Tin Man Fic: The Academy 6/?
Title: Academy 6/?
Author: gatechic
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Wyatt Cain, Adora, someone from the series (but I'm not saying who) and a few OCs. Wyatt/Adora
Spoilers: Not sure, there might be.
Summary: Pre-series. Wyatt Cain, the son of a cattle rancher joins the Police Academy in Central City.
This Chapter: Questions are asked about Jimmy. Wyatt has an unexpected talk with Ryan, Adora tells her parents about Wyatt and the cadets continue their weapons training.
Word Count: 3,835
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘Tin Man', the SciFi Channel, RHI and the writers do. I also borrow from Baum and Maguire. This is purely for fun and I’m not making a penny off of this.
A/N: This is a WIP. See other notes in the link for Chapter 1.
I would like to thank my wonderful betas erinm_4600, buffybot76 and neefalco.
Previous Chapters
While resting in his room, Wyatt thought about what Jimmy had done to him. Maybe it was a mistake, after all. Jimmy was going up the wall the same time he had made it to the top. Maybe Jimmy misjudged where he was and, as Jimmy swung his legs over the top, he accidentally kicked him on the head. It was possible, accidents did happen.
Wyatt was pulled from his thoughts when Chief Elliot knocked on the door frame. “How are you doing, Cadet Cain?” he asked, generally concerned.
“Sir.” Wyatt began to stand up, but Chief Elliot held up his hand. “No need to, Cadet. Just relax, this visit is informal, anyway. How’s the arm?”
“Fine, Sir.”
“Good. Those Viewers are something else, aren’t they?” Chief Elliot pulled out Wyatt’s chair from his desk and sat down.
“Yes, they are, Sir.” Wyatt sat up on his bed. There was an uncomfortable feeling in the air and Wyatt wasn’t sure if it was because the Chief was there or because of what happened on the obstacle course - perhaps it was both.
“Cadet Cain, I want you to be honest: do you feel that Cadet Ardon’s action was deliberate?”
And there it was. Wyatt had just been contemplating that and now he had to tell the Chief what his feelings were. Unconsciously, he placed his left hand on his right shoulder, as if to protect his injury that was now healed. “I don’t know, Sir.” Wyatt replied in earnest. The Chief seemed surprised at the answer. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir. I was already on top of the wall -- just started to swing my legs over when I felt something hit my head. I didn’t see Jim - Cadet Ardon’s face, Sir, I couldn’t see if his intent was deliberate or not.”
“You’re not denying his intention to do you harm, Cadet.”
The Chief was good - maybe he was a lawyer before becoming a Tin Man. “Sir, I’m just stating that I don’t know. I can’t give you any more than that.” Only Jimmy knew for sure what his intentions were; anything more than that was just speculation on Wyatt’s part.
“Very well, Cadet. Even though the Viewer healed you of any tissue damage, the doctor wants you to rest.”
“Sir, I’m fine. I want to attend the afternoon class and at least observe tonight’s class.”
Chief Elliot studied the young cadet intensively. He had read the reports on Cain and his instructors were right: Cain was a fighter and stubborn, one of the most stubborn of this Academy Class. “Granted, Cadet Cain.”
“Thank you, sir.” Wyatt watched as the Chief exited his room. He hauled himself off the bed and moved his right shoulder in circles: he felt no pain. After changing into his cadet uniform, he headed towards Chopper Hall for his afternoon class.
~~~~
Wyatt saw Ryan standing near the exit of the dorm building, his eyes rolling, expecting a confrontation. “What do you want?” his voice sharp and precise.
“No fights, okay.” Ryan put his hands up in surrender. Wyatt kept a careful eye on Ryan; not that he would try anything, but, this was someone that Wyatt could not trust. “I just want to talk.”
“What? You? Talk to me? That’s new. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not in the mood to talk, so I would ask you kindly to move out of my way.” Wyatt tried to push his way past Ryan, but was stopped when a firm hand pressed to his chest. Wyatt looked down at the hand and then slowly moved his attention to Ryan. He breathed out deeply through his nose trying to contain his anger. His teeth ground against each other as his eyes narrowed.
“Just listen, then we both can make it to class on time.” Ryan could see the anger building up behind Wyatt’s eyes and he let his hand fall away from the blonde’s chest. “I just want to warn you, Jimmy is not who he appears to be.”
“Really? And I’m supposed to trust you? Do you Gillikins still have that Flathead and Skeezer thing going on?” Wyatt moved his hand in a circular motion to note the back and forth battle that once raged between the two groups.
“What does that have to do with anything? I don’t care if Jimmy is a Flathead. I’m just trying to warn you.” Ryan released a long breath before continuing. “Look, I’m sorry for the way I behaved.”
Wyatt’s brows rose when he heard the apology. “Huh, guess that ‘Cultural Differences’ class really worked.”
Ryan chuckled when he remembered the class and all the activities they had to participate in. He realized that other Ozians see Gillikins as stand-offish, rude and temperamental because of how more industrialized Gillikin Country is compared to the other countries. “Yeah, I think it did. And the fact that Glinda did so much, not only for Gillikins, but for Quadlings, as well. I don’t think she’d like it too much if she knew that some Ozians were behaving like I was.”
“This is really a change for you,” Wyatt said taking a step back, astonished at the turn of events in the course of one day.
“It’s also something the Chief said - after that fight we had - we might one day, find ourselves having to rely on each other. I don’t want to go into that situation, with my life on the line, and not being able to trust the man next to me.” Ryan offered his hand to Wyatt in good faith.
“I respect that,” Wyatt said and shook the proffered hand. They opened the doors and walked towards Chopper Hall.
“I do know Jimmy’s family though, they’re opportunists and will do anything to gain the upper hand, even sell their souls to the wickedest witch in O.Z.”
“Are there any around anymore? I thought they were all vanquished in one way or another.” Wyatt had heard stories as a young boy about Glinda defeating the Witch of the South, freeing Quadling Country from her evil grasp. And of course, there was the story of the great slipper known as Dorothy Gale, defeating the evil witch sisters of the West and East. Since Glinda and Ozma hailed from Gillikin Country, there were no evil witches to vanquish from the north.
Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I’d say they’re all gone, since there hasn’t been around since Dorothy Gale. But, that won’t stop the Ardons from making a deal - as long as they get what they want: prestige and all the benefits that come with it. Jimmy would stab you in the back to save his own life.”
Wyatt put his hand on Ryan’s arm to stop him. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Ryan pushed Wyatt’s hand away with force; almost as if he couldn’t stand to have Wyatt touch him. “Yeah, I do. And I’m just saying: you need to be careful who your friends are.” Wyatt watched Ryan walk away with heavy footsteps.
“This has got to be the strangest day of my life,” Wyatt said out loud. Ryan was confusing, he seemed like he wanted to be friends, but, then acted so coldly. He shook his head and continued walking towards Chopper Hall. “Gillikins, I swear, are the oddest people in the O.Z., next to Munchkins.”
~~~~
When Wyatt and his fellow cadets entered the classroom, they noticed different kinds of weapons on a table. Following classroom procedure; they were called to attention and then directed to take their seats.
Before the cadets ever handled a weapon, they needed to learn about safety. This was all nothing new to Wyatt: he had first held a gun the day he started walking. But not everyone at the Academy had even touched a gun, let alone held one. Wyatt’s gun of choice was a .44 and he was glad to hear that he could use that weapon while on duty. He would also learn to use other hand guns including the different rifles.
The lieutenant studied the wide-eyed cadets for a moment before starting the class. With his hands placed behind his back, he began his introduction. “I’m Lieutenant Martin Petry and I am the range officer. My job is to teach you to think quickly on your feet, protect the citizens of Central City and prevent you from getting shot because you hesitated. Your training out on the range will be as close to what you might face out on the streets. You’ll learn cover techniques, the safe distance you should be at when encountering someone with a deadly weapon and you will learn not only to use your eyes, but sound and touch. Why? Because you might find yourself in a situation where your visibility is cut off and you’ll need to rely on your other senses to protect you and those around you. This will not be easy gentlemen, because you will practice the same techniques over and over until it is embedded in your heads and you will react without thinking about it. You will be so conditioned with each step that the only decision you will have to make will be: whether to shoot or not. You will learn in the midst of chaos, shouts, distractions and everything else we can throw at you. Everything that you thought you knew about facing an armed suspect, you might as well toss it out the window. At this Academy, we don’t put you in front of a target and let you shoot when you’re ready or let you run through a range with targets that pop up and don’t fire back. But, before I can let you loose on the range, you need to learn some basic gun safety first.”
The cadets listened as Lieutenant Petry went through the safety procedures first. The ammunition that they were going to use on the range would give them quite a sting, but would not pierce their bodies. Along with the tri-dimensional-energy-stored-projected-holographic-time-loop device, the stinging bullets would serve as a teaching tool for the young cadets. The cadets were warned about the misuse of the special ammunition and the punishment would be severe.
After Lieutenant Petry took the cadets through the safety procedures and weapon handling when their guns were holstered or drawn. He walked them through dismantling the gun, learning the different parts, cleaning and then reassembling.
“Cadets, you will be expected to load your weapons not only in daylight, but in the dark and under fire. Cadet Cain!”
“Yes sir.”
“Why is it important for police officers to know how to load their weapon in the dark and under fire?”
“Sir, if someone is shooting at you, they’re not going to stop to let you reload. And not all shootouts occur during the day.”
“Good. Everything that you would normally do in the daylight, you should be able to do at night. And don’t rely on hand signals, especially in bad weather and at night. Your vision will be obscured, not only from rain or darkness, but by muzzle flashes. As Cadet Cain correctly pointed out, the suspects will not stop to let you reload or move to a position so you can see them better. And one more thing before we take a break, before you leave the district station you must make sure your weapon is fully loaded. You don’t want to end up in a shootout with a half-loaded gun or only one bullet in the chamber. And make sure you have extra rounds with you.”
The cadets chuckled and Lieutenant Petry put his hands up. “As funny as that bit of advice might sound, you’d be surprised how many police officers find themselves with a near-empty gun when a shootout occurs. I wouldn’t mention it if I didn’t need to.” He let the cadets go for their first break of the afternoon. Every year, he looked at the young faces and silently hoped that each one would remember his lessons. He knew that he couldn’t save them all; things happen on the streets beyond what he coul teach them. But if it meant one less funeral, then he did his job well.
Wyatt sat down on one of the benches outside to get some fresh air - not that he didn’t get enough of the fresh air during the morning exercises - he just preferred being outside. Jimmy quickly joined him on the bench. The two men sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. The air around them was heavy and an uncomfortable feeling settled between them.
“For what it’s worth, I am sorry,” Jimmy said, hoping that he sounded sincere enough.
“Why’d you do it?” Wyatt asked without taking his eyes off the grass under his feet.
“You think I did that on purpose? You’re wrong, Cain. I didn’t do it on purpose. I misjudge the distance. Plus, I thought you’d be over the wall by the time I swung my feet around.”
Wyatt lips formed a thin line. He was no Viewer so he couldn’t read what was in Jimmy’s heart. He stood up and turned to glance down at Jimmy. “I guess I’ll have to take your word on it.” The blonde walked away without saying another word and left Jimmy alone on the bench.
~~~~~
In Central City, Adora was waiting for her parents to join her for afternoon tea. She had decided that she would tell them about Wyatt; the sooner they knew the better. But, knowing her luck, they already knew about him. Gossip traveled fast in Central City, especially in the Uptown District.
Her parents came from Gillikin Country, both her father and mother were from wealthy families. Her father’s family owned a plant that made one of the automobiles seen around Central City. Her mother’s family made the bulbs that helped light up the city. Both of these items were very popular, not only in Central City, but in Gillikin Country, as well.
Adora was the only child of Sidney and Estelle Daley and, at times, she hated that fact. She wished she had a sibling to take some of the brunt of her parents’ odd behavior. Growing up was difficult: sent away to school, always told who she had to date, her life laid out before her before she even had to chance to decide for herself and the boring parties. Oh gods, the parties. She suddenly felt sorry for Wyatt. If their courtship continued, he would be subjected to the most mind-numbing parties ever hosted in the O.Z. She wasn’t sure if even the Academy could prepare him for such torture, but at least they would endure it together. Maybe Wyatt was her hero, come to rescue her from the evil oppression of Uptown District dreary parties: he would take her away on his mighty white steed and they’d ride off as the twin suns set on the horizon. As she pictured riding on a horse, holding on to Wyatt for dear life, a smile spread across her face that made her resemble a headcase.
“Hello, dear,” a female voice said, startling Adora. A small, frightened squeak escaped between her lips as she placed a hand over her heart. “Oh sorry, hon, did we scare you?” a man’s voice asked.
“Yeah, I was off thinking and I guess you startled me,” Adora said, sitting up straight in the chair. Sidney pulled the chair out for Estelle and then pushed the chair back in once his wife was seated. He took his place between Adora and Estelle.
“So, Adora, what were you thinking about?” Sidney asked, watching the waiter pour a glass of water for him and then Estelle.
“Must be a man,” Estelle answered slyly. Adora cheeks turned red from the heat building up in them. Damn. Her mother was good - too good. But then again, she always was. Must be a mother thing or it was the goofy smile on her face that gave her away.
“A man?” Sidney asked, taking a sip of his water. “Well, tell us, who is this man that makes my daughter’s cheeks blush?”
Adora took a long sip of her drink. This was going to either be a long lunch or a short one. Oh what the hell, just go for it, her inner voice said, urging her on. “His name is Wyatt Cain and, yes, he’s from Quadling Country, he’s in the Police Academy, his family are cattle ranchers and they’re not poor, by any sense of the word. I plan on seeing him some more. In fact, we’re going out this weekend to go to an opera, so, you see: he’s not that culturally-illiterate. He’s a good man, a kind man; and I think I love him and I don’t care what you say. I’m still going to see him.” Adora took a long breath into her lungs after making her announcement in one breath. She picked up her glass of water and drank from it, waiting for the onslaught of protests from her parents.
“I see,” Estelle stated, fanning herself.
“A Countrysider? You’re seeing a Countrysider?” Sidney asked in a disapproving tone.
“He’s a Quadling, dad. And why does that matter anyway? Isn’t it enough that I found someone who makes me happy?” Adora’s face was red with anger; she knew this was going to happen.
“But a Policeman…a Tin Man? Adora…” Sidney began to say in protest.
“And what’s wrong with a Tin Man? In my eyes, nothing. And why should that matter too?”
“Because, it’s a dangerous job,” Estelle answered back. “We just don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”
“Isn’t it my choice? I know what could happen. That doesn’t mean it will happen. I knew from the moment I saw him that he was in the Academy and I made my choice then. The only thing I can ask of you two is to accept my decision and at least meet him and give him a chance.” Adora observed her parents for a moment. She watched them as they glanced at each other and silently spoke with each other through their eyes.
“Okay, we’ll meet him,” Sidney said and then began to check over the menu.
“Good,” Adora said, placing the napkin on her lap. Well, that went better than I expected, she said inwardly. At least they’re willing to meet him.
~~~~~
The afternoon class finished up and the cadets headed for the cafeteria for their dinner. It had been a long afternoon of learning the different parts of the gun, how each part worked and how to clean each part and then reassemble the weapon again. At the end of the class they were each timed in reassembling their weapon of choice. Wyatt and his fellow Quadlings, along with some from Winkie Country, were the fastest - which was no surprise to Ryan or Jimmy. Lieutenant Petry would give the cadets time to practice and he would test them again at the end of the week. The weapons training class would probably prove to be the toughest to pass. The instructors were sure to be very hard on the young cadets during the next two weeks and for good reason.
After dinner, they would have an hour break to rest and change into their physical fitness pants and shirts. They were ordered to meet at the range to begin the night class in suspect apprehension and weapons training. Here, they would learn ‘cover’ techniques and how to approach an armed suspect out on the streets or in a car.
As Wyatt made his way towards the range, Jimmy approached him. “Cain, what are you doing this weekend?”
“Besides recovering from weapons hell week, I’m going out with Adora. She wants to take me to the opera.”
“Whoa…the opera? You are serious about this woman aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. It’s about Dorothy Gale and the men who helped her.”
“Oh, Nick Chopper, Samuel Crowley and Clayton Lancy,” Jimmy smiled as he recounted the story in his mind.
“Yeah, those are the ones. So the story goes. Nick was a loner at the time, Samuel was a crop farmer and Clayton…well, nobody really knows what he did except live in the woods.”
“Some would say that Clayton was a coward,” Jimmy huffed.
“Yeah, well, he helped Dorothy and that’s the true measure of a man,” Wyatt added before taking his position in the formation. As the cadets waited for the evening class to begin, Wyatt thought about the story of Dorothy and her three friends; how one event turned all their lives upside down, but their friendship and journey shaped them into the people they were meant to be. Nick became the first Tin Man, Samuel became the first Mayor of Central City and Clayton would eventually be on Ozma’s board of advisors. Dorothy did return home, only to come back and start a legacy that still existed today.
Wyatt’s thoughts were interrupted when Lieutenant Petry called the cadets to attention. The night sky was clear and the brightness of the city cast a veil over the stars. The wind was crisp and cool as it came down from the north and it whipped around the buildings of the University District. It was going to be a nice evening, but also a long one.
The cadets were told to be at ease, feet shoulder length apart and with their hands together behind their backs as the instructors showed them what they would be learning. Wyatt made a quick glance off to the west; he wondered what Adora was doing.
~~~~
Adora stood on her balcony, overlooking the mountains located near the northwestern end of Central City. Her day had been a long one with her parents. Even though they had agreed to meet Wyatt, they were still making remarks about her choice of boyfriends. They had hoped that something would happen between her and one Harold Brockington - just his name alone made her shiver, or was it the cool night air - but, Adora had not wanted anything to do with him. Her parents were not pleased and, since then, no man had been able to live up to Harold Brockington-standards. Well, actually Wyatt was the first man her parents would meet since the Brockington meltdown, but Harold seemed to be the only man they talked about. When it came to match-making, her parents failed miserably.
Adora closed her eyes, desperately trying to push the thoughts of her parents and Harold from her mind. Instead, she focused on Wyatt: his eyes, his smile and the way his dimples appeared when he smiled or made that silly face. She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to protect herself from the gentle wind. She smiled as she thought about Wyatt and wondered what he was doing.
As far as Adora was concerned, the week was not moving fast enough.
Author: gatechic
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Wyatt Cain, Adora, someone from the series (but I'm not saying who) and a few OCs. Wyatt/Adora
Spoilers: Not sure, there might be.
Summary: Pre-series. Wyatt Cain, the son of a cattle rancher joins the Police Academy in Central City.
This Chapter: Questions are asked about Jimmy. Wyatt has an unexpected talk with Ryan, Adora tells her parents about Wyatt and the cadets continue their weapons training.
Word Count: 3,835
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘Tin Man', the SciFi Channel, RHI and the writers do. I also borrow from Baum and Maguire. This is purely for fun and I’m not making a penny off of this.
A/N: This is a WIP. See other notes in the link for Chapter 1.
I would like to thank my wonderful betas erinm_4600, buffybot76 and neefalco.
Previous Chapters
While resting in his room, Wyatt thought about what Jimmy had done to him. Maybe it was a mistake, after all. Jimmy was going up the wall the same time he had made it to the top. Maybe Jimmy misjudged where he was and, as Jimmy swung his legs over the top, he accidentally kicked him on the head. It was possible, accidents did happen.
Wyatt was pulled from his thoughts when Chief Elliot knocked on the door frame. “How are you doing, Cadet Cain?” he asked, generally concerned.
“Sir.” Wyatt began to stand up, but Chief Elliot held up his hand. “No need to, Cadet. Just relax, this visit is informal, anyway. How’s the arm?”
“Fine, Sir.”
“Good. Those Viewers are something else, aren’t they?” Chief Elliot pulled out Wyatt’s chair from his desk and sat down.
“Yes, they are, Sir.” Wyatt sat up on his bed. There was an uncomfortable feeling in the air and Wyatt wasn’t sure if it was because the Chief was there or because of what happened on the obstacle course - perhaps it was both.
“Cadet Cain, I want you to be honest: do you feel that Cadet Ardon’s action was deliberate?”
And there it was. Wyatt had just been contemplating that and now he had to tell the Chief what his feelings were. Unconsciously, he placed his left hand on his right shoulder, as if to protect his injury that was now healed. “I don’t know, Sir.” Wyatt replied in earnest. The Chief seemed surprised at the answer. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir. I was already on top of the wall -- just started to swing my legs over when I felt something hit my head. I didn’t see Jim - Cadet Ardon’s face, Sir, I couldn’t see if his intent was deliberate or not.”
“You’re not denying his intention to do you harm, Cadet.”
The Chief was good - maybe he was a lawyer before becoming a Tin Man. “Sir, I’m just stating that I don’t know. I can’t give you any more than that.” Only Jimmy knew for sure what his intentions were; anything more than that was just speculation on Wyatt’s part.
“Very well, Cadet. Even though the Viewer healed you of any tissue damage, the doctor wants you to rest.”
“Sir, I’m fine. I want to attend the afternoon class and at least observe tonight’s class.”
Chief Elliot studied the young cadet intensively. He had read the reports on Cain and his instructors were right: Cain was a fighter and stubborn, one of the most stubborn of this Academy Class. “Granted, Cadet Cain.”
“Thank you, sir.” Wyatt watched as the Chief exited his room. He hauled himself off the bed and moved his right shoulder in circles: he felt no pain. After changing into his cadet uniform, he headed towards Chopper Hall for his afternoon class.
~~~~
Wyatt saw Ryan standing near the exit of the dorm building, his eyes rolling, expecting a confrontation. “What do you want?” his voice sharp and precise.
“No fights, okay.” Ryan put his hands up in surrender. Wyatt kept a careful eye on Ryan; not that he would try anything, but, this was someone that Wyatt could not trust. “I just want to talk.”
“What? You? Talk to me? That’s new. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not in the mood to talk, so I would ask you kindly to move out of my way.” Wyatt tried to push his way past Ryan, but was stopped when a firm hand pressed to his chest. Wyatt looked down at the hand and then slowly moved his attention to Ryan. He breathed out deeply through his nose trying to contain his anger. His teeth ground against each other as his eyes narrowed.
“Just listen, then we both can make it to class on time.” Ryan could see the anger building up behind Wyatt’s eyes and he let his hand fall away from the blonde’s chest. “I just want to warn you, Jimmy is not who he appears to be.”
“Really? And I’m supposed to trust you? Do you Gillikins still have that Flathead and Skeezer thing going on?” Wyatt moved his hand in a circular motion to note the back and forth battle that once raged between the two groups.
“What does that have to do with anything? I don’t care if Jimmy is a Flathead. I’m just trying to warn you.” Ryan released a long breath before continuing. “Look, I’m sorry for the way I behaved.”
Wyatt’s brows rose when he heard the apology. “Huh, guess that ‘Cultural Differences’ class really worked.”
Ryan chuckled when he remembered the class and all the activities they had to participate in. He realized that other Ozians see Gillikins as stand-offish, rude and temperamental because of how more industrialized Gillikin Country is compared to the other countries. “Yeah, I think it did. And the fact that Glinda did so much, not only for Gillikins, but for Quadlings, as well. I don’t think she’d like it too much if she knew that some Ozians were behaving like I was.”
“This is really a change for you,” Wyatt said taking a step back, astonished at the turn of events in the course of one day.
“It’s also something the Chief said - after that fight we had - we might one day, find ourselves having to rely on each other. I don’t want to go into that situation, with my life on the line, and not being able to trust the man next to me.” Ryan offered his hand to Wyatt in good faith.
“I respect that,” Wyatt said and shook the proffered hand. They opened the doors and walked towards Chopper Hall.
“I do know Jimmy’s family though, they’re opportunists and will do anything to gain the upper hand, even sell their souls to the wickedest witch in O.Z.”
“Are there any around anymore? I thought they were all vanquished in one way or another.” Wyatt had heard stories as a young boy about Glinda defeating the Witch of the South, freeing Quadling Country from her evil grasp. And of course, there was the story of the great slipper known as Dorothy Gale, defeating the evil witch sisters of the West and East. Since Glinda and Ozma hailed from Gillikin Country, there were no evil witches to vanquish from the north.
Ryan shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I’d say they’re all gone, since there hasn’t been around since Dorothy Gale. But, that won’t stop the Ardons from making a deal - as long as they get what they want: prestige and all the benefits that come with it. Jimmy would stab you in the back to save his own life.”
Wyatt put his hand on Ryan’s arm to stop him. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Ryan pushed Wyatt’s hand away with force; almost as if he couldn’t stand to have Wyatt touch him. “Yeah, I do. And I’m just saying: you need to be careful who your friends are.” Wyatt watched Ryan walk away with heavy footsteps.
“This has got to be the strangest day of my life,” Wyatt said out loud. Ryan was confusing, he seemed like he wanted to be friends, but, then acted so coldly. He shook his head and continued walking towards Chopper Hall. “Gillikins, I swear, are the oddest people in the O.Z., next to Munchkins.”
~~~~
When Wyatt and his fellow cadets entered the classroom, they noticed different kinds of weapons on a table. Following classroom procedure; they were called to attention and then directed to take their seats.
Before the cadets ever handled a weapon, they needed to learn about safety. This was all nothing new to Wyatt: he had first held a gun the day he started walking. But not everyone at the Academy had even touched a gun, let alone held one. Wyatt’s gun of choice was a .44 and he was glad to hear that he could use that weapon while on duty. He would also learn to use other hand guns including the different rifles.
The lieutenant studied the wide-eyed cadets for a moment before starting the class. With his hands placed behind his back, he began his introduction. “I’m Lieutenant Martin Petry and I am the range officer. My job is to teach you to think quickly on your feet, protect the citizens of Central City and prevent you from getting shot because you hesitated. Your training out on the range will be as close to what you might face out on the streets. You’ll learn cover techniques, the safe distance you should be at when encountering someone with a deadly weapon and you will learn not only to use your eyes, but sound and touch. Why? Because you might find yourself in a situation where your visibility is cut off and you’ll need to rely on your other senses to protect you and those around you. This will not be easy gentlemen, because you will practice the same techniques over and over until it is embedded in your heads and you will react without thinking about it. You will be so conditioned with each step that the only decision you will have to make will be: whether to shoot or not. You will learn in the midst of chaos, shouts, distractions and everything else we can throw at you. Everything that you thought you knew about facing an armed suspect, you might as well toss it out the window. At this Academy, we don’t put you in front of a target and let you shoot when you’re ready or let you run through a range with targets that pop up and don’t fire back. But, before I can let you loose on the range, you need to learn some basic gun safety first.”
The cadets listened as Lieutenant Petry went through the safety procedures first. The ammunition that they were going to use on the range would give them quite a sting, but would not pierce their bodies. Along with the tri-dimensional-energy-stored-projected-holographic-time-loop device, the stinging bullets would serve as a teaching tool for the young cadets. The cadets were warned about the misuse of the special ammunition and the punishment would be severe.
After Lieutenant Petry took the cadets through the safety procedures and weapon handling when their guns were holstered or drawn. He walked them through dismantling the gun, learning the different parts, cleaning and then reassembling.
“Cadets, you will be expected to load your weapons not only in daylight, but in the dark and under fire. Cadet Cain!”
“Yes sir.”
“Why is it important for police officers to know how to load their weapon in the dark and under fire?”
“Sir, if someone is shooting at you, they’re not going to stop to let you reload. And not all shootouts occur during the day.”
“Good. Everything that you would normally do in the daylight, you should be able to do at night. And don’t rely on hand signals, especially in bad weather and at night. Your vision will be obscured, not only from rain or darkness, but by muzzle flashes. As Cadet Cain correctly pointed out, the suspects will not stop to let you reload or move to a position so you can see them better. And one more thing before we take a break, before you leave the district station you must make sure your weapon is fully loaded. You don’t want to end up in a shootout with a half-loaded gun or only one bullet in the chamber. And make sure you have extra rounds with you.”
The cadets chuckled and Lieutenant Petry put his hands up. “As funny as that bit of advice might sound, you’d be surprised how many police officers find themselves with a near-empty gun when a shootout occurs. I wouldn’t mention it if I didn’t need to.” He let the cadets go for their first break of the afternoon. Every year, he looked at the young faces and silently hoped that each one would remember his lessons. He knew that he couldn’t save them all; things happen on the streets beyond what he coul teach them. But if it meant one less funeral, then he did his job well.
Wyatt sat down on one of the benches outside to get some fresh air - not that he didn’t get enough of the fresh air during the morning exercises - he just preferred being outside. Jimmy quickly joined him on the bench. The two men sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. The air around them was heavy and an uncomfortable feeling settled between them.
“For what it’s worth, I am sorry,” Jimmy said, hoping that he sounded sincere enough.
“Why’d you do it?” Wyatt asked without taking his eyes off the grass under his feet.
“You think I did that on purpose? You’re wrong, Cain. I didn’t do it on purpose. I misjudge the distance. Plus, I thought you’d be over the wall by the time I swung my feet around.”
Wyatt lips formed a thin line. He was no Viewer so he couldn’t read what was in Jimmy’s heart. He stood up and turned to glance down at Jimmy. “I guess I’ll have to take your word on it.” The blonde walked away without saying another word and left Jimmy alone on the bench.
~~~~~
In Central City, Adora was waiting for her parents to join her for afternoon tea. She had decided that she would tell them about Wyatt; the sooner they knew the better. But, knowing her luck, they already knew about him. Gossip traveled fast in Central City, especially in the Uptown District.
Her parents came from Gillikin Country, both her father and mother were from wealthy families. Her father’s family owned a plant that made one of the automobiles seen around Central City. Her mother’s family made the bulbs that helped light up the city. Both of these items were very popular, not only in Central City, but in Gillikin Country, as well.
Adora was the only child of Sidney and Estelle Daley and, at times, she hated that fact. She wished she had a sibling to take some of the brunt of her parents’ odd behavior. Growing up was difficult: sent away to school, always told who she had to date, her life laid out before her before she even had to chance to decide for herself and the boring parties. Oh gods, the parties. She suddenly felt sorry for Wyatt. If their courtship continued, he would be subjected to the most mind-numbing parties ever hosted in the O.Z. She wasn’t sure if even the Academy could prepare him for such torture, but at least they would endure it together. Maybe Wyatt was her hero, come to rescue her from the evil oppression of Uptown District dreary parties: he would take her away on his mighty white steed and they’d ride off as the twin suns set on the horizon. As she pictured riding on a horse, holding on to Wyatt for dear life, a smile spread across her face that made her resemble a headcase.
“Hello, dear,” a female voice said, startling Adora. A small, frightened squeak escaped between her lips as she placed a hand over her heart. “Oh sorry, hon, did we scare you?” a man’s voice asked.
“Yeah, I was off thinking and I guess you startled me,” Adora said, sitting up straight in the chair. Sidney pulled the chair out for Estelle and then pushed the chair back in once his wife was seated. He took his place between Adora and Estelle.
“So, Adora, what were you thinking about?” Sidney asked, watching the waiter pour a glass of water for him and then Estelle.
“Must be a man,” Estelle answered slyly. Adora cheeks turned red from the heat building up in them. Damn. Her mother was good - too good. But then again, she always was. Must be a mother thing or it was the goofy smile on her face that gave her away.
“A man?” Sidney asked, taking a sip of his water. “Well, tell us, who is this man that makes my daughter’s cheeks blush?”
Adora took a long sip of her drink. This was going to either be a long lunch or a short one. Oh what the hell, just go for it, her inner voice said, urging her on. “His name is Wyatt Cain and, yes, he’s from Quadling Country, he’s in the Police Academy, his family are cattle ranchers and they’re not poor, by any sense of the word. I plan on seeing him some more. In fact, we’re going out this weekend to go to an opera, so, you see: he’s not that culturally-illiterate. He’s a good man, a kind man; and I think I love him and I don’t care what you say. I’m still going to see him.” Adora took a long breath into her lungs after making her announcement in one breath. She picked up her glass of water and drank from it, waiting for the onslaught of protests from her parents.
“I see,” Estelle stated, fanning herself.
“A Countrysider? You’re seeing a Countrysider?” Sidney asked in a disapproving tone.
“He’s a Quadling, dad. And why does that matter anyway? Isn’t it enough that I found someone who makes me happy?” Adora’s face was red with anger; she knew this was going to happen.
“But a Policeman…a Tin Man? Adora…” Sidney began to say in protest.
“And what’s wrong with a Tin Man? In my eyes, nothing. And why should that matter too?”
“Because, it’s a dangerous job,” Estelle answered back. “We just don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”
“Isn’t it my choice? I know what could happen. That doesn’t mean it will happen. I knew from the moment I saw him that he was in the Academy and I made my choice then. The only thing I can ask of you two is to accept my decision and at least meet him and give him a chance.” Adora observed her parents for a moment. She watched them as they glanced at each other and silently spoke with each other through their eyes.
“Okay, we’ll meet him,” Sidney said and then began to check over the menu.
“Good,” Adora said, placing the napkin on her lap. Well, that went better than I expected, she said inwardly. At least they’re willing to meet him.
~~~~~
The afternoon class finished up and the cadets headed for the cafeteria for their dinner. It had been a long afternoon of learning the different parts of the gun, how each part worked and how to clean each part and then reassemble the weapon again. At the end of the class they were each timed in reassembling their weapon of choice. Wyatt and his fellow Quadlings, along with some from Winkie Country, were the fastest - which was no surprise to Ryan or Jimmy. Lieutenant Petry would give the cadets time to practice and he would test them again at the end of the week. The weapons training class would probably prove to be the toughest to pass. The instructors were sure to be very hard on the young cadets during the next two weeks and for good reason.
After dinner, they would have an hour break to rest and change into their physical fitness pants and shirts. They were ordered to meet at the range to begin the night class in suspect apprehension and weapons training. Here, they would learn ‘cover’ techniques and how to approach an armed suspect out on the streets or in a car.
As Wyatt made his way towards the range, Jimmy approached him. “Cain, what are you doing this weekend?”
“Besides recovering from weapons hell week, I’m going out with Adora. She wants to take me to the opera.”
“Whoa…the opera? You are serious about this woman aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. It’s about Dorothy Gale and the men who helped her.”
“Oh, Nick Chopper, Samuel Crowley and Clayton Lancy,” Jimmy smiled as he recounted the story in his mind.
“Yeah, those are the ones. So the story goes. Nick was a loner at the time, Samuel was a crop farmer and Clayton…well, nobody really knows what he did except live in the woods.”
“Some would say that Clayton was a coward,” Jimmy huffed.
“Yeah, well, he helped Dorothy and that’s the true measure of a man,” Wyatt added before taking his position in the formation. As the cadets waited for the evening class to begin, Wyatt thought about the story of Dorothy and her three friends; how one event turned all their lives upside down, but their friendship and journey shaped them into the people they were meant to be. Nick became the first Tin Man, Samuel became the first Mayor of Central City and Clayton would eventually be on Ozma’s board of advisors. Dorothy did return home, only to come back and start a legacy that still existed today.
Wyatt’s thoughts were interrupted when Lieutenant Petry called the cadets to attention. The night sky was clear and the brightness of the city cast a veil over the stars. The wind was crisp and cool as it came down from the north and it whipped around the buildings of the University District. It was going to be a nice evening, but also a long one.
The cadets were told to be at ease, feet shoulder length apart and with their hands together behind their backs as the instructors showed them what they would be learning. Wyatt made a quick glance off to the west; he wondered what Adora was doing.
~~~~
Adora stood on her balcony, overlooking the mountains located near the northwestern end of Central City. Her day had been a long one with her parents. Even though they had agreed to meet Wyatt, they were still making remarks about her choice of boyfriends. They had hoped that something would happen between her and one Harold Brockington - just his name alone made her shiver, or was it the cool night air - but, Adora had not wanted anything to do with him. Her parents were not pleased and, since then, no man had been able to live up to Harold Brockington-standards. Well, actually Wyatt was the first man her parents would meet since the Brockington meltdown, but Harold seemed to be the only man they talked about. When it came to match-making, her parents failed miserably.
Adora closed her eyes, desperately trying to push the thoughts of her parents and Harold from her mind. Instead, she focused on Wyatt: his eyes, his smile and the way his dimples appeared when he smiled or made that silly face. She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to protect herself from the gentle wind. She smiled as she thought about Wyatt and wondered what he was doing.
As far as Adora was concerned, the week was not moving fast enough.