Jack laughed, then walked out to where their vehicles were parked just feet from his porch and slapped Frenzy affectionately on the shoulder. “How you feel?”
Frenzy took a deep breath and looked around. The birds were just beginning to wake and make their melodic calls, a soft breeze was blowing, the only scent he could detect were the trees, the earth beneath his feet — nature. Life was slow, people were laid back, there were no missions to plan for every single day of every single week. It was just life happening here. “Calm.”
“That’s a good thing,” Jack said.
“It is. Thanks again for allowing me to insert myself,” Frenzy said.
“I keep telling him he didn’t insert shit. He belongs here,” Rance said as he straightened up from where he was bent over loading something into his duffel.
“Listen to Rance. He knows what he’s talking about,” Jack said. “And what are you stashing in that bag?”
Rance grinned at Jack. “Just stuff, but it’s definitely not more weapons.”
Jack laughed. “Y’all all good? Everybody alright? Anything that warrants a group meeting to address it right now?” he asked.
Everybody kind of looked around at each other shaking their heads and shrugging.
“Well, go on, then. Rance will update me and if anybody has anything they want to add come see me later, or if I have questions, I’ll come find you. Glad you’re all home safe,” Jack said.
“That gets my vote,” Slade said.
“Same. I hear my pillow calling,” Dane added.
The males headed off in different directions, with Steve walking off with the other four Gamieyon males, but shooting a meaning filled look at Rance over his shoulder at the last minute.
Rance gave him a barely perceptible nod that immediately piqued Jack’s curiosity, but before he had a chance to say anything, or the others could fully vacate the area on their way to get some rest, the sound of heavy footsteps accented with more than a fair amount of grumbling could be heard coming up the foot path opposite the house. It had everyone hesitating for a few seconds to see who was stomping toward them. A few moments later, Niko came out of the brush staring at the ground as he walked, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, a steady string of curses and bitching falling from his lips. He glanced up and came to a stop, looked around at everybody looking at him, and threw his hands up in the air. “What? Why is every damn body looking at me?”
“Because it’s barely six in the morning and you’re stomping through the brush like a damn Bigfoot, bitching at the audacity of the freaking sun to come up,” Jack said.
“I’m not bitching at the sun! I’m bitching at her! She won’t open the door, told me I could go home, or I could sleep on the damn porch. I am not sleeping on the porch! She won’t even let me take Griffin for Niko and Griffin’s Special Day of Fun, and I’m pretty pissed off at it all.”
“He your son?” Jack asked.
“No.”
“Then do what the woman says. She’s his parent. Problem solved.”
“You’re not helping here, Jack,” Niko said.
“Neither are you. You don’t get to do it halfway. Back off.”
“Oh, I’m going back, but I gotta get cleaned up and sleep a little first. Are the Variant out of my bedroom?”
“I said back off, not go back. And they were. But now they’re not. Frenzy is back and living here now. He needs a place to stay until one opens up for him,” Jack said.
“I know what you meant, I prefer to hear it my way,” Niko said. “Where do I sleep now?”
“Maybe fix your grandmother’s place,” Rance said. “I’ll help you.”
Niko’s head swung around so fast he reminded Jack of the scene in the Exorcist. He stared at Rance almost like he’d forgotten who Rance was.
“Frenzy’s bunking with me upstairs for now, so you can have your room back. But seriously, consider your grandmother’s house. You know how much a young boy would love growing up in a place like that? We all loved being there. And it always helps turn a female’s attention your way when you have a home to offer her.”
“It’s not livable,” Niko said flatly, his voice having lost some of it’s irritation.
“I think it is. You just have to clear all the overgrowth from around it and replace any wood that needs replacing. Do a quick inspection and we’ll help you get it whole and strong again.”
“No,” Niko said, starting across the yard toward the porch again.
