[This is kind of a short chapter, and unfinished. Most of what I uploaded today is to be found in chapters 4 and 5. But, see, just updating a chapter doesn't put your story back on the front page... I have more on Daria's financial woes, which will probably be interwoven with chapters 6, 7, and 8.]

Back To School

.....

"Ladies, we're on final approach to Academy Field. Please rise and shine and return your seatbacks and tray tables to the full upright and locked position."

Harmony yawned and stretched as best she could in the cramped quarters of the small Agency jet, then found the seatback control and let it spring forward. On the other side of the narrow aisle, Melody looked up from the tray table and blinked.

Turning away, Harmony looked out the window. Ahead and to the right she could see some of the Academy buildings. They looked like what they were- classrooms, barracks, and other structures of a WWII-era airfield. It had been built as a flight school for pilots headed for the Pacific theater, and had fallen into disuse after the war ended. It now resembled many other such facilities across the country that had been gradually taken over by civilian businesses, except that the "civilian businesses" located here were all Agency fronts or dummies.

As the plane's wheels hit the runway, Harmony caught glimpses of a couple of very sophisticated aircraft through partly-open hangar doors. Apparently there were operations based here that she had not the faintest idea of. Harmony turned back to Melody and began applying another coat of aloe vera gel to the reddened areas of her back and arms. "These are looking a lot better, Melody. A lot of the redness is gone."

Melody made a face at her, whispered "Donna." Then she said "Yeah. they feel better too. I may live." Harmony made an oopsie face and put a hand to her mouth. Even though the pilot was an Agent and there was almost no chance of eavesdropping in the plane, Harmony knew her slip of the tongue could, in other surroundings, put her sister's life in danger.

A minute later the plane rolled to a stop on a taxiway that was usually part of the Academy's driver training course. The rubber cones and other obstacles had been removed and stacked far enough away that they wouldn't be blown around by jet exhaust, or sucked into an engine. Melody was putting her blouse on backwards. Harmony reached over and helped ease it onto her shoulders. "Did you get any rest?" she asked.

"Surprisingly, I slept most of the flight. I've got a sore neck from sleeping on that tray table, though." Melody replied, massaging the abused part.

The pilot came back and opened the door. "This concludes this morning's flight." he said. Thank you for choosing Fly-By-Night Airlines. Please watch your step as you deplane." He backed toward the cabin to let Melody and Harmony exit.

Melody was surprised to see Barker waiting at the foot of the little set of steps. "You got up this early just to meet us? I'm flattered, I think."

"I wish. I just got out of Ops, and this is on my way home, so I thought I might as well. How are your burns?"

"Much better now. They'll probably be healed in a couple of days" Melody turned so Barker could see her back. "Did you have trouble with the Southwest station chief?"

"Oh, yeah. He was threatening to file complaints and reports and grievances and everything else he could think of. We finally got him calmed down, though."

"What did you tell him?"

"The truth. That you two are academy instructors and that the Academy is critically short of instructors now, so we couldn't spare you. Of course, if you're not up to it..."

"If I can find something backless to wear, I can do it. As long as I'm inside out of the sun, I won't be noticeably more uncomfortable here than at home. Harmony?"

"My face hardly hurts at all now. As long as I don't get hit on that side I'll be fine."

"Great. Donna, your Viper has a big dent in the roof and blistered paint on the driver's side. One of Team B is driving it back, but it'll be in the shop for a day or two. We just got in a couple of new ones with the latest electronics and weapons packages, and the enhanced ramming bumpers. I got the chief to assign one to you because we think you can make good use of it."

"Harmony, your Honda was destroyed by fire. Apparently some burning debris lit the left rear tire, and that caught the gas tank. You'll be assigned a VW Beetle as a loaner."

"A Beetle?" Harmony didn't comment further, but her expression was less than joyous. "Will the Agency replace my Honda? It was destroyed in the line of duty." She looked hopefully at Barker.

"Agency policy is to give junior Agents current market value for their cars, or to replace them with cars of about equivalent value if available. I believe your Honda's replacement value is about seven or eight thousand dollars. Or there's a car in the shop that'll be ready in a day or two. It's a black Viper, although you might get them to repaint it in another color if you call down there right away."

Harmony's face lit up. "I'll take the Viper, please, and black will be fine!"

.....

Melody had made a call to one of her students in the girls' dorm, who'd promised to round up something. By the time she got there, the girls had several halter tops to choose from. Melody chose one with enough frontal coverage that it wouldn't be too distracting to the male students, but with only top and bottom tie strings in back. She wasn't burned on her neck where the top tie strings went, and, with the help of two rubber bands looped through belt loops, they were able to keep the bottom strings off her back. And they were putting her hair up in two buns, which they gigglingly referred to as 'Princess Leia Cinnamon Rolls" to keep it off her back as well.

"That must hurt like hell." ventured Masterson as she gently applied more aloe vera gel to Melody's burns.

"Very little, actually. That aloe vera is great stuff." Melody replied.

"How did it happen, Agent Pettibone? Can you tell us? Unless it was part of an operation, of course."

"She's not back on field duty yet, silly. She's still recuperating." Granger put in.

"No, I'm not, but it was, and this time, I can." Melody said. She pointed to a small TV on Masterson's desk. "Watch right there."

The TV, tuned to a news channel, showed an aerial view of a city at night. Suddenly, an orange-yellow ball of flame appeared and expanded rapidly. The camera slewed and zoomed in on it. As it reached maximum magnification, Melody's finger pointed to the bottom left of the screen. "No, I guess you can't see me, but I'm right about there."