Finally, after
these considerations, she called Nikita. "Michael's session is
completed for
the morning. I'm yours again. What wonderful thing do you have for me to
do next? "
Nikita said, "Weapons
training. I'll come by and show you the way to munitions.
Walter will take
you from there." In less than two minutes, Nikita's knock announced her
presence before she opened the door. "Ready?" she asked.
Therese cast at
her own gray sweats. "Ready? I'm as ready as I'll ever be. This
Walter? I don't
suppose he's as handsome as Michael?" Therese asked.
Nikita responded
with a wry tone as she rolled her eyes. "I suppose he has a
certain charm,
but there’s only one Michael."
"All right, Nikita.
Let's meet the charming Walter and get this weapons training
business done.
Nikita arched
an eyebrow at Therese’s words. "Oh, you'll be in weapons training
for quite a while,
I would imagine."
Therese smiled.
She was anxious to leave her quarters. She was willing to do
almost anything
that would allow her some freedom of movement. Weapons training could come
in handy, if she ever attempted an early exit from the underground rabbit
warren of Section One.
Therese followed
Nikita's long strides to the armory. Walter awaited them. "Hey,
Sugar. I see
you brought me some new material, he said with the routine leer in his
twinkling blue eyes
Therese sniffed.
Walter took a
long look at Therese. "So this is the good doctor that's going to fix
Michael?"
Nikita cleared her throat and gave Walter a look over her pale blue tinted glasses. "Therese is here to learn basic firearms, Walter."
"Therese, huh?
Mind if I call you Terry?" he asked with a sideways glance, as he
began to search
for an appropriate weapon.
"Yes, I do."
"Well, then Therese it is."
"I'd prefer to be called Dr. DuPre."
"Oh." Walter's face fell.
Therese relented,
when she saw Walter's expression. "But only if you become a
patient of mine,
Walter. Therese is fine."
Walter beamed.
"I'm going to
leave the two of you alone. May I trust you to behave yourself,
Walter?" Nikita
asked with a knowing grin.
"I'll be on my
best behavior with the doctor here. Promise." Walter responded
with a wink.
“After all, she’ll be armed and dangerous.”
Therese snorted.
Walter bit his
lower lip. “All right, Therese. This is your basic 9mm.
semi-automatic
handgun. Most of the wounds you see will be from this baby, and this is
similar to what most ops prefer to carry.
“Wounds? Wait a minute, Walter.” Therese grabbed the grizzled man by his arm. “I’m a psychiatrist. I don’t plan on seeing, much less treating wounds.”
“Well, now I hate
to disappoint you, but Section One has a way of shall we say
‘utilizing’ every
advantage, and you might turn out to be an advantage in more ways that
one.” Walter gave a nod to emphasize his meaning, as he continued quietly.
“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll make yourself as useful as possible.
You won’t be wasted.”
Therese swallowed.
This situation was becoming more and more complicated
every minute.
She extended her hand for the gun and empty shell cartridge. She checked
the safety, chambered the cartridge and engaged the cocking mechanism in
one swift practiced motion. She aimed the gun toward the paper target in
a perfect two-hand stance
and asked, “Well?”
“I see you’ve handled a gun before.”
“Once or twice.”
“Can you hit anything?”
“Hand me some
ammo, and you’ll see.”