by L. Ann Marie
I nod, but I’m confused. “Wouldn’t Dakota be better for that?”
He looks at Dakota, so I do. “It is time for you to step in to who you are meant to be. I am a Prophet not a Protector Christian, I do not see as a Protector does. You surpass my protective abilities and are better suited to align your Protectors from here on out. I can help chart abilities, but there are other things I must do as a Prophet to ensure the vision stays on course.”
I think about that. He’s spread thin, but where does that leave me as a Protector? When did I become a Protector that leads people? I look at Prez. “I am a lead for them?”
“No Christian. You are the lead for Protectors. We saw your abilities growing and were told that is your rightful place. You are trained HS and have the abilities Dakota does without his temper.” He smiles. “A Protector reacts, but not usually out of anger. We need you to take that place now. You will still have days at the school, but Holly is preparing the kids for you to be there two days out of five. They need your guidance, but we need you in Ops and training the other Protectors. You will move to training the kids and leading Protectors in Ops, but I need to plan for what I have. We’ll worry about the logistics when they become an issue.” His wording that they ‘were told’ makes me uncomfortable, but I can’t look at it now.
This is what they’ve been training me for. It all flies through my head. All the time Prez and Dakota spent with me when I first got here, then Prez set up training for me. Dakota had me with all the people they charted as Protectors. Prez kept me close to the strongest—reporting to him on their progress, issues and any visions they had that concerned us as a group. I look at Prez and see he’s waiting for something. “On it Prez. Do I have non-readers that support us?”
He smiles at me. “You’re my next meeting, but yes, we have non-ability support staff for you.” I nod, understanding why I needed the whole day off from the school. I thought it was odd.
Prez looks at Jessie. “Pull apps and get us more Security, Prospects and viable candidates for PD or HS. Extra Security on the old ladies and at the school.”
He looks at Darren. “Get us more Nomads. Three or four should work. I want them in training right away. Meet with Bull and Driscoll to pull what you can for Jessie’s new schedule. They are not Family and I don’t want them that close, but I want more Security with anyone riding off the Compound.”
“Got it Prez.” He types in his phone.
Prez paces. “We’ll need to start using the tunnels to move people around. Brantley, find a way to make that happen. Taylor, you’ll need to stop the trainees from shooting down there while we have them open.”
“Roger Prez,” both Taylor and Brantley say.
“Am I missing anything?”
I look at him. “Yeah Prez. We’ll be hit this week with some from the lunatic group that want to stone the readers. You are identified as a witch.”
“What the fuck? A witch?” Darren says.
Prez looks at me. “The fuckin’ video of me throwing from years ago?”
I nod. “Yeah Prez.”
He stops and considers everything. Thoughts are flying through his head fast. Flipping through pictures of Aiyana’s vision and ideas he stops on Justice and looks at me, I nod. “Get High Security on the Compound today Jessie. The kids are locked down. Do I need the old ladies on lockdown?”
“Not yet. It will happen later.”
He nods and looks at everyone. “Justice throws at them and ends up taken. They do something in the woods, a ritual or some shit and actually stone him to death.” There is no emotion in his voice as he delivers this.
“Oh my fuckin’ God. They kill a kid under this religious guise?” Aaron says like it’s the craziest thing he’s ever heard.
I look at Prez and he nods at me. “They do much worse. The list Prez gave didn’t paint the pictures, just the need. They are identifying readers and have Jeremy, Aubrey, Darren and almost all the kids.”
“Me?” Darren asks.
“The glasses,” I tell him and go on. “Later they will go after the old ladies. They rape and beat them. Three don’t make it.”
Jessie stands up fast and his chair hits the floor. “Jesusfuckin’Christ! This is a religious attack? What the fuck do the racists do?”
“Worse,” I say.
Prez looks at all of us. “Not one of you are asking if it’s your old ladies. I wouldn’t tell you, but it throws relief just knowing that you’re all in for everyone.”
“Seriously? We’ve grown up with ‘we take care of our own’ right alongside you.” Taylor’s offended by that comment.
Prez is smiling though. “You did, but it is old ladies and the thought to protect what is yours didn’t jump out and negate the need to protect everyone.”
“Negate? No. It’s a hell of a word and I’m glad to see my old friend when we need him, but they’re all ours. There is no one worth more because a threat is looming in front of us. We still live in our own world where Badass isn’t negotiable. Dakota would say we learned the lessons of our fathers. A threat to one will always be a threat to all,” Jessie says with a passion that we all feel at his words. Everyone’s thoughts are agreeing with him.
Prez nods. “I need to meet with Christian if there isn’t anything else.” No one has anything. “Thank you, Brothers.” He throws chin and walks out telling me to meet him in his office in five.
Dakota walks in and sits.
“Holy fuck,” Darren says. We all nod. “Jessie, get HS on the Compound now. Aaron, keep everyone moving fast. I think Prez is right with the reaction thing. Taylor, get me trainees in the tunnels. Not shooting.” We all laugh. “Have them on patrol. It will get them acquainted with the layout and give us an extra set of eyes. I want a check of all the exit sensors, feeds and guns. Dakota, if you’ve got anything here—find a way to get it to us.” He stands. “Christian, after you meet with Prez, see me about your Security needs. I have a team of three on every shift for you. MC has your people covered, but you’ll need to go over that too. Based on what you’re pulling lately, that all may need to change. When you need more people, you come to me and I’ll get your schedule beefed up.”
“Got it VP.” I’m not thrilled with keeping Security with me, but the Protectors will need it while they’re training. Some aren’t HS trained through the MC.
He walks out and I look at Dakota. He’s closed up tight. “I’ll need some direction. Am I coming to you for that?”
He doesn’t answer right away so I wait. Taylor, Jessie and Aaron stay and watch. “You will seek and find your direction today, but that will not be through me my Warrior Protector. Prez will benefit also.” He stands, but keeps my eyes. “I will come to you when I am able Christian.”
I nod and we all watch him leave. “I wish he talked in his sleep at these times,” Jessie says making us laugh. “Life would be a fuck of a lot easier.”
I nod and stand. From what Dakota gave me, I need to get to Prez and jump so he gets whatever he’s supposed to from the ancestors.
***
I walk in the door to my new office and sit, relieved to be alone. Hawk sits by my feet calming me. It’s been three hours and my head is spinning. I shuffle through the pages of shit I need to decide on and settle on the schedule and people I need to cover. Prez gave me an overview of what my new job is and it was all pretty clear. Now that I’m looking at it, I keep going back to what Co and Nunánuk said about following the lessons of our fathers. The Indians closed themselves off and defended their walls when they were threatened. I don’t think those are the fathers we’re supposed to follow. Weighing those words and the way they were said, I decide on calling my dad. I think it’s our Club fathers we’re supposed to follow and he’s a father.
I hang up smiling. They were the first to start charting the kids and did it with rolls of paper and dry erase boards. I call for a Prospect and tell him what I need. While he goes for my hologram bases and new boards, I get the computer on and start m
aking spreadsheets for the boards. I need to keep it all straight. It’s not paper and markers, but I’ll get the same results.
I spend an hour getting the hologram boards set on my desk and the table in the meeting room that connects to my office. The Prospects get the boards up for me in both places. I’m glad the rooms were already set up for the boards so we don’t need anything, but to put them up. While they’re working, I go to Darren’s office. We get the schedules set and he sends my personnel over to my spreadsheet. I’m ready to go, but he has things to say, so I wait. “You need to talk to Ricky, he’ll be your contact for anything you need from them. He has a partner for you, non-ability, to get what you need done up there and keep you updated on the admin shit. You choose your ability Brother, or second, to keep everyone straight. Yeah?”
I smile. “How does Ricky know who to put with me from up there?”
“Elizabeth.”
I nod glad they’re taking it seriously. “Pres is good with this new department?” Since Pres is one of his dads he should know. I see Pres laughing in his head. It’s good. “He understands better than he did and Prez keeps him up to date with the freaky kid shit now. Well most of it. He’s cool Brother. There is no resistance if that’s worrying you.”
This surprises me, but I nod. “Thanks VP. Anything else I need?”
I see it all but wait. “Yeah. This is new and you just clued into what your job here is. It’s new for us too. None of us, aside from Dakota, see like you do. Prez doesn’t get visions so much as pieces of what everyone else gets. If you need something you have to tell us. Whether it’s Brothers to fill your schedule, a hand getting through to Jeremy or someone to listen to you vent—you need to tell us. Because it’s new, we’ll be looking out for anything you may need, but we won’t catch it all.”
I nod. It’s like with Taylor—I see the net and people that are around it. “I’ll tell you VP. Right now, I’m just setting it up so I can look at it all together. Co and Nunánuk were helpful with some direction for me. Once I get it straight and align our objective with the readers and Security I’ll probably have questions, but I’m not there yet.”
He nods. “I’m glad you’re ready when we need you Brother. Seeing you make it back was good for us, but watching you learn—and seeing your Badass shine through—has been awesome. We’re all proud of you Brother.” He means it—with no doubt about my ability.
That feels good. I throw him chin and see he doesn’t have anything else so I stand. “Thanks Brother. I didn’t know this is where I was headed, but it feels right. It feels good to be working at protecting and preserving our cause. The ancestors were pleased with our plan.”
He smiles. “You’d think with Dakota that wouldn’t strike me as funny, but hearing it from you too does.”
I’m surprised. “Doesn’t Prez tell you freaky shit?”
“He doesn’t talk about ancestors. I know he believes in their strength, but he keeps that to himself.”
I nod and think back. Prez jumps all the time, but not in front of non-ability. Uncle Danny pops in my head and I push him out. He doesn’t show anything and I know it will happen, but it’s not yet so I don’t bother looking at it. I stand and throw chin again. “Thanks, VP. I need to get this settled in my head. Prez said I have someone coming in at four to keep me straight here.”
He laughs. “Yeah. Remember to ask for what you need Brother.”
“I will VP.” I’m already walking out the door thinking about the schedule and calling Ricky.
At my computer, I add all my people and separate them by where they fall.
Once I have everyone listed, I look at them on the boards. They got me up with enough Brothers to cover all the Security needs right now. I look at my schedule and see I’m at the reservation and MC tomorrow. Pulling tracking I see the reservation and here. It’s time to call Ricky. I need tracking from up there and I have questions.
“Brother, it’s Christian.”
“I was just finishing up with part of your team Brother. I have Colby, Ally and Uncle Danny right here.”
Uncle Danny? “Who is running with ability?”
“They didn’t give me that. I figured you’d move your people where you want them. Right now, I have Ally getting tracking from Jeremy’s new cuffs up for you. It will run here in Geek’s program, but on the new Protectors program for your department. Like how you run PD and Security separate, but it’s still overseen in HS Ops.”
“Got it. I have a meet up there tomorrow. I need everyone in the department for that. Do you have that yet?”
“Fuck no. I have you up here, but not the meet. Anything else you need?” He doesn’t sound thrilled with me.
“Yeah. Do we have an office up there?”
“Yeah, it was in the KC, but VP moved you to MC-Baxters with the same setup you have there. Can I call you right back? Uncle Danny needs to get to PD and Ally wants to get to HS Ops so she can set up her new tracking.”
“Yeah Brother.” I hang up wondering if he’s not happy with the new department or him being my contact.
Jacob walks in with Terry and sits smiling at me. “I was told to report to you when my IT got here.”
I laugh. “I like this. You’re my Ops lead?”
“Yeah Brother and Terry is our new control. He moved into my old room at Brantley’s.”
Fuckin’ nice. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask Terry. I just talked to him two days ago.
“You’re the fuckin’ reader. You should have got it.”
Jacob cracks up. “Jeremy’s been blocking it for us. Prez didn’t want it hitting you before it was set up and everyone was settled with their new jobs.”
I nod, but I’m not happy. He doesn’t need to keep shielding me. I’m not the fuck-up I was when I got here. “Let’s go to the meeting room so you can see where I am.”
As we’re walking in Terry asks, “You’re pissed?”
I wave him away. “Not pissed, but I don’t need Prez shielding me. It shows a lack of confidence in my ability to lead this. Who the fuck would put someone they don’t fully trust in this position?” I wonder if that’s what’s up with Ricky. Maybe he doesn’t think I can handle it either. I know Prez isn’t completely sold on me and I’m not even thinking about Pres.
“Dude stop and think. Prez wouldn’t even think about putting everyone in jeopardy so you can play catch up and find your place here. He just wanted to be the one to tell you.”
He’s right and I throw him chin. “Thanks. I’m waiting for a call back from Ricky. Read what I have up so far while I take it.” They sit and go through the board.
When I answer my phone, Terry pops out the reservation info. “Yeah Brother.” I walk through to my office and sit on the couch.
“Sorry about that. I have all your people covered for the meet tomorrow. Tell me you don’t need more than three hours.”
I laugh. “No, I figured two.”
“Good. VP scheduled lunch in for you. I have to tell you Brother, I’m so fuckin’ glad they’re finally catching on to how bad we need this. Elizabeth has been pushing it for a while, but LB wouldn’t budge until he thought you were ready. Thank fuck you’re ready. Diego is the only one able to get through all the shit Carolina is giving us and we don’t have all the freaky shit organized to understand half of what we need.”
I smile. I thought I’d have to fight to prove myself, but he just wiped it away. “Didn’t Brantley send the board up with the readers’ predictions?”
“Yeah and I’m sure it’s filling in for HS Ops, but fuckin’ VP is our only reader there and getting information from him isn’t fuckin’ easy. KC has the readers, but they aren’t in HS Ops Brother. The readers that are on HS now aren’t in fuckin’ planning. It’s like a vicious cycle. I need to get everything connected so I’m covering everyone the way they need to be.”
I can see that. Mase, Colt, Aubrey, Blaze, Harley, and Blake are the only Little Brothers that are readers. Not all are focused with their a
bility. Mase, Blake and Colt are HS so they’re not in KC so much, but are still part of Little Brothers for another year at least. Ricky’s job has got to be stressful with the kids running KC and HS Ops. I know a couple are working Security when they’re needed too. I think Prez had an easier time because he was based out of Ops not KC. Ricky ran just KC for so long then had to adjust to the kids being retrained and pulled to Ops. His office is still in KC.
“We’ll get that straight this week. The new tracking is just Protectors?”
“Yeah. You’ll be tracked at Security with the regular tracking chip, but Jeremy has new cuffs with the added chip for the Protectors. That second chip goes to the Protectors Program, HS Ops down there and Geek up here. If you want it available somewhere else, you need to give that to Geek and he’ll set it up. He’s excited to get this up and running too.”
“Good to know. Thanks Brother. I was calling to ask about the tracking up there, but I’ll hold any more questions until I get there. Is there anything else I need to know before I get there?”
“Yeah something is up in the twins, each twin that’s a Protector is antsy. I noticed it last week and they haven’t calmed down this week. The younger ones are more noticeable.”