Chapter 26 #2
Later that afternoon, Feral drove his brand new Black, 2026 Jeep Wrangler, 4-door, Sport Utility Vehicle onto the property at Alliance, pausing at both security gates to let them see who he was so they’d let him in, then drove straight to his apartment building and parked outside of it.
He ignored everybody watching him curiously, and went right inside, taking the elevator up to his place.
It took him twenty minutes to pack his clothes, weapons, and anything else of any value.
He stood back and looked at the two duffel bags stuffed full of clothes and shoes, and he even took a uniform and his helmet — one never knew what might happen — and his third duffel bag filled with weaponry, electronics, and computers.
He took the time to walk around his apartment trying to find anything else that belonged just to him.
Other than a hairbrush, a toothbrush, and toiletries, there was nothing.
It had all been there when he’d moved in.
He took a shopping bag out of his pantry in the kitchen and filled it with all his shampoos and toiletries.
His razor, toothbrush and everything else in the bathroom that was uniquely his, carefully wrapping the shampoo and conditioner, and toothpaste to be sure that it didn’t spill while traveling.
Then he took another shopping bag and filled it with his favorite snacks from the kitchen, and after considering it for only a second, added his favorite skillet.
It made the best steaks and he just couldn’t leave it behind.
Then he looped his duffel bags over his shoulders, his shopping bags in one hand, and his skillet under one arm, and stopped in the doorway to look around his place once more before leaving it all behind.
He nodded as he looked around, smiled, then pulled the door closed behind himself.
When he walked out of the building, a few people were admiring his Jeep.
“This yours, Feral?” Vicious asked.
“Yep. Just bought it,” he said as he opened the rear door and put his things inside.
Vicious stepped back and admired it again. “Nice. Really nice.”
“You got the money for it. You want one, go get it.”
Vicious looked at him suddenly, surprised at his words. “I never considered it,” he admitted.
“You should. Life’s too short. You want a Jeep, go get it. You want to go on a trip to see something new, go do it. You want to run naked through Alliance with your junk flying in the air, well, maybe not. But, hey, if that’s your kind of thing, go for it.”
Vicious laughed. “I get it. But maybe not the naked thing.”
“I’m just saying, if you want to see more than Alliance in your life, see it, Vicious. There is nothing that says you can’t. This is not the end of your life. It’s the beginning. And if all you want right now is a brand new car, go get you a brand new car,” Feral said.
Vicious nodded, then grinned at Feral. “Where’d you get this?”
Feral walked around to the front of the jeep and took the customer care folder off the passenger side seat. He flipped it open and took the salesman’s business card out of it, then handed it to Vicious. “Call this man. He’ll set you up.”
Vicious nodded and gripped the card like it was his lucky charm. “Thanks. I got a call to make.”
Feral smiled as he watched Vicious go into their building, no doubt to call the salesman about getting his own Jeep.
Then he got in his Jeep, drove it over to the admin building, which also housed the cafeteria and parked it outside.
As he pulled up, he saw Hail coming toward him, her own duffel bags hanging from her shoulders, and two smaller bags in each hand as she jogged his way.
“Come on, girl!” he shouted as he laughed at the funny faces she made at him as she got closer.
“I’m ‘a coming!” she yelled back when she was almost there.
“You got everything?” he asked.
“There’s not that much that’s mine! Most of it came with the place. I got everything I was fond of, though. Mostly just my clothes, some candles, shit like that. I left most of it for Athena and Storm. I can get more later.”
“How’d they take the news?”
“Athena cried. But she cries at everything right now so I’m not sure how much of it was over me leaving and how much was just hormones. It was really nice to see that she was happy for me, though. She even said she loved me.”
“Athena?” Feral asked.
“Yeah!”
“Damn. I didn’t know she had it in her,” Feral said.
“Come on, she’s not that bad. She’s just hard. She had to be. She felt she was responsible for all of us.”
“She is going to be a mom, so maybe she’s softened up,” Feral admitted as he put Hail’s last bag into his Jeep.
“You keep your phone?” Hail asked.
“Yep. It’s mine, they can’t have it.”
“Same,” Hail said.
“You got your weapons?” Feral asked.
Hail laughed coldly. “Absolutely. They’re mine. Nobody can fucking have them.”
“Same,” Feral said.
“What the hell is this?” Sin asked, strolling up behind them.
“It’s Feral’s new Jeep. Cool, huh?” Hail said.
“Yes it is! But I was more referring to the bags I see getting loaded into the back of it. Y’all going on vacation?”
Feral shook his head. “We’re going to become Lions.”
Sin stood there expressionless for a second, a perfect pause for emphasis, then slowly his smile began to grow. He held out his hand for Feral to shake.
Feral reached out and shook his hand, still waiting for Sin to comment.
“Good for you, Feral. I’m happy for you,” Sin said.
Feral smiled at him. “Me, too. I think I forgot what happy is, but I found it on top of that mountain with the Laighin Pride. They said I could join, so I’m heading that way.”
“Don’t blame you one bit. If I wasn’t afraid this place would go to shit without me pushing it along, I might bring Celia and join you.”
Feral laughed. “Don’t tell Law that.”
“He knows. He’s too damn nice, all worried about diplomacy and shit. Not me. Those in power will do what I need, or I got pictures and videos I’ll be sharing with whoever wants to see them,” Sin said.
“I just can’t help but admire that about you,” Hail said.
Sin grinned at her. “He who hath the best spies wins. Also helps that I don’t fucking care what they dig up on me. If I did it, they made me do it. Anyway, your bags went into the back, too, didn’t they?”
“Yes. I’m leaving, too.”
“I didn’t know you two were a thing. I gotta get better spies,” Sin said.
Hail laughed. “No, not me and Feral. I’m going, but I’m going to be with somebody that’s already there, if he’ll have me. If he won’t, I’ll just make him see the error of his ways.”
“He’d be a fool not to,” Sin said. He looked the Jeep over for a second, then looked over at Feral again.
“Y’all drive safe. And keep your eyes open.
Just because you’re not dressed the part doesn’t mean somebody might not make you for what you are and start shit.
I know you can handle it, just a warning to stay on your toes while you’re traveling. ”
“Training doesn’t allow for anything else,” Feral said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out all five keys to his apartment. “I won’t be needing these anymore.”
Sin laughed. “All five keys.”
“Didn’t want anybody else having keys to my place, so when Shauna wasn’t looking, I slipped back into her office and took all of them,” Feral said, glancing up toward the third floor of the building.
“Whoever is in there next is going to like it. It’s a beautiful place to live.
It’s just not where I need it to be anymore. ”
Sin followed his line of sight and nodded. “I’ve been trying to get Celia to move from her place. It’s nice, but it’s tiny and I’d like to have something better for her.”
“Only the best for our mates,” Feral said.
“Exactly,” Sin said, slipping all five keys into his pocket. “Think I’ll take her to look at it and see if she’ll consider it.”
“You could sleep there tonight. It’s got everything, including food,” Feral said.
“Might just do that. I think she’s due some luxury,” Sin said.
Vicious burst out of the apartment building a few feet away at a run, hooting and hollering happily.
He noticed Feral still there, and ran over, grabbed him, lifted him up off the ground and laid a big ole kiss on his cheek.
“I’m going right now! I’m going to get Kim and we’re going to pick up our Jeep!
We got a red one! Thank you, Feral!” He set Feral down and took off running through the middle of Alliance on his way to go get Kim, wherever she was.
He yelled excitedly at everyone he passed. “I got a red one!”
Sin was laughing so hard he wiped tears away from the corners of his eyes. “I don’t think he knows how that sounds to everybody he’s shouting it to,” he said between laughter.
“And from the looks on their faces, they’re thinking the same thing you are,” Hail said, laughing hard herself.
“Lord! Alright. I’m gonna let y’all go and I’m going to find my Celia and show her your place. I have a feeling we’ll be moving right in. We’ll save the guest bedroom for you if you ever decide to come visit,” Sin said.
“Enjoy,” Feral said.
“Oh! One more thing… I’m going to shift both your phone lines under my name.
“Why?” Feral asked.
“I already did it with Frenzy’s. Surprised he didn’t call to ask why his phone showed my name on it.
Anyway, simple truth is if anybody tries to fuck with your access to anything, my name is the first hit they’ll get and they’ll back off and go look elsewhere or come to me.
It’s just another level of protection, and keeps your phones from being wiped by the powers that be.
You may not live here anymore, but you’ll always be part of our forces, part of our population, and I won’t leave any of our people unprotected.
It just makes sense for your own safety to be able to access information only we can if and when you need it. ”
“I appreciate that. But don’t you think multiple lines will be questionable?” Hail asked.
“I’m a busy male. I have a lot of shit to do and lots of phones to do it with,” Sin said.
“Now, y’all get the fuck out of here. I gotta go convince my mate she wants to move into Feral’s apartment.
” He smiled at them, and started down the walk toward his house at the opposite end of Alliance.
He glanced over his shoulder when he heard the Jeep start, and paused for a second to wave at them.
They were both smiling as they waved at him and the Jeep slowly moved forward.
Then he just stood there, watching until they’d made the turn and were headed toward the first checkpoint leaving Alliance. “Godspeed my friends, and lots of it.”