Coder: Book Five (Princes of Prophecy)

by L. Ann Marie

  “I never thought I’d be a mom,” she whispers.

  We haven’t talked about kids. I was worried it is too soon. I guess it’s time. “I want more kids. I come from a big family. They’re crazy, but I’ve loved every minute of it. Do you want more?”

  She nods. “I do.”

  I smile. “I’m going to ask for that too, but first you need to know that freaky kids fall from the fuckin’ sky on us. Sheila and Jax have Brandon and Stella. Judy is Jason’s twin, but was found last year. She’s another from here. All of the Callahans, except Sandy. All of the Blackhawks, except Mase and just about all of the LaPonte-James kids are adopted. I’m almost guaranteeing we’ll end up with a houseful. You need to decide on a number and make sure Prez doesn’t talk you into more.”

  She laughs. “Like the dogs?”

  “Like the fuckin’ dogs. I know we’ll end up with one, it’s just a matter of time. Since I only want one I’m keeping the dog conversation closed. Uncle Steve will show with one, but it will only be one because I keep saying no.”

  She finds this funny. At the daycare I get out and open her door. We go in and find Mucimi sleeping on Brandon. “He was good Uncle Brantley.”

  “Thanks for watching out Little Brother. I’m taking him fishing tomorrow. You want to go?”

  His eyes light up. “Yeah. I’ll tell Dad. He says I should learn from all the Brothers. Mom’s taking Stella for clothes. I don’t have to go ‘cause Dad orders mine.”

  I laugh messing his hair. “Maybe your dad wants to go too.”

  “I’ll ask.”

  Holly laughs and takes a sleeping Mucimi. I kiss Brandon’s head and tell him I’ll call him tomorrow morning.

  At the house I have Mucimi’s bag and the cut I ordered for Holly. I feed my boy and get him in his pajamas while Holly takes a bath. I can’t shower her with the cast on, but I like washing her in the tub. When he’s down, I wash her – loving the smiling eyes. I dry her the same way. I get her in one of my T-shirts and sit her on the bed.

  “We’ve talked about everything we’re supposed to. The list was long, but we covered everything on it except where we are comfortable fucking. That’s what’s on the list so don’t give me shit over it.” She closes her mouth. “We’ve been taught that when you take an old lady you never take her anywhere that gives Brothers pictures to replay while they’re jerking off.” She looks shocked and I laugh. “It could give them ideas that she should be with them and not you. Since guys jerk off regularly, that’s not a picture anyone will have of you.”

  She laughs nodding. “I’m comfortable with that.”

  “We didn’t go near it tonight, but the room next to the common room is always full of people fucking. It’s open to anyone walking by. Bikers don’t give a shit who sees them. We all have rooms there, but the Brothers from the bunk house and at times single Officers are in there. We will never be in there.” I get her surprised eyes, but she doesn’t say a word and nods her head.

  “Officers with old ladies take that seriously. When we’re ‘all in’ it means something. We don’t cheat, we don’t get divorced and we don’t leave. ‘All in’ means you work for your woman every day. We have fathers that we’ve watched show us how to do that and they do it well. Every one of them works to keep their old lady happy and the old ladies repay them with sweet right back.” I pull the cut out of the bag. “To me this cut is a symbol of ‘all in’. To every Brother that hands it to his woman and feels it in his heart this means more than any ring or paper with our names on it. I’d be proud if you wore my cut knowing what it means to me.” She jumps on me knocking me down and the wind right out of me. Fuck! “I hope that’s a fuckin’ yes.”

  She laughs. “Yes.”

  I laugh holding my chest. She moves away fast. “Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!” I laugh more.

  “I’m sorry. That was the sweetest thing I ever heard. Not the fucking in the Club part, but the ‘all in’ thing. Did I hurt you?”

  I can’t stop laughing and it fuckin’ hurts. “I need to sit up.” I push up not feeling too bad and smile at her. “You’re cute when you’re excited. This is a Princess cut. The old ladies do so much for the community and Brotherhood we voted that they deserve their own logo.” I show her the back and she has tears in her eyes touching the Blackhawk.

  “I love it. Thank you.”

  I smile. She’s just like the others. “I have one more thing for you. I pull the ring from my pocket. “We need to make you legal before any more kids hit the door. My father will kill me if I add more kids and don’t have a wife. I think Badass hasn’t changed that belief for him yet. Marry me Holly. Be Mucimi’s mom and my wife forever and always.”

  She has her hand over her mouth and cries nodding yes. I slide the ring on her finger and kiss it then hug her. Women are so fuckin’ weird, but I’m relieved. She finally stops crying and looks at her ring. It’s the Princess tiara with diamonds in white, pink and blue. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  “Babe I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to thank you. I’ve got a job that has killer hours, a boy that is as freaky as we’ve ever seen, and a family that is as crazy as they are big. It’s me that gets all the cream here.”

  I get the smiling eyes that I love, turning that sexy liquid blue. “You’re right. Can you start now?” My shirt is off her and I take the hint putting my mouth on hers.

  My phone goes off and it’s Ops. I pull away from her. “I need to take this, that’s Ops’ ring.” I swipe and put the phone to my ear watching her hand run across the Blackhawk. “Yeah.” Darren says I need to get in. “Let me get Mucimi... Fuck. I’m on my way.” He tells me to meet Taylor at the gate. “Roger VP.”

  I look at my girl sitting here naked with my ring on her finger stroking my name. “I want your hands on me just like that babe, but I have to go. Shit’s going down and I’m needed.”

  She gives me her smiling eyes. “I heard. I’ll take care of Mucimi.”

  “Yeah. I’m not used to having that. I know you love him, it’s just a habit.”

  “You better go.” She’s smiling.

  Fuck. “Yeah.” I kiss her and roll her nipple. “Dream of me.” I open the top drawer of the high dresser and pull out ammo. Checking my gun, I holster it and grab my cut.

  She smiles. “I love you, be safe.”

  “Always.” Going to Mucimi’s room I kiss his head, telling him I love him. I’m glad he doesn’t wake up.

  Taylor’s waiting at the gate and we fly to Security. Jax and Jessie catch us just before we pull in the lot. We all flip the bikes around and move fast through the door. Prez has his hands on his knees and his hair is covering his face almost hitting the floor. Darren’s watching the feeds.

  Prez stands swinging his hair back and I see how hard his eyes are. Fuck. “Thank fuck! Teller was taken from the daycare. Phoenix is throwing fuckin’ pictures. Dakota is giving us fuckin’ landmarks. Brantley I need you on control. Get me something I can use. Tracking is off.” Holy fuck. I jump on control one and Darren moves behind me, he’s talking to Aaron and Sheila.

  “Get readied, your bikes are out back,” Prez tells Jessie, Taylor and Jax. His voice is monotone.

  I plug my headset in and hear Darren. I look back. “Tracking from the alternate is off?” He looks confused. “The ones we put on the zipper pulls, shoes and belts?”

  He smiles. “Get them up.”

  I start typing, fuckin’ glad my fingers move. The first shows at the compound. I run through admin on the second and we have him moving. “His belt is up! He’s in Connecticut.”

  VP slaps my back. “Prez! He’s tracked in Connecticut.” I get him up on the center board.

  Darren: “She Dog and Shooter you’re running 95 south. He’s forty miles from Stanton.”

  Jason runs in. “Get me the vehicle leaving the daycare.” He’s flipping the monitors on and rogers me.

  Sheila: “Roger VP.” I run the feeds ahead of Teams One and Two while Prez sends Dakota to the han
gar.

  “Billy, I need you to get Connecticut on the line. We need their feeds for I95.”

  He looks relieved to have something to do. “Roger Coder.”

  I jump into the satellite and try for the feeds we can get. Using the tracking, I catch the stretch of highway about ten miles south of Team One and wait. If I could pinpoint the vehicle we might be able to stop it by remote. I hope to fuck it’s new. I keep Darren ahead of the teams on the boards while zooming in on the southbound lanes.

  I look back. Darren is talking to Team One so I look for Prez. He’s watching the tracking. “If I can get the vehicle we might be able to stop it. There are no teams close. Do you want it stopped?”

  “No. Not until someone is close.”

  “Roger Prez.” I would do the same thing. Stopping it would alert them that we have them and could be a death sentence for Teller. Eliza brings Phoenix in. I look back at my monitor and throw the next feeds for Darren. My arm is touched and I look back then down. Phoenix is moving my arm, I lift it up and he climbs on my lap. I settle him so I can type and throw the feed on top of the tracking. Holding my breath, I watch. We see tracking hit my feed area and I look at my monitor. “Black Impala!” Thank fuck it’s the only thing in the center lane. I tag the Impala and throw Darren’s next feed. Billy gets me the full highway, it pops on the center board and I move tracking to my second board.

  “Jason, find it. Red tag and get me a plate.”

  “Roger.”

  Prez is on with Dakota, I see Princes feed flying over the highway. “Billy, throw the Connecticut feeds up for VP. Keep PD off the Teams.”

  He rogers me and I look for the Impala in the OC, but don’t have anything. “I need the fuckin’ VIN Jason.”

  His hands skate over the keyboard and it pops on my screen. I type it in and get into the satellite again. Baxters has a program that gets me direct links to the manufacturers’ computers. I’m in and connect to the onboard computer then look up.

  “Prez, I’m ready to shut the car down on your one.”

  He throws me chin and talks to Dakota. I kiss Phoenix’s head and look at where the Teams are. They’ve got more than eight miles before Sheila and Aaron are close. They’re fuckin’ flying.

  “Jason start running the owner. I need everything.” I get roger’d and look at all the boards.

  Connecticut Security is shutting down the road. Prez has Dakota land just before the Stanton exit right on the fuckin’ highway. Jessie, Cade, Tag and three Security stand in a line and Dakota lifts off hovering just above them.

  Prez: “Coder on my one.”

  Darren: “Team One hit the tires on my one.”

  When the car rounds the bend Dakota hits his spotlight. The car slows with the light head on.

  Prez: “Tires VP. Coder in three, two, one.” I hit enter and watch the car slow even more, the tires get hit and Sheila and Aaron are at the doors with guns pointed at the driver. Phoenix grabs my arm. A shot is fired in the car. Sheila shoots and Aaron opens the front passenger door. Jessie and Cade run to the car pulling the back doors open. Everyone is running away from the car. I can’t understand what the fuck they’re saying with them talking over each other.

  Dakota’s light goes off and I see Teller holding onto Jessie’s neck. Jessie jumps a jersey barrier using it for cover. I hold my breath; the cars are close on the northbound. The Impala blows. “Holy fuck,” Billy says and I give him a look. He didn’t flip his mic.

  “Get with Jason following the owner. I want everything including what he got for Christmas last year.”

  He rogers me and starts typing again. When I look up, Jessie is running to the chopper holding Teller’s head against him. “He’s safe little man,” I tell Phoenix. He signs, ‘Thank you’. I look back.

  Me: “VP, I’m on your control.”

  Darren: “Get PD to the scene and run feed for Team One and Two. I need Connecticut Security to release the traffic around the car, or what’s left of it.”

  Me: “Roger VP.” I call into Connecticut. “Princes HS Ops, Coder on control, to Connecticut MC Ops One.” I type out the call into the state police.

  Dell: “Connecticut MC Ops One, Dell on Ops lead Coder.”

  Me: “DC, we have our package heading home. We appreciate the assistance. I’m sure Prez will be in touch as it hits the yard. I have a request for the big slab to be released to the two outside lanes. PD is en route.” I jump to the next feed and throw it up for Darren.

  Dell: “Coder, releasing outside lanes. Big K is running the slab. He passes a ‘glad your package is safe’ message and he’s happy we could assist.”

  Me: “Copy DC. Thanks again. Coder at Princes out.” Teams One and Two are running single file doing a hundred and ten on northbound 95 and I’m scrambling to keep ahead of them. “Jason what do we have for the driver?”

  “I’m still running it Coder. File is marked Teller’s Ride.”

  “Billy keep running from Jason’s leads. Jason get me the feeds from the daycare and outside. I need the time and how no fuckin’ alerts show.” I get rogers and run the admin through the server to see if anyone got in. The program sends a virus to any outside hits. There is no way someone got around it on the new satellite. While the system checks for hits I run the feed from the compound gate. I hit pause to throw the next feed and see PD.

  Me: “VP I have PD seven from One and Two.” He slows them down and I jump back to the gate feed. The guard gets up and walks to the door looking out. He looks around and sits back down. I hit the audio and watch him do it again. This time I hear what sound like nursery chimes. What the fuck? I pause and throw the next feed following it up then dropping it back to the beginning. PD cars are tagged because of the draw from the electronics in them. Nothing shows for the next patch.

  Me: “VP you’re clear for ten.” I see the Teams speed up and go back to the guard. Phoenix leans forward and stops my hand. I was going to speed it up but stop and watch. “Ice cream truck?” The guard walks out and up to the gate and my feeds turn to static. “Sonofabitch.” I pause and look at my board running the next ten. It’s clear to our exit.

  I back the feed up and zoom to the truck pulling the plate. “Jason, I need a run on a plate.” I pop it in OC for him. “What did you get on the daycare feed?”

  “I hit snow. I was running to see if it was jammed or hit. I’m not seeing a hit.”

  I open the admin up and don’t see a hit either. Thank fuck. I see the chopper at the back of the lot and Phoenix moves to get down. I kiss his head and watch him walk to Prez. He puts his arms up and Prez lifts him and hands Josiah his headset.

  Teams One and Two are eight from our exit. “VP!” I point to the ice cream truck. It’s four from the exit, coming up real slow in the slow lane. “That’s the truck from outside the gate when the feeds went out.”

  Darren: “Teams One and Two shut down the highway. Slow it down fast and do it now.”

  Sheila: “Roger VP. One and Two, lowlights on. Spread out three to a lane and drop to sixty then ten under every ten seconds. One on each breakdown lane.” She gets roger’d.

  Darren: “Teams Three and Four head down the northbound. Stop five hundred in front of the ice cream truck.” He gets roger’d and I throw the feed to their hologram boards.

  Sheila: “She Dog to HS Ops, traffic is stopped.”

  Darren: “Team One move to five hundred in back of the truck.” I throw her boards the feed. “Team Two move to keep the block.”

  The truck is moving even slower. I flip my mic up. “He’s waiting for them to come from behind.”

  Darren holds his mic. “Yeah.”

  Team Three and Four are coming down the wrong way in front of the truck and it stops. Sheila is just moving in from behind it. I look for Prez and see him coming back in with both boys.

  Josiah turns to Darren. “Prez has Eagle Eye up and moving toward the truck, he says he needs five to get the boys to Lily.”

  I run through the boards and s
ee his meeting room open. Lily must be in there. Tagging pops on the truck drawing my eye. “VP.” I point. Cop cars, fire, ambulance and sometimes other security vehicles get tagged for the electronics in them, we call them ‘hot’ and they show in hot pink.

  “Josiah keep Eagle Eye high, electronics just jumped on the truck.”

  Josiah: “Roger VP.” I see tagging go up on Dakota’s boards.

  Darren: “Teams One, Three and Four stand ready.” He gets rogers and Prez comes in.

  “What the fuck?” He stops and scans all the boards from left to right. “Josiah get Dakota out of there.”

  I watch the feed. “It’s going to jam Prez.”

  He grabs a headset. “Fire!” He gets rogers and everyone is firing at the truck moving forward slowly. Sheila’s got her team running in straight lines raising a foot at a time. Taylor’s running his up and down the front while Jax’s team goes across. The top of the truck falls in and Prez calls a cease fire. The pink tag is off.

  Prez: “Teams One, Three and Four stand ready at five hundred.” They roger and start backing up watching the truck. It blows up and everyone runs.

  Me: “It flashed hot just before Prez, it blew on remote.” I run the feedback to the car and watch it closer. It looks like it tags, but Dakota’s light goes off right after. I slow it down and watch it again. Prez calls in Clean-up. I hear them, but keep watching. “Sonofabitch.” I mark it and pull a flash from the box, dropping the section on it then the truck just before it blows. I click the gate feed and pull tagging just before the static. Shit, it went hot too. I drop it on the flash.

  While I’m gathering everything Billy and Jason pulled, Prez and VP get the Teams and Dakota in. I have Jason running feeds for me. “Billy run the feeds around the car and see if anyone was close, stopped on the northbound, or looks out of place.”

  I run the feed back and watch the northbound for anything off. Nothing hits me so I run south. Feeling like I missed something I run both again. I flip tagging on and tell Billy what I’m doing. He does the same and gets excited. “I have an SUV tagged hot running north right hand lane. The tag drops four seconds later.”