Season 1, Episode 1 - The Funeral IV - "The Call"
Isaac managed to opened his eyes, feeling waves of confusion wash over him. Unfamiliar ceiling, he supposed. With that reference out of the way, he tried to move, but realized that he felt way too tired to do any sort of moving.
What am I laying on? A bed, maybe? It feels nice.
Isaac just felt sleepy all over and this bed felt pretty nice.
Audrey's face appeared above him. It looked hurt, real hurt, like she was the one who did the fighting. Maybe she was hurt because she had powers and Isaac had none, yet Isaac did the fighting. But Isaac did have powers now, didn't he?
Isaac had to smile at that. He wanted to tell Audrey that things worked out well for everyone. He got his powers, the agent got caught, the girl got saved. Isaac wanted to ask if the girl was alright, but the words wouldn't form, and he still felt sleepy all over.
It seemed like Audrey was telling him something now, something that seemed urgent and important but also carried with it some sort of relief. Isaac couldn't make out the words through the sleepiness. He tried to ask about the girl again, but the bed was so warm and he felt so tired and sleep would be so nice.
Isaac opened his eyes. The sleepiness had all but disappeared, now replaced with just a general sense of weariness. He sat up in the bed – definitely a bed, white sheets, in what must have been the Academy's nurse's office.
Nurse’s office?
Isaac thought he won that fight, and yeah, his arm catching on fire wasn't exactly the funnest thing in the world, but not exactly pass out for however-long worthy.
It was something else. Some deep within in him, feeling vast and consuming, that tired out the rest of him.
Must've passed out from all the Rddhi and adrenaline I used, Isaac supposed.
"Good, you're finally awake."
Isaac turned his head toward the familiar voice. Mr. Shokahu sat in a nearby chair, setting down a book titled The Occupation of Naugatuck Valley on a nearby table. He wore his usual black trench coat with the maroon scarf around his neck, looking as calm and mellow as ever.
"Mr. Shokahu?" Isaac asked, because wasn't he just the history teacher? He taught Rddhi Theory as well, Isaac knew, but still...it's not like he was involved in training or anything like that.
"You must wondering why your history teacher is here and not...well, anyone else," Mr. Shokahu supposed.
Isaac nodded.
"You see, I'm actually on the board for the Technical Corps," Mr. Shokahu explained.
"The Technical Corps?"
"The Rddhi users. We call it the Technical Corps and keep my name out of the faculty lists in an attempt to keep things hidden. We kept Esther's name hidden from the outside world too, but apparently we didn't do a good enough job, if a New York agent was able to target her."
"You...I..." Isaac had so many questions, he didn't know where to begin.
"You must have a lot of questions," Mr. Shokahu continued. "Trust me, you'll have the time to ask me."
Mr. Shokahu stood and extended his hand out to Isaac. "You know the rules. Any display of Rddhi power results in automatic acceptance to the Technical Corps. As a member of the board, I give you my fullest congratulations. Welcome to the world of Rddhi users."
Isaac felt like he was going to cry. In fact, he did.
But just for a moment. Isaac always gave himself a moment for emotion.
Then it was back to work.
"What should I train first?" Isaac asked, excitement and determination building up in his eyes, in the way he sat up straighter in his bed.
Shokaku held his hand up. "First, take it easy. And tell me what happened."
Isaac gave his side of the story, from hearing that voice to serving his country by beating the brakes off a bad guy (he emphasized this by punching the air). Isaac felt proud about it, but as cool as it was, he knew it wasn’t anything special – it was just the right thing to do. That’s why he finished by asking if the girl was alright.
"She's safe,” Shokahu confirmed. “She's already back to work."
"Back to work?"
"Her name is Esther."
The image of the girl with pleading eyes that soon came to believe in him floated through Isaac's mind.
"She's highly involved with the Rddhi program," Shokahu continued.
Isaac recalled that she had no markings on her shoulders. "She's part of the Support team?"
Shokahu nodded. "Not just part of it. She's one of the smartest we have. Esther's been involved in the planning and execution of multiple projects here. All that information in her head...no wonder New York wanted her."
"He came here to kidnap her," Isaac confirmed. He suddenly gasped. "He said other people told him that the building would empty. I’m not a rocket scientist, but it sounds like there are others spies here!"
"It happens," Shokahu answered calmly, coolly.
A little too coolly for Isaac, who gave him a distressed look.
"It happens more than it should,” Shokahu continued. “The State Police is awfully good at monitoring New Englanders, but when it comes to infiltrations..."
He shrugged casually.
Isaac disagreed with Shokahu's casual tone. "What are we going to do about it? We can't just allow the Yorkists to infiltrate us like this. People are going to get hurt!"
And something about the whole thing seemed off to Isaac. Why wouldn’t the Academy throw all their resources into finding those spies right now?
"All in due time," Shoakhu said, ending things. He stood up and dusted off his black coat. "Having displayed powers, you're automatically a Class 1 user now. Wear it with pride. And come to the training fields once school lets out tomorrow. You'll be spending that time after school just going through paperwork and registration forms, but between you and me, and don't tell anyone, there'll be quite a surprise."
Isaac nodded, relenting. Maybe the Academy has a secret plan. There’s still a lot I don’t know about.
And a surprise? Isaac wouldn’t tell anybody. Loose lips sink ships, after all.
But for a moment, Shokahu had just the slightest hint of a grin on his face that suggested he knew something big would be going down after school tomorrow.
Shokahu headed for the door, opening it halfway before seeming to remember something.
"One more thing. I'd check tomorrow's school newspaper," Shokahu suggested. "Guess that camera girl Piper actually got a photo of your finishing move. Hope it looks nice."
With that, Shokahu left.
Isaac collapsed back into bed. There was so much work he wanted to do, but just for a moment.
The next morning, with a little more spring in his step than usual, Isaac stepped through the front door of his apartment. Today would include his first practice, the last day his shoulders would be empty.
He suddenly stopped in confusion. Reed leaned against the wall near his door, a long, thin piece of grass hanging from her mouth.
"Reed with a reed in her mouth?" Isaac questioned. "Isn't that a little on the nose?"
"Can't get away with nothing." Reed shook her head and spit out the reed.
"What? What are you doing?"
Reed raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
Isaac motioned with both hands toward the reed. "You just spit on the walkway."
"I didn't spit, I just spit out a reed. Big difference."
"No difference! I walk here, Reed, you can't just spit there! Society's have rules for a reason!"
Reed crossed her arms. "Alright, fine, guess you don't care that this is the first time I've been outside your door, just waiting like this."
Isaac blinked, then felt a little sheepish. "Oh, yeah. Didn't even realize, I guess. What brings you here?"
Reed tried not to smile, but it cracked through in the corners of her mouth. "Well, I was in the neighborhood, and since it's your big day and all...don't get the wrong idea about this of course, but welcome to the Corps."
Isaac didn't know what to say. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Thanks. I hope you're a good teacher."
The two started down the walkway.
"Teacher? I don't think I'm ready for that step in our relationship just yet-"
The moment they passed the next door, Audrey burst out and jumped onto Reed's back.
"Isaac!" she greeted, only to blink when she realized she got the wrong one. "Aww, is our little Reed coming to see Isaac off on his big day?"
Reed brushed her off. "...yeah, yeah..."
Reed sighed.
"You know, I regret being nice to you."
After a long day of school, the three stood at the gates to the training area. While there were auxiliary fields to practice on, the main one was the size of a football field (because it was a football field), with a large maroon track circling it, and a number of equipment depots and training stations scattered around. Most students worked in groups, practicing meditation or fighting styles. A few worked alone, eyes closed, concentrating, listening closely to the vibrations of the Rddhi.
The appearance of the three resulted in a sudden silence. They could’ve heard a pin drop on the other side of the stadium.
Isaac nervously gulped. This isn't because of me, is it?
Then he noticed the massive stage on the right hand side of the training fields, a podium on it with a microphone ready. Isaac went red, because public speaking was never really his thing, then he saw the black and green banner above the stage-
WE STAND WITH YOU, REED.
"..ah, hell." Reed immediately turned around, but-
"REED!"
Hanai suddenly appeared before them. Reed cursed under her breath and turned back around.
"What's, er, what's all this?" she asked, motioning with her arm in a wide arc.
"We stand with you, Reed! A pain to one is a pain to all!"
"...oh."
"Nobody should have to go through the pain of losing a loved one alone," Hanai said. "So we put this all together to help you with the grieving process."
"Grieving process, yeah, see, in my family, we move on from things pretty fast-"
"We've assembled this platform so you may give a final eulogy for your father," Hanai explained.
Reed didn't say anything to that, instead just replaying the events that brought her to this moment in her head.
A crowd gathered behind Hanai as he spoke to her.
"We're with you, Reed," Clayton offered in reassurance.
"You can always talk with us!" A girl with a blue streak in her hair exclaimed.
"I even baked you a cake!" A tall girl called out.
Hanai's voice thundered to the high heavens.
"Let your father's deeds be known to the entire academy! Let your soul sing the song of his passing, give us a speech!"
The crowd roared. "Speech! Speech! Speech!"
Reed gave an awkward smile to the hundred-strong crowd, all chanting speech. She looked over at Isaac and Audrey, but they simply shrugged with smug looks on their faces.
Robotically, Reed made her way to the platform, each step more reluctant up the stairs. The crowd cheered loudly as she approached the podium.
From the elevated stage, behind the podium, she looked out at the crowd, who settled down, anticipating an emotional eulogy. She cleared her throat, the mic making a rattling noise.
"Oh, boy," Reed mumbled to herself. She felt a bead of sweat roll down her face.
"My father was a great man!" Reed suddenly declared. A hundred students burst into cheers, while Isaac simply shook his head. "We weren't like cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, we were very close, and never a day went by without him imparting some truth of the world, some nugget of wisdom on to me!"
Reed slammed her fist on the podium as the crowd went wild. "He taught me to dream! Taught me to think bigger than myself! Ideas about peace on earth, brotherhood between men...er, gender equality! And the funeral! What a funeral! People I never met before, hundreds of them, all there because they had been touched by his kind soul!"
Isaac rolled his eyes, then noticed tears streaming down Hanai's face.
"As they lowered him into his resting place, they played his favorite song – the Star-Spangled Banner! His final dream was of a reunified America, peace on earth! And oh, our mothers cried, and sang along, who'd blame them! My country tis of thee!"
Isaac noticed some commotion approaching them. Isaac's friend, another second-year student named Lionel Coleridge, handed Hanai the newest edition of the Academy Gazette with a trembling face.
"Hey, look, it's you!" Hanai pointed out. He showed the newspaper to Isaac and Audrey, a large finger pointing at a black-and-white photo on the front page, depicting Isaac delivering the final blow to the spy.
But behind him...
"Oh, no," Audrey exclaimed.
Hanai suddenly noticed it too. His fists gripped the sides of the paper tightly, almost convulsing.
Behind Isaac and Alfie in the hallway...there was Reed, with a dumbfounded look of surprise on her face, a half-eaten slice of blueberry bread in her hand.
Isaac took a step back from Hanai. Audrey quickly joined him, and so did Coleridge, and so did anyone else in the immediate vicinity. Red lights sparked around Hanai, an intense energy in the air.
"It was the ~heat of the moment~, there in her eyes!"
Reed stopped singing as she suddenly noticed the energy field around Hanai.
"Uh, yes, is there a question down here in the front? Make it quick, this is a great speech-"
"You were at the funeral yesterday, right?" Hanai demanded to know.
"...yes?"
Hanai held up the paper. Reed squinted.
"...I can't see what that says."
"There's a picture of you here!" Hanai roared. "Here in the school! When you were supposed to be at the funeral!"
A hundred pairs of eyes were suddenly on Reed.
"..."
Reed tapped her fingers on the podium.
"My father's...my dead father, as you know...his last request was for me to come back to the school. You see, he always told me, dreams aren't possible unless you put the work into them, so right after the funeral, I headed back here, because...because I was going to train! I'm a very dedicated member-"
Red energy exploded upwards out of Hanai, volcano style. As it dissipated, the air crackled with angry, violent energy.
"Get out!" Hanai ordered.
Reed kept her mouth closed and nodded. She slowly stepped away from the podium, but then leaned back into the microphone.
"Would it at least be possible for me to take some of the chicken salad on my way out-"
"Go!"
Reed nodded and walked down the podium steps. She took one last look at the disappointed, angry crowd and shrugged, whistling a tune to the beat of her own drummer as she left the training fields.
Isaac and Audrey watched her go.
Audrey shrugged.
"Ain't that just the way?" she said cheerfully.
Isaac sighed, but considering everything that happened in the past two days, he still had to smile.
"Ain't that just the way."
WELCOME TO THE CORPS...
