Page 13 of Ranger's Rise

Three answer, surprising me by looking up at him. “Boss.”

Doc smiles pointing toward the table. “Let’s sit so I can tell you about the kids and the help we need.”

When everyone is sitting, he starts. The As have been genetically altered. He explains what they were given and how it changed them. I keep it together, but that’s just barely. When they go around the table giving their ages, I realize all their names begin with A. I’m so focused on the story he’s telling I don’t pay attention to the kids moving. His arm goes out and I turn. “These are the Ms.”

I’m shocked to see four more smaller albinos. They’re skinny and so pale I want to pump them full of orange juice and vitamins. I don’t even know if that will help, but I want to do something.

Amal stands beside them. “Our brothers. Marco, Maddox, Mateo, Mario.” He holds his hand over their heads as he tells their names.

I take a deep breath and Ranger notices. He takes my hand giving it a squeeze. “Hi, Ms. This is Freedom, that’s Falcon, I’m Ranger. The big guy has an M name like yours, he’s Mounty.” Two look up with smiles, the other two keep their heads down.

“Hi, Little Brothers,” Mounty says and the boys look back down smiling. That’s cute.

Doc stops all the awkwardness. “We have some Js that just got here. They’re smaller than the Ms but older. We’ll need to go to them.”

My hand squeezes Ranger's while I hold in my surprise. Falcon sweeps his arm for me to go first. I keep Ranger’s hand and follow Doc to the living room. The little A that waves to Seren is in here with Web and even smaller albinos. One is on a toddler bed that’s close to the table with computers on it.

Web throws us chin and watches our reaction. “Youaresmaller than your brothers.” Ranger keeps moving to the couch and points for me to sit. When I do, he does, then Mounty and Falcon do. “We’re all big so sitting will keep you from having to look up at us. The big guy is Mounty, that’s Falcon, this is Freedom and I’m Ranger.”

Doc smiles. “Anton, tell them your brothers' names.”

The little A smiles pointing. “Juan, José, Jacques.”The little one on the bed is Jacques. “Jacques sick.”

Doc nods. “Thanks, Anton. Jacques is sick, but he’s getting better. Today he’s been awake and even worked on the computer.”

Anton smiles. “Happy. Work is happy.” He talks slow like he’s reaching for words.

Web laughs. “Yes, work makes you all happy. Ranger doesn’t have a tablet. I bet he could use one for meetings.”

Anton’s face lights up. “Roger, Web.MyBoss.”

Ranger and Web laugh. “He’s been doing Flight Ops in a simulator so he’ll be ready for you, Ranger. He wants to run Aerial.”

“I’d be honored to have him. He has to go up in a chopper and learn from the cockpit then each position. I’ll be taking the Aerial trainers and Control trainees up on Wednesday.”

“Me, Web?” Anton looks like he’ll start crying at any second. I turn my head away before I smile. The kid is adorable.

“You’re on his shift. If you want to go up, you need to tell Ranger you want to train too. He’s Boss on that shift.”

I turn back in time to see Anton’s head pointed down. “I will train, Boss.”

Ranger nods. “Do I need to plan for another Brother to go with you?”

Anton looks at Web. “Will you go alone with the Brothers or do you want Amal or Akai to go?”

“I will train too, Web,” Amal says and another albino moves forward from the hallway.

“Me, Web.”

Ranger laughs. “I can take you all together on a training flight. We’ll have two Brothers with us and the pilot. If you want to run Aerial IT, we need gear for you. If you just want to go up in the chopper, you can go for the ride.”

Three As want to run IT and four want a ride. An M pushes his way forward and hits Akai’s arm. “Maddox will train.”

Web laughs. “Are you sure, Ranger? I think the Ms want a ride too. Maddox and Marco are doing IT from here. I’m not sure how the Brothers will react to them in a chopper or in Ops.”

Mounty leans forward. “I’ll go up with them, Web. I’m on training with the Flight Crew, but we can do the As and Ms after. Trainees will be with Shultz after lunch then Freedom and Seren.” He looks at Ranger for an answer.

“Cort will want to go,” Falcon says. I nod because he will. Seren says he’s excited about his new choppers.