Page 65 of Vapor
“I’ll see you at dinner.”
I find his new sort of kids and let them know I’m watching out for them and appreciate any feedback they have on their job. I remind them I know nothing about kids and need all that help desperately. I think they laugh at me but don’t turn to look. My partner is walking by a boy that has a look to him that strikes me as too confident, too old for his age.
Greg moves right for the kid. My eyes find Julius. He nods to a woman and points out a skinny little waif of a girl. Suzie takes the girl’s hand. The youngest in this group is nine but this girl doesn’t look nine.
Julius takes my hand and walks behind the kids and Honos. “An hour with the kids then dinner?”
“Yeah, I’m hiding after dinner until tomorrow morning.”
He laughs. “No sleeping on lounge chairs tonight. Our house is a lonely place when you’re not in it. I was considering sleeping on the lounge last night.”
I lean my shoulder into him. “You’re so cheesy but I do love you, Julius the JAG. You could have spent it with me on the carrier. I liked you being there night before last.”
He smiles. “Show me how to virtual me to you from the couch or bed. The table was rough.”
I laugh at the Badass JAG who ranks with my Night Stalkers on the Badass Leaderboard. “You’ve done the leadership tactical decision-making with the full 62-day phases. Crying over sleeping on a table just doesn’t fit the Ranger Creed of displaying the intestinal fortitude I heard all about.”
He stops and turns with his eyes searching mine. “Night Stalkers have their own creed. You know Ranger?”
I keep the smile off my face. “You told me all your Creeds.”
“You remember.” He shakes his head and walks.
I smile and figure telling him I know all the Creeds because I researched to write one for the Specter Team doesn’t need to happen now. It’s more like the Night Stalker Creed because of the pledge to embrace secrecy and never surrender but I’m not telling him about my relentless quest into Creeds because he’ll want to know my Creeds and I have other plans.
We take the tour with Enola, Catori and Kimimela. They’re in their element and have all the adults smiling when they take turns speaking one right after the other like they practiced it. They're not shy or shying away from so many Brothers and new adults here with the kids.
When they go through the common areas I hold Julius back. “Were they warned about the extra adults?”
“Yeah. They asked for you, me or Logan. Logan promised he isn’t leaving them with everyone here.”
“He’s a good Brother. Do we know what Club he’s going to?”
He walks me into the kitchen. “No. Everyone laughs about the Clubs but I think Cort opens them to keep the Brothers working, the military in jobs they’re trained for and the community growing. The communities are supplying everything we need. We don’t have a greenhouse or crops growing.”
I nod seeing what he means. “Solar, wind and water energy, the cement carpet stuff, Lego block buildings.”
He laughs. “Yeah, everything we need. We’re not a Club that needs to grow for towns. They’ll provide what the other Clubs don’t.”
I read about that in the Officer Lead, Teach and Enforce Lessons. “I’m reading about businesses for sustainability. I think it’s a VP lesson but it gives a whole list.”
“Jack at Bravo sent me his notes. He grew up in the Club so his lists are detailed.” We stop when we reach the kids in the living room section. They’re amazed with the game wall. I smile seeing the relief on the kids' faces. They were expecting another jail I bet.
A boy explains Badass to them while walking out the door to the playground.
“That’s Tyson, he does Little Brothers and Sisters.” Julius points. “Mag is his dad, the SAA at Bravo.”
Those eyes. I nod to the man but he doesn’t look away. “I think I know him.”
He smiles and walks our way. “The wonder girl from Pennsylvania?”
I laugh. “Yeah. I met you at the recruiting week the Air Force put on. Captain Bailey, right?”
“You did. I flew the old scout in.” His blue eyes sparkle.
“Our handler told us you flew classified. I guessed right.”
He nods. “No one ever guessed that one.”
