Ford's Rise - L. Ann Marie Page 0,77
Being alone sucks.”
Gregor laughs. “No more alone, Boss Alexia. We same. No alone to us.”
I stand up and smile at the new kids. “Our friends are hungry. Let’s go get breakfast.”
In the dining room, Bear and Prospects are setting the side tables up with food. The new kids run to see everything. Bear comes around and bends down. He’s good with the kids. “Tell me if you like food I don’t have. I made a dish today that’s like oatmeal. The chef helped since I don’t know about your food.”
I tell them in Russian and French. Jacques doesn’t agree. “Alder list. Alpha-Bits eat good.”
Telling Bear, he nods. “I wanted them to feel comfortable here. The chef didn’t like the dish, he said porridge isn’t a meal. They don’t have to eat it.” He’s so nice.
I repeat his words and get smiles. The French boy touches Bear’s arm and nods. That’s sweet. The Prospects help get the boys plates. They have a spoon of almost everything to try. Jacques likes eggs and French toast. His little plate doesn’t have much but it’s what he likes. I make sure fruit and his half piece of bacon are on it. He always eats the same breakfast. The new boys are watching. I tell them he always gets the same breakfast, fruit and meat are on every plate. They smile, they have it too.
My plate has fruit, eggs and hash browns. Prospects bring us juice, milk and coffee for me. I explain to the boys that the Prospects get drinks to help stop spill accidents. They just smile.
Alpha-Bits run in and right to the sides. Télia and Alejandro come in. Télia sits because she gets an omelet almost every day that’s made special for her. Alejandro sits with his plate when Stella and Sheila come in.
“Where is Jess?” I ask. I had a question about a brace for Pace and maybe even Gregor.
Sheila rolls her eyes. “Going to Bravo to see the paint printer and how it works. Amanda didn’t know and said to ask Jess, she’s an engineer and would know. She didn’t. Five minutes of not knowing something would kill her so she took off to get fuckin’ answers. She’s as crazy as the Brothers.”
Stella laughs. “She could have asked me. Jess is cool but jumps too fast.”
I close my eyes and laugh. “Ill, chill, tight, sick, off the hook, over the top, hot as ice, Happy!” the Alpha-Bits, Télia and Alejandro chant. I yell happy with them, looking right at Sheila.
She shakes her head. “I can see that getting old fifty times a day. They’re cute.”
I nod. “They are.”
~*~*~
Web
“I have four techs per shift monitoring the three sites. Nothing names us as Americans or the US. The choppers weren’t identified anywhere on anything. The plane was noted on the last location with heliport in and out. No identity on the chopper and no witness got close enough to see what they were doing. The feeds were wiped so they don’t have anything but the dummy numbers we used on their audio. Someone mentioned a kid on the team matching the albinos.”
Cort nods and looks at Ben. “What do we have here in the US?”
“Brantley?” Ben stays seated.
“Chatter about one Op not known to the military branch teams. They’re not taking it seriously because they happen all the time. Saber got named and it was shut down. His teams didn’t leave the US. The Director sent a weird email telling Saber he was questioned about Masons. The tone was like he was offended and threw out he had enough to do with the agencies hurting people in the US. He isn’t in international shit. The last was he referred them to CIA and NSA.” He pauses. “Ricky has this. My questions to him are, why is the Director giving us a heads-up and can we warn Masons they’re asking questions?”
Ben nods. “We can give a warning but it might play right to letting them know who is behind the Op. That will cause them to look at the other Ops.”
Christian reminds us he’s here on the board. “Yeah, Prez, it will.”
“Thanks, Christian. The Director. My first thought is he’s protecting Alexia. What do I need to point to different, Justice or Teller?”
Justice nods at Teller. “Alexia is the first thing that hit me. The second is a threat to us and Saber. The CIA knows Phoenix. They know BSC East’s connection to here, Saber and through Cort, Masons. You gave them that