Knight: Heart by L. Ann Marie
Chapter Four
Eight days
Aylen
Me: ‘Jump, Justice!’
Justice: ‘Thanks, I think that’s eight, Brother.’
Luke Rayne: “Nine, Just1. She’s like having Teller here. You’ve got a launcher pointed at you.”
Justice: “Counter, three, at three.” ‘Level the main building, Zenobia.’ I hear the blast knowing it didn’t come close to Prince.
Me: ‘Roger.’ I fly right for it and release a missile then pull straight up getting the hell away from it.
Luke Rayne: “Launcher clear, Ops. Fuckin’ Knights.”
Nash: “She’s got those Blackhawk skillz, Brother. You’re clear, Brothers.”
Luke Rayne: “Good job, Brothers. Let’s go home.”
Justice: ‘It’s a two-hour flight. Help me pull Luke Rayne, Aylen.’
Me: ‘Roger.’
Luke Rayne: “I can help or maybe do it. Give me a minute.” He talks to his crew then his tracking puts him in front of Justice. I laugh and squash that quick.
Nash: “Or he can do that.”
This time Justice laughs. The hour flight feels long. That could be because I’m flying above the choppers at ability chopper speed. Once we’re in BSC West space Ranger calls me to land first. I’m not sure about leaving them and don’t acknowledge right away.
Me: ‘I leave you here?’
Justice: “It’s okay, Zenobia. We’re covered with surveillance.”
Me: “Roger, Phoenix Ops.” I don’t like this.
Cort: “Zenobia, you follow training. Nash is engaged with an MC Op and Ranger just took over. Follow procedure.”
Me: “Roger, Boss,” I say with a smile. I like procedures and leaving Brothers miles from the airfield isn’t in procedures I’ve ever read.
Justice: “They’re not, Brother, but this isn’t the east and Cort has the Brothers and land to see and counter. Here we see the threat before it’s ever close. The east has commercial and bases everywhere, giving cover to the threats.”
Me: “Thanks, Just1. It never registered. I don’t run Ops Control here often.”
Justice: He laughs. “I never run Control here and rarely ran it in the East. I read Ranger as soon as he sent the order to see why it was an option.”
Luke Rayne: “Glad you let him know you’re not blasting the shit out of his brain for fuckin’ with procedures we’ve run forever. Are you landing first or what, Zenobia?”
Cort: “Good job, Protectors. You’re clear to set down, Luke Rayne. Just1 is headed to Bravo, Zenobia. I’ll clear you when he’s down, Brother.”
We all roger and I follow over Prince to Bravo then swing back to the ABSZ and land. The new jets look weird but the ride feels close to the same as the old. I’ve got more toys in this one. I smile, unclipping my harness. With everything that’s new in it, I’m glad procedures are the same. Keeping my Brothers’ backs is a lesson we don’t disregard. There’s no Badass in that.
Me: “Zenobia clear, flight log sent, Boss.”
Cort: “Good job, Brother. Are you settled?” He’s got concern over where my head is with the changed order.
Me: “I am, Boss. I love the new of the jet while procedure is the same. I asked Justice but I’ll look the next time I get an order that changes what I know.”
Cort: “It won’t happen again so it’s not a question you should have. Do you need a flight plan to Zion?”
Me: “Delta. Thanks, Boss. I’ve got a meet in Delta in an hour.” I text the flight crew.
Cort: “Ranger will have your flight plan and is on Control. I’m out.”
Me: “Roger.” I see he’s got another Op and get moving.
Josephine has two free cars for me and said her lot is full. I got a car carrier loaded with cars to fix from a town cleanup where we did free hauling as long as we got the paper. I need to get cars in for the new civilians and Brothers we’re picking up from everywhere. I’ve got a Brother that we set up a car lot for right by the Club. He used to be an underwriter and thought this was a good fit for him. I thought underwriters wrote mortgage contracts based on risk and shit but he said he can write easy-term buy-here-pay-here notes. Walker says it’s a good fit because the Brother knows how to keep the buyer in a car they can afford. The shit I need to learn for this job is getting through but there are times I wonder what Cort saw in me that said I can do this job. Who the hell learned about underwriting cars?
“You’re ready.”
I spin fast with a hand on my chest. “GS, you scared the shit out of me.”
He smiles and Uncle Danny laughs.
“You learned how to do that well. Mucimi just taught me how to visualize clothes on me.” I close my eyes and see Ops gear on me.
They laugh.
“Just visualize?” Uncle Danny asks.
“Yeah, it’s weird that it’s a simple thing but it is. Maiyun can teach you how to transcend anywhere for information. I have a meet.”
GS nods. “With you. Cars at Delta then Zion.”
I breathe. “I know about cars and shit. I didn’t know about underwriting contracts for cars.”
He stops me and breathes deep. “Don’t know underwriting for cars. Read RS from Rhode Island needs a truck and doesn’t have much. Getting him one at Delta he can afford. Indians don’t want hand out.” He’s talking slow so it matters to him.
Now I feel like a shit. “Thanks for making that easy for him. Sorry.” I move, embarrassed that I jumped wrong.
I hand the clipboard to the flight maintenance Brother and start for Magic with them in tow.
“Why are you sorry?” Uncle Danny asks.
Shit. “I thought you were checking over the cars or the job I’m doing. Mom went home and dad sent Jason down. I sent him to José at the mansion. They’re going hiking or something.”
Throwing chin to my flight crew, I suspend in and sit hooking my harness up. I text Walker, Abbey and the Zion Ops deck. Uncle Danny sits in the copilot seat without a word.
My preflight is done but I check it myself then call into Phoenix getting a go.
We just make Alpha before Uncle Danny says a word. “You enjoy flying.”
I smile. “I love it. Since I was little, something pulls me to fly. Justice once told me he feels that pull. Teller likes flying but doesn’t feel the pull.”
“Cloud said that using the pull word. He was always drawn to the hangar as a kid.”
“I guess some Brothers are just drawn to the air. I was thinking today that Cort didn’t take it. The Club job is better than Control shifts and just as easy. I get to see and do more now but I’m not spending more than Walker’s Little Brother time to get that. I always thought President was a job I’d hate.”
“You’re in a Club built for you. Using all you learned at the Women's Center and matching Brothers with the same goal, makes President here a good fit. I don’t think you’d like President at an Ops Club or those boring business Clubs. I’d hate that. I never wanted President either. It was never my thing. We didn’t have Clubs like this, maybe it would have changed my mind.”
I smile. “I think you’d be a good President for a Zion Club. You’ve always been good with people.”
“Maybe. I have no regrets and have always loved my job. Being where you’re happy makes life good to look back on.” He makes a point I’ve thought about since I started planning the Club.
I agree with a nod. “I feel that now. Everyday I’m happy to get started and every night I thank the ancestors for the ability and help they’ve given me to find solutions and make the vision achievable to more than me. It’s a good life and I’m happy I live it.”
“Well said. The Indian Steve read, you didn’t get him a car did you?” He’s a good reader.
“I have him on a list. The buy-here-pay-here will be good for the Indians. GS can take it. He wants to help and found a way. I didn’t know the RS Brother would look for a truck so he’ll be happy for that help.”
“Did he put an app in?”
“Yeah. They all did. Rhode Island is different than Connecticut but not in a bad way. They just accept less and I don’t think they really understand the ancestors or the vision. Here, they’re mixing with other tribes and see a new perspective.”
Aiyana loves Neema but I don’t see her engaging with the others much. She has her job, Neema has hers and I can help them both with mine.
“I don’t know them but Steve saw something so we’re here. Do you need anything while we are?”
“Yeah, Walker is learning how to live like we did. He’s always amazed at the family atmosphere we have on the Protector compound. Hannah said he grew up in care. We tell him he’s family but he mustn’t feel it, no he feels it, maybe it’s that he doesn’t see it. I don’t know about care or those feelings and he’s not putting it into words.”
He nods. “He’s a guy, so he’s not saying it to anyone out loud. I can help that out.”
“Thanks, Uncle Danny. I was going to ask Ricky, but he’s only been down once and he was busy, then I was. I think it would be better coming from someone who knows care if he doesn’t have an elder to look up to. We’re all new and don’t have many elder Brothers here.” I smile. “Abel will be moving down to run Flight for the Club. He’s a good elder to have close.”
I feel he’s pissed and look but he’s blocking me.
“Delta Flight has you cleared to the garage pad, Zion Magic.”
“Magic, copy. Thanks, Finn.”
“Where’d you get Magic?” Finn surprises me with the random question.
I laugh. “It came with the name painted on, Brother. My last chopper was Princess. I didn’t like that one either. We should hold a fundraiser to change the name.”
Finn’s laughing. “I’d pay twenty for Rebel. Zenobia was a rebel.”
Uncle Danny laughs. “He knows his ancient history.”
“Uncle Danny likes it too, Finn. I’m setting down.”
Finn rogers when I relay the log sent. I guess we’re done with chopper names.
The pad is outside Josephine’s funky fence but a Security Brother opens a gate I didn’t know was a gate for us. The flight crew hasn’t been here before and make comments.
“Let them check it out, Sundholm. I’m covered inside the gate here.”
“Roger, Pres.” Sundholm salutes me. I throw him chin because I’m not military.
Uncle Danny laughs, pulling me close and kisses my head. “Keep being you, Aylen.”
I smile. “Nobody I’d rather be, Uncle Danny. My life rocks lately.”
GS laughs looking at the cars we’re walking by. He’s distracted so I leave them with the cars and make it to the back of the garage where Josephine is waiting. She’s got her crutch out so I look for why.
“You need another surgery?”
“No, Stella found a way to get me feeling in it. I haven’t decided but it would let me know when to put it up.” The conversation with Alder plays in her head.
I nod. “Let me know when you do. I’ll be there, Brother.”
“I will.” She points to the car carrier. “I can’t believe you found so many cars.”
“They’re yours. I have a lot full waiting to be fixed. We did a cleanup of the towns and hauled them for free.”
She walks toward an Altima. “That’s a good idea. I’ll pass it on to Maverick.”
“For you, I have the Brother that will send the contract information for the buy-here-pay-here.”
“Numbers is excited to run that. This will work, Aylen. So many don’t want charity but need a way to get to work.”
I nod. “Now we have a way to help with that. He showed me a nine dollar a week plan. He’s really good and has insurance at two dollars a week for experienced drivers. New is four but he’s trying to get that lower.”
“Even a waitress can afford eleven a week. That’s unbelievably reasonable. I can’t wait to get into the cars you sent. Maintenance is taking half so they’ll get done quick. Do you need mechanics?” She’s going to make this good.
“We could use a couple. I’ve got three in town but could use Brothers in maintenance. We have two bike mechanics.”
“I have three Masons looking for work and they’re all Brothers.”
“Send them to Zion. We have the need.”
She types on her phone then looks up. “Sent. So, these two are yours. Ratchet is excited and sent that one. We appreciate the help and ideas you bring us.” She points to a little Toyota pickup.
“Thanks, Josephine,” I say while turning toward GS. “This is my grandfather, Steve Knight.”
Josephine throws him chin getting a smile. “Want the truck on the stage and two rows.” He turns and walks away.
I laugh at Josephine’s face. “He doesn’t talk much and misses words. Did you get what he said?”
“Yeah, I’ve seen him before but he’s never talked to me. He’s serious? He’s buying everything but what’s on the staging?”
I nod. “He’s serious and wants the truck on staging. I’ll go find out which one.”
Jogging over to GS and Uncle Danny, I ask. “Which truck?”
“Take ‘em all.” He’s got me looking from the cars and trucks on stages to him.
“You’re taking everything?” Shit. I need cars and he’s red.
GS looks at Uncle Danny. “This is a good idea. You’re hooking up more Clubs and we want to help. I build houses, Steve blows them up…so we can’t help with cars. We can pay for your new program to work for more so that’s what we’re doing.”
I laugh at the blows them up and hug them both. “You’re the best. Thanks. I’m bringing this to Cort when he calls for a meet. The need is high in Zion but Josephine has a good number of low income and backwoods civilians too. Jane said they have a need in Elan so she’s got Brann building a lot.”
“Good program, everywhere needs it. You give it to Lily?” GS asks slowly.
“Yeah, she took the contract info and is going to find an insurance company that will work.”
He nods scanning around. “Means you’re doin’ it right.” He walks away.
I look at Uncle Danny. “Why is he red?”
“He’s looking for a solution to a problem he saw. He’s not a people person so he goes red for shit like that. I’ll go pay so we can get out of here.” Now he walks away.
Whatever. I go back to Josephine and tell her he’s taking everything, then hold her arm when she leans against the Altima. “You can send them on the carrier. I have a meet I need to get back for.”
Her brows go up. “It will take like four trips.”
I nod and call Alpha, getting a no problem, I hang up. “Alpha is sending trucks. They don’t get many calls for car transport so they’ll be here in an hour or so.”
She nods so I call my grandfather. “GS, Uncle Danny paid. Alpha will have them to Zion by dinner. I’ve got a meet I need to be back for.”
He throws chin to Josephine again. “Thanks.”
She laughs thinking she should be thanking him. He smiles so he must have read it. I jog back to the chopper but don’t know how to open the gate so I decide to suspend us over it. “Eyes, so I can get us over.” I move them without waiting for the okay.
A whistle has the crew running back. I’m in my seat with the harness on before GS sits by me. He’s never sat in the copilot seat before so I warn him.
“On stealth, the copilot seat is considered the pussy seat. I’m telling you so you don’t kill my crew for using the word or thought.” I let Sundholm know I’m ready, getting a ready back.
GS smiles. “Makes sense, don’t fly stealth.” He already read it.
“Thanks, I love my crew. Cort gave them to me when I got here. They’re like my old Enforcer crew.”
He nods. “Good men.”
I lift when Finn hits one and get on our course home. “You staying at Zion?”
“Walker knows. Said we’re covered.”
“I built you places at the Officers compound. I’m glad you’ll be at dinner. He’s been trying for community dinners. It’s cute.” I can give him his book tonight. I shield and text for GJ’s cake to be sent tonight, it’s his favorite.
“Will help.”
He’s always helping someone. I’m glad that’s Walker and his dinners. I’ve never seen unsure from him but dinner puts him in a place it shouldn’t. It’s dinner.
The flight is short and I feel home before I set down.
“Magic clear, Ops. Log sent.”
“Roger, Pres. VP sent bikes for Knight and LaPonte.” Blogger has GS smiling.
“Thanks, Blogger. I’m out.”