by L. Ann Marie
“I wanted you all here today so you know what we’re preparing for, but also for any ideas that would help in the event that our alternate is breached.” He stops and looks around.
“The grid in Ops works well with no feeds, but won’t work with no audio,” Bull says. “The PD has radios that run through dispatch. Driscoll has no use for them, but if it’s an emergency we could use them.”
Prez nods. “I didn’t think of that.” He looks at me. “Find out how they’re running and what we would need for that to work with the Ops.”
I nod. “A dispatch station is all we’d need. We can hook the program to it and have the hologram boards keep the map and tracking. I’ll find out what they have and get it set up.” He throws me chin.
Jax is nodding. “We had them on the PD bikes, but left them off the old HS bikes because they use our surveillance and Bluetooth. We could get the radios on the HS bikes. If we start with the Leads we can have them up within a day. With just HS we could have it done in a few days.” Prez tells him to get with me and figure if it’s something we can do right away.
“Since the breach I’ve been putting new tracking on the bikes that are coming in for maintenance. It’s not run through the satellite I have it on my phone. We should get that set too. I’ll need help to get it on everything and I’ll need more chips,” Jared says.
We’re all smiling. He’s like Mitch, already thinking steps ahead of us. “Good thinking Jared. Get another line set up. We’ll use it for backup. Without Princes name on it, we should be able to avoid losing tracking again. I’ll clear Jason’s schedule for a week to get you help.” Jared throws him chin.
Prez looks at Dakota. “You still tracking us separate too?” Jared laughs when Dakota says yes.
Prez nods and gets us back. “Apparently the jammer that was used was connected to the satellite so anything we can use away from that would work.” He looks at Joey. “Make sure Jared gets that back in cash. I don’t want payouts showing for it. You’ll have to get with Darren about cable and other phone services. Same thing, cash.”
She nods with her usual smile. “I’ll get HR to backup daily and update the chips so we don’t lose anything too.”
He nods at her and looks around. “Anything else?” He waits but no one has anything else. “This is kept close. Only first tier Officers are in the know.” We all nod. “Do we have anything else that needs to be addressed before we call the Brothers in?”
“Yeah. Connecticut needs IT training. I don’t think we should go as far as Marty with them, but they need help. They have all the equipment, but the equivalent of Diego running them. Their people are willing to learn and we met with two decent managers, but they don’t have the technical knowhow. I was going to suggest training, but they helped us out when we needed it and I don’t think they have the money to go through the program. They just spent a fortune updating everything they own then bought the Mobile Unit they let us use,” Brantley says nervously.
Prez looks at me and I nod, they helped and now need it. “VP will set it up for them.” Brantley blows out a breath like there was a chance I’d say no. I throw him chin and he smiles.
“Sheila call the Brothers in.”
Prez leans closer to me. “We’ll talk about that on the chopper. I’m wondering if Jared can get you running through the PD radio, cable or phone.”
“Yeah.” I had the same thought, but was going to ask Mitch. Jared might be better if he’s already working on it. I laugh when he nods. He straightens smiling.
The Brothers get all the info from membership, financial and old business. They have nothing new and we have no one in need now that John is back. We have some wanting into the casino, but they have to go through Security. Prez gets pissed when one says, “Dakota is here now.”
“This is a meeting for you to get caught up on Club business and any concerns or help that is needed this week. Your job is not a concern to the other members or your Officers. VP explain how this works for the Brother so we can move on.”
I stand and look at the Brother pissed. “You bring your job preferences to your lead and he will pass your request on if he thinks you’re a good candidate for the job that’s open. Explaining how that works and why you shouldn’t be bothering your Secretary with this is happening once in an open meeting just in case someone else missed that in HR too.”
The Brother is pissed. “I already told him three times.”
Dakota stands. “You are not qualified or willing to train for the job. It is not a good practice to have your shortcomings publicly voiced. That would be the reason they are not brought up in a meeting with every fuckin’ Brother watching. You want a job on my boat I suggest you get the training needed and shut the fuck up in meetings like this.” He sits and Jessie laughs. The other Brothers are trying to hide their smiles.
Prez looks at the Brother and he sits. “We have no other new business so Brothers go have a drink with your Brothers, enjoy your ride, or spend time with your families, but make it a good one. Anyone on the boat that can give our Brother here some pointers on the training needed so he can have a fair shot please do. Meeting adjourned.”
I’m happy to see Brothers talking to the clueless Brother. “Jared. Can you stay for a minute?” I ask and Prez sits while everyone is leaving.
“Yeah Brother. I’m your ride so I got time.”
I laugh. “With the satellite down I don’t get the information on my Ops glasses.”
He looks thoughtful. “I’ll talk to my mom, but I think I can get you hooked into different networks whether that’s cable or phone. I’ll let you know on our way back.”
“Thanks Jared.”
Prez stands. “That’s the easiest thing that happened today.”
We walk out and grab a beer. I find my girl with Brantley and Sheila. She hands me my pieces with a smile. Since I’m only here for a couple of minutes I pocket them. “We’re out after the beer.”
“I’m excited to see Maryellen,” she says bouncing.
Shit, I like seeing her tits bounce, but I’m not sure I want her bouncing like Mitch. “I got that last night when I had to wait for my ice cream.”
She laughs. Brantley looks at us like he’s missing something. Since I’m not telling him a fuckin’ thing that could put ideas in his head, I look at Sheila and ask about her Jeep.
“I didn’t get it yet. I have to look at what they have. Eliza is coming with me after work tomorrow.”
Seriously? “You go online, decide color and options, call the dealer tell him what you want and send it to Jared for tracking and whatever the hell he does to it. That’s it. Jax can get an emblem on it.”
Brantley laughs at her expression. “How will I know what one feels right?” She’s going to the dealer.
“Go sit in every one then order it online,” I tell her smiling.
“We are. Tomorrow after work.” I get the attitude and smile. Sheila walks to the beat of her own drummer so I throw her, and the attitude, chin.
Prez says, “Time Brother,” from behind me and I smile. I love my fuckin’ glasses.
I throw Brantley and Sheila chin and take Eliza’s hand giving her a pull. She spins and lands against me. My glasses say people are laughing. I kiss her head. “It’s time.”
Brantley follows us out. “I’m up too. I think Sheila, Jason, and Taylor are riding.”
“How’d the ‘rents get all of you up together?” I ask, but too many people are talking for me to see Brantley’s words.
As soon as we’re out the door Eliza signs for me, ‘Diego’s birthday.’
I kiss her cheek and pull my phone. The Bakery will send his favorite brownies with the chocolate frosting over right away. Nice. Nancy may get pissed at me, but it’s his birthday. We ride to the hangar and board. Jared can’t drink so he’s been waiting on us. We’re in his chopper today and he looks happy about that. His dads bought it for him like they were giving him a car. He didn’t fly it much at first but, now he loves shuttling people in it.
Eliza is talking to Brantley about Ops procedures so I talk to Prez. He’s meeting with his dad and Pres about the satellite. Putting another up as a backup is out of our range. It can go to 400 million. With lighter material and getting the satellite on a shuttle that carries a couple at a time up, you can lower the cost. He figures with a split in the cost we can do it, but it will cut our savings down to almost nothing. Thinking about the businesses and our personal money we can float what we have to. Members only get free drinks and whores at the Club. The payouts go to those that work Prince jobs. Bigger profiting businesses get bigger cuts. With Dakota around, that’s almost all of them. The businesses would still cover themselves. We have no debt and Princes Security pays the bills.
“We should do it. Businesses wouldn’t be affected and we have cash reserves.” With the parts we keep it on the books, but the guns are cash transactions so all that money sits in the vault. We send it out to the businesses, but we’ll never get rid of it all now that we have so many trucks running.
He’s watching me and I know he’s getting my thoughts. I wait. “I initially thought that too. With towns trying for in we’ll have more overhead right away.”
I think about that. “With the cuts Driscoll made we’d lose a lot of the initial startup that we put out for the first three. We can use town money to cover them.”
He smiles. “That’s why you’re VP.”
Jared drops us at the gate to the Compound. The guards didn’t shoot us down so they must be expecting us. We walk up the street and all the little ones come running. Eliza thinks this is awesome. I just laugh as I lift Devan up on my shoulders and Brenna takes her hand. I throw chin to Prez as we walk by their house and Brantley as he turns to his. Our house is almost five from the last on this road. The patio is two away from us and Rich and Patches. I loved growing up here and realize this will always be a home for me, but I think of Rhode Island as home now.
At the house, Mom is making some kind of fruit thing for Nancy’s. Thank fuck we’re over there for dinner. Walking to everyone’s house is a pain in the ass. I love everyone here, but after ‘it’s good to see you’, I have nothing much to say.
Aaron asks me about some surveillance issues and I get his laptop straight for him. “Why didn’t you ask Ricky?” He sees Ricky every day.
He gives me a smile. “He’s not my brother and it took you five minutes.”
I laugh. He’s such a geek. I hug him. “Call me next time and I can walk you through it.” With a nod he’s off.
Ally has Eliza’s hand. “We’re going to see Maryellen,” she says like it’s a challenge.
Eliza’s smiling but doesn’t say anything. “Really? Suppose I made plans?” I keep the smile off my face. Eliza looks away.
‘What do you mean? It’s our day. We make the plans,’ she signs.
I look at her for a minute. “See I have a problem with that. I’m grown now. I make my own plans.”
She gives me a look. ‘You’ll have to change them because we’re going to see Maryellen and that’s more important than your plans.’ She’s got one hand on her hip. She’s so fuckin’ cute.
I clench my teeth so I don’t smile. “Fine! I’ll change my plans for Maryellen, but don’t make plans any more without asking me first.”
She smiles. ‘I love you Darren, but Eliza’s ours too. You can’t just keep her to yourself here. You get that at home. Now we have to go. You need to go see Alex he needs help with his bike and Dads aren’t here. Go make that your plans.’
She turns around pulling Eliza with her and Eliza cracks up. Before she’s out the door she blows me a kiss.
I find Alex in the garage with parts all around him. “Dude, what the hell are you doing?”
“I’m going on a run with Dad. I can’t break down, so I’m checking my bike.” He’s serious.
I look around. Holy fuck he’s got everything apart. “Why didn’t you just take it to the shop and have them hook it up?” He gives me a look and I know right away someone’s fucking with him. “What’s his name?”
He stares at me, then his shoulders drop. “Lizard. Dad told me to take it up there, but he doesn’t like me. I was nice, but he’s mean. Says I shouldn’t have a bike. I’m a good rider. He doesn’t know that. He told me to fuck off and don’t waste his time, but Dad said I have to be ready.”
Fuckin’ people. “No, you’re a great rider. Your birthday is coming up. I had Jax build you a bike with cool lights and a helmet to match. How about I get it up here and you ride that on your run. It’s got all of Jared’s new technology on it.”
He jumps so fuckin’ fast I almost fall over. “You got me a bike? You’re the best big brother.”
I kiss his head. He’s talking away, but I’m thinking about Lizard. I don’t know the name so he must be new. “Let me make some calls and I’ll get your bike up here today.”
He lets me go and I set him down. He has tears in his eyes. “Today? I get my present today?”
“Yeah Brother I’ll get it up here today.” I laugh when he does his happy dance. So fuckin’ cute.
I walk out of the garage and call Security tracking Lizard. He’s at the Club. Nice. I call Lee and get Prospects to load the bikes and get them up here. They’re smaller because Alex and Ally are small so they’ll fit in a long bed. I go back in the garage and see Victor helping Alex get the bike back together. He’s a good brother. “Alex it will be about two hours, but your bike will be here.”
I get a funny look. “Ally will be mad. We should wait. I can ride this one on the run and then Ally can get her present with me.”
I hold his face and kiss his head. So fuckin’ cute. “She’s getting a bike too. Hers is purple.” He’s dancing again. Victor laughs. “I need to go to the Club for a few minutes. I’ll come back and help you put this together.” He nods and sits Indian style picking up a part. I shake my head smiling.
“I’ll be back too Alex,” Victor says. He follows me out.
As we’re walking down the stairs he asks what I’m doing. “Lizard wouldn’t hook his bike up. Who the fuck is Lizard?”
“New guy at the shop. Just got his cut. What did he do to him?”
We walk through training and get to the elevator. “Told him he shouldn’t have a bike. Alex thinks he doesn’t know that he’s a good rider and tried to be nice to him, but Lizard told him to fuck off.”
He grabs my arm. “What?”
“Yeah Brother. Show me Lizard.” We walk through to the common room and Victor points out Lizard. His name fits. He’s as tall as me at six foot three, but skinny as a rail. I walk right up to him and punch him in the face.
He falls against the bar and his friend eyes me. “What the fuck?”
“My brother came to you to hook up his bike and you treat him like dirt?”
“I don’t know you or your fuckin’ Brother. I’m going to know you.” He swings and I move aside hitting him in the stomach.
“My brother has Down Syndrome. He’s going on a run and went to you to get his bike checked.”
He looks at me and stands straight. “Fuckin’ retard isn’t going anywhere. He didn’t even know what the run was for.”
I lose it. I hit him, keeping him up until I think he won’t take one more without remembering. “You tell one of my dads that. The next time you fuck with someone look at their cut, you asshole. His says LaPonte-James.” His friend steps back. “You should pick better friends Brother.”
VP touches my arm. “Got this.” He punches Lizard and he’s out. “Get that cut off his back and drag him to the gate. Push his fuckin’ bike down the hill.” The Brothers move.
“Thanks VP.” I turn and see all the Brothers behind me. “Love the fuckin’ Brotherhood.”
My dad and Pres are pissed. “What happened?” Pres asks.
“Alex brought his bike up to be checked. The fuckin’ moron told him he shouldn’t be riding and to fuck off. Alex tried being nice and thinks the asshole didn’t know he could ri
de. Their bikes will be here in a couple of hours. I told him he could ride it on the run.”
My dad nods. “Where’s Alex?”
Victor laughs. “He took his bike apart to check all the parts. He’s in the garage. We need to get back and help him put it back together.”
My dad turns around and walks out. Pres is pissed but doesn’t move. “After all this time you’d think people would see what they’re able to do. Alex makes more on the computer than a mechanic. What the fuck is up with this world?”
I start walking. “I don’t know Pres, but we need to keep fixing it.” Victor follows me back.
In the garage my dad is with Alex laughing. We help him get the bike back together and he starts it up. My dad smiles. “Sounds perfect Alex. You did a good job.” Alex throws him chin making us all smile. I wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world.
The gate calls and my dad takes Alex outside. He’s happy dancing before the truck stops. We get the bikes down and he runs his hand along Ally’s. “She’s going to love it Darren. It’s so pretty for her.”
“Yeah. It’s special. She has purple low lights. Yours are blue.” He hugs me.
Pres pulls up smiling. “Fuckin’ nice ride Alex.”
Alex tells him all the new stuff Jared put on for them. I’m just watching. He’s so happy and knows all the add-ons without me telling him. He’s fuckin’ smart when it comes to the bikes.
Ally and Eliza make the corner then Ally leaves her and runs to us. I can only laugh. I have no idea what she’s saying. She’s just yelling sound. “Happy birthday Ally!” Alex says, jumping around with her. Everyone comes to see what all the commotion is about and we watch them ride.
“They are so fuckin’ cute,” I say and Eliza agrees.
Dad tells Mom what happened while they’re riding. The kids watching all look at him. Colt says they’ll keep a closer watch on them. I just smile. They will too.
We all get to Tiny’s with Alex and Ally riding. Diego got a bike too. He’s talking now that he had the surgery, but still signs. After thanking me for the brownies, they ride the compound roads. We all sit eating and talking, but I feel their vibrations as they go by. Guess they like the bikes.
