"Here."
Mal blinked as Sonia shoved a booklet at him. "What...?"
"Get your hardship license," Sonia told him with a straight face. "You're 16 so you qualify for it -and you can get one of those if you're on a journey."
Mal opened his mouth, but Sonia beat him to it again.
"And don't say you wouldn't be allowed to drive without an adult either. Hardship licenses allow minors to drive without one," she almost sounded smug.
She tapped the booklet in his hand.
"So study."
She left him then, and he looked bewildered after her.
~**~
He passed. Of course he did. On the other hand...
"Why am I here again?"
"I need to log on at least 24 hours of supervised driving," Mal said sheepishly.
Lt. Surge was...bemused.
"You're the only adult I know here."
"So we're going to drive around for 24 hours straight," the blond said dryly.
"Pretty much," Mal made a turn.
"We better make stops for food and all."
"Of course."
"And I'm probably missing matches, you know. Probably even with your friends."
"Serves them right, making me get a license when I keep telling them I don't drive," Mal muttered darkly.
"Well, that's that then," Surge said in amusement. "I see a Quik Mart. Let's go get some junk food."
Mal sighed, but nodded and parked. The hours in the store better count too though...