F O U R  Y E A R S  L A T E R

Keystone Technical Institute, Pennsylvania.

Two years ago.

File: T90-AL-T-4104-23
Personnel: J. Smithson (Team Commander), R. Hernandez, T. Aluko, Z. Feng, J. Weiss, A. Zheng

EXCERPT BEGINS
SMITHSON: Alright, you lot, there it is. Nearly there now. Trez, still clear to the rear, mate?
ALUKO: All clear, all clear.
SMITHSON: Brilliant. Let's stay switched on. We'll be back for tea and medals in no time.
(Muffled laughter.)
HERNANDEZ: You don't even drink tea, boss.
WEISS: Keep it professional on comms, please, Hernandez.
HERNANDEZ: I copy, keep it professional. Like the boss.
ZHENG: Trooper Hernandez. When you rise to command a tac team, you can say what you like on the team net. Until then, listen to Specialist Weiss.
HERNANDEZ: Ma'am.
(Several minutes of silence.)
FENG: Sir! Ahead, eleven.
SMITHSON: I see it. Nice one, Feng. Alright. (Short clicking sound.) Ninety Command, this is One-Zero Actual.
COMMAND: This is Command. Go ahead 10-A.
SMITHSON: We're getting to the perimeter now. Probably let the post know.
COMMAND: Copy, you're getting to the perimeter. I'll talk to the post now.
(Short pause.)
COMMAND: One-Zero Actual, this is Ninety Command. No response from the post.
SMITHSON: Copy, Command, no response from post. Should we stand by?
COMMAND: 10-A, yes, stand by just within the anomaly. I'm sending Post 33 to check on 32. Probably dead batteries again.
SMITHSON: Command, copy you're sending 33 to check. But it's rarely dead batteries, in my experience. Going to keep my eyes open until we're out.
COMMAND: 10-A, copy that. Seems wise. Stay just inside the boundary.
SMITHSON: Just inside the boundary, copy. (Clicking sound.) Okay, you lot. We're staying here because Post 32 isn't answering calls from Command.
(Several audible groans in the background.)
SMITHSON: Yeah, I know. Command thinks it's probably a dead battery. I think we've got another Curious George. Probably see them in here in a minute Weiss-ing all over the place.
WEISS: (Under her breath, laughing) Oh my god.
ALUKO: Weiss-ing, boss?
ZHENG: We'll tell you later, Ms. Aluko. Mind on task, please.
ALUKO: Copy, you'll tell m—
(Several loud sharp cracks interrupt ALUKO.)
FENG: Boss—
ZHENG: JASON!
HERNANDEZ: Fuck! Fuck, that was from fucking outside!
COMMAND: One-Zero, report? Was that a contact?
(A muffled third-party voice can be heard issuing a challenge.)
FENG: Are you fucking kidding me, the fucking G.O.—-
WEISS: (interrupting) CEASE FIRE! THIS IS FOUNDATION MOBILE TASK FORCE THETA-90! CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE!!
(Indistinct third-party voice.)
ZHENG: Come on where's the tourniquet come on come on come on fuck come ooonnnnnn—
COMMAND: One-Zero, please respond.
HERNANDEZ: —fucking team commander! This skip's one of ours, what the fuck are you-
(Multiple voices trying to speak at once.)
WEISS: One-Zero, that's enough! This isn't helping. Minds on task.
(Short pause.)
WEISS: Aluko, help Zheng with that tourniquet. Feng, get on the net and get medics. The rest of you, stand by to move.
FENG: Ma'am. (FENG switches to COMMAND emergency channel)
(Third party voice begins to speak, but is cut off by WEISS.)
WEISS: — Yeah, I know what you thought - that's fucking obvious. So are you going to help us, or not?
ZHENG: — fuck fuck fuck JASON-
WEISS: Zheng! Zheng… ah, shit. Aluko. Can you move him? Yes? Good. Make sure Zheng comes with you. ONE-ZERO! Let's move! You idiots, too: move, move, move!
(Tactical Team 10 exits the anomaly boundary, accompanied by GOC PHYSICS Division personnel responsible for the incident.)
EXCERPT ENDS

Anomalous Geometry Training Center cafeteria, Site-19. Present day.

"Not exactly your finest hour, was it, Jane?"
Weiss rolled her eyes. "I think I did a pretty good job, considering."
"Considering what?"
"Considering how shitty my role model was. And that it was my first ever field command. And that we all thought you were going to die."
Jason Smithson laughed. "Leg still hurts like buggery every time it rains. But I s'ppose I must have been a shitty commander if the Gaggle Of Clowns managed to get me, eh?"
"Maybe! I don't think you disappointed 'Drinia, though."
"Weiss. I'm right here." Zheng turned her head in Weiss' direction briefly, a half-smile on her face. "I don't know if I'm going to be able to visit for lunch anymore if you two are going to keep rehashing the shittiest day of my life."
Smithson mock-pouted. "And I thought the shittiest day of your life was when you transferred out of the Grinders and lost your excuse to HIDE your SECRET FEELINGS FOR ME—"
"Stop it!" Zheng laughed. Weiss had never heard that laugh before Zheng and Smithson had gotten together. Now, she heard it all the time.
"I'm just saying, when everything I took the piss out of you for ended up being TRUE—"
"Don't push it, Captain." Zheng grinned. "I can quit your silly puns and questionable British food any time I like."
"That's what all the addicts say, love."
"Tosser."
"See? You even use all my words and that!"
"It is a good one," said Weiss. "And you are a tosser." She turned to Zheng. "Shit, it's good to see you, Alexandrinia. I wish we saw you more."
"Steady on, mate!" Smithson raised his eyebrows in mock horror. "It's hard enough getting the Foundation to let Zhengie and I see one another as it is, and we're bloody engaged. If you start cutting in on the deal, we're going to have to get into visitation rights."
Before Weiss could answer, a cup of black coffee was placed on the table and a familiar face sat down to drink it. Smithson cheered. "Fuckin' hell! My hero and savior has descended from the heavens to mingle with the plebs!"
Treasure Aluko chuckled. "I swear, you help save a guy one time, he never lets you hear the end of it…"
"Mate. I've told you to stop saying you only helped. Way I heard it, you pretty much carted me out of there single-handedly."
"And she helped stop the bleeding," Zheng said. "More than I could do," she added, not quite quietly enough.
"Love. We've talked about this."
"I know, but—"
"You'd never seen someone shot up for real—"
"Yes, but I—"
"—let alone the bloke you fancied."
"…Do you have to remind me about that five times a day, Jason?"
"Yes."
That laughter again. "Well, you're consistent, if nothing else."
"Speaking of consistency" - Smithson got up - "I'm trying to avoid being consistently late for afternoon classes."
Aluko raised an eyebrow. "Of all the things I thought you might get into when I met you, that was about last, Jase."
"Teaching? Eh, it's alright if the students are alright, and we usually get decent people in. Present company excepted, obviously."
"Obviously," said Weiss, punching Smithson's hip lightly.
"OW! You bloody KNOW that's my bad hip, you twa—"
"Jason."
"—you… mean lady," Smithson finished, before glancing accusingly at Zheng. "And that's not fair, love. You can't just do The Voice to stop me swearing."
"I can do The Voice for any reason I please," said Zheng with a smirk.
"Mint. Can you use it to stop Paulie quitting?"
Zheng's face fell. "I wish. He says he wants to come to my group, and I'd be happy to have him, but it just seems so…" She waved her hand. "Not right."
Aluko sipped her coffee. "He hasn't been the same the last few months. We've all seen it." She nodded at Weiss. "You saw it first, though."
Weiss sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. He just looks like… someone drained all the motivation out of him and replaced it with being tired all the time."
"Maybe he is," said Zheng. "I was worried enough for Jason when he got promoted, even though he mostly does training now. Let alone the stresses Dimaccio's been under. You've got to wonder how long someone can carry on as the commander of even a little MTF like this before the stuff they've seen and the stuff they've heard becomes too much to deal with. There are some things that amnestics can't help. Not if you still want to be you at the end."
"Well, one thing's for sure, love. I'm gonna need amnestics to forget the arse-kicking I get if I'm late to teach class again." Smithson kissed Zheng's cheek, and waved to the others. "Pleasure as always, my friends. Stay lazy!"
Aluko pointed at Weiss. "Her? No chance. Me? I don't need to be told. See you later, Jase!"
"Yeah," said Weiss, her mind somewhere else: on a worn-out, drained face that had seemed so confident and intimidating just a few years ago.
"See you later."

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