that property in La Jolla ... their eyes had hope, future, possibility shimmering in them, especially his wife. That was a lot of responsibility for any man, but seriously no joke for men with a bounty on their heads.
But he also understood the need the team had to invest in the mundane. It made the crazy reality they lived somehow seem sane. To buy a house, a car, go out to dinner and eat... to laugh, make love, think about starting a family, visiting parents - none of that could be taken for granted by a Guardian Neteru team. It was probably as far-fetched as any regular Joe or Jane going to the corner store and wishing they had a hundred mil or so in the bank to play with. That's how the mundane felt for them, so no wonder every team member was turned on, turned out, and celebrating when Dan inked the papers. Same deal with the cars.
Thoughts of home collided with Carlos's next slow sip of Remy, neat. If it weren't for his boy, Yonnie, he wouldn't even have been able to come to the table correct earlier this afternoon. Carlos briefly closed his eyes and ran his palm across his jaw. He'd just gone into the Light coming out of Sydney back then, when his boy, a master vamp with Rider's lady, had stayed with him, regardless, planned for his future, and had made the fucked-up digit the government had left him multiply into a hundred mil, very large, in Swiss accounts. That was a friend. Because his boy had been a realist, he had a future. Now he was supposed to deny his main hombre access to his house? Damn!
He knew why it had to be that way, understood it all intellectually - the Neteru in him got it. But the street code of ethics, the honor even amongst thieves, the never-leave-yourboy-ass-out, ever, street code of conduct was at pure war with his inner Neteru. Carlos said another prayer in Yonnie's behalf. What else could he do? Might even be too late, but Damali had shown him, it ain't over 'til it's all the way over. Carlos lifted his glass. 'To anybody upstairs listening, this is one for the brother who ain't make it. Watch his six, even if I can't." Carlos downed his drink, spun the glass on the bar, and then slung it down to the bartender for a refill. "Damn." It had been good looking out on Yonnie's part, back then. Otherwise, Damali's resources would have been strained. Girlfriend hadn't been touring in almost two years, CD sales had slacked off, endorsements dropped off - because who could use a star that didn't come out for photo-ops, interviews, or paparazzi to shine? Only Dan had a real clear picture on how the accounts were aligned, the portfolio spread. If Yonnie hadn't hooked a brother up, then he'd be like Berkfield and Bobby, trying to figure out how to buy a four-bedroom ranch in the burbs - and not in San Diego, at that.
Carlos accepted his drink and briefly shut his eyes.
"Rough night, buddy?" the bartender asked.
Carlos quickly scanned him. Not a demon, not a familiar. "Yeah. But I'm cool."
"Lemme know when you need another one, then," the bartender said, wiping out glasses with a white cloth.
Carlos just nodded. What was there to say? Yonnie had gone to war with him; had been on his mind since he'd seen him at la casa... he'd just kept that to himself. Rider was his boy, too. He understood both men's positions. Would have been cool if the Light could have cloned Tara. Carlos took another slow sip of his drink. He needed to talk to Yonnie, but what could he say to him, truth be told? Right now, all he had to offer him was his blade... Yonnie was still his boy and he'd always have his brother's back. A tall dark figure with a familiar gait caught his attention in his peripheral vision. Carlos looked up and set his drink down slowly as he saw Shabazz approach the bar. He glanced at his Rolex - eleven p.m. Shabazz alone at the bar? Oh, shit... whassup?
"Yo, man," Carlos said, pounding Shabazz's fist as he slid onto a stool. He watched his Guardian brother grumble a greeting and order a Jack Daniel's, and said nothing until the bartender left.
"So, what's going on, man?" Carlos asked, cutting right to the chase after Shabazz had taken the first