Page 61 of Ranger's Rise

She shakes her head no. “Raid talked to the superintendent. He’s Mason and agrees about the curriculum and they’ll come up with a Badass-Mason mission statement. I don’t know why, they’re already almost the same.”

Lorelei puts coffee in front of me. “I like it and think it will work well. Raid has me looking over the testing they do. If they learned instead of learning to take a test, life wouldn’t be going crazy here. The new math has no basis. I can’t even figure out how to do it. Daniel does it the old way and hands his homework in. You wouldn’t believe how many times he gets marked off for not having the work.”

“Youcan’t do his math?” It would be my question too. She went to a brainiac school for math.

Lorelei is shaking her head. “No and the district sent history books without the word slave in it because it’s offensive. The superintendent isn’t happy with that. I don’t want Danielnotlearning shit because it might be offensive. They took the holocaust out of the books completely. It should be offensive so it doesn’t happen again.”

“That’s fucking crazy. We learned all that shit and weren’t offended.” I look at Seren. She learned a hell of a lot more than I did.

“I’m all for the school and the changes. Cort is putting an addition on for Rex, Ant Irma and Ajhil.”

Holy shit. “So, Rex and Ant Irmaaretogether.” Lorelei is surprised. I laugh. She’s lived with him for like a year.

She slaps my arm. “I’m new here. Neither one of you tell me what’s happening.”

I shrug. “It’s not mine to tell.”

Seren nods. Lorelei rolls her eyes. “Tell us about the Rs. Cort and Raid haven’t had time.”

“We were there until almost two. They’re small, maybe normal size three, but they’re really skinny. All white hair, the weird eyes and really pale skin. Something happened and they came in sick. By the time the doctors left, they looked more alert. They’re on IVs and all stay together in one big bed. Cort has Cowboy looking for something with sides. It took us forever to realize they stay calm together. They cry when they’re separated. There are only three and they’re seven-years-old.”

Seren cries. “What does that mean?” Lorelei looks confused.

“The As had ten. We know Anton’s brother died.”

“Oh. Oh. Shit.” She cries. Fuck. I get tissues and drop them in the middle of them, then take Caelan.

Seren reaches for him. “No. You need to be able to help.”

I put him right back in her arms. “Yeah. The As were a big help, but I think they’re afraid to pick them up. They’ll hold them sitting down, like kids with babies.” I smile thinking of Alta holding Roman. “They already love them.”

“They were so good in the pool with the younger kids. I can’t believe Allen jumped in to save Daniel.” Lorelei laughs reaching for a tissue.

“Tell me how the changes started with Hade.”

Seren is pissed. “He was at the bar and shot Rex. It was a graze, but Raid said he was aiming for him and it wasn’t laser.”

Fucking bastard. “That’s why he’s wearing the bandage. He said he cut himself shaving. I didn’t ask more since he didn’t want me to know.” He needed Victory’s store so he was in town. Fuck.Neither one says a word.“When was this?”

“Thursday while Cort and Ranger were on the Enforcer shift.”

Ranger was on an Enforcer shift with Cort? He wouldn’t be partnered with Cort if he wasn’t good. The Brothers are protective of him. “That’s the night they had a meet at the bar.”

“Yeah, they did the expansion plans, then Friday they all worked to get their parts of the plan done,” Seren tells me.

Saturday the choppers came in like at six something. “They work fucking fast.”

They both laugh.Seren stops and watches my eyes. “Ranger is moving.”

I nod smiling. “We are.”

“He’s claiming you!” Shit, she’s as bubbly as Victory when she’s excited. They go crazy with girly squeaking, Seren dances with Caelan and I sit shaking my head.

“Victory in.”

“Kitchen,” I say like she needs it with the racket these two are making.

“Ranger is claiming Freedom!” Lorelei yells.