Piper grabs a drink and snack before settling into her old bedroom. Determined to begin the selection process and keeping Jason's recommendation in mind about how to best tackle it all. 'So course qualities first. I'll make a list of each skill and rank them in the order that they appeal to me.'
What Piper comes up with after hours of work is the most detailed spreadsheet she's ever seen. Laughing at herself and shaking her head "So this is what business organization and extreme OCD looks like. Damn I was inspired." Personality style starts the second row of the list, followed by situation disarmament, threat assessment, hand to hand combat, willingness to do things differently, rounding the list out with weapons efficiency and professionalism. A couple of rows down begins a listings of courses and which skills are found there. The next rows are for any notes that don't fit elsewhere. There are columns named for each of the top 20% trainees. Each filled in by the her notes and the trainees files.
Piper decides to take a break. She calls Polly after receiving her food delivery. "Hey Pol!"
"P, just the person I need to talk to."
"Okay, what's up?" Piper smirks, pretty sure a rant from her best friend is headed her way.
"P, when will you be home. We have to finish the final details for your party. Please tell me you at least set a guest list."
"No Pol, been far too busy." She can hear Polly whining already. "But for your other question, I'm heading back just as soon as the trainee video is delivered."
"You better show me that video," Polly exclaims. "And I will be giving my opinions on who I like or don't like!"
"Of course. Let me tell you all about today and how productive I've been since leaving the training facility." Piper passionately details all the work that went into her spreadsheet. "Now I need to cut the trainee list in half, and turn it into Jason, the head of training, by Friday."
"I'm happy for you P. But can we stop talking about spreadsheets? My brain is suffering information overload here." Piper can't help but laugh at her best friend.
"Fine, my brain needs to decompress as well for the night. I'll be right back at it as soon as I get there tomorrow."
"Get some sleep P."
"You too Pol!" Piper gets ready for bed and for the first time in days, falls easily to sleep.
Piper wakes up earlier than usual and is dressed and packed, before heading downstairs for breakfast. "Hi Daddy!"
"Hey Princess! A package had already been delivered for you this morning."
"Is it the trainee interviews?"
Bill takes in his daughter's excitement and smiles widely. "I don't know Princess why don't you open it and see. It should be on the table for you."
"Yay!" He laughs and tells her the maid has breakfast ready for her.
"Mmmm, I've forgotten how great a home cooked breakfast tastes." She's always loved the way the long-term maid always seems to know just what she's in the mood for. Before she has a chance to look at the new video, the security staff arrives to take her back to Smith.
"Hey Pol! I'm back. I half expected you camped out in the living room, wanting to see the video as soon as I walked in the door."
Pol yells out from the back of the apartment, "Be right there P, just finishing up in the bathroom."
Piper puts everything she's gotten from the training facility, her laptop and her spreadsheet in front of her. She loads the dvd just as Polly sinks down on the couch right beside her. "So here are the qualities, ranked by importance. Be sure to keep them in mind, and not just focus on looks Pol."
"Fine. Well start it already," Polly whines.
Polly keeps commenting on the attractiveness of each and pointing out the assholes. Piper is captivated by some of the answers and even made uncomfortable with others. The videos were alphabetical by the trainees last name, meaning Alex Vause was last. Piper had been excitedly awaiting the beautiful raven-haired woman's interview.
"So P. I noticed I've been the only one commenting, don't tell me you don't have opinions. I know your lying if you pull that bs."
"Look Pol. We only have a couple more to go. Let's get through those before I start sharing my thoughts."
Alex's interview comes on and Piper is spellbound. Polly notices and waits patiently to call her on it. Piper has been taking detailed notes on each trainee, on the question she asked for and the explanation each gave of themselves and their background. A wide smile gracing her face as the Alex interview fades to black.
"Okay spill it. I see that wide grin on your face. And don't think I didn't that look in your eyes, especially during that last one"
Piper blushes "Damn. I was hoping you wouldn't catch that."
"As long as I've known you I've called you on everything you didn't admit," laughs Polly. "Why stop now."
"Okay fine. Alex has been consistently high in my notes. I'm glad there's nothing in her interview that concerns me. I think she'll definitely make the cut."
"So who else easily gets onto the list? Please tell me there's at least a few hotties on the list."
"Then you'll be happy that a few of the ones you were drooling over are likely to make the list."
"That does make me happy. Nothin' wrong with a little eye candy," Polly jokes. "So which ones are safe P?"
"Well before the videos, Alex, Chase, Tommy, Colton, Keith, and Sebastian were coming up consistently high in my course assessments. Sebastian's video quickly axed him. He strikes me as a total assholes who seems like he's God's gift to the world. And Tommy's left a lot of question marks that need to be answered before the second cut."
"You know I'm gonna need to watch the video again to better put names to faces. It will get easier after you narrow the list," Polly sighs "won't it?"
"Yeah Pol, it should. I need to re-watch them again myself. See if anyone not jumping to the top of my notes, is worthy of a closer look."
After re-watching the videos and taking even more notes, Piper feels like she should update her spreadsheet. She then takes a break for some dinner and unrelated conversation from her roommate. A little wine and some cheesy rom-com helps to soothe her growing impatience at Polly wanting to plan every detail of her birthday party, a day and a half later. Piper is beyond caring about any of it, and except for the fact that Polly would kill her, she's close to calling it all off and opting for dinner and dancing with a few of her friends.