Page 14 of Vapor (BSC #32)

I laugh. “Using what they’re known for as a theme.”

“Yeah. Pres Falcon give Indian store lease 99-year one dollar they make bread, jewelry to public. Same idea. Draw civilian money help to Indian self-sufficient. BSC work less to community we help to needs civilian don’t know how to fix.”

They’re smart. “That reminds me of my mom’s, ‘teach a man to fish, you feed him for life,’ lesson. I learned to fish young.”

He’s quiet for a couple of minutes. “Lesson to no hunger?”

I nod. “Yeah, I learned to hunt too. Whatever is around you, grow, hunt, fish, whatever.”

“Alpha-Bit learn grow food, fish, work job to eat. No hunt.”

I smile. “It’s gross and only easy if your hunting little game. As an adult, I don’t hunt for food. I fish once in a while but that’s mostly during vacations.”

Command: “You’re engaging whisper in one, Commander.”

Me: “Roger, Command.” I snap my mask back in place and Alder follows suit. “Mader, do you copy?” I see the team a few kilometers away on my tracking.

Mader: “Roger, Commander. We’ve got a click but will make it.”

Me: I nod. “Lerch, get the drones in position.” He rogers and we hear the whir then see the drones fly by to the biggest building on the mountainside. It looks like the site of an air strike that happened too many years ago for it to be still standing let alone occupied.

Alder: “One control to drone?”

Me: “No, Lerch can override command on them but he takes the shots closest and runs counter surveillance so we don’t lose them. Command has pilots and operators engaged who will follow Lerch’s orders.”

Alder: “Badass use Ops, no command word.” He’s cute.

Me: “Ops it is. Quicker too. Mader, Lerch, I’m three from down.” They roger and red light is flashing all over the place from the drones. Lerch is not playing today.

Command: “Jones, and Brundy are breaching land.”

Me: I yank the yaw and turn fast avoiding a surface to air. “Roger. Engaged.” I shoot the truck avoiding the next shot aimed at me. We bounce between drones and the smaller building like a hummingbird with rapid fire capabilities. “Jones.”

Jones: “I see it. Brundy, set down on the west.”

Me: The Chinook moves air in a way that you feel the vibration to the bone.

I drop the little bird down on the north corner so Jones can keep it secure and move fast. My harness is off, gun on my shoulder and gear vest and belt clipped.

Nash is bending for Alder who is ready faster than me. “I need a gun stuck to my vest.”

Nash: “The gear is Kevlar. We’re following you, Commander.”

Me: “I forgot to ask why everyone wears Kevlar clothes but they’d make missions safer.”

Nash: He laughs. “Head to toe cover. Badass doesn’t play.” No they don’t.

Me: “On the move, Com–Ops.” I follow the tracking on my helmet into the dilapidated building’s shell.

Command: “Heat signals show seven to the right. You got a large signal a door away, like in giant.” Eight is easy.

Me: I don’t answer and follow my tracking.

The Blackhawk is firing onboards at someones’ that would warrant multiple shots but it isn’t compromising our position in any way.

Alder being here worried me but Nash assured me he can shield them both.

They have better gear than I do so he’s probably right.

He laughs softly but I ignore it and point to the door with the giant heat signature with a hand signal for my one.

I don’t wait for Shep to move and say, “One.” Shooting through the wooden door that has seen better days.

Every shape drops. I turn and see the giant down behind the door to the right. “Clear.”

Command: “Holy shit. How do you know it’s not a friendly?” And “Next is a floor away, Commander. Drones show you’re clear right now.” Sound off at the same time in different voices.

Me: “Roger. Someone explain how the visor works before I’m shooting my way out of insurgents because my voice is drawing them closer.

” My whisper isn’t needed. The heat signals next are all small and the only metal I see are small bits and pieces on the heat or hardware around the room.

Nash opens the door and bends for Alder.

I step by. “Thanks.” The kids look terrified or their eyes do. They’re not moving - at all.”

Alder: “Badass Rescue you go home. You hurt?” A boy moves closer with a major limp and we see his bruised leg.

Me: “Who else needs medical help?” The kids move and we see a young teen girl on the floor trying to hide.

Fuck. I breathe deep and nod. “Shep, get the ones that can be moved out to the chopper.” The big Stalker moves, taking four kids to the Chinook.

Alder rubs a cream on the boy and I bend for the girl.

“We’re getting you back to the US.” She doesn’t look thrilled with that idea.

“Badass has a safe place for you to grow up in, that’s if we can’t find your parents. ”

Girl: she cries but I understand her. “They’re in a jail but no one knew where.”

Me: “We found you; we won’t give up looking but until we locate them, we can keep you safe.” She stands with my hand and I see bruises but she’s moving. “You okay to walk?”

Nash: “Mucimi said you’re clear to the next room. Downstairs to the left. I’ll get them to the chopper.”

Me: I nod and they're all gone. I look at Alder shaking his head. “That’s not a good way to establish trust.”

He laughs, then runs, so I follow with Forest and Marayna following us.

~*~*~

SOAR Rising

Julius

“Alder is Badass.” Mase has my shocked eyes on his.

“He shot the sword guy.”

His eyes don’t leave the virtual fight right in front of us. I have to say, the boards in Veritable Ops aren’t even close to this real. They’re in Libya, but with virtual it’s like I can reach out and touch them.

“I want virtual Ops.” Mase is crazy.

I shake my head. “This isn’t like the Ops room. I want an office with boards.”

He laughs at me and the little giggle has me turning toward Sarah. “I’m a lawyer.” I’m not a control for Ops.

She stops fast. “It takes some getting used to. We saw the Ops room but you do a lot more than we do. When it’s one to four a month, this works.

We have drones deployed for every Op and need what’s happening as it’s happening to help from here.

With so few of us on Specter, we used the support we had wherever we could.

There wasn’t anyone to call for backup. We were it. ”

I nod, understanding why they have the in your face, space and head Ops room now.

Mase laughs. “It is in your face and space but offers options we don’t have in the Ops room.

Christian used to amaze everyone helping from Ops with his abilities.

A room like this and we can coordinate, control and be eyes on the ground, whether we have ability or not.

It’s like the flight suits, just another layer of security we can open up. ”

It is like the suits. I learned to fly but Bishop mastered the suit to help in places he’d never be able to get to without it. They use the Law Club teams to do Ops that FBI and PD need an okay on every step. Those okays may lose them their arrest or the Brothers waiting on the answer.

Mase turns from the chopper rising. “You get it. Every tool has a purpose. We need to use every advantage we find because we remember what the fight is like without them.”

I nod really getting it. “The lessons of our fathers aren’t always from our fathers.”

He smiles watching the little bird chopper rise under the Blackhawk.

“I’ve been doing Ops since I was fourteen and abilities weren’t shown.

It’s been a long road littered with what’s next.

Prez was crazy with what’s next. Sometimes it was new daily.

Now the new is fun and there’s so much of it, nothing is surprising anymore. ”

I laugh at him this time. “I think the Protectors with ability will surprise us for life. You catch on fire regularly.”

He smiles like it’s a good thing. “I do. You should see Ayakuhsak. The boy just appears now. He’s so small, most people don’t realize he’s there.”

I shake my head. “Don’t, I need to log this.” That one scares me. He talks like he’s thirty. I watch the tracking and mark when they cross the line for Libyan air space. “Sarah, they got the twenty-three?” I should have kept the count.

“Yeah. You said you can get them paper?”

I nod. “Badass has FBI working on the guardian status. They were born in the US but need a guardian or family member or they’re in care. That’s how they ended up in Libya.”

She nods. “We followed the money. Alder was sending bank information to his guy Web before they left.”

I turn toward Mase. He nods. “Teller is on that with Hannah and Alexia. He said he’d have Hannah send you the link.”

“Thanks. Do you have a tablet or phone, Sarah?”

She bends and pulls the small tablet from her cargo pocket.

I hand her my phone. “Put you in my chat. My old Pres, Bishop, had a chat he shared with the lawyers for new laws or questions we’d need clarification on.”

She nods. “I’ll do that but the money trail detail isn’t needed by the teams.”

I smile. “No. It would be classified. Vapor should get everything and she’ll decide who needs what.”

She stops watching the choppers flying in formation to look at me. “Are you the VP?”

“No, I’m the lawyer and tutor for Badass. I’m new to Badass and still learning myself.”

Her eyes bounce to Mase so mine do. He shakes his head. “A VP is coming but he’s from Princes and needed a week. He’s Ops and admin oriented with ability but he’s like Putam. He’ll use it when it’s needed, otherwise he’s just merely awesome.”

I laugh. “He doesn’t catch fire.”

His smile falls. “I’m the only one so far.

Prez is the only one that can turn a building to dust, Citlali is crazy shielding and Zeke suspending time.

He shrugs. Justice and Mucimi can do everything.

Aiyana said Teller has more to grow. I’m never asking what she means because she told me at my house when she was at Princes. ”

I look at Sarah and wonder if my eyes are as big and try to adjust my face to blank.

Mase laughs at us both this time.

Shrugging, I sit at the table on the side and type the report with the information I listed as Ops was running. Just as I’m standing, Cort shows like he’s an Indian. I fall back in the seat to Mase’s laughing.

“He’s virtual. Your tablet was his way in. I look at the tablet then Cort. I’m not asking how. “I just did the report. Do you want it?”

“Send me the link, Amal. Put it up on…” he looks around. “How do you see Ops? We saw your board.”

I stand again. “I want a board. This is too real for what I do.”

“No fuckin’ way. We need this at Honor Rising. They run drones from here until the Brother with them is open to take them, like taking ground with chopper Ops so they can work together.”

I shake my head as soon as I see Cort’s eyes flash in that steely blue. “I still want a board. I can put this on the computer over there or open it above my tablet.”

Mase walks closer. “Send me the link.”

I do and he’s got it showing above his phone like the Law App does when you hit view.

“Any link shows if you click the three dots then view.” Mase teaches me something every time he shows up.

“Thanks. I see it but didn’t know everything shows like that.”

He nods putting my phone down on the table. The view gets bigger so virtual Cort can see it. “It’s the links. Every link goes to a Badass server doc or worksheet. They all respond the same as the apps.”

“That’s how Alder can type on the virtual keyboard?” I ask Mase.

“He uses an app he made for that one. For BSC Brothers with a job that opens a link and BSC Club Officers, the server holds links. Those links are saved and coded to show as hologram boards.”

“Thanks, Mase. I won’t open them outside my office or the meeting room.” I never saw Bishop open Ops reports. He opens the app all the time so I do. It’s public information anyway.

“That’s good. All links shouldn’t be seen by all Brothers. You take care with that.”

I nod. “Do we have protocol for it?”

He looks at Cort so I do and I’m surprised he’s watching us.

“Yeah. Amal, send who can see what hologram boards to Julius at SOAR.” He must get an answer because he nods.

“Basically, it’s who works on the sheets.

If it’s Ops, IT, controls and the Officers.

We show them in meets if it’s needed but no one else gets a link for it. ”

I nod. “I’ll remember, Boss. I count everything as classified unless I’m told different. I was held in contempt once for redacting a report the judge requested.”

He smiles. “Good. Do that and we’re all safer. This is war time Ops I haven’t seen before. She went into the building to rescue kids.”

I nod. “She’s initial firepower. Once it’s under control, the drones and Blackhawk slide into Security to keep her chopper, the ground team and mission secure.

They’re all aviators, medic, navigators, sniper and everything Delta, SEAL and Green Beret can think of.

They’re IT too. They built the room themselves. ”

Sarah is watching us nodding away. “We’re not all Night Stalker anymore but you got it right, Colonel. The Night Stalker name stuck when we moved to the classified team. The Major left it so we call everyone on the team Night Stalkers. They’re more too but never trained at 160.”

I nod in approval to her. “Classified needs to stay Classified. We don’t need more and Badass gets it. They’re never going to ask.”

Cort smiles. “This is going to work well. You get all the military. How do you know their training?”

“I did a lot of the TIG training to get the colonel rank. It’s how I was able to follow Bravo’s physical training easily. I’d done similar but not on any base. We weren’t required on the base in Virginia.”

He nods, but I see has questions. His head shakes quick and he turns toward the room. “Did Alder work in here?”

I smile. “He’s going to build it for the ABSZ IT aerial floor. They do drones from there he said.”

He nods. “Show me how this works with no boards.”

Sarah moves but Mase stops her. “I got it. Echo, replay SOAR/Badass Ops Libya.”

“Replaying now, VP Mase Blackhawk.”

Mase smiles at Cort’s surprise. “Just VP Mase, Echo.”

The chopper sounds start and I sit back down. Watching this twice doesn’t work for me so I look for the next job and pull objective.