CHAPTER ELEVEN
Rocko
The barbecue was in full swing with trays of food, drinks, music, and lively conversation and laughter.
It was good to see the team relaxing for once, enjoying themselves.
Apollo was never far from Rocko, and for the first time, he saw the leader relaxed and the team behaving even more like a family. Rocko would miss this. Miss him.
For a moment, Rocko thought that perhaps Frank, Mary, and Asher wouldn’t show up, even though they’d left a balloon tied to a tree by the road so the small family could find the laneway onto the compound.
However, when their truck pulled in, Rocko could feel relief among the team as if it matched his own.
This would be their opportunity to explain who they were and how they could protect them.
He hoped the family would accept their offer to help.
Rocko followed Apollo up to their truck as the family stepped out. Rocko imagined they’d had a long conversation with Asher before arriving, explaining why the little girl couldn’t use her mutation in front of strangers.
“Welcome, my friends,” Apollo said as they reached the truck.
“Wow, you’ve really come a long way in fixing up this place, Apollo,” Frank said as he shook Apollo’s hand, then Rocko’s.
“Hello, Mary, Asher,” Rocko greeted. “I’m happy you could come. Everyone is excited to finally have a moment to relax and enjoy all their hard work.”
“Thank you,” Mary said. “We likely won’t be able to stay long with Asher’s early bedtime, but we didn’t want to miss celebrating with everyone. The whole team has always been so kind and helpful to us.”
Mary looked relaxed, but Rocko could tell she was watching her toddler closely as Asher looked around at the animals and decorations.
“Cow,” Asher said while squirming to be let down. “I want to see cow.”
“Hello,” Ellen said as she joined them. “Want to go see our animals, Asher?”
Apollo’s teenage sister was the perfect person to break the ice with Asher and her mom. Her ready smile and kindness shone through in everything she said and did.
“Yes. Yes,” Asher announced.
“Why don’t you two go along with Ellen and say hi to the animals, and we’ll meet you on the deck afterward for some food and cupcakes,” Rocko suggested. Mary looked overjoyed at being directed away from the crowd around the house. Likely less of a chance of Asher being caught moving anything.
“That sounds wonderful,” Mary agreed.
“We’ll show your dad around in the meantime,” Apollo suggested.
“I’d like a tour, thanks,” Frank said.
The tour began at the dock and the new boat, which impressed Frank and prompted promises of a family ride once the weather warmed up further. As they moved through the compound, Frank appeared to relax and began enjoying himself.
The day was warm, and as the sun dipped lower in the sky, Apollo, Rocko, and Frank returned to the main house, where the team entertained Mary and Asher. Their laughter could be heard across the clearing, making the three of them smile.
“You’ve got yourself a fine place here,” Frank said. “I’m glad you invited us.”
“I’m glad you guys came,” Apollo replied. “Let’s grab some food.”
As Frank went to join his daughter and granddaughter, Apollo pulled Rocko close.
“It all comes down to this,” Apollo said.
“If you need anything from me, you’ll have it,” Rocko assured.
“Thanks.”
Watching the huge, typically gruff, and dangerous man relax was an odd sight. Rocko felt privileged to experience this more private side of Apollo, but he didn’t doubt the ruthless protector would return at a moment’s notice if they were under threat.
They joined the group sitting on chairs and around picnic tables across the deck.
Griffin, Renee, Ellen, and Mary entertained Asher; Damon, Xavier, and Ace were manning the grill, and Hendrix was playing the music.
While Jagger and Blade played a raucous chess game on a nearby counter, Jagger’s dark glasses still hid his mutated birdlike eyes from their guests.
Rocko walked over to the barbecue to grab himself a burger. Damon was busy flipping the patties while Xavier restocked the condiments and Ace cut the buns.
“How are things going?” Damon asked when Rocko arrived.
“Good, I think. It seems the family is calm and feeling more comfortable around us.”
“When do you think Apollo will fill them in?” Ace asked.
“Soon, before they leave to put Asher to bed.”
Xavier remained quiet as usual, but Rocko knew he was listening and missed nothing. Damon glanced over in the young man’s direction and, with a nod, turned back to Rocko.
“Maybe one of us should show our ability first,” Damon suggested, or perhaps it had been Xavier.
For some reason, Rocko believed the two men were communicating in some way, and with each passing day, he became more convinced.
“It could help, but we should wait for Apollo to make the first move,” Rocko said as he grabbed three burgers. One each for him, Apollo, and Frank.
Frank and Mary were sitting on chairs facing Asher, who was playing on the floor with Griffin, Ellen, and Renee. Apollo sat in a chair beside them, and he’d reserved an empty chair for Rocko.
“Here you go, guys,” Rocko said as he handed out the burgers. “I didn’t know what you wanted on them, so I went with the works.”
“Sounds great, I’m starving,” Apollo said as he took the plate.
“Thank you, son,” Frank said before taking a bite. “Mighty fine burger.”
Rocko sat and was about to bite into his burger when Jagger shouted, “Checkmate, man. I win.”
“What? Where?” Blade asked while scanning the chessboard.
“Right there. Your king is mine.” Jagger laughed.
Blade stared in disbelief for a few seconds before conceding.
“Fine, I surrender,” he said before tipping over his king in defeat.
Only the table wasn’t level, and the chess piece rolled off the chessboard and onto the deck. Before anyone could move to pick it up, Asher raised her hand, and the chess piece floated up into the air, landing back onto the table in front of Blade.
“Thanks, Asher,” Blade said as if what she’d done was completely normal, and to the team it was, but Frank and Mary didn’t know that yet.
Frank dropped his burger as Mary scooped Asher up off the floor. Panicked, both backed away from the team as if edging toward their truck. Frank made sure to keep his daughter and granddaughter behind him.
“It’s okay, Frank, Mary,” Apollo said. “We already knew.”
“W-what do you mean?” Mary asked.
“Rocko saw Asher move a doll earlier today when we were at your place cleaning up.”
“Please, don’t tell anyone. She’s only a baby,” Frank began pleading.
Renee hurried forward. “It’s going to be okay.” She lifted her hands, and they began glowing, sending out waves of calm. “We’re the same.”
Apollo stepped forward, as did the rest of the team.
Jagger took off his glasses to show his birdlike eyes, Blade inched his knives out from his fists, Damon created a small fireball in the palm of his hand, Griffin extended his teeth and claws, Apollo’s eyes shone from within, and the stereo Hendrix had been manning rose into the air before breaking apart into its individual components.
“You’re going to put my stereo back together, right, boss?” Hendrix asked, and moments later, the pieces fit back together as if they were brand new, and music began playing.
“We’re all survivors of The Noah Project and believe Asher is one as well. We won’t harm anyone; our mission is to protect people like us. That’s why we built this place,” Apollo explained as he motioned around the yard.
“You’re like my husband, Asher’s father,” Mary said in shock. “How is that possible?”
“You’d be surprised how many survivors are out there alone and needing help,” Rocko said.
“My ability allows me to track anyone down, no matter how far, as well as a supercharged memory. I was six years old when the division of The Noah Group I was created by was shut down, and I was thrown into an orphanage.”
“So, you’re not a detective in Florida?” Frank asked.
“Yes, I am. I use my ability to help find people. My colleagues simply think I’m good at my job.”
“My ability hasn’t manifested yet,” Ellen said.
“Mine’s boring,” Hendrix drawled in his Southern accent. “I can trace family lines.”
“You’re not boring,” Rocko said. “Stop thinking that.”
“You’re all survivors?” Frank asked. “Like Asher and Tom, Mary’s husband.”
“Yes. Except for Rosaline,” Apollo stated. “And we’re here to help. Along with another team out of Texas, we have been helping locate survivors and getting them to safety away from The Noah Group.”
“Tom told me The Noah Group had been destroyed by the military,” Mary said.
“For a time, it had been, but factions are popping up all over the country, kidnapping survivors in order to use their abilities and gain power,” Apollo explained.
“Is that why you helped us around the farm?” Frank asked.
“No. We had no idea that Asher had abilities until earlier today. We were initially shocked as we never imagined finding anyone like us so close by. Please come back and sit down. You have nothing to fear from us,” Apollo said.
“We truly want to help,” Ellen said. “My brother protects survivors. We all do.”
Mary moved forward with Asher in her arms. “My Tom. He vanished.”
“Yes, we were discussing the possibility that someone from The Noah Group found him,” Rocko explained.
“I knew he wouldn’t leave us like that,” Mary said as tears filled her eyes.
Asher reached up and patted her mother’s wet cheek. “Mommy is sad.”
“Yes, baby, but Mommy will be okay,” she said before looking straight at Rocko. “You find people, right?”