The exercise that Vinny and Mole had prepared went well and everyone at the academy started getting settled into a routine. There was some good news on the projection for when they could leave the academy, next semesters' curriculum they had been waiting on had come in. The reason why this was good news- Sweet told him- was that as soon as those came in Daily's staff would know what qualifications to look for in their permanent replacements, after that was confirmed it was only a matter of finding them and hiring them before they could leave.

Vinny was actually on his way to pick up a folder outlining his curriculum, even though he couldn't follow the schedule he needed to check all of the boxes of what needed to be taught. He entered the division office and was directed to Marge; she had his papers.

At her desk he saw Packard and the brunette woman whom Eggar sat next to at the welcome dinner, the three women were talking amongst each other. Marge saw him and waved him over so he made his way over.

"Hello Vinny, how are you?" she asked.

"I'm doing well, just came by to pick up my curriculum papers, I was told they were here." He answered.

Turning to a filing cabinet next to her she responded, "Yes they are right here, one moment. Packard why don't you introduce Anna to him while I grab these papers."

"Sure, Vinny, this is Anna Hall my assistant, she has been here just a couple of months before us. As you know we are in charge of the radios." Packard said.

Vinny went and shook her hand, "Nice to meet you."

"You as well." She said simply, she then looked down at some notes she had been carrying.

"Do you enjoy it here at the academy?" He asked.

Looking up she said, "It has been good."

A moment passed by and Vinny could tell that she didn't like the attention on her, figuring it was because she didn't know him, he didn't mind, there have been more than enough days where he has grown tired of office socialization- maybe Mole was on to something.

Still trying to get something going he pressed on, "So radios... they are still pretty new. Have there been any big advancements lately?" He tried not to cringe at his own question.

"No, not really."

More silence, Vinny started looking around the office and twiddled his thumbs.

Packard had been turned towards Marge, she turned back towards them and apparently saw the conversation stall she said, "Anna I forgot to grab the radio protocols from that Miss Schmitt, the German instructor I think, could you grab them from her and leave them on my desk. After that you're good to go."

Poorly hidden relief came across Halls' face, "I'll get right on that Miss Packard, if you'll excuse me" she said as she left.

Vinny raised an eyebrow at Packard once her assistant left and asked, "Not much of a talker?"

Packard shook her head and said, "For a person that is in communications, she does little of it. Only people she really talks to are Eggar and I, anyone else if it doesn't involve a radio or our office, she won't say anything really."

Marge turned back to Vinny and handed him a file, "Bless her heart though, she really is nice if you do get to know her."

Not knowing what else to say Vinny nodded and "Wouldn't doubt it."

Packard stood and started for the door but then stopped short, "Oh hey, everyone is meeting at Marge's tonight. We are going to talk about anything new including stuff about Raimondo. I did have one more errand other than getting that protocol so I'll meet you there." Vinny hesitated when she was saying all of this in front of Marge, noticing, she said, "Relax she knows, I was on the phone with her when we met our lobster friend remember?"

"I'll take your word for it; I was a little preoccupied at the time" he said.

"Uh huh, see you there." She said.

She collected her things and headed for the door. He did as well and soon they all would be at Marge's place.

Vinny got to the apartment and he was one of the earlier ones, other than Marge it was Sweet and Cookie that beat him there so they talked a little until the rest of the group made it there.

Their work around the academy was well on its way, Vinny was constantly having full class after full class. He could tell that the course he was teaching was getting used, he told them one in one of his classes there were more people from out of country than in that were attending. He wasn't overwhelmed but he was constantly engaged in his work. Sweet on the other hand was finding it hard not to go crazy from inactivity.

"Well, it's nice that someone can enjoy themselves, I've been working half days it seems, though I guess that's a good thing, it means you all are being safe." The doctor said.

"Oh really?" asked Vinny.

"Yeah, the majority of cases and calls are for the other departments, you see the Irregular Department is separated on every level including the medical section." Sweet elaborated.

There was a knock on the door, Marge rose up to get it to find Audrey at the door, she let her in and she sat down with the others.

Sweet continued, "So yeah, the main medical offices are actually dealing with a number of cases right now. Many are interesting ones too; some examples are an instructor fell off a streetcar and got a nasty knee dislocation, another is a cadet got their hand smashed in an artillery breech, both needing specific and precise treatment- very exciting."

Audrey balked, "Exciting might be the wrong term there, I'd say gross."

"Says the one that loves listening to timing belts for hours, at least what I'm talking about isn't boring." Sweet jabbed.

"What? That's ridiculous, my profession can be as much of an art as it is a skill." She countered.

While they debated everyone else had arrived and once it seemed Packard had enough of it, she quieted them down and addressed the group, "Thank you for being here, we are here to discuss any suspicious activity that may not be in our best interest. Shall we begin?"

Seeing their nonverbal approval of nods and silence she continued. She grabbed her purse and pulled out a pair of reading glasses and a notepad.

"Vinny why don't you start us off?"

"Alright, I don't know much. What I do know is that Raimondo aggressively defends this project, or at least it looks like that to me. I saw him threaten to send Madine away to some quiet out of the way base because he was giving us trouble."

Cookie looked up from picking his teeth, "Though I don't much like the kid, that sounds like less of a concern and more of a reason for me to shake his hand."

"On the surface that seems fine, but it begs the question: how can he, one man, supposedly tasked with just finding the instructors also be able dictate army staffing and operations?" Sweet countered, "It's all pretty strange."

"I don't know, that's just what I have heard." Vinny said.

Packard paused from her notes, "Anything else on Raimondo?"

Shaking his head, Vinny replied, "No, I think we should also look out for Sharpe. A guy meant for sneaking and spying, who many of us have seen watching us, it's too easy for them to be working together."

Nodding the radio operator said, "Okay, we can work with that. Has anyone seen the two of them together?" Seeing everyone shaking their heads she said, "Alright we'll keep an eye out and say something if we see something. What about by himself? Anything out of the ordinary?"

More head shakes still.

"I think he's just weird." Audrey said.

Sweet responded, "We need more than weird if we want to do something. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt but we all discovered just a couple of months ago the type of trouble that can be stirred when someone who will do anything to get what they want is let loose."

"Now you don't think it's Atlantis again, do ya?" Cookie asked Sweet.

"Probably not, I am just looking out for us, just in case." He responded.

"Fair enough I guess." So, Cookie left it at that.

"Alright we wait and see what happens with Raimondo and Sharpe, while we wait on that is there anything of note that you have seen out there?" Packard asked.

Thinking Vinny shook his head, "No nothing really comes to mind. The only other guys I work with are Eggar, Lockett, and sometimes Brians. If there is anything to note, I guess Eggar seems to avoid me, but I admit that's not much."

Nodding as if she completely understood Packard said, "He and Anna are alike, I'd be worried if either of them started getting out more." Marge silently nodded in the affirmative to her statement.

"Are you sure it's just them?" Audrey asked, shifting in her spot on the couch, "It seems like an awful lot of people go out of our way to distance themselves. For instance, my shop's the only place I'm spoken to, it's crazy."

"I hate to say this, but I believe that problem could be with your age." Sweet said.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked with a look that dared anyone to give her an answer.

"Easy there," Sweet said, "that is their problem and you know it. It's not fair but it might be as simple as they aren't ready to be taught by someone as young as you, even though it is their loss."

Seeing her reaction, Vinny made a mental note to swing by the motor pool a little more often throughout the week to pay his friend a visit.

"But that's all you got? Any suspicious activity?" Packard asked.

"No, I guess not." Audrey said.

Packard turned to Sweet, "Anything on your end?"

"Just one thing, though it might not mean much. I saw Sharpe in the infirmary the other day when I knew for a fact he wasn't hurt. Once he left, I asked a nurse he spoke to what he was there for and she said he was asking about what local animal and insect bites were most common around here. I know he's a scout, but it looked like he was snooping the whole office, as if he was looking for someone or something. I might be overthinking this but since we've been talking about this; what do you all think?"

Marge spoke up, "I don't think we should worry- don't discount it- but don't worry. In the years I've been here, it's the smart instructors that go around talking with and learning from the others where they can. So, at that moment I bet he was doing his job, other times? We'll have to wait and see."

"Good point." Packard said, writing down everyone's recent remarks on the notepad.

While she wrote, a silence rested on them and they reflected on what had been said. Vinny was hoping that they were overreacting to all of this. Unfortunately, it wasn't helping that they still couldn't get a hold of Mr. Whitmore. It had gotten to a point where Sweet had sent him a letter to the man. It all was a bunch of waiting, and that was something that they were not all that excited for.

Packard finished and looked up, "Mole, what about you?"

The geologist shook his head and replied, "I have seen nothing."

"Have you looked?" She followed up.

"No."

Rolling her eyes, she crossed out whatever she had started to write.

"Cookie?"

Looking over to her he replied, "What I have seen is mostly the same stuff everyone else has. Aside from the two fellers I work with, I don't get out that much."

"Alright, understood" She said, finishing her notes she then looked at Sweet, "So what's next? You started this."

"I guess we wait and until we hear from Whitmore or we see something out there. Until then we just keep working." Sweet proposed.

Everyone murmured in agreement and nods went all round, seeing this Marge spoke up, "Great, seeing as it is almost time for my evening stroll, I guess we can part ways." It was more of a statement than a question.

Taking the hint, they all left to get ready for the next day.

Sorry about the late upload, I spaced it. I'll have to set a reminder or something. For that I'll post another in a few minutes thanks for the patience.