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Sam smiled at the fidgety teenager. “If you impressed Dio, itisa big deal, Jimmy. If you want more training, in self defense or anything else, let us know.”
“Really?” Jimmy looked up at us all, surprised. “I’d like to know how to protect my mom better.”
“We have to clear it with your mom first,” Dave said, “but if you want to join in with the cadets doing some fitness and basic training, we can start there.”
“Can some of my friends come too? They’ve been talking about wanting to learn some skills after the attack on the farm last week.”
“Absolutely. Just let me know who and we’ll get it sorted.” Dave nodded at him, treating him like the young adult he was, and not a kid.
“Thank you, Sir. I’m going to go tell them.” He turned to take off, but Sam snapped out his arm to halt him. “Hang on a sec. Did you come up here for a reason?”
“Oh shit. Yeah.”
“Language, kid. There’s a lady here,” Sam admonished him gruffly, jerking his head in Lexie’s direction. “Would you talk like that in front of your mom?”
“Sorry, Lexie,” Jimmy said quickly, looking embarrassed, and a little terrified.
“It’s okay, Jimmy,” Lexie said, as she rolled her eyes at Sam. “What did you need to tell us?”
“Damon sent me up here. He asked if you guys could all meet him in the security office before breakfast.”
“Okay. Run back and tell him we’re on our way.” Jimmy turned and fled.
Sam looked at us with apprehension, and all of our moods shifted. It seemed like trouble was still looking for us and one day of rest was all we were going to get.
forty-seven
IblinkedasIwalked into the security office, my eyes trying to adjust to the dim light inside. The windows and blinds were all closed, I assumed for security, so it was also stuffy inside. Especially with the amount of people now in the small studio cabin.
Maia stood up from where she’d perched on the arm of the couch. Damon, Leif, Hunter, and Max were all ranged around her with scowls on their faces as they watched us approach and greet her. Maia wrapped her arms around Lexie, as Lexie sniffed her hair. “Did you change shampoo?”
“No,” Maia said, pulling back and sniffing her own hair. “Why does everyone keep asking me about how I smell? Do I smell bad?”
“You don’t smell bad, just a little different. I can’t figure out what it is, though.” Maia just shrugged at Lexie and slipped out of her arms to give me a quick hug. She startled me. I hadn’t been expecting it, and I’d barely gotten my arms around her before she’d let me go and sat down on Hunter’s lap.Dammit.
Hunter looked relieved, though, wrapping Maia up tight, while Leif shifted closer to her on the couch. They looked extra protective and growly this morning, which had me on edge.
Bear even got in on the action, propping his head on Maia’s lap and nuzzling her stomach. He refused to move when she tried to shift his head away, and she sighed in exasperation. “Why is everyone crowding me today?”
She looked at Lexie for help, but my girl just smirked at her. “I’m not his keeper. Bear does what he wants.”
Maia just sighed. “We’re calling Ava after this meeting. Don’t disappear on me or I’ll titty twist you so hard,” Maia mock glared at Lexie and Lexie nodded at her, while subtly covering her boobs. My sister was feisty today.
“So what’s this meeting about?” I asked, trying to get us on track. I was sure whatever this was about had to be important. They didn’t usually have their family meeting until after breakfast, and never in the security office.
“Your gramps’ equipment,” Damon replied. “After everything that went down the other night, I don’t think we can wait to contact the Network. We need allies.”
“Okay, I agree. Let’s do it.” I stepped to the machine on a table in the back, but halted in confusion. “The lights aren’t on.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem.” Max answered quietly as he stepped up beside me. “I got it all open, but it doesn’t have a switch or any cords. It appears to have some kind of Indiana Jones mechanism, and I can’t figure out how it works.”
Damon pointed me towards the side of the machine and I shuffled around to get a closer look.
“It looks like an inverted 3D star. Did your gramps mention anything about a key?” Max asked.
“No.” I answered abruptly, feeling frustrated.
“What about the letter you mentioned? Was there anything in there, maybe something written in code?” I looked up and Max was staring at the device as if he could force it to open with mind control.
