“Did I miss a meet?” Kristos sounds confused.
Seth laughs. “No, Pres. BSC planning meets deal with the little shit.”
I learn a lot not talking to anyone. I’m not in any meets but Church and Protector when they call, but I haven’t been called to one yet.
“Pres Ari have new Protector simulator I make. Boss Sophie pass. VP Citiali say all trainee fail first try.” Asa has me smiling.
“How many levels to pass?” Kristos asks.
“Ten, Pres.” Seth slows so I do. Pres pulls to a lookout and Seth laughs. “We’re headed back, Ops. Pres wants to play inthe simulator.”
“Pres, I go to lunch. I pass test.” Asa isn’t giving up a ride for the fake one.
“I’ll meet up with them Pres. I have a chopper following you and drone on Asa until you’re back then Flight will have them follow Asa.” I think that’s Mase.
“No, get the drone on me and chopper on Asa.”
“I need the chopper to get my bike to him. You’re twenty out, Boss. I’ll get another chopper up but I need the bike to ride.”
It sounds reasonable but we’re on high and I have a Protector team that’s on a shadow shift to Cline’s team. I’m not feeling it for how this is playing out. I accepted Pepper’s team but it was with two Protector Officers and a full experienced team.
“Pres, my team isn’t here.” I point out.
“Mase, get the chopper over Asa and the shadow team. Sophie is right we need him covered better than a shadow team and Sophie. We convinced her to leave her team.”
My eyes go right to Seth but I can’t see his through his mirrored visor.
“We can wait on the lookout, VP.” His head barely shakes but it’s a no motion.
“Get your bike and push, Mase.” Pres has everyone laughing. I think he means the magic push, but either way, I breathe easy.
We sit and wait. Asa looks over the scenic lookout. This isn’t as scenic as the other two on this winding road. It’s a long view of the river from this angle. The chopper sounds loud but it’s flying higher than this mountain. Sound bouncing isn’t the place to be right now.
“If it sounds this loud, the wind will be wicked,” I tell Asa and bend for him to climb on.
“Thanks. Brothers fuckin crazy.”
The little VP makes me laugh. He’s right though.
“What the fuck? Get the chopper out of here. It’s too low for a river valley!” Pres Kristos isn’t happy. The chopper doesn’t rise. My gun is out. “Asa, keep us covered.”
His arm goes over my shoulder to hold my neck so he can turn and aim. I feel his little boot on my belt. He fires blue lasers. I turn back not waiting to see how the chopper took that. “Pepper, get him hooked to his bike. Tip one so I can get Asa covered. Get your team in place to cover Pres, Seth and Asa. Cline?” I yell over the chopper not seeing him around the men.
“Got Pres from the roadside.” Shots are firing and I don’t know if it’s us or them. I switch to laser as I’m bending so Seth can get Asa under a bike.”
I hear Ops but can’t answer. “Pepper, do not let him be crushed or fly in the wind! Asa, hold the hell on!”
“Go, Boss Sophie. I good to go.” He shoots his laser at the chopper while he puts his other arm through a belt someone has on the bike tire.
Seth catches my eye and nods. Standing, I walk right for the chopper while shooting. The gunner falling gives time for a quick clip change and I’m at it again. The chopper lifts up but I don’t know how far it’s going to get. “Ops, it’s hit. Copilot dead, pilot hit, fuel flowing out of it.”
The shooting draws me back to the roadside. My eyes search for Asa first. A bike is in flames but it’s in the road as far away as it can get from the other bikes. Flipping back to laser, I stand over the bike that’s holding Asa and smile seeing his laser shots flying between Kristos Seth and Cline who is standing almost in front of Kristos.
My finger engages as Mase shows on the side of Cline. I lift my arm up and breathe. Magic isn’t easy in a gunfight. I’m glad for the ‘lock and load’ habit I have.
Seth looks back and I shoot two consecutive rounds atthe MERC aiming for him. He turns back to the road as a black SUV stops. Laser off, I shoot the tires I see. They are not getting away that easy. The doors and windows don’t open and it speeds away as the air is hissing out of the tires.
I bend. “You okay, Asa?” We hear the bikes whizzing by but I don’t look.
