Ford's Rise - L. Ann Marie Page 0,99
at the Senator’s smile a little dumbfounded. Baxter shrugs. He’s a happy Senator. “It’s the same where I come from. Different is just different.”
I shake my head and walk away. Freaky is where he comes from, that kind of different is weird but he’s right, we don’t single people out for being different. Ford follows. “You’re going to be Web Ford, Perez said.”
I nod. “Michael too. I have Web Ford on papers. A marriage license. Do I need new?” They look identical to legal so they aren’t getting questioned.
He shakes his head. “Why would you. Who do you need to show it to?”
Good question. “I don’t know. No one has ever asked for anything.”
“With the passport, it won’t matter. Do you bank through Cort too?”
“No, Banks opened a business account for me online. Web is on the card.”
He smiles. “There are ways around everything. I’m glad we know the people that have that knowledge.”
I sit throwing chin to Ben James, Danny, Alder, Jinx and Jordan. “Brothers.”
“Congratulations, Brother. Little Ben said you took an old lady and went through a war. I miss the old days when old ladies came with wars.” Danny has me stunned for a second.
What? “Ol’ ladies came with wars? You miss that?”
He’s fucking crazy. He smiles like it was fun. “We had some good ones.”
“Don’t tell them that. Wars are never good and women were hurt. We lost Brothers in those wars.”
Danny ignores Ben. “The Princes fought against it and settled down the old lady wars. Brantley was the best there. He shot a drug lord going 150 down I 95 and I don’t think it registered for at least a week. Sheila’s was memorable, she killed the Brother with a pen.”
“Brantley is an Enforcer too? A pen?” She’s not a big woman. How the fuck do you kill someone with a pen?
He shakes his head. It’s like watching Cort and Raid. Ben is trying to shut him up. “Brantley rode with me. It was his first time on an Op. Sheila was chained to the seat and couldn’t reach anything but a pen. That’s what she used to kill him.”
“Jesus fuck.” Raid sits shaking his head like this is a good story. “I’m never pissing Sheila off. How did he take her? That couldn’t have been easy.”
I look at Ben James, he’s shaking his head. “Chloroform. I think they’re ready.” Danny stops and turns toward the stairs.
We all look as Phoenix, Aquyá and Chance come in with Mucimi and Colt. The boards light up and Princes’ Ops room shows with Ricky, Christian, Jeremy, Jacob, Jared, Brantley, Hemy and Aaron LaPonte-James. Brekan shows on the MC board.
Mase sits on the side of me. I shake my head at the magic show that’s almost normal here. “Brothers.” He doesn’t miss a beat.
We throw him chin. I look up at the boards seeing Brinks on Alpha, Cooper on Elan and Maverick and Finn on Delta. Ranger and Jack come down the stairs together.
Amal, Aris, Asa and Aaron run in. Asa points to the board at the left of the screen. I smile seeing Akai and Alta.
When Hannah and Teller walk down the stairs, Ben Knight throws them chin and walks toward the center of the screen. “Can everyone see the Brothers in the room?”
Ricky shakes his head. “The Alpha-Bits are behind some standing, Brother.”
Ben turns then looks at us at the table. “Will the seats move for them?”
Cort shakes his head. “Raid, get us chairs and a table down here so everyone will fit. We use this meeting room for Church and classes.”
Raid answers while Ben throws Cort chin. “Roger, Boss.”
I smile at the happy comeback.
Ben has no problem waiting for the table and chairs. He talks to Justice and Cort at the back of the room. Prospects show with desk chairs and a table making this one longer. The Alpha-Bits smile taking their seats mixed in with the Commanders, Alexia’s father, Protectors and Officers.
Ben looks at Ricky getting a nod. “Thanks. We should have thought about it before you were all on. Kaleb, Director.” He waves his hand for them to take the floor and steps aside.
I watch Cort. His eyes are focused but he looks amused. Baxter moves with his smile in place. The Director stands with him. “We have locations of 22 Alpha-Bits. My mom helped find locations with transactions Director Price supplied. I looked at your boards and saw you have nine already located. The information we have on those nine is almost identical.