Fosters: Blackhawk

by L. Ann Marie

  I get us home and walk into flying kids. What the hell? "Freeze!" They stop. "What is going on now?"

  Joey comes over to me; she's walking so much better, I smile. "They're practicing." She states the obvious.

  I give her a look, not that she cares. "I can see that, why are they practicing in my house?"

  "Kate kicked them out." She says because that explains everything.

  "Why don't you all go outside and play? You know out in the yard, where you're not leaving fingerprints on everything I can't reach without a ladder." I'm not kidding. They have hand prints on the friggin molding around the ceiling.

  Brenda comes in smiling with rags in her hand. "Ok little freaky people, let's clean it up." They grab the towels and fly around the house stepping on anything and everything to get up the walls.

  I shake my head. "Get those scuff marks off the walls too!" I walk back to the office hearing Brenda laugh. Friggin assistant. Picking up my phone I call Kate for a heads up with Carmen. She's pissed telling me she'll handle it and I need to tell Sally, she has a soft spot for Ricky. I tell her about the kids climbing the walls and now they're cleaning them and she laughs. She wants them to come back and clean her walls too. I ask if she found out where the guys are and what they're up to. She still doesn't know. Friggin men.

  Cloud

  Fuckin Rob. He really is clueless. Pres and Bob are explaining it again. I walk out and watch HS take the guy and woman away. Danny has guy two and Rich the third. They were pumping him for information but the woman is fuckin him to get close to the kids. Thank fuck they warned us. They had pictures but not much else. Rob hasn't been around them and we keep their training among the few that live on the road. The 'Club kids' have stepped back and aren't exposing themselves as much which is helping.

  We need to get out of here; I look back in to see if they're done. People are starting to trickle in. It's just noon and people are showing up at a bar, I shake my head wondering where their families are. This of course gets me thinking about getting back home. We need to get the fuck out of here.

  I poke my head in, "Look we can have Little Ben explain it to him, let's get the fuck home, we got shit to do." Bob hides his laugh, Rob is pissed. I sigh. "Sorry Brother but they just wanted information on the kids. We protect our kids. We were just doing our job. They played you. If they ask about the kids it should be a red flag. You don't have anything to do with them, why would anyone ask you? You're in the perfect position to warn us when that happens. You see and talk to everyone, we need help and you can give us that. Think about your conversations, if someone isn't sticking to the norm it's probably something we should watch. Let us know so we can."

  He smiles. "I will. Thanks." He slaps my shoulder, I throw chin and walk the fuck out. I throw my leg over and wait for Bob and Pres."

  They finally show with smiles. "Good job Brother. He's gung ho to help be a first defense player." Thank fuck.

  We ride to the Club. The truck is still here shit. Walking in we go to the meeting room and Bob hits the safe room button. We all get in and he pushes the down button. The doors open to a cavernous room. Lights are blazing and brothers and work crews are moving shit in place. I smile. They're going to fuckin love it.

  Chase jogs over to us, "the kids are moving I need to get to the house." I call Brenda.

  "We're just in the back yard, they got kicked out again." She says laughing.

  "Thanks." I slide the phone off. "They got kicked out again. They're in the back." Chase turns around saying thanks and jogs back down the hall.

  "They're going to fuckin love it. They went through three houses today and it's only fuckin lunch time." Bob says laughing. We walk the hall and see the placement of tables, chairs and doorways. They have a meeting room, the whole fuckin place is built to train but we put in an area of mats and climbing holds with pegs up a wall. There's a ring and bags just past the mirrored wall. Wood flooring was laid in front of the mirrors for practicing. Fuck I want to use it. There are locker rooms and bathrooms. The open kitchen area holds snacks and drinks. Beyond the kitchen is a computer area, they have six computers and three boards to watch. I'm interested to see what happens with this. There are no other rooms, no tv, nothing but open space.

  As we turn back Danny and Rich show. They're smiling. "What the fuck did you do now?" Pres asks, he's not pissed he's resigned. I hold my smile in.

  Danny smiles bigger. "I love it when you know. Guys didn't want to be separated so we made sure they weren't."

  "Fuck!" Pres says running his hand through his hair. "You know what; I don't even want to know." He drops his hand and points out the time and that the kids got thrown out of my house too.

  Rich smiles, "VP is picking up lunch while Tiny ran back to get the cuts. I thought they'd make it back before us." As he finishes the elevator opens.

  "Thank fuck, I'm starving." Danny says.

  Pres looks at him shaking his head. "You're always fuckin starving. Doc should check you for fuckin worms." We all laugh while Danny smiles taking a sandwich out and starts eating it. The workers are leaving. The Brothers left are the kids’ Security teams. Pres looks at Danny throwing his hands up. He turns to the Brothers walking up to us.

  Danny is smiling in between bites. While Pres is talking to the teams I ask him what Pres did this time. He smiles and swallows, "told Kate I'm too smart to miss what she puts on her face and her size so I should be able to pick up her shit for her."

  I laugh. "Did she believe him?"

  "Nope." He smiles. "She asked about her size and I asked if junior fourteen was a size. She didn't ask any more so I didn't give any more. He was pissed." He's too fuckin funny.

  "So why are you getting him back?"

  He looks at me, "Put doubt in her head. I give her no reason to doubt me, ever. He put it in her head linked to me. He won't do it again." Oh fuck he's not smiling because he's happy he's planning revenge. I nod and move away. The teams break up and two go to surveillance up the stairs on the side of the elevator. They walk the catwalk to the room Danny built on steel girders. It's right out of a fuckin sci-fi movie.

  Pres tells Chase to bring the kids over. He runs the hall to the first door and opens the bulk head. He comes back with the kids and CJ. They walk through amazed. CJ has tears, she's happy we did it. Danny shows them the panels at each door and tells them no one but their family knows their door code. They nod. He hands a paper to each of the older kids. They pass it to the younger and hand it back to him. He shows them the scanner so they can basically punch in and out. They each scan at their door and follow him. Pointing, he names the areas then stops.

  Pointing up he tells them about surveillance for their teams. He looks at Jeremy. "You need to make sure security for the Little Brothers is straight. You're our alarm, something's not right you let one of us know. We'll work with you to fix that." Jeremy gives him a face splitting smile and nods. Little Ben throws him chin. Fuckin little Badasses. Jeremy looks at me. I shake my head and point to Danny. Danny smiles. Geek comes out of the elevator. "Geek will work with you on the computers. If you see something we don't, tell us." They nod. Geek sits at the table and pulls the bag looking for his sandwich. He starts eating. Fuck, I'm hungry too; I get mine and sit to eat. Tiny sits with us pulling his sandwich out. CJ is watching us smiling. I wink at her. She follows Pres and the kids. Chase comes over to eat. I pull the sandwich I got for CJ. I know she was at Rachel's when the kids ate. Steve gets his and sits with us. Bob comes down from surveillance and sits rummaging in the bag. He pulls a salad out dropping it he grabs his sandwich and throws the empty bag in the middle of the table. I'm finished so I get bottles of water for everyone. CJ comes over so I sit her on my lap and hand her the sandwich. She kisses me because I'm the best, the guys laugh. I kiss her back because I don't give a fuck. They shut up and CJ eats her sandwich.

  I look at Tiny, "did you get the cuts?"

  "Yeah, Patches will give them out tonight at their meeting." He's happy with t
hem. That's good, it took them long enough to decide on the fuckin patch. They ended up going with a heart and crown. I didn't care one way or the other. I really don't think the kids would either. My kids will get a cut and the old kids will get new cuts a size bigger than their old with the new patch. It's a special day for them.

  The kids explode. They're every fuckin where. Danny comes to the table and finishes his sandwich. We turn and watch. There are cameras with the feeds going to our houses but seeing them in person is a trip. Bob cracks up. Ally uses Jacob to jump on the lockers. Jacob laughs. I look for Jeremy he's on the top of the refrigerator watching everyone with a smile. He looks at me. 'Good job!' Fuckin kid is in my head.

  Little Ben comes to me with Pres. "Are we going to have a firing range?" Little Ben asks.

  "No buddy. As much as I trust you and your ability with the guns, the parents agree to adult supervision with them. I'm not going to lie, I agree with them. We almost lost Jeremy because of a mistake. We're not going to risk another. We will continue with that training but you need an adult present. This was built so you can be free of adults to do what you feel you need to stay safe. Surveillance is just that. They watch for someone hurt and intruders, nothing more. You're on your own here."

  He nods, "thank you. I can see where that would be a concern. Is there anything we need to know or anything you want us to stay away from?"

  I smile, "not right up front. I want you to see what you see, find what you find and decide the best course of action. You are to take no measure to solve the problem or issue. You bring it to us and tell us what course of action you would take. You have to trust that we will keep you safe and protect you. No matter whose vision shows different you bring it to us and tell us that too." I watch him.

  He nods, "We're too young and new at this to handle it on our own."

  "We want your course of action so we can see how far you are from handling things. We may use it or we may not. We will tell you the reasoning so you have that information for the next time." I see he gets it. He throws chin and walks to Darren signing.

  Pres grabs the bag on the table. "You handled that well." He throws the bag. "Where's my sandwich?"

  Danny pushes the salad toward him. "You've been eating salad a lot lately." He's wearing the blank look.

  Pres looks at Steve. "You got me fuckin salad?"

  "It was in your head. I ain't fuckin guess in this shit. Everybody got what they wanted." Steve's pissed, he looks at us and we all nod.

  "You even got what I wanted for CJ." I tell him. He relaxes.

  "Why the fuck did you think I wanted salad? I don't think about salad." He drops the bowl and looks at Danny who still has the blank look on his face. "You called me up while he was ordering. You did this." Rich walks away, Danny smiles.

  "Did I ask you about salad?" He says it so fuckin nice.

  Pres runs his hands in his hair, "no, but I was hungry because we had salad last night and Kate brought me salad for lunch yesterday."

  Danny smiles bigger. "So you thought of it all by yourself and are blaming me? Not very presidential Pres." He's so sickly sweet, I want to hit him.

  "I fuckin know you did this somehow." He says stabbing his salad.

  Danny looks at him without the smile, "Doubt is a terrible thing isn't it?" He gets up and walks to the elevator.

  Once he's gone Tiny looks at Pres. "You better fix it, last year he almost had you going crazy. I ain't putting up with that shit again. Fuckin fix it."

  Steve and Tiny stand. Steve looks at him, "Six paces ahead. Bet you’re eatin salad a lot. If you're not clued in, I'll do it. You show your woman shit early on and get pissed because she expects it. Now you throw it on him. Fuckin fix it before I have to hide C4 from him." They walk to the elevator without looking back.

  Pres wipes his hands in his hair. "Fuck, I ratted him out. I'm an idiot. How the fuck do I fix this?" He says low.

  "I'm out, good luck Pres." Geek and Rich leave. Bob throws chin and jogs to catch up with them. Chase stands and looks around. He points to the computers and walks over there. I hide my smile but nod.

  CJ looks at me. I shrug. "What exactly did you do?" She asks.

  He shakes his head and realizes everyone is gone. "I told Kate he was too smart not to know her size and makeup." He runs his hands in his hair. "The thing is I don't know if he does. He's too fuckin smart though, he notices everything. How could he miss this?"

  CJ laughs. "He's pissed because you made her doubt him? That's pretty deep. The thing with guys is they don't know what they don't want to know. He is smart but maybe it's one of those things he doesn't give a shit about so he doesn't know. If he doesn't care, it would be smarter for him not to ever mention it, knowing Kate would never ask him."

  Pres looks at her. "She asks me to pick up her makeup sometimes. It's humiliating."

  "You should tell her, she'll feel bad you didn't tell her and she caused that feeling in you." She tells him. I sit smiling at my beautiful wife, she's so smart.

  He picks his trash up and throws it in the bag. "Thanks CJ.” He throws me chin and goes to the elevator.

  CJ looks at me smiling. "I don't want to know if you know my makeup. I will never send you to get it and would rather not know that information."

  I laugh standing her up. We look around at the kids jumping around, some sitting by Chase on the computer. Christian is sitting with Hawk and Jessie. In the hallway we walk by them and go through to our house. "Don’t you need your bike?"

  "I'm taking you for a ride. We need the other one." She nods then looks back at the kids. "Chase has them until five." She runs up the stairs and into the patio laughing. She loves riding; she doesn't care where as long as she's on the back of my bike. I fuckin love it.

  Chapter Nineteen

  CJ

  Janelle is meeting us today. She has some information. We have a sort of block party going on. All the old ladies are bringing something and the guys are cooking after their ride. Since they had church today we’ve had the whole morning to relax and get our food together. Joey and Lily are helping Brenda with their own dish. I think it’s good that they’re taking a more adult role. The older boys are in the Training Center with Jeremy. Christian is playing with Hawk and Alex. He doesn’t put the vest on him while we’re home, only when we go out so people don’t try to kick him out. He’s gotten more confidence since he’s had Hawk, I’m so friggin proud of him. He’s been able to help us on more than one occasion with his visions. Joey, Cloud, Jessie, Danny, Steve and Chase are his go to guys for help. I’m a last resort but I learned the techniques too, I am just too emotionally charged and tend to make him anxious. I don’t mind. I hate seeing him in pain and want to get rid of it as quick as possible. There is always someone around to help him so I’m off the hook. Since the kids showed themselves last month they’ve been training different. It is so much more grown up than just martial arts; Kate, Jess, Nancy and Mary think so too but we all understand. The kids are special, we still don’t understand how they became the way they are but we’ll take it because they’re awesome. I bring the fruit out and put it on the table under the tent. A Prospect puts it on a tray with ice under it. I love it. The kids run through grab some and run out.

  Jacob brings the other tray and hands it to the Prospect. “This one will be gone in no time.” He tells the guy, I smile and bend down kissing his head. He grabs a banana and runs catching up with Aaron and Devan. I go back for my bag and make my way to the kids on the beach. Finding the pop up tent empty I stake my claim and sit right in the middle. My red hair is a magnet for freckles. No matter how much friggin sunscreen I use, I get freckles. It truly sucks because now I live right on the beach. Cal and a Prospect are in the water watching the kids; they’re not worried about the sun. Friggin sun.

  Tess shows up with the babies. I take them while she sets up the playpen. They’re so beautiful I kiss them both. I can’t wait until they get bigger; they’re going to be beautiful toddlers. They have her
platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Already Blaze seems dainty and Blake is bold. They watch you the whole time they’re in your arms. I haven’t heard them cry much, Tiny tells me that’s how it is with MC kids; they’ve all been the same so far. You feed them on schedule and they hardly ever cry. I hope it’s the same for me when I have a baby. The kids are all so good I wouldn’t know what to do with an unruly, crying baby.

  Chase runs by us and I see Jeremy splashing out into the water. He’s like a little tornado moving so fast, he’s like the wind that he finds comfort in. The older boys throw us chin on their way to the water. Brantley and Taylor have matured in the month and a half we’ve lived here. They were good and protective of the others but now they’re…more. Kate comes with Brenna and Elizabeth. They’re so cute in their bathing suits. As soon as she puts them down they’re running to the water. A guard follows them. I laugh when Jess runs out with them hauling them in until they get their stuff put down. She takes them to the water’s edge and we laugh at them running away from the waves. We chat for a while and watch the kids. The older boys swim out to the floating dock the guys put out there and sit with their fishing poles. The girls have a ball and are playing with the little guys. I don’t think I’ve said anything to the kids yet. I’m always amazed that they all play so good together. Security is putting another pop up tent by the water, two guys stand under it. I look for Chase but don’t see him. I stand up and go to the tents edge and see him on the floating dock with the boys fishing, Jeremy and Jacob are out there. Before I sit back down we hear the bikes.

  Cloud

  We see the tent but no people. I park my bike and go to the tent. Fruit and chips are out. I take a banana and walk to the beach. I smile watching the kids on the dock diving in. Chase jumps in trying to catch up to Jeremy and Jacob. Little Ben and Darren are on the dock stowing the fishing gear. Chase catches the boys before they hit the dry sand of the beach; he has one in each arm. I laugh thinking it’s a good thing for him that they won’t put themselves in jeopardy of being found out or he’d be chasing them like the Baxter boys. He earned his fuckin name with them. He carries them up to me then shakes like a dog making them laugh. He’s good with them. I take them putting one on each shoulder. He takes my banana and starts peeling it. “My fuckin banana; go get your own.” He laughs biting into it, well at least making the moves like he’s biting into it. The banana is back in my hand. I look up at Jeremy and say thanks.