by L. Ann Marie
I get a roger and he’s barking orders. His boards pop and we all look.
VP: “Fuck! Get Prez covered tight Hyde! Bull tighten Security with Prez. Hacker get Holmes covering for him. Kicker move Ghost clearing the east with Shooter. Eagle Eye get me another chopper up.” Everyone rogers back.
Eliza: “Ghost you’re moving to outer east grids, I need you to clear tags.”
Me: “Hologram boards set Teams One and Two.”
Jessie: “Ghost copy. That’s a fuck of a lot of tags Kicker.”
Eliza looks at Darren, but says it is. Prez flashes on VP’s boards. “Ten out.”
The room explodes. Shots fired close to the compound. VP gets all HS and Family on defending and I text Taylor to get Mucimi to the daycare and him standing ready. He texts a roger right back.
Me: “Sniper is headed to the daycare VP.” He looks relieved and throws me chin.
Eliza has Aaron’s team corralling the tags toward Jessie. I look from left to right watching everyone’s boards.
Me: “VP!” I point to Bull’s alternate board. Fucks are heard all over the room. Prez is right in the middle of a net.
Darren: “Coder run Team Three and Family. Kicker if you need control support give it to Coder.” We roger and he steps back. Jason hands me a headset and I move over to him. Darren is running with Jax to keep Prez clear. He has the second chopper heading over him for cover.
I look at the board and get my people set in my head. Taylor is in the daycare/school with Done making breathing easier. Family has the building surrounded within the Compound’s outer wall and HS is outside. Abel is above and I get his feed from the air.
Sheila has her team surrounding the tags and is picking them off one by one. She runs her own Ops now, so my job is making sure nothing gets through. When I look at the alternate, I see a truck heading toward her. They’re shooting at civilian cars. Fuck!
Me: “Eagle Eye, truck tagged yellow hitting civilians.” He rogers me and moves Abel to the truck. I split my main board and run the alternate feed on it. We’re going to miss something if we don’t have them both. “Hacker see if you can get us back up with the outer feeds.”
Jason: “Roger Coder.”
Me: “She Dog, Air is less than one out.” She rogers me as she shoots a driver. Shit. Abel clears our tagged truck and I look at all the boards again. Fuck. Prez is running with the HS team shooting his way through. He’s a fuckin’ crack shot, but I hold my breath as he makes it past two tags. He isn’t riding his Ducati, but his bike is kitted out for him. Thank fuck Jax and Jared talked him into it. Getting back to my board I see Sheila is just clearing the last tag.
Sheila: “She Dog to Coder. Last tag is visitors from New Hampshire for you. I’m sending them with an escort to Princes Security.” What?
Me: “Roger She Dog.” My board pops and I focus on what I’m seeing. “Good job Hacker! VP outer feeds are back up.” I look at him and he throws chin guiding Prez away from a tag. “She Dog stand ready outside the compound.” I get roger’d and watch Tag peel from her team and ride in front of a car headed our way. Who the fuck is this?
Prez is in the lot and you can feel the tension lift in the room. Eliza is calling Teams One and Two back. I’ll leave Sheila until Clean-up is done and Security can replace her. Bull has Security helping Clean-up right now.
Prez walks in smiling. “Good fuckin’ morning.” We laugh. “What the fuck was that?”
Darren talks to him and I watch the boards. Eliza puts her headset on the console and tells me she’s out. “I need Sheila for another twenty or so.”
She sits in the chair and smiles. “Break time.”
I smile. She’d rather be running, but she just had Honor and got back to work last week. She’s been working the Women’s Center and I know she’s bored. She likes moving around as much as Sheila does.
Cade comes in. “Brantley, people to see you in Princes waiting room.”
I look at surveillance and groan. Fuck! I turn to Prez. “Eagle Eye keep Prince up and running the outer perimeter and hand Josiah control. Jason move to Ops One with VP.” He looks back at me. “We do this together Brother.”
I nod and tell VP why Sheila’s still in waiting and text Taylor a clear.
“Prez.” Darren points. The woman is waving her hand at the man. Fuck she’s not happy.
“Get me audio.”
We’re handed headsets and hear her yelling about keeping the baby safe with people shooting and helicopters bombing trucks. Fuck that’s a little dramatic he just shot at it. The man is quiet. I look at Jason. “Get the feed of Security at the daycare on a flash for me.”
Prez smiles at me. I just shrug. “Fatherhood brings out a confidence we haven’t seen before. Pres once told me passion brings out a fierce protectiveness in people.”
I grab my laptop and the flash from Jason and follow him out the door. Dakota catches up to us just as we’re hitting the waiting room door. This is where clients come in, so it’s a nice room with a receptionist that gets drinks and makes sure you’re comfortable. Holly looks at us and relaxes. The woman must have gotten to her.
“I’m Brantley Blackhawk. I remember you from the hospital. Why don’t we move to the conference room so we’re not in the middle of reception?”
I walk across the room and open the door waving my hand inside so the lights turn on. I move aside so they can pass. The man walks in first and I look at Prez above his head. He shrugs.
Holly stands. “Would you like refreshments? Mr. Knight?”
I smile at her, she’s sweet, even nervous she’s gracious.
“Thanks Holly, but I think we’re good,” Prez tells her walking into the room. “I’m Ben Knight. This is Dakota Lightfoot and you recognize Brantley.”
The man looks at him, but doesn’t take Prez’s hand. Jerk. I close the door and put the laptop down plugging the flash in. Opening the flash, the feed starts playing the daycare feed, I spin it around so they can see it. “You had a question about the safety of Mucimi. The kids are protected. If something is going down, they get Security added to wherever they are. Mucimi was fishing before and is back to fishing now. He never left the compound so he’s been safe the whole time. Why are you even here?”
Dakota steps forward with his hand raised. “Before you come out fighting look at this from Brantley’s point of view. You did nothing to contact him, but show up on a day that a run was made on the towns and close to our kids. We are known for protecting what is ours with a fierce vengeance. It would seem an odd coincidence if it was you protecting your child. It would be nice if we knew who we were speaking to.”
“Dan and Madeline Kenny,” I tell him. They look surprised. “I head Princes IT.” He nods and she looks pissed, but neither answer. “Why are you here?”
“We want to see our grandson,” she spits out.
“No, you want to take him back to New Hampshire,” Prez says.
My head snaps around. “He’s not going anywhere with you.”
“We have rights. Since Trina...” she swallows. “Is gone we have a right to our grandson. He’d be safer with us.”
Prez stops me. “You think you could get custody and raise him? You have no fuckin’ clue what you’re dealing with because you didn’t want to see what was in your daughter and did your best to bury it. Your grandson is even more powerful than she was. You have no chance at raising Mucimi and you will never change that name. It is Mohegan meaning always and forever. I read you both loud and clear as does Dakota. Why don’t you tell them what you’re throwing me Brother?”
I watch them, holding my smile. “Madeline is not a very nice woman. She discouraged Trina from growing her ability telling her it was not normal. She even spanked her for using it. Her father watched her bathe and dress from a hole he made in the bathroom ceiling. He did not ever touch her, but he watched for years. She knew this but was afraid to tell her mother because it came as a vision. They spoke with a lawyer and were told they would not win a
nd not to pursue the case with anyone from Princes or the MC, but refused to listen. Today they showed up with an idea to take Mucimi back with them, but the man is no longer willing to try after seeing Security and our ability to protect our children.”
“You fuckin’ watched her? You sick fuck! You will never get the chance to see my son from that view!”
The man winces and I want to hit him. FUCK! Prez holds my arm. “Your only chance at ever knowing your grandson is within the compound walls with Mucimi’s Family Security in place. You will call ahead of time and be kept away from any girls for obvious reasons. You make arrangements before you walk into our backyard again or you won’t ever be invited back. This is not the play you thought you’d have, but it’s the only one you’ve got.” Prez’s voice is calm.
“You have no right!” the bitch screams.
“I have every right. Mucimi is one of mine. I will protect him with everything I have in me. You couldn’t protect your own daughter from your husband. Knowing you have no other options open here, he stands quiet. I suggest you do the same.” Again, he’s says it calm. I want to hit the bitch.
She starts again and Dakota shuts her up. “Shut the fuck up and listen before you lose your only chance at ever seeing your grandchild. Common courtesy is all that is asked of you. Is it so far from your grasp that it cannot be shown?” The woman backs down.
“Brantley is not only an Officer in the Princes of Prophecy, but a member of my family. He has the protection of the Princes, but also the protection of the MC. His father is also a high ranking Officer of the MC and MC-Baxters where he is lead pilot. Between us we have an arsenal worthy of any small country. I have no problem using every bit of what is available to me to keep my family safe. I can guarantee the MC feels the same. You will be escorted out of our town and followed via surveillance feed all the way home. Yes, we can do that. I suggest you look up the Princes of Prophecy, the mother Chapter of the MC in Mass and MC-Baxters. Badass runs deep here. Don’t you ever come to my town, threaten my family and throw your attitude at me. Dakota stands here wondering if he should pay you a visit to get rid of ‘this little issue’ as he is calling it in his head.” He smiles at them. Fuckin’ Prez. “Also an option open to me.”
He gives them a minute to get that last threat. I see it hit them and they look at Dakota then me.
“We want to see Michael today!” the woman says and the pussy grabs her arm.
“There is no Michael here. Trina asked me to name him anything but Mike. With that comment I suggest you forget about the boy you didn’t care enough about to take home from the hospital. He is no longer an option to you,” I tell her then look at Prez and get a nod.
She jumps and Dakota catches her so fast I didn’t see him move. He steps back setting her down and she holds her head. The pussy does too.
Prez tells me in my head to walk away. I do. Gladly. Fuckin’ woman. Michael. I want to hit the fuckin’ bitch. I step down the hall going toward Security and lean against the wall. She had visions? Looking back, I don’t think she was the one. I should feel more than sad for Mucimi not knowing her. Maybe we didn’t have enough time.
The Kennys walk through reception and right out the door. Prez and Dakota walk to me. “My meeting room,” Prez says walking by.
I follow, hoping he doesn’t want me to let them near Mucimi.
“Never an option Brother,” Dakota says. I relax.
In the meeting room I sit. Mostly because I always sit in here. Dakota sits, smiling at me. Prez stands at the head of the table. “She was still trying to figure out a way to get him away from you. She doesn’t believe in the visions and doesn’t believe the husband did anything wrong because he didn’t touch her.”
That’s sick. “He will escalate and end up in jail,” Dakota says. Oh my God.
I look at Prez. “Can we stop that? Some kid shouldn’t get hurt if we can stop it.”
“It is not ours to change. The boy is not hurt and he tells an adult right away. He uses his phone to get proof sealing the pussy’s fate.” I nod at Dakota. That’s something.
Prez pushes his hair back then looks at me. “We dulled their memory of Mucimi. They know he is here and she may try again because she’s fuckin’ crazy, but she will not get him.” Shit, freaky kid shit. He smiles and Dakota laughs.
I think about it and it will keep my boy safe so I’m all for it. “I’m good. Can you tell me something? If you can’t, I get it. It hit me that I don’t feel more for Trina, the most I feel is sad that Mucimi won’t know her, she was a sweet woman. Did we just not have the time for me to feel more?”
Dakota looks at Prez and I know he knows the answer. I wait for Prez to decide what I should know. “No one can answer what could have been. It isn’t ever a question you need answered. You focus on now and forward. You have a lot of forward to cover Brantley, and it isn’t all alone.”
I nod. “Got it Prez.”
“Our meeting was canceled at the MC. We need to find out how the outer feeds got hit and look at another IT control seat. You jumping in works, but you’re more valuable in the lead spot.”
This is true. We’re short a lead when running full Ops. “The outer feeds are all that’s left on the old satellite. We left them to see if we could switch back and forth between satellites to keep any threat guessing. We can’t. Whoever the NSA worked with let that out. The old satellite isn’t secure.”
He nods pulling his tie out of his hair. “Fuck that’s millions down the drain.”
“No Prez it can be sold. It’s the original Baxter satellite, but it’s in good condition and worth a fuckin’ ton of money. They can sell to gamers even. It’s become a huge business and can absorb the cost by memberships.” I wonder if the hologram could run it.
He looks at me like I have three heads. I picture Jason playing a game online with the headset. He gets it and smiles. “Fuckin’ nice.”
“We should handle it ourselves. We can roll the membership like a credit card and take a cut for processing. Then we could buy another satellite,” Dakota says and my mouth falls open. It’s fuckin’ millions to get a satellite up and we just spent that two years ago and only had a year on the new one. Fuck. Dakota smiles at me. “You are thinking of the US only; we can open the satellite up to the world increasing the profit, but have the same processing by using a hologram. It is a good idea Brother. All languages will be available.”
I nod, glad that will work and the cost of the hologram is nothing compared to the satellite. “If Jess could program the one that we have, we could use that and it wouldn’t cost us anything.”
“That would be even better Brother. I will have Jessica look at it and see what is needed to be a feasible business plan, but the hologram is a genius idea.” He looks at Prez. “No cost involved.”
Prez nods looking relaxed. “Get with Josè for the plan and get it to me before Church.”
“We still need a control lead. Get me that Brantley. You did a good job Brother. We were short a seat, but VP says you jumped between Control and lead while running. No one can do both Brother. You impressed the fuck out of him.”
Fuck that feels good. “Thanks Prez. If there’s nothing else, I need to find an ass for the seat and see my boy before the Club tonight.”
He throws me chin. I play my IT’s top techs in my head while walking to Ops and come up with Billy. I ask Jason what he thinks without giving him my thoughts. “Billy. He runs faster than anyone here. Bouncing back and forth is wearing him down. Pull him to full time and you get your seat filled. Diego was originally coming down, but Jeremy is keeping him up there. He doesn’t say why.”
I nod and walk away pulling my phone. “Ricky you have a minute for me?”
He says he’ll call me right back. I walk to the break room for a coffee and sit. I’m surprised to see Eliza in here. “Sheila still locked in?” Fuck I didn’t even check with Darren about problems.
“No, we were off at two, she’s at the Vet house for training.
I’m not ready to train just yet so I’m waiting on HS to finish an escort.”
I nod. “I’m expecting a call. Once I get it I need ten and I can ride with you.”
She smiles then looks past me. “I’m good, but thanks Brother. I’m going to get my little Princess early.”
I know how she feels and I’m happy for her. I’d never tell anyone, but I can sit and watch Mucimi all day. I think Taylor is the same way. We seem to spend all our free time with him. I think about Trina’s parents then push it away. They don’t deserve the time. My phone goes off and I’m relieved. “Yeah Brother.”
“Did you just go through a fuckin’ lightning run too?”
“We did. The old satellite isn’t secure.”
“Fuck. That’s not good.”
I smile. “It might be profitable though. Josè will get a business plan for it to Prez before Church.”
“Fuckin’ kids. I wish I knew first.” He laughs.
“It was me Brother, you aren’t that much older than me.”
“Got it. What did you need Brother? I have literally five minutes.” He sounds like he’s running.
“I need an Ops control and Billy isn’t thrilled with the bounce. Can you free him up for me? I have no one here qualified since we lost Diego from our plan.”
“As long as I’m not losing Diego. The fuckin’ kid is like Midas.”
“Jeremy says he’s staying up there. You won’t lose him.”
“I’ll clear Billy. Give me his next two days. He’s back there right after anyway.” He tells someone to hold on. “Who fucked up?”
“No one. I ran lead and control today, but Prez wants the seat filled.”
“Jesus. Fuckin’ kids.”
“I’m...”
He cuts me off. “Yeah, yeah you’re not a kid. Got shit to do. Billy’s yours when he heads back.”
“Thanks Brother.”
I call Geek. “I need Billy here full time. We need his tracking kept up, but he’ll be here permanently. Ricky is setting it up for us.”
“Fuckin’ kids.” I hold in my laugh.
“The old satellite isn’t secure. Our feeds were looped on the perimeter.”