Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Cadets

Cause I was bored. You're welcome!

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"Are you ready?" Carter asked.

Kennedy nodded, her round face tense with determination. A smile tugged at the corner of Carter's mouth.

"Good."

Grabbing a rubber band, Carter combed her fingers through Kennedy's thick, silky black hair, pulling it back into a ponytail.

"Remember," she said, tying it off. "He has a tendency to focus only on your fists, that means he's not watching your legs. This is where you can disarm him. A sweep of the legs and he's on the ground, giving you the advantage."

Kennedy nodded again, the messy ponytail dancing with the motion. As she stared into her daughter's brilliant cobalt eyes, Carter placed her hands on her shoulders.

"You can do this," she said.

Standing, Carter took up a position behind Kennedy, facing the competition. In an instant, she catalogued the opponent's state of mind, the energy in their stance, their level of focus. She wasn't worried.

"Is your cadet, ready?" Carter asked.

Donovan rested one hand on Harrison's shoulder, his gaze challenging Carter.

"We are indeed," he said.

The two four-year-olds were ushered into the center of the living room, where space had been cleared. The kids were guided without question, facing each other with looks of fond friendship. Their hands were encased in soft, foam gloves. Carter settled in beside Donovan.

"All right," Donovan said. "Today we judge who is better trained. On the left, we have Kennedy Eleanor Owens-Keller, who has been trained by the weaker of the two trainers, Carter."

Carter smacked Donovan's arms, eliciting a laugh out of him.

"On the right," he swept his arm out to Harrison. "We have Harrison Mason Evans, who has been expertly trained by the amazing and devilishly good looking, Donovan." 

This pulled a laugh out of Carter, which widened Donovan's smile. Harrison's arms hung by his sides, his face upturned and already showing the first hints at boredom. Across from him, Kennedy was swinging her arms about, enjoying the weight of the gloves.

"Now, it's a fight to the death!" Donovan said.

"Donovan!" Carter said. "We're only going with first blood."

Both kids stared up at them, the innocence in their eyes contrasting the image of intense and violent combat.

"Okay," Donovan amended, "till the first one lands a blow." He leaned over his knees. "You both know the rules." He looked back and forth between them. "No biting. You only win and get ice cream if you manage to hit the other person."

Harrison tilted his head back. "Daddy says I'm not allowed to hit girls."

"Yes, well in any other situation, you're not. But I'm giving you permission for this one."

This was accepted with a careless shrug.

"Mommy says I'm not allowed to hurt people," Kennedy said.

Carter crouched down. "No, you're not allowed to use willful force against an unsuspecting victim or bystander that has caused you or someone around you no personal harm. This is fine, Harrison can take it."

Kennedy looked at Harrison and repeated his answer of a shrug.

"All right," Donovan said, straightening. "Let the games begin." When this didn't get an immediate reaction, he went on. "Ice cream for the winner."