Chapter Eleven #2
He thought it was crazy for me to know gallons per minute color coding and I think it’s crazy for him to talk about dog bathrooms like it’s normal to anyone outside of the Badass universe.
It’s a very strange world but the world I fell into and have come to love with my Bosses under four feet and dogs that can spell better than some enlisted men I’ve met all being topped by flying, reading and disappearing people.
The one thing that makes this universe the place I’ll die is my new husband with the icy gray eyes, thick, light brown hair that’s disheveled by a definite curl he gets cut off a month past military regulation and that square jaw that gives him a classic old movie character look.
Something changed… “Oh.”
He chuckles bouncing his hand up and down until I sit up and take it. “Where were you?” He sounds amused.
“How long were we sitting here?” I should be embarrassed but I’m not.
He stands but doesn’t start walking. He sits on the bike sideways and pulls me closer.
I’m glad we’re in the garage but think being in the garage is what makes this odd.
I lean into him for the hug. “I was thinking about the Badass universe and how I’ll take the crazy because I love my job that feels like I’m taking care of family, my Bosses that are under four foot, the capable dogs that are better soldiers than I was and you’re here.
You’re everything I never dreamed of because …
,” uhhmmm, “because I never had a family and you’re a beauty in all ways. ”
“Beauty?”
I smile at the not so Canadian Canadian. “Handsome, drop dead gorgeous, Shoresy, in more than looks. It’s looks, intelligence, skill, compassion, cool.”
His hand goes up. “This is real? My mum called me beaut at ball games.”
I nod. “It’s the same thing; you were a good player?”
“Yeah, I was scouted for football and college basketball. I’m not tall enough to be anything more than an average player and I never went for the bulk up shit the coaches pushed.”
I nod. “That shows intelligence, skill and I can attest to the drop dead gorgeous. Alexia said the FBI women call it panty dropping.”
He stands lifting me up. “I’ll accept beaut because no one will get it. The rest you can bury.”
I laugh enjoying the banter.
“Badass is like a universe, some furloughs I never even left the Club compound. They had new rooms and more crazy shit every time I made it home. Here, it’s crazy but not chaotic. Everyone says New England is chaotic.”
I kiss his chin before he sets me down. “It’s absolutely crazy here but it’s spread out so one Club is not seeing everything that happens. I watched Asa in IT, even the Bits are separated by job, experience and/or Club.”
“I saw it in Elan. Cooper is FBI ground Ops but he was a SEAL that knows chemicals so he’s consulted for that.
I didn’t see all he knows but did note he’s detail-oriented and missing nothing.
They tell me Bishop is like that with Law and I watched Kristos on FBI and Brekan on bomb consult.
The universe here is huge but contained within the Clubs and by the jobs.
We’re in the Rescue Club at Sentinel that runs security for the air base and two Clubs at Honor. ”
“Yeah. That’s how the IT building is split. It’s not all kids there, the old FBI Director lives there but he doesn’t work for Badass, his daughter does.”
He’s surprised handing me a glass of water. I smile at Havoc walking out of his room just to huff a greeting. “Alexia looks like her dad. I never saw him on the ABSZ.”
“You know Page?”
His brows draw down. “By picture. Never met him. Hated all three-letter agencies”
I smile at him then hold up my hand. “Glad I’m not part of that.”
He laughs at me. “Never knew your agency.”
That’s weird. “You never heard of the JTF2 or CSOR?” We’re a lot smaller than I thought.
He smiles leaning down to kiss my head. “CANSOFCOM, JTF2, CSOR, CJIRU.” He lifts my hand and kisses my ring. “I didn’t know you were in anything but the Canadian army. I worked through CANSOFCOM a couple of times. Like you with SOAR.”
It feels weird that I like he knows more about Canadian military that I thought. I stay away from that and ask, “We have a meet at ten. What’s that for?”
He looks at his watch. “Don’t know. Phoenix Rising and Cort Masters was on top. I need to check the Bits.”
I nod and follow him out noticing Firefly on her step a few houses away. I squeeze his hand getting a nod back and go sit by her.
§*§*§
Rescue Club at Sentinel Rising
Hud
The pool sounds loud tonight. As I get closer, I see the Brothers are out again but only the Bits and K9’s are in the pool.
“Brother, you hear…” Wolf stops when I nod.
Racks talks before Wolf can finish. “No one got close but they’re ballsy to show at the gate.
“This one or Sentinel?” I ask.
KC answers. “Both. Nash taped them head to toe leaving air holes and strung them up on the flagpoles at Phoenix. He said Cort will transport them once they sway for an afternoon.”
Anchor finds it funny. “An afternoon in the sun isn’t going to make friends at the PD.”
Keylan smiles. “Cort will let them hang while someone pulls the tape off. They’ll be spinning like a top.”
Level jumps in with a wince. “Holy shit. That’s gonna hurt and make them sick all at once.”
I look at Pres since he’s the only one who hasn’t spoken. He smiles and throws chin. I give it back. They said it all.
“LP okay?” I see him swimming with the little guy, Oliver.
Anchor answers, “He did a check in on the chat. He can talk to everyone at one time. He did that and had the Bots ready to interrupt a kidnapping. He said the drones are coded to swarm if they need it.”
I look down and smile. The old man who is seven has some pretty interesting, but effective, security perspectives and tools. He doesn’t need his gun or even to expend more than typing energy. Ramsey is sitting by the pool doing regular scans. He’s safe. “That Nike in the pool with him?”
“Yeah. Harky had Zeus call in the Rescue K9’s for the night and had Alder call for a Security team from Piper. They’ll run perimeter and be hooked into the ABIT.” Racks tells me. Alpha-Bit IT is shortened here. I note it.
“That’s a good idea. Spano let me know he’s got an order for drones in to Justice. They’ll build the docking station, hook them to IT and they’ll run regular perimeter here. We won’t need so many dogs full-time.” Pres finally has something to say.
I nod and take the water from Keylan. “Sophie settled now.”
I nod and take the bottle. “Yeah, she's laid back.”
“She isn’t teaching my kid to play the trumpet.” Wolf has everyone laughing.
I smile. “Congrats, Brother. It was harmonica. They got Springsteen down like they’re on tour with him.”
Pres nods. “Oliver is in with Alder. He taught Raiden the ant song first. Springsteen is better.”
I nod. “It was teaching the music. They’ll explore more with the basics down. Jack got Tyson a guitar. He’s already playing.”
I stand. “Just checking LP and Fords. Got a meet in a few with Cort.”
“He say why?” Keylan walks pointing to the back gate.
I throw chin to LP so he knows I’m here and take the new way out. It’s closer to my house making me wonder why I’ve never come this way.
“No. Just that it’s virtual.”
He nods. “I got it too. We do virtual from the meeting room or Ops.”
I’m relieved he knows what to do. “I thought it would be a call on my phone but I don’t know how they make the phone do pop ups over it. Sophia knows their kind of IT.”
“Alder showed me. It’s through the chat or the server virtual thing. I use the Ops room if nothing is running or the meet room. The Bits or IT hook me up. We have surveillance running tonight because of the tries.”
“You’re a VP. What do you think this is for?”
He takes a minute. “I think the VP from SOAR is going to move to Pres of a Surveillance Club. My old crew just built the compound for a new Club in a Club on the southern border of the forest leading into Honor.”
“Nothing to do with me.” There’s no way I’m surveillance.
“I didn’t think so either. You’re more Zeke or Stan.”
My feet stop just before we get to my house. “Zeke is a magic. Stan is Pres.”
He nods and throws chin to my Charlie’s Angel. I watch her throw it back and turn to him. “I’m not a President. I don’t even know what to do.”
He smiles. “Let’s go see. Cort is crazy, he got Stan in the Officer training and had us open in weeks.”
My girl meets up with us and laughs. I don’t laugh.
I’ve never been an Officer in Badass. I’ve never been a real member.
I went military and took Associate just so I had someone somewhere I belonged to.
Badass always treated me like family. Since mine died, it mattered.
My aunt and uncles send a card every Christmas.
They have their own kids and lives so I get it, but all alone in my late teens, I needed someone and Badass stepped up.
Furloughs, Hemy always found me a room or I stayed with Sawbones.
I feel the squeeze on my hand and look down. Those pretty blue eyes shine under the walkway light. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah. I went military and stayed in Virginia for furloughs. Kane took care of the house and my parent’s stuff.
I got the bank papers and cards right out of boot camp.
I was relieved. My first furlough he helped me clear the truck out.
They stored everything for me in a trailer. I need to give it back.”
They both stop. “Your folks died before you went in?” Keylan asks.