MC: Moniz: Book 9 (18 page)

Marty smiles and kisses her head setting her down. ‘I will then. If they are mean I will tell Daddy so he fixes it.’ She looks at me with a question in her eyes. ‘Later.’ I sign. She nods and we get Aubrey in bed. The kid closes her eyes and that’s it. It always surprises me. I take Marty’s hand and bring her to the kitchen. She ate at the Center so I pour her a glass of wine and grab a beer then pull her outside.

Kate offered her a job part time running IT for the Center. She’s happy and excited with Mitch’s technology and I’m jealous another person gets to work with her but I’ll never get my shot at seeing how her brain works. I push it away and tell her I’m excited for her. She deserves this. When she’s done she asks about the extra Security.

I wipe my hand down my face working out how to say this and not scaring the shit out of her. I just start at the beginning and tell her all but Security and HS workings. She lets me finish without interrupting so when I’m done I wait.

‘Thank you. You kept her safe another day. She will always be in danger won’t she?’ I nod not wanting to say it. ‘I need to thank Jeremy. He knew what he was doing didn’t he?’ Fuck. I nod again. ‘I will be more aware of where I am and who is around me. Kate says I can feel safe in the yard and once the new Security building is up we’ll all be safe in the bigger yard.’

“Yes, but you’ll still have Security with you like the other old ladies. With the kids the way they are, moms are a bargaining chip we don’t ever want played.”

She nods and lays her head on my shoulder. ‘With everything crazy I didn’t mention I love you. I should have. I love you.’ I squeeze her and love her back.

I have the office to myself and I’m lonesome. How pathetic. I settle the iPod on and work to some music. Geek moved his programs to the other computer so this is all mine. I take a minute to replay him being so sweet. He was pissed when I said it. I laugh at his ‘not fuckin’ sweet just doing what you need.’ He calmed down when I showed him I appreciated him ‘doing what I need.’

I’m smiling when I get back to work. Mitch is awesome. She set sheets ready to be put up on the hologram board. All I have to do is put the Center’s information on them to have it show. Since they’re all balking at new sheets I asked if I could use the same ones and keyword into the main form. She told me that’s what Security is doing so they don’t have to rewrite the forms for the men. Their tech, Jerry, showed me how it works. This is going to be a breeze, time consuming, but a breeze.

I’m surprised by Lilly sitting down and jump. Damn! “Sorry, you didn’t answer. You’re just like Geek with the code. Everything but code disappears.”

I smile, I guess I am. ‘Everything okay?’

“I’m bored. I need a job and Little Ben won’t let me work with the Club Kids,” she says disgusted and rolling her eyes.

I think about Little Ben. He’s much older than his years and sees more than what’s in front of him. ‘Knowing Little Ben, the little that I do, there is probably a reason for that. Why don’t you find a job somewhere else?’ She’s too smart to be unemployed long.

“Yeah I’m going to have to. I can’t work for the Club so I’ll find something else. Know anyone that needs a good waitress?” I hope she’s kidding.

I think for a minute. “Try Baxters. Mitch is actually opening a bunch of businesses. She posted a notice at the Women’s Center. Entry level for the shelter women to get their feet under them but also management positions for women only.’

She’s surprised. “Really?”

I laugh, ‘I wouldn’t lie.’ She waves that away and hugs me.

She starts for the door then stops. “I wanted to ask if you had plans for tonight. Me and Brenda do a sister thing and want to bring Aubrey in. We get together once a month and if we have money go out but mostly we hang at her apartment and do our nails watching a movie or making dinner. I’ll take her to her riding lesson tomorrow.”

‘Three things struck me there. Sharing your sister time is so damn sweet, of course she can go. Put it on the calendar and we’ll work around your time.’ She nods. ‘I think we should do something like that here so both you and Brenda are included in Aubrey’s family life. I don’t ever want you to think you need to ask to be here. Aubrey makes us a family. Since we don’t have another one, that’s important to me.’

She has tears on her face so I hug her. “Thanks. It means something to us too.”

When she’s calm I sit. I don’t think she’ll answer with me so close. I have no idea why I think this but I do. ‘I work HR, I know we send money every month. I didn’t know your dad well, but I know you meant the world to him. Why isn’t some of that available to you?’

She looks away. “My mother told us to choose there or here. We lost the money because we moved here. She didn’t care if we didn’t talk to her as long as we weren’t here. She found out Little Ben was coming to see me and stopped sending money without a word.”

I hit her arm so she’ll look at me. ‘What a bitch! I need to tell you something that will help with that but I need to ask Josh if it’s okay first. Can you wait downstairs?’

“I’ve been good, we always find jobs and Brenda helps with the school,” she says looking nervous.

‘What I have to say isn’t bad or a reflection on you or Brenda in any way. Since we are family I need to look out for you and I know exactly how.’

She looks relieved. “Brenda told me about the fallen Brother scholarships. I didn’t know if I qualify because dad has a pension and all.”

I nod. She’s going to be shocked when she finds out. ‘I’ll just be a couple of minutes.’

She giggles. “You might want to change before you call Josh. Geek will kill him just for seeing that top.” I look down and run by her. Shit! I text Josh the girls aren’t getting money and before I have pants on he says he’s on it. I get my clothes on and look at the top I had on. All lace with just my nipples covered. Holy shit I need to change every day before going into the office. Everyone pops up on Geeks boards. I do the hair and makeup thing hoping to get something before I have to see Lilly.

Not wanting her to wait too long I go out and hear a bike. Thank God! I come around the corner and I’m surprised to see Brenda. Since this concerns her, maybe Josh called her. Ben comes in with Steve and Little Ben. Tiny comes in right after. I’m a little surprised. ‘Do I need to leave?’

Lilly huffs, “I don’t think so sister. You started this now you can hold my hand because I’m fuckin’ scared.” The whole room laughs and Geek comes in. Great, now he can see the snowball I started rolling down the damn mountain. I sit beside her and hold her hand now that I’m a little scared. Brenda has the other one.

“I got a call from Josh saying you don’t get any of the money your father left to you. When I checked with the lawyer your mother stopped approving it last year. He assumed you were taken care of by the MC and just didn’t need it. He thought it odd that you didn’t touch it,” Ben says watching their faces. Brenda jumps up.

“My father left money to us? She never told us he left money to us. I’ve never seen a check, we got cash from her when she deemed it a worthy activity.” She’s pissed and pacing. She looks at Lilly.

“I am so sorry. I should have asked. You gave up so much to be close to me.”

Lilly waves her away. “What about you? Paying for my meal plan and now school bills so I can finish.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” Little Ben yells and we all cringe. I’ve never heard him raise his voice. They both look down. “This is why you believed everything your mother said isn’t it?” His voice is softer but scarier. I look at Geek then all the men. They look concerned for the girls. The girls nod. “Pres is their house ready?” They look up at him.

“Danny said the back patio isn’t on yet but they can live in it starting today,” Ben says.

“We have a house? You were giving us a house before you knew?” Brenda says. Lilly is crying and Little Ben holds her head to his chest. I feel tears on my face, but I’m smiling. So much for my makeup. Brenda takes my hand and plops down beside me.

Ben lifts Brenda’s chin. “Your father was one of the original Security team. He made good money and Jess invested it well. Two weeks before he died he went to the twins in HR and made you both beneficiaries. Your mother got enough to buy a house and live for five years from the insurance but everything else was left to you. I need you to go to HR and fill out papers so Josh can deposit money to your account. Jess will take care of investing for you but you need to live without sacrificing for each other. Racks has cars for both of you. Your house is the next street over. Danny will meet you there at four to explain. Lilly your school will be paid for through the MC. That was never a bill you should have seen. Brenda’s money will be deposited into her account. Brown is too fuckin’ expensive, but it’s worth it if it brought you back to us. So you go to HR right away, then Racks on Main then Danny at four on the next road over.” Brenda nods in shock.

“I’ll take them Pres.” Tiny says. Brenda looks at him and nods.

She looks at Ben. “Can I still work?” I’m laughing, but since I don’t make noise I can get away with it. They are in complete shock and it’s all over their faces.

“You better. Fuckin’ kids need someone to trust in the school,” Steve says kind of harsh but she nods.

“So you know–Geek bought the house for you. He wanted you to be close to Aubrey and thought he could keep an eye on you at the same time. He didn’t think you needed a father but a Brother looking out for you. When he threw protection on you the Officers did too. Now you have too many fuckin’ Brothers to count looking out for you. The MC will reimburse him for the house, but the protection stands,” Ben tells them.

I cry looking at Geek. He is so damn sweet. They both hug him and his hands go up in the air. The guys laugh. Tiny tells them he has a meeting later so they need to get moving. Well that’s close to what he said. All but Ben leave. He hands me tissues and I laugh, I must be a mess. “I’m getting to where I can tell your laughing.”

I nod wiping my face. ‘Thank you for making them important enough to do this right away. I don’t know what their mother said to them but it affected their self-worth.’

He laughs. “Smart fuckin’ women. You all amaze me every day. Thank you for catching that and helping to fix it.” I nod. “How did you know they didn’t get the money?”

‘Lilly explained the sister day they want to bring Aubrey in on. Lately it’s doing their nails or making dinner. Her clothes are old but decent. No woman wears the same shoes everyday even if it’s sneakers. Lilly hasn’t worn anything different. I gave Brenda some of the old lady shopping spree clothes because she was wearing the same two pair of pants. I thought she didn’t like shopping.’ I shrug.

He kisses my head and gets up. “Plan on another shopping spree. Kate will be in touch.”

I jump up and catch his arm. ‘What did I do?’ Geek laughs. I’m pissed now and stomp my foot. He stops but Ben smiles.

“You brought two of my kids back. You gave that to me and love them–determined to show them they are worth something.” He’s smiling.

‘So I’m getting punished because you’re happy?’ He signs a question mark. ‘Those women are crazy with the shopping it was ALL day! Who needs thirty pairs of panties?’

He stops me. “I am not listening to panty talk. I can bet you don’t have thirty left and I don’t need the details; as for them being crazy, do you think you’re not? You’ve lived with Geek since you got here. You have two jobs and a girl that is a reader, projector and seer in a compound full of readers and seers. Tell me how normal any of that is. We are all a little crazy Marty. Some just a little more than others. You get used to it.” He turns around and walks out.

Geek is doubled over laughing. Jerk! I go back to fix my makeup. Geek puts his hands on the door frame. “I need to get to a meeting. Tell me you’re not going to talk about your panties with any other Brothers so I can do that without wanting to kill anyone.”

Oh my God. I talked to the President of the MC about my panties. My hand is on my mouth and I shake my head no. I sign, ‘sorry’ and he laughs then kisses me. “Good because I would.” I look at him and know he’s serious. Somehow I’m not afraid of this and just nod. “You’ll get a box of new panties and shit every two to three months. I think you should talk to Neiman’s and get shirts because I rip those too.” He kisses my lips and walks away. I sit on the floor laughing hysterically. They get thirty pairs of panties because all the guys rip them. Maybe they’re not so crazy. I wash my face and give up on makeup this morning. I’ll try again later.

I ride to Security thinking about Aubrey. She’s not talking like she was. She’s happy and excited when she should be, but she’s not talking about the things she’s learning or what she did in school unless we ask. Marty doesn’t seem concerned, she thinks it’s not all new anymore so Aubrey isn’t so enamored by it all. Since Danny has so many kids I figure he’s my best answer. I hope he’s here today. I smile at the sign as I drive by. MC & Baxter sounds a little more professional than Badass & Baxter. That was a hell of a time at Church, the Brothers didn’t want the name change and were throwing shit before Pres even finished talking. When he pointed out the extra money they’d be picking up for Baxter Contracts they shut up pretty fast. He was pissed and let them know it. He always has a beer after Church but he walked right out the door and we ended up on a four hour ride down to the new Rhode Island property and through the Little Brothers’ new town. Since the old ladies were shopping it worked out well. Every Officer followed showing we had his back. Tiny would throw tampons at me, but I was fuckin’ proud.

I thumb the keypad and look at the camera so my eye can be scanned. I love the new technology. The Prospect hands me my messages as I walk by. Danny and Mitch did an awesome job with the building. It has the old world charm of the factory it used to be, but technology of the future we’re moving into. I walk in my office saying, “I’m in,” and everything turns on. The hologram board at the front of my desk shows me whose working IT and where they are. “LP1’s schedule.” My board changes showing me he’s on a four hour block of HS starting in twenty minutes. “LP1’s location.” He’s in the cafeteria. I run downstairs and look for him. The place is fuckin’ huge. I spot him with Digs and sit. He’s just finishing breakfast so I wait. He must have got called out before he ate again.

I look at Digs, he’s smiling waiting too. “You IT later?”

He nods. “I’m working on the forms. We got the program to read them but some of the chicken scratch the Brothers wrote needs to be deciphered.”

Shit that sounds like a shit job. “Is it a lot?”

“Not as many as I thought. I love the new shit we got to work with.” He’s happy.

“Your new office done?”

Danny laughs. “He doesn’t want to leave it.” I nod thinking I’m the same way. “You didn’t come down to chit chat. What’s up?”

“Aubrey isn’t talking like she was. She’s happy, but not really saying much unless we ask her.”

“None of them do. Everything was new before, I bet she didn’t say much as a baby either. When the kids do something that’s new they chatter about it otherwise we don’t hear much from any of them. Remember Little Ben and Jessie when they were little?” I nod and think about it. “They only talked when they needed to. You had to ask them about specific things to get anything out of them.”

He’s right. Marty was right too. I stand up. “Thanks Brother.”

“If you want to know if something is wrong ask Jeremy. Since he made up for his mistake he’s been more vocal. Not by a lot, but if you ask about Aubrey he’ll talk.”

I throw him chin and walk to the stairs smiling. My little guy did good. He made everyone new tracking cuffs for the boys and bracelets for the girls. He used the design Mitch did so it’s paper thin and they all have a little J on the snap or clasp. Every one of them has an MC logo so the Brothers and old ladies wanted them too. He made a killing off them and gave the money to the town we bought the glass factory from. They’ll get new computers for their schools. Little Ben and Pres let him off his chain and Cloud took him back to the hospital with Aubrey.

I answer my phone to VP. “Yeah.”

“Fuckin’ board won’t tell me where you are.”

Fuck. Maybe he’s red and it’s not identifying him. “I’ll be right there.” I thought we got it straight just in case. Ian recorded him while he was red just for this reason. He’s not in his office. I walk across their common room to Jake’s office. “Where’s VP?”

“Looking for you.” He laughs.

I call him. “Where the fuck are you?”

“Your office.” He hangs up.

“He’s red,” Jake says as I’m running out the door, the fuckin’ Brother is laughing, this can’t be good.

I can’t think of anything I’ve done to piss him off so I slow down and walk into my office. “I can’t fix your board if you’re not in your office.”

“My board works. Yours is broke.” He’s pissed.

I do everything I can think not to bust out laughing and push it away. Taking a deep breath I let it out and look at him. “My board only works with my voice.”

He looks surprised then pissed again. “Get trackin’ on my phone. Can’t fuckin’ work without findin’ people.”

I nod. “What did you need?”

“You in HS. Fuckin’ Baxters guy don’t talk English.” He walks out.

I’m pushing every fuckin’ thought out of my head and follow smiling. “What are we doing?” I have a lunch meeting with the KClub.

“Gettin’ gang out of the City. Hour tops.” He sounds disgusted already.

HS Surveillance has twelve half circle consoles and three almost full circle consoles that are huge workstations behind the smaller. Rich looks at me from his rolling his eyes. Pres is smiling in his. VP walks to the middle of his and tells Jerry to move. Jerry looks nervous but slides his chair over. “Watch so you get it,” VP tells him. I have a feeling Jerry isn’t going to want to work here anymore after this.

I look at the feeds and laugh. “You stopped them on the ramp?” Pres and Rich are laughing.

Danny: “Been here for fuckin’ ever Geek. Think we can get moving now? My fuckin’ ass is getting numb.” Rich and Pres laugh harder.

“Get me check-in,” VP growls.

Me: “HS Ops Team One with VP, Geek on control, I need check-in.”

Danny: “What the fuck? We already did this!”

VP: “Need fuckin’ check-in so new guy gets it from the beginin’!”

Danny: “LP1, Team One Lead if I ever fuckin’ move!” He sounds disgusted. Rich and Pres are doubled over and I’m barely holding it together.

Digs: “Digs on.” He’s fuckin’ laughing too. These fuckin’ Brothers are going to get me hung out another fuckin’ window.

Zack: “BS3, Zack.” I look at VP.

He holds his mic, “Was bored.” I nod.

Rayne: “B2, Rayne.”

Jessie: “Ghost on.” Jessie’s laughing too.

Curt: “HS7, on”

VP: “Roll on my one.” He looks at Rich and Pres, they both nod with big smiles. “Three, two, one.”

Danny: “Thank fuck!”

I pull their route then the KC tagging. The City is full of cars that are not identified but they concentrate on the area we’re working. I throw Ops tracking on the hologram board and VP steps back. “Too close,” he says.

I jump into the settings and set it a foot away looking at him. He shakes his head no so I pull it in another foot and he nods. There’s something about the board he has trouble with. I need to find out what it is so he can do this without me. I guide Team One into the neighborhood and watch them go up the houses. They’re side by side.

VP: “Team Two’s got the back. Go.” We watch Digs and Danny kick the doors in.

Danny: “Got a lab here VP.”

VP: “Cleanup’ll get it. Geek get me video.” We watch the hat cams but can’t get a good view of the room with everyone moving.

Me: “Pres we need video in.”

Pres: “Murphy and Jason you’re being transferred to Team One Ops with Geek.

Murphy: “Roger Pres.”

Me: “Murphy and Jason you’re on with VP, Geek on control. I need a live feed in LP1’s location.

VP: “LP1 three o’clock!” Danny turns and shoots. A pussy falls but whoever has the hat cam is looking around too fast for us to see anything.

Danny: “Clear.” He keeps going into the next room.

VP: “HS7 you keep swingin’ your head I’m duct tapin’ your neck straight you get back here. The cam stills and moves slow. Danny and Zack are laughing going deeper into the house. Zack runs to another room. “Cam stays with LP1.”

Curt: “Roger VP.” We hear shots and wait.

Zack: “Clear.”

VP: “Took three shots?”

Zack: “Nah VP he shot. I knocked him out. Asshole is too high to shoot straight.” We laugh.

Murphy has my feed up and he’s looking for a good view. I don’t really have to say anything to him. He knows how to place the cameras. Jason gets me the front view of the lab. He’s doing good out on Ops, I know Pres was concerned because he’s young, but Little Ben said he’s ready. It’s not really much of a lab but enough to be a concern to us.

I see the cars flying in from the main drag and point it out to VP.

VP: “LP1, company. Three cars in four.” We see him finish cuffing the pussies he had in the bedroom.

Danny: “Got three women VP.”

VP: “Not seein’ ‘em.

Danny: “Yeah, get the cam off the board,” he says. I drop it on my monitor.

Me: “LP1 you’re on my monitor.”

Danny: “Keep it quiet until we’re out.” He takes the hat from Curt and turns it to the side of the room. Nikko, Flo and Darlene are standing there with another woman. Fuck!

VP: “Digs, company in one.”

Digs: “Roger VP. We’re clear.”

VP: “BS3 Clear the house.”

Zack: “Roger VP.”

Me: “Digs three cars automatic weapons out the windows of one and two. Driver’s side, back.

Digs: “Roger.” Digs and Rayne run out the front. I see Jessie against the side of the next house up.

VP: “Murphy, Jason, get to the back. LP1 keep ‘em at the back. Ghost hit tires.” Everyone Rogers back then a shit storm of bullets are flying everywhere. “BS2 twelve o’clock in 3 seconds.” He turns firing one shot through the head. Holy shit. Rich yells, “Fuckin’ Nice!”

Rayne: “Clear.” He turns and fires at a pussy climbing out of a car.

Zack: “VP the house is clear, joining the party out front LP1 and HS7 are in the back.”

VP: “BS3 you’re late. Pussies bein’ cuffed.”

Zack: “It’s always the way VP.” I’m watching tagging and the live feed from across the street. Team Two are cuffing pussies while Team One is covering.

While they seem to be calm I wave at VP and sign, ‘pulling tracking.’ He nods. I pull the kids tracking and find Nikko in the KC, well now it’s KC Training. I pull the control room and see Bull in. I hit OC and type a message. ‘Nikko there?’ He says no he left early for school saying something about a paper due. He has him tracked to the school. VP is guiding Team One to help Cleanup. Pres looks over wondering what the fuck is up. I pull the school feed and scan the room. I don’t see Nikko and his tracking has him in KC Training. I jump to admin and pull my jewelry tracking. He’s at KC Training. What the fuck? VP hits my shoulder as he’s turning. I drop the windows and turn.

“What the fuck is Team One still doing there? They should be on their way back,” Pres says.

VP scans the feeds. “Need to wait to answer. We’re clear, you get everythin’.”

Pres looks at him for a couple of seconds then nods. Thank fuck! Hiding this from him will get me shot. VP nods. Pres is not happy with the disrespect he’s been seeing lately.

VP: “LP1 transport in one.” I look at the feed seeing Curt outside with the woman.

Danny: “Coming out the side.”

VP: “BS3 escort from side to transport. Tiny transport to KC Security.” Tiny pulls up and Danny and Zack bring Darlene, Flo and Nikko out fast. They’re all cuffed and Nikko has the cam hat on. He never lifts his head.

I look over and Pres is watching pissed. Brantley looks at me. ‘Do your job. Nothing else right now, just the job,’ I sign. He nods and looks back at his feeds. Rich keeps his Team moving. I run the feed from KC Training following Nikko. He tries to stay away from the cameras but I have feeds the kids never see. VP has Team One cleared to get back to the yard. He orders Danny and Digs to KC Security and Rayne to HS Security. I tell Jerry to guide them home watching PD on the highway. The City PD is busy elsewhere while this Op was running. He flips his computer on and lets them know he’s guiding them in.

Pres comes over telling Rich to clear Cleanup. He’s more than a little pissed. “Flo, Darlene and Nikko?”

VP looks at him. “Yeah. Not the place for this but yeah. Tiny’s takin’ ‘em to KC Security.”

He looks at me. “Why didn’t he get picked up leaving a-fuckin’-gain!”

“He dropped his tracking at KC Training, but Bull has him tracked to the school from the control there.” He picks up the empty chair and whips it across the room. Rich ducks as the chair flies by, we all watch it hit the wall and stick there. The wheels are through the sheetrock holding it about twelve feet up. Fuck. I look at VP. He’s watching Pres walk out.

When the door closes he looks at me. “What did you get?”

“He dropped tracking in KC Training and went up the elevator to the Club. From the meeting room he went out the door to Darlene’s car. He got in the backseat and slept for an hour or so. Darlene and Flo left at eight-forty. Traveled the small bridge to the City right to the house.”