Chapter 45 (1/2)

”You saved lives today, kid,” Ito remarked, as he led Daniel out of the interrogation room. ”Makes me think Gregoir might be on to something.”

”More like on something,” Daniel muttered. He paused at the exit, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the bright hallway. ”I mentioned that he basically kidnapped me, right?”

Ito nodded, wearing an expression of content as he strolled onward. ”Good thing he did. He might have earned himself a promotion for that.”

”Please don't,” Dan replied simply.

Ito shrugged. ”We'll see. I don't suppose I can convince you to stick around for a time? I'm sure Gregoir will want to see you once he returns.”

Dan withheld a shiver, both at the suggestion and the blasé acceptance that Gregoir would, in fact, return. He couldn't tell if Ito was genuinely unconcerned about his 'disciple', or if the man was drowning his worry with confident bluster.

The fact that he hadn't mentioned Graham at all was a separate worry entirely.

Either way, Dan would hard pass on sticking around. While a not-insignificant portion of him was itching to stay, to help, to wait for some idiotic opportunity to jump in and be a hero, the rest of Dan knew that it would never happen. He'd end up sitting around,twiddling his thumbs, and waiting for news. Just the thought was enough to drive him insane.

Besides, Ito was right about one thing. Dan had saved lives today, already. The fact that he'd only found it out in hindsight changed nothing; people were alive as a direct result of his actions. Dan could take pride in that. Would take pride in that.

After he fought off the guilt. Two people were kidnapped as a direct result of his actions, as well. It was hard to process, to accept. The childish part of him, that dreamed of perfect endings and flawless heroes, whispered doubts into his mind. He could've done better, should've done better.

A hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts.

”I meant what I said,” Ito told him, serious as Dan had ever seen him. ”You did good today. The whole point of a ride along is to gently ease a prospective recruit into police life. You could never have been prepared for a day like this, not yet.”

Dan stared blankly at him. ”I know that.”

”You don't have the training,” Ito continued, ”but you could.”

Dan blinked.

”Gregoir saw something in you. That's not... uncommon,” Ito admitted. ”He brings people by fairly regularly. Most wash out quickly.”

”I figured that out myself, thanks,” Dan replied blandly. ”I already realized that nobody expected anything from me. You guys aren't exactly subtle.” The pitying glances he merited at every turn had been a rather large hint.

But Ito shook his head in denial. ”Most of Gregoir's brats don't wash out because they are unqualified. Most do it because they aren't actually interested in this kind of life.”

Dan frowned. ”Well make another tick mark, then. This was never my choice of career.”

”Right.” Ito nodded. ”Gregoir mentioned something about disaster relief?”

”That was the plan.”

”A noble choice,” the veteran officer acknowledged, dipping his head in approval.

”I wanted to help people. It seemed like the thing to do.” Dan shrugged helplessly. ”I still need to get my license, though.”

”We live in a dangerous world,” Ito said slowly, measuring each word, ”but even so, disaster relief is not a full-time job.”

It might be, if one was able to teleport around the globe at will, but it was probably best not to mention that. Dan was curious as to where the scarred man was leading him.

”I run a small courier business on the side,” Dan pointed out. That was technically true, the best kind of truth.

Ito raised a skeptical eyebrow. ”And that's fulfilling for you, is it?”

Dan shrugged once more. He seemed to be doing that a lot, today. ”It's something.”

”Hmm.” Ito watched him for a moment. ”I think you should try for the Police Academy.”

Dan couldn't quite stop his eyes from rolling. ”I don't want to be a cop.”

”Why not?” Ito asked directly.

Dan opened his mouth, a reply on his lips, then closed it with a click. He realized, with some chagrin, that he wasn't sure how to voice his problem. His reason was quite simple. He wasn't comfortable with the Vigilante Act, nor with the powers that it granted the police. But how could he say that to a man who lived in a society where such things were completely normal.

Had Dan been an actual officer, he would've been well within his rights to simply shoot Smoke Guy the instant that powers came into play. It might've been the responsible thing to do, even, as it would've ended the fight much faster than Dan's kung-fu shenanigans. Dan didn't want that sort of power. He wasn't ready to bear that responsibility.

That was the crux of it, really.

Dan wet his lips, and slowly spoke, ”I don't ever want to deliberately put myself in a position where killing someone can be the optimal choice.”

Ito's expression softened minutely. ”It's not so bad as that. Not usually.”

”But sometimes it is,” Dan softly finished. ”I want to help people. I get that it's, y'know, necessary sometimes. To kill. That's just not who I want to be.” He grimaced. ”Not if I can help it.”

The veteran officer smiled wryly. ”But if I said that you could assist with the kidnapping investigation, you'd agree in a second.”

”Of course! I do want to help, it's just—”