Page 37 of Ranger's Rise

Inner Circle is not surprised or upset about Hade. It strikes me as odd, but they’ve known him longer than I have. They also saw him not own his shit and that hurt him. Mounty will take the extra training classes and hands Brinks Cort’s training schedule. For some reason, VP is relieved and everyone finds it funny.

Web tells everyone he needs help and Amos jumps on cooking like Mounty said. Jinx is riding on different days than me and Brinks takes two training days.

Banks has me smiling. “None of them want to learn money? I want to help too.”

“They know about money. They’re all little geniuses. They want to learn about shit they don’t know. They were happy with the Brothers coming over yesterday. Anything not on the computer fascinates them.”

“Come with me later. I’m checking in and you can meet them. Maybe they’ll talk to you. You’re not as big as the rest of us.”

We all laugh. “Fuck off, Brother. I’ll go, but what can I teach them? I don’t cook and I’m not good at anything but money.”

Cort swings his head. “You used to do all those model and paper things. You had them fucking everywhere in the dorm. Maybe they’d like that. You do all kinds of shit but never see it. Come with me and see. They’re happy with anything.”

I nod. “Freedom made a balloon out of paper for Aris and they were all amazed with it.” At least that’s what Falcon said.

He looks hopeful. “Yeah? I know origami. I’ll bring colored paper with me.” Now he’s a happy Banks. The Brothers give him shit, but Web is smiling. He likes anything that makes his boys happy.

Cort gives Doc’s warning out and dismisses us. “Ranger, we’re at Web’s at eleven fifteen.”

“Roger, Boss.”

I walk out and VP is laughing. “You’re going to give me time to do my job. I like you being here. You were an Enforcer. You could take a shift too.”

What? “When? You have my days packed.”

He waves that off like it’s not a problem. “I’ll get Lorelei to look at Inner Circles’ schedule. She’ll tweak it so you get a shift with Cort. She did the lunch in like an hour.”

“We have a lunch?” When the fuck is the lunch?

He laughs walking away. I call Lorelei. Thank fuck Inner Circle lunch is a once a month thing. She explained the time limitations to Cort so it’s not once a week.

I have enough time to check in with Shultz and get a coffee in me before meeting whoever else Cort invited to Web’s.

I thumb in at the doors surprised they open. Freedom turns when I come in making me smile. I think something is in the water here. I’ve never smiled and laughed so much. When she smiles back, I decide to keep drinking the water.

She’s cutting out shapes with some As at the table. I move closer and the boys notice me. “Hi, Little Brothers.” They’re smiling, but don’t talk. I bend and kiss Freedom’s cheek. One of the boys laughs drawing my eyes to him. “She’s mine so I get to do that, Aaron.”

He nods. “Boss.” The paper comes toward me fast.

I take it and laugh. “Good job, Little Brother. You like the choppers?”

His head swings and I’m confused. I hope it’s a chopper. It’s a bubble shape with two straight lines over it. Freedom laughs. “I think he made it for you.”

“Boss.” He repeats.

“Thank you. I’ll hang it in my office.”

He takes it back and runs toward the doors. “I’m guessing he'll do it.” Freedom laughs and the other two boys nod.

I look at her smiling face. “It’s locked.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “They made the thumb things. He can get in. Banks is with the Js.”

I walk that way and hear him talking. He’s got Jacques on his lap and he’s making a bird out of paper. There are different birds and flowers all over the couch. Marco, Mateo and Amal are at the table folding paper. José and Juan are at the computers.

I take some paper and sit at the empty chair in between them hoping it holds my weight. Tearing the paper doesn’t get their attention. I start folding it and José’s hands stop on the keyboard. I keep folding, switching back and forth with each fold then open it up and bend it a quarter of the way down. His head turns and watches my hands. I fold the end tucking the edges in and turn it over. “A scallop shell for your computer, José.”

Putting it on top of the monitor has him standing up. His finger grazes over it then he sits and watches my hands again. I make two more and balance them on his monitor. Juan hasn’t stopped typing, but José stares at his shells.