Chapter One

Anchor

"Anchor!"

I run to the door to stop KC from pounding on it. "What the hell? I'm off today."

"You coming to breakfast?"

I shake my head. "I was going to make it because I'm off today."

He pulls me out the door. "Come to breakfast. Everyone is excited about being able to move in today."

Pulling my arm away isn't working here. "Let me go, KC. I can walk."

"Why are you in utilities if you're off?"

"I was going to help move furniture or whatever they need and the utilities show I'm a member not a mover if they have questions."

He nods. "Good thinking. They'll know you, though. You got the electric hooked up for them. Last night the electrician told them it would be done tonight."

"He should have stayed last night. I finished at two. The Commander came to check on me and hooked the last batteries up. Everything is tested and working."

He stops to open the door to the dining hall. "The electrician was at dinner. He didn't go back to help?"

I shake my head walking in. "Alder brought dinner and ate with me. We got the streetlights on and I went back to finish the houses."

"Alder was everywhere yesterday. Wolf had to change training because he was at water training. Wolf said he doesn't go in pressure or something."

I nod seeing the table of old people beside the Officer table. Racks pushes a chair out, so I take it. "Thanks, Racks. Pres, Alder, Brothers." I acknowledge noticing no one from the other table is interested in me being here.

"I thought you'd be sleeping," Pres says it like a question.

"I was going to make breakfast, but KC doesn't like my cooking."

They laugh. The Commander shakes his head. "You're a good cook. He dragged you here?"

"Literally, until I told him to let me go. Since I'm here, I can find out where I'm needed today."

Alder doesn't like that. "You look young same to me. Brothers forget my age, pick me up, no ask, I shoot now."

They laugh but I answer him because he's serious. "I'm going to try that one, Alder."

He nods once. "You finish all houses?"

"All the buildings. Solar is working and tested." I turn for the Prospect. "VP's two, coffee and juice."

"Roger, Boss." He turns to KC and Racks.

"You eat same to Alpha-Bits."

Alder makes me laugh."No, Boss. I'd never make it on your portions."

He smiles. "Same food to you size. VP Mase, Nash same food to Alpha-Bit."

I look at the Commander not knowing what VP Nash or Mase eats. "Yeah, LP. We all pretty much eat your menu but bigger portions. KC eats everything here."

"The Virginia Club had a serving line. We took what they put on the plate," Racks tells them.

I nod because we did. "They had some weird food and a lot of meat."

Racks agrees but Alder shakes his head. "I will make new menu to healthy meals, Brother portion."

"Thanks, LP. I wouldn't mind some of the regular menu they have here, but it takes forever to order a la carte at every meal."

Wolf jumps in on this. "The Commander is right and the a la carte is always more than the plate with food we don't usually eat on it."

I nod.

"I will fix." I see why everyone loves the little guy.

"Can we get smaller portions too?" A woman asks. We all turn toward the old people. It's the first time we're included over there but no one seems excited about me being here. I think KC was excited.

"I make menu to elders at Bravo. I will send. Pres Stan, cook to elders?" Alder is a good Brother to everyone.

"Food service is sending someone. They'll talk to Aurora and decide the best way to handle food on that compound. They're always welcome here but may like having meals without dogs and trainees everywhere."Flame makes me smile because she's not used to the dogs yet and Pres is always surprised by what she does or knows.

When I turn my head, my eyes lock on the blonde with sky blue eyes that are rimmed with tan. No, that's flecks of pink. "An albino?"

Racks elbows me. "That's Drew. She doesn't like the albino reference."

"Okay." I turn away seeing Alder and Locke watching us. I shrug. "I'm mixed and never minded the word." She's beautiful in an unusual way, I guess sort of like me, but her hair is pure white like the Alpha-Bits and her eyes are stunning with the rim of pink in the blue. My short yellow hair is lighter than when I was younger but I'm outside more as an adult.

Alder nods. "I…no offend albino word. Alpha-Bit albino, Asian. Boss Racks, you offend to white hair same to Alpha-Bit?"

I smile at Racks. He elbows me again shaking his head for Alder's answer."Not at all, Brother."

I hold my smile in. "My hair is white and yellow, but it's always been on my head. I'm used to it now. When I was in middle school, I dyed it black to fit in, but that didn't go over well. A teacher said it's there for life, so I need to get over it and be me. I guess I did." I smile when they laugh.

"You no have pink eye, Boss Racks, Boss Anchor." The little President shrugs. "I still claim you Brother to me."

I laugh right out with Wolf, KC and the Commander. Racks has no idea what to say. He's got platinum hair but pure blue eyes. Luckily, the Prospects have food coming out.

"Boss Anchor, you work today?" Oliver asks.

"On-call but I'm heading over to help with the new houses. Is there anything that needs to be finished or do you need something?"

"I make plant in Alpha-Bit house. Locke say you build water to plant."

I nod. "I have a mister I spray at night but drip lines for the poles. Do you have the plants on poles?" I drink my coffee; glad it got here.

"I come see. Plant to table, dresser."

"Yeah, if you have time after breakfast. I can make you poles so you don't have water spots on your furniture."

"Two, Oliver. I will go."Alder has my hand stopped before it's at my mouth.

"Two?" I ask.

"Security to Alpha-Bit." He doesn't really explain that. I need Security?

The Commander helps me out. "They're never alone with Brothers."

I nod. "Good policy. I'm good with it."

They laugh at me. Whatever. I eat my breakfast trying to figure out how to turn and see the white hair, blue-pink eyed woman again without drawing the Brothers attention.

***

Drew

"Anchor called me an albino."

She rolls her eyes at me. "You're an albino. What do you call me?"

"Aurora. I don't describe you."

"You're a little loony. I'm black. I feel bad for Anchor. Can you imagine growing up with blonde-white hair and light skin as a black boy who is black only in facial features here in America?"

That stops me. "He said he dyed it black in middle school. I tried dying my hair red, but it didn't stick. I never did that again." I thought he dyed his hair pale yellow and he doesn't get outside much. He doesn't look black.

"What did your friends think?" Friends? What friends?

"About what?"

She rolls her eyes again. "Your red hair?"

"Only the Homestead people saw me. No one cared what I did."

"You didn't have friends?" Now she looks concerned.

"Preston is a year older than me. We hung out a lot when we were younger. I spent most of the last couple of years working and in school."

"The pompous jerk that said he's marrying you?"

I give her a look. "He said it. I'm not and never was marrying Preston. He told my dad we had sex so he'd agree, I didn't agree. He fits the mentality of a preteen study I read. There were men I liked but I wouldn't marry them either. Thinking the world is out to get you while planning ways to cheat people first isn't a quality I want to base a lifetime on." My whole life was spent thinking people hated me for no other reason than me being me.

"Good girl. My grandma would be proud, Drew. She told me you really didn't understand how they all could love you for you. Helping them get what they lost was big in times like these. Actually doing it, and risking your life was huge. You hung out the window and shot their tires, twice. Malcolm said that takes skill and training."

I don't know what to say and look around the dining room. Her grandmother died because I drained the Homestead account and gave her back her money. Preston is an idiot, but he has some computer ability. Idolizing my dad is going to get him locked up. Hopefully that's soon and I can figure out what the heck I'm supposed to do with my life.

The men took the old folks to see their new houses or went to work. The Pres man, Anchor and the little albino President kid are still at the table. Racks has work so I'm floundering here or at the new place. Idle isn't good.

We turn when the door opens. The smaller albino comes running in with a handsome man following him.

"Boss Anchor, I ready."

The guy behind him raises his hand. "He said he doesn't need Security."

"It's okay, Ari. Alder is going with him. Is this your last week here?" The Pres man asks.

"I'm here until Alder is back on the ABSZ. The Club is done and Keylan finished the compounds with his build crew last week. They don't have a full roster yet, so I'm not rushed like the new Clubs were. I may get a week to see my family." The man's smile makes him gorgeous. Oh my, my.

Aurora hits my arm getting my attention away from the new guy. Her eyebrows are lifted and she shakes her head no. The woman is weird.

The guys laugh and I look back seeing Anchor bend for the small albino.

The President kid runs right toward us. His eyes are on me, so I turn in my seat. "Miss Drew, I see you at new compound one hour. You school to sociology interest to me. I have work to you. VP Keylan say he free one hour."

"Where at the new compound? We haven't seen it." We were in a bunk house the old people loved, saying it was like a slumber party. I never slept like that, so I stayed quiet and did what they did. It wasn't much different than being at my aunt's house but me and Aurora got to sleep in top bunks. I smile at the little guy.

This surprises him. "Pool area. You new house there."

"I have a new house?"

The man-child looks back. Ari walks closer and bends. "What's up, LP?"

"Compound to elders have house to Miss Drew, Aurora. She no…" he waves his hands around his head.

The Ari guy nods and turns toward us. "You both have houses set apart from the others with two empty worker homes to be finished today. One should be medical, the other food but he thinks Aurora will take that. He needs you for some work and will meet you at the compound with VP so he can explain the harem and work."

I look at Aurora wondering why she'd be smiling at all that. The little guy didn't say all that, but the Ari guy said it.

The man laughs getting my eyes back on him. "I'm a reader. LP's brain runs fast so words escape him. It's easier to let a reader decipher what he means. Like now, he's got studies and reactions in his head with a million plans and a list of Alpha-Bit up-cycling that he thinks is stupid because we recycle everything." Studies, plans?

Since he's looking at Aurora, I look at the little guy."I'll be there, thank you for the house. You're the architect, right?"

"He's everything from doctor to pilot," Ari says shortly.

Everything? He's like six.

Ari's eyes change. "He's older than you. I'll get someone to clue you in before your meet. Aurora, explain readers and shit. Someone should have prepared her for the freak show."

"One hour, Boss Drew, Aurora." The little President runs and Ari follows at a jog with Anchor and the little guy he's got on his back following Ari.

I look at Aurora. "He corrected what I thought."

Aurora nods. "My grandmother was like Ari."

"I'm glad you're here Aurora. I don't have freaky and can't explain…" Pres man looks from me to above me, so I do too and jump.

"Who are you?" The man and woman are like a picture from an amazing modelling agency but in the same kind of clothes the people here wear. Theirs are camo blue and black which I never thought about for camo, but the colors work well together achieving a sleek and more professional look in camo wear.

"Zeke and Nagíla. Everyone is busy so Zeke offered since he's off. I came to help since I'm not busy either. I'm mute but Alder had gloves made for me so I can sort of talk."

"The little President kid is really older than me and wants to give me a job?" I might as well ask the new people. Something is definitely wrong with me, but I need a job and to know my possible boss isn't six.

Nagíla and Aurora laugh but no sound comes from the woman, she's like a beautiful silent movie that makes me smile with her.

"I think the same thing when she laughs. It's beautiful. So, we're from Flight Guard. Alder is into everything. The Alpha-Bits were CIA experiments grown in labs out of the US. Alder has a compound of over a hundred at any given time. The rest float between the BSC Clubs on what they call a circuit. They're programmed or grown to excel in IT, but they all don't work just IT. I have a little Brother that heads hospitality and food for my Club of trainees and our Officers. Here they get to choose their jobs. You looked up Badass so you're familiar with the Clubs and the good we do. Alder hires women to work for him. Stella invents shit or makes old better with less impact on the environment. Jane does computer storage on the satellites or something. Natalia codes and builds virtual computer shit. Maiyun does Indian history and finds information for Alder or any of the harem. Copper builds things like Nagíla's gloves and the new material for the gear we wear from spiderweb patterns. He has more but…"

Nagíla's hand hits his stomach. "I'm a vet. I take care of emergencies for the ABSZ and our Club is at Elan so the horses there are my day job." Her gloves tell me.

"Do you know how unreal this all is?" I ask in case they're missing the reality everyone else lives in.

"You were contemplating where your life was headed. As unreal as this is, this is where you landed and stay and you're happy with the job and life." Zeke scares the crap out of me, but it calms my mind down all at the same time. I wonder if there's something in the coffee, it would explain why I think it's the best coffee in the world.

Zeke laughs but stops quickly. "Drugs and Badass don't work so that's never happening. We don't drink instant so you're drinking real coffee made with ground beans in a machine. Stan had some questions for me. You got this, Nagíla, Aurora?" With a look to them he nods again.

"We can explain and I planned on getting her a real coffee maker for her new kitchen. Thanks, Zeke, and nice to meet you." Aurora plasters a huge smile on.

The man vanishes. I stand up and look around. Pres and Zeke are just gone. Plopping back in the seat, I hold my head. "He vanished with the Pres guy."

Nagíla's gloved hand touches my arm and my head clears so my eyes fly to hers. It's not the coffee I'm feeling, that warm feeling and clear head happened like a zap or something.

"It's called freaky by the freaky people. Not all are Indian, but we have Indian stories, so we've heard about abilities that were passed down for generations."

My eyes snap to Aurora. She nods. "My grandmother had ability. She was called a psychic, seer or reader. I've been hidden my whole life because people are loonier than you and wanted to kill readers and anyone that could do anything they didn't understand." Aurora is looking right at me. She keeps saying I'm loony, maybe I'm losing my mind.

Nagíla doesn't agree. "My Lakota told me it was a way to stop the ancestors from gathering. I bet Maiyun would know the stories but there was a push for the good happening to be stopped. You'll always be safe in the BSC Clubs, Aurora. I'll give you Maiyun's chat before I leave. Anyway, what you need to know is the ability people can pop in and out at any given time like we did. They can move things and suggest people do things to help rather than hurt."

My eyes go right to Aurora. "You got the clothes that way? The van and truck?"

This woman that's been with me for a month now nods with a big smile. "I did."

"Why didn't you or your grandmother tell me?"

She rolls her eyes. "You were just ready to pass out over Zeke leaving."

Really? "The man disappeared!"

"The guy that provided sperm for you scammed everyone associated with the senior center out of their houses and savings. When Nonna said you didn't know, she asked me to help you, so I'm helping. You never left the town you lived in, the gas card had you stumped, the food store had you hyperventilating. When should I have told you?"

I take a deep breath and nod. "I needed help, I didn't expect the fire and never would have made it out of town. I thought you were my friend." I never had a friend and thought she was a good start in my new beginning.

Her hand takes mine. "I didn't know it at the time, but you're a great friend to have. I'm sticking close and count you as my BFF."

Clapping has us both turning. "The gloves are cool," I tell Nagíla's gloves.

We get a lecture from the gloves about not saying cool. The gloves and Aurora blow my mind while we walk to the new senior center compound or whatever it's called. The Alpha-Bits sound cool and Alder is the king of that cool according to Nagíla. He's housing slaves from the human trafficking news we heard about. They even have a bakery they're using to repay the Clubs for saving them and they learn to live without owners. I think I love the little guy already and don't even know him. He's helping women learn to live. I bet it's with his experience of being saved from CIA experiments.

Aurora hits my arm. "It's because he's an albino like you, the same being familiar. Don't start pouting over the albino word, you thought of it for Oliver. You were sheltered, not owned. Now pay attention, she's telling about the Club and how we can help so we're not costing the Clubs money."

"Racks has it covered but didn't tell me I'm living here."

She shakes her head at me. "We're not freeloading off anyone. You're educated and able to work. We all can work for our new homes and community. Racks is your brother and smart but he's not freaky and can't see the future."

"Yes, ma'am." I shut up and follow while paying attention. I hope I can make enough to help. I'll look up jobs when we stop. Since freaky sees the future, I'm not stressed but think I should be. Aurora got clothes for eleven of us from Macy's, the passenger van and truck all for less than twenty grand, the little President man-child is real with the other two albinos I saw, Ari corrected my thoughts, Zeke and Nagíla appeared, then Zeke disappeared with the Pres guy. It's obviously happening here and now. I'll work to stay here and find a way to help. The Badass website has so much it does, they have to have something that I can help with.

Aurora is right with Nagíla for a good hour. I'm a little lost because I don't understand some of the stuff they talk about. I watch and listen.

"Boss Drew, Boss Aurora, Boss Firefly say I invite elders to Vision tonight! Safe and fun to elders!" The little guy turns around and runs the other way, right to a golf cart on the road.

I look at Aurora. "He didn't wait for an answer to his invite. Was that Locke or Oliver?"

She laughs. I turn to Nagíla and see she's silently laughing too. I guess we're going for safe fun tonight. Before I can ask, clopping that's getting louder has me turning toward the trees. This is definitely not anywhere close to the Homestead I grew up on. The houses are all shaped like wobbly hobbit houses, the road machine just laid a road to where our new houses are supposed to be like it's a carpet and the king of cool little President is galloping on a big beautiful black horse with a white mane and the brightest blue eyes that sort of match mine.

"He's stunning, Alder." Aurora beats me to it so I nod.

"Boss Jane imprint training young before sold. Pres Cooper buy older, gift to me Eric. I name Norse king to honor Pres Cort." He twists and slides down the horse using the mane to hold onto. The horse bends for him as if bowing. Unbelievable. I shake my head, but the horse is still in his bow and the little President is patting his neck. "I will whistle I done to meet."

The horse is up and moves closer to the tree line where they appeared out of. Even the horse is trained like a human.

"You win, LP." The gravelly voice comes from behind us.

I turn back and watch Anchor getting closer noticing how his hair looks lighter in the sun. LP, Little President, that's cute. It took me long enough to get that.

The LP nods and points up then to the tree line. "Ari watch to me drone, Protector dog stay to me I no leave compound. Vision tonight, he show."

I see the dog now that he says it. That's a huge dog like the others that ate breakfast at the table this morning like they were human. I have to admit, they were cleaner and behaved better than some of the guys at the Homestead.

"Boss Nagíla, thanks to you show help to me. I no words explain freaky. Fuckin' crazy not good explain."

I smile at that. "I wouldn't have understood. Nagíla and Aurora talked about crazy stuff, but I see it's real and understand the basics better."

"Good you understand basic. Freaky change every day to more, new freaky. Brothers same. Badass good to help more civilian, crazy get more crazy everyday," he shrugs, "end result always good to more. You learn sociology. I no understand how predict to end result."His hands wave around his head and he looks at Anchor.

"He's got too much happening in his head. Ari said he's never stopped on one thing long enough for Ari to understand." That voice gives me a shiver.

I nod feeling the same, my head is spinning with weird thoughts. "I get it. I did learn sociology, but that was on the Homestead without interacting with real people. I can count on my hands how many times I went to town." That's not a good way to get a job.

"Elders here, they happy, stay, have purpose?"

I nod. "They will. They stayed with me to help get the charges dropped. The police are part of my Dad's group, so they knew I wasn't going to be let off easy. That goodwill, belief in doing right and respect will transfer to their new home. These are all people who could have walked away once they got their money back. They've tried to pay me for everything right along. I can't take their money and explained but they said I needed a family so they're it."

Aurora nods. "We all need that family too. Drew showed when we needed her most and we're not letting her get taken back to those despicable excuses for men. There were three women there. The others were in their fifties, cooked and washed clothes."

I stop her with a hand on her arm. "I wasn't a maid. I was expected to help the next man run the place. It's huge now."

She rolls her eyes. "Her aunt died almost a year ago. She was the only sane person Drew knew."

I stop her again. "Racks wrote me every week. He's been away forever."

"Stop. I see elders will fight to you. Anger to you before house." Alder looks at Anchor.

"Your upbringing. You're not angry but the elders and Aurora are. To you, it is what it is and you're moving forward."

I nod fast. "Yeah. It wasn't all bad and I know most was lies now. People don't hate me. The old folks and Aurora showed me that. It's over and I changed what I could."

He nods like he gets me, but he doesn't know how I used to think. He wouldn't talk to me with that gentle voice if he did.

LP nods. "I have job to you. You be ABSZ harem, retire benefit, Boss Nagíla explain. Part-time I pay, virtual, Boss Stella, Natalia explain. I make office here to Rescue, you work?"

"You'll pay me and I get retirement benefits, like unions?"

Nagíla's hand turns me. "Not union but a house on the ABSZ, all their technology, Security, a truck, medical and whatever you'd need." Her gloves tell me.

My oh my. "Yes. Part-time means I can still work to help pay to live here?" I don't sleep much; I can do a full-time job. It will be like working and going to school.

"Pay same to Boss Nagíla. You do more, I pay more."

I watch the hands and grab Aurora's. "Fifty grand a year? For real?"

"You need more?" My new boss asks.

I shake my head fast. "No, that's crazy high now. After food and board, I made three hundred a month for clothes, personal products and internet."

They're all shaking their heads. "You worth more. Internet free with house, phone only expense. You buy special food, clothes. House here paid by you brother. All recycle, all labor donate. Pres Cort give land lease, I pay. No bill to you, elders. Solar, wind, water free."

Aurora is squeezing my fingers. I'm too shocked to pull away. "Say yes and thank you, Drew."

"Yes, and thank you. This is unbelievable. Thank you. I'll do everything I can to help you with whatever you need. I have aBS in military technology and applied science if you need that." I can probably get the master now that I'm done with sociology. I got the BS to shut my dad up. Sociology fascinated me. I didn't know people like the ones in the studies I read.

"Pres Cort come to see you. He interested military. I need people, reaction I no see."

"Whatever you need. I'm too shocked to think, LP. Do I call you LP?" He's my boss now.

"Alder, LP. I no care. Thanks to you work to me, office done tomorrow. Today, relax. I see you Vision, later." He runs away whistling.

My head shakes trying to clear what just happened. Five minutes changed my life. My whole life. Retirement benefits. I don't know anyone that gets retirement benefits.

Aurora laughs so I turn to see why. The horse bends but not all the way down. Alder never slows his run and jumps, landing right in the saddle. "Wow. He rides a lot?" She asks like we didn't just see that happen.

"He's a ninja or master in martial arts. There's a lot to LP that I don't know but that would explain the jump and aim. He's a scientist for everything and has a photographic memory. You can pick something and he's probably learned it. Most is so he can keep his Ford Brothers safe. The Commander knows him pretty well. He worked for Alder for two years before moving here. I just got a bunch from Ari and have known him for like a month because he shows every once and a while. He's earned the respect he gets by doing so much for everyone. Bishop said he makes life better. It's what I've seen so I'll go with that." Anchor has all kinds of information about my new boss.

"Do we go down the new road that was rolled out like a carpet?" My head is swimming in all this new, weird, information.

"I'm waiting for the moms to get here. Pres and the Commander's mom adopted us all. They may want to move here. Pres told me to offer and encourage it. I can answer questions later if you have them."

I nod having a million questions now. "Thank you. Questions are all I seem to have lately. Getting answers will help."

Nagíla takes my hand and Aurora takes the other. We walk holding hands down the new cobblestone road while Aurora goes on about Alder and the Badass good in our new world. My mind is snagged on the road that slowly rolled out like a carpet. Unreal.

***

Anchor

"Anchor!" KC yells. It's how he always calls me. You'd think I'm missing something, but usually it's him excited about something only he sees.

I walk to the door and open it, then turn back and get my holster, gun and coat from the island without a word.

"You're ready?"

"Yeah, Racks said six." After my coat is on, I check time seeing I have ten minutes.

"You finished the two new houses?"

I shake my head passing him and walk out. "I helped the build crew and ran the pipe. The plumber was called to the pool. It was a small crew, so they only had one, he got the dog set up over there and accessible showers."

I nod, glad he closed the door. "Yeah." I was there."What was the job?"

"Flood. The dogs are good in water." They are. We've all trained with them at water training.

The Commander had me meet with Alder to explain for him. Since I don't know Alder well, I went right to Ari, he got me up to speed with what Alder would need from me. It was easy and Alder thanked me with lunch. Today he was flying in a mini Flight Guard suit.

"It didn't take long."

"A levy broke. We hauled ass to make it back for the Vision. The county has a couple more that Pres will go look at."

I smile. "He's fixing it before it's a problem."

"Yeah. The Commander said it's a thing for him. We're cheaper and get it done faster so people can actually afford to fix their shit. I think the Commander's build team is going to start working those jobs."

I sit on my bike and nod. "It's the plan. The Commander was keeping them busy until they had steady work out of the area."

"How do you know all this when you're not on his team?"

My eyes snap to his. "I'm in the same meetings, work the jobs and know every one of you and how you'd plan for what's needed next. Pres is just like the Commander, so nothing is different here. The question should be how is it you act like I should be surprised by us doing our jobs?"

His head snaps back. "Because you're not on his team."

I watch Racks getting closer with his eyes pinned on KC."Is this you saying you miss me on the team?" I ask KC.

Racks smiles and throws me chin. I give it back.

"You still know everything when you're not there on the choppers or job."

I shrug. "So do you. What's up with Joe?"

"This is a team thing." KC has Racks shaking his head.

I shake my head too. "We're off, you're not required to show and he'd love the Vision. Open the door to that closet you locked him in."

The Commander laughs coming up from the side. "Good job, Anchor. He doesn't listen to me. Maybe you'll get through."

I nod. "He doesn't realize he's in his own way. Joe is a good Brother but he's not going to put up with being hidden forever. I told him about the Vision tonight so he's meeting us there."

Racks and the Commander laugh. I shrug.

KC is pissed. "You called Joe?"

I shake my head at the jealous dipshit. "You act like I'm the one who is clueless. He's on the build crew and was running pipe with me today. I know he's got a Brother dogging him, he likes the time you spend with him but wouldn't mind being included into your life. He hates gay clubs and is excited to be on the new build crew because he's the highest on the print team, but he didn't own it. I caught it."

The Commander bumps my shoulder almost tipping me. "You took the advice. Good job, Brother."

KC looks from me to the Commander. "You told him to invite Joe?"

Racks laughs getting on his bike. "He told you to invite Joe. Bet Anchor got different advice."

Level and Pres show with the little Brothers, so I don't explain the advice I got. I did use that advice and talked to Joe today.

"The women are riding with the elders. Wolf and Bret are driving and a team is on them. We have them at the park with one team and the dogs.Alder and the Bits have Ari, his partner and a full team.You're always alert but the dogs and teams will let us know if there's going to be trouble. Relax and have fun, Brothers." Pres is a cool President.

I throw chin with my Brothers while Locke and Oliver roger him. They're cute Brothers.

"Where's Alder?" Racks asks.

"At the park with Ari and his partner. He was adding technology to one of the museums. I figure we'll see it so I didn't ask." Pres is like me and doesn't ask more than he does.

The first van honks from the road letting us know they're moving. We all follow Pres and the Commander out to the road in front of the vans.

"They have their own access?" KC asks.

"It's an open gate but feeds show who is on the road as they drive in." The Commander answers.

"Are the moms moving?" I ask because I haven't seen any of them since breakfast.

Pres answers, "They are. You did good, Anchor. My mom said you answered everything and she saw no downside. My brothers won't show with an audience to see their whining or browbeating antics just to be ignored."

I laugh because she told me and I knew she was serious. "She mentioned that. Ma Stone liked the idea of being inside the compound without the trainees so close, but neither told me if they were moving."

"VP will get with Alder for the house plans. They gave him specifics for smaller houses. I didn't think about her having to clean a house she only lives in half of."

I didn't either. "I told them we'd make what they want and even help build it. They liked the bigger kitchen not being in their house."

The Commander laughs. "They drew sketches of the same layout as the hobbit houses with the kitchenette and bigger living-dining rooms. The only difference is a big closet along one wall for their treasures. I'm handing it to Alder."

"I'm glad they're moving. We need to make sure they have the golf carts," I tell them.

"Wolf said that. What's up with the golf carts?" Pres asks.

"Your mom isn't driving so much, Pres. Ma Stone drives them around. The cart would give her more mobility. Besides that, the one with a deck in the back would be good for their food delivery. The carts fit in all the gates and they'll want dogs."

The Brothers laugh but Pres is surprised. "She's not driving. We got her a new car."

"Once they move in, we can get why. I asked my mother, but she didn't know. The compound has a house for a medic."

"She can move in with us. I have the room."

I shake my head. Pres is worried now and not thinking.

"You tried that and she said no. She'll have her own space, be close and you can follow her on feeds if you need to. Ask about her driving before you chain her to your house. Maybe she just doesn't like to drive." The Commander has good points.

We pull into the Vision before Pres asks. "You all agree?"

"I just got adopted but think the Commander is right. I didn't ask because it's personal and I don't know her well. I know she wants a dog and the golf carts were mentioned when I took them on one. She can see all around her on it. Maybe she can't see out her car windows. I didn't ask." I shrug getting a nod from him.

"Thanks. I was thinking she's going blind and it could be she doesn't like the new car." He smiles. "I'll ask before I shop for those chains."

The Commander laughs. "They're here. You can ask tonight, Stan."

We turn seeing Wolf holding his hand out for the elders and all move to help.

***

We eat at the restaurant, walk the Vision, stop at museums, sit, then walk some more. I watch the wonder on faces but keep getting caught up in Drew's reactions. Everything is new to her, but she doesn't ask a single question. I don't think she's said more than two words to anyone. Racks watches her but doesn't stay close to her, or Drew moves back to Aurora is more accurate.

When we sit again, I ask. "Why don't you walk with Drew?" The woman is alert but she's acting like Security, not part of the group. Everyone else is animated and engaged with the group. They're old people, they draw everyone in their conversations.

He turns to see her at the other table. "This is all new and she's learning it. They lived in my aunt's house together for a couple of weeks before it got firebombed but they didn't go out. Aurora had supplies brought in."

"She'll get it. Did she get the job today?" Wolf asks.

I nod. "Part-time from Alder. He said Cort is coming because he's interested in the military part."

"He runs crazy Ops, has she been trained, Racks?" Pres asks.

"Yeah, it wasn't Badass training, but she can shoot, drive and fought right alongside the men. When I left, she was going on 14 and had been following the same training and work schedule I was on for years. We never worked together when she got older, but I heard she was good." He heard? She believed he defected I remember someone saying. Shit.

"Firefly is talking to her about work. She may like something she's never done or heard of. She got the job with LP; she needs time to find herself."

Racks agrees with the Commander. "She does. We used to build and ride whatever we'd make all over the Homestead. Here she's protected, has more freedom to roam and technology to learn. There were more men than women on our part of the Homestead, but most women didn't leave their houses and were like FDLS women with the old-fashioned clothes and shit."

My head whips toward him. "More than one wife? Aurora said there were three women there. The other two washed clothes and cooked."

He nods. "It's sectioned. Our section was single men and us. The families are like sharecroppers that we protect. Those men weren't fond of Drew wearing pants and carrying. She got away with being a boy until she hit her teens. She couldn't roam the land or go into town once she refused to cut her hair. I thought my dad was going to hold her down and shave it." He shakes his head. "She stood up to him and I swear I saw fear in his eyes. He let her be, but we were separated and I never even got meals with her."

"You were the bad influence?" Wolf asks. It's where I got too.

"Yeah. I left less than a year later. My aunt was friendly with a wife that heard my father threatening to bury me. They were fucked up families, but you don't kill your kids. It's not God's way." He smiles. I don't think I'd be smiling. That's worse than mine fighting the courts for rights they never used. Being left in care was better than killing me.

"I'm glad you made it. You spent two years at Stanford?" Pres asks. We all look at him. "Ranger said you were a Stanford whiz kid."

Racks relaxes. "Yeah, he was in online classes from a base. We had a group project and met up once. He had to pick me up and borrowed a truck to do it. He'd call and check in every couple of months but then I didn't hear from him. I was recruited so I took it. He loved his job and Badass." He shrugs.

Pres looks at me, I nod. "I graduated with honors just before I hit seventeen. A counsellor helped me get legal and a garage apartment. I had a full scholarship, but I took online and was recruited before I finished. I got the paper but was at Pendleton when I graduated. They sent me right to training with the engineer officers after boot camp. I had no idea what was going on, I was a Marine. They'd say I was going and got me rides to wherever, so I went." I smile at his surprise.

"Someone at Pendleton was recruiting. That's how I got there but I was on campus at Cornell," Wolf says.

The Commander nods. "It was the Badass plan for me. A Brother introduced me to the recruiter who took me to testing. I even ran drills with Marines. I was an Enforcer, so it wasn't much different, but they weren't Badass. The recruiter did everything to make sure my mom was taken care of and I got the sign bonus and redid her kitchen a year before I left. It was crazy but Badass was right with me, so I never thought much about it."

"You were the only one going to the Marines?" Pres asks.

"No, your Clubs were Army. We had Marines and Navy. The others were east coast. I was the only one going west coast."

Wolf stands. "We were recruited for the team. You said you wouldn't take the teams and they offered you rank."

I nod. The Commander told us that. It's odd that we never talked about how we got to the team.

Wolf points. "The women are up. Raiden and the Bits must be done with the rides."

The Commander turns fast seeing his Firefly is fine and I see him relax. You'd think he was worried, but I know him, he's pissed at himself for missing a couple of minutes without her being the first thing on his mind.

"Where's KC?" Pres asks Level who is not with the woman from the restaurant.

Level shrugs. "I wasn't with him." The girl must have had a break he filled.

I help him out. "Joe took him to the new building technology that Alder just added." I bend for my new best friend Oliver. He loves his new plant poles.

The Commander smiles, bending for Alder. "He's on the build team."

I nod watching Drew who is watching Alder climb onto the Commander. Her eyes move right to mine when the Commander stands. I throw her chin and she turns away fast. Fuck. Why would I throw her chin? I'm an idiot.

"Boss Anchor, you science, why you train Security?" Alder asks.

"The government trained me and gave me the job. Here, I use the training to do this job. I like this one better, LP."

They laugh but Alder isn't. "You make what you need to Marine job?"

My eyes go to the Commander. This is classified but I don't know how much we can say. "Yeah, LP. He's a little crazy with what he made but it's similar to the Alpha-Bit builds, causing movement then gathering the energy."

Level laughs. "I remember the PVC sand and baking soda blower. The whole thing was plastic and powered itself."

They laugh but it worked. "It added a layer of waterproofing and protection, so it worked. We got out of the rain within a week." I remind him.

The Commander nods. "That's top of the best of the best. We used his idea to get high pressure showers in our quarters then were building shit like that everywhere we went."

They give it to me. "Yeah, thanks, Anchor," and "Good job, Brother," comes at me.

"You fly?" Alder asks.

"No, LP. I'm not a fighter pilot and Virginia didn't need me as a pilot. I went right to a ground team."

"Transport to me ABSZ."

I shake my head no, but Ari has it. "Cort will fuckin' kill me if I put you on anything but a BSC chopper with a full Flight Team, LP." Ari gets a look, but he ignores it. "When? I'll get you on a chopper."

"You work tomorrow, Boss Anchor?"

"No, Brother. Today I was on-call but tomorrow I was hitching a ride to ABSZ or Phoenix. I want to see the towns without being rushed through."

"You see IT, Ops?" Alder looks proud.

"No, LP. I'm more interested in the new material and how you build. We had to make everything but here we have parts. So much is new but gets the job done. I saw an invoice in my paperwork with a $700 motor. It's a motor we made regularly and we did it with canteen metals and parts from other supplies that cost under a hundred bucks total. That's a huge difference for pretty paint. It was straight black."

The team laughs. I shrug. "If we could make the parts we use regularly, we could make more on the jobs and put people to work without charging seven hundred bucks for those motors. Water is a common job here so the motors will be in demand."

"It's a good idea, Anchor. That town in Louisiana didn't have a lot to work with."

I nod for Pres and bend for Oliver. "That's why I took running the pipe, we used it to power the sensors for the spillway. Racks had enough supplies to make the solar for both of us. The Commander has the water that's flowing generating enough that the power company is buying it. It will help the town."

"Ice cream, Boss Anchor?"

I smile at the little guy. "Thanks, Oliver, but I'm still full from dinner. They only have your size or normal portions. I'll wait here for you."

"Thanks, Boss!"

He makes me smile running away. Locke and Raiden run by.

Alder stays here but he's not on the Commander's back. "I get new menu to restaurant. You go to ABSZ tomorrow. I have manufacture plant. You want science, invent work?"

I look for the Commander. He's shaking his head before I can answer. "He's ours, LP. He was made for this job and is here for life."

"ABSZ…"

Pres cuts him off. That's not allowed in their rule book but he's a President too. "Not a fuckin' chance, Alder. He's Rescue for life or you take us all and explain it to Cort."

"Fuckin' Brothers. He no answer." He gives me a hopeful look.

"Sorry, Alder. I love building new and finding ways around what seems impossible but I'd never do it if I were stuck in an office. I love this job because I can help in ways that matter. You come up with better material and parts and I'm using them. I love anything recycled and appreciate that you're using it everywhere, but I don't want to just build or do one job. I like training and doing all the different jobs we're sent to."

Alder looks at Ari so I do. "You don't see Justice or Jack every day. You can come see Anchor and Keylan whenever you want, or video chat them, or build your virtual shit. Is this why you took vacation here? Prez said you can go to Princes."

"Prince's crazy more to Protector compound. I no vacation crazy. I vacation leave crazy behind. I make hologram. You freaky no work." He waves his hands around his head and runs to the ice cream cone with the other little ones. Ari watches stunned, then jogs after him.

I laugh with Pres and the Commander. "Princes must be really crazy."

They both nod.

"Virginia wasn't as easy as here and thinks New England is heading into a different universe or something." Racks has everyone quiet. That's true but a sobering thought. Freaky is just weird.

We walk and sit again and I'm relieved when Raiden has had enough. I have a list of shit to do before I can go to bed. If I'm going to the ABSZ with Alder, he'll probably keep me there forever.