Induction, T.K. Eldridge [read aloud books txt] 📗

law books and criminology books. I want to see if there is any precedent for what James is trying to pull and how we might fight back using the system.”

“You’re wasting your time,” I said. “He isn’t doing this within the system, so fighting him within it won’t work. We need to publicly embarrass or humiliate him. We need to show everyone how evil he truly is.”

Sid put her pen down and rested her chin on her hands. “That’s great, and we’ll do that. But we also need to lock it down so neither he nor anyone else, can ever do this again. That’s where the law comes in.”

“Okay, I can see that. Although…”

My words were interrupted by a pounding at the door. I glanced at Sid, turned the flame down under the pot of pasta I was cooking, and headed to the door to answer it. Another round of heavy thuds hit the door before I could open it. I pulled it open to reveal Auntie Sett standing there, fist raised, about to pound the door again.

“Come on in, Auntie,” I said.

“About time you answered the damned door. That bastard has a lot to answer for, I’m telling you,” she snarled as she pushed past me into the house.

“I assume you’re talking about our beloved Director?” Sid said from her seat at the table.

Sett paused in her rampage to blink at Sid. “Oh, hell. What did he do to you two?”

“Accused us of cheating, with your help, and told us we were no longer officers,” I said.

“With my help,” Sett hissed. “That explains some of what he said. It seems he thought we spoke after you left him because he was acting like I already knew what he was talking about.”

“What happened, Auntie?” Sid asked. “Come on, sit. I’ll get us coffee or beer or whatever you want.”

“It’s lunchtime, beer is good. Want me to order pizza?” Sett said.

“No, I was cooking already. Let me get that finished up and we can talk this out,” I said.

Sett sat down at the table and picked up one of Sid’s books. “Criminal law. Doing some studying? Or research?”

Sid brought the beer back to the table and started to clear it so we could eat. “Research. I want to find a way to pass laws so no one else can do this again.”

“That’s ambitious of you,” Sett said as she handed the book to Sid.

I dished up three bowls of pasta with tomato and meat sauce and set them on the island. A sliced loaf of French bread with butter and a small salad rounded out the meal. Sid finished clearing the table and set the food out while I carried the salad in and we all took a couple of minutes to eat.

Sett dipped her bread in the sauce and took a bite, washed down with a swallow of beer before she spoke again. “The Director has put me on probation, which is basically a suspension with pay. I can still get on campus and access my office, but my classes are being handled by another teacher and I had to turn in my badge and gun.”

“And all he told you was that you supposedly helped us cheat?” Sid said.

“That was the main point he brought up. He rambled a bit about how he didn’t understand how I’d managed to stay on staff at the Academy for so long. That it must’ve been because I was a Fortin that my pathetic skills as a witch and a trainer were allowed to be passed on to students.”

I could tell that Sett was more angry than hurt by the words, but there was a trace of bitterness there.

“Auntie, you have been repeatedly awarded the best trainer title by the cadets for the past, what, ten years? You are an excellent trainer and a much better witch than some of the purely witch-training teachers there. Don’t let that asshat get inside your head. That’s what Grampa Walsh told us, and it goes for you too,” I said.

Sett looked down at her food and took another bite. “He’s good at it, though. Getting into our heads.”

“Yeah, he is,” Sid said. “He pushes my buttons all the time. When he called us into his office, he addressed Sin as Officer Boudreau and me as ‘his sister’. As if I weren’t even worthy of being called an officer. He’s always hated that I exist.”

“Aren’t you being a touch dramatic?” Sett asked Sid.

“No, she’s not. He said as much to her face the last time we were at the manor. He would have been happiest if she were a boy, but otherwise, he’d rather she was dead,” I said.

Sett looked from me to Sid and shook her head. “Walsh suspected that James had psychopathic tendencies. I didn’t realize how accurate he was.”

“He has no emotion that seems true. He can fake it well, but it’s like turning a switch off and on. We saw it the last time we were at the manor. He was sobbing into his hands, saying he was worried about our father, then shifted gears so fast his tears were still wet on his cheeks as he told us how useless we were,” Sid said.

I ate the rest of my pasta and started on the salad. I only heard about half of Sid and Sett’s conversation as I ran the information around in my head.

“So, what do you think, Sin?” Sett asked.

“Huh? I’m sorry, I was thinking.”

“About what?” Sid asked.

“Just all the bits and pieces we’ve gathered so far. We don’t have enough to figure out our next steps against Lord James and his crew.”

“No, you don’t. Not yet,” Sett said. “But I know who has more information. Tonight, meet me in the storage barn next to the one that has your stuff in it. I’ll leave it unlocked. Come around ten.”

I looked at Sid and she nodded, so I turned to Sett. “Alright, we’ll be there. Should we bring anything?”

“Come armed and leave your phones behind.”