Chapter Fourteen
Two weeks
Liminal Rising
Hud
“Havoc, train the Brothers to move like fire is chasing them up the ladder!” Turning, I look at the Brothers. “This time you move like your life depends on it. If it doesn’t, scores of civilians are dead. GO!”
They run one at a time yelling their name for the bot to log them.
Havoc’s ferocious bark and encouraging snaps at their legs and feet, like a rabid bite is a real consequence for the last slow-assed times, makes me smile. I note the Brother that moves to the second ladder. The one at a time wasn’t an order from me, so I like the initiative.
It takes them twenty to get through the simulated scene on the lofted second floor. When they’re back, they all made it within time. I point to four that I noted. “Stand.”
They do.
Out of twenty, only four took the second ladder. “Stay. The rest of you get to the wall simulator.”
They groan. It’s not an easy one and shit gets thrown at you the whole way up. I look for summary bios and check out my four then point and ask, “Why’d you go up the second ladder?”
The last defector smiles. “Havoc can only go after one of us. I played the odds and won. It got me fighting the clock while the other side finished too, Boss.” He mustn’t like his time but he’s within what I want.
I nod knowing he didn’t fight a clock. Both sides run separate. “Go to the wall simulator.”
One says Havoc, one claims time.
I’m holding out hope for the last who was the first defector. He’s Green Beret with a good record. I nod for him to talk.
“The point is speed getting the job done and saving civilians that don’t know they’re under threat. Havoc was on the other ladder so I made it up higher than he can bite but wasn’t worried since he wasn’t climbing today.”
I smile. Havoc had the order to stay on one ladder. “Did the clock start right away for you?”
He rolls his eyes. “It’s set for when you step on the floor up there.”
I nod. “You have a location preference?”
“BSC Club, I have a wife and two girls. I don’t care where as long as my girls are educated on equal ground and wife is safe. She’s pregnant with my boy.”
“I need trainers that can run small job Ops. Their reasons were bullshit but two are good for…”
I let it hang and he smiles. “One is a sniper with impressive shots and back story. The other two are adaptable everywhere but they don’t or I haven’t seen them shine. They’re all good.”
I nod. “I see the same. We’ll have another week to find what that is. You want training here?”
“I’d love it, Boss. We lost the housing allotment. I need a home for my family.”
Shit. I ask, “Where are they now?”
“My wife’s parents in Idaho.”
“See me at the end of your day. I’ll be in my office.”
He nods and heads to the wall simulator.
The office is quiet. I send a chat to Pres with all the things he’ll ask me.
I know he’s read all bios but I send it anyway.
Within an hour he’s telling me to hire him and get him in a house.
He did range and physical training yesterday and he was impressed.
He’s a reader so he’d know. I like his honest and bigger picture view while focusing on the point being keeping people safe.
Gunnar Anderson, the new Badass trainer knocks on the open door. “VP.”
I stand and start for the door. “The job is yours. Pres said to get you in a house.”
“So, your family, I’ll have SOAR pick them up but we’d need a place to set down.”
“Sir!” He stops in the hall.
I smile shaking my head. “Just Hud, Boss or VP.”
“S—Boss, this is for real?”
I nod. “Walk with me. It’s for real. I’ll find out about the doc for here.
Alder was finding one but that will be right here.
There are women and kids everywhere so I know there’s a baby doc close or a chopper ride away.
School is already running but it’s virtual out of the activity center right now.
Only Surveillance is up and running full speed.
Get me the address and day your girl is ready to move.
We’ll pick them up.” We’re at the Officer housing.
“This is Officer and trainers are there.” I point over a little walking park.
” Taking the park, I veer to the first house because it’s three bedrooms. “This is you. If you need bigger, let me know, we can add on.”
“They’re in one bedroom now. It’s been almost five months. My wife won’t spend the money on an apartment because she’s going to need a bigger car.”
I almost laugh. “Got an SUV I’ll bring over tonight.” Ben Knight got me and Sophia one for the canyon Op. He got them for everyone but we definitely don’t need two.
He looks away and I open the door. “This is three bedrooms, two bath, basement is finished. You can move your gear here and get me that date for the move. Pres will get you details I miss. He does the move shit.”
His hand comes out and I hold his forearm.
“Thank you, Colonel. Getting my family straight was the reason I retired. You don’t…”
I shake my head and point to my foot. “No ranks here. I get living hard, Brother. It doesn’t matter what it is, hard is fuckin’ hard.
I need good trainers and you need a stable home for the family.
We can do that right here.” I point out the window.
“The navy house on the Officer road is me. I’ll bring that SUV over later.
I need to get to Honor for my ol’ lady.”
He steps back shaking his head. “I’ll get the day for you but she’s going to say now.”
I laugh. “If she does, we’ll try to make that happen.”
He shakes his head again. “Thank you, VP.”
I turn and jog across the walking park. Pres is just pulling in.
“He’s at his house, Boss. I’ll bring an SUV over for the wife. They got two girls and a boy on the way. I gave what I know.”
“Which one?” He points at the SUV.
“That one works. Keys are in it. They’re identical.”
He laughs. “Go get Sophie, Brother. I’ll get him settled.”
I nod and look for Havoc. He’s in training with Booth. I send him a chat and get a paw print back.
Getting on the bike, I think about our time away. She loved the lagoon and the Badass families and Brothers we met. Most were from other states and didn’t talk about crazy shit. My K9s boards amazed them.
The time alone was good for us. Havoc was a hit but he stayed close to the kids and us.
Sophia charmed people our first night at the fun being had in the water and had kids playing recorders from the gift shop.
The woman gets along with everyone. I went down to a cave with some Brothers while she stayed by the waterfall or so I thought.
She was sitting right in the water with kids all around her watching stars like the waterfall pooling to the side of her is a normal stargazing venue.
My woman needed lessons on how to relax.
I smile seeing her with Asa and his bike. She tracks me like I’m a package. Pulling to the portico, I stop and take off my helmet. “Brother, you testing the new Bit house?”
I hold her hand up so she doesn’t get on yet.
“Yeah, VP Hud. Elijah, Drexel, Wesley have meet tonight. Two Surveillance Alpha-Bits show with K9. Pres Alder bring them.”
I smile. “Yeah, Pres sent it earlier.” Turning, I lean down to kiss my girl with the crystal blue eyes. “Piper had something for you, beaut.” I told her it’s the only Canadian word I learned from her so far.
She smiles. “I wonder what. We talked about the antiques she had from some farmhouse her family had.”
I wait for Asa to start his bike, then we roll out. The kid rides like a pro and stays right with me.
I didn’t ask Harky anything but get her back to the Club so she can. “Good day?”
“Yep. We rode with Pres and VP through the Oregon town. People mob them so it’s a little crazy but they stopped at a Dunkin'. We got drinks while Pres talked to everyone about whatever they needed or wanted him to know. They don’t even stop or leave when VP is on fire.
The towns’ people are crazier than the Brothers. ”
“Dunkin' is always in the plan around here. Virginia was like that. Townies don’t react to bikers or military in large groups.”
“Yeah. Our town doesn’t either. I don’t know about the two further out but the closest doesn’t care. I think it’s because the Brothers have been stopping there for a while.”
I smile. “Trained them well.”
We’re all lost in our own thoughts or maybe they’re like me and they’re just enjoying the ride down through the valleys that someone made little neighborhoods.
This ride just doesn’t last long enough. “Brother, you going to Vigil?”
“To Liminal, VP Hud. Pres Alder say have bike to him. I stay to Liminal tonight he ride to Vigil on my bike.”
“Is he staying tonight?” I ask.
Asa scoffs at that idea. “He fly back tonight. Boss Piper, Loki drop him to Rescue.”
My Charlie’s Angel laughs. “Alder gets calls and alerts all night long. On the ABSZ, the Ford’s show all night long. Asa likes his time alone.”
“Yeah, what Boss Sophie say. Pres Falcon say I love my Brothers in moderation. Boss Solei say I take me time. No one give it, I take it. VP Mase say he run to me time. I sleep six hour me time no interrupts.”
I breathe deep before I answer so I don’t laugh. “Sounds fair enough, Brother. Everyone should get to sleep with no interruptions.”
“I agree,” Sophia says and I know she’s holding her little giggle in.
We pull onto the Officers’ road and the funny little VP pulls into the Bit driveway.
I stop and watch Drexel run out to meet him. “VP Asa, Boss Piper come with K9 to us!”
Asa looks over and I can read his, ‘Kids’, disgusted declaration. He really is cute with the Badass look and ink on his tiny body.
Sophia turns fast, clamping her jaw tight and eyes closed. I guide her to the side and she laughs. “He’s the cutest boss I’ve ever had. I love the little VP.”
“I see why. He’s got a point that I agree with. He’s got over a hundred and fifty Ford brothers.”
She turns in the step. “I didn’t think of that, I bet not understanding the Badass or civilian ways, they’d have more questions than…hey, where is the SUV?”