"Do you mind waiting for a bit? I forgot some files on my desk."

"Sure, that's no problem."

"Thank you, I promise it won't be long."

When the governmental overlords call, god help you if you're not 20min early but somehow the meeting will always start 20min late. If there is one thing that any governmental agency on any world does well it's wasting everyone's time. I'm in a conference room of PRT headquarters for my first debriefing and it's nice to see my taxes at work. Of course, they don't have so much funding they can afford offices for all their employees as the agent whom I'm meeting with went to her cubicle. It's… slightly concerning to be in the belly of the beast but alas, it can't be helped. It's not like I have anything to worry about but just being here is a risk. If they found something in my background check I would be "invited" here a month ago and if they haven't done one than… they're even bigger idiots than I thought and I'll be fine. The third option is that they're lulling me into a false sense of security and any moment twenty troopers will burst into the room. I'm disregarding that one. Say one thing about me, say I'm an optimist.

However, if I don't end up in a cell this might be worth it. I don't expect a tour but everything I see could be potentially valuable information. Basic layout, which is not publicly available, numbers, first-hand look at the gear the troopers are using, faces and more. Yeah,... I'm really reaching here. Maybe I'll swing by the store on my way out? There's a distinct lack of baseball caps in my closet.

My musings are interrupted by a door opening and, instead of a barrel of a rifle, I'm greeted by the same agent that left me a short while ago. She introduced herself as Haylee Beck, Shadow Stalker's handler. When I got the call I looked up who I'll be meeting with. Every Ward has a handler, the bridge between them and the PRT, in an ideal world the handlers would do everything from assisting with paperwork to counseling. Only a limited amount of the second of course, a dedicated psychologist would do the majority. Haylee is about my age, maybe a few years older and,... I'm gonna be judgemental as fuck but she doesn't look like she should be in charge of violent Ward on probation.

"I apologize once again, dealing with a Ward in a new school is… argh, everybody involved is swamped, I'm sure you can imagine."

"Oh yeah, I only have her for one class a week and she's the cause of like, a quarter of my paperwork. It's getting harder to not blame her for that." Especially since she can be blamed for so many other things.

She smiles and opens a folder, "Alright so, I've done this few times already and it shouldn't take more than half an hour. As you said, you only have minimal contact with Sophia but anything you can give me on how she fares in class, how she interacts with other students, etcetera."

"I'm sorry, did you just said etcetera out loud?"

She looks up, "yes I did."

"I don't think I ever heard it in a conversation. Alright, as far as class goes, well she's not the best student I have but she does the job and she's rarely disruptive, honestly, she's nothing different from the other hundred kids."

Haylee makes a few notes and continues, "And what about homework? That's always a heavy topic with the Wards."

"I wouldn't know, I don't give out a lot and all of it is for volunteers, I… don't think she ever participated but I don't remember." I do and she didn't.

Another set of notes, "Can you tell if she has friends or how she gets along with people?"

"Friends,... there are a couple of girls that she hangs with but beyond that… I got nothing. However, there is… her attitude for… well, everyone else."

"Other teachers said," Haylee sifts through the files, "that there is some friction between Sophia and gang-affiliated students. Unfortunately, that is to be expected…"

"Oh no, I didn't mean that. There are, maybe, three types of "gang-affiliated students". The first, usually on the younger side, are idiots that want to look tough and, as you said, unfortunately picking on minorities is this city tradition, in need of a good spanking but ultimately harmless. The second genuinely believe the bullshit they're spewing but at least have enough sense to keep it hidden. The third is actual Empire members who should've been thrown out a long time ago but I don't make the policies. I've never seen Sophia deal with the third 'cause she's scared, she should be I'm fine with that, and there are easier targets."

Haylee looks confused and little taken aback, "Targets? Can you elaborate?"

"In the simplest terms, Sophia is a bitch. Unlike the racists she doesn't care about color or sexual preference or whatever, she goes after kids who don't fight back or who nobody will take seriously if they report it. She's a classic bully. Somebody needs to sit her ass down and explain that it's not okay. Believe me, I've tried but all I accomplished is that she doesn't do it in front of me."

Apparently, none of the other guys deemed it important to mention or Haylee is very good at poker. Either they don't care, they're under strict orders or, most likely, both. I don't want to sound like I'm the only teacher with human decency (funny coming from me), at the start, Sophia got in trouble with more than me and… it seemed to work but after her Ward induction, we all got pulled over and given a speech. I don't see what Blackwell can actually do so I completely ignore her.

We talk a bit more and at the end of the meeting, Haylee assures me that it will be looked at and… I kinda believe her, she doesn't seem like a bad person. Just probably overworked and horribly underqualified. If something will be done, good if not… my faith in humanity isn't too strong anyway.

Speaking of, yesterday Kaiser decided to step on the gas and remind this city how large of a douche he is. Leading the charge with Hookwolf and the wunder twins in tow he attacked a store owned by a black couple. Supposedly over an insult to the good hard-working white Americans, four people were executed. Another eight were killed when the heroes intercepted their escape and full-sized Fenja was knocked into a building. I'm not even counting the injured. All the parahumans managed to get away leaving about a dozen unpowered Empire members in custody. It's possible they didn't understand it the first time so I feel the need to remind them of my earlier message. To help me get it sufficiently across I gave in to my dramatic nature. I didn't want to do it mainly for two reasons, I think it's corny and my artistic skills leave something to be desired but...yeah...

It's time to break out the white spray can.