Ann woke more than an hour before her alarm was due to ring. She hadn't had a nightmare, which was surprising. The idea that she was being groomed to take over the Academy, and it's dozen employees, and it's reputation, frightened her like nothing else had since she started working here. Ann sat and stared out the window, trying to decide what she could, or should, do. There wasn't anything obvious but there was something she could do. The question is, should she?
At 6:45, she opened her door and followed Jeannette to Devon's room. She was already showered and dressed, ready to face her day. It promised to be a busy day, if she was able.
"Good morning Jeannette." Devon said as Jeannette opened his door. Turning he saw Ann and raised an eyebrow. Ann gestured towards Jeannette and Devon complied, he issued the morning orders to Jeannette and she turned to leave.
Ann held up a hand. She was supposed to teach this morning, a class for Geneva. "Devon, can we change the plan a bit. I'd like to take the day off, I need to do some things, alone."
Devon looked at her for a moment. "I'll be teaching Geneva this morning Jeannette, everything else remains the same."
"Yes Master." Jeannette said and left.
Ann waited, she expected a question, or a polite inquiry. When it became apparent that Devon was waiting for her to talk, Ann bit her lip. "Devon, I need to talk to a couple people, I just need to take off for a day."
Devon nodded. "It's yours, take the time you need Ann." She wasn't running, she was backing away, and Devon understood that. She wanted to back away and take a look at her life, her career choice, and her future, before she committed herself. She'd done the same thing before taking the job here in the first place, and Devon already knew what her answer would be. He suspected she knew it too.
Ann turned and stopped at his door. "Devon, I won't lie to you, I'm scared."
"Nothing to be afraid of Ann, before you assume the mantle, you'll be ready for it." Devon said softly. "I've never pushed you beyond where you were comfortable, and I won't."
"Devon, I think I could do it, but if I'm wrong, so many people depend on you. They would be depending on me, and..." She let the sentence end awkwardly.
"And you're afraid that if you aren't as good as I think you are, or you aren't really cut out for this, that all those people would suffer your mistake." Devon finished the thought for her. "I know it too well. Dominique does too as a matter of fact. There hasn't been a lead trainer that hasn't known that fear."
"How do you do it?" Ann asked looking back at him. "How do you do what you do Devon?"
"I do the best I can." Devon admitted. "I'm very good, perhaps even as good as everyone says I am. In the end, I'm human, and as we know, I make mistakes too."
Ann nodded. "That's what scares the hell out of me Devon." She turned and walked out the door, passing the house slaves, two of whom were staying in the staff wing to clean up, there being more than were suitable facilities with the trainees right now.
Ann got her keys and her purse, and turned on her cell phone for the first time in months. She left the house, taking her car, and wondered what she was doing. First stop, a diner somewhere, just to eat food with regular people.
Twenty minutes later, she was convinced that this was a huge mistake. The regular people were assholes. They talked too loud, were boorish in their mannerism, and a couple were giving her lewd looks that bordered on insulting. After breakfast, she went to visit her old boss, and her friend. Jack Mitchell was arriving at the station on time, exactly at 8:30, as he had for the last twenty years. He saw Ann and waved her in.
After pouring them both a cup of coffee, and telling the Watch Commander to brief him in later, he closed the door to his office. Ann sat where she had before, on the couch next to the wall. "Uncle Jack, Devon said he told you that he saw me taking over his job, taking over the Academy." Ann began.
Jack nodded. "Yeah Ann, he did." He looked long and hard at the coffee cup. "How are you doing out there?"
"Not bad." Ann admitted. "I just found out last night, when he announced he was sending me to California to demonstrate for some actors that are going to film a Psudo Academy for the products we've patented and are licensing to a company."
Jack considered. "Filming in California?"
Ann smiled slightly. "Yes, we'll train them here for a week, teach them to fake it, then they'll film elsewhere. Devon won't break the agreement Uncle Jack, you know that."
Jack nodded. "I didn't think he would." He leaned forward and looked across his desk at Ann. "So what can I do for you Ann, do you want me to talk you out of this? I tried that once."
"Do you think I can do this? Do you think I can run that place?" Ann asked.
Jack leaned back. "A year ago, I would have said no. Six months ago, I would have said I doubt it." He looked at Ann. "I'll tell you something else Devon told me. He said I had given you a raw deal, I should have treated you like any other Deputy, and let you fly, or fail, on your own."
Ann looked at Jack surprised. "He did?"
Jack nodded. "He was right by the way, I did sideline you. I just couldn't bear the thought of telling your folks that you'd been hurt, or killed."
Ann felt warmth for this old man who had looked out for her for as long as she'd been alive. "I guess I can understand that."
"It took me a while to understand it." Jack admitted. "He was right about one other thing too. He said in the whole county, the only place where your Uncle Jack Mitchell couldn't influence your future was out there, with him." Jack paused and sipped coffee. "I guess your flying along pretty well, if he told you his plan."
Ann nodded thoughtfully. "Do I do it Jack? Do I try to do it?"
Jack looked at her and frowned. "I don't like that school, you know that."
"I know but Jack, I've known you as long as I've been alive, and I need to hear your advice."
Jack settled back. "Yeah, you do it Ann."
"Why?"
"Because he's right. Everyone has to fly or fail, on his or her own merits. Right now, you're flying along fine, at least I guess so." Jack admitted. "If he's opened the plan to you, then he expects you to succeed, and I don't think he's wrong very often."
Ann sat silent for a long time, considering the words she'd heard. Finally she nodded slowly, and looked at the man she had called Uncle Jack as long as she'd been alive. This man was her Father's best friend, and had been as long as they'd both been alive. "Thanks Uncle Jack, I know you're busy."
"Never too busy for you Ann. You know that." Jack said.
Ann glanced at her watch and made another decision. Proving that Jack knew her as well as he thought he did, he answered the question before she mentioned it. "Yeah, he'll be at work now, your Mom should be home though."
