Page 51 of Seamus: Unconventional
I’m slammed from the front and fall straight back not able to move my feet fast enough to catch my weight. Luckily, Ben and Putam are pulling me up before I hit the ground. “Bloody Beast! Pay attention. This isn’t the robotic Op skeleton.”
Shadow throws pictures at me. “Whatever the hell you want if you stop bowling me over like a footballer.”
Ben laughs. “Footballer?”
I shrug, pulling my cargo side pocket to straighten my foot out. “American soccer player. I grew up in Scotland.”
He nods. “I don’t read everything. Some just comes to me but it explains the land there.”
I smile. “Yeah. We’ll never be safe outside of Badass so it’s not an option.”
His smile lights those proud Irish green eyes. “I’m putting a Club there. We have one in Ireland.” He’s serious.
“Maybe we’ll get to see it again after all.”
“Any time you’re close or you just want to reconnect there. Presidents have security that will go wherever you do. Take advantage of it when you feel the need.”
I hug him this time and he laughs. This is an amazing night all around. Now I just need to get my new girl moved in to my house and add a bed for Judge Sam in with the partners. I send it to Light, getting a chained to a tree emoji of me.
I smile looking for him but I know he’ll do it.
Chapter Nine
Maestro Club
My meeting room isn’t big enough for the giants and number of Brothers scheduled for the earlier meet so we do an overview with an outline of protocols for everyone to follow. The Leads close us out with their parts.
All that’s left are Web, Alder - who strike me as best friends more than older and younger brothers, Ben, Jessie - who is one of Justice’s dads, Cort, Kristos, Bishop - whothrows out the laws for the States whose highways we've tracked, Brinks, Light and me, Brinks, Light and me.
I scan the room. “So the after-meet meet?”
Cort smiles and Ben elbows Jessie for laughing. He’s definitely the haughty older brother like Light. Light sends me an honored sign and death glare. I roll my eyes at him and Ben laughs.
I smile right out at him. “He definitely matches you in the too cool to be a stick in the mud Brother.”
Now they’re all laughing.
Ben thanks me, then focuses us on the top players. “Jessie and Justice are going for the general. Because he’s a well-known part of the news cycles, the general will suffer what looks like a mental break that starts angry and turns unhinged.”
I like it and have no need of the how. I’ve done similar but this is done in a day so it’s faster than I could do it. Brinks leans forward and Cort barely shakes his head causing him to sit back. I smile and watch Justice say it works. It’s good enough for me. Everyone here right now could stand with any Delta operator and be accepted as an equal.
Ben’s head whips my way. “Even Bishop, Web and Alder?”
I shake my head at him. “Seers can’t have seen as much as you ability Protectors. Every one of you. Delta isn’t about who can do the best at any one thing, it’s about who doesn’t quit. Every problem has a solution, it may not be the best solution but it is acceptable with the least disruption to the plan. Delta operators find that solution then don’t give up in achieving it. We’re not the best anything unless you count running with a rucksack.”
Brinks laughs loud, nodding. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him loud.
Cort is surprised too. “Why the best at running?”
I smile at Brinks. “Stay in the phase you're on. Every test was about endurance but it included running with a rucksack. The run gave time to think. We never got approval or an indication of where we stood for the test but they pushed to see what we could take without losing focus on the phase we were on. Once you clue into the point, you follow the phase until completion. It guarantees their orders will be followed or we’d die still fighting.” He’s so right.
I nod. “Language was the weirdest but it’s how I knew I chose the right path. It was a made-up language that we learned as if it was English. They told me afterwards that they make it up based on where we grew up or who our influences were. The point was like Brinks said, follow the phase or testing you’re in and focus on completion.”
“That shows in how you kept going when you were paralyzed in Pakistan. Brekan said the connections you make in the countries you work in is for emergencies or contingency plans.”
I nod to Cort. “It is, Boss. Sometimes we’re teaching a village to fight or fighting for them. It’s nothing for a soldier to shoot, we’re trained to shoot. We come from countries with different attainable supplies that they may not see, know or understand. We can build them solutions, parts, or take material that’s accessible to them used in a different way to make life easier. It’s not about strength or best shots. It’s about overcoming obstacles quickly with solutions that are acceptable to the majority or command. Linguistic ability is a plus but it’s got tiers like everything else. Some wiggle to easy, some go to harder dialects. It’s three years but most of that was while we work. I grew up with three languages so picking up even the made-up shit got me into a higher tier set of op plans.”
Brinks jumps in. “It’s true, Boss. If you don’t pass language, you’re out but knowing English, Samoan and Pueblo, Cheyenne and the bits of Navajo made it easy for me. I took team not wanting grim reaper Ops. I was used with a smaller team but never alone overseas.”
