Chapter Five
Cruise ship
Hud
“There are enough Leads on this ship to take my place when you shoot. There is no fuckin’ way I’m letting you go without a team that know you, a slew of freaky Protectors or a damn unit of military trained for this.
We spent all night getting the shit they did back to working and they were hunting you, for fuck’s sake. ”
The high-pitched giggle has me turning with a glare in place. Mucimi’s girl is giving me a finger wave. “You’ll need freaky, a very long chain and maybe that military unit just to keep up with Mucimi…” she is just gone.
The shake of my head was to determine the gone isn’t a trick of light or something, but the intake of breath has my eye flick to Moss. “Son of a bitch.” Alder is gone too. The growl isn’t from lack of use, pulling my phone for tracking, I’m pissed.
Moss yells. “Cap…”
“Upper deck.” I run. Demons from hell can’t stop freaky and Alpha-Bit fuckin’ trickery bullshit.
I slow on the last flight, seeing chopper blades then shake my head seeing Mucimi, Alder, Citiali, Jordan, Stella and Charlie’s Angel all watching Nash.
The VP of my new mother chapter Club’s, hand waving, then point at Mucimi’s chest shows his pissed.
I stop to watch at the side of the Protector teams who are just hanging back.
Barber notices me. “Sophie was stalling them. We’re helping from here.”
I nod and wait as they’re all looking this way now. “Are you going too?” I ask the Charlie’s Angel since she started walking this way. She did her part and I appreciate her stepping in.
“Barber, you can board now.” Jordan has Stella and Mucimi’s girl laughing.
“I came up with Stella and the K9. The K9s won’t let anyone on the chopper and you weren’t with Alder.” They all had my back.
“Good thing Nash is faster than LP. Mucimi almost got shot,” Silva says walking by us.
“Thanks, Brothers. I’ll talk to Mucimi.” I start walking toward the hell child.
“I got him towing Security while you’re with me and Alder, Brother. The Asgina won’t pull that again. Nash should have let Alder shoot him.” Citiali isn’t happy either.
Mucimi bows his head looking embarrassed.
Before he can say anything, I ask. “Asgina?”
Nash laughs. “Dark spirit with malevolent intent,” at the same time Citiali says, “Demon.”
I smile at Mucimi. “It’s how I saw it while running up the stairs.”
He throws me chin and says he’s sorry in my head. I nod for him and look at the assembly we have here.
“The freaky here have my approval. You okay with this, LP?”
He seems surprised. “I not know everyone show to island excursion.”
I nod. “You good with it?”
“Medic box, my bag?”
Mucimi shows right in front of him, which shocks the hell out of me, I didn’t notice him gone. “I got it. The box is on the chopper with water and fruit.”
Alder nods once, takes his bag, then looks at me. “Good to go.”
Everyone turns and we all board like life is cruising along normally. This is not normal but he’s got everyone focused on him. I am comfortable with the security we have as we embark on an unnamed island of misfits that were dropped there a few months ago. Nothing but normal here.
I thank the dogs and teams that bought me time to make it.
Jordan looks at me over his laptop. “Falcon sent choppers over with supplies and Security until the California Club’s dinner cruise boat makes it. They said late tonight or early tomorrow.
“What about the ship we’re on?” Mucimi’s girl asks.
“We don’t know who they are or where they’re from. Dumped is what the restrained men said. They were loading food and tools but they were also hunting Alder with guns,” Stella says gently.
The woman nods and looks up at me. “You were right.” Her name starts with an A but I can’t remember… “Aurora.” Pops into my head.
I nod. “Thanks, Aurora. The IT team said the missing ship and passengers were never recovered so the story checks out, but they had guns and Alder Ford’s full name. It’s a red flag I couldn’t let go of.”
According to the songbird that Citiali talked to or read from, they were taking food, tools and other supplies until they could get a call out to a charter.
Kidnapping the kid from the flyer or anyone they could ransom was the plan.
Citiali said they’d have killed any woman they took then left them with what they called ‘the pussies’ on the island.
The internet they have is only from ships passing.
The bastards could have gotten off the island if they weren’t so set on leaving the baggage they think would make post rescue life hard.
They deserve more than the jail time for theft.
They had intent to kidnap and premeditated murder of whoever they took from the ship and my LP package.
Whatever caused the screams I heard from the holding room wasn’t enough.
I don’t know who is on the island but they don’t deserve to die and I’m all for not leaving a man behind.
Citiali nods. “You shouldn’t. Justice sent me for a reason. Mucimi wasn’t leaving without you but this isn’t the time to play games. Making it back with everyone is the only order I got. I won’t let you down, Brother.”
I throw him chin and breathe slow and deep.
§*§*§
Cruise ship
Sophie
Letting my breath out I smile at the screen. “Thanks, Asa. You got the drones to follow them?”
When his head nods I can picture the fire movement because of the more vivid color someone gave him. “Pres Justice send Boss Mucimi for box before VP Nash fly to ship.”
This is good. “I’ll watch from here. The Club that owns this boat is on Security and took the six that boarded. Someone from Princes in Rhode Island is meeting them later on today.” I stop when he nods.
“Pres Justice dad. He fly Prez Knight to Colorado.” He knows more than me.
“Is he Lakota? I thought Justice was Mohegan.” The giggle off screen makes me smile.
Asa gives whoever it is a dirty look and the giggle stops that quick. “Boss Dakota Lightfoot Mohegan. Boss Jessie LaPonte-James other father, two marry Jess Baxter. I send workbook to you.”
A slap down and disappointed look if I ever felt one.
“You did, which is how I knew he was Mohegan. The IT guy on surveillance said Lakota but I didn’t remember any Lakota under Princes.
The Lakota was a refugee from the prison in the country of Georgia that got here a few months ago. ” I feel redeemed right away.
Disappointment disappears and his eye shine with pride. “You right. Dakota Lightfoot fly to California.”
I smile for that. “Is this the Club that sent all you As to Badass in New Mexico?”
More pride shows. “Yeah. We no talk to ship, Club, before. We talk English to Pres Crow in reservation house. Boss Web make teacher to show Alpha-Bits sound. New Alpha-Bits learn, Boss Garren teach all language virtual.”
“Garren Ford?”
Now he giggles. “I check you read whole Indian workbook. You pass.”
I shake my head at him. “I’m headed back down to Security. Give me ten.”
“You off. ABSZ IT on drone surveillance. I have four.”
I roll my eyes and roger the little general. “Roger. I’ll work on my tan while watching my screen.”
He starts typing then my screen is black. The little bugger.
I check my phone then go back to the laptop. He cut my surveillance feeds so I try for tracking and smile seeing the dots show, then I growl. “The little Bastard.”
“Who?”
I smile up at Peggy. “I thought you were with the Alpha twins?” She told me Stella loves when she calls the babies the Alpha twins.
“You don’t know Stella’s mom, she’s got the boys while Stella is here and she said she doesn’t need extra Lead Security.
I don’t mess with Sheila and am never disobeying an order from her.
She was the first woman in High Security, that’s what we call Protectors now and she still trains for Princes.
Nash brought me over and will take one of the seconds back so Stella has more Leads if needed. ”
Jolly Robins, that’s weird but it would or could mean this isn’t done and I have no tracking or surveillance feeds for my VIP. “Did you get the feeling that it’s needed or it’s going to be?”
“I did but just saw Citiali tell the weird Lead he won’t let him down.
That chopper has Mucimi, Nash and Citiali on it.
If that’s not enough, the POT Knight is in Colorado and Justice’s dads are headed to California.
” She plops her ass down beside me. “That’s a lot of magicians.
When Mikey got hurt, they all showed, it’s scary and for some reason a relief when they show like this. ”
“I have no feeds, Asa told me I’m off.” I inform her.
She nods and hands me her phone. “He told the surveillance guy to lock you out until five. Stella showed me how to get all kinds of things so I can keep track of her and the boys. I’ve got access to anything showing her, Jordan and the boys, wherever they are unless they’re time is blocked.”
This makes me smile. “Does the giant ever feel left out?”
She takes some time before answering. “He’s always on feeds but he’s Delta. Mostly he’s serious and his time is blocked more than theirs.”
He’s more than a VP. Since I’m an Officer without a rank I don’t question her further. Classified is just classified. “Let’s take a swim or surf, then watch the feeds.”
Her sideways glance is doubting. I put my hands up. “If he sees us surfing, he’ll let me off the hook. I’m back as his Lead once we’re off this boat.”
She smiles. “You know, every inch of this ship is covered, the audio works everywhere too.”
I smile and stand up. “Yup and they don’t listen to everything. I worked at the IT building for a day with three of the As. I need my suit.”
She laughs at me but follows to the navigation deck without complaint. Bet she wants to surf in the wave pool too.
§*§*§
Cruise ship
Hud
Mucimi takes a boy and his mom to a hospital. I have no idea where, but it has to be in the US. Alder is on the phone with a doctor while I watch the stunned-silent group. Mucimi and the exit strategy needs work.