Chapter One
One and a half weeks
Phoenix Rising Club
Zeke
Stepping into the meeting room, I throw chin to Cort and Justice. “Brothers.”
“We’re waiting for Falcon,” Cort tells me.
I nod and sit but he’s not done.
“Pablo sent the reports over, your classes are running three weeks now.”
I nod again. “We have them running ten-to-twelve-hour days. One and a half days off per week. The half day is team building. They’re already PD so they just need the suit training and Badass views.
” Seeing his brows move for that, I explain before he asks, “Champion is getting more law into them so we’re doing more intense Bible with reinforcement during team building activities. ”
He nods with those brows back to smooth. “Part of your FBI integration training.”
I throw him chin, not surprised he remembers. “Yeah, I got the trainers and Pablo set the trainees up to run easy schedules. We’re covering jobs and training without stress on any of us. Champion is driving the importance of law and Teach the impact of kids, Bits and Protectors.”
He nods. “I saw that, it reminded me of how Falcon worked when he ran Security at Phoenix. I used it to open more clubs with different training focuses.”
I wasn’t here then, but do know that Falcon grew the original Security Business to help with the Club move then expansion. I turn hearing the door and throw chin to Falcon and Beacon. “Brothers.” Now Beacon is the Security business Brother, it’s funny how they think similarly.
They sit and Justice sits straighter. He’s got a fuck-ton of respect for them both, but Falcon is his Pres and he likens him to Uncle Danny for guidance.
Our grandfather is good with that so I get it.
His eyes swing my way. I roll mine at him for reading me without my permission.
He smiles but I know he can’t block me. I’m one of his guides, like Mase and Mucimi, our thoughts are always open to him.
Falcon clears his throat getting my attention.
“Hud Girard is the reason I wanted to meet with Zeke and Justice. Beacon wants him but I need to stop piece working Alder’s Protectors.
Ari will get me more for the Bits but the kids are traveling and working more so I’m not counting on that being soon or an Alder Protector.
Tats needs more time off than I’m giving him and will ask for it soon. ” Falcon doesn’t make us wait.
I nod and look at Justice to answer first.
“It works. Hud’s got a thing with defending kids. I say defending because it’s how he thinks. He does the virtual Vet group and was explaining Badass to them using defend instead of protect.”
I nod. “It’s a military stance. He got home and moved his buddy in with him because the guy had cancer.
His parents were the ones who started the class action suit years ago for the PFSA chemicals in the water.
Sadly, they died back then but he had the same testicular cancer as his dad.
He left the money from the suit to Hud and Hud sent it to the group fighting to get the water cleaned up.
The company used a new name by dropping two atoms from the mixture so it’s different but it’s still pumping out water that’s killing people. ”
Cort has questions, so I stop. “Get the chemical to the Bit lab working on water, Brann was heading that up. The buddy was military?” He waits for my nod. “Pablo says he keeps his distance.”
I see where he’s going and answer before he asks again. “I told him if he needed healing, I was free. He had a migraine and told me to knock myself out. I saw into him as soon as my hand was on him and I did tell him I would, but he didn’t give a shit.”
He nods and rolls his hand.
“Long story short, he’s a Protector, intentionally isolates and has a tag line he believes in that reminds me of Mitch.” Cort doesn’t need the Brother’s every thought, so I break it down for him keeping words to a minimum.
His head tilts. “The future one?”
I nod. “His is, ‘Everyone gets to live their dream.’” I notice Beacon take a breath and use the time to put the information on Alder’s worksheet for the chemical in water.
Beacon speaks up while I type. “I watched him while he was in training with us, he’s more comfortable with the Bits and kids than women.”
Justice shakes his head. “He’s fine with women.
Mucimi shadowed him for a week and almost outed himself.
He loves the Brother and said he’s perfect for Alder.
He has no problem moving anywhere like he’s being deployed.
He joined Badass young but his parents died and he went military.
Virginia has him there for Church when he was stateside, he signed in to Virginia training when his buddy died.
The year he took care of his friend got his head straight with his girl, lost foot and time to get him back in shape for a job with us.
He knew training would be tough on him. His long-time girl left two weeks after he made it home.
Said she’s too young to be saddled with a disabled man.
He was ready for the move to a Badass job the day his friend died.
” Justice looks disgusted about the girl.
I agree remembering Hud’s memories of the social media shit she posted.
“Why us? Military should take him back with no problems,” Cort throws out.
Falcon answers. “On a desk. He said he wasn’t trained for a desk job.
He knows Sawbones from when he was in college in Virginia.
Hud bunked with him on furloughs. His app is from Hemy’s Club.
He said he knows someone at Elite that was CENTCOM.
He has one arm and works IT. Everything on him is classified so I didn’t get who that was and he avoids talking about his time in. ”
Alder runs in with Zeus. “VP Nash stop to pick up Boss Zeus. Sorry to be late.”
Cort shakes his head dismissing it. “I told him to. Tats’ boy fell out of the crib and busted his head on the dresser.”
Alder freezes. “I tell him take off rail. Tommy okay?” He looks at Falcon for that answer.
Falcon’s face shows love for the concern he sees in LP. “Bones stitched him up and said he’ll be fine. I told Tats to take the day and get him in a toddler bed.”
Alder nods once. “I see why I have Zeus. I have meet Alpha, Delta, back to ABSZ IT late today.”
Cort knows. “I had Amal look up your schedule. You measured Hudson Girard and made him prosthetics?”
The Little President takes a second to find Girard in his memory. “He want flipper to swim.”
“Falcon needs a steady Protector on you when Tats is called away,” Cort explains.
Alder nods. “I like Boss Hud. He carry Gregor up cliff when Gregor foot slip.”
When was this? Franz had Gregor at Elan a week ago to ride a horse with his new leg. The Bits are everywhere, I need to pay closer attention to them.
“What cliff?” Cort asks so I don’t have to.
Alder looks at Justice not answering Cort, but waves a hand at his head for Justice to read it.
Justice relays for him. “Raid okayed a rock wall at the campground. The Bits wanted to try it out. Hud was shadowing a Bit shift and saw Gregor struggling in the brace. He caught him and flipped him on his back then showed him how to wedge his foot in toe holds while the others ate. He had the c-spring but explained about testing the hold with knees or something. Alder built Gregor a leg and foot with more reactor points than his old one.”
Cort’s head swings toward me swiftly. “You knew?”
I don’t smile at the quick connection he makes.
“Not about Gregor’s new leg but he’d need it now.
He didn’t have full nerve reaction with his backward leg.
” He makes me smile with his move along hand roll.
“Mucimi told me Hud was a Protector and to get him ready for a move. I didn’t know it was for Alder until yesterday.
Justice showed and watched him at the pool with the Elan Bits. ”
Justice laughs. Cort shakes his head.
Beacon puts a hand up getting attention. “I wanted him for VIP Security or a Protector at Champion.”
I smile. “He likes the daily change so Security would suit him better but Alder needs a Protector and he’s a military Brother. Defending him will be warranted. Alder isn’t predictable when he’s under threat.” I see him with Alder but don’t want to say that.
They all freeze.
‘Fuck, don’t answer whatever that brings up,’ Justice says in my head.
I nod, knowing every one of them are watching that nod.
Cort's eyes shift right to sharp and steely. “You’re not going to explain that?”
Beacon stands as I’m shaking my head no for Cort. “I’m out if I have no chance. I need to see Raid.”
Alder smiles up at him. “No chance, I keep him, Boss Beacon. Faber say Alpha-Bits work to Mason Fellowship level.”
Beacon smiles. “They made the older Little Brothers a book to get them used to the wording. The test and ceremony words always throw the Bits and kids.”
Alder nods. “I send my notes to help Dreng when he new here.”
Beacon’s face drops to blank. “You touch everything they do. I’m glad you’re ours, LP,” he says seriously, then throws chin and leaves quickly. A sense of melancholy follows him.
I watch the door seeing Mase lifting Beacon’s old lady with blood on her. My eyes close and I clear my head from those memories I’ve seen once before.
When I open, Justice is watching me. “They just got Dreng then.” His voice is soft and serious striking me as intense.
I nod and see a slideshow of happy moments of the Beacon’s from him. “Thanks.”
Cort and Falcon just watch. Alder is typing away on his hologram board without reacting to my word to Justice.
“When can Hud be scheduled?” Falcon asks, stopping questions from Cort.
Alder jumps in. “Boss Tats stay to my schedule Phoenix five. Boss Hud schedule I travel or stay my house to elder compound at Rescue. I make house to him at Rescue and ABSZ. He like ABSZ ride, towns.”
What the hell is Phoenix five?
Justice throws it to me. ‘Alpha, Bravo, Champion, Guardian and Elan form a Phoenix and ABSZ perimeter.’
Falcon nods for Alder. “I’ll have Mag get it set up.”