way my love life has been lately, that’s some seriously interesting action right there.”
We all groaned at that, and Grampa laughed. “Sinclair, once the ladies see you in your uniform, you’ll be just fine.”
“And it will end any dating life I might have. Men don’t like dating lady cops,” Sid said.
“Good,” said both me and Grampa Walsh.
Sid did the mature thing and stuck her tongue out at us both. Grandma came over and set a plate with perfect waffles, strawberries, and whipped cream in front of Grampa.
“Here you go, Liam. Would you like anything more?” Grandma asked.
“Just your company, Alicia. Please, sit with us while I enjoy this amazing breakfast?”
Grandma slid into the chair next to Grampa and smiled up at him once more. “You’re looking mighty fine, Liam. Seeing anyone?”
Grandma timed that question just as Grampa was about to swallow a bite of food. He choked a little but managed to keep from spewing waffle across the table. After a moment, he took a sip of coffee and smiled at Grandma. “No, Alicia. I’ve not been seeing anyone in a while. It’s a little difficult to date when you’re in hiding and letting people, including your family, think you’ve been dead for fifteen years.”
Grandma smiled at that. “Well, then. It’s a good thing you’re not in hiding any longer, isn’t it? I’m going to be taking Melly to the city today, but I should be back in three or four days. How about we get together this weekend for dinner and a movie?”
I looked at Sid and shook my head, then got up with my dishes. I could still hear from the other side of the kitchen as I rinsed and put the dishes in the dishwasher.
Grampa gave Grandma a thoughtful look, then wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned in towards her. “Are you cooking or are we going out?”
“Which would you like more?” she replied.
“I’ve always been partial to good home cooking and haven’t been able to enjoy much of it the past few years. I’ll bring the wine and dessert and you do the meal?”
“Sounds like a plan, Liam. Pot roast still one of your favorites?”
“Still one of my favorites, Alicia.”
“Then I’ll see you Saturday evening around six. Bring a bold red, it will complement the meal perfectly,” Grandma said.
Grampa took her hand, kissed the back of it once more, and smiled at her, “As you wish.”
Grandma got up and kissed Sid on the cheek, brought her mug into the kitchen to give to me and patted my back. “You kids behave and help your Aunt Sett. I’ll take care of your mother.”
“Thanks, Grandma,” Sid said.
“Call us if you need us, Grandma,” I told her and watched her leave.
Sin didn’t say a thing, just leaned in and high-fived Grampa.
I shook my head and finished cleaning up the kitchen.
Sid
Grampa stayed and helped Sin stack some firewood and move a few boxes around in the storage barn. Dad had wanted some of his things and Grampa was going to make sure they got to him.
Then I cleaned up at the cottage and did some laundry before my restlessness had me out running around the farm. I didn’t want to go into the woods as much anymore. Not after the IED traps had been set. I kept my route to the fields and while I might pass the same scenery once or twice, at least I could see what was around and in front of me.
My mind was spinning. I felt like I was dealing with information overload and as a result, I was missing something. When I had a problem to work through, I had a process that usually worked. I would do something unrelated to the issue at hand – like go for a run or play a game on the computer – and my brain would work it out in the background. This time? It wasn’t working. I didn’t have all the information I needed to figure it out.
Dad, Grampa Walsh, Auntie Sett, Stumpy, and now Benny, were all working to take down the Purist League. Lord James and Angiers were at least two of the active Purist members. There were a few of the low-level idiots we’d got out of the Academy that were still around and probably doing scut work or something for the group, but we still needed to figure out who the power players were. Other than James Boudreau.
I got back to the cottage to shower and change. When I stepped into the kitchen for a bottle of water, Sin and Grampa Walsh were seated at the table.
“Hey, guys. What’s up?” I asked, then drained half the bottle of water before I sat down to join them.
Sin handed me an envelope. “This is what’s up.”
I opened it to find a summons to Director Boudreau’s office for tomorrow morning. “No other information? Just a summons?”
“Just a summons,” Sin replied.
“What is this all about?” I said.
Grampa Walsh sat, hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. “It means he’s ready for the next phase of his plan. Don’t let him get inside your heads, understand?”
For some reason, Grampa looked right at me as he said that.
Sin
Sid and I were in full formal dress uniform as we stood at attention in front of the director’s desk. On the other side of the desk sat the father of our father, James Sinclair Boudreau. I had never wished more to have been named for someone else.
He made us stand there for almost ten minutes before he looked up from the papers on his desk. “Officer Boudreau, you and your sister have been called here today based on an investigation that brought some interesting things to light.”
I could feel Sid’s fury rising as he relegated my fellow officer to just my sister. It wasn’t our turn to speak, however, so we both stayed silent and still, our eyes focused straight ahead at a spot on the wall just above eye level.
James tapped a thick folder on his desk. “This here report states that you and your sister cheated your way through your Academy training and, as such, do not deserve the ranking of an officer.”
Now my fury surged. I shifted my gaze to meet his eyes and glared.
“What have you got to say for yourself, boy?”
“Your investigation is incorrect. We did not cheat,” I said, voice sharp.
“Well, my investigators are some of the best. If they say you cheated, then you cheated. I mean, sure, you two are smart. That just means you’re smart enough to fool everyone and get away with cheating, doesn’t it?”
“Lies,” Sid hissed through clenched teeth.
“I’m not talking to you, girl. Keep your tongue still.” His gaze came back to meet mine and I could see just how much he was enjoying this. “You’re both suspended, pending further investigation. That aunt of yours, Cosette Fortin, is also suspended. Seems she was assisting the two of you in your cheating scandal.”
I leaned in and rested my fists on the top of his desk, eyes locked to his. “I will say this once, James Boudreau, so listen well. Your days are numbered. You may hold the cards now, old man, but your castle is about to crumble.”
He smiled and it took every ounce of control to keep from planting my fist in his face. “Threatening a superior officer? That’s another charge against you.”
I shrugged. “If I’m not an officer, then you’re not my superior and I can say whatever the fuck I want.” I turned then and Sid and I walked out of his office.
Behind us I could hear him yelling, “I’m not done talking to you two! Get back in here.”
We ignored him, walked past his secretary, and out of the building. Neither one of us spoke until we were in the car.
Sid rested her cap on her lap as she peeled off her gloves. “I can’t wait until he’s pissing himself in fear. Honestly? I wouldn’t feel bad if he ended up dead.”
I pulled the car through the gates and headed back to the farm. “The fact that his evil blood runs through my veins makes me want to get a transfusion.”
“There’s some good blood in our genetics, Sin. It sucks that we have this asshat in there too, but it’s a small drop in comparison to the good.”
“It’s hard to understand why you’re not raging right now,” I said.
Sid smiled, a cold, brittle thing. “Payback’s a bitch and I am looking forward to being her handmaiden.”
We got home, changed our clothes and hung up our uniforms. It would not be the last time we wore them. We both swore to that before we got into the house.
I started cooking while Sid sat at the table amid a stack of books and notepads.
“What are you working on, Sid?”
“I’m going over some
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