Chapter 17
It was too cold to talk outside. Once they got back home the interrogation began in the radio room.
Phil said, "You almost scared your mother. . .Amy to death. I'm serious. She was worried sick over you. Then when you came home with. . . oh, what was that? An arrow, sticking out of your back? I thought she was going to have a stroke or something."
Angela said, "I am so sorry, but I was only doing the right thing?"
Amy interjected, saying, "How can any of this be the right thing? Did I miss something here? Let's get serious here. You had an arrow sticking out of your back when you got home. I hate to keep saying the same thing over and over Angela, but I wish you would act more like a young girl instead of some foul-mouthed pioneer or something."
Angela said, "Amy, I hate to keep disappointing you, but being a little girl is boring."
Phil sensed he was next on Amy's list. He asked Angela, "So why did you do it? Why did you go out?"
"The Art of War says 'If fighting is sure to result in victory, than you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it.'"
Phil said, "You are not a soldier, you are a child. Children should not be in war. None of that is your responsibility anyhow."
"Should anyone be in war? Someone had to lead and take the victory, but everyone said it was 'too cold' to go out. It sure wasn't 'too cold' for the entire Company to come out looking for me 'n Hunter. It wasn't 'too cold' for the Hexmen to be within two miles of our house."
Amy said, "Phil, I'm fed up with it. You keep making her worse and worse and now she is stirring up all kinds of trouble. What am I going to say to people? I want that 'Art and War' book burned, and I want that Academy shut down!" Amy left the room.
Phil looked at Angela in the eyes and said, "You knew you would get into a lot of trouble, didn't you?"
She nodded yes.
"I have to say, I respect your bold decision, but I don't like it. And even though you took a couple more years off of my lifespan, I am proud of you. It really is a weird sort of way for a young girl to act, or even a boy, but we won the battle, right?"
She nodded yes again.
"Never, be afraid to talk. Especially to me. No more quiet stuff."
"Yes Phil, we won the battle. We killed lots of Hexmen tonight, and we taught the rest of 'em not to screw around with us."
"We?"
"Yea, I had to cut one up pretty bad to get away." She showed the blood on her coat to Phil.
"What was that like?"
"I know you want me to say 'awful', but it was pretty dang good, to tell you the truth."
"How did you know to look north?"
"I didn't. I was just going to try there first because it was easy. But then I could smell them."
"You could smell the Hexmen?"
"Yea, maybe because there were so many of them. So I went toward them."
"I'm having a hard time taking all of this in. Why are you so concerned with winning wars and all?"
"I dunno. Maybe I just like to fight."
"You are an enigma." Phil gave her a hug. "I'm glad you come home safe. Please get that coat cleaned up and try not to get me into any more trouble. At least for awhile. You're starting to drive Amy nuts now."
"Okay, Phil.
"And let me hang on to 'The Art and War Book' for awhile. I won't burn it."
"Okay, Phil. I'll go get it." Angela knew most of it by memory anyway. "Are you going to shut down the Academy?"
"I think we need to take a couple of weeks off. It's billy hell cold out there anyhow."
The next day Sophia Thomas came knocking on the Crawford's door. Amy answered and invited her in.
"I would like to speak with Phil," Sophia said.
"Oh I know, dear, I hope you give him all kinds of the business. That's awful with the kids and all."
"Well Amy, I don't look at it quite that way."
"No? Some of our own people died, you know."
"I know, that was a shame, and the Cadets shouldn't go off on their own, but I asked Phil to train my boys so they would turn into capable men. I have to admit that some of what they have to do is tough for us mothers to accept, but now Hunter is already considered some kind of a war hero in town here."
Amy said, "He. . .uh huh, yes, I think. . .yes he is. It is really great, but you give Phil way too much credit."
"Oh no. All the boys talk about is their 'Commandant'."
"The Commandant?"
"Yea, that's what they call Phil."
Amy turned to the room being warmed by the fireplace. "Commandant! Someone is here to see you!"
"Hi Sophia."
"Phil, I just want to thank you for the great job you are doing with the Academy. I am so proud of Hunter."
Phil said, "Really? I was just thinking about closing it down."
"What!? You better not!," Sophia said, "We need that place."
Amy sighed. "No, we ain't shutting down anything. Maybe we ought to ban girls in it though."
"Amy no. That would be a bad idea. You know those boys have a lot of respect for Angela. They never say anything demeaning about girls now. To them, she is an equal. Well, I just came by to say 'thank you'. They really ought to let you know if they are doing something risky though."
"I totally agree. I'll see to it." Phil smiled, "You stop by any time."