“I think that’s enough for today,” Lance panted as he went to get his water off the bench, sweat dripping from his hair.
“I was just getting warmed up,” Ashley called after him as he walked away. They’d been training for at least an hour and a half every day, and she was getting much more used to her staff. Occasionally, Lance would have her mix it up by using the escrima sticks, but most of the time, he encouraged her to continue practicing with the staff. Her knee had also fully healed. She’d been discouraged by the gap in their skills after their first day sparring, but after healing and getting a few days of practice with the weapons, she was gaining on him quickly.
“I believe that,” Lance answered after taking a long draught. “But I’m not a college athlete. And while vigilantism keeps me in good shape, it’s not college soccer player shape.”
“Must be tough being old,” Ashley laughed as Lance smiled and shook his head.
“You’ve come a long way in a short time with that staff. You seem a lot more comfortable with it. Do you feel more comfortable?”
“I do. And I feel like I’m holding my own with you, even now that you’re not taking it nearly as easy as you were a few days ago.”
“That’s good. I’m hopeful having this out there will keep you from breaking both of your arms and legs again.”
“I, um, I—” Ashley stammered while Lance took another sip.
“Me and Nicole had a nice little chat the other night while I waited on you. I wanted to get more feedback on how you had been doing, and asked her to paint you in as negative a light as possible so I could really understand. And even then, she pretty much only had good things to say until we got to the part where you broke everything and then spent a month not moving or talking and then decided to go out again.”
“I’ll admit it wasn’t my wisest decision. But I’m smarter now than I was 10 days ago. You’re a great teacher.”
“Hmm,” Lance hummed through a mouth of water. “I really hope you are. This campus needs a hero, and you clearly have what it takes to be one if you can keep from getting yourself killed.”
“One chat later, and now you sound like her,” Ashley scoffed.
“Great minds,” Lance responded. “Alright,” he declared, rising. “You know the drill.”
“I hate the drill and don’t understand the point.”
“Even so,” Lance answered as he tied the blindfold around her head before leading her back out to the car, locking the door behind them.
After a few detours to keep Ashley from knowing where the base was, Lance pulled up to the house and told her she could take the blindfold off.
“I’ll be back in a few hours for rounds,” he called as she waved and entered the house. Nicole was sitting at the dining table, working on an essay.
“So, how was training with the superhero?” she asked as Ashley dropped into the chair across from her.
“He’s just a regular guy, Nicole. Just like you or me, but a male version.”
“Yeah, no, he’s not. He has a super suit and a superhero alias and stops bad guys and is in the papers.”
“So am I.”
“You don’t have a suit or a name. And, according to the papers, you’re a villain. It’s not the same.”
“Well,” Ashley said as she searched the fridge to find a post-workout snack, “it will be once we’re done training. And then you’ll know two superheroes,” she finished, returning with an apple.
“Whatever you say. I’m just glad he talked you into using a weapon. And I’m glad you’ll listen to him since you wouldn’t listen to me,” Nicole answered with a small shove to Ashley’s shoulder.
“Just you wait!” Ashley laughed before taking a bite of her apple, leaving the room to wash off after the training session.
When Lance arrived, it was already eleven o’clock, and Ashley was pacing the house, waiting for him to show up.
“It’s about time,” she chided as she answered the door.
“This is the time we agreed on.”
“Agreed to start. Which would mean already being on campus by now. Let’s just go.” She pushed past him and started walking towards campus without waiting for him. She had to show him that campus was in good hands. That she was a worthy successor. All he’d seen so far was her getting her butt kicked by some frat guy. But this was her campus now and she was going to prove to him that she could protect it just as well as he had.
Pulling his hood up, Lance jogged after her. “What’s the rush?”
“I just like starting at the same time. I feel off my rhythm now.”
“I get that,” Lance answered. “Sorry for the miscommunication. We can jog to campus and make up some time if that helps.”
“No,” Ashley laughed, “that’s not necessary. Thanks for the offer though.”
“Anytime.”
She felt some of the pressure lift from her shoulders. It was hard to remember that he wasn’t some unapproachable or unreproachable superhuman, just a guy in a suit trying to help people. He was here because he wanted her to succeed. And she was going to prove to him, and herself, that she could.
After crossing the street onto campus, they climbed the fire escape of the nearest building. Their rounds had changed since they started carrying Ashley’s staff. Lance might be able to hide his nightstick, but there was no hiding her longer weapon.
Perched on the edge of the building, they sat in silence for the first few minutes as they allowed themselves to adjust to the dim lighting of the campus’s streetlights, to the hum of rooftop HVAC units that made voices below hard to pick out, to the chilly early November temperature. From this spot, they could see most of the main part of the campus. A walkway with buildings on each side leading up to the library lay spread out below them. The union wasn’t visible from this point, which was less than ideal, but that was the trade-off of not being seen carrying the weapons.
“So,” Ashley spoke, breaking the silence, “is everything okay in Duncan? It must not be easy getting away for a few weeks at once.”
“Things are fine in Duncan,” Lance laughed. “Jason and Sam are handling patrol duty right now. Trying to get Sam some more reps with it. My job is pretty flexible, so on days you have class or practice, and we don’t meet up until later, I’ve been doing some work around here. Always a need for Hoppin’ drivers in a college town. Everyone talked about it and agreed it would be the best use of my time for me to come down here and work with you for a bit. And I’m glad I did. Being back here on the campus, not being in the suit, just patrolling again. I missed it.”
“That’s lame. I wish I had a cool suit, and everyone viewed me as a hero while living in a big city. Right now, I’m lucky if they just don’t view me as a villain.”
“Earning that trust isn’t easy. And it’s certainly not for the faint of heart. I remember how frustrated I would get hearing people bashing the vigilante, not knowing it was me under the hood. You’ll figure it out. Just keep helping people. They’ll see you for the hero you are.”
“Thanks, Lance. That really helps. I just—”
Her thought was interrupted by a yell from below. Up the walkway, a woman was yelling after a man on a bicycle riding away from the library. “He’s got my bag!” she screamed.
“Let’s go—” Lance started, but Ashley was already on the move to the ladder. Even after racing down the escape and sprinting out of the alley, she still arrived at the walkway only in time to see the biker pass by.
Without thinking, Ashley hurled her staff like a javelin at the biker, catching the back wheel. The staff bounced off, but the bike wobbled until it crashed into the walkway. Lance sprinted past Ashley as the biker scrambled to his feet. She followed him out, scooping up her staff as he pulled out his nightstick.
Lance leapt forward to tackle the biker who had just pushed off to ride again. They rolled, and the biker landed a hit before Lance was able to subdue him with a couple of swings of his nightstick. Ashley retrieved the bag from where it had fallen beside the man.
As Lance dragged the bike and the biker off to the side of the walkway, she returned the bag to its owner.
“Thank you so much,” the woman responded. “My capstone is due Friday, and it’s all on my laptop. I can’t thank you enough.”
Ashley smiled at her. “All in a day’s work.”
“Here, let me pay you, all I have on me is a twenty, is that okay?”
“Absolutely not,” Ashley laughed. “I can’t take your money.” Sirens sounded as the campus police closed in on them. “If you want to thank me, just tell the cops that the campus vigilante helped you out tonight. Tell Jasper that, too, if he asks.”
At a signal from Lance, Ashley sprinted after him into the alleyway as lights appeared at the end of the walkway.
Eagless will continue with episode 1110, December 1st.
For more stories set in this world, buy my books, The White Knight and SAMSON – OUT NOW! Or read my short story series The Street Rat for free like Eagless!
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K. B. Kirtley 