Page 4 of Hayes
“What if we like math and science? I don’t want to just play ball. I don’t know how to play ball.”
“Me neither,” said Spencer. “I only know numbers and formulas.”
Luke, Eric, Cam, and Hex took a seat on the dais, making them closer to the boys’ level. They waved them over to sit in front of them.
“Boys, you don’t know how to play ball because no one has taught you,” said Cam. “But if you don’t want to play, you won’t have to. What we’re saying is that you can choose to do whatever you like. Anything.”
“Anything?” asked Spencer.
“Anything, son.”
“Can I learn to bake cookies with Mr. George and draw cool pictures like Mr. Callan does on skin?” he asked. George and Callan were several rows behind them, smirking at the young men.
“I believe George and Callan would welcome that,” said Cam. “What about you, Nigel? What would you like to learn to do?”
“I want to learn to fish with Mr. Matthew and learn about international law with Miss Georgie and Miss Sira,” he said softly. “Can I do that?” Luke looked up at his grandfather, smiling, then at Georgie and Sira.
“I believe they would enjoy that very much,” nodded Luke.
“Good,” smiled Nigel. “Miss Georgie and Miss Sira are really cute.” The men chuckled, shaking their heads. Carl gave a playful frown to Nigel, who laughed at the big man.
“Now, who else is hiding in the auditorium?” asked Luke.
All the men turned, looking for the other hidden children. Hayes and Victoria were sitting out in the open, but Brady, Marilisa, and Monroe couldn’t be seen.
“Brady? I know you’re here, son. Come on out,” said Eric.
“Y-yes, sir. Are you going to spank me?” he asked.
Eric frowned, still seated on the dais. He waved the boy down from his hiding place beneath the chairs. He walked slowly, preparing himself for a spanking.
“Brady, take my hand,” said Eric, holding out his big arm and wide palm. The boy stared at him, looking down at his hand. He set his small, pale hand in his own larger, dark one, and Eric carefully closed his fingers over the boy’s hand. “Listen to me, Brady. No one here will ever spank you unless you’ve hurt someone or damaged property intentionally. We choose to make rules, and we expect those rules to be followed, but we don’t hit children.”
“That’s a relief, sir,” said the little boy. Eric smiled at him.
“Now, is there something special that you’d like to learn?” he asked. Brady looked around the room, finally seeing the two men he wanted. He pointed to Rory and Noa.
“They’re awful big, and I know they know how to fight and hurt bad people. I want to learn that too, so I can protect my friends,” he said.
Rory and Noa stared at the boy, then at Eric. They would be happy to teach the boy self-defense, but what they reallywanted to know was why the boy wanted that. Noa and Rory turned to Hayes and Victoria, hoping they could fill them in.
“Brady lived with his father near the sea. Brady was obviously very curious about everything to do with the ocean or any body of water. His father was a fisherman, but he killed dolphins, sharks, anything he could for a dollar. He didn’t care what was in his net. He sold what he could, keeping the rest for himself. He often killed whales and sharks for countries or companies that wanted them for their own benefit.
“One day, a man came to speak with his father about his business. His father was gone, but Brady knows everything there is to know about the sea,” smiled Victoria. “He told the man what his father did for a living. He was only four at the time, but as you can imagine, he sounded much older. He didn’t realize he was sending his father to prison.”
Luke, Cam, Eric, and Hex stared at the boy, then back at Hayes and Victoria.
“The man left, but Brady’s father was hidden outside and heard everything. He beat him incessantly with a fishing rod. He denied him food and water for days. When the police came back, they arrested his father. The Einstein school was there, ready to take him. His father had already sold his son to the school. Brady didn’t know it then, neither did the police. They just said the father had arranged for him to be sent to aspecialschool,” she said sarcastically.
“Brady,” said Rory in the softest voice he could manage. “Brady, I will teach you to defend yourself, but it will be a trade.”
“A trade, sir?” frowned Brady.
“Yes. I would love to learn more about the sea, about our bayous out there. I’m not a sailor, and I’ve never been very goodat fishing. Can you teach me? I’m kind of slow,” he smirked. “I’m just an old Marine.”
“You’re not just a Marine, sir. You were MARSOC. I know what that means.” Rory chuckled, lifting the boy in his arms, tossing him into the air.
“Noa and I will work with you twice a week on how to defend yourself. School comes first. Always. It’s important.”
