Page 24 of Vapor (BSC #32)

Raven takes a step then stops and winces as I switch from laser to bullet.

“You showed the kid talking for a reason. We didn’t take our shot for three days because that reason was they were yours.

It’s respect we show. It played over and over and we watched it, then them. It’s six we don’t need or want.”

Vapor takes in every one of them. “Fear is not a business. It’s the evil these kids and that boy will live with for the rest of their lives.

You want to make money? Train them, teach them, protect them or stay far a fuckin’ way from them because Badass will do all that for them but you, you will not walk away. ”

Switching back to laser sounds loud, but I do it. The bikers never appear challenging. They nod looking humble, embarrassed, contrite. I lower the gun.

Cort hits my back then holds me up. “Good job. What’s this all about?”

He’s looking at my girl so I step back and realize it’s Justice holding me up and his hands are empty. He smiles at me. I throw him chin. I guess he was Cort’s ride.

Vapor explains. “These are the bikers that need jobs. They’ve had lists and books and Mucimi said they’re ready. We need members.”

Cort nods. “You do. They train in the BSC Clubs where readers can keep track of them. If they make it and want in here, it is your call.”

My girl nods. Cort hands a card to Raven.

“We had a list for businesses, we got members that cook and mechanics,” Raven says but doesn’t ask anything.

“Call and ask for Raid. He’s business.”

Vapor steps over. “Some aren’t from here. MC Colorado does straight Clubs, not the BSC.” She’s giving options.

Cort nods. “Good call. Ask for Brekan. He can get you into different states. BSC all have readers and Protectors with seer and other abilities. They would kill for thoughts, especially thoughts of hurting women.”

Raven nods. “I’ll train here or wherever for here. They got a kid killed; that’s on me.” He points to the moaning or passed out assholes on the ground.

I pull Vapor away as Cort talks to him and the other bikers watch. Jones catches up to us. “That was rough. Greg okay?”

I like that he’s worried over Greg. It’s where my head is. “Suzie is with him. VP will let us know. He said Justice is helping. I didn’t ask. They’re healer people.”

She gives Jones a heads-up. “Sarah is a mess, she barely got it out.”

Jones moves faster. “I got it.”

Vapor stops and sits on a bench. I’m all for it and sit beside her. What a day.

~*~*~

Vapor

“Cort didn’t leave after talking with the bikers,” Jones says, as he sits at the table with us.

“Where’s Sarah?”

“With the kids and carers. Suzie wants to take care of Greg and she wants to stay here.”

That stops my eyes from roaming around the new camp ground and pin on him. “You’re taking kids?” Sarah always said kids aren’t an option. We’ve seen hell on the worst days this earth has rotated around the sun, maybe she’s seeing heaven on the good days with a backdrop of Badass having our six.

His eyes soften. “We’re promising safety until they hit legal if we can’t find their parents.” He knows it’s not happening but hope may just get the kids through the worst, so they realize the sun does exist even on the worst days.

I nod. “Whatever you need to make it work, tell me. I don’t know shit about kids.”

He smiles with a shine to his eyes, so I focus on Cort coming up behind him, because I know he’s going to make me tear up too. “Greg loves Julius. I told him he’s their new uncle and you’re their aunt.”

My eyes snap back to him and I feel the burn. “I’m honored and will make sure they have a clear understanding of curiosity and how it can be used against them.” My shit head reply keeps me from outright crying over being included into their makeshift family…again.

Julius laughs louder than I’ve ever heard. Cort sits scaring the hell out of Jones making the shock on Jones face priceless.

“You….you…it …”

Mucimi appears at the end of the table with Aurora. We all turn, noticing her eyes stay shut, at least I notice. “Pres Vapor always leaves it up to you. You choose how everything happens.”

Jones glares at me as everyone laughs, I shrug.

“I don’t point you in any direction. I leave you to discover how your curiosity is not always good.

It helps when I’m still sporting a sore ass from hitting the floor or bruises on my body when you slam doors just before I walk into them.

” I give him my best smile. “You’re the big brother that torments his little sister. ”

His glare dissolves and he pouts. “You should have learned by now.”

I laugh. “I learned how to beat you at your own game, but I did it better. You’re just jealous.” I stand. “I’m going to see what Sarah needs.”

As I switch to the women’s side of the table, I hear Jones. “She’s never easy. How do you do it?”

Julius looks my way with a serious expression.

“I hear her when she’s quiet and stay when I feel she needs me.

She’s told me right along what she wants.

You told me the rest. She doesn’t need an audience.

Her strength is quiet, grounded, earned.

I never forget to remember it and show respect for all she is in a way she feels it the deepest.”

My boy next door hottie JAG. “Be Legendary is made real with those words. I’m glad you wear it for the dimwitted that need cue cards.”

He bows his head just a tad. The wink gets a snort out of me as I laugh with the Brothers.

Sarah hits my arm. “Enough of the kissy face. What do I do?”

I look at this woman that figures out tactical risk assessments, options and capabilities beyond military profiles.

“Get a book, get advice and relax. They’re not babies.

Ask what they need and tell me what I can help with.

CJ Blackhawk is at the tent with all the Blackhawks.

She does homes and can help or get you information. ”

Aurora finally opened her eyes and pulls Sarah up. “I know CJ.”

They walk away and the table laughs again. I guess everyone was watching. I shrug and focus on Jones. “I just need what my part is in you taking in kids. Do you need a bigger house?”

Julius laughs. I flip him the bird and watch Jones.

He stands. “I don’t know but we should ask the kids.” He walks in the opposite direction.

Cort laughs. “Wait until they ask. They may not need anything but time.”

I stand. “I got that.” Moving back to my original seat, I ask, “What’s your take on Raven?”

“He didn’t know about the kids. They do rides and help a hospital so seeing his members fuck with kids was a blow. He wants to help with the boy who lost his brother. He says he owes it.”

“How did he find out? Greg was yelling but the feed didn’t show his brother.” Julius asks.

“Mucimi.” Logan says sitting. “When he was a baby, he’d put his visions on a board.

He showed that in the bunker. The bikers with Raven wanted to just kill them.

That’s why Mucimi took them out of the bunker.

Raven was showing respect to you by not touching them.

He didn’t expect to see Greg and how small he is.

It hit him hard. He turned when his boy didn’t qualify for a cancer study and he couldn’t buy the meds.

His boy died and wife committed suicide. ”

My eyes close and hand is taken under the table. Julius holds on.

I like the way he stays.

~*~*~

Chenoa sits by me with one of her boys. I look but don’t see Teller. “Where’s your other boy?”

“Lili went back to change him. She’ll be here in a couple of minutes. I wanted to talk to you about the kids. The girl you're keeping here has no family looking for her.”

My head tilts. “She knows?”

She nods. “The girl wanted to see a boy at a 4H thing but her dad forbade it then dropped her across the border. She had no ID. Alan looked for her at the school and found her but it looks younger. The thing is, she’s saying a different story but knows she can’t ever go home.”

I look at her thinking this sounds a little more than sensational. “She’s someone’s daughter and she was dropped across the border? They’re deporting kids left and right.”

She nods. “I’m Indian, I know how horrific people treat their kids. Mucimi and Teller say she’s better off here. Her dad would marry her off like her sister if she didn’t get out. He would have but she threatened to run away and tell everyone about her sister. She didn’t want to get married.”

That’s fucking sad. “This is normal here? Not Appalachian backwoods hidden folklore?”

She shakes her head seriously. “It’s real.

Look up Mormon news, child marriage is legal in two-thirds of the US, look it up.

Under eighteen, your parents call the shots, girls get no say until they’re of legal age.

It’s not always religious, I don’t think it ever was but I’ve never been Mormon.

All I’m saying is the girl is safer here.

Child marriage is the same as trafficking kids. ” What the actual fuck?

“This is what we’re defending?”

She smiles. “You’ve gone for two groups of kids. You’re not defending the law, you’re fighting for the kids.”

I look up at the stars. Suzie was dropped across a border because she wanted to see a boy her own age at a farm show.

There is no way I’d have ever enlisted to defend this shit.

“Deported parents with revoked citizenship, trafficked American kids, and legally selling your daughters in a country that repealed my autonomy and wants to repeal my right to vote. Tell me what else I’ve been fighting for.

” Really, I want to fix the shit I didn’t lift a finger to fight for.

~*~*~

Julius

“Brother.” Bishop puts his arm over my shoulder. He’s not a giant but he’s close.

“Did Marli get her list?” I ask. He’s like Jones and holds the big brother title but he’s more about advice than pranks.

“Yeah, you did good with it. She sent an email thanking you. Falcon has a full Security team. They can work while Vapor’s bikers are in training.”