Carry and Conceal

(Monday Morning, August 5th)

"Lonnie Li," the black-haired taekwondo teacher announces, "you have earned your blackbelt." He hands it to her, she snaps it open. "Congratulations." She puts it on, and he turns to the children, "Let's give her a hand." They clap, and he turns back to her, "I don't suppose you'd like to come back next summer and be my assistant?"

She frowns, "I thought Ace was your assistant."

"But he's going to be alpha, isn't he?" Sabumnim reminds her. "He wouldn't even have the time."

She hesitates, "Sabumnim. Earlier this summer you mentioned Qin Shi Huang. What does he have to do with me?"

His sky-blue eyes meet her, "You're both immortal in your own right, aren't you?"

Her eyes narrow, "He's dead."

He chuckles, before he turns back to the class, leans in, and whispers, "So are you."

"Maybe you misunderstood him," Ace reasons.

"I know what I heard," Lonnie frustrates.

"Are you in public right now?" he concerns.

"Yeah," her eyes widen. "Why?"

"Try to calm down." He recommends, "You don't want them to think you're a demon."

Lonnie takes a deep breath, "I just wish I knew what he meant."

"He's probably just talking about reincarnation," Ace concludes. "Energy can't be destroyed. In that sense, you would be both dead and immortal—as he said."

"I guess," she unsurely says.

"Lonnie Li?" a balding man stands by the door.

She quickly comments, "I have to go." before she stands from her seat and places the phone back into her pocket.

After she walks over to him, he smiles, "Lonnie Li?" She nods. "Having a good day?"

She smiles, "Great." before she hands him the previous permit. "I'm here to renew my conceal and carry license."

He takes the card, "Someone's eager."

Lonnie's expression slips, "My boyfriend's birthday is this month. I thought it would be nice if we could go hunting together."

"And you need a CWP for that?"

"It's better to be safe," she reasons.

He nods, "Okay, then. Follow me, and let's get this done." She enters the room, and he guides her through the maze of cubicles. "So, what kind of weapon do you have?"

"I never had my own," she informs, "but I'd like to get a crossbow."

"A crossbow," he repeats. "That's a nice, quiet weapon." He walks into a cubicle, before he takes a seat at the desk. He folds his hands, "Why a crossbow?"

She takes a seat across from him, "My boyfriend is from that new reservation. Having a loud weapon would scare away the prey."

His expression falls, "Your boyfriend is a werewolf."

Lonnie hesitates, "Just wolf." before she spots the photo of him and two other men holding rifles. The man turns the frame down, and she meets his blue eyes. "His pack's really attached to that side of themselves."

"I wouldn't have guessed that the general's daughter would be dating a werewolf," he inputs. "Do you think we can really trust them?"

Lonnie frowns, "I don't really trust anyone."

"Let's be honest," he inches forward. "Werewolves don't need any help killing things. You need your permit renewed so that you can keep yourself safe."

She darts her eyes from the concealed photo to him, "Yeah."

He turns to the computer, glancing at the previous permit, "Do you have a new address or anything?"

"What?" Lonnie questions. "What about the psychological examination?"

"You've taken the test before," he continues to type. "You already know what answers to give. All I need to know is that your intention is to protect yourself from a gang you are personally involved in. You don't want to be a victim. I can respect that." They're a family, not a gang. Lonnie stays quiet, and he prints out the new permit. He hands it to her, "Stay safe."

She stands up, "That's the plan." before she turns around and walks out of the office. She sees the cubicle number. Two ninety. Lonnie walks back to the lobby. Two ninety. She sees the lock on the door. Two ninety.

"Wood or metal?"

"Metal," Lonnie answers, before she's guided to the far wall.

"Big or small?"

Lonnie eyes over the large bows, before she spots the black crossbow on the shelf and picks it up, "Small."

The man steps forward, "Are you sure? That only takes six-inch bolts."

"If it's small enough to carry," she examines, "then I will have it whenever I need it."

"You won't be fending off any wild animals," he warns. "You would be lucky to pierce through a bear's fur."

"An arrow through the eye has never kept anything alive." She picks up a set of gold-colored arrows from the bottom shelf and turns to him, "Is there a place I can try it out?"

"Follow me." He leads her into a separate room filled with shooting ranges separated by transparent barriers, "Pick a lane and close the door." Lonnie does as she's instructed, and she loads the crossbow before aiming it at the bullseye. She shoots three, and he observes, "You have some serious aim."

"I played paintball when I was a kid," she informs. "My parents introduced me to guns when I was ten. A crossbow doesn't seem to be much different."

"Ten is a little young," he cautiously comments.

"Don't you mean a little illegal?" she corrects, before she pulls the bolts out of the target and puts them back in their bag.

"Your parents are war heroes," he excuses. "If they thought you could handle a gun, then I'm not going to question their judgement."

"No one does," Lonnie evenly states. She exits the shooting area and requests, "I'd like to buy these. With a carrying pouch. How long will the background check take?"

"With someone of your status," he contemplates, "I imagined you will be approved within the week."

"Nice and timely." She decides, "I like it."

"Lonnie?" her mother shouts from the dining room. She takes a deep breath, before she slowly walks over to her. You're late."

She takes a seat and scoops some rice with chicken onto her plate, "Sorry."

"Honestly," she disbelieves. "Where have you been all day?"

Lonnie frowns, "Um. I had my blackbelt test. I went out to celebrate afterwards."

"Hold on," she faces her. "That was today?"

Lonnie tries to smile, "Yep." before she shovels the rice into her mouth.

"I wish you told me." She stresses, "I should have been there."

"It's fine," she reassures. "You just got back from the Isle, so yeah."

After a moment, she questions, "Well, I assume you got it. Who did you go out celebrating with?"

She takes a second, "Audrey. I went shopping."

"It doesn't look like you got anything," her mother notices.

Lonnie laughs, "Yeah. Uh, I can't get it yet." Her mother waits, and she explains, "Paperwork and stuff."

"This paperwork wouldn't be for a car, would it?"

Lonnie tries to smile, "I turn seventeen the day before school starts. Having a car would be so much more—"

"You don't need a car," her mother dismisses. "I got around just fine by walking when I was your age. You can too."

"You lived on a farm," Lonnie's frown deepens. "You didn't have to try navigating a city full of cars and broken crosswalks."

"Don't you have the king's number?" She points out, "Isn't that something you should be warning him about?"

She stares at her, "He's been in the hospital."

"Has he?"

"He's there a lot," Lonnie recalls. "I feel like I mentioned it before."

Her mother shakes her head, "I can't tell if I'm working too much or not enough."