Chapter Five

Two days

Anchor

Seeing the clock, I shake my head, I slept for three hours. Yesterday was busy with a nap in the afternoon before our next job. Walking out of my house, I'm surprised to see Racks sitting on his stairs. "Brother." Now I'm surprised I surprised him.

"I couldn't sleep anymore."

I nod. "Me neither. I'm going for a swim."

The Commander runs through the gate and jogs in place to close it. I surprise him too. "Commander. We couldn't sleep either."

He spins quick and smiles. "We?"

I look back. "Racks went to get shorts." I'm guessing here, but it's a logical guess.

He nods and walks with me. "You settle down?" It's been busy but the busy keeps my mind off Drew.

"Yeah. I slept earlier so I'm done for the day." I'm not talking about Drew and how she seems to be living in my brain. Every thought starts with her.

He probably knows because he's smiling. "Me too. I was going for a run but I'm not committed to that."

I laugh. "Our last job was easy. I think they're all easy but the last was minutes. They had crews waiting for us to lift the car up. Since they were there, we used their equipment and did their job for them."

He laughs at me.

Racks catches up. "Can't sleep either. My clock is all screwed up."

The Commander stops, then moves through the gate. The splash we hear has to be why.

"Good, form better." Alder tells the dog that pops his head up.

The dog is out of the pool fast. I take a step over and the Commander laughs. "Prometheus, this is Anchor and Racks from my MEU core team."

The dog stops. He's another fuckin' giant. "Brother," I acknowledge him and elbow Racks.

"I'm Racks. You're bigger than Nike."

The dog chuffs and I relax.

"He's a Raider Commander that was stationed in Korea." The Commander fills us in.

"Hooyah." Racks has me rolling my eyes, then laughing. "Alder, why does he have matching trunks on?"

He does, the aqua with orange palm trees is a match to Alder's shorts.

"Prometheus my Security Boss Ari go to ABSZ visit to parents, Brothers. VP MB loan Prometheus say he need vacation. He go where I go. Boss Ari swimsuit. Prometheus suit. I make shades to sun, water bottle, bag, water shoe we leave." He points to the chairs and sure enough the dog has all the same shit as Alder has on his.

I look at the dog dryer. "There's a dryer right there. Why the towel?"I get a look.

"You use dryer?"

"Nope. I've got nothing else." I'm not pissing off a President.

Racks laughs. "Since he's replacing your human Security, you have everything a human uses for him?"Racks gets an eye roll.

"I no see you…junk. I wear suit. Shoe to no hot feet, water to drink, towel to dry, shade to sun hurt my eye. Prometheus work to me help Boss Ari, he have vacation same to me."

The Commander laughs. "Works for me, Brother. Did you finish your hover craft?"

I like the happy face he changes to. "I print to you house you on job. We hover to here." He points and we go to the back gate to check out whatever the hell he made.

"What was that cartoon that had a saucer? The dog was stupid. It had appliances that made meals and shit. And what was the robot…Rosie!" Racks has me stumped.

The Commander knows and hits Racks' arm. "Jetsons. Yeah, this looks sort of like the bottom of that but with two captain's chairs. He put drink holders." He laughs. "How does it work, LP?"

"Come I show plan."

We go back in and I'm holding in a laugh. They're both in their matching shorts, shades and water shoes, leaning back on their lounge chairs.

"It's still dark out." Racks has Alder's glasses up.

"He train to use glasses. Feel comfortable sun come up."

The Commander sits. "Good plan, LP. How does the hover thing work?"

"Easy to me alone. Me, Asa. Prometheus heavy, we test, then come here. Ride smooth, higher to Prometheus, lower to Alpha-Bit. I make better thruster to K-9 passenger."

Racks cracks up. "You're building all this on your vacation, Brother. Vacation is to relax."

"I relax. Brothers come here stop my relax. I like build what I want. I like build new house mask technology. Printer to road brick. Hover machine. That relax. Meeting, Brothers problem, no relax, work. Show Boss Anchor ABC Lab, relax. New idea, time to me think, good. I Alpha-Bit, all no work is vacation."

I smile. "It looks like it's working for you for some of the time."

"Work to me, I here relax." He drops his glasses back down and leans back.

The Commander laughs. "The plans?"

"I send to you chat when I no relax."

The Commander and Racks laugh.

Wanting news on Drew, I stand and move toward the other side noting the dog never moved but watched us all. I bet if we reached for Alder, we'd have lost a limb, but he stayed in that same lounge position the whole time in alert.

"VP Keylan, you build crew use new brick plan to sub division one."

I hit Racks when he looks like he's going to say something and shake my head.

"Whatever you send them, Brother. They worked here so they know that one." The Commander sits and Nike comes in from the back gate.

"You make easy to me relax." Alder has me squashing another laugh.

"Anything, Always." I know the Commander means it. He loves Alder and all the Bits.

"He always says subdivision like it's two words," Racks says softly.

"To him it is. The three make one job for him. You don't correct a President. He shoots, Brother, and he has real guns." The Commander has Racks nodding.

I stand, figuring a quick swim will clear my head so I can talk to Racks, but as soon as I put my phone down it rings. It's an Ops ring. Racks and the Commander's ring too.

"Clocks ticking," Racks says.

I look. "Ops gear. My clean is at the Club." I'm already jogging for the gate. "Have fun, Alder."

"Later." Is all he says. He's Badass through and through.

We gear up and wait at the portico but KC, Level and Wolf are all that show.

A minute goes by before we hear bikes, then a chopper. Cort shows seconds in front of Pres.

"Brothers, a valley in Iowa has a flood going on. Someone is stopping their rescue personnel from getting to civilians in one neighborhood in the middle of that flood. Six PD on the force but they're not equipped to deal with the flood and snipers. The department of Public Safety made the call because it's not their only flood and clearing highways isn't taking a backseat to a backwoods yahoo. So, the job is stopping snipers that are stopping rescue. Gut feeling is there's a reason for that shooting that won't be found until the water is gone."

I look at the Commander.

He takes three seconds to come up with a plan. "I need two to swim?"

Racks nods. "I will."

"I'll go," I volunteer.

He nods his head. "They need cover."

KC takes it. "I'll cover."

"So, Wolf, Level and the VP are hunting for snipers. KC is cover for Racks and Anchor who are hunting for treasures. They'll find it."

We all turn to the Brother standing by Pres. "Our new admin and Ops Control." Pres introduces him.

I smile. "Putam, glad you're here, Brother. I'd ask why you are, but as you know, we're headed out."

The team laughs at me and Putam hugs me. "Glad to be here, Brother. I was surprised to see you and Racks landed here. It makes this better." He turns and hugs Racks.

Cort is smiling when he tells us to board the chopper.

"Gear?" I ask.

Pres steps over. "The crate is on its way."

"Thanks, Pres." I turn, hearing them laugh again, but know it's because I'm following Cort's order, so I don't stop. They follow me in showing they took the order too. I never get why they laugh.

"You know the new Control." The Commander is looking for info.

Racks gives it to him. "He was the top Lead in DC. I don't think the Brother ever sleeps."

"He's a Prince?" Wolf asks.

"He was, but his sister went back and he was sent to Virginia. It was before we got there. They needed her for Indians or something," I tell them.

Racks shrugs. "I saw him a couple of times but Anchor was on his team for a week, then Lead for a team. He saw him more than I did."

I nod. "Coming and going. I did jobs, not rounds. They had me on the range classes when I wasn't on a job. I didn't train much there." It was a busy Club.

The Commander shakes his head but doesn't ask anymore. He pulls his laptop out and looks for where we're going, I bet.

While everyone is quiet, I look out the window. Drew said she doesn't sleep much. I wonder if she's up and the women helped. The thought has my head shaking. I checked my phone as soon as my eyes opened. She didn't send anything. No questions, no observations, nothing. When her head is straight, she'll fix this, fix us, or at least me, I hope.

***

The Commander shows KC, Wolf and Level how to get night vision on their helmets. While Racks is asking questions, I gear up and pull spare tanks we can leave closer to our targeted location. I smile at the targeted pun; Drew would have given me her little giggle for that. Turning quick, I think, I'm really off today and need to focus.

"Tanks are ready, Commander." I try that.

He nods once. "KC, the cop said they're not all together. Stay above them until they're down, then be alert to anything above you."

"Roger, Boss." KC grabs the spare tanks and starts walking.

I usually do that. I smile and salute the Commander.

He gives my shoulder a shove. "Go, stay together and safe."

"Roger, Commander." I move before he can say more. Racks is moving fast so I am.

"You think it was staged, Anchor?" KC asks.

"If it was, they may have been prepared. Because we didn't have time to look, I'm staying alert."

"I was just checking. This is where he wants you going down. Use the wall for cover, you got about fifty yards before you hit deep. Ops can track you and they're doing shit to get you on their boards."

I smile. "Moving the satellite so they have thermal." I lower down slowly because I'm not up for jumping onto a bike, box, trash and or anything else that could break a bone.

"Like night vision? Jesus, they have everything." KC is surprised making that come out louder than it should have.

Racks cracks up and hooks my head. "Our boards will show like yours, KC. Let's move, Brother, before they start shooting."

We haven't stopped yet, but I move. Anyone close would hear KC's deep voice and Racks' laughing.

We have an approximate destination. The cops say a newcomer has had a lot of traffic. They have nothing on him but it's the only gossip in town lately.

We're down a good seven minutes when Ops clicks in. "Anchor, Racks, you're on with Putam. He's got you up and in range of your target." Pres doesn't give me anything more than I knew. A light on the side of my board shows as Ops.

"Roger," comes out sounding like I'm underwater. The new masks are like the ones they use on flight and we get the boards on the edges. There is no way Alder sleeps. He's improved just about every tool we use since he's been here.

Noise has me turning fast. "Racks, hold." I see him move a few feet to a wall and turn back.

Putam: "Civilian swimmer on the other side of the house. That's too close to be a coincidence. He's not getting far without gear. Go, but keep out of sight."

Keep out of sight? We're underwater in a flooded valley's lowest section, so rooftops are under here with us. Weird shit is floating by us like lawn chairs and I think the bowl in front of me is from a mixer. I have no idea where the civilian is so I don't know what he can see. Okay, I think and can hear Putam laugh. Following Racks in a window, I stop and scan like he is. Stairs going up look dark. "Is this a basement?"

Putam: "Use to be a business, now it's going to be an apartment, the stairs are to the main house. Owner died a year ago, new guy moved in about two months ago. You're going to the back."

Racks looks at me. It explains the glass display cases. We move above cases and boxes trying not to snag on the other shit in the room like weird lights with crystals, the floating broom and shit that must have been for sale.

Racks: Racks puts his arm out pointing at a huge hole."Water or something went right through."

Putam: "Your or something starts a good thirty feet forward."

Me: "Where's our swimmer?"

Putam: "Trying to make it to the front door. KC is making his way over. You're moving the boxes away until the Commander is done. You'll have help to bring them up."

Racks looks at me and signs, ‘mind games.'

I nod. It's freaky. Putam is the son of the freakiest and the Protector of the three. From what I heard in Virginia, the three and the Protector are all the freakiest.

Putam laughs. "Go, Brothers. I can explain all that another day."

We move. I don't think I need an explanation. When I got to Virginia, I accepted that they are and it's enough, I don't need the why or how.

Putam: "It's noted and appreciated, Anchor. Watch your step."

Me: Step? I stop and look down then reach and pull Racks' arm. "What the fuck?"

Racks: He turns, looks down then up at me. "Cort's got good gut feelings. This is like a shipwreck."

Me: The box I would have swum over is a chest, as in treasure chest, on the grass, under a tree. "If I open it, it's gonna have gold, right?" Racks laughs at me. I shrug.

Putam: "Yeah, Brother. You got two more but one is broke. You'll need something to put it in."

Me: "Okay then. Where are we moving it to?" He knows everything else.

Putam: "Half a mile to a McDonalds. They'll use the sign to winch it up."

Me: Racks' head falls forward. He's laughing but I'm not hearing it. I shake my head. "Put it on the board so we're not Googling directions." Now Racks is laughing out loud. I shrug and lift the trunk.

Racks. "Glad we're in water but that looks fuckin' heavy. Hold up. There are planks of wood over there."

Me: I put the trunk down. It's not too big or heavy but the wood means we can both carry it. Scanning around, I see a barrel and think we have a new trunk. I walk over and dump it, glad it's got bags in it. "Found the new trunk." Noise has me freezing. Racks stops a few feet away.

Putam: "Go, KC shot him from the school."

Racks: He looks at me. "There's a school."

Me: I smile. "After finding treasure from a shipwreck in Iowa, nothing surprises me." A school wouldn't anyway but we're carrying a treasure chest from a shipwreck.

Racks: "I see it now. Seeing how you don't react to freaky telling us where to find it and how it's going to end, I don't think the treasure, school or dead guy above us should surprise us. Smoke on the water …" Racks is crazy. I sing with him as we collect and carry the two chests and barrel in two trips to the McDonalds.

Putam: "Good job, follow the sign up. The Commander is waiting." He's been quiet all this time so his order surprises me.

Me: "Roger, Boss." A click and the Commander singing has me smiling. Racks laughs and joins in, " Rolling on the River '. I laugh at him this time. "It's been quiet, Commander." I nod to Racks' sign that he's waiting.

Commander: "I don't like the split mic but get why you needed it. You're up quicker than we expected."

Me: I crest the water and turn seeing him and Wolf on a floating dock and hand him the line. "We need another line." Wolf hands a pipe and net box with a bundle in it to me. "Thanks, Wolf." Leaving the box on the dock, I get the rope over my head going across my body. With a thumbs up, I secure my mask and snatch the box as I go down.

Commander: "Smooth, Anchor." He doesn't need an answer so I don't give him one.

Racks: He's ready when I make it to him and puts the first chest in. We get the two chests up and dismantle the box, so I can tie the barrel to pipe, with more pipe under it so the handles aren't taking all the weight once it's out of the water. He stops singing his second round of ‘Do do do,' to give the go. "Go, Level. He made another net."

Pres: "He had to. Out of the water, the plastic handles would break and they'd be cleaning and boxing it again." Cort was our BSC Control. He must have been needed on another Op.

I smile at Racks. He knows but was giving them a heads-up.

Racks: "Roger, Pres." I laugh at the smile I hear in his voice.

Pres: "You knew. This is why Controls don't talk. I'll do that job now."

We all laugh. I love Pres.

***

The team had our spare tanks and bags with the county rescue team, who are set up right in front of a school that's higher than the lower section of the valley we were in. They all walk in with us and wait outside the first room so we can change.

I come out with my bag in my hand. It's dripping so it isn't going on my shoulder. "What's going on?" I ask as they walk us deeper into the school.

"Cort and Alder are here. The Senator will be on a board and BSC is giving the money to the governor, on national TV, so the people can rebuild all they lost because some idiot blew up the levees to flood the valley and steal the gold."

I shake my head walking into a crowd of news people. The valley is flooded, snipers and gunmen are dead or maybe in holding and they braved the rain and floods for this. "Okay."

They laugh. Racks isn't laughing. "They have to register the treasure, don't they?"

"Alder took care of it. The owner was found in a van the snipers had their gear and plan in." The Commander doesn't give much away.

I look at Racks. He doesn't ask so I don't, but I hope the guy is alive. "Pirates in Iowa." Is all I say. They laugh drawing attention our way. News people try to push in but BSC Security stop them. We walk to the front of the auditorium and stop on the side.

Cort and Alder throw chin, so I throw it back just noticing the chests on the table behind Cort. Taking a step over, I see part of a table behind the curtain.

They do a whole thing about the levees, plan and gunmen then BSC finding the owner and reason. The owner is beaten but alive and gives the two chests to the governor to rebuild the levees and valley. He said he just wanted to retire and live a quiet life, but his old career will never allow him that.

News is invited to record the tables behind the curtain where everything is spread out. They aren't giving anything up to chance here. Cort even has BSC escorting the chests to a bank that's not named.

The governor is appreciative to everyone, just about gushing it and asks Cort to do the levee builds. With a nod, BSC moves news back from gawking at the gold and we're all walking out. The owner is following us so I don't ask. County rescue gets us up the hill to where the chopper is and the owner follows us in. I pull the wetsuit from my bag and go to the back to hang it, but drop it and laugh. The barrel is with us too.

Racks is right behind me and shakes his head. "We got a new member."

Cort has us both jumping. "Rex is going to love him. He's moving to the ABSZ."

"Roger, Boss." I hang my suit up and walk away. BSC is crazy, but they got the levees and valley being rebuilt.

I can't wait any longer … I pull my phone. Nothing, closing it, I put it away.

"She's with Aylen, Freedom and Seren." Cort has me looking his way.He doesn't add anything so I nod.

"I got a chat that she was at Phoenix and she'll be home for dinner." Racks is looking at Cort but I'm relieved she wrote to him and will be back. Since he sees everything, he knows I was paying attention.

***

Drew

Seren laughs at me, she does that a lot but this time my eyes narrow on her.

"What? You told Racks how people damaged so deeply can't forget. You don't see that you are damaged. I'm not saying Anchor isn't, I met the Brother once, but you are and while Anchor isn't held back by whatever you see hurting him, you can't get past your father's lies. You know them but they still hurt you."

Aylen agrees. "I should get her working for me. She's right. It isn't Anchor that's damaged, it's you. He has some hang ups but it's stupid shit like picking members who will stay. You said he didn't care about the cop and slugged him. You believed what you were told until you saw the truth. Once you did, you made a plan to get away when you finished school. You did it a little sooner than expected but you did do it. What the fuck do you care what the cops said at court? They aren't cops anymore by the way, they were fired."

They were fired? Oh my gosh. They were crap cops anyway. I think about the rest that she said. I did have a plan. My stuff was making it to my aunt's house slowly, but I didn't have much and I was waiting for the letter from school. I don't need it here, but they were sending me my degree.

"You know what, I could have gotten a copy on the computer. I remember thinking it the day Aurora's grandmother showed up at the gate. I was leaving because he's mental. I stayed that day because she was crying. She lost everything and was kicked out of her house. All she wanted was to keep her granddaughter safe."

Seren leans toward me. "You didn't care that she was black, did you?"

What? "No. She was so hurt. Oh my gosh, you should have seen it. She worked her whole life to get that house and he stole it from her. No one deserves that. She was devastated."

"Feeling that, or the way you feel that, is it the same for Anchor?" Freedom asks. She hasn't said anything here.

"What do you mean? Like I feel sorry for him? I didn't feel sorry for Aurora's grandmother. No, I guess I hurt for her but my father did that to her. I was mortified. How can he be my father? He did that. I had to fix it. She worked her whole life for a little house that was meant to keep her and her granddaughter safe, Freedom. I worked for a nut that spouted garbage and was getting away from it. She didn't have the same chance as I did and she was old. What kind of hope did she have to get it back before she died. The cops were no help."

Freedom nods. "So, you were Badass before you made it here. Good to know. Stop the fuckin' whining and look at your reasons. You were looking to help her knowing she didn't have time for a court battle. You fixed it and helped the others that got scammed. Now you're sitting here talking about being racist. You're fuckin' crazy, not racist. You didn't care that she's black, you don't care that your best friend is black. Why the fuck do you care if Anchor is when he doesn't? He doesn't care that you're more albino than him, does he?"

He doesn't care. "No, he said I was Irish too."

She laughs, then Seren and Aylen do. Why is that funny. Oh jeesh. I laugh too.

When I calm down, I ask. "I'm not racist because when I heard the truth I didn't believe."

"About fuckin' time. I'm hungry." Freedom stands.

"Let's get subs. I have to see Mucimi when I'm done here. Justice says he's a mess and hanging with the ancestors." Aylen stands too.

I look at her. "He hangs with dead people. I watched a movie where a kid did that. It was kind of creepy."

They laugh.

***

Seren flies back to Sentinel with me. "Cort is back at Rescue."

I'm not sure if she means he was at Sentinel. "Are we landing at Rescue instead of Sentinel?"

She smiles looking like a model on a magazine. "He was in Iowa but let me know he's at Rescue. I'm going to Sentinel because Caelan went to the school there today and your bike is there. I may make it to Rescue because Caelan made plans, but I haven't seen him yet to find that out."

"I get it. Thanks. You don't believe I'm racist for real?" Since Aylen and Freedom aren't here and she looks sort of like my aunt with blue eyes, I feel close to her."

Her smile is kind of an answer. "Not at all. Aurora wouldn't be your friend if you were, you wouldn't believe a word she says."

I shake my head. "The woman knows everything. She's a reader but she knows about people and how everything works. She says I'm loony."

She laughs. "You are. You were sheltered but think people will think less of you because of what your dad believes. Around here, no one cares who your daddy is, Drew."

I laugh having heard the song. "Thanks. I don't ever want to be like him. When I was little, I idolized him. Seeing the men with so many kids and wives I knew something wasn't right, but he moved Porter in with the men. I hardly saw him and God forbid if I talked to him."

"Who is Porter, the guy you were supposed to marry?"

I smile. "No, Racks was born Porter McClane. I've been calling him Racks but I'm terrified so Porter came out."

"Why are you terrified? Everyone knows you're not like your dad." She's serious.

"You all just met me." I stop when her head starts shaking.

"Racks had a problem and his Club went and got you with nine elderly of mixed races and a best friend who is black. All of whom you saved and got their money back for them. It's safe to say you aren't racist. You love every one of them and we all see it."

I smile. "When you say it like that, it sounds like I'm nuts, Aurora may be right. I meant terrified of Anchor. He was so encouraging and answered all my stupid questions then asked if I had room for him. I'm nuts, so I said no, I'm a racist. The man has enough to deal with without all my nutty issues."

She laughs. "Beth came down and said the Blackhawk's mom call that batshit crazy. I think you fit the bill perfectly. You're officially batshit crazy."

I nod thinking she's probably right. "It sounds more fitting than loony."

She laughs as we lower. "I really like you, Drew. Anchor will give you the time you need to get your head straight. Take that time while talking, walking and chatting with him like you have been. He's going to need to know where you are at and you need him to help reel you in when the batshit crazy starts to invade your headspace. If he's part of the solution, he's yours forever."

I smile, she used my words to make her point. We stand collecting our bags. "I'm going to wear batshit crazy like a queen. Between blowing up the kitchen, scamming my dad out of the land and stealing the Homestead money to give it back to the elders, my racist meltdown doesn't even rate on the batshit crazy scale."

The whole Flight Crew laughs with her this time. I shrug at the guy at the door. "I really am nuts."

His hands go up. "We attract them and the craziest are some of the best Brothers I've ever met. We don't care, but I like the batshit crazy distinction. It shows a commitment to that crazy when you give it a handle like that."

Seren pushes me and I almost fall out the door. "Jeesh. He's got a point and it's good to know I'm still welcome."

She pulls me away from the chopper. "The Brothers see you chatting up men that aren't Anchor, they're all talking and that would be to Anchor. Men are worse than women."

Oh, brother. "You do realize I just met the guy, right?" It's been like a week.

She stops and I bump into her. "If he didn't matter to you, you wouldn't have had the batshit crazy meltdown. He means something to you and you obviously mean something to him. From what you said, the Brother isn't risking his friendship with your brother over a maybe. He's all in and you need to take care. All in is a commitment for life. There's no divorce or going back. He's willing to work daily to show you you're his and he's yours. Don't fuck it up, Drew, you may not get another shot. That's a regret you'll carry forever."

Holy mackerel. "Yes, ma'am." My eyes feel huge right now.

She shakes her head. "You heard the women last night. The men are worth it. To Anchor, you are too. You saved those old people, risked your life to get them their money and are working to help more. To Badass, you're worth it. Open your eyes and see yourself from our view." She squeezes my hand and smiles. "Now go show your batshit crazy to your man and tell him you have room for him if he still wants in."

I nod once like The Alpha-Bits do. "Got it. I'm going to find him now."

"Good girl." She lets my hand go and walks toward the Club.

I watch her thinking about all she said. I wish I had a mom and she was like Seren. She's got that cool factor like Alder and some good advice. At least I hope it's good advice because I'm going to follow it.

I get on my bike and two Brothers follow me back to the Rescue Club. They ride away once I'm in the gate. I'm glad no one talked to me. All I had to talk to was men before. Now it's a no-no. I go right to the compound and leave my bike on the circle by the kitchen. I need to see Aurora and tell her my batshit crazy for today.

Anchor's face, with those light eyes that can't decide on being tan or green and smile that doesn't show often enough, pops in my head. Stopping, I take a breath. Oh boy. I'm going to tell Anchor I'm nuts, I need to try it out on Aurora first. She already knows I'm crazy but she knows everything and hasn't been wrong yet.

When I walk in, everyone turns. I put my hand up. "I know and I have been officially deemed batshit crazy. It's not a good reason for the way I was acting but it's all I got."

Aurora laughs. "I'm glad that's settled, but no one knows how you were acting but you." She didn't tell them, this is just great.

"Oh, well, the next time I'm acting crazy, it's the batshit stuff," I say it off handedly and by the heat on my face, know that I must resemble a tomato.

They all laugh at me. I really am nuts, so I smile and make my way to Aurora by the stove. She puts her spoon down and pulls me into an Aurora hug. I hold on with tears burning my eyes. "Thank you."

"I like batshit crazy."

I laugh because no matter how crazy I am, she still loves me.

***

Anchor

Setting down, I'm relieved we didn't get called for another job. "Get some sleep, Brothers. We're on call tomorrow. Every Op got a good job from Cort, Pres and the Commander. It was a busy day but a good one."

They cheer making me smile. Level and Putam are waiting when I jump down. "Brothers," I acknowledge.

"Your team was busy today. How are you holding up, Brother?" Level is concerned.

"I'm good but the team needs some sleep. Is everyone in?"

"Pres is out on a fire just south of Bravo in New Mexico but the rest of the teams are in. We're hoping for a slow night." Putam surprises me by answering.

"It was busy for you today. How do you like the new job?"

He takes my bag smiling. "I love it. I didn't mind running a team, but I'm worth more on Control, it feels good to get back to it."

"I'm glad you're here and in the job you want. I love the Club and job too. It's not as crazy as Virginia, but it's been busy the last few days. I don't mind the busy and love that I'm not being shot at regularly."

He laughs with Level.

I shrug. "Are we headed to the pit?" It's late but they're walking toward the Officers compound.

"I'm going to Sentinel now that you're in. The Brothers went in a while ago." Level hits my back. "Tomorrow, Brother. Thanks for hanging, Putam."

"I'll see you at breakfast," I tell him.

Putam throws him chin. "Level is Hank?" He asks when we hear his bike start.

"Was, Pres renamed him."

He laughs. "It fits him."

"You heading home?" I have a list before bed but I'm not ready to go in right now.

"I was going to sit at the pool for a while." He holds my bag out to me.

I take it and drop it on my stairs. "I could use some time. I missed the pit tonight."

He smiles. "Brother time."

"You know, I heard that for the first-time last night. I think it was last night." It's all running together. Drew has me in a limbo state.

He laughs. "It's a Badass thing. We jump to the ancestors every night so I get my time but I don't sleep much and have no IT work to do here. Justice is going to set me up but he didn't have time today."

"I don't have ancestors or IT work but I make parts and set my day for tomorrow. Alder has our new parts coming so I'll find something new to do."

"Your girl will fill that time, Brother."

That stops me from opening the gate. "You know Drew?"

"No but I saw her with you. It's a vision thing."

I shake my head. "Don't tell me. She went off the rails and hasn't sent me anything at all. I must have checked it ten times and she wasn't on it, so I'm avoiding it until later."

He smiles. "You won't be disappointed but I won't say more. Most people want information. I like that you don't."

Shit. She sent me something. I shake my head. I missed the pit and Putam just got here. I liked him as a Lead but I wasn't on his team long. It's Brother time.

We talk for an hour and I get why Putam is here. He felt used. I guess I did too but he was there longer than I was. I stand and hug the Brother. He steps back quick.

"Are you not touched?" We had two in Virginia that weren't touched.

"Not usually, but I can shield so it's not a problem unless I'm tired, or drained we call it."

"Sorry. I'll let you know next time. I'm glad you're here, Putam. This sounds like a better fit and we need the help before Fire Rescue starts up."

He nods. "I saw it and jumped at the chance. With Justice close, my dads were all for it."

I smile and walk back with him. "Where's your house?"

"I'm in Racks' old house."

I like that. "I'll see you for breakfast. If you're bored tonight, we need fire training plans. Look at what we have, Pres and the Commander will love you for it."

"Thanks. I didn't ask and Pres was called before you were in. Later, Brother." He walks through to the Officers compound. I guess we're still on it but they have the gate for the Bits and Raiden. I like that they have the extra coverage and Pres is surrounded by Security. The Commander made sure we all knew he needs a shield on him and the family.

I think about how far we've come in a little more than a month.When Racks handed me the flyer with the Commander on it, I didn't hesitate. I went right to Hemy and told him I needed to transfer. He didn't ask one single question and had me and Racks on a plane to New York where we picked up Level and Wolf. On the way to Phoenix Rising, we picked up KC. It was a great flight and I never said a word to Hemy about the rest of the team. I never asked anyone how he knew either. Wolf and Level talked to someone at Phoenix but they never said who.

After the plants get some water, I sit and look at my phone. Putam says I won't be disappointed. Turning it on, I smile. I have five chats and an email from Maddox. I go to email and nod. Parts are coming in early next week. It's one sentence, so I thank him and move on.

Racks has me laughing loud. I'm glad I live alone. He doesn't want to hear it and she's fuckin' batshit crazy. I send him a big thumbs up.

Alder heard we have a climb coming up and he wants to go. I send him a big thumbs up and tell him I'll make him a harness but need his measurements. He sends a picture of him in climbing gear right back. I laugh because it matches ours exactly. He must have printed it today while we were out. The Brother is cute with his tiny boots and helmet on. The rope he's got on can't be a hundred foot but he's got rope. Pictures of Asa in gear show but he doesn't have a helmet on. That makes me laugh too. The Brother is cute in a Badass way. I love the mohawk. He was in a meet with Drew so she knows him.

Taking a deep breath I open a chat from Aylen. She says to be gentle with the nut but she's all in. I smile and send the thumbs up.

She's all in . Her last words to me were that she's a racist, today she's all in , I agree with Racks, batshit crazy.

I hit Drew's chat and freeze. I never stopped to consider what all this means. She's crazy and it's obvious, but she's sweet, unusual and just learning how to live away from the Homestead. She wrecked the kitchen in less than a half hour and owned every bit of it. She understands people in a weird way because she never knew normal people. I shake my head, if there are normal people. We have Badass crazy, freak crazy, the military crazy like the Commander and now batshit crazy. I smile. I like that one, it fits. I don't need to consider it, she's mine and I knew it the minute my eyes met hers. She's an albino like me, or not like me, like Drew with her blue-pink eyes and questions about everything.

Scrolling up, I laugh. The chat starts with, Do you hate me? She goes on with what the women said, she types it with quotes around it so it's word for word. Everything she wrote points out how un-racist she is. She loves those elders and Aurora to death. How she could think it is mind boggling until I read about her being white trash. I wonder if it's the cop we sent back to Montana. He was a piece of work.

I drop my phone and run out the door. At her house, I bang on the window I know is her room because I wired it.

She opens the blind and I see she's been crying, looks scared, then she relaxes.

I shake my head and point to the window. "Open it or I'm breaking it."

Her eyebrows move and eyes get huge but she unlatches the window and pushes it up without a word. I bet she's trying to find which question to ask first.

"I just started reading your chat. You are not and never have been white trash. You got them their money back and saved their lives by getting them here in one piece. They stayed with you because you showed them they're worth it. They stayed with you so they could show you that you are too. Get the white trash right out of your head. The cop I sent packing was a fuckin' jerk. Why the hell do you care what he thinks?"

Finally, her pure white eyebrows find their rightful place and she looks in my eyes and not at my ear. "I don't. It's what you think that matters. You never answered so I thought you hated me."

I pull the screen off and drop it then pull her closer and kiss her. "I got in late then sat with Putam, he's a new Ops Control I worked with in Virginia. More than you were on my phone and I saved you for last. Now that you know I think you're worth it too, I'll let you sleep and get back to what you wrote for me." I kiss her again and put the screen in place. "Close the window and lock it, Drew."

She does, so I run to the trail and laugh all the way back to my house. She doesn't talk much regularly, but she was stunned and I bet searching for those words.

At home I read about batshit crazy and laugh. She's definitely got that one down. Before I'm finished with her first message, she puts another up. It says thank you with a guy holding a heart. I never got a heart before. I smile and go back to reading.

When I'm done, I take a deep breath. The woman has lived a shittier life then mine. At least I was recruited, she was stuck in it with a plan but not much confidence in making it. I send Racks the section that talks about court and the cop so he knows where white trash came from. Thinking about it, I send the part about his letters so he knows she read them all and wished for a life like his.

Finally, I try to figure out what the fuck to say to all that. I smile and answer her last question. I have room in my life for her batshit crazy so I find a little guy with ‘Always' above his head. It works well and tells her it's forever. I hit send and stand.

I need to get the Team reports done. Really, it's one report with the jobs for today and the Team roster with any new they showed or did. The technology here makes life easy and I'm done in no time.

A shower and bed are all I have left. I do both with a smile on. My girl is my girl. We didn't need Cort's one day hookup mission. I freeze. She was with Seren. Maybe we needed some help but he's not in my face like I heard he was for Bishop. I smile again. Cort is extremely intelligent and probably knows more about Drew than I do. He's dealt with the Alpha-Bits, freaky and slaves which probably doesn't even come close to the craziness of Badass. I love the Brotherhood and make a note to thank him.

She's still my girl.