Page 4 of Vapor
“Boss VA Vapor no Badass app.” Aaron has information scrolling the air in front of him too fast for me to read. They definitely are IT. “No Sheriff, no MC Affiliate Club.” The boy is thorough.
“I’m on my way to a job interview. My old team has been out for a few months and are gathering at a ranch in the mountains now that I’m home.” I wince because it’s not really an interview.
Julius looks let down by that. “Here?”
I nod. “About thirty miles away.”
“It’s not the Champion land, is it?”
“No, but I’ve heard the Champion name from Jones. The county Sheriff was a friend of his dad or something. They traded cattle and hands.” The news causes his body to relax.
“Boss Julius, we get food.”
Julius nods, standing. “Yeah. Virginia, I hope you’ll come back. We can show you the Club.” He remembered my name.
I nod. “My truck should be done. I can give you all a ride back.”
Anton shows me his phone. They’re done patching me up and look bored. “Boss Bishop here. He follow Alpha-Bits to Club fifteen minute.”
Julius laughs. “I’ll catch a ride, thanks for the lesson, Aaron, Brody.”
The boys ‘roger’ and run. Julius the JAG shakes his head. “We call it the messenger run. All the Alpha-Bits do it.”
I like the little tidbits of information he gives. “Julius the JAG, I was ROTC then enlisted. I've lived out of the country my entire adult life and didn’t recognize what I came back to. For the first time in almost a month, I found a place that isn’t pissed I’m breathing their air and the people are friendly enough to talk to me like I’m worth the energy. I’m hungry for more than chips and have questions, you seem to have answers.”
He smiles before I even ask. “Come have dinner with me so I can ask questions about your mom, the inventor of Kevlar.”
I’m up and so glad I stopped in the weird old-new town.
Chapter One
One month
VA Vapor
Champion town
The town looks exactly the same as the last time I was here. I’ve replayed the few hours I spent here so many times it seems more dream-like than real. I guess I expected the town to show that dream-like state but the wonder and friendly atmosphere is real with every nod and smile I get just walking down to the park.
“Boss VA Vapor! You come back safe!”
My smile feels huge. The little dark haired IT genius kept track of me better than Moss from my new company did. “I am Aaron. The crew and our passengers are safe too.”
He nods fast with a huge man throwing a shadow all around the little guy. I stand from my crouched position thinking this is more than a little odd and it has nothing on flight suits that have no obvious jet pack harnesses. The huge guy’s hand goes up. “I’m Jinx Solaita, President of Veritable Rising.”
Aaron agrees with a nod. “Pres Jinx come I ask. Pres Cort say Badass help to run Op you mission. Kid help important to us.”
The little shit knows more than he should. “It wasn’t just kids.”
The President, Jinx, with the swirling cyborg eye and body armor shield on one side takes a step closer and I register the huge dog step up from behind him. “We saw how the rescues that paid funded the kid rescues.” This is such a bad time for thisout in the middle of the sidewalk. The President Jinx looks back at a man in the same uniform. “Thanks, Kyler. He’s telling me we need to get behind a door. Aaron asked Cort for help. Cort sent me and Kyler, my VP, so we can explain while avoiding whatever Aaron misses. The Bits are better typing but they get excited.”
I nod to the VP guy and smile at the President. “I’ve seen the excitement and messenger run.”
Aaron explains in that excitement and misses words proving his President true. “Anton crazy, fly too fast hit Boss VA Vapor. We fix pack, come clean, stitch, here.”
I laugh and follow the VP guy into the same 50’s ice cream shop. “The back has a private room we use.”
I nod and follow. The last time I was inside here it was empty. There are eight customers today.
