Rangers Apprentice AU-Police Force

Episode 9 Part 1-Risk Taker

Spreading out the morning paper on the cramped space he shared at the breakroom table with Gilan Davidson, Halt ignored the loud droning buzz of conversation around him as he read. Officer Edwin was in fine form this morning and had several of the new guys grouped around him as he fed them slabs of blarney, tales of the daring raids and rescues performed by yours truly. The officer had five years' experience, and just enough street work adventures to feel that he had become something big. Built nice with a pleasant face, he was the poster child picture of the force in his blue uniform, and many a rookie was flattered when Officer Edwin spoke to him before briefing. He wasn't a bad fellow, when you got to know him under all that bluff and flash, but Halt had fought with him about the way he executed procedure, and the fact he filled new recruits' heads with glorious escapades. They would never see eye to eye, so Halt took to ignoring the other man whenever he was able to. Today, it was a little harder. It was too early in the morning to be putting up with this, and Halt sipped his coffee in a way that could have been described as annoyed. Across from him, Gilan drummed on the table, his gaze fastened on the clock hanging above Edwin's head.

Halt sighed. "Gilan. That's not going to cause enough vibration."

Gilan blinked and caught Halt's look. "Eh?"

Flipping a page of the paper, Halt read a brief account of the new construction downtown, his eyes scanning names and opinions, discarding and sorting. "The drumming isn't going to cause a strong enough wave of vibrations to bring that clock down on Ed. At least, I thought that might be why you're doing that." Halt said with a tinge of sarcasm. He was on edge and knew it. But the fact he hadn't interjected into Edwin's performance yet was a sign he still had himself under control.

 The younger man's hands dropped. "Oh. No, I was willing the hands on the clock to turn faster so everyone would leave for briefing." His eyes narrowed. "The clock falling was an even better idea."

 Halt snorted, but the door opening to admit Will stopped him from further comment. The new officer entered in his usual manner-namely, he burst into the room and then jerked to a abrupt halt when he saw how many officers were inside. When he noticed Halt and Gilan, he wound his way towards them. Halt's eyes sharpened on the young man as he came, his gait strangely careful.

 Will slid slowly into the seat by Gilan, greeting them both. 

"How was the day off?" Gilan asked. Halt watched, still pretending to read. There was just something about Will that bugged him. The young man looked tired, but that couldn't be it. They had all looked tired before and would again. The crowd behind them laughed heartily and he missed part of Treaty's reply.

"...met up and did some exploring. Nothing much." Will had put his hands on the table, now he dropped them into his lap, and folded them together. Gilan was watching Will, with the pained concentration of someone trying desperately to ignore something else. Unfortunately, Will's own attention had been caught by the group of men and his forehead wrinkled.

"What are they doing?"

Gilan snorted. "Ed's at it again with the stories."

Straightening in his chair, Will looked as though he was actually interested in listening. "He has some pretty exciting ones," the young man said with a hint of admiration in his voice. "It feels like he's done it all."

"Oh, he does give that impression," Gilan murmured, before taking a long sip of his coffee. His eyes bored into the clock on the wall again.

Annoyed, Halt rattled the paper, folding it shut and creasing the lines with his fingers. 

"Edwin is too risky for his own good. A cop that tried half the stuff he spins, won't last long enough to worry about being put on desk duty." 

"Isn't it good to take a risk, if the result is success, Halt?" Ed's cheerful voice sailed across the breakroom, stabbing the man it was meant for.

Slowly, Halt rose, hands on the table before he straightened to his fullest height. The room was quiet, rookies looking nervous as the grumpy officer they had heard other stories about, faced them all carefully. Many averted their eyes, unable to hold his sharp gaze, a few looked abashed at themselves as they recognized how they'd gotten carried away. Standing a little beside them, Officer Ed stood easily, his bright smile suggesting he was ready for whatever Officer O'Carrick might try to argue.

 "The facts are," Halt began carefully, "Is when an officer starts thinking so much of himself that he is comfortable with tossing the safety of the citizen out the window for a "faster result", he risks losing that person altogether. It isn't your call to risk the safety of others."

 The room was still enough that you could have heard a pin drop and Edwin looked a little nonplussed. 

"Right..Well.. an officer shouldn't hold back when he can do something either," he added after a moment. A chair scraped back as Gilan rose. 

"Time for briefing," he said, vacating the room as quickly as his long legs would take him. Will rose, bracing himself on the table for a moment. One glance at Halt's face led him to believe he would do well to not open his mouth for a while, so he joined the tall officer out in the hallway, as the rest of the men began to file out. 

Gilan was waiting. "So begins the day," he remarked cheerfully. "I just hope Mack has something to make it better. Will found himself quickening his stride just to keep alongside Gilan. As usual, the other man's normal gate ate up the ground while to him, he was strolling casually. Fire burned along Will's ribs; he had woken up this morning feeling as if the baseball bat from yesterday's fight was beating him again and again with every movement. It had taken a while to limber up before he left his apartment flat, but he refused to sit the day out at a desk. He could handle it, he told himself, gritting his teeth. He also hesitated to talk about yesterday's escapade to Gilan or, more definitely, Halt. He had a hunch that both officers would think the entire episode a serious act of stupidity. 

 His hopes that the day would be one filled with quiet ticket stops and street checks, were quickly dashed away.