I smile and hold on tighter when he guns it. We ride the whole ABSZ stopping at Web’s compound. “Alexia works at IT and drops the babies. Aris said I can come to the school here and he brought me to meet Garren.”
“I met them. Alder made something for Garren’s brother. It works by taking water from the air so plant walls will grow where water is scarce.”
I nod. “Michael showed me. He’s working on ways to get clean water to the towns where water was poisoned. He’s done it before in whatever country he was in. He doesn’t talk much andGarren isn’t good with details when he’s excited.” I swing my leg over and move to take a step.
“Wasn’t Michael born here same as Garren and the FBI Training Commander?”
Damn, I’m in a Hud daze and didn’t filter my words. Wait a minute. He’s got the Alpha-Bit backstory. “When CIA started their clone or petri dish to soldier experiments, they started with DNA that matched a simpler mind. Alexia was almost kidnapped by her uncle because her mom had that mind with Asperger’s and testing showed Alexia had DNA matching her mom’s. Her uncle was CIA. His twin was CIA doing experiments for soldiers to be soldiers, modified body structure with an adjusted mind. I don’t know the adjustments or how they did that.”
“Garren and his twin had the DNA?” He catches that pretty quick Garren and Ford are older than Web and Michael.
“Garren has what’s called Fragile X. It’s similar to Alexia but has a different DNA strand that has a broken or missing chromosome. It’s inherited from their mom. Commander Ford doesn’t have it and they’re twins. Like Michael and Web. Michael was taken from an orphanage because of it but I don’t know if he was tested here, Web was left there until he aged out. The testing was done at the FBI Ops Office in Providence. Ford was a commander there and they found his brother for him.”
“Two sets of twins?” He pays attention.
“Yeah, Garren said Graywolf’s grandfather said the DNA was right because different DNA was in all peaceful and happy members of the tribes. The fighters are warriors that take care of them.”
He stops before we get to the door. “The one without it protects the other?”
“I asked but Garren can shoot, can fight and protects his dog, Michael and his Telia. One of his Security said he steps upwhen he needs to and God help the idiot that messes with his nephews.”
“So, they’re all protectors when they’re needed?” Good question.
“You’d have to ask. At Guardian they have Parker who has brain damage. It’s a similar story to the Fords. The President, Slade Nova, protects his brother but the brother is younger.”
“Maybe the twins just aren’t found. Mine died; my mom gave me his name. Hud Emerson Girard is both of us. His name was Emerson Hudson Girard. I worked some overwatch for Nova’s team and he worked some cleanup for me.” He hasn’t given details or hardly any information about his time in.
“Like a satellite?” I ask him.
“Yeah, old DEVGRU.” That’s Black Ops.
I note that to look at later but nod. I’m not asking for what he can’t say. “Hamp and Garren Ford are like that, are you Indian?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Garren’s DNA is of the First People. I don’t know more than that’s a sacred thing to Indians.”
He moves us to a bench on the path to the building. “Rakhi is the symbol.” He pulls his phone and shows me. “Symbol of protection. Citiali has it. Sisters protect brothers is ancient then changed to brothers protect sisters. A pledge like our Officer oaths. A discipline, love in pure form, a vow.” His intensity strikes me. Lost words like Alder and sometimes Asa.
Jolly Robbin’s. “The Badass pledge. Our hands out to those who need it but it’s everyone, the needy putting their hand out with what they have to offer.” I love being the little sister while I’m a protector for others.
He nods. “Mason is the same, protectors are hidden in the groups. Everyone helps.” It sounds similar to here and whatJosephine’s brother, Jackie, said about Indians.
“Yeah, the Indians had everything taken but their belief in the ancestors and their stories of peace and unity. It’s funny how it’s lasted and we see it in everyday life here in the Badass world.”
“Or their magic is hidden and we never see it. They’re good at the disappear.” His smirky smile is cute.
I lean hands on his leg to push up enough to kiss it. “They are. I’m not sure I need to know more. The kids freak me out and I read Zeke suspends time, Citiali shields and Cuyler can kill you with a plant.”
“Protect me from Cuyler. I know the others are good people, what they have protects the rest of us.” Protectors with magic protect the ones who aren’t meant to. They’re good at it. At least the Security Brother said so and he’s from New England. Hud needs to see the kids.
“Yeah. Let’s go see the babies so we can get lunch and I can show you the medical lab here. I’ll tell you about the Guardian kids on the way.”
§*§*§
Alpha-Bit Security Zone
Hud
