Face Time

          It was one thing to request a meeting over the telephone, and something totally different to walk into that building knowing the board members were gathered because of a choice she'd made - a couple, actually, one that they were going to judge today.  Sort of.

          The four of them - Tanglewood, Forerunner, the Ghost, and Coppershock (who she hadn't met yet) - sat at a table facing the door she came in.  The chairperson's seat was in the middle, empty of course.  Magenta Burst sat down in front of them.

          "Um, I guess, thank you all for coming to listen to me on such short notice.  I know you won't be making any decisions until after you've talked to everyone.  Anyways," she cleared her throat, "here's what happened and what I did wrong.

          "You probably know that White Wind has been training me for a few months now.  On the night it all happened, she decided I was ready for some fieldwork.  We saw a pair, a man and a woman.  She was holding a briefcase full of money, but we couldn't see what he was holding.  It was super sketchy.  I went from above while White Wind went from behind.  I knew the woman had a gun when I took her out, but I never even saw where the actual shots came from.

          "Before anything happened, White Wind cupped her hands and pushed me back up into the air. Then the shooting.  A bullet went through my foot and into her chest.  I went up.  But instead of assessing the situation and getting back down there, I called 911 and huddled on a ledge until they got there.  It was good I called an ambulance - White Wind and I were both hurt pretty badly - but I never should have just waited until it was all over.  That wasn't the behavior of an actionhero, and it's not something I'll ever do again."

          Macie stood up, grappling with her crutches.  "Thank you for your time.  Let me know if White Wind wants to see me while she's still in the hospital.  I'd be more than happy to visit."

**Official End of Volume 1**