Page 47 of Ranger's Rise

“Roger, Boss. Pablo just signed on and is making the rounds.”

“Thanks, Brother. Bring Ops coverage to the Security meet tomorrow.” Through everything here, he didn’t forget. I smile.

“Roger, Boss.”

He clicks off and looks at me. “You’re a good partner to have. I’m glad you were at the jail. It’s shit that comes in regularly. The warden is a dickass and keeps hiring incompetent guards. Since he’s paying for Enforcers to help him out, we do, but his shit is getting old.”

VP looks like someone punched him. “Don’t tell me we’re opening a jail now?”

Cort looks away for a second. “I thought about it, but I’m not interested in helping criminals be criminals. I think they need a new warden. I’ll talk to the Masons.”

I nod. That would work better in my head too. VP settles and Cort gets on his bike. “I’ll see you at seven. Expansion is going to be covered.”

“Roger, Boss,” we say at the same time.

A Security Team follows him down the road. “Vick?” I check to make sure my mic is off. When I don’t get an answer, I look at VP. “Are we meeting here with Cort or without him?”

“He’ll be here. You got out of training. I never get out of training.”

Okay. I nod and get on my bike. Cort needs cover for right now but made sure if he was overheard, it isn’t obvious. “What’s with the anger and holding his arm?”

“I’m his support. Crow taught us how to diffuse anger and energy. It sounds crazy, but we learned how to do that for each other. I’m Cort’s support and Jinx is mine. Brinks can help all of us and Hade could read moods. He was a help for Cort too but never could diffuse or focus him. You settled him today, so I’d say you’re a support too. Putting your hand on him diffuses his rage. That’s what he calls it. If he doesn’t settle, he’s on a rampage. Most of the time he’s funny with doling out punishments, but if he’s enraged, it comes out violent. It hasn’t happened in years, but it’s in him. He’s always been the top Enforcer, he’s fair and follows procedure for everything. He’s funny too. When anger gets the best of him, those procedures are followed, but he can be vicious and he’s fucking fast with reactions and a gun in his hand, so it’s over before he’s thinking like a President again.”

I nod. Okay, so he’s not violent and hurting people that don’t need to be hurt.

I start my bike and ride with him back to the office. I can see the consequences of a violent reaction hurting his rep. He is funny but known to be fair and just in his reactions. A war broke out with one-percenters and he leveled five Clubs. They brought the war to Badass, so it was seen as deserved. I saw him in the Training Center the day the news broke and had no idea we had just gone through a war. I was training in the outbuildings because Brinks was called to Ops, so I didn’t see anything different happening around me. I remember thinking he didn’t look like a Brother who leveled Clubs across three states and Mexico and just killed countless members of those five Clubs.

The anger worried me today, but I see how and why he needs to control it. Not because he’d be wrong, but the Brothers seeing that from their President would mimic those reactions and he’d lose control of the good he’s trying to spread. I saw it happen in my old Club.

At the office, a Prospect comes out for our bikes. “You settled?” VP asks.

I smile. “I am, VP. I’d like to know more about the energy and how to use that better.”

He nods. “I’ll talk to Brinks. He can explain it better than I can. The Brother is good too.”

“Thanks, VP. I need to get with the As about a ride. I told them tonight, but need to make it early.”

He nods. “Go. I’ll meet you at Cort’s at seven.” He heads for the stairs and I go toward the hall to Web’s elevator and stairway.

~*~*~

Freedom

I make some enchiladas while Victory drones on about every sale she made today. When they go in the oven she asks, “Did you find out about Shultz?”

I nod. “Yeah, he’s been out for almost a year. Ran missions for the military where Ranger worked from and knows Mounty. He’s running Flight Training here and needs ride time and some outreach under his belt before he’s patched in. He’ll probably come in as a second tier Officer.”

She rolls her eyes. “Is he good in bed? Does he cheat on his women?”

“How the fuck would I know?” I want to ask how the fuck we’re twins, but know that will hurt her.

“Ranger worked with the guy.” She thinks I’m going to ask him about Shultz and women?

“I haven’t seen Ranger to ask.” I’m not sure I can.

“Where is he?”

I smile. “He took some kids out for a ride. He was taking them to a store to buy shit, then he had a meet with Cort and Raid.”