Chapter Eleven #3
I nod. “I wrecked my car. Kane was in uniform, I thought he was PD. He drove me to the base and they sobered me up. It was jail or military. I took military. Every month I got lessons from Badass. Kane sent me everything from the house, all the paperwork and a bank box key. I sent it back and he wrote that Hemy was holding it in the office when I was ready. I never asked for it. Hemy always found me a room but never said anything. When I got out, he told me about his girl in the west but I was needed. I got a small house close to the Club. I went to Church when I could and Sawbones wrote from here. They needed him and he showed. I need to do that.”
My girl has glazed eyes. I look at Keylan. I’m here for a reason, right?”
He nods slowly. “That’s exactly what it sounds like.
My whole team was recruited by Badass. No one knows who it was.
They got me into Marines and handed me a signing bonus.
I remade my mom’s kitchen before I was dragged to Army Corp of Engineers training.
From there I went to Pendleton for Officer.
I deployed as a commander. My team showed up piecemeal but I knew when I met them.
Fuckin’ Anchor was too young to get a license. I taught him how to drive on base.”
My Charlie’s Angel swears better than a sailor. I smile. “We belong here like that. Sophia needed Badass too.” I look at her.
She gives a smile with her warm eyes shining.
“I got help from a Badass SEAL Colonel. I wanted to get to the CJIRU quicker and the Brit is still in. The American gave me his book with his notes in it. When I got out. I was told to put an app in because Badass knew what to do with military and the jobs were in the US. The other help I got went to Adroit.”
Keylan starts walking again. “No doubt. You both belong here. Cort doesn’t do wait well.”
I check time and walk holding my girl’s hand for the one-minute walk. We belong. No doubt he said. I met my girl like that. Once we talked on the cruise, I had no doubt. I didn’t know for what but she got questions out and I knew like Stone knowing his team members.
Sophia opens the boards in the meeting room. Cort is on as soon as she sits. VP Stone stays standing. “Bosses.” The screens open right around the room. This is a meet.
The little President comes running in with Ramsey following. His hair is wet but he’s dressed. Ramsey stands at the wall by the door.
Cort looks around his boards, I guess because we can’t see them and nods. “Brothers. The try for the Bits has everyone on edge.”
“Nothing got close,” VP Pablo says.
Cort nods. “We need a Club that deals with this shit. Ari is getting us Protectors but they’re going all over the country.
Harky and Piper are training dogs but they’re going everywhere too.
Ben has the breeding moving but it’s not fast enough for a country.
Seamus can run K9 Ops for the chipped dogs but he’s not a trainer. ”
“We’re looking for another dog training Club?” Falcon asks looking confused.
“What do we need, Alder, Justice?” Cort goes the easy way.
Some of the Brothers are smiling on the boards. I look at Keylan as Alder is typing. “Are these all the Clubs?” I see SOAR and Alpha VPs, Pablo from Flight Guard, Bravo and Kristos. The twin to the Delta Solaita is up there with a light blue eye that shines like neon. Jinx he said.
Keylan leans while Justice is talking, “Planners and his circle. I’ve seen them all because I build at their Clubs. I’m new to this job too.”
Whoa. Okay. So, I pay attention for what’s next. Justice is looking at Alder so I do.
“VP Mase say small job too many to Protector. Pres Seamus schedule everyday still too much. One Club all small job. We need surveillance to new drone, robot, K9 Security. Alpha-Bit IT need help. Too much surveillance to IT building ABSZ.” LP makes good points but what’s small jobs?
“That’s two Clubs, we got apps coming out our ears of Officers I don’t want to lose.” I don’t know who that is but they sound familiar.
“I’m Teller Knight, VP of Protectors with Ability.
That’s Mag from his phone. We started sending him the military elite two months ago, Boss.
We can get them into a Club, have them on the small jobs and pull by need from there.
A President and VP can rotate specialty training after Badass boot camp.
These are Officers whose apps were held for one reason or another.
Someone thought they needed a quicker path but we don’t have anyone to meet and assess by app.
We’re all flat out and Protectors with ability are doing small jobs, healing and running Ops,” Teller says from a different screen.
Justice nods. “We need the Alpha-Bit threat cleared. We haven’t had time to even meet to get that done. There are more than enough military with the experience to deal but they’re not in place right now.”
I look at LP. “You took the dog to free me up?”
He smiles. “I see problem and find way to fix. Pres Justice fly more than home. He have boys, VP Teller have boys, Boss Mag, VP Jack, Tats. Too much work, no time to extra work.”
“Michaels from Guardian. That’s just from Bravo, Boss.
We’re all feeling it. The robots are a help but we have no one to help get the Brothers trained for their next jobs, that’s the jobs that will help us.
More in need means our Clubs are stretched thin.
We got the know-how and tools but not enough hands working it. ”
Cort looks down then back at his boards or whatever he sees around his room. “Is this me moving too fast?”
“Beacon from Champion. Not this time, Cort. Security is scraping for time off. Everyone is busier because no one can find help anywhere else. We’re it. The world is going crazy and fighting everywhere. We’re holding down the fort but we got no help.”
Cort nods. “I have a Club built south of Honor but still in the mountain, tree and snow line. Keylan, how long on the Club in a Club?”
“It’s done but needs the power hookups, Security, drone and all the outbuildings. The build crew can print whatever is left if we’re not called in.”
Cort looks surprised. “The Club is done and the Club in a Club just need the out buildings?”
I smile seeing the reaction to his surprise.
Keylan nods. “Yeah, Boss. We built two printers and left them there. Training was there with the old crew and the A we did everything but out buildings.
Do you want an IT building for surveillance? And do I need a K9 compound?”
Cort still looks confused or he’s sick. “You got the greenhouse, Power grids and battery…”
“Everything for the big Club. The Club in a Club doesn’t need its own greenhouse.
LP gave me the size and water needed for the fields and greenhouse.
It’s done. We did the Club in a Club like here but here we have the AB Lab, training center, water training and extra simulators.
I just need what you want to do to build the training or IT building for it. ”
“You have the school and businesses?” Cort really is stunned and everyone is trying to hide smiles and fake coughs.
My new VP nods.
My old Pres smiles then hides it to ask. “So, who is going in the Club, we need a name, then who is the Club in a Club and what are they doing? Keylan has been building Clubs, the Masons from Champion on roads. We need help and the build Club is working for Brekan.”
Cort looks like he’s caught up now and pins me with his intense eyes. “We got small jobs like the dam. We need this threat to the Alpha-Bits cleared and surveillance.” He turns to LP. “We have the Brothers for surveillance.”
Alder stands on his chair. “We have seventy-two Brothers hired. I need forty-fifty start to new Club in Club. AI on drone, moves feed to Brother view, same to perimeter/K9 feed.”
“That will lighten the load on Clubs and ABIT?” Cort asks.
LP looks up at a screen. Justice answers.
“It will, Boss. He’s going to have Keylan make it bigger for expansion.
This is the new drone and perimeter feeds right now.
It can be adjusted as we see new needs. The K9 while Alpha-Bit Officers are on Club grounds will be sufficient.
Everyone is alerted and covers him with Enforcer level or above Brothers.
With Ramsey, that will work and it frees up the Protectors that are wasted standing at doors. ”
The giant POT takes a minute then nods and pins me with his eyes again. “The change in Club and job isn’t a problem for you?”
“No, Boss. My job was always transient.”
“We’ll get Done set up to run the Club. He’ll need a VP.” he turns his head to the right. “Is he ready for that?”
“He is Boss but he doesn’t have procedures. He got the Lead lessons years ago. He just needs the how to apply them.”
I know it?
Teller looks right at me. “You do, Brother. I’m up for training Officer so he sees how to apply the lessons. Two to three weeks gets us all freed up.” Teller Knight sounds confident that weeks will work.
I put the Knight in there so I remember where he’s from. I’ll get some of that confidence if he’s bringing the old lessons back up for me. I turn to the center screen. “I’m willing to put that work in and honored to use the skills I learned for the Clubs.”