Page 15 of Seamus: Unconventional
I nod. “Yeah. Get Light to schedule it for us.”
His phone comes out quick as lightning. “I’ll send it in a chat. If he’s not here with you, he’s working.” The boy’s observation and intelligence took me by surprise when I first met him. Shadow loves this kid because he’s like us, well, according to Shadow he is.
He strikes me as more Light, than me, or Shadow. The no-nonsense attitude and fact that he always knows shit I don't, which he never hides from me, has a well of respect bubbling over in us all. Leon is doing a great job with these boys.
When he’s done chatting, he smiles up at me. “He’s looking at next week’s schedule. He said this week is full.”
This is news to me. “It is? There wasn’t anything on it yesterday. Cort never showed.”
He rolls his eyes at me. “The Bits send everything to the K-9s. They’re your second. You need a human Brother to keep you straight. We got school today. Are we getting breakfast first?” He looks worried and I’m wasting time about my schedule.
Shit. “Yeah, let’s go to Leon’s then I’ll ride to Honor with you.”
“Wait, we’re seeing the new K-9s after breakfast.” Vinny isn’t going to let me or Mark forget that. I see Mark ready to answer and hold mine until he says his piece.
“They’re K-9s like all the rest of the dogs. It will take ten minutes and Pres’ partners would get rid of bad actors. Don’t be a bobble.” Mark shuts us both up. He’s right but we won’t learn names, traits or get any kind of feel for the K-9s in ten minutes. I trust my partners but can’t say we always agree. I want the chance to make up my own mind.
At Leon’s, I hold Vinny back and whisper, “I'll have Circuit or Shadow come get you at three. We can meet the new partners long enough to learn their names and personalities.”
His smile lights his face up and my fist gets bumped. “Thanks, Seamus.” That beaming smile carries through breakfast making Leon happy. I’m just happy Vinny called me Seamus instead of Pres.
***
Tent City - Maestro Club
Sitting here watching the crowd walk, I tune it all out and look through my new schedule that has almost every minute spoken for. Light made sure I have kid time, partner time and Brother time, then got pissed when I told him I need breathe time. This is my breathe time for today, according to the new schedule.
I smile knowing President doesn’t require more than a couple of hours a week in paperwork and I’m not planning hours daily at any other Club. Light took advice from the funny talkingnot-kid, Amal,at Phoenix that does Cort’s schedule. Harky crossed all kinds of time off the schedule I showed him in chat and he explained about the schedule that Zeus or Prometheus does. He said BSC schedules supplies for the jobs so all we do is show up, like the first job.
Supply for the K-9s is done by the Lead handler and tonight at dinner, Mil happily took the job. His new robotic hand and leg replacing the old-fashioned prosthetics he had is going to make my life easier and I’ll take it. I’ve never been a President, never commanded a team that wasn’t me and a couple of K-9s and had a two-month crash course in Badass while recuperating from a coma and chip surgery. I shake my head, that surgery and robotic skeleton got me up and walking again but I still need all the help I can get. Badass is crazy but they make the impossible possible with some well thought out effort, but I’m living proof. This is a new position but the same job and the three of us know all about what’s possible.
I need a VP or second. I have Shadow and Light looking through Donny’s bio but I like Light as VP. He’s qualified but Cort said it has to be someone he can pick up a phone and talk to. Asa told me to wait and he’ll help. I didn’t ask but if it can’t be Light, it’s Donny. I don’t like second choices; it seems like a cop-out to me. Light doesn’t care but I do. Shadow doesn’t want the job but Light is the best choice. He should be Pres and I would be VP but no one sees my partners for the soldiers they really are.
The giants headed right toward me have me smiling. I never thought I’d see so many giants. In the military we saw them here and there, but in BSC, they’re pretty common.
“Boss, Raid, Marks.” The flash of color has me smiling wider. “Justice, Teller.” They were hidden behind the giants.
Justice and his perpetual smile is like the Blackhawks I’ve met and Teller looks like his sister and is an almost identical twin. Everyone says they all look like his dad but Aylen has her mom’s hair. Justice laughs. “I look like my dad J who is at the ABSZ with Prez. He said you look like the Rubio guy but younger.” I have no idea of who that is and don’t ask.
Raid sits surprised. “I didn’t know Ben is here.” He gives Cort a look that I never would. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Cort’s eyes narrow. Reinforcing the reason I’d never give him a look like Raid did. “The email I got had your name on it. José sent it to all Officers.”
Raid’s head shakes, I look away noticing Teller and Justice watching Marks. He’s a smaller giant but still way bigger than me. He turns and smiles right out. “Smaller giant is an oxymoron. I don’t mind being an oxymoron.”
Teller laughs, they must have told him what I was thinking.
I throw him chin with a smile. “I’m paraplegic, I guess it’s all in the way you look at it.”
“Perspective, yep. So, how do you like the new K-9s?”
I tell him about them and the trainers while Cort and Raid talk. It’s low and I figure we don’t need it. Teller points at a handler and two K-9s walking along the makeshift cobblestone road that I’m told will roll up and be used for the next tent city. The leash and tight hold strike me as off. I send Light a picture and question mark.
Justice puts a hand on my arm and I feel his heat calming me like the feel of his healing. “Stick with your gut.” His low voice has me watching the handler that looks to be putting on a show for someone.
“Thanks,” I say softly but don’t look at Justice.
Light shows sending a red flag through the chip as the word comes out for Justice. “Chipped, these are the Omega group?” I ask my partner. He chuffs and I see the chip connection open to the new partners. They’re overwhelmed with gratitude and relief.
