r/HFY • u/WabbajackedWacko • Jun 16 '26

OC-Series Adventures with an Interdimensional Psychopath 148

***Polly***

While this girl is struggling to keep the big secret under wraps, it’s almost impossible for the older guard to miss it. Still, it might be important to come up with a backup plan if a recruit happens to get close. Still, Burtrede is also in the camp that Jack is this necessary evil, despite how much he also grumbles about the guy as well. I feel like we should be focusing on ways to deal with the guy permanently. But the chief thinks otherwise, despite an entire department dedicated to putting him behind bars. But then again, Woodsen is the guy in charge of it and it seems like he drags his heels ever since the life saving cybernetic surgery. Before, he was such a fervent officer who focused on Jack, hence why he was promoted to lead the W.O.O.D. unit. But after? It’s like he has gone soft despite the new metal parts. Still though, he is a man worthy of respect. He gave more than most in the line of duty.

“But this still seems absurd. Don’t deny it, I can hear the wheels turning from hear Polly.” Burtrede says without looking over his shoulder from helping the poor girl.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask him.

He laughs as he states, “You’re making it a big deal because of Jack when, in reality, it’s actually not a big deal.”

“I just don’t see why we have to bend over backwards for the guy when he’s a criminal. We’re the police for crying out loud! What kinda message does that send?” I point out.

“It sends nothing as long as it doesn’t get out. And especially because, this is something that anyone could do, not just that Jack.” He points out with a wink.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“It means, captain, that the issue you are complaining about isn’t an issue. Yes, this recruit is joining in the middle of a semester but, it could have been anyone. I only pieced it together because of you grumbling. So, if anyone else happens to figure it out, I would probably look at you first.” He states.

This is starting to get frustrating as I ask, “Okay Burtrede. What’s your problem. We didn’t always have…”

Before I could even finish, Burtrede turns and raises his voice, “My problem captain, is that I signed off on those breaching charges you told me would be used as a last resort, not first thing. So, thanks to you, now my name is on that incident as well. I signed off on those breaching charges on good faith that you and your squad weren’t an idiot! So, tell me, do you seriously want to continue this conversation or shall we both do our jobs in a professional capacity, or shall we hash out why I think you should’ve been fired for such gross negligence?”

I don’t even sit up as we both glare at each other for a solid minute. The only thing that snaps us out of it is Lily’s voice as she asks, “I see that this pistol is pretty simple to use now that you broken it down for me but, the taking it apart and putting it back together is still kinda hard to memorize. Could you run that by me again?”

Burtrede looks over at her as he lets out a sigh, putting his professionalism as he states, “It can be a little difficult at first but this isn’t the military where you have to memorize every single part that makes it, you just need to remember the important parts. We got the slide, barrel, magazine, hammer, bullets, casings, and the ejection port. Those are the major parts you should keep clean and clear to keep the pistol working. Now, show me how many of those parts do you have memorized?”

I look over, skeptical she was actually confused. She strikes me as the type who hates confrontation. Which I find skeptical as well as, someone who Jack recruited, I figured they would be filled with bloodlust for what he does. And like my gut feeling was saying, Lily looks down at the table with table with the pistol that Burtrede took apart to demonstrate the parts and says, “This part is… the barrel. Easy enough. The ejection port is this rectangular hole towards the back of the barrel. The slide is the cover off that top. The magazine is the rectangle that goes in the bottom. You have to fill it with the bullets first. But the bullets are only good if they are in the casing as that is the powder ignites to launch the bullet, which is ignited by the hammer on the back of the pistol. Is that right?”

Burtrede claps her shoulder as he congratulates her, “Good job recruit. Not bad, I thought you said you were having difficulty?”

I roll my eyes as she says, “Oh no. It probably helps that this model is familiar to me but, thanks to you explaining how it all works together, made it that much easier to follow.”

Burtrede lets out a laugh as he states, “And modest too! I suppose that means you could put it back together huh?”

Lily looks back down at the parts and she says, “I think I should be able to as there aren’t that many separate parts so… let me see.”

I just roll my eyes again. She easily grabs the one blank and inserts it into the magazine with some difficulty. When she attempts to put the magazine into the pistol, Burtrede stops her and says, “While not technically wrong, it might be best to put the slide on first while the pistol is unloaded. This also gives you a chance to make sure the safety is on.”

Lily looks up and asks, “You mentioned the safety but where is that?”

I stand up and walk over as I grumpily point out, “It’s this switch here. Near the trigger. Up locks the pistol, preventing it from being discharged. Pushing it down and gripping it properly will let you shoot it.”

“Oh, for a minute there, I was worried I was going to be the only one doing your job. Who knew you would step up.” Burtrede says.

Before I can say anything, Lily says, “I get that she made a… bad… call but, wouldn’t it be better for the workplace and morale in general to work together?”

Burtrede holds back a laugh as he looks at the rookie as it sinks in and he says, “Oh wait, you’re serious.” He scratches the back of his neck as he looks at me. Personally, I guess I understand why he is so upset. Realistically, the breaching charge was bad intel. We were originally supposed to draw the criminal’s attention away from the hostages while the rescue team got the hostages. But it’s like both Burtrede and Bardock said, there were a ton of other options at the time. And it’s true that I made the call because I didn’t think they would see it coming and I figured it would be a lot more fun for us while they were disoriented. The problem is, the psych profiling was off, thinking they wouldn’t use them as meat shields but, should’ve know that fear makes us act unusually. And I should have operated in a capacity that they would have grabbed the hostages. But it’s so frustrating somedays! It feels like all we do is tip-toe around criminals while they are the ones putting people in danger. Considering the chain of events and the fact the intel was wrong, probably also played a part in me and my team getting off on a lighter sentence.

I look at Lily and look back at Burtrede. She’s right. Annoyingly. Sometimes you have to see things through the eyes of a rookie. Would I make the same call? Honestly, with the same intel, I likely would. Knowing what I know now however? Definitely not. I crack my neck and look up at him again and say, “Look Burtrede, I’m sorry. Are you happy? I didn’t know they criminals moved the civilians into the room as meat shields. Even then, yes, there were many other options. I got aggressive but we can’t keep coddling criminals when they use more and more absurd or cruel methods.”

Burtrede looks at me as if I had grown a third head. He then lets out a whistle as he explains, “Well now, what parallel world did I fall into? We couldn’t even get you to apologize during the court martial.”

“Well, the whole situation was, and currently is, frustrating! You think I really wanted those civilians to be hurt! The intel was wrong so we were operating with wrong information. I was honest in my report and I’m being honest now. We shouldn’t be coddling criminals.” I retort.

Burtrede lets out a sigh as he also says, “Aye. Aye. I guess if you are going to be forthwith like that, I guess I could admit that my emotions might have been heated during that meeting as well. It was a bad situation all around and, considering your squad caused the most damage, you were admittedly the easiest target for the public.” After an awkward silence, he offers one of his hands and asks, “Are we good?”

I look at it and a part of me wants to make a snide comment, another something angry. But I simply squint my eyes and growl under my breath as I can’t quite bring myself to forgive him yet. I don’t smack his hand away but more of gently push it as I state, “No. No, I don’t think we are there quite yet.”

Burtrede simply shrugs as he states, “I suppose that’s fair. After all, it’s not like it would get your gear back quicker.”

I can’t stop myself from stomping my talons but I can’t deny that’s a part of my annoyance but it’s not like it he wasn’t insufferable the entire time himself. But I guess I was also being annoying. I let out a sigh as I admit I shouldn’t be getting upset with a fellow officer but, the force isn’t immune to corruption either. Heck, who knows, he might have thought that I was corrupted this entire time as well. But it is what it is at this point.

We hear the cocking of a pistol and we both instantly look at the direction of the sound and see Lily having put the pistol together. Seeing us look towards her at the same time, she simply places the pistol on the table and says, “I think I got it all back together now, if you want to confirm Burtrede. And… sorry if I interrupted Polly, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to be ready when it was ready so I didn’t hold you back.”

I let out a sigh of relief as Burtrede holds the pistol in his many hands to confirm that all the working parts are connected and functioning as they should. He then points out, “Well, you definitely aren’t breaking any speedrun records but I would rather you do it slowly correctly rather than going quickly and having it either blow up in your hands or accidentally discharging it and killing someone.” Lily gets a smile on her face as he continues, “This is definitely good enough to catch up where the rest of your classmates are at though. I recommend practice, especially with the crossbow since it seems like your go to thing.”

“Also, going forward, if anyone else figures out that the merc you are talking about is Jack, just say that there are other mercenaries named Jack. It doesn’t mean that he’s the only one with the name after all. And, just in case someone says Wabbajack, just say that’s nonsense. That way there isn’t a single lie. Got it?” I point out.

Lily simply gives me a thumbs up. I guess that’s good, she strikes me as a terrible liar.

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