The two girls who had smashed into Missy both needed help getting off the field. The sound when their bodies had each impacted with Missy had been what typically was heard on a football field when players wearing pads and helmets made tackles. There was a lot of yelling from the sidelines by Missy’s team, complaining about the kamikaze tactics, but since Missy was still out there dancing around in victory after scoring her goal, things settled down soon enough.
Ronald said, “They won’t try that again. Serves ‘em right!” He laughed and looked at Donald. “She usually passes the ball to that other girl out there … Barbara. But all these other teams have learned. Even though Barbara scores most of the goals, Missy is the one they need to stop. That’s not the first time we’ve seen some girls going after her. When it comes to playing dirty, some of those girls can be much worse than how any guys would ever be.”
The incident seemed to really fire up the others on Missy’s team as Army dominated the rest of the game, winning easily. Missy didn’t score any more goals but Donald could see how she was making things happen out there. As his brother had said, she was the one the other team really needed to stop. He began to realize maybe all the hype about her athletic ability wasn’t really that much of an exaggeration.
As the spectators all left the stands to join the players out on the field afterwards, Donald noticed a large group was gathering around Missy to congratulate her on Army’s big win. This had been an important game and it was now looking pretty good for the team making the playoffs again. He and Andrew followed along behind his brother and Martin as they too joined this exuberant group and then they all made their way back towards the barracks.
It was obvious from all the joking and banter going back and forth that Missy had a lot of enthusiastic fans. And, it was an impressive group. In addition to cadets from all three upper classes, there were instructors, TAC officers, TAC NCO’s and various other staff members from the academy. Since this was women’s soccer and not as big a deal as their football team, Donald was mildly surprised at seeing so many others who, like his brother, had apparently come to watch Missy McCrea.
He was even more surprised to overhear a remark from one of the upperclassmen. When he thought he heard him mention Sally Navarro, who was one of the Quigby girls, he couldn’t help but listen in more closely.
“Yeah, once Navarro heard about it, one thing led to another and Melo almost resigned. He knew he’d fucked up but claimed he was drunk and it wouldn’t happen again. Navarro insisted he report himself and accept probation plus a hundred hours doing walking tours as punishment. And, he’s no longer Robinson’s team leader; he has to stay the hell away from her from now on.”
Since it wouldn’t be appropriate for Donald, as a plebe, to approach an upperclass cadet and ask anything about what he’d just overheard, he waited until he was able to check with his brother. Once the group approached the barracks and began dispersing, he made a point of pulling Ron aside. Andrew and Martin joined them.
Ronald laughed and said, “I hadn’t heard about Cadet Melo but I can only imagine he must have made some move on his female plebe. You heard the Supe explain his zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment, right? Ever since the Caesar Club was exposed last year … and, of course, Navarro played a big part in that, so I’m not surprised …”
Martin had been listening and now interrupted. “I heard about Cadet Robinson. One of her roommates is trying out for the swim team. She told Navarro, who’s on that team. Robinson wasn’t going to report it but her roommate knew Navarro would fix things. And, of course, she did.”
Andrew said, “I heard some things about that Caesar Club. It was a big scandal here only nobody will talk much about it.”
“Marty and I were members. Only, we didn’t realize what was really going on. It was a secret sex club.” Ronald looked at his brother with a sheepish expression and added, “We got off with some probation. If Missy hadn’t spoken up in my defense, for warning her about them, I probably would have been one of the ones expelled. Nineteen guys did get expelled, only they were allowed to say they resigned.”
“Is that what you and dad were arguing about last summer?” Donald had heard a lot of yelling but hadn’t been allowed to hear just what that had been all about.
“Partly, yeah. He was also pissed when I told him he was wrong about women in the military. It was his influencing my attitude about that which got me to join that stupid club in the first place.”
Ronald knew full well how his dad opposed women being in the Army and especially their being at West Point. Being honest with himself, he realized his own attitude had changed a great deal, now that he was actually at the academy. Originally, he had accepted his dad’s opinions and views and hadn’t questioned them much. His Quigby girls had had a lot to do with his changing how he felt now, of course. “Wait … you said something about Missy helping you avoid expulsion?” He had made the sentence sound like a question by raising his voice at the end.
Martin said, “Go ahead and explain things, Ron! You know these guys are going to learn all about it anyway.” He smiled at Ronald and Andrew, who were both now showing a great deal of interest.
“Okay. Seven of the guys in that club decided to take some revenge on Missy McCrea. She’d been going around making threats, one-on-one so nothing could be proved against her. Basically, if anyone harassed any female plebe they’d have to deal with her. That actually stopped just about all the things that had been going on … a lot of these girls … well, they were being pressured to put out for guys in the club.”
Knowing Missy, thanks to her being Tracy’s roommate, Donald could understand how she might intimidate guys with her threats. There was something about her …
Andrew was impatient and asked, “What sort of revenge did they take? I gather it wasn’t successful.”
Ronald laughed. “No, it wasn’t successful. They grabbed her and Sally, who was her roommate. Drugged them by putting something in their pizza and then dragged them off, right out from under everyone’s noses. From one of the dances here in Cullum Hall. I don’t know all the details but I heard these guys were wearing Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods and had some very nasty things planned, which they thought they could get away with. But … the way it ended up … they all pled guilty to kidnapping and attempted rape. They’re in the stockade and I think they copped those pleas to avoid much worse criminal charges.”
Martin said, “They had taped everything. Only, instead of ending up with the sex tape they’d planned on having for themselves, that video tape ended up being clear evidence showing what they’d planned on doing. The Army let them plead to some lesser charges in order to avoid the scandal of having the video actually be made public.”
“Wow! How did they get caught? Who came to rescue the girls?”
Again, Ronald laughed. “Well, that’s all on that video. We’d love to see that, of course, but it’s been very closely guarded by the academy security office here. Rumor has it when Missy came to, they’d already stripped her down to only her bra and panties. Apparently, the effects of the drug had worn off before they managed going any further than that. The rest, as they say, is history. She somehow subdued them, saved Sally, called security and handed them the video tape.”
“What? But … but, that’s impossible! How …”
“How could one girl manage to subdue seven great big guys, some of them on the football team? You did hear us refer to her as being a freak, right? You saw her out there today. Nobody can mess with Missy McCrea!”
Chapter Five
Oct 13, 2019
Missy was once again all dressed up and headed over to the Visitor’s Center. Her new plebe, Emily Robinson, had pleaded for her to come and meet her family. Since Missy actually was free that afternoon and hadn’t made any other commitments, she had agreed. Emily had just been assigned to her; Missy was replacing Cadet Melo, Emily’s former team leader, who had taken some liberties which had gone far beyond inappropr
iate touching. Yes, he’d been very drunk, which actually had been a good thing. Had he not been quite so tipsy, his attempted rape might have been successful.
Emily was only average looking, from a distance. But, she was very fit, with a trim runner’s body, and up close her warm green eyes and infectious smile were captivating. She indeed was proof a girl didn’t need big boobs to get guys hot and bothered. Without consciously making any effort, she was incredibly sexy in a number of little ways, all of which added up to making many guys take a second look, then a third, Then, they’d come on to her in a big way.
Since Missy had been off soldiering in Afghanistan when the assignments for team leaders had all been determined, her late arrival back at the academy had left her without any plebe assigned to her. Thus, when Melo’s misbehavior had led to Emily no longer having any team leader, Missy had been asked to take his place. They were both in the same regiment so that worked. And, Emily was very excited about her new team leader; everyone had told her what a great person Missy was. As a result, on this her first opportunity to see her family since Acceptance Day in August, she’d wanted them all to meet Missy.
Part of this was due to her not having ever mentioned Cadet Melo to her family. And, with the unpleasant almost-rape incident now behind her and with him contritely accepting probation and punishment for having manhandled her that night, she wanted to avoid ever mentioning anything to them about him at all.
An even bigger part, however, was due to wanting them to see Missy, a female soldier who had actually served in combat and wore several decorations from having done so with distinction. Emily’s grandfather, on her father’s side, had been a soldier. He had spent a year in Vietnam and been very proud of having served his country. His oldest son, her father, had been inspired by that to make a career in the Navy, retiring just a year earlier after twenty-four years. They both had been enlisted men, not officers, but had exposed her to life in the military. Now, she wanted to serve and, having scored high on her college SAT’s and been in the top of her high school class, she’d been accepted to West Point.
Her twin brother, like her maternal grandmother, was “something else” and was not at all interested in the military. Her parents would have been thrilled had it been him wanting to become an officer. They were not at all happy about her insisting it was what she wanted to do with her life. Had they been able to afford paying for her to attend college, they never would have agreed to her going to the academy. But, with her brother’s college expenses being all they could manage, they couldn’t say no to her.
She wanted them to actually meet someone, a girl like herself, who was not only at the academy but who had proven herself in combat. She hoped they then would be more accepting of her own goals, which by no means were as lofty as achieving what Missy McCrea had accomplished, but which indeed were aimed towards “being all she could be”. In the Army. For her country.
Ironically, while Emily had wanted to keep quiet about what Cadet Melo had done, as she was determined to never be seen as a victim, no matter what … after her roommate spoke to Sally Navarro, things had all happened as though the Fates were smiling down, taking a particular interest in helping her. Sally had been Missy’s roommate the year before and the two of them had somehow exposed some scandalous sex club at the academy, raising an awareness of sexual harassment that resulted in there now truly being a zero tolerance policy there. When confronted, Cadet Melo had quickly admitted his mistake, apologized profusely and begged for another chance.
Then, Missy had become her team leader. Wow! Missy who had gone off during the summer, supposedly to participate in some study the Army was doing concerning women in combat. It had been a small miracle that her tour had ended in such a short time period, allowing her to return to the academy. Of course, everyone had heard what a huge success Campaign Angel’s Wing had been, with combat in Afghanistan or Pakistan now unlikely for the near future, aside from minor skirmishes. Or, special operations, most of which would not be reported to the public.
In any event, Missy had returned and was now her team leader. And, Missy had really tuned right into Emily. She was not at all a gifted athlete, but Missy had asked her whether she might consider joining the Rifle Team. She had qualified during Beast with a perfect score out on the rifle range. She had surprised herself when doing that, as she’d never fired a rifle prior to coming to West Point. Apparently, she had a gift. And, Missy had quickly recognized that.
As Missy made her way into the Visitor’s Center, mentally reviewing what she knew about Emily and thinking of how she could help act as a tour guide, showing Emily’s family around to places of interest within the academy -- there were clear boundaries for where they could go during Walking Privileges -- she had no sooner entered the place when she stopped and looked around.
Like all witches, Missy had learned to recognize when other witches were nearby. Her time with Tracy and Tracy’s coven in Texas had helped her clearly identify when supernaturals were present, being able to feel their energy. Of course, she knew such individuals would recognize she was a supernatural as well, so having noted right away that not one, but two supernaturals were somewhere there in the Visitor Center, she immediately paused to look around.
Emily had spotted her and of course came charging right over, immediately asking Missy to follow her back to where her family was standing. Her mom and dad, her brother, and her grandmother. They were all watching as Emily led Missy over to meet them. Soon, introductions were being made and Emily was bubbling with enthusiasm, bursting with happiness. Missy stared at Emily’s grandmother and raised one eyebrow. Her unspoken question was clear. “Does Emily know?”
Not only was Emily’s grandmother a witch, but so was Emily’s twin brother. Missy was amazed at this turn of events and wondered just how much Emily might know. While she assumed Emily did probably know about the witches in her family, she wasn’t going to expose them … just in case. But, from the expression on Emily’s brother’s face, it was soon obvious. He was in shock at finding Missy standing there, she a supernatural of tremendous energy, someone more than a witch.
Without waiting, he immediately asked, “What the devil are you?” Then he looked at each of the others and, realizing he’d spoken quite out of turn, looked back at Missy. “I’m sorry! Please forgive me … but, you are certainly not anyone I’d ever expected to meet, here at West Point!”
Missy laughed and again glanced at Emily’s grandmother. Emily had been making introductions, oblivious to the sudden tension, but had stopped in mid-sentence at her brother’s rude outburst.
Emily’s grandmother Eloise, after looking around to assure herself they were out of earshot from any casual observers, said, “Emily, your team leader is a very powerful witch. Lucky you!” With that, she broke out laughing and extended her hand so Missy could shake hands with her.
Missy giggled and said, “Well, I’m glad you’ve cleared that up.” Remembering that Emily had told her she was from New York City, she added, “Are you active in the coven here in New York? Or are you maybe only latent?” She knew Eloise was not all that powerful, but she was experiencing very strong energy signals from Scott, Emily’s brother. Scott was still staring at her as though she had two heads.
Emily looked at Missy and asked, “Is this true? You’re a witch? Really? How …?”
Missy said, “Let’s go find somewhere we can sit down and visit. You know … privately.” She then led them off into another conference room area and over to a corner by the window, overlooking the Hudson River. They all took seats and started over. The conversation was indeed interesting.
Eloise was active in the New York coven, one of its leaders, but she was not all that powerful a witch. She was able to create small fireballs, light candles, do interesting things with her energy for creating light and fire which weren’t too fantastic, but that was about it. She was not at all gifted the way Tracy was and, after hearing Missy explain about Tracy, she was very curious and hoped
to meet her someday. She had a friend in the coven who knew Millie … Millicent Pratt … one of the elder witches in Tracy’s coven in Texas.
Missy said, “Have your friend check with Millie … she’ll vouch for both Tracy and me. Millie actually helped a great deal with my learning some of my powers and abilities. The coven in Texas is the only coven I’ve ever been with, but they’ve been great.” Millie had been very special, mentoring and assisting her with being a witch. And, after the latest events, the relationship was even more special.
Missy had recently been down in Mexico, where she had initially started her search for Candace Axtell, General Blake’s niece. Millie had been there, along with Oliver Bessom, as they both were finder witches who were trying to locate Candace. They had a music box which was very special to Candace and thus provided them with a strong source for Candace’s unique energy. Millie had been hospitalized after being inside a building which exploded. They’d succeeded in finding where Candace had been held by her kidnappers for several days, following the residual energy she’d left behind, only to be present when the place blew up.
Missy had not only healed Millie’s injuries but it had turned out Millie had a cancerous tumor and that had been completely healed by Missy’s rare ability as well. Since the tumor was inoperable, that had indeed been a lifesaver. From that, Missy had learned her healing energy would cause rejuvenation in others for whatever was needed.
Scott, meanwhile, was very suspicious. He did not like the idea that witches were at the academy. Missy had explained how she and Tracy, her roommate, were the only ones.
Missy Makes Mayhem (Missy the Werecat Book 5) Page 4