Chapter Six

Anchor

Seeing the Brothers at the table I throw chin. "Pres, Brothers."

"Brother. VP is out but should be back by Inner Circle. We have some changes from Cort that need to be made." Pres answers one of my questions but surprises me with, "Putam will be included in Inner Circle. He has a vested interest in keeping us running so we're using what he's got to do that. Keylan agreed and Cort likes it."

I smile at Putam. "Welcome deeper."

They laugh. "I never saw that or Officer here so saying I'm honored is all I got. I think I'm still in shock."

I roll my eyes at him. "You're in a house on the Officers compound, Brother." That should have clued him in.

"It was an open house." He shakes his head. "I should have picked that up. I'm so fuckin' honored. No one here knows me more than in passing." His head shakes again.

Pres doesn't agree. "We got your bio, Justice, Zeke, Axe and Teller all recommended Officer and Cort agreed. I would have asked Alder, but when I saw him, he was telling Bowser to grow a pair and get in his hover thing without a flight suit. I kept walking so I wasn't in a hover thing."

The whole table erupts.

Flame is shaking her head. "Poor Bowser."

I would have loved to see that. It reminds me of wanting to see Drew's first cooking lesson. I look down smiling. I saw it from the Bits and have to say, it was worse than me and my mixed-up ingredient bowls. At least she knows how to work an extinguisher without hesitation.

Putam's laugh has my head up. He's looking right at me so I shake it at him. His hands go up. "Freaky is crazy strong here. Someone must be close."

Mucimi appears by Wolf. "I wasn't showing but you already felt me." He's gone but I see him at the new banquet line. The Brother is fast.

My eyes lock on Putam. "When they're close you are stronger?"

He nods, not elaborating on it so I nod and turn to the Prospect. "H2, coffee and OJ." I like the new way with H for the healthy menu but wonder at Prospects still taking our order.

‘Safety. Food is prepared for a President. You have trainees all over the place.'That gets my eyes back on Putam. "What's H2?" He asks out loud.

Jesus that's weird. I pull my phone and hit the menu Maddox sent me, then hand it to him.

Mucimi is back with food. "Bravo had the new menu last night. I like it but didn't look for breakfast."

Okay, I guess that's why he gets his own from the banquet line. He'd know if it was bad. The thought stops me. He can get the menu.

His hand waves drawing my eyes. "Too much going on lately."

"If you'd show there, you'd settle," Putam says, but I don't get it.

Wolf laughs. "Your face says you're not asking. I'm not either."

I nod. Pres makes me smile. "I never ask, they might answer and I'd need to ask more."

It dawns on me Wolf is here when the Commander is out. "Why are you here?" I move for my plate.

"We get a day for training. Today starts mine while the new trainers are getting trained for here."

I nod while swallowing eggs. "Who is training them?"

He smiles and I know. "You. It's your Team's training day."

The Commander doesn't have a second? "You're taking Lead?"

"No, but the Commander put me on training for the day so you can get the trainers settled in. You'll do it faster than us trying to piecemeal it."

I nod. "Thanks. I can…"

His shaking head stops me. "He said you on trainers and me on trainees. We all know the training, but you get it across faster than we do. They're already trainers and from Badass, they just need the plans and reasons."

They always say shit like that. I throw him chin but think they're all good trainers.Since he's here, I ask. "Racks with the Commander?"

He stops eating and looks up. "Elders compound for breakfast. Alder was showing with something IT for him. He's a Lead shadowing you, but his team is coming out of training next week and three are coming off the build team for him."

I look at Pres. He shrugs. "It's been busy and we missed two meets."

I nod. "Thanks. He didn't say he was shadowing me."

Pres smiles. "I don't think he knows. VP said you took him on a job and it felt right. You do jobs using anything available so it can't hurt."

"He knows, Pres. We've worked together for years."

He puts his cup down. "You weren't the Lead and he wasn't a second. VP said you had shit ready before he asked. Being a second from the minute you got on the team, you learned the job as you went. You pay attention to the details even with everyone singing and whatever disaster is happening around you. You know where everyone is and what's needed next."

I throw chin. That's a compliment and a half.

"It's true. I'm learning the second job but saw it better with the construction workers. You would have had the lines ready before anyone was close to coming up. I should have pulled from your team while we were waiting. Now I know for next time." Wolf makes me smile.

"I thought the same thing and have it for Inner Circle. When we're on jobs together, all team members should be available to the others."

Pres nods. "That's why. You're good at making sure all information is passing to everyone. We need to use whoever is on the jobs to do them. There is a reason two teams get called together. Use what you've got, Wolf. Go through the Lead but get what you need for the job so it's done right."

"Roger, Pres." Wolf smiles with that.

Pres stands with Flame. "Bring it up at Inner Circle, Anchor. It was you seeing it so bring it to the table."

I nod swallowing. "Roger, Pres."

They leave and Putam smiles at me. "He's a good President."

I nod and notice Mucimi is gone. "He is. Don't ever race him on the wall."

Wolf laughs. "Where's Lopez been?" Lopez got burnt racing Pres.

I shrug. "I've been out or Pres has. It will be a good day to catch up on everything and with everyone." I look at Putam. "Is Level happy to be out more than in the room?"

He stops eating to answer. "He likes both. He'd rather be in Ops than train. He'll tell everyone later."

I nod. "I probably shouldn't have asked, but thanks."

He smiles. "He told me while we were waiting for you to get back last night. He said he's bringing it up so he's not stuck training instead of in Ops. Since everything is on feeds, someone already knows."

Wolf laughs. I shake my head but I'm glad he's not sharing what Brothers think.

***

Drew

Walking the trail to the Club, Racks tells me about Alder building his idea for Lead glasses. Why he needs Ops glasses because he's moving to be a Lead is weird, but he's excited. He said they aren't Ops but are similar. I still don't know why he needs all that and he hasn't stopped talking for me to ask.

Before we get to the lake, he guides me to a bench. "You're quiet."

I smile at the nut. "You were talking."

He rolls his eyes at me. "You ask questions about everything and this is new technology. You love technology of any kind."

"I was waiting for you to take a breath, but I don't know what I'd ask. I can't stop wondering what Anchor is going to say or what I'm going to say."

He nods and turns toward the lake. "He told you what he thinks. Anchor doesn't talk unless he's making a point. Well, lately he's been talking more but I think it's because of advice the Commander gave him. You threw him with the racist thing. He's a Marine, if you throw up an obstacle, he'll find a way around it. He did that. He'll be Anchor but maybe with a smile on."

I smile. "He's always the same, isn't he?" I like that everyone says things that point to him being the stable guy, their anchor.

He turns back so I see his eyes. He's not smiling. "Anchor is different, he's always been different, but I don't think he knows it. He didn't go to school like the rest of us but he's smarter than we are."

My brother is loony. "You got them all kinds of classes from everywhere."

He nods, looking at the lake again. "I did. He learned everything but there's something in him that always looks for more or something."

"You're the loony one. You were just going on about Ops glasses that aren't Ops glasses for Leads."

He smiles at me. "You were listening. Maybe we're all like that, but Anchor is Anchor, he's different, more soldier, lately more Badass, more caring about the people we help." He shakes his head. "He's got more in him for everything, but he's Anchor. He's always been the same and had us making parts for jobs we'd have before we had them. He finds ways around everything. I don't think he'll ever change. Look at how he reacted to the racist thing. He didn't chase you, he gave you time and came to the pit for ideas or answers. He's always the same. Nothing throws the Brother."

I smile and pull his arm. When he turns, I kiss his cheek. "My batshit crazy should scare him."

He grunts. "He's a Marine."

I giggle. "A Badass Marine. You cut trees down with guns. You're all a little crazy."

His smile is back. "Yeah. That was crazy. He punched the chief of police without a word. The Brother is fearless. Level said the chief is on leave and being investigated. He deserved it."

I have to agree. "He did. You think I can still ask Anchor about the Bible? I'm almost done." Aurora says yes and my batshit was showing, so I didn't ask her anything else.

"He's probably been looking for those questions. If you don't ask, he'll be wondering all day. He's so calm about everything but he'd be distracted or whatever goes through him. It never shows but I know it's there. Pres said he's been intense and using anything around him to get the jobs done quickly. Three jobs he did didn't use anything from the gear crates."He's surprised by that but I don't ask why.

Anchor doesn't talk about me to him, I guess. I don't think he'd talk to any of them about me.

"He really doesn't talk about himself?" I've never met a man that isn't bragging about how great he is at everything.

"You've been talking to him for over a week, what did he tell you about himself?"

I make a face. "Aside from his parents stringing him along on some fantasy life, not much or really nothing. You told me more about him than he has and that's mostly from your letters."

He stands. "I know he talks to the Commander, but I had to ask for information about him. His life on paper doesn't tell you who Anchor is. Working with him tells me more than he ever has."

"Good enough for me. He doesn't seem to hide his life, it's just that he lives it so it's not anything different than the rest of you."

He stops walking. "You know, he always points out that we do or think the same way he does. Maybe it's the Marine in us. I always think he's just different, but Wolf, KC and Level are the same. The Commander more so but he's been Badass forever."

I laugh at my big brother. "You wrote to me every week and never told me much about you. I'm good at reading between the lines, Racks. It's been a short time, but Seren's advice, your observations and maybe even Aurora's weird reader stuff tells me my first reaction was right."

He shakes his head opening the door. "I don't want to hear about it and I'm not helping this. He's my closest Brother and you're my sister. What's with Aurora? She's smart, helpful and knows shit but she seems sort of off."

‘Aphantasia, the inability to visualize. Being a reader, it's a good thing.'

My feet stop, since Racks did, I wonder if he heard that too.

"Mucimi." He asks, says, states, I don't know what it means.

‘Yeah.'

My hand squeezes his. "What the hell is that?"

He smiles. "Mucimi is Justice's Prophet. He's a Blackhawk ability kid. They have a lot of them. I haven't seen him lately but he must be close for him to answer about Aurora. So Aurora doesn't visualize, I bet as a reader that is helpful."

Freaky is weird. "I read a whole thing on the Aphantasia Network but didn't do my dissertation on it. There are so many different ways people don't see, feel or assume things without it being spelled out for them."

He looks at me like I'm nuts. I am, so I wait for why he's looking at me like that.

"You didn't know she's got Aphantasia?"

"I met her like a month ago. It's been a busy month. I do know she doesn't react to things the way you'd expect. It's like she's a toddler with no fear. I thought she was just weirder than me."

He laughs. "I'm not sure anyone is weirder than you, but that's weird. She was a psychic, wasn't she?" He walks me to my office and waits for me to scan in.

"Still is, that's what a reader is isn't it? She said the label depends on where you're from."

"I guess. Some readers just read and some have other abilities. I call it mind games so maybe I have it too."

"You don't, go to work. You're here today?" I ask my nutty brother that may be just as crazy as I am.

"Inner Circle meet for lunch, but the rest of the day I'm here unless I'm called to a team going out."

A quick knock as the door opens and Pres is standing there surprised, then he smiles. "Good, you're both here. You're shadowing Anchor, Racks. He's training trainers for here. Wolf is on training trainees with Anchor's team."

My brother stands tall like he's at attention. "Roger, Pres. I'll see you for dinner, Drew."

I wave and watch Pres. "We have a new admin and Ops Control. He's a Prince with ability that can help with Racks' new team and the new trainers. Can you sit with him for an hour and let me know if you agree with his choices? The Brothers aren't here yet so all we have are bios and work records."

"Definitely. I don't have much for today. I'd love to help."

"Thanks, Drew. Putam will get you on payroll for here in case we need you in the future. It's consultant rate for the time you work. Tell him that rate or Lorelei will put one in for you. I have no idea what consultants make and it's Lorelei's job."

I wave it away. "I can help when needed, Pres. I live here for free and I'm taking up space here in your Club."

He shakes his head. "BSC gives you that. We may need more than an odd request down the line. We set it up now and it's not a problem. If you're busy just say it. This is Club work, nothing to do with BSC or Alder."

Oh boy. "Roger, Pres."

He smiles. Looking lighter than his serious look. "How are you doing with the Bible?"

"Good, I'm almost done. Oliver helps but I don't always understand what he means. Aurora explains his explanations but she's not as far along as I am."

He laughs. "Anchor helping?"

"Yeah, we ride and walk the compound. or he sends answers in chat. I don't need the extra explanation with his and he doesn't complain about my questions, but he's been busy and I hate bothering him." Plus, I was a lunatic with the racist thing.

"Bother him. I have an order to get the Bible and ride time into you."

I smile. "Roger, Boss."

He laughs walking out.

My phone goes off with a chat notice. Putam is good with timing or he's tracking Pres. I answer that eleven works for me, then I send my list of questions to Anchor.

With my own crap done, I get to work.

***

Anchor

The easiest way to show trainers how to train is by doing everything as we finish a plan. We're at the Water Training Center and I explain how the computer sets the pool up for different scenarios when Alder lands his little hover craft with Prometheus in the captain's chair beside him.

"Perfect timing, Brother. We're headed to lunch then over to the K-9 Compound after the computer explanation."

He nods once. "We swim. No pressure?"

"No, it's not set for anything right now. We were in earlier so they could see the safety features and feel the different water flows."

Three trainers laugh when Prometheus jumps out of the hover craft. He's in Cat in The Hat trunks.

"Prometheus is an Ops dog, Protector and second to MB, the VP of Elite. He's Little Pres' Protector while Ari is on the ABSZ, so he's sort of on vacation with Alder." They stop quick hearing he's Little Pres.

They roger and we move on. Prometheus dives in beside Alder like a pro, that's why Alder was critiquing his form the other day. The Brother is funny.

We finish with no questions. I showed them the help icon and checklist for every scenario so they wouldn't have questions. Someone mapped out every scenario and we use every bit of it knowing it's been checked and rechecked.

"Let's get changed, Brothers. I'll meet you at the dining hall for lunch."

"Roger, Boss," they say together.

I smile. They're well trained in Badass. "I'm Anchor. To trainees and my team, I'd be Boss. You can call me Anchor." They're all older than me.

"Roger, Anchor." They make me laugh.

"Clay, Alder is from your Club." He's the only one that didn't laugh when Prometheus jumped out of the hover craft.

"Yeah. The Brother came in meek and mild, then exploded almost overnight. He's not a Brother to fuck with. Both Alder and Prometheus shoot. I was going to tell them on the way back."

I nod. "Thanks. You know him better than I do. I was going to ask you to give them the Alpha-Bit explanation. All As are Officers and earned the respect they're shown."

Jock speaks up. "I've seen Asa but never met him. I know he had a horse in his house but the Airbase is separate from the Club. He doesn't go to the bar."

I nod. "Do you know of them, Nance, Lewis?"

Nance answers, "Of them but not who is who. We did Ops for them." He looks at Lewis and stops.

"Clay can help with protocol dealing with them. I just learned they're never alone with Brothers so he'd have more than I do. Alder gave me a tour of ABSZ and is making parts we use, but I've been out less than a year and don't know more than I do about them. They make my life easier is about all I got."

They laugh.

"The thing about the Alpha-Bits is they're all more than they seem. Showing respect to what seems like kids is hard to accept for some Brothers. It's like the dogs. Because of whatever enhanced them, that respect is earned by every one of them. Maverick has some of the youngest coding for his new satellite with Anton. Jordan is building everything they come up with for public distribution. They have seven-year-olds running ABSZ manufacturing. Protectors are trained and working as Protectors alongside Brothers. Then there's the As. They're the oldest and have been here the longest. Alder is and does everything. He can and has taken grown men down. Went on Ops and collected his Brothers, is an amazing doctor, scientist that makes medicines Native Remedies sells and built Bit choppers that he flies at Bravo and the ABSZ. He does and knows everything and is still learning daily to do things like make a hover craft. Don't fuck with the Brothers. Asa and Alder shoot and protect their Brothers fiercely." Clay has me smiling.

"This is me, Brothers. Good job with that explanation, Clay. There will be Bits and K-9s at lunch and they pretty much run the place."

He laughs. "Badass is crazy but we have to be because we rescue Bits and K-9s."

"That's a good point to make. From what I heard, freaky were being hunted a few years ago, we got them too."

He laughs. "For Bravo, that's in spades, Anchor."

"I heard that. I'll see you at lunch, Brothers." I go into the Lead gate smiling. They're easy and pay attention to everything. This is going to be good.

Checking my phone has me smiling too. Drew sent questions. It's her normal no-nonsense format so I send answers the same way. It's how I normally write so it works well.

I run to the shower and dress. It's a good thing I was trained to be readied in minutes. With clothes on, I run out. I shouldn't have answered all her questions at once but I'm glad I did. She doesn't write anything personal about us, ever. I got a heart then nothing until her questions. She rode with Firefly and the Commander, had an elder compound meeting and was reading the Bible with Aurora. Since I was on jobs, it worked well, but I miss our times just talking about the new she's learning and seeing her pretty two-toned eyes light with amusement at me or herself.

Everyone is already in the dining hall. I acknowledge and sit.

"Where's Racks?" Pres asks.

I wonder why he's asking me. "I don't know. He had breakfast with the elders and Alder. He called to ask where I was but didn't say why he was asking." As I'm saying it, I pull my phone. "He must have gotten the meet change, I did. Did something happen? He's alone in Wyoming." What the hell? He'd never leave without telling me.

Pres stands. "Oliver…"

"On it, Pres Stan." He puts his glasses on as he slides off his chair.

I'm up with them and jogging to Ops. "There was a truck turned away at the gate this morning," Pres says sending a chill down my back.

I turn, jogging backwards. "Putam?"

He shakes his head but doesn't look me in the eye. Fuck.

"Drew gave a fake deed to their father. She has the real one here, Pres."

"Fuckin' hell!"

"Veritable have tagged truck to surveillance, Pres Stan."

I turn seeing Oliver on Wolf's back with his glasses on and hologram board floating with him. I'm losing it and didn't see him there. We have to get Racks back. His father wanted to kill him. I shake my head, he wanted to kill them both.

Pres runs flat out. I keep up with him all the way into Ops. Raid is here, no he's virtual, Raid doesn't wear glasses.

"She gave her father a fake deed. We had a truck at the gate earlier but they said they were lost," Pres tells Raid.

I turn to the boards. Drew's tracking is on the elder compound. I breathe. "Drew is on the elder compound."

Pres breathes deep. "Thank fuck. Oliver, what's on him? Track shit like laptop, phone, tablet. He didn't have his bag when he left Drew's office."

"Laptop to locker here. Phone, Colorado road. Tablet, Wyoming." Oliver is the man.

"Get me…"

"You may want to wait, Pres." Putam has my eyes whipping his way.

Raid turns. "You're the Blackhawk?"

Putam nods seriously. "I am. Don't alert anyone to that tablet. If you do, Drew will be dead in two weeks."

My body reacts by turning my knees to jello, I lean on the console to keep standing. "How…" fuck. I clear my throat. "How do we get him and keep her alive?"

He closes his eyes. "All I can say is wait." He looks at his watch then Pres.

Raid nods. "He's going to call in or chat or whatever soon."

I breathe. "I love and hate freaky."

Raid doesn't agree. "Love it, Brother. They're Protectors sent to protect us. There's no room for hate in their world, even if they don't agree with how shit happens, they protect all Protectors."

My eyes go right to Putam. "Racks is a Protector?" They said I was in Virginia but I thought it was just the job name.

He nods and I breathe deep. "Thank you."

He throws me chin. "Get your phone."

As I pull it, it chimes. Raid laughs. I swipe it on. "Chat, Oliver."

He takes the phone out of my hand and opens the back, then plugs it into a usb plug on the empty console. What the hell?

"He doesn't have the program but can get the chat through your phone card," Putam explains what the hell for me.He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.

Oliver's hologram board shows the chat screen.

‘ Want me to sign for land. Have plan to kill Drew. Don't know plan. BSC Badass pass. Uncuffed now. Three in truck. Need ten .'

Pres looks at me. "Get to the chopper, Racks, Wolf."

"If we know the plan…" Raid tries.

"We can keep Drew safe and blow the fuckin' Homestead up." Pres growls.

"It's a…" Raid tries again.

"Where's Cort?" Pres isn't having it.

Raid pulls his phone and looks at it. "A meet."

"I'm not leaving my Brother out there." He turns to Putam. "Tell me Badass rules are right, here and now."

Putam smiles. "They are, Pres."

"Get to the chopper Anchor, Wolf. Oliver, tell Racks Wyoming will be there until the chopper lands and get me on with Veritable. I need Drew here too."

Oliver puts my phone back together and hands it to me while Pres is talking.

We roger and run.

"Pres isn't playing nice today," Wolf says from right behind me.

I don't know Raid well, but I don't get the push to leave Racks there. "Why would he leave Racks with them?"

"The land. Cort said something about it."

I shake my head. "This can't be about greed." I jump onto the chopper deck and turn.

Wolf jumps in and I close the door. The Flight Lead smiles at me. I shrug. It's a habit.

"It isn't about money. They have gas and or diesel stored on it. Freaky saw something, but Cort just said it's a concern."

I nod. "It's still not a reason to leave Racks there. His father wants them dead. They were supposed to take Drew back from the firebombing dead or alive."

"Christ."

"Boss, Ops is calling for you." The Flight Lead hands me cans.

Shit. "Anchor on, Ops."

"Anchor, Cort is on and sending Protectors to the Homestead. The fake deed is known and plan is to leave the McClane's on it as it burns. That burn turns into more but we've got Rescue headed that way." Raid answers a bunch of questions with that.

"Roger, Boss. Are we meeting the teams up there?"

"Gear for you will be there on Stan's chopper. He's meeting Protectors and will have Alder with him. Racks won't go to Veritable." Raid sounds frustrated so Racks is fighting to end this today.

I smile. "Roger, Boss. We got him covered, Wolf is a doc and I can make anything he needs if we don't have it."

Wolf laughs slapping my knee.

"You fuckin' Brothers are…"

"Enough, Raid. Jesus, you're worse than Ranger. Anchor, pick him up, patch him up and get to the Montana land. Protectors, Rescue and Alder will meet you there." Cort sounds annoyed.

I smile. "Roger, Boss."

"You're on with Putam until I get in. Raid get on the Protector board and get Ranger on with Red in the new chopper."

We Roger together.

"Brothers, that was interesting. You're four out. You need to stitch him up. He's got a concussion and stab wound." Putam has my eyes closing. "The good news is no one will report back so they aren't alerted to Badass showing up."

Wolf looks at me with his eyebrows raised. I shrug. He's alive and I don't care about the men who took him.

I look at the Flight Lead. "I need your medic bags and any EMT boxes you have."

"Roger, Boss." He hears everything so he knows what's coming at us. He throws orders I ignore.

"Drew must be in Ops by now."

I look at Wolf. "Yeah."

"Did you fix it with her?" He's never asked me about women before.

"Yeah. She's crazy and I'm aware."

He laughs. "It's normal to talk about your relationships, Anchor."

Is it? "Other than saying Firefly existed, the Commander never did. You don't. Level doesn't say a word about his women. KC doesn't talk. You all rode Racks about his amazement over women. Why would I be different?"

He smiles. "You're right. You pretty much grew up with us. It's uncomfortable when you point it out, but it shows what we project to others about ourselves."

I nod. "I always wonder why everyone laughs at how I react. You all taught me what that should look like."

He smiles bigger. "We did a great job, Brother. You're one of the best men I know."

I swallow hard and throw him chin, so glad we're lowering. Fuck. I stand and he hits my back. I was a kid with Officers training for engineering, a kid on the team overseas learning how to fly, live on a base without all the restrictions of boot camp and ‘the white-black kid' Officer. I heard it all. My Team always treated me like I was part of them. I swallow hard again. Anything good about me came from them.

The Flight Lead stops me from bending for the EMT box. "The gunners will run them out, Boss."

I throw him chin and stand at the door.

Seeing Racks sitting on the bed of a truck, I'm not as relieved as I thought I'd be. He's covered in blood. He looks up but the blood or wind are distorting his face. "Jesus."I open the door and jump out hearing the Lead yell. It's like fifteen feet. I'm running as soon as my feet hit the ground.

"He's okay, Brother. It's not all his blood." A Badass PD Brother says as I get closer. Racks turns and I want to kill the fucks. He's covered in blood and one side of his face is swollen but I can't see if it's bruised. "Brother, are you okay?"

His smile gives me the relief I need. "I wasn't awake for the face so I don't know what hit me. It's just cheek and eye on the right. It feels big."

I nod. "It's big. You refused the medic?"

"Yeah. They're getting water here so I can wash up." His eyes are more intense than Cort's right now. I've seen it before but it's usually on jobs. They all get like that so I'd guess I do too.

"Cancel it, we're on a new chopper, I'll hook a shower up for you."

"Now, Brother. I need to be checked. I don't know all they did."

Wolf stops short with the gunners right behind him. "Holy Hell, Racks."

"Go, Anchor." Racks has me moving. He wants to be clean before Wolf starts working on him.

At the chopper, I jump up on the deck and start issuing orders to get the reserve tank open and walk to the back for parts.

"Teller is with him. He didn't know how bad the stab wound was. Teller says it looks worse than it is." Putam has my breath catching but it spurs me to move faster.

With two new hydraulic lines, the pivoting leg of a carabiner, the soldering gun from the toolbox and an old Dunkin' cup, I run alcohol through and hook up to the reserve adjusting two fittings to the size of the male end.

The Flight Crew stand and watch but don't say a word. I'm glad they don't. Blood all over Racks is all I'm seeing. I need that picture to change.

"Anchor, you ready?" Wolf yells.

"Here, Wolf. I just need to flip it on." Turning, I see Wolf and a gunner walking Racks over. Shit. "Where's Teller?" He looks like he's being held up by them. The swelling on his face looks less but he's still covered in blood. It almost looks like someone dropped a bucket of it on him.

A laugh behind them tells me Teller is here. "Marines have a height limit, don't they?"

"Hey, Brother. I'm all set." I wave them to the side of the chopper.

"He's like MacGyver. He built a portable shower in less than ten minutes."

We all look at the Flight Lead. Who the fuck is that? Racks is covered in blood, do we care who the fuck he's talking about? He steps back and I focus on Racks.

"Let's get you cleaned up, Brother. Blood is all I'm seeing."

He nods. "I need my pockets emptied." He has pain in his voice.

The Flight Lead hands me a bag and engineer has a blanket and towels.

Wolf helps me get him clean while Teller does whatever he's doing. Without all the blood, he doesn't look so bad. His face is swollen on the right top half and he's got an oblong hole from a hunting knife that he tells us the idiot left in him.

I look at Wolf. "He's not bleeding."

He points at Teller. I just nod. Firefly was healed but I didn't ask how or why. She's got white skin on her that no one talks about. Ranger and Beacon's ol' lady have some white skin too and showed one day at the pool. I watched and never asked but know by Ma Stone's reaction that it was bad. I've seen a lot overseas and know enough to guess, but it isn't mine to know. She's an amazing woman and found her way back to the Commander. I don't think he ever doubted it and he wouldn't care about her white skin.

"I need a drink. Am I clean?" Racks has me flipping the little shower head off.

Wolf lifts his arms, then nods.

"You need to stitch him up," Teller says.

I don't ask but wipe his back with a towel being careful around the knife hole. Wolf dries his head and face. Something isn't okay here.

"What aren't you telling me?" My eyes are on Wolf while his go right to Racks.

Racks' hand goes up and touches his neck and I see it. "They shot me up. Three more small doses was the plan."

"Get you hooked so you'd sign the deed over. Jesus, Racks. You're not clear but your focus is on stopping him," I say it but need more information here. He's high. I need to know his intentions.

"I need to keep Drew safe. All he needed was power of attorney, but it needs to be notarized. He doesn't need the deed for that, he needs Drew dead."

"Then let's get you stitched up and stop the crazy bastard."

They laugh. He shakes his head but his eyes stay on me. "Keep checking. Right now, I'm focused." He's worried.

"You're shadowing me. I'm not letting a fuckin' thing happen to her or you, Racks. Every step is together."

"Good, let's step to a drink."

Everyone is laughing again, but I lift his arm over my shoulder and walk, leaving them to laugh.

***

While Teller does his thing, Racks sleeps and Wolf tells me about the men who took Racks. Racks met a Prospect in the lot for some bagged popcorn to surprise Drew. Sentinel has a machine so the Prospect was going to make it. When the Prospect went through the gate, Racks heard Drew screaming and he ran through the lot. He knew it was wrong when he saw the cop holding a phone. He was hit by a dart and doesn't know how they got him out. When he woke up, he listened and waited, then slashed every one of them up. Racks is a little crazy when he's pissed. I've seen it a couple of times, but it's always deserved. I've got my own skeletons, so I know how it happens, I don't need the why.

My earpiece clicks on.

"Anchor, you're eight out. Rescue is dropping water, Protectors are everywhere. Cort wants you setting down at the Homestead main building. Justice and Mase have McClane and his cronies held just outside."

"Roger, Putam." My eyes go to the Lead getting a nod, so they have the flight plan. I look toward Wolf, then Teller. Racks is sleeping.

"He'll be up. Mucimi has him at the reservation. Justice will come in and make sure nothing else touches him." Teller doesn't explain Mucimi and the reservation and I don't ask because Justice will keep him safe. I heard about Justice in Virginia. Hemy and Aaron's Clubs work together like us being part of Sentinel. Freaky kids are in both places but the Cherokee were quiet compared to Aaron's teams. They all talked about Justice quite a bit and all of it was good.

"Did you hear my name there?" Teller asks.

I smile at the Brother and don't take offense to him reading me. "I heard about all of you. They train on your compound. The Justice League is like our core team I think. It's the Protectors that are his Bravo crew."

He nods. "We just got three more. Putam wasn't expected so soon, but it works with Ari opening a new Club with a second from Mass MC, then one from Ginny's old team is going to Zeke for the kids."

I smile. "Citiali?"

Teller is surprised. "How do you know?"

I almost laugh, he's a reader. "He was on my team. He always talked about the freaky toning it down. He wanted Zeke to move to Hemy's teams because he wasn't like the others."

Wolf shakes his head. "You know a lot of Badass Brothers."

I shrug. "I'd think we all do. We all joined Badass."

They laugh. Whatever.

Feeling us lower, I get up. The Lead stands at the door making me smile. "I'm not jumping again."

"I almost had a heart attack. I've never seen anyone jump like that."

"It was like fifteen feet and you're a Flight Lead. Here, in this Club, you need to get your heart checked or something. We all do crazy shit you wouldn't expect."

He smiles. "I'm seeing that, Boss. An Alpha-Bit just did our physicals. He said they're building us and Alder or Chenoa will get in touch for problems. I don't know what they're building or who Chenoa is, but I'm sure I'll hear of a heart condition if it's there."

Wolf laughs.

I nod at the Brother. "Good plan. Holy shit. This is a lot of BSC choppers."

The Lead nods. "They've been dropping water. There are only Flight Crews on most. This must have looked like an invasion."

A Badass invasion. We set down and the Lead opens the door. Justice is walking our way. Putam is good with freaky.

Justice laughs. "He is, Brother. You're settled down."

I wonder why he's asking me but he tells me so I don't have to ask.

"Putam had your heart rate elevated. He said you're fine but it was a concern." They know everything and always pay attention to the details.

It feels good to know they have my back, even if they aren't close. "I'm fine and thanks. Racks has always been close to me. Once I saw him, I calmed down."

He nods. "I felt it. Mucimi has Racks back. Aiyana helped and said the ancestors gift him with a long story."

I breathe deep. "Thank you, that, along with the calm you bring means everything, Justice." He must feel my appreciation for making sure Racks is healed and staying right where he belongs with us.

He touches my back and floats into the chopper. No one says a word about him hovering in the air without Alder's hover craft.

Brothers hand the Flight Crew gunner a gearbox. "Gear for the Officers," the one who slid it on the deck says.

I bend pulling the box in and open it.

"He needs the full uniform," Wolf says but I stop him.

"He was dry when we boarded. Freaky covers a lot." I turn to ask, but Racks is up and talking to Justice while undressing his top half. I put his gear on the seat he was in and take mine out. My cargos are the same so I just add the long T and check my MP.

Wolf is doing the same so I pack our shit up and watch Racks. He's not moving slowly and puts his coat on without help. His face looks a whole lot less swollen and his eyes are dilated but intense.

Justice tells him about the drug. He was worried about getting hooked, I guess. I probably would worry too. Justice says he'll be sore but they'll do what they can while they're here.

I love the Brother for that. Getting Racks' utilities packed, I close the crate before he's got his belt on. "Make sure you're on laser."

He nods and pulls his guns to check. "Thanks. I'm clear, but he's going to try fucking with me. I need to talk to Drew before I see him."

I hand him my phone and pull Wolf outside with me. The flight crew joins us, but Justice stays with Racks.

Breathing deep, I let it all go. Racks is fine and has a long story. I knew we were here for a reason, but having it confirmed felt like the divine intervention Racks told me about. He thinks that's how he got to the Commander and team. I feel it. It's meant to be just like this.

Teller hits my arm. I didn't know he was out here.

He smiles. "It was written, Brother. I'm glad it gives you peace. Racks knew all along."

I nod. "He told me, but today I feel it."

He shakes his head. "You knew but didn't trust it. Now you do."

I smile. "Or that."

Wolf laughs. I shrug.

We turn when Justice and Racks float to the ground.

"Let's get this done, Brothers." Justice walks on with his long blond hair floating in the air behind him.

Racks smiles at me. "Badass just is."

I smile and hug him. I've wanted to hug him all fuckin' day it seems, so I do. "It is. I'm glad you're okay. Let's go. I didn't get the plan so I'll shadow you."

Wolf and the laughing. I ignore him and walk around choppers catching up to Justice and Teller at the line of men kneeling in front of Cort and Alder. Women in gear are here but only two have MPs. I saw one at Phoenix but don't know her name.

"Cort, LP, Brothers." I throw chin.

Racks and Wolf just throw chin.

"Jinx said he just torched the truck. I approve, Brother." He looks impressed.

Racks nods. "Ten minutes doesn't seem like much but it got me peace and them eternal hell. Drew is safe and will be safe and protected for life."

Cort's smile shows. "She will, Brother. She works for me and Alder. He's small but deadly." He points at one of the men. "He did that when the dickass interrupted him.

"Dad, glad you got to meet Little Pres. Drew loves him." He shakes his head. "You, she's not too crazy about. Mental is how she describes you. I agree."

The jerk tries to stand and Racks spins fast, kicking him in the head. The line of men watch with some mumbling. "You don't like that? He killed my mother. The autopsy shows she died from food poisoning. She told me to burn the food before anyone else got sick. He wouldn't let my aunt take her to the hospital because he saw a Mexican doctor when I went for stitches. She died right here from food poisoning." He shakes his head. "No one was ever trying to steal the land. It was always mine. My mother's lawyer drew it up when I was born because the land has to stay in the hands of true McClane's. When I went into the Marines, I gave Drew a power of attorney. The land was my mother's family Homestead, he never owned a fuckin' thing but his guns and bad food. The buildings, land and vehicles are owned by McClane's. Look at his license. He doesn't even own the name. He just uses it."

"You're a liar. Drew closed his account, killed a woman and kidnapped the others so she can beat the charges." A grungy younger guy says. He looks like he's trying for a GQ cover in grunge. Everyone else is dressed in camo.

Racks walks to the guy. "You're Preston?"

He nods and Racks hits him with a jab that has his nose dripping and the little shit crying like a girl.

"You're the one who hacked the accounts so he could steal from the old people. You funneled the money into the Homestead account, I'll add that he was forging her signature on. To top it off, you had the balls to lie and tell him you slept with her so you could marry her."

The idiot doesn't disagree with him but ducks with his arms covering his face like he expects another hit. I want to shoot the asshole.

"Drew didn't steal Homestead money. She paid back the people he scammed. The account is hers, money from the sharecropping land is all that was ever in that account. It covered the buildings and land until he started stealing from everyone and fuckin' with the land account. Drew stopped that. You lied to get her to marry you. She never let you touch her, as a matter of fact, she gave you a black eye for trying, didn't she?"

"That's where you got the black eye?" The guy next to him asks.

Looking closer, I see it's one of the cops. "You werein the cop car chasing them," I say pointing my gun at the dirty cop.

"You got my boss put on leave. We got fired," he growls at me like I'm in the wrong.

"No, he did. You repeating the lie doesn't make it true. Drew has the deed and bank account with their name on it and you can look at his license for that truth but you won't." I shoot him and point my gun at the asshole that thinks he was going to marry my girl on a lie. "Racks asked you a question. Did Drew give you a black eye?"

The asshole nods. I shoot him and he flops on the cop at his side.

Cort laughs. "Now that everyone knows your dad and the dickasses are pieces of shit, what do you want to do here? We've got a Blackout jail close." He wants to move on. He's always like that.

Racks nods. "There are men here that helped bomb my aunt's house where Drew and the elderly were. They need to be held accountable."

Cort nods.

Racks goes on. "My mom bought a twenty-acre piece just outside the Homestead. The sharecropping families can live there. Drew doesn't want them staying there but there are a lot of kids. They can stay until they find new homes. It's got a church and some outbuildings on it."

Cort nods again but it's slow.He's probably wondering why Racks is telling him that.

Racks turns and looks at his father. "Drew is selling the land for a dollar if BSC West is the buyer." His father growls and jumps but I shoot him before he gets close.

Racks smiles at me. "Fitting, Brother."

Justice laughs. Alder is done with all this. "Pres Cort. You buy land? I have paper, you pay, digital sign, land is add to Badass trust."

Cort looks surprised. "You already have it?"

Alder looks at Cort impatiently. "You pay, digital sign, I pass bar to be you lawyer to Phoenix, I sign, we done. You think crazy plan on chopper home."

I laugh with the Officers and the woman. "You didn't tell me you took the bar in New Mexico. I don't have cash on me, Brother." Cort looks embarrassed.

Justice walks right in front of him and unzips the arm pocket on Cort's coat. He pulls a dollar out and hands it to Cort. "Everyone has two bucks in that pocket."

I look down. Fuckin' freaky are funny.

"Thanks, Justice." Cort hands the dollar to Alder. The hologram comes out and amazes the derelicts kneeling, Cort signs and Badass owns a shit load of land in Montana.

"Justice, get Raid to reassign after the fire is out. Teams are giving a week to move the farmers out. I'll get with Asa for a plan. We can see if Kaleb can get horses up here for now. I need to leave a crew up here. The new Club will have company."

Justice looks like he's ready to laugh. "Roger, Boss."

Alder turns toward me. "I ride to you. I no need more crazy today."

"I'm going to Rescue," Cort tells him.

I smile at that.

Alder doesn't. "I check to Boss Racks, no hear new plan, send crazy to email."

Racks and Justice laugh.

"Go check Racks. Freedom, get someone on his bag to their chopper."

"Roger, Boss." Freedom is the woman from Phoenix with an MP.

"Marli, thanks for showing. Teller can tell you who is staying and who is going. Stan from Rescue has a team here and I'm leaving Security."

I didn't recognize her with the hat and hair braided.

"Roger, Boss. I have Deputies waiting outside the gate but need some information for those going to the Sheriff's station."

Cort nods and looks at Teller getting a nod and, "On it, Boss."

Justice smiles. "I'll get you to Rescue, Boss."

Cort is done with his newly acquired property for today, or maybe just being on it. He walks away. Teller goes to Marli. Security watches the kneeling and shaking men. The women are just gone.

I look at Racks wondering what's next.

"I need to get a box for Drew and some paperwork."

"Lead the way, Brother," I say and Wolf follows us to an old house that's seen better days. It's sparsely furnished, dusty, dreary and quiet inside. Racks closes the door and walks into a coat closet. Hearing the steps, I follow. Its dirt walled but the stairs are old so it's not collapsing on us today. I hope.

Wolf breaks the silence. "No one lives in the house?"

"Not since my grandparents died. My mom had us at her house, but I burnt it down before I left."

"You have a thing with fire?" Wolf sounds amused and Racks stops.

I turn back to look at Wolf.

His hands go up. "I mean as a solution."

Racks shrugs and turns back to the dingy tunnel. It widens as we walk, but it's all dirt walls. "I was young when my mom died. When I found my dad in her house with his two new wives; that he failed to mention to everyone including me. I burnt the house so it couldn't be used again. My mother slept underground breathing stale air and eating garbage. I left here before my sixteenth birthday, the not talked about wives lived here doing the cooking and cleaning.It's what I could do so I did it."

"Drew lived here?" Wolf asks.

"Almost since she was born. Mom took us to her house on and off for a while until she died. I got bunkers with vents and airflow systems. He moved me once Drew's was done. I wasn't buying him a fuckin' thing once I found out he had wives. My aunt told me about his name and the bank account. She got the lawyer to meet me at the bank. I stole his license and had his birth certificate, showing I was the legal owner of the McClane Homestead and Trust." He turns to a well-lit and lighter hallway. It's dirty but it has walls.

"What's the material?" It's not steel. I ask mostly to change his focus from the past.

"Graphite. I would have gotten better but I didn't know anything about buildings. I ordered what was out there with the air and options for expansion. He moved me out, but I got Drew set up with her own solar generator. It's old technology but she had the ability to change out whatever she needed." He stops at a door. "This was mine but he moved in when I went into the bunkhouse."

It's got old worn-out furniture and a huge TV. "Portable AC?" Wolf asks.

"Heat and air. I fucked with the wiring so he never had heat, AC or even clean air. The door has to be open for clean air in here." He points to a hole with orange cords coming through the top of the wall. "The new electricity. It's what he knew and could afford."

I smile. He's methodical in showing his dad's worth to him. The next room is a huge open kitchen with shelving along the walls to hold everything in here. The only cabinets are at the sink and one between the two stoves.

Racks doesn't stop walking but he slows so we can see The whole room. "Bunkhouse ate here at nine, one and five. If you're late, you get a plate at the bunkhouse. I rarely got to eat here but made sure they had clean air. Drew was down here."

I follow thinking this is fucked up, but he was a kid and did a good job with what he could. We turn at a hall with one door. She was alone down here. Her room is bright and has pictures on the walls. Most are of Drew alone on the other side is Drew with Racks. She isn't smiling in the alone pictures, but you can tell it's like an age progression. Two swords and an old dagger hang just above her bed. A well-used old-fashioned gun belt is hanging from her heavy wooden bed post with a rifle leaning against the wood. I learned military weapons so I have no idea what her guns are, but they all look old.

"She kept herself safe."

Racks turns from the wall. "Yeah. Her alarm sent a message to my radio. We all had Motorolas. It's how I knew they were fighting about her hair being cut."

Jesus. He got moved out right after. He slides a strip up and pulls the metal open, it's a hidden door, he was a smart kid.

"This one is mine. My mom and dad's legal docs, her autopsy, police report from my aunt, our birth certificate copies and the court docs for the land trust. Drew has the deed." He pulls a little wooden box out. It says Porter McClane on the top.

He hands it to Wolf and takes a picture off the wall. "Anchor, help me find her papers. She didn't want the pictures."

I go right to the ones with him in them on the other side. I look at his hands seeing him slide the thin wood up. I do the same and smile. It's a little compartment. A bead bracelet is in it taped to paper. The next has a printout of her classes and grades, like a transcript but it says Montana, no school name. I keep going but don't take anything out or even check the other three.

I don't see a bag or box so I take her pillowcase and put the pictures in it with her dagger and the gun belt. She doesn't have much here, but this was hers.

"She didn't want the pictures," Racks says.

I nod like I agree. "She wants the ones you're in, you're both smiling in them, she wouldn't want those. They served a purpose." I point at the ones he did.

Wolf laughs. "I think you're right."

I nod and take the paper he has in a pile. "Anything else?"

He shakes his head. "The "anything else' burnt at my aunts. These are copies of what she had there. I had originals for the legal shit."

"That's fuckin' sad, Brother. Justice said you'd tell me what you want gone." Mase has us all turning toward the door with guns drawn but luckily not pointed at him. He smiles. "You're all fast but Cooper has got to be the fastest draw I've ever seen."

Racks smiles. "All of it. No one should ever live down here again. All the houses, but Cort gave the sharecroppers a week. Can you cave all this in?"

He nods. "I'll bring Mucimi and Nash back later and cave it in then burn the rest. The choppers doused everything in water. Security is dealing with tanks so it won't start the next disaster you're called to."

I smile at that. "We don't do much fire. That's Pres."

Mase nods. "He's good. He had the fire controlled in like half an hour. That one was going to be bad. There are reservations right up into Canada. Your father is a moron, Racks. Glad you're done with him. Nash took him to a blackout jail with the preppy wannabe."

I love that.

Racks asks what I was going to. "How long are they gone?"

"Alder is doing a reprogramming study. He's got some that aren't ever coming out but thinks some can be reprogrammed to see the error of their ways. Cort doesn't care. Justice says they're all staying so I'm saying they're there for life."

I nod. "Drew is safe from them."

Mase's head swings my way fast. "The others are going to court. Don't pin those hopes on her being safe from everyone." His arms are on fire.

I don't want that fire aimed at me. What is with everyone? "I did say from them. Is your freaky broke too?"

He laughs at me. "No, but old ladies need everyone remembering that their protection has reasons."

"That sounds like a warning," Racks says and I nod.

"It wasn't meant to be but it could be. I don't do warnings. Mucimi, Justice, Teller, now even Putam is doing it."

I smile, taking the pillowcase. "Your nephews are a challenge on regular days. I'm glad I don't get everything you do." I walk out hearing them laugh. I've had enough of this pathetic attempt at living quarters for my girl. Her start wasn't any better than mine.

***

Drew

This can't be happening, I just got him back in my life. Dropping my phone in my pocket I think of what I need to do. All fire off, hot set to cool, tell my partner.

Aurora holds my hand. "I'll go with you." She knows.

I nod automatically, but don't spend a second thinking about it. I shut the stove off and push the griddle pan back. Quesadillas aren't being made by me today. "I've got to go. Someone took Racks, he's in Wyoming."

The elders look shocked. Malcolm stands. "Where are you going?"

"Ops. Pres called me." I'm running to the door without time for more explanations.

"Slow down, Drew, I'll drive you up there."

I'm on the cart and sitting."I can drive."

"You're in no condition to drive."

I love this woman, but don't have time to argue. "Get in and sit. It's a golf cart. I'm pissed and don't have time for this."

My foot touches the pedal and she holds the side frame. I don't know if she was planning on holding the cart there or not but my foot pushes the pedal down as far as it will go.

She pulls herself in as I'm careening down the road that was laid like a carpet. "Your mind is too much for me right now!" she yells.

I don't ask what she means. I don't care what she means. Racks is in Wyoming and Pres said he was taken by Homestead men. They're going to kill him. My head is already shaking. Badass isn't letting that happen. The Commander won't let that happen. Keylan reads like a mythical man but he's real and they save people here just like in his letters. Slowing in front of the Club, I smile. Racks saves people too, he can keep himself safe. I got away from them and he's smarter, stronger and faster than I am.

Pres runs out the door with men following him. "Get to Ops. Putam will explain what's happening."

They go right by me so I don't answer and get to Ops. A huge man I've seen before and the Indian that looks like he came out of a book turn. "Putam." I nod waiting for him to give what he knows about Racks. The man is just as calm as when we went over bios.

"Anchor and Wolf are with Racks. He killed the men who took him and is on his way to the Homestead. There's a vision of them setting the biggest wildfire in history, so the teams are on their way to stop that before it gets out of hand.

My hand finds Aurora's. "They have bunkers with gas and diesel tanks stored in them. I can show you on a map."

"Get me that and I'll get it to Pres. The Protectors can flood the area until he gets there."

I reach down. Damn. "I don't have my tablet."

"Here, Boss Drew." Oliver has a map on his hologram board.

I sit and get him fuel locations and the tunnels that will need flooding. He asks about where everything is so he's getting the whole Homestead mapped.

Putam and the other guy are directing people but I don't pay attention. Wildfire has my attention. My father really is mental.

"Drew, answer your phone," Putam says and the other guy laughs.

My phone rings as I'm taking it out of my pocket. I breathe deep and answer. "Anchor, thank you for being there. Is he okay?"

"It's me, Drew. I lost my phone but I'm fine. We need to decide on the land. His plan is to kill us both and let us burn on it."

"No. I gave them the fuel bunkers and Putam said the Protectors can flood the area. I already told you I don't want the land, but there are a lot of kids with the sharecroppers. Use the twenty acres Ma bought. It has a church and other buildings they can use until they find new homes. The rest is yours. Do whatever the hell you want with it. I'd sell it for a buck if it were mine."

His laugh tells me he's okay. I breathe deep again. "I'll sell it for a buck and get the sharecroppers on to the church piece. You're never going to see him again, Drew." His voice changes to hard and serious in a heartbeat.

"He was bringing you back to kill you, Porter. I just got you back in my life. He took mom and Aunt Jen from me, I'm not losing you to the mental lunatic. I don't care about him. Be safe and come home when you're done."

"Home. I feel like that too. I'll see you for dinner. Did you get your popcorn?"

I laugh. "You're crazy, yes and thank you. I wasn't riding for it until my ride time later with Anchor." The Vision park always smells like popcorn and I crave the smell more than the actual popcorn. Anchor brought me a bag but it just wasn't the same. I ate four pieces then saved the bag in my desk drawer so I could smell it and made him laugh when I told him. He doesn't seem to care that I'm nuts. Today is Anchor's birthday, I was going to treat him to an ice cream cone. It's the only thing I've seen him splurge on and even that was a little one.

"Anchor would keep you safe. I should have asked when you were going for it. I got everyone waiting on me."

I know he's smiling."Bye, Racks."

He hangs up but I heard him laugh.

He's safe and my dad isn't getting away with this one. The man is just mental. My eyes close. He's not the man I knew anymore, or the one he showed to me growing up. Racks said the women were married to him. I had no idea. I knew he slept with them but not together and not nightly. All he ever wanted was the McClane name and lands. Racks told me, but it wasn't until my aunt showed me that I started to see it.

I wrote checks for the land and crops but never anything else. The account he used for payroll and food was never talked about to me. The wife of a sharecropper told me about my dad's plan for Porter and her husband shortchanging the totals on the crops, so I know dad got money from it, but it could never have been much. I hope she got away, if not, this is the perfect time for her to leave the cheating low life. He took a neighbor's sixteen- year-old as a new wife. It's disgusting because he's got kids older than his wife now and she got moved into the first wife's bedroom.

I shake my head and focus on the room around me. Oliver is typing away, the big guy is talking to a pilot and Putam turns toward me and Aurora who I forgot is here.

"Racks is fine. Your dad will go to jail with Preston. Preston is your half-brother from a woman named Karen. Racks doesn't know that, but it doesn't matter now. BSC just paid a dollar to own the land and it's done. Racks has everything he needs and will be home for dinner. His only thoughts were to keep you protected, Drew. He's doing that by cutting your ties to that man and the land. It's no longer an issue."

That's good and all, but seriously? "He was trying to get me to marry my brother? Euuw!" That means he was cheating on my mom. Preston is a year older than me.

Aurora agrees. "That is beyond gross. Why would he do that?"

"To keep McClane's on the land."

I stand. "He really is mental." So many studies show how babies are born with defects because of that crap. My father is as bad as the sharecroppers, worse because the land is worth more to him than I am. It's land.

Putam nods. "Forward, Drew. BSC owns the land. There will be a party."

Just great. I'm almost done with the Bible and had plans of a ride for ride time tonight with Anchor. I haven't seen him and tonight that's with people invading my life, again. "Hey, the land isn't mine. It's always been Porter's. I didn't sell the land, he did."

Putam smiles. "In his head, it's always been both of yours. Being a girl isn't a good reason for you not to own it with him."

My brother is a good Samaritan."You know, my father thought he was crazy because he thought like that." I owe him a party for saving me from marrying my other brother, life and the elders. I love him for being Porter/Racks. I can do a party.

"Dumbass." Oliver makes me laugh.

"He is a dumbass. Now he's a jailed dumbass. I should make something for the party. Am I still needed here?"

Putam shakes his head. "Go bake something but make sure you've got supervision. Everyone is out right now."

I roll my eyes and pull Aurora out the door.

"Preston and Porter. I bet your sperm donor named them."

Euuw! "Forward means I never have to think about all that crap. What can we make for the party?"

***

Anchor

"They're fuckin' crazy," Pres says sitting down with us. "This party every night is killing me."

I throw him chin. KC nods.

"I didn't see you come in, Pres,"Wolf says sitting Bret before he does.

"I left Flame with the women. You can't even see their table. I saw you as I walked by for food. It's early for dinner but I was taking it to the pool with the gaggle of kids. Alpha-Bits, K-9s and Prospects are over there, but I don't know more Brothers than I do here." He was going to eat alone.

"Moms over there?" I ask hoping more than kids, dogs and Prospects were there.

He smiles at me. "Yeah. All the elders are. I think Bravo is here again with them."

I'm glad he'd have had family by him but more so that he saw us and stopped here.

"Mase said you did good with the fire today," Wolf tells him.

Pres smiles. "He did some controlled burns for us so we're not there again this week. You don't know fire?" He looks at me.

"We learned basics and used it but we didn't learn about safe burns or much more than how to cover ourselves when in a fire. The Commander might have gotten more but we didn't deal with fires like wildfire."

He nods. "We didn't do many buildings but wildfires and fire evacs were regular for us. Keylan knows more."

"More what?" The Commander sits.

"About wildfire." Pres answers for me.

The Commander nods. "Racks pulled it for me. We didn't do those jobs but dealt with other fires."

Pres nods. "I just heard. That was crazy today. Justice showed me pictures of what that fire was going to look like. With all the choppers Cort ordered there, I'm guessing he showed Cort too."

I listen but see my girl winding her way through the crowd. She stops when she sees me. I smile at the cupcakes she's carrying and point then point at myself. Her smile gets bigger and she walks my way.

KC hits my arm. I don't look and hit him back. "In a minute."

"What did you use to stop the tent fire on base."

"Baking soda. The infantry were idiots." They laugh but Drew has me turning. "Did you bake today?"

"They look better far away but they're good." She holds her pan out to me.

I hold the laugh in at the messy attempt at circles of frosting on the top of her cupcakes. "They look good for a first try. Mine had frosting mushed into them."

"Tell me it was this year."

I look up fast. I was like twelve.

She rolls her pretty eyes. "Less than five years ago?"

My jaw clenches so I don't laugh.

She gives up. "Fine. Take one from this side, I started getting good with the baggie thing."

I pull one right from the middle. "You did. I like the look of this one." It's a mess.

"I'll take one." KC is going to get hit again.

Drew smiles and bends kissing my head. I'm surprised but don't let it show. She's happy to hold the pan out as the Brothers all take her sorry looking cupcakes. All the good ones are left.

"I have to put this on the table. Aurora is waiting with the good ones."

"These are good, Drew," Bret tells her biting into hers.

"I'll be back. I need to eat. I missed lunch."

I put the cupcake down but she stops me. "Stay, I can get my food and be done so I'm not late for the ride time. I'm almost done with the Bible and have questions."

Aurora pulls her arm and she smiles back at me.

I nod and pick up my cupcake. I didn't think she'd want to go since the party is here tonight and it's for her and Racks.

The hit on my shoulder has me turning. "Brother. You missed the cupcakes."

Racks sits by me with a pretty one. "Aurora gave me one."

"They're good." Wolf points to mine. "Are you eating it?"

I peel the paper off. He's not getting my cupcake. "Yeah."

Pres laughs. I shrug and eat my cupcake. It's surprisingly good. My girl is a quick study.

"You don't eat cakes and shit." KC has me wanting to hit him again.

My girl baked cupcakes. I'm eating it. "I eat danish and cake as much as the rest of you."

Racks doesn't agree. "KC eats more of what we don't. I didn't eat junk food until I was on campus. We didn't get food like that. It was canned, bagged or we grew it."

I nod because I ate sort of like that. "School had food I never got at the home. I didn't like the colored yogurt and cookies with candy on them. You can't taste the food with all the shit they put in it."

Everyone is watching me, I eat the last bite of my yellow cupcake like I don't notice.

"My mom did desert on Sunday. We didn't get much sugar growing up." Wolf gets their attention away from me.

I look at Racks but he's looking down so I elbow him. "Did Cort or Alder need you to sign more paperwork?"

He shakes his head. "No. Cort has something for you but he didn't want to do it here."

"For me?"

He shakes his head. "It's your birthday, Brother."

It is. "Cort has a birthday present for me?" The Commander is the only one that ever gave me presents. He'd leave them for me but never said anything.

"Sort of. We're meeting him at our pit in ten. He didn't want to fuck with your ride time and said Drew needs the cut before the meeting."

"Okay." I nod and look at my watch. They laugh.

They talk and I listen but I'm impatient to see what Cort got for me. What's ‘sort of' a present. Maybe they finished the motor we used to build.

The Commander stands. "It's time, Anchor."

I'm up and moving. Racks is right with me. "You think they finished the motor?"

"I don't know. You didn't get presents either?"

"The Commander always got me something but never talked about it. If I said anything he'd just nod."

"Me too but I didn't know it was him."

I almost stop but know by his tone he isn't talking about it. I let it go. I'm going to get Racks presents. He's older than me and was a Marine longer so he was with the Commander longer than I was, but he lived a shittier life than I did.

The Commander waits at the gate. I'm surprised Wolf, KC and Level are behind us. "It's a team thing?"

He smiles. "It's an Anchor thing." Opening the gate, he waves us through and follows.

Cort, Alder and Mom Stone are here. I stop but the Commander hooks his arm around my shoulder and walks me to them.

I acknowledge, "Cort, Alder, Ma Stone."

Cort throws me chin. "I had Alder check something for me and he took the bar exam to get it done himself. He even picked the first name."

Alder hands me a birth certificate from Colorado. Andro David Stone is on it. I look at the Commander.

"Happy Birthday, Brother, but I gotta tell you, it's more like we got the present than you did." They got the pres…

Oh fuck. I bend. "I have a name, a real name." I breathe. His hand touches my back. "Anchor is your road name but Andro was picked by Alder because he said the warrior fighter name fits you, David was my father and would be proud to have a son that followed in our footsteps to Marines and to Badass. Stone is my name and with mom's blessing, now yours. Welcome to the family, Andro David Stone."

I'm up and hugging him. "Thank you. I have a real name, an honorable name. Thank you, Keylan." He's really mine now. My family. I've never called him Keylan. It's right.

He's stunned and everyone laughs. I don't care, I have a name that isn't a drug and it's righteous. I hug Cort, Alder, then Ma Stone. She doesn't let me go. "We have more for you and Keylan said you don't eat cake, but everyone gets cake on their birthday."

I nod still being held against her. "Yes, ma'am."

"Ma, let him go so he can see all the shit you got for us to give him." The Commander has me smiling. Ma Stone is the best.

Cort laughs. "I got him a cut with his name on it."

"I have Web make license. All name change to computer," Alder says.

"Slate with ‘A Stone' on it for his house," KC says.

"Football Jersey with Stone on it," Level says.

"I made a journal for you with all the shit you built," Wolf says.

"I made you a cuff like the tracker with your new name on it," Racks says.

Nike chuffs and has his board up with a picture of me, the Commander and him making his bed.

"I guess I'll claim all the shit she bought. Happy Birthday, Brother," the Commander says and they're all laughing again.

I'm really his brother. I hug him again, then hug them all again, even Nike.

***

"Thank you for this but you didn't have to leave. I was happy to stay at the party." She would have stayed but she wasn't happy. She looked bored.

I was too. "No you weren't, you were as bored watching people as I was."

Her giggle has me smiling. I love the understated way she does that. "I was happy to stay for you and Racks."

Me first. I like that. "Thank you. Racks told you about my name?"

She hesitates so she knew. "In letters but Cort asked me why you don't use it. I told him what I knew and it hurt you to hear it. He said he'd lose it and went to Ops. When I told Racks, he was angry with me then nodded and said you were in boot camp when you turned eighteen and could change it. Cort is my boss. I can't lie to him and I won't hide it from you."

Jesus. I close my eyes. Everyone knew. I breathe deep. It's not like my name was secret. It was my name. I smile. It's not anymore. "Andro David Stone is better. Thank you for not hiding it."

She takes my hand and keeps walking the path to the elders compound. "There are a lot of things in my life I'd rather you not know, but if you ask, I'd tell you. Everyone tells me you're all in with the me you know. The me I am. I only know who you are, Anchor Andro David Stone, I don't need who you were. You know I'm crazy and don't care. You know where I came from and don't care. I feel like that, Anchor. Where you came from made you who you are, but it's not who you are. It made you determined, stable, accomplished, compassionate, honorable and loyal. All traits I've come to know and love about you."

My feet and breath stop. Her smiling face and blue-pink eyes turn my way looking happy and intense right now. "You love me." I need to hear it.

"I love you and the gravelly voice. It gives me the shivers." Her lids drop and little giggle has her up and in my arms.

"You are mine."

"I think I always have been. From two different worlds, we're as different as night and day but the same in purpose, drive and…"

I kiss her. She can tell me the rest later. When I put her down, my hands cup her face. " All in means neither leave, ever. We work it out." It's my favorite Badass rule, even though it isn't a rule, I'm taking it as one.

Those white lashes open to her eyes looking a shade darker and stunningly beautiful. "Always."

Always. I kiss her lips, then laugh. "Come on. It's been a perfect day and we'll make it a perfect night."

Her giggle spurs me on.

***

Drew

He's as crazy as I am. The walk back to the party had him asking me questions from some list. Every time I answered, he'd give me his answer but I don't get the urgency.

At the gate, he stops and turns toward me. "You're still all in ?"

"Umm, yeah. Whats the list for and why do I need to know how many kids you want or don't and where we have sex?"

He smiles in a way I've never seen before. Oh, my my. "If I'm claiming you, we need the answers. You need mine so you know what you're getting into."

Claiming me? He's claiming me tonight? "You really finish your list before bed?" Why did that come out? I have a million questions that are probably important right now.

"I really do. Are you ready?" His hands hold my face gently while he bends so his eyes are level with mine.

The man is beautiful in a weird way. Not one feature matches the others making the unique look all his own, right down to the light tan eyes with green flecks in them. I sigh and he kisses my lips again. That gentleness brings tears to my eyes.

"You're mine," I whisper as soon as his lips are off mine.

"Always."

I smile. When he sent the little guy holding the always sign, I knew.

"I'm ready."

He kisses me until my brain stops working.

"Find a room."

Anchor sets me down laughing. "I gotta do something first."

I shake my head but it doesn't clear it as we're walking again. I'm stuck in autopilot.

"Andro David Stone, come sit your girl down!"The Commander yells, clearing some of my stupor.

Everyone is watching us with smiles on. I go with that and paste a smile on my face. Holy mackerel, the man can kiss. Shaking my head again, I stop and lean on Anchor as he pulls me closer.

"Brothers, I claim Drew Stone as mine tonight and always."

The crowd goes wild. I've heard it describing ball games and read it but the crowd really has gone wild. People are yelling and squishing us into each other. Anchor bends and kisses my lips. "They're going to maul us. Keep your hands on me if you don't want to go!"

I nod and curl my fingers around his belt just before getting pulled to the side by Racks.

He's got me up and in a hug. "Batshit crazy has perfect timing."

I laugh and hug him back. "You knew before I did."

"I did." He turns fast and puts me down. "Love you, Drew." I kiss his cheek before I'm pulled away by the other men from his team. Holy mackerel. The women are next with drinks and orders to sit and stay seated until Anchor comes to get me. Aurora looks at me with her brows high. I nod and sit glad she sits next to me.

My whole life I've never been celebrated. Tonight, I'm celebrated. Boy does this feel good. I don't get up but find Anchor and smile. He's hugging the Commander. Aurora leans over and kisses my head. I giggle.

"Keylan is on a high tonight. Between Racks, Anchor and you, I think he's going to float away." Firefly has everyone looking at the men. The Commander does look happy.

"I feel the same way. Anchor did rapid fire questions on the way back here. I was still recuperating from that when he asked if I was ready to be claimed."

"You did look a little dazed walking in," Flame says with a smile. Everyone is happy tonight.

"It was the kiss. The man is no slouch. My brain took off and didn't come back until Racks hugged me."

They all laugh.

"So Badass dreamboat can kiss. He's a good man, Drew."

I laugh at her, taking her hand. "He is, thank you for showing me, Aurora."

She leans closer. "You're going to be happy, Drew."

A picture pops in my head of me and Anchor laughing at a sorry looking cake. I breathe deep then cry.