I shake my head. “Hemy was President. I wasn’t in the Club but went to Church and the Club when I was stateside. He told me they’d have room when I got out. I stayed at the Club when I was discharged but only a week. I needed time, therapy and a buddy needed help.” He wasn’t a constant reminder of Florida and lived close to the air base at Arlington until I moved him to the house I rented so we could be closer to Hemy’s Club.
His hand takes my forearm and I hold his for a few seconds. “Sorry, Brother. I’m glad you made it and by now you’ve seen Sawbones.”
I throw him chin. “I have and met his boy. He’s a good Brother.” He fed me the first morning I woke up here. His boy is quiet but watchful.
“He is. Mucimi got Hannah and Aylen to help with a cloak for him. Aiyana came and said he kept what he needs but the cloak veiled his pain. Sawbones said it worked, he sleeps, he made friends with the Club kids and he’s doing well in school.”
I don’t understand ‘cloak’ but all those people he named are magics from the Indian worksheet. Covering pain for a kid sounds like a good thing to me. Leaving what he needs, to me, sounds like the danger that brought him pain should never be forgotten. I used drinking, kids have no shield. The pain for me was still there but for a while it was dulled. For a kid, a veil sounds like what alcohol did for me without being signed up for the Army or made an indentured servant.
He laughs so I lean bumping his shoulder. “Get out of my head.”
“Citiali is sitting right there.” He points to the seats. “I’m not trying to read.”
Magic is weird.
“We’re landing at SOAR and I’ll fly us to Sentinel.”
My eyes go to LP. “I’m on Alder until he’s at Bravo.”
His eyes go around the plane before he says anything. “I thought Sophie would have him to the ABSZ but he’s going to Bravo too. He needs to see his Ford and Bravo Brothers after being away for more than a week. You’re off for three then back at Sentinel.” He’s my new VP so he’d know my schedule.
I nod and lift my foot, to make sure it’s ready before I take a step, then move to the end of the couch.
Citiali asks as I pass his chair. “Is it bothering you?”
I’m close to the end of the couch so I sit across from him. “What?”
“Your leg.”
“No.”
He looks away then back. “You lifted it before you took a step and I noticed the chain on your boots.”
I smile. He’s a fixer, like me. “It’s new to me, guess I’m still following the list.” He didn’t read me. I like that he didn’t but don’t ask why when he seems to cause everyone else to read me or everyone close.
Nash laughs causing me to look back to the wall by the doorway but he’s turning before I can glare at him. When I turn back, Citiali has a faint smile on. Indians perfected the serious look but I know he’s amused.
“I am and I do block or shield what I can regularly. Your head whipping that way alerts me and I guess the ancestors figure I need more info. I don’t and would bring it to them but they ignore all but my appreciation, or requests that save lives.”
I laugh noticing everyone on the couch is laughing with me.
“We’re landing.” Nash sits and grabs for the belt.
I reach under the cushion and adjust mine. Almost homeor at my old home, sort of. Once I’m belted in, I order my gear box and a room at the Club. The confirmation comes right back with a high room number showing I'm close to the main stairs, which is good.
§*§*§
SOAR Rising
Hud
Nash’s chopper is waiting but we’re brought into an Ops room that I never guessed the old barn-looking building would hold. Everything is like their hologram boards but Ops is real-time right in the middle of the action. The technology here is beyond anything I’d have thought up. My eyes catch the Charlie’s Angel, Sophia Michadeau’s reaction and wonder how she’s not as surprised as I am. She goes right to a woman at a computer and laughs when the woman jumps up to hug her. Mase and Nash pull me to a different side where the island we were on yesterday shows. The asshole is running from what looks like a movie of lasers being shot from a UFO shaped drone that’s chasing him.
“Enough playing with him.” The voice is the Phoenix POT.
I look around seeing Masters but he’s filmy and in a different Ops room.
A woman pilot pops up inside a chopper to the right of the giant POT. “Lerch.”
