Look at me proofreading this chapter while in TA training.
Year Four: Regularly Scheduled Programming
Sci-Tech Lecture Room - 15:27 PM
"Did you get the notes?" Daniel asks as he sits next to James and Keith in class.
James looks up from his phone, which was all he brought to class, and Keith barely glances up from his laptop. Daniel isn't even sure if they heard his question.
"I thought you dropped dead," James responds, going back to his phone while Keith laughs. At Daniel's guess, James is either texting Angela or his mom and it's more likely the latter.
"Here," Naomi turns around in her seat in front of them and shows Daniel a scribbled page in her notebook, leafing the next few to show him where they start and end.
"You're a real one," Daniel says as he takes a photo of each page. The only reason he missed the last class was due to the lecture component of Dr. BV's class which he'll teach the lab portion coincides with his current class. He had to introduce himself.
When he puts his phone away, he looks up to see Agent Reuben, the professor for this class, hand him a paper.
"Great job as always, Drs. Banner and Malliga," Agent Reuben says, handing Daniel and Naomi their papers respectfully. He gives one to Keith. "Dr. Loughty, I'd recommend not doing the whole thing in one night which is the night before it's due."
"You still got it on time," Keith argues.
"You did panic immensely about it, didn't you?"
Keith puts his paper away in defeat. "Touché."
"And Cadet Pym," he hands him his paper, "I don't understand how you made proteomics entertaining but you did."
"Thank you," James responds, grinning proudly.
"It reminds me of the language your father would use in his papers."
James winces. "Don't offend him like that."
"Now class, don't forget about the upcoming midterm," Agent Reuben announces to the class as he hands out the remaining papers.
"Ah, fuck…" Keith grumbles.
"The what?" James asks. He looks at Daniel. "Why didn't you tell me we were having one?"
Daniel narrows his eyes at him. "I thought you dropped dead."
James mocks him mocking him as Naomi flips to the page in her notebook where she wrote the midterm's outline and content.
-o-
Operations' Sparring Room - 14:46 PM
"Fix your form, ladies!" Agent Moore yells.
Angela's SO leads the sparring session with Angela, Merida, Orchid, and Victoria. She circles the ladies as they engage in a fight with each other, holding back. The four of them are armed with holstered guns on their thighs and hips to get used to the feel for future field missions, and Merida has her bow and a quiver of trick arrows from her father. The ladies have been at it for so long that it felt like they were going on a loop, rotating sparring partners in a round.
"Sometimes when you're fighting, you can't see past the threat directly in front of you," Bonnie advises.
Angela squares Orchid but catches Merida pointing an arrow at them. She shoves Orchid to the side and pulls her gun out at Merida.
"You wouldn't," Merida mutters. Curls stick to her forehead with sweat, despite being tied back. Some just fell out of their restraints.
"Worth it for the win," Angela says.
"Oh, please do it," Victoria begs.
Orchid stands and points one gun at Merida and the other at Angela, breathing louder to catch her breath. "Gotta fight ugly to fight right."
Victoria grins from the corner of her mouth, maroon lipstick smudged at the edges as she points her gun at Orchid to balance it out. "You'll never know how people will react until a gun is out."
The four of them dart eyes at each other, fingers hovering over triggers or releases. At the sound of Bonnie's applauding, they lower their weapons and smile brightly at each other.
"You four should have a girls' day, if your schedules allow it," Bonnie suggests as she walks over to a cooler she brought and hands them all chilled water bottles. "I could put a word in with your SOs if needed."
"No need to inform Iyu," Victoria says, sipping her drink. "Merida and I will take a day anyways."
"Oh yeah," Merida adds. "Actually, just tell Iyu you booked another session with us."
"Even better."
"We should do a sleepover!" Orchid exclaims, bouncing on her toes. "Oh, but who's dorm?"
Angela puts an arm around Orchid. "Who needs a stupid dorm when we could just go to my house? Mini road trip!"
Orchid's jaw drops. "Oh my god, we're going to Brooklyn! How are we getting there? When are we leaving?"
"How eager," Victoria mutters, pursing her lips. "I thought we could do it before Halloween. Come back for the parties."
Angela nods. "Works for me. Okay, I'll drive. Xavier isn't going anywhere when he gets back from Camp. Besides, my car is bigger and also mine. He can stick around for stupid RA stuff." She looks at Merida. "You think we can get Stark in on this? She told me she's on a break from her classes just before Halloween."
Merida scoffs. "Bitch left me on read last time we were texting."
-o-
Sci-Tech Conference Room - 17:35 PM
After their sparring session and freshening up for the night while trying to plan their future sleepover with Orchid and Victoria, Angela and Merida tried reaching Emily with no success. All the texts and calls remain unanswered, even the ones they made up about Daniel to see if they're just being ignored. (But Stark would know if they were bullshitting anyways).
"She'd better be dead if she isn't answering," Merida states as she and Angela walk down Sci-Tech quarters.
"What time is it in Japan right now?" Angela asks.
Merida pauses, counting on her hands. "Almost 9 AM?"
"You think she's awake? Because I don't think she was ever asleep. Even if she was hungover, she'd pick up."
"Exactly, and the bitch still isn't answering us."
Angela and Merida walk into a conference room where James was supposed to be having his office hours. It's the start of the school year so nothing that required extra help or questions was a main occurrence. Right before due dates is when students flood inside. Instead, they saw James eating takeout food and watching TV on his phone.
"You two need help with science shit?" James asks like the PA he's supposed to be.
He doesn't try to stop Merida when she takes a piece of pork from his food. She jokingly offers one to Angela before eating it herself.
"Maybe later," Angela responds to James with a wink as revenge so Merida cringes.
"Call Stark," Merida orders him.
James nods. "Glad to be paid for that. Is she not answering or something?"
"I bet she's sober," Angela says as James dials. "That's why she's off."
Merida scoffs. "Makes sense since you're always sober."
James laughs a bit through Angela's glare as he calls Stark.
Not even a second passes before they see Emily pick up. Her face appears on the screen and she doesn't even say anything before Angela and Merida both jump for the phone. It skitters out of his hands and onto the floor, Emily screams. James shrinks and dives for it but Angela kicks his phone away from him and Merida throws his plastic fork at him. Angela laugh as James clatters to the floor with his fork and she picks up James' phone.
"I see you're answering James but not us!" Angela yells.
Emily: I'm sober.
"Knew it."
Merida grabs the phone. "You'd better come home on your break. I want to get drunk with someone who isn't Victoria or James."
"Fucking rude," James grumbles as he grows back to his normal size, brushing himself off.
Emily: Just say you miss me, Merida! I freaking miss you.
Merida rolls her eyes as Emily pesters her for those words in return. "I'm sober."
-o-
Hudson Residence - 18:16 PM
Xavier caught the scent of weed from his dorm at the other end of the hall and it grew predominantly when he knocked on the cadet's door. Almost immediately following his gesture, he hears things being rearranged. The beds move, drawers and the closet slam shut, something being sprayed, and the window opens as the cadets inside yell at each other in hushed tones.
Xavier doesn't even tell them to hurry up because he can't wait to see what stupid lie they have prepared for him last minute.
The door opens and Xavier sees a very high cadet. Their dorm has a cold draft with the pungent scent of pine air freshener (a popular scent on the floor since it's earthy enough to "cleverly" mask the weed smell) and another cadet, equally high, is sitting on the bottom bunk reading the Bible.
Not the worst cover-up attempt he's seen, but far from the best.
"We were just praying," the cadet who answers tries to convince Xavier.
"Sure you were," Xavier says, handing him a package since he was handling mail duties. "Look, I'm not stupid but you could've waited an hour since I would've been heading out. Pray for forgiveness while you got the Bible out and open a window."
"Yes, sir."
Both cadets salute which Xavier finds odd since he isn't a higher rank. Hell, the Sir was weird to hear. His floor is entirely second-years so he's only two years ahead and their RA. Nothing special but they're high.
When they close the door, Xavier starts heading back to his dorm where he sees Brody.
"I was about to head up to your room," Xavier says, jogging to him. "I had to drop off a package and pretend I didn't see cadets smoking."
"I left my floor so my cadets could get rid of things I allegedly didn't see," Brody grins, "what's up?"
"Vander wants to see us in his office by the end of the night."
"Why?" Brody asks. "Wait - oh, Vander's shipping you to Camp again."
"Yup…" Xavier groans. Cadets passing can't help but laugh at him and he can't blame them. "Third fucking time."
"Why does he want to see me?"
"Because I have two options for you," Xavier sees Brody straighten in interest although he knows which one he'll end up choosing. "Join me at Camp-"
"Other one."
Xavier saw that coming. He can't blame him. "Watch over my floor while I'm at Camp."
"Thank god it was better," Brody grins proudly and Xavier narrows his eyes at him. "Is Camp earlier this year?"
Xavier nods, groaning. "Vander's trying something out and I already hate it."
Based on this chapter, we are getting that midterm with the Sci-Nerds, that sleepover with the girls, and Camp in the coming chapters.