Ford's Rise - L. Ann Marie Page 0,74
laugh and kiss Ramell’s head. “Did he say he sent supplies to your house?”
“Da. He send. I stay you house?”
I look at Alder. He shrugs. “If you want. Do you want a sleeping quarter house or the group house?”
“I stay Quincy, Runar, Wolfgang?”
Shit. “Runar is in a sleeping quarter. Wolfgang...”
“Stay you house. I sleep floor good.” He shrugs and I see nervousness in it.
Alder talks so fast I can’t keep up. I get he wants to stay with the others he came to train with. Alder smiles and tells him he can stay in a bed like we have, getting a hug from Ramell. “I work Alpha-Bit, help you, Alder?”
“Yes. We honor you help to us. Garren teach English. Life easy you speak English.”
“I learn more.” He hugs me and runs. Even the new Bits run.
“Runar, Ramell, Quincy, Wolfgang, Wain, stay to you. No problem?”
I get up and start walking again. “You know better than to ask.”
“I know to ask.”
I laugh spotting Lorelei. She’s not with Alexia. Daniel, Dreng and a couple of new Alpha-Bits are with her in line for the roller coaster. “Where’s Alexia?”
She points to the side. “Nova is right there. She must be in the store.”
“Alder!”
He stops. “I answer. Find Boss Alexia. You nervous.”
I smile and throw him chin. “Thanks, I’ll find you.”
Alexia is in the store with my little friend that speaks Russian and two that speak French. Anton runs from behind the counter. “Web! Alder close?”
“Outside. What’s wrong?”
“Opie no cream to Alpha-Bit.”
I bend by Lexi reaching into my lower pocket. “I have some. I’m glad you knew to ask.”
“Thank you. He just said hurt.” She’s worried.
I nod and show him the tin. He smiles. “They don’t talk at all so even the language they know isn’t easy.”
He lifts his shirt and shows me his back. “Oh.” Lexi covers her mouth.
“Anton, can you and Lexi help the little Brothers find a snack they may like?” His skeletal look with bruises looks bad. We’ll make it better.
“Roger, Web. Boss Alexia, we help.” He pulls her away and I get cream on the little Brother.
When I’m done, I help get his shirt back down. “Good to go, little man.” I show him the tin then where I put it. “Me or Alder. We carry it on us when we leave the compound.”
He nods and pulls his tablet out of his little backpack. “Web, Alder.”
I smile and kiss his head. “Yes.”
He packs his tablet. I help get it back on him and he runs to Alexia and Anton. “I called Doc. He’s sending a bag for the Alpha-Bits. I didn’t know he was hurt and didn’t see Alder in the crowd out there.”
“Thanks, Nova. Asa and Akai have medic supplies in the choppers for them. I’ll make sure a message goes to them so they all know. It’s been busy and Alder just got back.”
He nods. “He was starved and hit?”
I look at him. He shakes his head. “Sorry. I haven’t seen them come in like that. It slammed me.” His eyes show that.
“We’ll get them right.”
“What can I do?”
I smile. “Let them see they’re safe. Talk to them.”
“I don’t know anything but English and Spanish.”
“It won’t matter. He’ll learn English. For now, big and silent is scary to them. They don’t need to understand the words to know you’re helping.”
He nods. “Thanks, Web.” He goes to the new Bits and bends to see their snacks. Anton has my friend looking at chips. I smile when he opens packs so the Bit can see them. Alexia laughs.
“Plain chip, Anton,” Alder says from behind me.
Anton tries the plain chips and the Bit likes them. Alexia gets an unopened bag and collects the three bags he didn’t like. Taking his hand, she walks to the register. The Brother won’t take her money. I smile. I love my Brothers.
“What’s his name?” I ask Alder.
“Eight. No name to them. No time to trace, match group to here.”
Shit. “They’re Bs?”
He shakes his head. “Letter to invoice wrong. No, letter match C Crow, not Alpha-Bit.”
The letters don’t match the invoices? Why are single letters noted on them? They don’t match the Alpha-Bits here either. Shit. I hope they do and the Alpha-Bits just don’t know their brothers, maybe they were sold young. “That’s weird.”
“Yeah, information. No help yet.”
“It will show. I have almost all the techs on it. Training will take the little shit that’s set as distraction.”
He nods. “Smart. Distraction has objective no answer.”
“Yeah.” I take the chips and Lexi’s hand. “Plain is