Chapter One

Every plan, idea and thought I had about where and how my week would go was changed by daily texts of meets, when and where. It's a good thing I am a Marine. Adapt takes on a life of its own when Cort is involved.

After a week and a half of dog and Officer training, meets with everyone, countless chopper rides and dinners everywhere, we're finally on our way to stay at our new Club for good. Stan was kept busy while I met every Officer from every Club but he didn't update me, so I figure it was Ops. I know he was tapped for BSC and went over National Guard work he did, but he keeps his shit tight.

I think they're crazy for labelling me VP, but I was so honored to be considered and they had the new BSC cut on me before I could do more than growl out ‘honored' feeling it deep. I'm Stan's second with orders to never address him as Pres.

It's been eventful and jam packed, long past dusk-till-dawn intel, that I'm sure, I'll be grateful for once I settle into my own space.

Our last meet in Phoenix was cancelled or cut short by an Op that wasn't detailed. Jinx said he'd send us the trainee lists and bios that were vetted for teams with us or other territories. Bishop was right, Cort is covering Badass for everything that could possibly happen.

Stan mumbles at his laptop then pulls paper from the envelope he was handed and smiles sliding it my way. "They took the job. I wasn't sure about the first two. I made the calls myself."

I lift the stack and see it's our list. No fuckin' way."Fourteen Brothers followed me and you got five from my old team?" He wasn't a Marine or military. How the fuck?

Stan smiles. "Yeah, Brother. We got three full teams before we even set down."

"How'd you get Marines? We had classified jobs, but we ran different than regular units on regular unclassified shit so we weren't seen."

"My list of vetted came from the East. Bishop said the Senator helped. My guess is he's tapped into military. He helped get military here for the ABSZ and the bases are run by a good commander now." He wasn't here so he's giving what he was told.

Christ. "Baxter is Badass. He lives on the Virginia Badass compound. I hit the Club a few times for Church and to find out what happened in Ohio."

He closes up. The shit that happened up there couldn't have been good. Bishop told me Stan lost Brothers. My mom wasn't in the loop when I was sent to military so she only had bits and pieces of what happened to the Club. She dated a biker but wasn't interested in Club life and the women weren't included and organized like here, but she never stopped me from diving into the Little Brothers headfirst. Once I was in, I knew it was for life and Badass isn't a halfway life. Bruce went down when I was in high school and mom moved us closer to her cousins. It was two miles further than Bruce's house but I was deep into Little Brothers, had a bike that ate up those two miles and never minded the move. It made mom happy and she started living again. Bruce should have claimed her. He was a decent Brother but didn't take to some lessons, like, taking care of your own. Mom should have been taken care of before he went down. The Brother saw women as less but not so much when he was alive. When he died, I saw it firsthand. Claiming a woman like my mom when he wasn't all in was a shit thing to do.

Stan is still going on about new gear and equipment that I got in an email and saw firsthand. "You with me?" Stan has me looking up from my list.

"Yeah. I sent the plans for the harnesses and asked for the other shit to be made lighter and stronger. Crates better for the drops. These are good men from my old team. They're Badass?" I would have known that if they were. I know two were Masons but they aren't on the list.

"They are now. Some took the open call, some went through the boot camps, newest has been in for four months."

I nod. "He was my second and could run a team then. I'd have had him running a crew for me and know he has more."

He's interested. "Yeah? Cort wants full teams trained together."

I nod. "It's good but every team member should have every training."

The agreeing nod stops me. "All interchangeable. Specialty isn't singled out."

"Yeah. Every one of my old team members can pilot and has better than medic experience and training."

He's even more interested. "Did you ask about the program?"

It's one I have coming. "Yeah, Nash is getting it set up for us."

He shakes his head. "That kid takes just do it to new levels. I'm glad he's a VP for Badass. He'd have been a hellion in a gang."

The Brother is a screwball. Nash is getting the Alpha-Bit IT Circuit crew to put it in. "Yeah. The training is virtual and simulated, one of the doctors or all of them can be tapped for the classroom training. LP got an Alpha-Bit on building a virtual teacher for the engineering classes that will touch on bomb, wind, water and quake disasters. Fire is a whole different game so they're doing it separate."

At his movement I look up to see his surprise. He doesn't get surprised by much so I focus on his eyes. "You wereat the lab to get programs?"

"Yeah. Bishop said they made him the law app. MB said they have the dog simulator programs from Asa and Mase's ol' lady. MB's ol' lady worked on our new equipment with her Bit. Nash had Stella as maker of the doc program and simulator. The Bits and Officers know who does what. I went to them to get what we needed for training. Climbing and Site Security are all I have left on my list but they're classes I can train in my sleep. Did you get the flight suit shit settled?" He had trainees, teams and the suits. I had training material, equipment and everything K-9.

The muscles around his eyes show a tremor making a quick jump from wide to normal. "Pablo will do a boot camp. Zeke said he's good and he's got a Lead from the east that wants to stay. He said the Lead can train with their lesson plan for maintenance. I got their plan link so it will have new they add based on jobs. He wants what we add for his simulator and lesson plan."

Thank fuck. "Glad we're not in another week of training. He's adding us so they can cover any job. I saw Security and dogs on ABSZ with suits. Zeke's dog trained Zeus. I built the bigger simulator for them up at Flight in Elan but never saw the dogs there." I get a smile.

"They seem crazy on the surface but there's an underlying genius in everything they do."

I nod. Our old Pres had an insight that led Brothers for years. "Insight and the Badass lessons, when followed, work. I used it in the military and had men lining up to sub on my teams."

"You had three teams. Isn't that unusual?" Someone did give them military shit on me.

"Yeah, one was classified. The others were rescue and build teams. They were my favorite jobs. My team would be great trainers. The virtual would take over if we're out but if Anchor takes a team, he'd be another good trainer as a sub."

This confuses him. "Your new members are from the classified jobs."

My surprise at him knowing that must show. His hands go up. "It just says classified in the bio. I was looking for any type of specialty."

I relax. "They're Ops trained, meaning always alert. They went through engineering training so they can adjust and adapt to whatever they had to do to get the job done." I smile. "I gave objectives, not a map. That training had two purposes, if we knew how to build, we knew how to unbuild – effectively and quickly. All could lead but they weren't interested. My second is a natural leader and I swear could read my mind like the readers here. He's young but fuckin' smart and by now should be ready for a team."

"We'll give him one if he is. They took the job and location change because of you. Cort said to keep them happy." He's not going to challenge that and I don't blame him. He also didn't comment on the unbuild aspect of classified jobs we did, which I appreciate.

"I'll push it but they know the job and each other's strengths. Seeing team member names would have them jumping for the job. Knowing your team is a big motivator and relief. We never lost a member."

His eyes show an understanding pain then flash to clear quick. "That's a good statistic to follow but it was your name they saw. All they had were our pictures and short bios on the open call and that call went out only to Badass. The military call will go out tomorrow so they can get them into boot camps. Virginia is already training for us because theirreaders are trainers for them. Cort will send the new military to Bravo Rising."

It's where I ended up so I can see that working well. Because I was already Badass, I only had a week of in-Flight training and two in-air trainings but they're thorough and keep to military protocol, so adapting to the chopper is about all we needed. I was approached with the LP job before I ever even finished the training week or worked on a Flight Team. I didn't know about Virginia readers. I bet Pres has readers as trainers. Teller is a regular trainer for Bravo but I bet there are more. All this flashes through my brain before I answer."It's a good system."

I feel us lowering and pack up my laptop and the lists he handed me.

My new Pres shakes his head. "The choppering everywhere isn't my normal. I sent you the link but that's your team on top. I thought you'd want it for notes. The rosters are already up on the training boards. Leaderboard is updated. While you were with Allen at the lab, I was with Aris getting our IT needs settled. He got the new and added them in."

I give a shake of my head and smile. The Alpha-Bits and IT just go together.

"That was less than an hour ago. He even has the kitchen menu up for the month." Stan is impressed.

I laugh. "They're cute and fast. When is Locke due up here?"

He points to the door. "He's here. Oliver is coming off the circuit and will be here before the trainees."Oliver is his new second.

I met Locke at the K-9 compound and he got me set up with Allen. I needed too many different programs for one Brother but Allen took the list and sent jobs out to different Alpha-Bits. I was informed Juan is my printer and anything I need different for equipment goes to him. He'll get it on Stella or Copper's board for changes if it's not minor hardware changes or material. He's already got the redesigned harnesses I drew up printing. Our new rope, cables and hardware are already done according to the email. I handed the drawings and plans to Sohn yesterday at Elite. The little Brothers amaze me, even now. Working with them, for them, was the same, they'd have shit I'd ask for done and ready for me before I started a job.

I jump out with my duffle and backpack slung over my shoulder. "Pres Stan, VP Keylan, I get K-9 settle. Boss Zeus stay to one night. He on-call." Locke shrugs. "Maybe leave Pres Harky, MB need him."

I bend for him. "Good job, Brother. They moved them fast. Our Phoenix meet was canceled so we're early."

He nods. "VP Asa give heads-up to me." That makes him happy going by the smile he's wearing.

"We got a ride? I'm starving."

His little white head bobs as he points to the side. "Truck to you. Cook ready to lunch."

Stan stops. "Who is here to feed?"

"VP Keylan work crew to K-9, boss Bowser, Boss Jeff, work crew to Club finish, compound finish."

"Bowser?" Stan isn't really used to their form of crazy. I think he's been here for three weeks now.

Locke nods, passing Stan by. "K-9 handler." No big deal, we have a new K-9 handler that we haven't made it to discovering on one of our lists.

I smile, follow and think there's bound to be more because Cort is as thorough as LP and will have shit we didn't know we'd need covered. He got my old team members here. He learned my background and made sure I have Brothers at my back, meaning Brothers at all BSC Brothers backs. He knows how to spread Badass.

We get to the truck and I lift Locke in. "Pres Stan, Miss Flame, Raiden here tonight early same to you?"

Stan takes the driver's seat. "No, Brother, they're here tomorrow. I didn't know if we'd be roped into another party-meet tonight." I get the feeling he doesn't like leaving them alone here. I can't say I blame him. He's not familiar with the build teams.

"Pres Cort party crazy." Locke isn't a fan.

"I got a bunch of intel at the parties and it's more relaxed than the straight meets. I have to say, I'm not sorry they're over. I never was much for the nightly crowds."

"Yeah. With meets it takes longer to get to know your Brothers but nightly it's hard on Flame to keep the family flowing normally. When I did the Officer and IT training the week we got here, I barely saw them. That's why they stayed in Veritable this last week."

He starts driving and I watch out the window seeing the progress I expected and some I didn't. Thinking about his words, I know he'sright and I can't imagine trying to open a Club with a family. I know he was on his laptop helping Raiden with schoolwork late one afternoon at the VIP picnic table. He begged off dinner so I silently dropped his plate and drink then left him to it.

"Alpha-Bits help to family time to Brothers. Busy kids, fun, help to ol' lady. Oliver make schedule to Alpha-Bit, Prospect help. Six family eleven kid to here." They cover everything.

"It's appreciated, Brother. I'll let Flame know. She'll be starting in the office as soon as he settles at the school. We've never been in Clubs like these. Michigan was closest getting there but never made it."

His tone has me looking his way. That bad or maybe the Kentucky shit is holding onto him. His Club was closer to Michigan than mine was. I know they occasionally ran Ops with his affiliate and Stan ran the Ops room.

Waiting until we stop at the Officers compound, I get out and lift Locke down, throwing out, "I've been here a couple of years, Boss. It is a crazy genius and has been steadily growing since before I started building for LP. The Compounds and Brothers with families settle in and realize the work they do for Badass has benefits they didn't get from their old Clubs, but it's real and deserved. It takes all of us to make it to the life and protection Cort is handing us. Every one of us need to eat, have boots and a place to sleep. They don't mind doing their part and have Presidents that make those points so everyone feels that equal and is happy to cook, clean or do their part to protect their Brothers and community."

He stops at the tailgate and focuses on me. I watch his eyes.

"I think they should have made you Pres and me VP and that's why."

I smile. "Not happening, Boss. I was never an Officer for Badass and have no interest in your position. I thought they were crazy putting me as VP but I'm a soldier to the core. Badass-Marine is my life and I'm honored to keep you in that position even if it's with my life."

"Fuckin' hell. Don't fuckin' die on me or for me. You're more Badass than I am and I grew up in the Club."

I smile watching Locke run to the kitchen-living room building. "Roger, Boss. Just sayin', VP is a shield and I already accepted the position. Marine means it's a position I take seriously. BSC has a shit ton of well-trained Brothers that will take the sniper shot to kill me if I fall down on that job."

"Fuck. Shut up already, Keylan." His head shake and smile says he got that I'm not shirking the job and I'd use any means necessary.

The Marine in me shows as I hit the door chuckling. "Roger, Boss."

He stops just inside the door. Seeing more than a handler and a few Brothers I get why. "Christ. I think Locke forgot to mention the trainees showing early."

He gives me a look. "You think?"

"Pres Stan, VP Keylan, Officer table, here." Locke has the room quiet enough that we hear the Prospects feet rushing from the kitchen.

I hope Stan says something, then breathe as he starts.

"Trainees, Brothers, as you can tell, we're surprised you're already here. I was told you'd start showing on Friday. That was yesterday." He pauses for the laughs.

"Welcome to Badass Rescue: Sentinel Rising. From here on we're known simply as Badass Rescue. If you're here, you know who we are so I won't bore you. Eat while I get who is here and how you came to be here, then how you'll make our lives easier. It may be dinner before I call for a meet."

"Hooyah!" The Brothers respond.

I laugh and start walking. "Prospect, get our backpacks from the Rescue pickup out front and get the duffels to our houses. Once that's done find out the plan for dinner."

He smiles. "Barbecue outside. Game setup starts after lunch. The trainees are our help. They moved furniture, equipment and vehicles everywhere today." He likes the help, I guess.

"Good, make sure fruit, beer and a good dessert is at that barbecue. Most won't drink much but they like their sweets."

"Roger, VP." He moves fast for the door.

"How do you know they don't drink?" Stan asks as he sits.

I sit by Locke. He's going to have the intel Stan is looking for. "Highly alert Brothers don't drink much and I know a few on the list that went through Bravo from the Club there. This is all military. Even my crew Leads didn't drink. We went to a club to check it out but no one had more than a beer."

He nods. "I saw that at Veritable. Kentucky was a grooming ground for drunks."

I heard that from Bishop and didn't miss the no mention of Ohio. "All the Rising Clubs are pretty much the same. Brothers coming in tone down the drinking here or something. My old Club wasn't like these."

The flash of sadness hits his eyes again and gets noted but I turn for a different Prospect. "Did you get our preferences?"

"There's a list in the kitchen, Pres leans Italian and you eat the same as VP Mase. The cook called for the menu and portion size when I put the lists up. He didn't understand. I worked Phoenix and saw their lists for Ops Brothers and Officers."

I nod. "Good job, Prospect. I never ate with Mase but know him. I've eaten with Nash."

"Same list but he likes the chicken philly."

"I do too." I point to Stan and look at Locke, glad he's got the chair that rises. I've eaten with a lot of Bits and like their comfort being handled. "Did you give your order?"

"Yeah, VP Keylan. I print list to you, get Pres Stan favorites."

"Flame and Raiden?"

He smiles bobbing his head. "Done. Mario make Ice cream machine ASAP to me. Here tomorrow." Ice cream is big with the Bits. They eat so little but love everything they get like it's Christmas.

I laugh then give my order.

"VP."

Turning I take the backpacks from the Prospect I sent out for them. "Thanks, what's your name?"

"Highland, Boss. I was kitchen rotation and training for Doc. They needed another PA but had four of us in training. I think this Club is why."

Stan laughs. "They came up with this Club three weeks ago."

"Oh. I don't know why he had four then."

He turns then turns back. "Did your order go in, Pres?"

"Yeah, Prospect. Once we get who is here, we'll sit and talk about you getting in on the programs VP has coming. One is medical and we have PAs and doctors as team members."

Highland shows his smile for that one. "Roger, Pres, and thanks." He's off like a shot.

Locke pushes his tablet toward me. "Allen say Prospect Highland good. Good score. Prospect Lowell location stay to Phoenix, he not finish same time. Good score too. Boss Patcher try help catch up."

"Shit, he's close to done. How long has he been a Prospect?" I pass the tablet to Stan and remember the backpacks. Pulling my laptop out, I boot it up noticing Stan doing the same. Absentmindedly, I slide Locke's tablet back.

"Seven month."

My head whips up because that answer came too fast. Locke has glasses and a magic board and keyboard up. "Are you Lead here?"

His proud smile says it all. "VP Asa train and give glasses, I Lead to Alpha-Bits Sentinel and Rescue. I have meet to Sentinel two time weeks."

I smile. "Two times a week and that's impressive, Brother. Let us know when and if we can help."

"Roger, VP. I help to VPs Akai, Amal. Train to Lead BSC Alpha-Bits."

"Great job, Locke. I didn't know they had a structured hierarchy," Stan says, lowering his laptop screen so he can see the little Brother."

"Same to Club. I no train Protector. I train Officer, Lead."

Stan nods. "What's Oliver's specialty?"

"Ops. IT Control, surveillance, security." He shrugs. "He like all Ops admin. I help to him you new boards, trainee, leaderboard, VP list to new test different to Flight Guard, Law. I talk Boss Aris I help Oliver. He say bottom to his list. Boss Aris help to Oliver Pres work. Oliver second Pres Hemy he know."

"Thank you. I saw the boards filled fast. That's good. Oliver can help me figure out how this is working."

"Oliver same to Amal, Aris, Brann. Second to BSC Clubs. I same to Akai, Allen, Aaron. I be Officer to Alpha-Bit Club." This is a BSC Club but I don't ask.

I can see Stan doesn't know them all. "Impressive Brothers to be likened to. Avoid an Anton here. Ops would be great but down-time would be a bitch." I'll explain Alpha-Bits later, I've dealt with all the As and Brann.

My little second rolls his eyes. "Anton crazy." He backs up for the Prospect. "He make laser tag to K-9. Boss Harky be mad. Anton put K-9 laser to ABSZ have Security dog fly everywhere. Boss Perses be mad. Bark to Anton scare him."

I laugh. Stan looks dumbfounded so I explain. "Perses is an Ops dog like Zeus. He runs maintenance training for the ABSZ Security dogs."

He nods slowly then snaps out of it and moves for the Prospect. "You said someone's dog was training Zeus. I thought you were kidding. I saw the dogs at the table but never asked."

"You should get a dog for Raiden. Even the Security dogs are extremely protective and focused."

"I don't know. Marli's dog snapped someone's neck. She's not as big as the Ops dogs I saw in Phoenix or Jinx's dog."

I nod. "Jinx's dog is a service dog that was trained for Security. He needs him to stand and shit. Ops dogs are meant for Ops. They can do everything a Brother can and have lasers now so they can shoot. The Leads carry boards and answer in meets. I redid a couple of walls and the expansion of the K-9 compound at the ABSZ and Perses gave me his ideas. He ended up being my contact for that job. The thing with the dogs is they follow orders so a member is a Club Brother you don't know well, Brother or family means whoever is safe and treated with respect but also hold a no kill order. Security dogs don't learn to kill so they'd already just grab for balls not throats."

He smiles but doesn't look convinced. "I need new words for the crazy genius."

I take a bite of my chicken philly and love that the Clubs keep it all the same. I'll push a dog again when he's used to them.

"Practical lunatic, Pres?" Locke has me choking on my bite.

"Fuck, Heimlich maneuver?" Stan asks.

I shake my head finally getting a breath into my chest. Another breath, cough and drink has me smiling at Locke. "Practical lunatic works."

Stan laughs.

"Mad hatter, loopy, maniacal no work to practical"

Stan spits his drink.

I smile at Locke. "I see why we don't normally use our technology at mealtimes."

He nods seriously and Stan laughs through his coughing fit. I'm glad I didn't need to do the Heimlich for him.

Lunch turned calmer and good with us working and eating through it. Stan's ‘light' shells and garlic knots would have done me in with all that butter, cheese and pasta but he considers it a light lunch. My half sub with salad and granola bar got a look from him. I had to explain the over-the-top meat servings but it was lost on him because his shells had no meat. I didn't try after that but caught Locke's eye roll and know he understood. I eat more like Locke than Stan but didn't know I could get it at the other Clubs. Because of Nash, I asked so the ABSZ and Bravo didn't have a problem serving what I wanted. I thought it was because I was a Bravo member.

After, the Prospects left us alone so we could get through the trainees here and members to be patched in on Sunday. That list wasn't as short as I thought it would be. We have Flame in admin, a supply clerk, kitchen staff, vehicle maintenance crews, Prospects, a building super from one of my crews that will be shared with Sentinel, a job coordinator, a Brother that will shuttle the kids to Sentinel for, school, Little Brothers and activities, the dog handler Lead and his two trainers. It's more than I saw coming and hope they're all Badass or military.

The good thing here is Flame and her business admin courses. Stan says she's good with money, supplies and keeping shit stocked. She did half his job in Kentucky because he spent the majority of his time breaking up squabbles in training, offices and at the Club but it wasn't a Club she ever set foot in.

Being VP, half my job should be business but training and Rescue are all I was given. It's why I ordered no furniture but wood and a cot before I ever slept here.

Stan stands and stretches. "I'm heading to my office. You got the…"

I turn to see what stopped him.

"Harky, Zeus." Pres acknowledges.

I throw chin and put my fist out when Zeus gets closer for the bump.

"Stan, I came to talk to Keylan but I can come back."

Stan nods. "He's on K-9 right up front so it works for me. I have staff I never knew I needed and need to plan for." He throws chin and heads out carrying his bag in front of him.

I shake my head. He's sort of a geek but a good Brother and my President. One I have no problem protecting. I wave over the table. "Sit, Brothers."

"I didn't know you were Stone, Brother. Why didn't you say?"

I shrug. "Who talks jobs we did?" I never met him until I was here but heard his name quite a few times.

"Yeah. I can see that. Does Cort know what you did in?"

"Not from me but I had three teams. A build and rescue besides the Ops or more accurately demo team."

He nods. He was team rescue and retrieval. They were trained like us with every member doing every job. They were based out of Lejeune but I was a West Coast MEU.

"You're too young for colonel." He stated it but it's a question.

I laugh. "West coast ran sketchy and gave me the rank and pay without explaining. Almost everything we got was overseas so I asked for the International base to park on. I saw base twice in six years. My core team were all officers without the time in too."

He shakes his head smiling. "I'm honored, Brother. I saw the bio and froze thinking there's no way, so I made a call. Falcon says you took Flight walking in but you blew everyone off the Leaderboard."

I nod. "I'm done with Ops. I liked the rescue and build jobs better than Ops and was offered the job with LP. He's kept me living' the dream for two years. Now he's done building, I got offered another dream job."

"I hear you, Brother. I didn't know you were Badass either."

I laugh. "I didn't know you were. I'm glad classified is classified somewhere. They got five from my Ops team showing Friday."

His head jerks back. "Why the Ops team."

"They ran rescue with me too. The only team that wasn't interchangeable was the build team. My core team played Security on the others but they'd help us manufacture what we needed on their down-time."

He nods but I see he doesn't get it. "Didn't you have two teams?"

"No, I ran small with support from every unit if I needed them."

I can see that.

"So, not getting into classified stops more chatting. You learned about the dogs. My pick for you is Nike. I was leaning toward Clio but Nike is a Marine. Clio was Army."

He makes me smile with the is a Marine and was Army. "You have enough to give another Ops dog up?" They were outnumbered on the K-9 compound.

"They were with Ajax being trained in the flight suits. We do Ops collecting the military dogs too. They started growing them."

"I'm glad you're still in retrieval. No one should be growing shit like that. I saw the fucked-up kids but they weren't like the Alpha-Bits."

"Enhanced?" He asks.

"That's what they said. They weren't. They were dark, deformed and almost rabid. I was on demo there."

He's not happy but nods. "I think some of the dogs were the same. We couldn't take them. They were older and feral. Alder could probably tell you what they gave them."

I shake my head. "I don't need it. I"m out, off Ops and love where I am. Badass was always a better life for me. My Club went down while I was in, so Bravo took me in."

He smiles, standing. "Zeus, get Nike for Keylan." He said it with the hard E again so I guess it's Nīkee."Brother, don't tell anyone about your Ops. Don't bring a woman to a dinner and don't build a silo house. Cort will dog you to man a different kind of Club, claim any woman he sees you with or help you build. He likes you so that's relentlessly."

I smile having heard stories like that. "I didn't talk Ops to you, who did as many as I did."

"You talked about the kids with Zeus right here. It didn't hit me until too late. He chats more Brothers in every Club and even Basinger's dog at Adroit."

"The Marine? Or the SEAL?"

"Marine, her team were a support for me. Solaita is Jinx's twin Brother."

Jesus. "I've heard of him too. He ran like us. You were only CENTCOM right?"

"Yeah. Brinks and Nova are here. MB is one from the French unit that went down." Only a couple from two whole teams made it out.

Shit. I'm glad MB was one, he's an impressive Brother."I didn't know. Wait, French, Brolin is the B?"

"Yeah." He stops when the door opens. A huge dog comes in with Zeus. He's not quite as big as Zeus but huge is huge when you're talking a two-inch difference.

"Almost as big as Zeus, Nike. I didn't know there were more his size. Welcome, Brother." I have no fuckin' clue what to say to the dog. I've never had a dog.

He chuffs then hits his nose with his paw. A board shows and he hits the side for, ‘Commander, honor' and his Badass ID show.

I laugh. "Brother, I've never had a dog and will need you to tell me what you need so this will work out perfect. I didn't know all dogs came with the way to communicate."

"They don't. Ops Leads or trainers. Nike is a trainer. He can train Brothers but does good with the dogs in the simulator. Before I forget, I'll need your jobs for my simulator. It would be good to have other scenes for them."

"The Bits are making me scenes now based on shit that's been on the news and I asked about our jobs when they happen."

He nods. "They make Protector jobs now. This will be good. Add me to your sheet so we can use them. Piper is interested in training Security dogs for search and rescue. We have another group coming in."

A flash has me turning. Nike has a list up and hits a drop down then adds Elite by hitting letters on an alphabet string. "Good job, Brother." I smile up at Harky. "Done."

He shakes his head but he's smiling. "Zeus took Nike to your house but it's empty."

"I'll have down-time. I'm using it to build furniture. He knows what he needs for his room?" I know Zeus and Prometheus have their own rooms and Piper said pictures for their walls.

"Yeah. It's the only furnished room in your house. His boards are in and his pictures will come with some harnesses from Juan tomorrow. He'll get a Prospect to hang his pictures if you're busy."

I laugh turning for Nike. "I'll hang your pictures, Brother."

He chuffs at me.

Harky starts walking and talking so I follow and listen. "Bowser is a good trainer and will keep everything K-9 organized for you…"

Laying on the cot in front of the big window, I go over my day. With the dinner meet and greet in a full swing toward late night party, I took a run with my new dog. Stan begged off for calls and work to be done sometime around nine. I knew he'd be back out by eleven for a sit at the fire. I got a good hour run in, no new orders for tomorrow and relaxed with my Brother and K-9 Brother.

Harky was chattier than I expected but it was good. He doesn't waste words or time. I like having a dog that throws words out. It's pretty much how I am. He gets his point across without all the little details that bog the point down.

Looking up at the moon, I wonder if it's the same moon my Firefly is seeing. It's been at least a week since she last invaded my thoughts. I guess I was due. Reaching deep, I close my eyes and replay the last time I saw her passing me in the hall with a quick kiss.

Eight years ago this month, her parents took her on some mission. I wanted to take her to the prom but caught shit from her dad, my sort of uncle, because I stole her for an ice cream run. It was the first time she'd been on my bike. Everything after that was clandestine until she finished her last final. My girl was smart and finished the same year I did at fifteen. Being seventeen, I didn't see her as too young for me, but her dad did. I waited for her at the park where we always met after school but she never showed. My mom told me her cousins left for a mission trip that had openings. They took her away before prom and graduation because of me.

I knew she was mine and we weren't really related. Her parents sort of fostered my mom. Every couple of years they'd show in the US for a few months then take off again. The last time she fought to go to high school in the US. At fourteen, she was in half my senior classes. We were called cousins and friends but when she turned fifteen, we were more. Making out is as far as it went but she was mine and I knew it. I had time to claim her. The Club was sending me to the military and she wanted to go on the next mission trip back to Brazil where her parents latched onto my mom. We had a plan for her to write, then meet at whatever base I was stationed at but she never did. I asked about her after boot camp then was reassigned to California and never asked again. I listened to every word my mom spoke about her cousins but very little was given up about my Firefly. I knew her parents did it on purpose, they wanted a nun in the family and stopped any fun my girl could have as a teen.

When I separated from the Marines, I went home and mom showed me the letters that gave virtually nothing to me, but then she got news of her cousin coming home in a few months. I left my new address, email and phone number on mom's fridge but never heard from my girl. It was a pipe dream. I was in for six years and have been here for two. My Firefly will haunt me for the rest of my life but I know she'll always be mine.