Endue: Women, Twins, Cyborgs - L. Ann Marie Page 0,96

you good?” He smiles making my day.

I smile. “Better than yesterday.”

He smiles. “I love hearing it.”

Brekan laughs. “You haven’t changed a bit. Do you still answer together?”

“Yeah,” we say smiling at him. Michael laughs.

“Hamp! Twin twins everywhere!” We all look back at Ford and Garren. They are twins and I can see the brothers looking like Michael and Web. Garren holds Ford’s arm like Web is holding Michael’s.

“Holy fuck.” Brinks stands up and Garren stops walking.

“Like Tiny?” He stands a step behind and to the side of Ford still holding his arm.

Ford smiles. “It’s Brinks and Jinx, they’re just like Tiny and keep all their Brothers safe.”

I nod. “Always,” Brinks says with me.

Garren and Michael laugh then stare at each other. Raid and Heam come in from the back. I want to move but I don’t want to scare the hell out of the twin brothers.

“Grandfather! Twins everywhere. Hamp Ford and Web Ford are the same, the same. Twin twins!”

I laugh, he’s so fucking cute. “Michael looks like Web without the beard,” Brekan says.

Heam laughs. “My old friends Brinks and twin Jinx are too, Garren.”

I stand and hug him. Brinks does too right after me. “I’m glad I got to see you.”

“You’ve grown, my little warriors.”

Harper laughs at that. I shrug. “I haven’t heard that in years.”

Brinks smiles. “The pow-wow when I beat you by a second in that race. Heam told us we would be the best little warriors to come out of the reservation because we were laughing. Graywolf killed us in that race.” He shakes his head still smiling.

I laugh remembering. Ford gets Garren closer to Web. “Someone will explain before you all go walking down memory lane, right?” Ford looks toward Brekan.

Brekan has a wary look crossing his face. “I think Jinx gets the whole thing more than I do. He’s smart and I trust him, Ford.”

Cort comes in. “Ford, Web, Alder. Jinx. Let’s take a walk to the back.”

I nod and look at Brinks. “I’ll catch up with Heam and Graywolf. I’m off tomorrow. Can I stay at your house?”

“It’s your room. Always.”

He hugs me with a smile. “Love ya, Jinx.”

“Love ya, Brinks.”

“Like us but different, different, Hamp.”

Ford looks from Web to us smiling. “Yeah, us but different. Let’s go find out how.”

Alder stops me. “You need Baldur?”

“He’ll be okay, Brother,” Cort says turning back. We all follow him out to the back. I’m not sure where in Web’s yard we’re going. I smile. Cort knew. A table and chairs are set up with drinks and fruit. I get some water and sit by Alder as the brothers sit looking at each other.

“Looking back, I remember my mom gaining weight. I didn’t spend time worrying about her after Garren was taken away. As an adult, I can see her being pregnant. She was gone for almost a month then home and thin again acting her same drunk self. I was in high school then. Our neighbor, Wendy, kept tabs on me. She moved right after, never talking to me or my mother again. My mother drank herself to death not long after.” Ford says it without emotion. That’s fucking sad. “I pieced the how. So why did this happen?”

Cort explains how the As were originally found on the ship, brought to Web and protected by Badass and Masons. When he’s done, Web says they lived in an orphanage.

“St. Vincent? That’s where she always threatened to take us.” Ford asks.

Web nods. “Michael was taken when we were seven. They said he died.”

Garren rocks, then starts crying. “We’re safe and have been together for a long time, safe and happy.”

I look right at Alder. He doesn’t throw happy out, he’s watching Garren and Michael. Michael is crying without a sound. His hand is flapping. Web holds his other arm. “You’re safe too. We have Brothers to keep us safe. We’ll always be safe here.”

Ford looks at Cort to go on. He does, telling about the second ship with albinos on it. He fast forwards to the last player and Web finding Michael in the room through the satellites.

Alder stops him. “I help build hologram. Security, Web and me with threat last player. Hologram need books, education. Early book to Web same to As. Seven he get books, computer. Every year he get more. Same to As.”

Cort nods. “It’s how Web knew there was a link to him and the Alpha-Bits.”

Ford is shocked. “We’re all related?”

Alder smiles. “No. I honor to be brother to Boss Ford, Garren, Michael,