"Okay, someone is going to have to remain with you at all times from now on though...it's a procedure that was put in place a few years ago after an...incident with a veteran, we thought that after the initial PTSD episode they were fine, they were triggered again only minutes later and things got...bad before everything was back under control. It was decided afterwords that an employee was to be near a veteran the entire visit after the first episode since we're taught warning signs that a person is getting close to being triggered or is starting into a flashback, we've learned that intervening at the beginnings of a flashback or PTSD episode it brings them out of it earlier and decreases both the risks of damage and any damage that is done "

"Fine, policy is policy"

"Thanks for not making any trouble with us"

"Hey, military soldier here, everything is run by rules and regulations in the military"

Finally the visit ended and fortunately for Allison she had no more flashbacks, and eventually the entire group was back in Texas and she was back at her Texas Ranger job

"So...why exactly were you guys chaperons anyways?"

"Some of them were parents, as for me...I had a different role that was subtle and not noticed"

"By the way, I got a report of a PTSD episode"

"Gettysburg, forgot that they're supposed to report those incidents to the bosses of whoever is a visitor"

"Exactly, the people in charge of Gettysburg informed me of your episode"

"I'm fine now Captain, there were the special flowers which brought me back fully to the present, we always know that I'm at risk, we just didn't think that a reenactment would trigger me since this is actually the first time I've been to one, now that we know we can take the proper precautions"

"Movies don't bother you for whatever reason though"

"That's...not entirely true Captain, I just already know that I can be triggered with movies so I always have things prepared just in case"

"Okay, well for now we have something for you"

"Oh?"

"Yep, someone broke into a fireworks factory, the reason is currently unknown, local PD is already on it but they asked for Texas Ranger help since we have authority that they don't"

"Right, I'll see where they are on the investigation first then and go from there"

"Keep me updated Kerenai, oh and there's also going to be some interdepartmental training soon, what about the military by the way?"

"Don't worry things are pretty much status quo with them, just make sure that you follow the rules"

Ultimately the investigation would take two and a half months with it turning out that the raid was a combination of drug dealers using an honest location to do their business without owner knowledge and illegal bomb makers, that had the ATF being involved but that was okay in everyone's mind since it cleared the owners of the fireworks factory and got big trouble makers caught

"Okay, we really need to be better informed of the international scene regarding criminals"

"Hey, it's not their fault, at least this time, I know the group that was captured and they're impossible to keep an eye on, we literally have to try and catch them in the act or try and detect any of their major plans which will keep them in one spot for a relatively long period of time"

"In that case, how long did it take this time?"

"Three and a half years"

"Agent..."

"Hey, we've been chasing them since they attacked five of our offices and three other vital infrastructures, they're just that good and you know it Kerenai, you just said that to your fellow Texas Rangers"

"That's not why I'm upset with you guys, oh no, I'm upset because of one reason and one reason only, one you should have figured out for yourselves"

"And just what is that reason Kerenai?"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE ATTACKS THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO AS PER THE THREAT RULES! if you guys had followed proper procedures I would have known to be on the lookout for these guys so that the damage wasn't as bad as it ultimately was and I would have thought about that possibility when I first learned of the raid on the fireworks factory"

"How important was the information that learning about it when they initially popped up would have helped?"

"Because I have international contacts and thus could have known about them being active in the international bombing scene, which would have given us at least a little bit of warning ahead of time probably, and then there's the fact that knowing about the attacks when they initially happened would have given me a heads up about that group and started certain...procedures that are necessary around those types of terrorists"

Allison then stormed out of the office and everyone stayed away knowing that it was safest that ways for everyone that she be allowed time alone to cool off

"We messed up"

"Yes you guys did indeed mess up and you know it full well, even we know better than to keep things a secret from her except in very rare situations"

"We'll see what we can do once she calms down, we know for a fact that she's dangerous in that mindset, we've seen the Tonto video"

"There were...other incidents as well that you're not aware of because we decided to keep them quiet"

"How did you manage that?"

"We have our ways"

Meanwhile Allison had gone to the firing range and everyone could tell she was not happy, she shot her handgun for half an hour due to the fact that a few instructors were there and asked for her help in training some rookies once she had shot off two whole magazines. She also then whipped out her bow and arrow set and decided to get in some arrow shooting as an example of an alternative weapon choice at need, fortunately with SWAT having used the bow and arrow themselves for the past several years no police officer was completely unfamiliar with the weapons but most were not comfortable around them and fewer still could actually use them effectively enough to consider them a secondary weapon. While she was shooting arrows she thought back to when Tonto had taught her how to use the bow and arrow, seeing as how while she'd seen the weapons before and her family had talked to her about archery she herself had yet to be given an opportunity to be taught archery due to age restrictions at the time, but Tonto had convinced everyone that she was safer off knowing how to shoot a bow and arrow just in case

Past

After the two groups got the full story from each other Tonto and the Lone Ranger quickly realized that Allison was the least protected without a gun and they knew that she would put herself in danger if needed

"You need another means of protection, people won't understand you having a gun"

"What do you suggest?"

"Bow and arrow, you can make them quickly and easily"

That started the argument which would last for three whole days, Allison saying that it wasn't a good idea and that she wasn't even supposed to learn archery for another three to five years while Tonto argued that in her current situation that she should have an alternate means of protecting herself and the bow and arrow was the best option. Finally though Tonto wins over Allison's stubbornness, partially because of the fact that the other EDC officers over time saw Tonto's point of view on Kerenai's safety and also argued with Allison to learn archery just in case

"Just...could you do it for our sake Kerenai we...we need you as a leader just as much as you need us to help protect you due to your age"

"Okay, don't think I'll take to it immediately but okay"

She then takes to the bow and arrow easier than most would think she would, she naturally did have some trouble initially but with Tonto's patience she quickly became proficient enough to at least use a bow and arrow at need, her accuracy was still hit and miss about half the time, and she still struggled to pull the string far enough at times but overall she was safe around the weapon and could use it as distraction as a last resort in an emergency

"I want you to practice. You get better that ways"

"Don't worry I'll figure out a way to do just that Tonto, hopefully the next time we meet I'll be better with the weapon you grew up with"

And with that the two groups parted with Allison knowing she was in for long days and nights in order to get better with her newest weapon

Present

Allison eventually finished working with her bow and arrow and then went back to the office and have a civil conversation with the ATF agents

"Okay, what's done is done, I wish you had followed proper procedures but since you didn't what I want to know now is if there's anything else we need to know via reports or anything"

"Not that we're aware of, our reports should be standard reports for you guys, and again we're sorry for not following proper procedure like we should have"

"Fine, just remember from now on okay?"

"We will"

"Oh, because of the incident we just dealt with we'll be dealing closer with the Texas Rangers for a few months before going back to status quo, too dangerous not to all things considered"

"Got it, let my Captain know, as for me, I've got Reserve training to get to again"

"Right"

Allison left for a solid week because unfortunately there was an incident during training which forced it to last longer than two days, however her job had been alerted per procedures set in place a while back so they weren't worried about her being gone longer than normal, but finally she was back

"So...I wasn't given full details but if possible can you tell me what went wrong?"

(Sighs) "Massive equipment failure during training, several were injured and while I'm not at Tonto's skill level I am qualified in first aid, as such I was required to help with the injured and training was delayed while we checked on said equipment to see what went wrong"

"How bad were things ultimately?"

"Two are going to have to be medically retired, as for the equipment, that shut us down for four whole days with another day doing testing, and some equipment still needs to actually be replaced...actually that's something I was to ask you and SWAT about"

"Temporary use of police vehicles which are potentially armor plated?"

"Yep"

"No can do in regards to the Texas Rangers, as for SWAT, you're going to have to ask them yourself they aren't too happy with me right now for something you're well aware of"

"Yeah I know, but it's not entirely your fault Captain some of it was bad luck against those specific opponents"

"Doesn't mean SWAT is happy with us"

"True, and because it's actually a military request it's better coming from me anyways, but maybe I can help with the tension that's happening right now"

"Do your best, I haven't gotten any where's with them lately"

"Will do, hopefully things have calmed down even slightly which should help with matters"

When Allison asked for the use of the equipment she was denied her request, however she fortunately managed to heal the rift between SWAT and the Texas Rangers in Dallas

"So the military is unable to use your equipment ever?"

"At least for right now, we ourselves have equipment problems at the moment so it's better not to use our vehicles"

"Understood, at least I can tell my Captain that I asked anyways"

"And tell him it's not that we don't want to give you guys equipment but that we can't"

"Will do...how bad is the equipment situation anyways?"

"We're looking for new vehicles bad"

"Got it, no equipment from you guys for safety reasons"

"Did your Captain ask the others to also ask?"

"I'm afraid not, but that's only because I'm the only one in law enforcement, at least for my specific unit"

"Got it, the military has other contacts though so hopefully that issue will be resolved soon, they probably simply wanted you to ask because police vehicles are now frequently based off of military vehicles, as such it would be more of a loan with money to replace any losses than anything"

"Well in any case I'll give my Captain the report and we'll leave it at that, and I'll tell my Texas Ranger Captain that things are...better due to our talks"

A month later and Allison finally declared her intention to retire five months from that date, the group had talked with her family and it was decided that things were finally in a good settled place that they could start the process of becoming EDC officers, first through retirement and then later faked deaths which would allow the EDC to give them new identities

"Why now, and are you sure that you're actually going and ready to retire?"

"I'm sure, things...things were complicated which has delayed my retirement longer than I thought but you're finally truly settled into the job and the policy that we fought so long to be made mandatory, and a few other things that needed to be in place before I could retire but finally it's time for the old guard to leave and let the younger generation to take over"

The Captain actually looked at Allison and noticed that she was actually starting to look tired and old, part of that aging effect was faked but Allison really did need to stop soon because she was mentally and emotionally tired from her job as a police, that was why when they had recently talked with Allison's family their EDC training was going to take a year at least because it was not going to be all training, it was to give everyone a mental and emotional break from everything they saw in their jobs

"You're tired aren't you, not just physically because physical exhaustion is almost always temporary, but mentally and emotionally too"

"Yes, this isn't an easy job, John and Tonto are also just about burned out, Dan is better but only slightly as a lawyer"

"You've been doing this a long time haven't you?"

"Yes, a very long time, the fight to free Texas several years ago..."

"That made it worse didn't it?"

"Yes, fleeing our home, hiding who we were...and then there's the fact that I'm also in the army reserves, it's not an easy life at all"

"Speaking of, have you given the Reserves a date?"

"Not quite, I haven't had time to fully discuss things with Tonto regarding our Reserve service, we did talk during the training but not in enough detail to have a solid plan on retirement from the military and when to tell the proper people to get the paperwork started"

"So basically you two are agreed that it's time to retire, but you haven't yet agreed on when"

"Exactly"

"Fine, since you've told me, even if you have yet to produce paperwork regarding your retirement I will move you to more administrative duties, and also some training duties so that you can help bring in the next generation as you call them"

"That's probably for the best, however don't completely take me out of the field I still want to be at least a bit active"

"Understood Kerenai"

"And Captain...you might want to start thinking about your replacement, and soon"

"What for?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed you possibly getting arthritis and it acting up"

"I'm getting checked out Saturday at a walk-in clinic, didn't make an appointment but I made that decision yesterday when I could barely get out of bed"

"Good, if you do have arthritis you're going to have to retire in about two or three years instead of five like originally planned"

"I know, having arthritis makes this job impossible"

"At least you have the opportunity to choose your successor yourself"

"There is that...Kerenai, is that another reason why you're retiring so soon?"

"No, I am in desperate need of rest"

"Okay, I know things haven't been...pleasant in regards to you and command shifts"