Page 8 of Vapor (BSC #32)

Two days

SOAR

VA Vapor

The sun is bright today causing me to don the very cool aviator glasses that don’t fit military standards, but we weren’t on any one base, our orders came through coms or by phone, therefore, the cool shades are a long-standing part of my life.

“Commander, where’s Chief?”

Keeping a steady pace without a reaction that owns guilt, I shrug and swing into the truck. “He was supposed to be at the truck. We have a meet I’m not late for, Sweet. Send him to Veritable when he moseys his ass along.”

He snaps a salute and I close the door with a slam. The slam was for show but anyone who saw it will think I’m annoyed as hell and Jones’ accident will take on the accident moniker without me saying it.

“How’d you learn to do that?”

The deep voice shocks the hell out of me. “Fuuuuck!” Yelling, while straightening the wheel, slamming on the brake and pulling my gun happens all at break neck speed. When my eyes face target, I drop the gun on the seat. “Don’t fuckin’ do that? You don’t show in my truck without a warning.”

Mucimi, with huge eyes, nods. “You’re faster than…”

“No. There is no cute-ing your way out. Warn when you show up.” I re-holster my gun and start driving. “How’d I learn what?”

He watches me for a few seconds then smiles. “You didn’t aim to trap him you assumed his movements.”

My smile is huge. “Never. His curiosity causes more shit for him. I just use it. He would have to start the tractor then get down to watch the pulleys move the fabric and clip the next bolt to see where I routed those pulleys.” Figuring how to get him snagged into that fabric took me hours but I got it and set it up knowing he’d do the rest.

He looks down with a smile. “He did. Sarah is yelling at him about messing with your stuff. Why?” It’s a good question.

Sarah was supposed to help me get the fabric laser cut and folded for uniforms for the teams when we get back from the job.

It’s a bit of a production for the new laser cutter to make basic clothes for kids but fabric was delivered and it would give us a chance to test out the cutter.

It also gave me a way to get Jones back.

“Couple days ago he carried Sarah into the house and pushed the swing I was on hard enough that I landed on the deck ass first. It was payback. He does shit when and where no one sees it so I respond the same. He always wonders but never asks.”

He shakes his head. “I left him to Sarah to see why. Badass and mean-to-be-mean doesn’t work. Sarah thinks he’s like a kid always touching or doing things he shouldn’t.” His smile has me nodding.

“I read that about Badass. Mean to be mean isn’t in me. Jones is Jones. It’s been happening since I met him and I’m sure he’s kicking himself but it’s good natured and he’s always annoying me. I never had a big brother and think he decided he was it.”

Now he laughs. “Mase is like that. Readers are tough to surprise but Mase is everyone’s big brother. He’s annoying and the most thoughtful.”

I sigh. “Don’t you hate that? There’s no way to stay mad at the jerk. I love him to death.”

He laughs. “Yeah, Mase would stand in front of any one of us but he can get on your nerves. He’s everyone’s favorite uncle.”

We trade annoying brothers that we love stories back and forth on the way to Veritable. As I pull in, I realize he’s still here. I don’t know him well but he always shows and goes intermittently. At least he was like that yesterday.

“You’re in this meet?”

He shakes his head. “Next one about the kids. My life isn’t always easy. You live to be happy like the Bits. Aaron keeps saying you’re like them. Copper is like that too. She just wants to work her job, live her life and smile more than cry. Seeing that helps my not so easy days.”

His seriousness stops me cold. “You left Jones to make sure I wasn’t another angry at the world dipshit?”

His head turns toward the window. “The next kids you get are sold. They aren’t just deported.”

I nod having thought it from the intel we got. Some of the adults were paid for so the kids wouldn’t have parents or a home to go to, making them a commodity. It’s the reason I want them safe to live.

He turns his head to see me. “You knew.”

“Yeah. I’ve done more black op missions than I can remember.

” I pause looking at my hands on the wheel.

“No, that’s a lie, I remember them all, I don't want to. The thing is, if I don’t remember, I won’t care that kids are out there.

I won’t care that servicemen died or left pieces in other countries.

” I swallow feeling my eyes burn. “I won’t care if my team or yours needs help that I can offer.

I have to remember because our world is changing and too many are forgetting to care.

We need those kids growing up learning how to take care of each other, then us, because we’re going to be too old to do it anymore.

” I try for levity as a tear drips out of my eye.

The reason we enlist hits me all over again.

He moves so fast, I yelp. I never yelp. With a hard kiss to my head and a low, “Thanks,” he’s gone.

The noise I make isn’t a laugh but it could have been. I breathe deep, wipe my face and slide out of the truck. The freakiest of freaks, according to Nash, really is freaky.

The Prospect holds an ID card out to me with a smile. “I saw you’re on the meet today, Commander. I have the Crew Lead, I mean Chief’s here too.” He looks toward the door.

“He got hung up at the barn. He should make it.” I turn in time to see the laughter coming from Cort’s second, Justice and an obvious Indian I haven’t met. Justice is a reader so I give him a look for reading me. He ignores it with a smile.

“Putam Blackhawk. I’m from Rescue and have the plans for the kid bunkhouses at your place outside of Champion.”

I nod and follow the stairs up to the meeting room with them. I wonder if they realize or can read that I’m a marshmallow inside. “I’m Vapor from Night Stalkers.”

They both laugh again. “Every Brother here is a marshmallow inside. We’re like you and show it by fixing shit,” Putam explains.

More freaky. “Stop that. Military has me trained to keep the mush hidden.”

Justice shakes his head. “They’re idiots. We learned compassion from young. Caring isn’t a weakness and bullying isn’t strength. I heard of a sniper on a base in a Carolina that was held back because she cared too much. Why would you want bullets flying from people that don’t care?”

Putam makes an equally valid point. “ Who would want bullets flying from people that don’t care? I hope every shot a Brother takes is considered, warranted and deserved.”

I smile at that. “Julius said more shots are laser than bullets now.” I liked that it mattered to him.

Justice nods. “He’s right. The Alpha-Bits followed Ops for the last year and made an app so they’d have up to the minute numbers. Phoenix has the counter up in their Ops room and it shows on a board at every Club for Church.”

“Aaron showed me on his phone but I didn’t understand. He said bullets and laser.” I need to pay better attention to the information he shows me.

They smile my way and Putam leans to open the door for me. “Unless you’re late, we walk in.”

“Thanks. I’m on the Badass crash course but don’t think I’m anywhere close to the end of it.”

Justice laughs. “You’re never going to finish. We’re all still learning, otherwise we’d have moved on by now, or the Clubs would stagnate and render themselves obsolete”

A tall man and gruff guy laugh and agree throwing chin.

Justice points, “Presidents Spano, Nova, and VP Keylan. That’s Chenoa and Mase is the one on fire over there,” he helps me out by pointing with names.

“He’s always on fire.”

I turn knowing that voice. “Captain Decker, it’s been a while.” He still looks too young.

“I heard your team went down. I was shocked when Pres said Anton ran you down up here.”

“He did.”

He waits then finally asks. “You went black?”

I nod, not wanting to elaborate. “The four that survived.” I give him enough to know I can’t give details.

He winces. “Glad you made it. Sarah?” He had a thing with her buddy.

“She’s part of the team here. She’s been out for a few months now and married my crew chief.”

His smile is real and I think of Mucimi who would be happy to see this. People living and caring touches something in him that helps with the not easy days. “Good for her. I’ll look for her next time we’re up this way.” He’s a good guy reconnecting with Sarah.

Pulling a seat out I sit and Justice sits by me. “Mucimi is upset over the kids. He feels what they go through. Thanks for showing him how to see it different. I don’t know what you said but he told me you get it.”

My breath blows out. “Thanks. His not easy days are way different than mine. His girl is meeting my navigator today.”

“Sarah?”

I nod, surprised he’d know her name or know that she’s a navigator.

“I don’t try to read anyone it just happens. She’s the opposite of Aurora and feels emotion deeply.”

I nod watching men come through the door. “She does but her perspective is different than mine. I wouldn’t think of letting the kids decorate the bunkhouses as a form of therapy showing them they can control their future.”

Decker laughs. “Is she going to strip it every time the kids move on?”

I look at him choosing my words. “I’d help if she is.

The point being she sees something I never would.

I didn’t grow up with siblings, had a dad and mom that died young.

I don’t have experience on family bonds and wouldn’t know how to fix that when it’s broke.

She was labeled too emotional to promote.

What the military considered a weakness, I see as knowledge that I don’t have.

I don’t care if she spouts that with glassy eyes. It’s knowledge I never got.”

“Knowledge is power and the smart girls use it to keep the macho men under control.”

I smile at the blonde girl that just showed in a chair.