Chapter Nine
Maestro Club
My meeting room isn’t big enough for the giants and number of Brothers scheduled for the earlier meet so we do an overview with an outline of protocols for everyone to follow. The Leads close us out with their parts.
All that’s left are Web, Alder - who strike me as best friends more than older and younger brothers, Ben, Jessie - who is one of Justice’s dads, Cort, Kristos, Bishop - whothrows out the laws for the States whose highways we've tracked, Brinks, Light and me, Brinks, Light and me.
I scan the room. “So the after-meet meet?”
Cort smiles and Ben elbows Jessie for laughing. He’s definitely the haughty older brother like Light. Light sends me an honored sign and death glare. I roll my eyes at him and Ben laughs.
I smile right out at him. “He definitely matches you in the too cool to be a stick in the mud Brother.”
Now they’re all laughing.
Ben thanks me, then focuses us on the top players. “Jessie and Justice are going for the general. Because he’s a well-known part of the news cycles, the general will suffer what looks like a mental break that starts angry and turns unhinged.”
I like it and have no need of the how. I’ve done similar but this is done in a day so it’s faster than I could do it. Brinks leans forward and Cort barely shakes his head causing him to sit back. I smile and watch Justice say it works. It’s good enough for me. Everyone here right now could stand with any Delta operator and be accepted as an equal.
Ben’s head whips my way. “Even Bishop, Web and Alder?”
I shake my head at him. “Seers can’t have seen as much as you ability Protectors. Every one of you. Delta isn’t about who can do the best at any one thing, it’s about who doesn’t quit. Every problem has a solution, it may not be the best solution but it is acceptable with the least disruption to the plan. Delta operators find that solution then don’t give up in achieving it. We’re not the best anything unless you count running with a rucksack.”
Brinks laughs loud, nodding. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him loud.
Cort is surprised too. “Why the best at running?”
I smile at Brinks. “Stay in the phase you're on. Every test was about endurance but it included running with a rucksack. The run gave time to think. We never got approval or an indication of where we stood for the test but they pushed to see what we could take without losing focus on the phase we were on. Once you clue into the point, you follow the phase until completion. It guarantees their orders will be followed or we’d die still fighting.” He’s so right.
I nod. “Language was the weirdest but it’s how I knew I chose the right path. It was a made-up language that we learned as if it was English. They told me afterwards that they make it up based on where we grew up or who our influences were. The point was like Brinks said, follow the phase or testing you’re in and focus on completion.”
“That shows in how you kept going when you were paralyzed in Pakistan. Brekan said the connections you make in the countries you work in is for emergencies or contingency plans.”
I nod to Cort. “It is, Boss. Sometimes we’re teaching a village to fight or fighting for them. It’s nothing for a soldier to shoot, we’re trained to shoot. We come from countries with different attainable supplies that they may not see, know or understand. We can build them solutions, parts, or take material that’s accessible to them used in a different way to make life easier. It’s not about strength or best shots. It’s about overcoming obstacles quickly with solutions that are acceptable to the majority or command. Linguistic ability is a plus but it’s got tiers like everything else. Some wiggle to easy, some go to harder dialects. It’s three years but most of that was while we work. I grew up with three languages so picking up even the made-up shit got me into a higher tier set of op plans.”
Brinks jumps in. “It’s true, Boss. If you don’t pass language, you’re out but knowing English, Samoan and Pueblo, Cheyenne and the bits of Navajo made it easy for me. I took team not wanting grim reaper Ops. I was used with a smaller team but never alone overseas.”
They all look at me. “I did grim reaper but it wasn’t assigned only-assassin. I worked with the K-9s then my partners. We did good or I wouldn’t have lasted. A lot was setting a stage to get reactions that were acceptable.”
Jessie laughs. “I bet uncle Danny was trained by a Delta Brother.”
“Axe was his sponsor and trainer. They weren’t set up like us. Axe was the first trainer Badass had,” Ben says as he hits his phone. “Was Axe Delta Force?”He listens then shakes his head.“Saber is the only Delta Brother I know of.”
I smile. “Our jobs are classified. I was fully trained in SEAL and Green Beret but never wore the uniforms. Utilities and desert fatigues made life easy for us. It’s vague.”
Cort smiles.
Brinks nods. “I never talk jobs to anyone. Nova knew me in but has never asked a single question about what I did. He knew or saw.”
I was the same. The EU base had so many elite units that weren’t clearly identified, blending in was easy. “No one ever asks me either.” We turn to Ben when he hits the table. Bishop and Web have not said a word this whole time. Alder is typing away like we’re not here, but I bet he can give me word for word everything that was said.
“Thanks, Luke Rayne.” Ben smiles at Jessie. “There wasn’t Delta Force but DEVGRU which was SEAL Team 6. That was expanded later into black squadron, red squadron and more.” He waves his hand like it doesn’t matter. “DEVGRU was selected exclusively from SEAL but SFOD which is Special Force Operational Detachment or Delta is completely classified, high risk and dangerous. I read that twice a year a class of a hundred apply but only five to ten make it in any given year. The tier thing isn’t the only distinction, because if they make it, they’re tier one, but they split for secrecy, covert, high value capture or elimination. They have tactical and other fight words but basically, they all can do everything. They take the best of the best from any branch and are considered the elite of elite because so few make it. I’m honored Brothers and see why you both think this is an easy job. I was pissed seeing an ex-general heading this with ex-military backup. He trained his fuckin’ troops to be corrupt.”
Light chuffs. ‘Contractor, private firm supply to military bad. Teach profit not loyal. Oath taken forgotten for pay.’ His hologram throws it up from the chip quickly.
I nod at his board. “He’s right. The war on terrorists opened the door for private suppliers supposedly making war cheaper. It was based on a lie and is still running on that same lie years later. We were chipped with money diverted from the DOD budget. I can guarantee you that a handful of brass are the only ones that know we were chipped so they can gain power over information, world leaders or a country.”
Ben watches me. Cort shakes his head. “Kaleb and Citiali said money will be found soon enough. Is it the pentagon money?”
I shrug. “I’m a soldier, Boss. I don’t pay attention to what’s going on in congress unless it’s from NPR or the AP. Vets have forums that run accurate at Officer level, the rest is propaganda to me. When I got out and made it to Scotland, I realized we were fed what they wanted us to see. I had no one back home to ask what’s real.”
Ben nods but Jessie talks. “Kaleb said we should watch local news and question everything. Projection is normal for politicians and we should always follow the money. If a politician is living in a mansion, while making under two hundred grand from their government pay, they aren’t legit. He’s a Baxter and has never lived in a mansion.”
I nod. “I worked for years banking almost all my pay. I was left money and property from my stockbroker of a dad and lawyer mom. On top of that, my uncle left everything from him and his parents to me. I never once thought of buying a mansion. I bought a farm in the Texas inferno without touching anything but my pay. The inferno was cheap.” I bought it from a vet moving north.
They laugh at me. Light sends me a clown emoji. I smile at him. I’m a clown and know it.
“Brinks never said he was elite of the elite. He just said SFOP like So-fop.”
Justice and Web laugh.
I shrug.Some call it that, I guess. “So, Jessie and Justice are causing an angry seizure thing today…” I try for back to the point. I’m supposed to take the boys to Nevada to see a new chopper and drone laser testing. I never heard of it but want to see it.
Ben nods. “Yeah, but not seizure.”
I just look at him. I don’t need whatever it is but don’t think any of us need details. Well, maybe Jessie and Justice do.
Justice slaps a hand across his face. Cort looks at Justice then me just as he’s forming a smile on his face. Ben just moves on. I try to stop thinking but Light is throwing pictures and emojis at me.
A few minutes in Ben turns to Light. “Justice and Teller are known as Cheech and Chong because their banter is funny on an innocent level that neither shows in their outward daily lives. You, I don’t even know how to categorize your funny. You’re a dog,” he puts his hand up. “A dog Brother but that takes getting used to. Every reader can see what you throw through the chip.”
I crack up, scrunching my eyes closed at Light’s eyes bugging out. He really looks like that big eyed AI picture for a second. Justice then Cort laugh. I look down.
I hear Ben take in a breath. “Just know that we see what you’re sending Seamus. I don’t know how he keeps a straight face.”
I look at Light. “Years of experience. Light is usually more professional than I am. I don’t know why he picked today to show all that cheeky.” I have to look down fast at the comical eye bugging again. I feel him trying to hold on and open my eyes on everyone but him.
Ben laughs. “We’re done for now. Did you have any law we need here, Bishop?”
“Just what I pointed out for the other states, Boss. I saved it to the board.” Bishop is good.
Ben nods and Cort takes over. “Web?”
“Alder put the law Bishop added in the protocol outline format Seamus handed us for reactions. Hannah has some new intel but it doesn’t add anything to the reaction. It’s more character traits. ABSZ IT will flag anything new they add from the last meet on.”
I nod, loving how this works.
“Brinks?” Cort is going right around the room.
“Nothing right now.”
“Jessie?” The Brother shakes his head. He never talks much.
“Seamus?”
“Nothing until a threat hits for us to react to. That reaction protocol shuts them down but the general being unstable will throw doubt on everything he says after. Avoiding the threat until tomorrow will add credibility to the reason for our reaction and show well for the U…Badass.”
Brinks smiles at me. “Never embarrass. You dealt with foreign dignitaries regularly.”
He didn’t ask so I don’t answer.
Cort notices. “The protocols work to stop embarrassment. Huh.” Cort turns toward Ben. “MB doesn’t do pictures and always thinks about how people will read situations. He’s more like Delta or SEAL?”
I nod along with Brinks. “GIGN is specialized, high risk. Tag line is, ‘commitment to life.’ I’d say they’re comparable to Delta more than SEAL because of the hostage rescue, tactical and counterterrorism. They’re more than the SWAT they’re known as. Every operator manufactures what is needed when it’s needed. They are classified and never show their faces. We’re told to deflect attention, never draw it, similarly. The French that’s equal to SEAL is Commando Marine.”
Cort nods. “That GIGN is MB and Bastille.”
I nod. “Bastille is how we got to Germany. He stopped for the mayday and brought us to the joint base for the flight out. He knew a US base would have lost us. I didn’t get to talk to him but he talked to my contact.”
“He flew?” Ben is surprised?
“Yeah, they just got off a mission and were getting shit for transporting us to the EU base. He set up our trip but had to get back for his next mission.”
“In the EU?” Cort asks.
I shrug. “All tactical Commanders, Lead, High Officer fly. Not everyone has flown but they’re trained for it. His pilot might have been down. He was based with JASOC but not on a US joint base. I didn’t work with French tactical much. My base then was EU on the US joint base.”
“What’s the joint base thing?” Cort asks Brinks.
“I send you explanation to bases, territory EU, joint, JASOC, US, CENTCOM, Pres Cort.”
I smile at the Little Pres’s impatience.
“Send it to me too, Alder. My dad explained it when I was a kid but he isn’t good with all the words and I was young, meaning preteen.”
I smile. That’s a while ago. “I had nothing else Boss.”
Ben stands. “Justice, push him to a restaurant. Jessie, cause a scene that’s notable. That gets Seamus his reaction tomorrow with the unstable showing beforehand.”
“I send IT follow feed. All angle shot show more civilian see. Dreng help to…promote?”
Cort nods for him. It’s a good word.
“That works. Thanks, LP,” Jessie says walking out with Justice beside him.”
Brinks looks at me. “We wait for tomorrow. I got Security and BSC riding highways, stopping at rest stops and being highly visible. Alpha trucks are rolling. Cort, can you get Ranger on flights over the highways?”
Kristos stands. “I got it. We have quite a few on the schedule for flight time.”Kristos walks out calling someone.
Bishop stands. “I have an FBI Op for judge harassment or something.”
Cort nods. “Go, Web, Alder, Light, we’re done.”
I stay sitting with Brinks, Cort and Ben. “I’m clear until four.” Cort looks from Ben to Brinks.
“I’m in. I haven’t seen the new choppers.”Ben has me laughing.
Brinks follows us out. I guess we’re all going to Nevada with the boys.
***