Chapter Eight

Being me, I lift my girl up and carry her to breakfast. Midas and Nike stay right with us chuffing around, they like seeing me love on my girl.

I put Firefly down before we're at the dining hall and Nike runs for the door. He waits until we're in before getting to his bench. Midas sits beside him when I seat Firefly. They're cute Brothers that decided we're a family. Since I agree, I don't discourage it. I figure Midas is happy with his new bed and Nike is home. I'm honored my Brothers claimed us.

Firefly thinks it's funny that they decided and told us last night by showing their IDs with Stone on them.

Knight is smiling when we sit. "Showed ID. Good Brothers."

I look at him. "You did it?"

He shrugs. "Okayed it. Nike said Alpha-Bit Ford Family. He's Stone. Got new IDs."

Firefly laughs with Flame. The Brothers all look at the dog-shaped humans. Holy shit.

"Do they all have last names?" Wolf asks.

I watch Nike's board for that answer. Zeus, Prometheus and Midas show. Midas is the only one with a last name.

"Adonis Knight." Knight has us looking at him.

"Adonis is Ben's dog. You changed his name?" Stan asks.

Knight shrugs. "He likes it."

"The dog likes it or Prez does?"

Knight gives him a look. "Adonis."

I laugh. "Crazy just got crazier."

We order and my phone goes off. It's Harky. I walk out as Ben pulls up. He has a nice bike here. I throw him chin and answer, "Yeah, Brother."

"What the fuck are you doing naming the K-9s? Loki won't work without his badge. Someone changed it and he can't log into anywhere. Now he won't go through the gate when I hold it open."

"Brother, take a breath. I didn't do anything. Knight okayed the change to Midas and Nike. They showed us last night. They got in the house and dining hall."

"Fuck!" He takes deep breaths. "No disrespect, Brother. Zeus showed Nike Stone and family. I'll get Piper on the fuckin' dog clearance. Send Knight home."He hangs up.

I walk in smiling and don't even make it to the table before Ben is glaring at his dad."You didn't."

"Dog asked ‘bout Alpha-Bits." Knight shrugs. "Ford family. Grown too."

Oliver helps Knight out. "I Oliver Ford. All Alpha-Bit Ford."

"The Ops dogs weren't grown, they were bred. They all have clearance that a new Badass ID won't get through." Ben hasn't looked away from Knight. Anger is building around him.

Knight doesn't care. "Okayed new badge and clearance."

"YOU don't have clearance to do that." The whole room gets flooded with anger.

The Bits move fast, I catch Locke.

Pres catches Oliver. "Ari, take them…"

Justice, Mase, Zeke and Mucimi show, thenBen, Knight and the Justice League are gone and so is the anger in the room.

"I bet he can hit the Richter scale." Racks has me looking at him.

Wolf helps me out. "The whole building was vibrating."

"I felt anger flood the room, it was getting hard to breathe."

Wolf nods. "I felt waves from you at the gym but it wasn't vibrating."

I look at Stan getting a nod. "Fuck. I didn't know." I feel Firefly's pain and emotions but didn't know I did that shit.

"We're used to you, Commander. Ben Knight is different. His anger can obviously manifest itself. You get pissed and calm yourself. I never felt waves." Racks has me nodding.

I get it. "It was personal. I don't usually get pissed."

Wolf throws me chin and I'm relieved he agrees. I'm good and set Lock down. "You're okay, little Brother." I'm a little unsettled still.

He nods and sits back in his chair. Ari sits. "I've never seen that but the Brothers weren't surprised. They're at the reservation."

"I don't think I want to know. Piper is working on the K-9's new IDs. Loki got one and can't get in anywhere. He won't go through the gate when Harky holds it open. I guess he wants to open it with the new name."

They all laugh but Pres looks at me getting why this isn't funny. "The Ops dogs are everywhere."

I throw him chin because I got that.

Cort comes in with Thrasos. We throw chin. "Brothers." He sits. "Ben's bike is out there."

Stan looks at me, bastard.

"He's at the reservation. Knight okayed IDs and clearance for the K-9s."

He nods. "Thrasos showed me. I got Web on it."

I just look at him. "Ben doesn't know that. The room filled with anger."

His nod stops me. "It explains the reservation. His father has him on edge. He turned a table to dust when it was new. Since, he disintegrated a building. People were buried in dust but he had Aiyana do wind or something so it was just gone like it was never built." Just throwing it out like that shows how crazy crazy has become.

Racks laughs. We all look at him. "That would have been helpful in the fuckin' demo jobs we had. Can you imagine how fast we could have been back to the rescue or build teams?"

"Racks." I say no more.

He shuts up and thank fuck Cort's steely eyes don't come with questions today. We get our food and Cort and Thrasos order.

"You're water today?" Firefly asks changing the subject.

"Yeah, Juan finished the pool a few days ago. It should be filled by now. I'll take Nike but the K-9 won't train until tomorrow. Their gear is in but they need the smaller tanks."

She nods. "They came in, that's why I was asking, Pres ordered two for each."

I look at Stan. "We have the bigger oxygen tank to refill. It's in the shed with the acetylene tank. We never needed more than two tanks for rescue. I don't know what jobs you did."

"You ordered a pool?" Now Cort has questions but I don't mind answering this one.

"It's two forty-foot containers they sprayed with their recycled fountain shit. They have caverns, tunnels, plants, ledges and emergency air stations so nothing has to be added to use it regularly." I look at Stan. "Those use topside air like a fish tank."

He nods and looks back at Cort.

"I didn't see it."

Nike gives a bark but it's not loud. Cort looks at his board. "That's unbelievable. Where is it?" He's asking the dog so I watch Nike's board. "Huh." He looks at Stan. "Did you use more than two tanks?"

"Never, we did floods and I think used tanks maybe three times my entire career. US means Coast Guard did dives." Stan turns to me. "I'll stick with the two unless we have a job that calls for more. Fire shouldn't have anyone needing more than two tanks consecutively."

"I agree, Brother. We have the bigger teams to ensure it."

I love that Stan turns to Firefly. "Go with what we have. Don't order double for the fire factor. The US has fire jumpers so it may not be a job we're called for often."

"Roger, Pres. Who do I ask about filling the tanks, time it takes, expiration, storage and packing?"

"Harding has all that. He calls for refill on the big tanks too," Flame answers her.

I throw chin to Stan smiling at me. This is good. I had no fuckin' clue.

Cort laughs. "Did you know?"

"Nope, I'm glad Flame did." I eat my breakfast listening to everyone else answer Cort's questions.

Ben shows looking much calmer.

Stan has to test that. "You weren't kidding about leveling the building yesterday?"

Ben shakes his head and orders food. Holy shit. Level the building yesterday?

"Where's Knight?" Racks asks.

"K-9 compound. He's got one day here then he's heading home. Zeke took the handler job this morning. Mase has afternoon and Justice dinner. Dakota will fly him home at seven." I see why Ben is calm.

Midas and Nike run. I look down so I don't laugh and cause shit for Ben.

"They didn't finish."

My head whips up with a glare for Racks.

He leans back. "I'll bring a granola bone to training. I'm on water with you, Commander."

I nod and eat.

"Felt the wave that time." Racks is gonna feel it again.

"Lid shut, monkey dead." Wolf shuts him up in German.

The Alpha-Bits are unbelievable. "The whole thing as a simulator is awesome, Brother."

LP smiles proudly. "I learn Scuba. VP Jack train I understand what you need. We make five scene to natural disaster. Franz look to more." He shrugs.

"I didn't expect scenes, so anything is more than I planned for. I need how it works before I can run it."

He nods and types. The table shows the two containers building. I love his little virtual plans. I did work on his cave house after gunmen got in and he had everything he needed changed with me as an avatar making the changes. The Brother is cool as hell, but I'll never say it because he hates the word.

"One side river, small lake. One bigger water have plant, rock, wood debris. Both side. Thin sand layer move you motion move it. Emergency air station light stay to all scene. Fish, debris release ten feet, here. No anchor to wall, rock, building. Buoy to start hold line to diver. Thirty-five feet. End have sensor to wall. Any touch, scene stop, stair show."

"Got it. Current?"

"You enter. Pressure you enter."

"This is amazing, LP. Thank you and the Brothers who helped. If they want to try it out they can."

He shakes his head no. "Alpha-Bit build one to play. No pressure, snorkel, scuba to trained. Mario build fish now. He watch movie to Nemo. I no get it. Baby story."

I get it, the least possible accident and made for their size. "I'm not sure I'd be into that one, but it would be interesting to see what they come up with. The younger will love it and you have babies coming up that will love it."

He nods. "Imagination different to me. I understand need to young keep dream to more."

I point at his amazing virtual pool. "Yours has a different purpose. I'm glad you see the need for those dreams for the younger. They're going to blow all our minds because of those dreams you inspire."

"I feel it, VP Keylan. You show to me new, how to help more, I share." His playful smile cracks me up. "You try now. I no go in you add pressure."

I nod and turn to Racks. "You ready, Brother? Nike is with Knight so it's just us."

"You're amazing, LP. Thanks for that."

Alder throws him chin and jumps from his little stool. The Brother is Badass all the way. "I watch body cam, simulator feed."

The little pool disappears and he's typing. I hit Racks. "Anchor to the buoy. I'll get us the scene with no obstacles. It will be a straight rescue with normal conditions. Wolf, you're topside." He's not in gear so it was his plan anyway.

"Roger." Comes from both.

We drop in from a cage above the pool. The walls change to a river scene right away. Swimming forward and lower we need light what's got to be eight-foot in. I hit mine listening to Racks amazement at everything. A car shows and I shine into it. No body. The next is a truck on its side. The dummy in it has an X stuck to it. I pull it out and yank the rope getting a jerk back.

"Ring and let it rise." I move forward while Racks gets the dummy floating up.

"Roger. Casualty, Wolf."

"I didn't know he was on with us." He wasn't in gear.

Wolf laughs in my ear. "We like to keep you on your toes, Commander."

"SUV, tinted windows."

Racks makes it to my side quick. It feels like I've gone at least twenty-five feet. "The door handle isn't a handle."

"Look for another way in. The truck was a box." I try the driver's side not getting an in.

"Got it." Bubbles float up. "Alive, Commander." He laughs. "Trainees trying for my mask."

I pull one away from him and put gear we carried down on him then hand him a small tank and point up.

He nods, smiling the whole time. I see their gear sitting on a shelf that's the inside of the SUV picture. "Wolf, one for the life hook." I push up hard dragging my fighting trainee up.

Wolf is ready and throws the hook over. My trainee isn't making it easy but I get the hook over his head and under his flailing arms, then dive down. Taking the second is easier and he helps with the hook.

I laugh following the guide rope to Racks. "He helped get the hook on."

He laughs. "Tractor trailer felt long but it can't be. One here, casualty. I'm floating him."

"Roger." I wait so I'm not tying him up then pass him just to touch the wall. "Fuck. It felt too fast. I like this simulator."

"Me too, Commander. I like the trainees in it. I didn't expect that but we'd have a fighter down here so it's realistic."

"Unclip, Brother."

He does and I drop the line climbing the ladder up behind him. "We're clear Wolf."

"Roger, line coming in." He was probably pulling when I said unclip.

"You are the bomb, LP. It reminded me of a tsunami we were at. The current was light but it's amazing how realistic it is." Racks is a fan.

Alder's smile is beaming. "I have Brother look for more. Happy you like." He looks at me. "You need me to add?"

"No, Brother. This will work for what we'll be doing here. Pres said Coast Guard would pick up most water so floods, rivers, lakes, inlets. Smaller shit is what we'd see. This is perfect for our jobs. The experience of being down and the procedures are what we need to get across in training. This will do that perfectly. The procedure would be the same in any water."

His face angling says he doesn't get it. "Procedure to mask to trainee?"

"Yeah, but the lines and not getting them crossed. The flotation devices for bodies, hook, words, signs and even the fighting trainee. There are procedures that they'd get in water that's different from snow and mud or dirt."

"I understand. You need more, I make. Two simulator work together you have bigger program to…extend. It easy. I show Locke."

"Thanks, LP. I like the two but won't turn it down. We may see a need to combine scenes or train more at one time."

"I will show Locke. I have meet. Later."

He makes me laugh running out. The Brother is cute.

"He does this like it's an afternoon of fun and moves on to whatever is next on his list." Wolf isn't wrong.

"Some of it is to him. He's never seen a lot of what he makes. Jack trained him to dive so he could understand what we'd need. He sees the benefit of exposing his Brothers so they'll keep dreaming up better."

"The Brother is incredible." Racks is definitely a fan.

We get changed, gear to Harding and back to the Training Center just in time for the morning rotation. I get climb but a siren has Pres and his team going out. With less in training, I send Level to the Ops room. Cort and Ben are here so Pres is good with Level.

I take the extra and send them to Wolf and Racks at the simulator as soon as Kemper's group is done.

"Kemper, you got the plan for Protector?"

He's surprised. "Yeah, VP."

"Take them through one at a time with a K-9. You're a Protector, Brother. Use the plan and give them what you know. It's different than what I know. It can only make them better."

His smile is quick to show. "Roger, VP. The K-9's?"

The bark has us turning. I laugh at my Brother galloping in with his parade. "Right on time, Brother. Kemper is on Protector. Pres had a call."

He stops short but I stop him from his pictures. "He wants more training before he's got your team out with him. This is flood and he's got the experience." I don't know if he'd get a dam on the verge of break but he doesn't need it.

He runs to Kemper okay with the explanation, I guess.

I get to training.