by Tl Reeve
“It's better than seeing it in shades of grey,” he replied. “Can you help me? Without my glasses, I can't see shit.”
Rae nodded. “Sure. Do you know the number?”
“Yeah.” He rattled it off to her then held his hand out after she dialed it. On the second ring, Marcy, the school secretary, answered. “Good Morning, Marcy. It’s Mateo.”
“Mr. Aquino, we thought something horrible happened when you didn’t show for work.” Surprise and relief filled her tone. “Are you okay?”
“I am. Look, I am so sorry for worrying you. Something came up, and I need a couple of weeks off. There’s been a family emergency, and due to the circumstances, I couldn’t get a call out before I left.” He ran his fingers through his hair and winced when he caught the edge of his stitches.
“Oh, goodness,” Marcy murmured. “Of course. Family comes first. We’ll put everything together for you. Do you have any lesson plans you could possibly send on to your substitute?”
“Uh...” He looked to Rae. “I believe so. As soon as I can, I will send them along. Again, I am so sorry I didn’t call sooner.”
“Don’t fret, Mr. Aquino. Take care, and we’ll keep your family in our prayers,” she said before hanging up.
“I hate fucking lying,” he snarled. “How am I going to get her any of the lesson plans? My computer is trashed!”
“Scotty’s working on it,” Rae reminded him. “I’ve heard he’s good at his job.”
Mateo clenched his jaw. “How do I load the plans without announcing my location?”
“Oh.” She blinked. “Well, I am sure one of the guys knows how to bounce signals or something. They are black ops after all.” Rae stood. “You look like you could use some time away from your problems.”
“I just called in and asked for a sub,” he said. “I won’t be going anywhere.”
“You can get away without going anywhere. Let me introduce you to a few people here. I think you’ll like them.”
“Sure, why not? Not like I have any plans.” He followed her out of the room.
“Wait, don’t let the door close.”
He snatched at the door before it closed. “What’s wrong?”
“Check to make sure Noah didn’t leave a card for you,” she said. “It’s for the door.”
He glanced back into the room and found a small white and black striped card on the table near the entry. He snatched it up and placed it into his pocket as the door closed behind him. “What’s it for?”
Rae pointed to the biometric pad next to them along with the card reader. “Each room is encoded to the people assigned to it. Until Asher can get your prints into the system, you have a master card of sorts. It will only allow you entry to your room, the mess hall and the gym.”
“So, I’m on restriction?”
“Kind of?” She grimaced. “It’s temporary until Asher can take five minutes and get your biometrics encoded into the system.”
“Perfect,” he grumbled. “Where are we going?”
“First C&C,” she said. “Your glasses should have been delivered. Then we’ll go check on Rhett and his mom.”
“Perfect.”
The remainder of the trip he didn't say a word. Rae had a point to an extent. In Noah's mind, he must have thought he was doing the right thing, protecting Mateo. It didn't make sense to him, though. He hadn't been lying when he said he could prepare. He'd have a plan. Be on guard. Know not to talk to people he didn't recognize like the guy who'd played the anxious to start a new job, “I'm lost,” card. When he didn't see Noah for weeks at a time, he'd take comfort in understanding nothing was wrong; he was in a spot he didn't have service or was doing something bigger than the both of them.
“You’re thinking really hard over there,” Rae said when the elevator doors opened.
“Trying to reconcile everything,” he muttered.
“I admit it is a lot,” she replied. “Give it time.”
“Sure.” They walked down the long, empty hallway before stopping in front of a sliding door.
Rae slid her card through the reader then placed her palm on the scanner. The mechanisms retracted and whirled to life seconds before the door opened, exposing the central hub of whatever Noah did for R.O.O.T. Asher stood in front of a monitor, while the two kids he’d met the night before carried on a conversation in sign language. Noah sat off to the side on another computer going over something. He had a pencil clenched between his teeth while he tapped a key on the keyboard in front of him.
Noah glanced up from what he'd been doing and stared at Mateo. The open remorse and guilt in his blue eyes had been a stab to Mateo's gut. He hated seeing the despair in his husband's eyes, but damn it, Mateo had a right to know about all of this. No matter how much he understood the reasoning behind why Noah wanted to keep it secret, it still came down to Noah didn't trust him. Didn't believe Mateo could keep himself safe. Or, worse, he'd become a liability. Guess it doesn’t matter now. For everything Noah had done to try to protect Mateo, here he stood.
Rae crossed to Asher. The team leader placed a kiss to her lips. “Hey. I see you got the newbie out of his cave.”
She patted his chest. “Be nice. He’s not adjusting very well.”
“He is standing right here,” Mateo said. “And, he doesn’t like to be talked about like he don’t understand.”
Asher gave him a look of recrimination. “Sorry. I have a few things for you. Scotty?”
The boy stood and handed over the industrial metal case. Your computer, teach. All files and programs are installed. Hard drive, too.
“Thank you,” Mateo said. “I really needed this.”
“Noah also told us you’d need to call in. Did you get in touch with someone?” Asher asked.
“Yes. I let them know I’ll be out for a few weeks,” Mateo answered. “I have to send my plans in for the substitute.”
Everything is encrypted. Send away.
AJ grinned. “There won’t be a trace of you on the net, Mr. Aquino.”
“Mateo,” he said. “You can call me, Mateo.”
AJ grinned then signed to Scotty. The boy laughed then nodded.
“What did you just say to him?” Mateo hedged.
She giggled. “It’s the sign for your name. It’s easier than always spelling everything out.” She did the sign again. “Professor Mat.”
He liked it. Mateo grinned. “Pretty cool.”
“Thanks.” She pointed to Noah and signed again. “Boat, or in his case, ark. Like Noah's Ark.” She then pointed to Asher and made another sign. “Ash or Asher.” She did it again slowly so he could see the movements. “Just think of it as shorthand.”
“Simple enough,” he said. “I appreciate your work on this for me. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”
Scotty waved him off. No problem. Took a few hours. Not much.
“These are also yours,” Asher said, handing him a soft case. “I know a guy.”
Mateo pulled the glasses out of the pouch and put them on. “Finally.”
Noah laughed. “He hates being without his glasses. Can’t see anything father than a foot from him.” He glanced at Mateo. “They look good on you.”
Heat filled his cheeks. “T-thanks.” He cleared his throat. “I’d better go. I have work to do.”
“Is he always so proper, Noah?” Asher asked.
“It’s one of the things I love about him.” Noah winked at Mateo.
“Meet me for lunch?” Rae asked, staring up at Asher.
He patted her rear. “You know it.”
“Meet me for lunch, Mateo?” Noah wiggled his brows.
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t you have work to do?”
“I can take some time off,” Noah suggested with a shrug.
Mateo swallowed down the ball of rage forming in his throat. Now, he could take some time off. If Noah realized what he said, he didn’t appear contrite. No, he sat there behind the screen oblivious to the whole situation. “Ready to go?�
�
“Yes. We'll see you, boys and girl, later,” Rae said with a wave.
They exited C&C and headed back to the elevators. The computer, which was more of a heavy duty briefcase than the sleek laptop he was used to, weighed heavily in his hand. In forty-eight hours, he'd gone from woefully oblivious to deep within the trenches of a para-military group who went on secret combat missions without telling spouses or loved ones.
“Your wheels are spinning,” Rae said. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Will it make any of this easier?”
She pressed the up button on the wall. “Sometimes. If you let me in, I can give you some perspective.”
He snorted. “Is there any perspective here?”
She gave him a small smile. “Might be.” She stepped into the elevator when the doors opened. “How about I take you to meet Sydney, Gabby, and Rhett.”
“The family here?”
“The only family here. Johnathan, Sydney's husband is training a new team right now. You'll probably meet him later if you stay,” she said. “I have a feeling you're thinking about being on the outside looking in.”
“I think I did briefly last night,” he replied.
She nodded. “There’s meeting someone and then there’s getting to know them away from the job.”
How did she know? Everyone seemed so prepared. Normal. They worked together as a unit, and, in all reality, he didn’t fit. He was scrambling, trying to understand how the whole base, team, whatever they called this place, worked. While everyone was a mile down the road, he had been stuck at the starting gate.
“Am I that transparent?”
She made a non-committal sound. “Kind of. I see it more when you’re in a group. You’re lost. I get it. This place, without a specific job, is daunting.” She motioned to the laptop in his hand. “You’re used to working with kids. There aren’t age appropriate kids here to be teaching. So, you flounder.”
“Obviously,” he muttered.
“It will get easier. I think—no, I know—when all of this is settled, you’ll go back to your normal life.”
His normal life? How did anyone return to a blinded existence? How did he go to work every day not worrying about Noah and where was? How did he teach history when he’d been in a place called C&C, and there were “missions,” going on throughout the world, and Noah would be part of some of them? “I don’t think anything about my life will ever be normal.”
She blew out a breath. “True. Here is another piece of advice. Don’t try to overthink it. Don’t analyze all of what’s going on, it’ll drive you crazy.”
“You’re so calm about all of this,” he said. “How?”
“I think...” She laughed. “I think you don’t know my story.” They exited the car when it came to a stop on a level he’d not been to yet. “This is the family wing. Like I told you last night, you should have Noah bring you here.”
“Uh...”
“Soundproofing, remember? Everything that happens on the bunk level can be heard,” she stated.
“Everything?” A tingle of awareness accompanied the heat filling his cheeks.
“Unfortunately,” she replied.
“Good to know now,” he grumbled. “I’ll suggest it, but I doubt I’ll be here long enough to get any use out of this part of the base.”
Rae threw him a look he couldn’t quite understand. It was part sympathy and something along the lines of ‘that’s what you think;’ it didn’t make sense to him. Why would he have to continue living there if the threat to his life had been eliminated? He’d rather go back to their small house, where he was comfortable.
“This is Sydney and Johnathan’s apartment.” Rae knocked on the door. “Be prepared.”
He cut his gaze toward her. “Prepared?”
The door swung open, and a little girl no more than five or six launched herself into Rae’s arms. She giggled and squealed as the doctor hugged and tickled her. When the little girl’s gaze met Mateo’s, she smiled then waved. He returned the gesture. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a tired-looking woman carrying a small bundle in a sling. The baby’s head was pressed near her heart.
“Dr. Rae, you came,” the little girl said. “Mommy said you would.”
“I did,” Rae answered. “I also brought a new friend. I am introducing him to everyone. I thought he should meet the Magnificent Gabby in her natural habitat, along with her little brother Rambunctious Rhett.”
The little girl wiggled out of Rae’s arms then stood before Mateo and gave a little skip curtsey then held her hand out. “Hello, I’m Gabby.”
He took her hand. “Hi, Gabby.”
“What’s your name?”
“Mateo,” he replied.
“Mommy this is Doctor Rae’s friend Mateo. His name is handsome. I like it.” The little girl took his hand. “Come on, you’re just in time for a tea party.”
He looked back at Rae and mouthed, Tea party?
She laughed. “Gabby, be gentle with him. Mateo was in an accident.”
“Oh no!” the little girl exclaimed. “Are you hurt really bad, Mr. Mateo? Did Doctor Rae fix you up?”
“She did.” He knelt down and showed her his stitches. “She gave me these.”
“You have a black eye, too.” The little girl frowned. Her hazel-brown eyes filled with sadness. “I’m sorry.” She pressed her lips to his cheek and forehead. “There, all better.”
Warmth filled him. “Thank you. I feel loads better now.”
“Good now you can have tea with me and Mr. Bear.” She motioned to the small pink table in the corner near the television. A little purple teapot sat in the middle of the table. Cups and saucers circled it along with a container for sugar and cream. Beside the pot, sat a platter of chocolate chip cookies, and Mr. Bear was already seated in a chair across from where he knelt.
“Sounds fantastic,” he murmured, glancing back at Rae.
“Have fun. This will give me a second to check over Rhett while he’s snoozing, too,” Rae said.
“He’s been cranky,” Gabby said. “Mommy’s tired, and daddy’s working. But, I have been helping mommy.”
“You have?” Mateo sat in one of the small chairs, his knees almost touching his chest.
“Mmhmm.” Gabby nodded. “I bring drinks, snacks, and spit-up nappies. I also bring mommy diapers when she needs them, too, and wipes when Rhett has a messy diaper.”
“Wow, you’re the best helper ever,” he said.
She preened at his praise. “Thank you. Would you like some tea?”
“I would, thank you.”
By the time they stepped out of the apartment, Mateo had a six-year-old friend. Gabby amazed him, and he never would have figured she was sick. It'd been one of the reasons why the Franks family called the base home and R.O.O.T their family. Mateo shook his head. He couldn't wrap his mind around being so desperate to help a child that a man would give this kind of life a go, but on the other hand, he could. If he ever had children, he'd do anything and everything for them and, considering how many jobs he took on at the high school, he figured he already did.
However, putting them into such a dangerous situation...he didn’t think he could do it. Johnathan was a mercenary for hire who happened to join the wrong team because the money was good. How did Noah decipher if he’d joined the right team after he left the SEALs? Could this be them one day, living on the base with kids as a “normal” family? Mateo entered the mess hall with Rae and stopped when she did. He glanced up and assessed the group of men striding toward her.
There were four of them. Three of the men looked alike—brothers if Mateo had to guess. The look of exhaustion on the other man’s face matched the one on Sydney’s and made him wonder if the man was Johnathan Franks. Each man greeted her with a hug. Whoever they were, they liked Rae.
“Mateo,” she said. “I want you to meet the Armstrong family and Johnathan Franks.” She pointed to the three men who looked alike. “This is Paul, Way
ne, and Calvin.”
Mateo shook each of their hands. “Good to meet you.”
“We heard about what happened,” Paul said. “That’s fucked up. Glad they got you out.”
“Calvin and his brothers are great with explosives,” Rae said.
“We’re a demo team,” Calvin said with a shrug. “It’s how we ended up here.”
Mateo furrowed his brows, confused by why R.O.O.T would need a demo team. “Is that something all teams like this need?”
Calvin chuckled and shook his head. “No. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“They saved my life,” Rae added. “Asher’s, too.”
“Still a long story?” Mateo cocked a brow.
She laughed. “Yeah. If you’ve been following the trial, you know most of it.”
He had a little bit—enough to discuss it with his class, but not on a deeper level. Suppose I should now. “Right.”
“I stopped by to check on Rhett and Sydney.” She gave Johnathan her full attention. “Looks like the worst of the cold is over for him. His temperature was normal when I took it, and he’s been sleeping.”
“Thank you.” Relief filled Johnathan’s voice. “Should we test him for anything to be proactive after everything with Gabby?”
“No.” She placed her hand on his arm. “Rhett is healthy. Genetics are a fickle thing. I don’t think you have to worry about anything.”
He sighed. “I hate that we have to be on our toes.”
“It’s not a bad thing,” she said. “Sometimes being hyperaware keeps you prepared.”
Johnathan nodded. “You’re right. Thanks, Doc.”
“You’re welcome. If you’ll excuse us, it’s time to grab some lunch.” She waved to the men as they continued to the line.
“We won’t eat here,” she said. “You need your pain meds and your antibiotic. Plus, you have some work to get finished.”
“You sound like my mom,” Mateo teased.