Saving Grant Ward

Chapter Thrity-Three

I took a nice, long nap after Grant left, waking up in the afternoon. I showered, got dressed, and headed back out into the familiar hallways of the Hub. FitzSimmons and their lab were closest, so I decided to swing through and see if I could find them, first.

I barely made it halfway to my goal before a different familiar face came around the corner. Professor Thompkins, the Ops Academy's first year strategy teacher, strode towards me through the hallways of the Hub. My face lit up in a smile at the sight of her; I hadn't seen her in years, but she'd been one of my favorite professors at Ops.

"Samantha!" she called, smiling back as soon as she noticed me. "I was hoping I'd find you!"

"Hi, Professor Thompkins! It's great to see you!" I pulled her in for a hug as soon as she was close enough, then pulled back with a furrowed brow. "Why were you looking for me?"

The corner of her mouth pulled up in a slow smile.

"I'm sure you're aware, we usually ask an exceptional Ops student to return to campus and give a speech to each year's incoming class?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I got there a little late for the speech my first year, but I'm familiar with the tradition."

Her smile spread to overtake her whole face.

"Well, you've been selected as the first choice to give that speech this year, if you're willing."

"Wait, seriously?" I asked, my heart doing a backflip in my chest. "I would be honored, yes! I'm absolutely in!"

"Wonderful! Would you be able to return to the academy a few days from now? I know it's short notice, but we had a bit of a hard time finding you to ask the favor..."

I waved her off. Unlike my last mission, this was the kind of short notice I didn't mind at all.

"Don't worry about it, Professor. I'm on it, and I'll be there."

"Glad to hear it. I'll send you the remaining details, and of course, you can always reach out to me if you have any questions."

"Will do!"

She gave me a smile and a nod, then headed off to whatever else she had to do at the Hub. I watched her disappear down the far, far end of the hallway, then glanced around to make sure I was still totally alone. Then, I jumped up in the air and pumped my fist, shouting like a maniac without a care in the world.

"YES! I'M GIVING THE WELCOME SPEECH! I'M GIVING THE WELCOME SPEECH! HA!"

I cleared my throat after a few more excited jumps, then glanced around the hallway again. Luckily, it was still deserted. I grinned.

The welcome speech was a major deal, and nobody got invited to do it without being a seriously respected Specialist. But, even more than that, the honor meant the world to me because I'd never exactly fit the mold of what most of the SHIELD professors looked for in a Specialist. I'd always had top marks in my classes, but without any of the cutthroat, competitive, unfriendly energy that a lot of the other Specialists maintained. More than that, I'd managed to convince a lot of the others to thaw, at least somewhat, and join me in group study sessions and celebrations after exams.

A few of the professors, like Thompkins, had enjoyed my style. But most of them had not, and were regularly surprised that I seemed to do so well, despite not embodying the attitude they thought a good Specialist should have.