by L. Ann Marie
I nod losing the smile. “We do. We need information and to be prepared. Jessie and Taylor are needed and Jeremy and Jacob later, but for now Jessie and Taylor are important.”
Prez looks over and watches us. He’s shielded from me. We all seem to do that, but Dakota is more open than Prez is. I don’t think I need all the shit that goes through his head so I’m good with that. It’s so much easier than it was before I got here and started training, but Prez gets shit from everywhere. I don’t need more than I have and I’m happy to let him do his job while keeping my focus on mine.
We’ve found that both Aiyana and Jeremy respond well to me, and Prez asked me to keep him updated with any changes in them. This is the first time I felt a shift in either so it is a new experience that I will be reporting on.
The last two years have been easy on the Club and we’ve grown more focused and stronger than ever before. The kids clued me into the fact that there was a shift ahead a couple of weeks ago, so I’m not surprised in the least that we’re at the crossroad they saw coming.
“My meeting room Brothers. Jessie and Taylor are meeting us there,” Prez says handing Billy his headset. “Billy keep an eye on the yard and let Bull and Jax know I’m away from Ops.” Billy rogers him and Prez looks at me. “Do we need Brantley and Jason?”
“Not yet Prez. I need to give you what I have first so you can consider it before planning. I’m just checking Hawk’s water and grabbing a drink. I’ll meet you in the room.”
He nods looking at Dakota. “I’ll be right in. Brantley let Jax and Bull know you’re on the side if needed, but get me information on social media trends around our area.” I’m surprised he got so much from me already, but I shouldn’t be. There is a lot going on with Prez that people don’t normally see.
“I can call Mitch and Carolina, that’s what Carolina does. It’s like keeping the pulse of the people she said.” I hear Brantley just as the door closes. I see Carolina like a shadowy film happening around what is now. She’s smiling handing Brantley papers. The vision is telling me it’s the right thing to do.
I push through Carolina’s shadowy form and grab a water from the fridge. When I close the door and bend for the water bowl, my head is smacked with the edge of the door.
“Fuck!”
The woman yelps jumping back and grabs napkins off the counter then pushes them at me. “I’m so sorry I thought you were done and just moving your dog.”
I look at her. Seriously? There is nothing around us, but the wall and the dog bowls. “I’m Loretta. I work in Security. Our break room is out of water and Bull said I could grab some here.” She grabs my arm and I see the lie right away.
I hold my head and nod taking everything I can get from her while I stare at her willing her to step back. When she does I smile. “Take your hand off my arm and follow me to Prez’s meeting room,” I tell her walking out. Hawk follows watching her. I keep her under control while I thumb in, but don’t step over the threshold. “Dakota, my new friend Loretta is looking for information. She says she’s from Security, but that’s not quite right is it Loretta?”
She shakes her head no. Dakota walks out and takes Loretta’s elbow. “I have her Brother.”
I let her go, but don’t see the change in our roles happen on her face. Dakota is fuckin’ good sliding right into her mind without her registering the change in control.
Prez laughs walking toward me. “He is, isn’t he?”
I nod. I love seeing him relaxed and smiling. It’s been a good two years since we’ve been through any major shit. Even the shit we have caught isn’t ours. The ‘rents are crazy and we ended up with some blowback from that craziness. I know that smile won’t last, but I walk in and sit with a smile of my own. I got here and he didn’t send Taylor to babysit me. I thank him in my head.
He throws me chin and sits. “I got the unhappiness in your voice Brother. I don’t want to take you for granted, but I see where I’m missing all of your abilities on the lineup in my head. I’ll ask Dakota to fill in for me.”
I can’t help it and roll my eyes. “Why don’t you just ask me?”
He clenches his jaw looking at me. Fuck, I need to show him respect or he’s going to hit me. Luckily Jessie and Taylor come in laughing. I watch Taylor looking for any residual from this last week. He’s had a rough week, but you can’t tell from the smile on his face.
‘He’s good Brother,’ Prez says in my head. I throw him chin. Jessie and Taylor talk about training while we wait for Dakota.
Aaron walks in with Darren and Dakota following. When everyone sits Prez stands. “What’s happening with Aiyana? I can’t read her clearly.”
“She may be easier now. She was calm when I left her. She has a vision of a wave of hate hitting us. There is no real detail other than brutal death at the hands of faceless people. It’s unnerved her.”
Aaron sits up. “Hatred by faceless people. So not one person?”
I look at him. “No. It’s groups with an underlying anger, but that anger is driving them to extreme violence and that violence will be turned on us from many groups for different reasons. The reasoning is off. I didn’t get all of it, but the biggest threat is intolerance.”
“We’re fighting a whole concept not a person?” Taylor asks and I nod.
Jessie slaps the table. “Jesusfuckin’Christ what the hell year are these people living in?”
I look back at Prez. “The next group that does major damage is religious. They don’t like that the schools are teaching Sex Ed as a medical issue and want only abstinence taught. They have a problem with contraception being free in schools and at the clinics. Doc’s clinic gets bombed.”
Aaron stands up disgusted. “The communities voted on the change! Teenage pregnancy dropped, unwanted pregnancy dropped, STDs dropped! What the fuck did abstinence teach anyone? If we want kids to make adult decisions, they need adult information. Fuckin’ people don’t see that they trample all over everyone else’s rights with violence toward us so they can force their belief on us? Didn’t America get populated for that fuckin’ reason?”
Prez takes a minute then nods for me to go on. “Different religious zealots come after us for being readers. They hurt us through the kids. The feel I got was like a witch hunt. They actually take some of our people. It isn’t pretty. I’ll throw you what I got, but you might want to sit.”
He watches me and lets his breath out slow. “Do I need Brantley and Jason in here?”
I look at him weighing my words. “I think you need to see first then we can get them to plan.”
He nods and leans his weight on the table with one hand waiting for me. I throw to him and Dakota making sure he sees all Aiyana did. The feel is suffocating, that’s her description, a blanket of hate. His other hand hits the table and looks like it’s holding him up. I look at Dakota and get a small nod. I let the rest go. “Holy fuck,” he says with no emotion in his voice. When I finish, he sits hard putting his head in his hands. “I need a minute. Get what the woman has before we call Brantley in.” He still doesn’t have any emotion in his voice—his mind is trying to process everything.
I look at Dakota. He is looking at his hands breathing deep. Not quite sure what to do, I look at Taylor. “Go ahead and let them have a minute.” He and Jessie look worried.
Aaron touches my shoulder. “Anything you need us to do for this?”
I shake my head no and look at the board that shows holding. The woman stands. I move her toward the window that’s set high on the wall and have her look at the sky. While she does, I slide in her head and pull what I can. I put questions to her and get some names of organizers. Looking at Taylor, “I need to make a list of names.”
He shakes his head no. “Prez will get it when you give him that. Brantley and Jason know what to do.”
I nod and ask more of my statuesque prisoner. She doesn’t know much more than what I pulled so I let her go and watch her fall to her knees. I send confusion and pain then look back
at Prez.
“You’re a lot further than I realized. Thank you, Brother. Tell me she’s not as bad as the last visions.”
I keep my mouth shut. His eyes close and a look of resignation shows on his face. When he opens his eyes, I see determination in his hard look. “Go.”
I throw and watch pain slide across his face then get replaced with anger. He’s pissed and it throws relief on me. Dakota stands, pulling my attention toward him. He’s got his eyes on the board and I watch the woman curl into a ball. He takes her breath.
When I’m done throwing to Prez he looks at Darren. “Brantley and Jason. I need a meet with MC for planning. Dakota get Co and Grandmother at that meeting. Jessie, Taylor and Aaron stay. I need you to get what’s at stake here.”
I don’t really know what to do so I sit and wait. He looks at me. “I need you to throw slower so I can get a list. Brantley and Jason will get it straight for planning. Dakota is too angry and I don’t want one fuckin’ thing to be missed. Can you throw it again when they get in here?”
I nod and clear my throat. “Yeah Prez.” Darren and Dakota walk out. I look at Taylor. “You look good Taylor.” I need something to clear my head.
He nods. “I am. It was a hell of a week, but I’m good.” He smiles. “The boys and Precious keep me smiling.”
“Mucimi go home yet?” I smile thinking of him. The kid is three going on twenty. Since Beth came home with the new baby, Case, he’s been staying at their house.
“He said he’s got to teach the babies. Since they’re babies I don’t know what the fuck he’s teaching them, but he’s not done I guess. Beth thinks it’s funny.”
Jessie laughs. “Mucimi is giving Brantley a run for his money. I bet he’s going to be worse than Jeremy to keep track of.”
Brantley bursts through the door with Jason right behind him. He puts his laptop on the table and looks at the boards. The woman is gone from the floor in holding. He looks at Prez. “I’m not making a list?”
“You are, but it’s a little different this time. I need two lists. One for long term planning and one for the fuckin’ psycho that is tied to the group from this morning.”
Brantley sits and Prez takes a drink of water. I wonder if he still needs a minute here. He looks right at me. “I got this, but yeah, I’m waiting for Darren and Dakota.”
I nod. “Dakota isn’t coming back. He’s checking on a few things.”
He looks surprised, but nods.
“When are you making Mucimi go home?” Taylor asks Brantley making us all smile.
Brantley shakes his head. “He said he’s teaching them. I don’t know what the fuck to do. Is Beth okay with the new baby and Nash?”
“Yeah. I’m just busting your balls. She says Mucimi is a big help. He ordered lunch for him and Nash today.” We all laugh.
“Fuckin’ kids. Tell me he called them this time.” Brantley wipes his hand down his face.
I crack up. “No, he threw to Phoenix and Aquyà at the school, and they called.”
Prez laughs and the sound relaxes me. “I think Jessie’s right, he’s going to be harder than Jeremy to keep track of. He’s fuckin’ three.”
Brantley nods smiling. “He was throwing the order to Matt at the restaurant last week. I told him he wasn’t allowed to do that anymore. At least he listened. Last week he didn’t want the Portuguese soup Holly made. When we sat to eat, a Prospect knocked with his order.” We all laugh. “Fuckin’ kid is too much sometimes.”
Jessie looks at him. “I hope to Christ the others don’t pick that one up.”
“Is Destiny throwing?” Prez asks him.
“Not yet, but she’s still getting shit we put up. Justice says she’s moving things herself. Dakota thinks it’s funny, but what the fuck does it mean when she gets older? Do we have to come up with new shit to teach them?” He’s looking at me.
I nod. “She does move things herself. I think we’ll need to address it, but she’s too young now. It’s like Mucimi throwing the orders to the restaurant—we need to wait for shit to happen before we can react. They are very good at policing themselves. They should work out a lot more as they get older and that worry you have won’t look so big. With Stella and the boys, the kids have a good sense of compassion and right and wrong. That will be a big help for all the parents.”
Jessie nods then looks at Prez. “We were pretty good kids. They should be better, right?”
Prez laughs again and I feel that same sense of relief. “They’ll be better than we were, but a challenge because they all have different abilities. We haven’t seen any of this before.”
“Will they be able to hurt someone like Dakota does?” Brantley asks.
Taylor and Jessie look at me then Prez. Shit. Prez nods. “Some will. Some will be like Jeremy and be healers, so hurting someone will be harder for them.” He looks at me. ‘Do you want this out?’ he asks in my head. I nod. He might as well. “Others have the ability to hurt too. Christian has all Dakota’s abilities except healing and quite a few that we haven’t seen yet. Colt, Devan and Mase all have it and are being trained to control that focus. They all have Protector abilities. Some of the girls have it too, but they are not showing the same interest as the Protectors. Right now, Aiyana, Elizabeth and Blaze are the only ones with the focus. I think Honor, Case and Destiny will also have it.” He’s right in most of that so I don’t correct him.
“Jesusfuckin’Christ. I’m not having any more kids,” Jessie says pacing.
We’re all smiling when Darren walks in. “There is a good outcome?” he asks looking at Prez.
His whole demeanor changes to hard and fierce in an instant. “No, we were talking about the kids. Dakota isn’t coming back?”
“He’s following a couple of leads. Co, Nunánuk and the MC can meet tomorrow. José cleared you for the meet.” He sits and Jessie stops pacing and sits beside him.
Prez looks at me. “I need them slower so I can get Brantley a list.”
I nod and wait for him to sit. When he nods, I start throwing from Aiyana’s brutal vision.
Chapter Two
One week
I walk into Security and go right to the locker room. Taylor is coming through the door with Delta and Hawk. “Found Hawk while we were running the tunnels. He wouldn’t stop so I figure he knew what he was doing.”
I laugh and pet him. “He does.” Handing him a bone, I pull another for Delta.
“I won’t ride like Alex either. I just open the door and tell Delta to meet me at Ops.”
I smile thinking of Prince sitting behind Alex. “Is that why you’re always at the school?”
He smiles. “Yeah. I drop Nash and Delta every day.”
We walk up to the meeting room and the dogs sit by the door. “They remind me of Hyde and Cade.”
He laughs as Jessie and Dakota walk in. “I thought Delta was like Hyde when I first got him. He’s still the same.”
“They do resemble their human counterparts,” Dakota says making Jessie laugh.
“We aren’t taking any more dogs Dakota. Two is enough.”
I watch Dakota turn toward him with a smile. “I was not suggesting it, but I am happy to note it is a thought you carry always. Jessica would be happy to know that.”
I cover my mouth and hold my laugh. Fuckin’ Dakota.
“No more dogs,” Jessie growls.
I throw to Jessie, ‘He’s fuckin’ with you.’
He gives me a nod and relaxes. “That could have been fun Christian. I do not get to hold anything over him if you tell him what I am doing.”
I nod. “Sorry Brother, but he was planning how to get you back for the dog thing.”
“In that case I am happy that you stepped in.” He throws me chin.
Taylor cracks up. “All you have to do is pin him to a wall Brother. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
Jessie laughs. “I’d kill him.”
“I believe he would. I cannot use those abilities against Jessie. To use t
hem is an act of offense against a greater tragedy.” We all think about that. He’s right. I could use it, but I have no healer in me. I think healers have a different mindset to their abilities. He looks at me. “That is correct Christian. Protectors have a different outlook. It is meant to be that way. While Prophets, Protectors and Healers have the ability to harm, their purposes are different.”
I nod and look at Taylor. “Mucimi came home telling me he’s done with the boys. He’ll teach them at school now.”
He laughs. “Yeah. I had Teller help me with that. Brantley was ready to lose his shit.” I slide in his head. He’s had a good week. I’m relieved. He had a couple of bad nights last week. It’s been good for a while and I know it doesn’t seem to shake him anymore, but I still worry.
Prez walks in with Brantley and Darren. Brantley goes right to the computer and pulls the boards up from Ops then sets the hologram board up on the table. Prez walks closer and we all read everything on it while Brantley is handing papers out.
“They made a try at the MC. The City PD stopped it, but Uncle Danny is pissed.”
Darren nods. “His second almost fucked it up. My dad jumped on his bike and beat the shit out of the two waving guns. They were going to blow the Planned Parenthood in the City.”
“Sonofabitch,” Jessie says.
Darren looks around at us. “Yeah.” He turns to Prez.
“What we have to go on is fuckin’ crazy. Using the information Carolina is pulling is the only heads up we’ll get as far as anyone can see. The readers will have regular meetings to help keep us prepared, but we can’t count on that for our plan. We’ll take what they give us and adjust the Ops plans to fit the visions. Our biggest challenge will be keeping up with a constant defense until we can get information to actually make a plan of action.”
“We’ve done it before and we can do it again. That’s how we got through all the wars,” Jessie says.
Prez nods. “We can and we did. The last two years we’ve had no wars other than the MC’s blowback. The new HS and Security—even PD—are not familiar or were trained during that time. We’ll need the readers geared up to help with this in a way that we can use their visions. This isn’t something we’ve done lately. We all know what this is like. The new people and readers were not directly involved with Ops on this level. Moving fast and hitting hard isn’t going to be easy for them. Taylor, I want all maintenance training to run with the old Op guidelines. Aaron, you’re a good one to get people moving fast. Push them—for everything—all the time so when we need it that will be the normal reaction.” Aaron nods and Prez looks at me. “Christian, I need readers to meet regularly and I want you training them. Your travel will be arranged whenever you need it. We have to have the Protectors ready and comfortable with their abilities. I need to know who’s there, who’s still learning and what their focus is.”