The Midnight Stand (The Elysia Saga Book 1) by Louis A. Affortunato Page B

to
emphasize his next point. “Now remember, this is my very first wreck and I
never got any training on what to do when your lead tells a wife to decide
which appendage he should break on her husband. So this is all new to me and
I’m just trying not to look like a dumb rook, but you know what the funny part
was. No one seemed to care that this was going on. They all acted like this was
normal procedure. You see I was the only rookie on Vacasco’s crew that day, so
for all of them it was normal. And you know what?”
    “What?” Maxon said. Bruce looked him in the eyes
before answering.
    “For me, it felt normal too. That’s when I knew
I was born to do this.”
    That sent a chill down Maxon’s spine. He always
knew Bruce was a trouble maker and bully, but he never thought that he could be
borderline psychopathic. How was this not picked up during the mental
examination or did his connections help cover up the results of the exam, if
there was even an exam at all? It made Maxon question the entire system if
someone like this could get through the ranks.
    He didn’t want to engage Bruce anymore in this,
but he went ahead and asked his question anyway. “What happened to the
husband?”
    Bruce began to chuckle to himself. “The woman
just pleaded with Vacasco to stop. He must have felt pity on her because he
just ended up dislocating the man’s shoulder and we dragged them both out and
went to work. He always said to make sure they knew you were in charge. It’s
not wrong, is it? It’s just that some people need a little more pushing than
others. But in the end, they all comply, don’t they?”
    Maxon knew that to be true. Compliance wasn’t an
option, it was compulsory and sometimes they did have to get physical, but it
wasn’t something he enjoyed. It was his job and an aspect of his job he hated. The
Director position was something he desired, even though he never admitted as
much to Erica. It meant he wouldn’t have to go out anymore and could make
decisions sitting behind a desk instead of covered in gear.
    It also meant his position within the department
would be solidified. He would be deemed essential to all operations, something
that would make Erica very happy. His conversation with her earlier in the
night was still on his mind. It worried him how the Council would react to the
unplanned pregnancy and how it could affect his standing with them. A part of
him hoped that a complication would be discovered early on. It was heartless,
he knew, and Erica would be crushed, but he didn’t see any other way.
    The truck was making its way through the
outskirts now. The roads weren’t new here and there was meager illumination to
see their way, so the truck’s high beams were turned on. Bruce had lowered
himself into his seat and appeared to be drowsing.
    The onboard navigation system showed that they
were five minutes from their destination. It was 11:55. They would be right on
time, as always. He nudged Bruce awake on the shoulder. Bruce looked up and out
the window into near darkness.
    “We there?”
    “Nearly. Another few minutes.” Maxon got on the
intercom and spoke to the crew in back. “We’ll be commencing in exactly four
minutes. Begin to prepare yourselves.”
    There was stirring from behind them as the crew
began to fix up their suits and arrange their gear. Bruce was also getting
himself ready. He was fully alert now and seemed to be anxious with
anticipation.
    “I always get excited right before we’re ready
to disembark,” he said. “It’s like a rush of adrenaline. You get that?”
    “No, not really.” In fact, Maxon would describe
what he felt to be more like trepidation. Right before he disembarked a knot
would form in his stomach and he felt like he had to evacuate his bowels. One
time the pain was so strong he almost did.
    “That’s too bad,” Lennox said. “A good shot of
adrenaline keeps us on our toes, ready for anything. It must be like how a lion
feels right before