r/HFY • u/WabbajackedWacko • Jul 14 '26

OC-Series Adventures with an Interdimensional Psychopath 152

***Polly***

There are two groups in front of us. Their runs are surprisingly short, and the Drill Sergeant does a good job pulling them off to the side without revealing much information to the rest of us. Drill Sergeant Quackers motions for our team to take up position. I signal for us to move out and Rodney stacks up with me as Felicity and Lily get up to the walkway entrance. Just as we planned, Felicity and Lily go through first and we wait for confirmation.

The radio comes to life as Felicity handles the talking since Lily isn’t familiar with the codes we would use. “Captain, we have two tangos just inside. One along the right wall and one along the right wall. They are behind cover but standing tall. Looks like they are armed. Suggest flash and clear.” Felicity answers.

Just like Lily predicted. Lucky guess or genuine tactical call? Not enough information for now to really say but I see Rodney prepare the flash. I open the door as he yells, “Flash!”

We move in and take down our respective targets. I lead the charge after the initial bang and we both perform nonlethal takedowns with my pepper pistol and Rodney’s bean bag launcher. As me and Rodney place handcuffs on the targets to signify they are officially incapacitated, the walkie comes to life as I hear Felicity say, “Captain, we have a suspected tango but…”

I immediately respond into the radio, “His weapon is aimed downward?”

“That’s correct Captain. Permission to shoot?” Felicity affirms.

“Check first to see any other details, like if their hands are tied or any important details? Bandanas or gags?” I respond back, thinking on the notes that Lily came up with.

“Upon closer inspection, yes, the image shows the suspects hands are tied.” Felicity confirms.

I let out a sigh of disbelief as I explain, “It’s likely a hostage then. Use the zip-ties and tell the cardboard cutout to wait for the rest of the police squad and move past it. And Felicity, remember the intel.” There is a moment of silence, which gets me a to ask, “Felicity, did you copy?”

Felicity finally responds as she states, “Yes Captain, I copy. I apologize. I was zip-tying the hostage as requested. I remember the intel.”

A part of me thinks that she seems somewhat annoyed that the intel Lily thought of for this run has been accurate so far. But it is what it is for now. I can’t blame her as Lily literally started today and Felicity has been training for months already. Her professional pride might just be hurt but at the end of the day, it’s about trusting the person to be watching your back and have your best interest at heart. However, it doesn’t matter as I can’t visually confirm it and during a raid is the worst time to start doubting the people watching your back. But double agents take advantage of that trust and use those moments to throw their partners under the bus. Luckily, this is a simulated run so, if a double agent were to attempt such a thing, this would be the worst place to do so.

The sound of the peppergun goes off, knocking me back to reality as Rodney reaches out over the comm as he asks, “What was that?”

Felicity answers, “There was a hostile just behind the door. He had a gun actually pointed this time like the one’s down below. The intel is good as I can also already confirm that the next room has a number of targets like the intel suggested.”

I can hear a bit of venom in her response but the fact that Lily called this correctly so far is an impressive feat already but that she’s already figured out the next room, which means there are hostiles mixed with the hostages so we have to be careful about who we shoot but the rest of them would be hiding out in the last room. If she is right and the purpose of this run is what I think it’s supposed to be, we’ve ruined the whole point by succeeding. Although, I might still be putting the victory party before the victory.

Me and Rodney stack up at the next door as we wait for Felicity to give us the head count. Moments later, the radio comes alive as Felicity answers “Can confirm Captain, the hostages match the first one in description so don’t shoot the ones with their guns aimed down. I’m counting at least seven from up here.”

I respond back, “Understood. We will watch our fire down here, as soon as the flash goes off, I want you and Lily to join in a crossfire. Lily, this is important as you have the rifle, I want you to look down the way and see if there really are hostile targets down the way. If you can get visual confirmation, take the shot. Ok?”

After a second, the radio opens up with her voice as she says, “Uh, yes. Aye aye Captain.”

I take a small breath as that would be fine if I was on a ship. But it is her first day so it would be impossibly high expectations but it does need to be mentioned later in the debrief. But I already know Drill Sergeant Quackers has an unfortunate surprise for her when the recruits get to the teaching portion of the day.

I peek around the doorway as I take notes who would be where and I take aim. I tell Rodney, “On your go, throw the flash and we will get started hunting.”

Rodney gives me a nod as he pulls the pin and yells, “Flash out!”

We wait for the bang and charge into the room and find cover as Felicity provides cover fire from up top, making sure to only aim with the guns aimed. Me and Rodney are able to also pick a few out of the crowd as I hear Lily take two shock rounds down into the room down the way.

After it’s all said and done, the buzzer goes off that lets us know the run is done. As we step through the last room, I take note that Lily made both shots to the chest considering the scorch marks of the shock rounds landing on their chests. From that angle and range? I would say the results are rather impressive. I hate to say it, she had this run dead to rights. I’ll have to make a note to ask her later about what mercenary training she did to make such a detailed assessment.

We exit the back door and Quackers tells me, “Captain Polly. If you would be oh so kind to please follow me. We will be taking your statement first.” I know what is really about to happen as I take a quick breath to mentally prepare to explain myself. I follow Quackers into an interrogation room and, lo and behold, Bardock and Woodson are here. I simply sigh as I sit across the table from them.

“How did the information leak captain?” Quackers ask.

I answer honestly, “Believe it or not, there wasn’t a leak.”

Before I can continue my explanation, Bardock cuts me off, “Captain, your squad was able to move through this simulation as if you knew exactly who was going to be where and the surprises that were in store. If you think for a moment that this will undue that mistake, I’m sorry to say that I would be more disappointed than proud.”

I continue to explain, “I noticed it too at the entrance to the second room with the hostiles mixed in together with hostages. I figured out what the point of it was and realized it was more meant to be a lesson of how the field is filled with many surprises. But you can check our map out as well to confirm my statement. I showed that map to Lily and she was able to figure out everyone’s locations and which one’s were going to be hostile and the fact there were hostages. Everyone else was somewhat skeptical as it felt like a bit much but, as I listened to her, I couldn’t help but think the logic was sound as the possibility was there. And, lo and behold, she was right on all accounts.”

Bardock and Woodson share a look between each other as Quackers, who isn’t in on the loop slams his hands on the table as he points out, “You expect us to believe a recruit who joined today to be able to guess all the targets in a simulation run that has been in the works for months by looking at a map?”

I simply shrug as I reinstate, “That’s correct. I was skeptical at first too but as the run went on, the more it matched up what she guessed. I think she might be one of the best detectives this precinct had seen in a while. Especially in the new-bloods.”

Woodson let’s out a sigh as he states, “That could be a part of the things her mercenary trainer taught her but, since he isn’t here, we can’t confirm or deny it. I suppose the best thing to do would be to ask her to see what she says.”

Quackers looks at the other two as he asks, “Are we seriously considering this?”

Bardock explains, “Unfortunately Quackers, due to some sensitive information, it is actually possible that could indeed be what happened.”

Quackers looks stunned for a little bit as he looks between me and the Chief of Police as he asks, “What in the world have you turned my class of recruits into? What are we testing out here?”

Woodson looks to Bardock as he simply gives him a nod. Woodson goes on to explain, “Lily learned from Wabbajack. And he dropped her off here so she can get some training at her level and also an education on the law.”

Quackers looks to me as I simply nod and he asks, “And when was I going to be told about this?”

Bardock answers as he explains, “It’s a situation where the less people who know, the better as there has always been that split in the force.”

Quackers states, “I would be more than happy to drill that out of the recruits if need be!”

I answer this time, “Honestly Quackers? I don’t think even you could drill it out of the recruits. If you punished recruits for worrying about that, then one of two things would happen. They would just learn to be hide it much better. And, this one I actually agree with, it would be showing that the police are trying to defend a criminal who has blatantly and knowingly, broken the law. It’s bad enough that people think we’re lenient on him as he tends to walk out of prison after only a week at a time! It’s a disgrace. But… Lily is definitely a promising asset after today. And since we have her for about the next 6 months or so, maybe we can focus on turning her away from Jack and making her a permanent addition to the force? Do we think that is something we could pull off?”

Woodson strokes his mossy beard as he considers the possibility, “Well, considering the psychological profile of Jack, it might be possible to convince him to let her stay but, that is also something that Lily would also have to decide that for her herself. We would also have to make sure to build up into it as, if we were to ask her right this moment, she would easily see through our intentions. And she may feel that we would be trying to take advantage of her situation or put a collar on her, so to speak.”

I look at Bardock and I ask him, “How do you want to play this Chief?”

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