“Boss Sophie, I go to cabin. Head procure Brother showto dinner.” Alder isn’t into the shops or sightseeing apparently.
I nod. “The team is behind us. Mucimi and the Teach VP went up,” I tell him as he walks away from the captain and Jordan.
“Boss Mucimi, here?”
I nod catching Barber’s eye. “He said he’d bring Aurora later but he went up when we walked by the stairs.”
“Elevator, we two flight up, Navigation deck.” Alder’s not into stairs, or maybe being carried today.
I nod and step to his side guiding him with my steps to the rest of my team. “Elevator it is, LP.”
Barber nods for me getting the Mucimi and Citiali info for Jordan as my second, Picard, hits the elevator button. While we’re on a ship, our three-man teams seem excessive but even half booked, there are a ton of people onboard. Picard goes in first and I follow Alder. Acosta takes a backward step in, just when I hit the door close button, but never turns our way so he’s alert while waiting for the doors to open. I like the way this was planned but like it more that they follow those plans with confidence.
They’re Enforcers from Badass Security Company that are switching to ABSZ Protector from Ari, the Teach President. I was told Teach trains Protectors for Alpha-Bits and Family. If you’re named Teach, I guess family Security is a job that definitely needs teaching. Badass doesn’t skimp on protecting the ones who need it. I don’t smile, thinking Alder isn’t one who needs it, but he shouldn’t be battling his way through anyone, anywhere. I can be his shield. The little President should have a red carpet unrolled for him wherever he goes, but I know he wouldn’t like that. He insists he’s equal to everyone no matter how deadly the little President is. The doors open to a waiting Mucimi.
Acosta reaches and I stop him with a hand over his.“Mucimi is a Protector, the Prophet from the Prince Protectors.” I hope he knows the Prince history.
He relaxes but still never looks my way. “Brother, good to meet you, I’ve heard and read about you.” Acosta has me relaxed. They’re new but said Ari is a reader so they’re not fazed by it. His words prove that true with a surprise popping up and no faulty reactions.
“Boss Mucimi, you stay to cruise vacation?” Alder doesn’t seem to care about the new members of this three-man team being easy with the freaky Brothers. It makes me smile.
Mucimi bends and Alder climbs on his back while I hold Picard back with a hand up.
“I’m not here full time but I’ll be here. Aurora is working during the day but says she’ll stay over if I get her a room. Jeti or Nash can get her home for work if I’m needed at a Club,” Mucimi explains.
We follow them down the hall seeing the other Leads and teams in the hall. Hud opens a door for Alder and Mucimi telling them it’s clear.
When it closes, he turns our way. “We’re all in connected rooms, you’re there, it sleeps two with the connector for one.” He points across the hall with cards in his hand.
I take a card and slide it on with my ID. “Thanks. Mucimi will show on and off. Who is at the hall?”
“Two from the Training class. Vetted and approved. They’ll be on our new teams when we get back. All military.”
I didn’t see them. “Mackie and Edwards?” I picked them too.
His eyes land on mine. “You know them?” He juts his chin the other way.
I see them move into position and nod. “By bio, I approved them but didn’t get a roster.”
He reaches down and pulls a roster out of his side cargopocket. “I got it from the Teach VP, Citiali.” He says it like ‘si-she-alley’.
I nod. “I wondered how you say it. Thanks. Did he leave one for me?” I read the list and hand it back.
“He wants to meet the Leads so he’ll get you one.” His eyes bounce up to my forehead so we’re done.
I key into the room with Picard and Acosta following. It’s a pretty big room. The single connected is smaller with a bed, dresser and a few amenities. It can make it as a single if the connector isn’t needed.
“We can fit in here, Boss.”
I giggle. “I grew up in care and went military. I call dibs on this one. You need the two separate beds…or I think you do.”
Picard smiles. “We do. Thanks, Boss. Do we have Mackie when we get back?”
I shrug. “I did the vetting with an Alpha Brother and Asa. I’m Asa’s Lead when he’s at Honor, which is most of the time. I don’t normally pick teams for Badass because I’m fairly new here.” I came here after discharge and have been trained or tested in almost every position, but they don’t need that.
“Edwards doesn’t hang with the teams or talk.” Acosta is quick to inform me.
Picard nods. “He reads a lot. Always has a book in his pocket.”
