Page 71 of Master's Rise
Chapter Ten
Cort
The room is starting to fill up. The Brothers that haven’t worked in the building are in awe. “I know exactly how you feel, Brothers,” I say softly. My Officers are at the table just to my right. They’re watching the Brothers with smiles on their faces.
I caught one of Web’s albinos coming in early. When I explained what I wanted, he nodded and followed me down. Plugging in my flash, we tried it out with me nodding to him when I was ready and my quiet little Brother didn’t miss a beat. He even said it was good at the end with his weird little eyes smiling.
I got a Prospect to get him breakfast. He ordered a sandwich and Red Bull. I wondered what their common room is going to look like. I pictured white-haired Oompa Loompas running wild on furniture, knocking shit over and playing catch with a football but not making a sound.
I do that again when a group comes in and sit together noting their Brother down here with me. They’re hitting each other, pointing him out, smiling away but not talking. Fucking weird shit. They're not all white-haired with weird eyes but they might as well be. They all act the same.
Every run we make, a group of them show. They stay in the middle of the Brothers, as a group, but never say much when we stop. That reminds me, Vick is an Officer now. They rode in front of him. I’ll make sure someone steps up before our next run.
Putting my hand up, I whistle getting attention. “Brothers, find a seat quickly.”
They do. I wait for quiet. “A couple of rules. One, No Food or drinks in this room unless you are up here at the table. If you eat or drink from that seat, you are volunteering to clean every row before you leave. Because of where I’m standing and the Officers sitting have nothing better to do than watch you, we’ll know and make it happen. Two, Church starts at nine. At nine ten, the doors will close and you are shit out of luck. It is distracting as hell to see everyone coming downstairs, looking for a seat and trying to move by their Brothers. Prospect, open the door you’re in front of so they can see how the light plays on the aisle.” He does and without Brothers on the stairs, morning sunlight floods in. With a wave of my hand, the door closes and the Brothers murmur. “Three, we have enough seats to accommodate, a contractor took seats out of every row to make room so you would be comfortable. Do not spread your shit across two seats. Bags go under you or to the side. Our numbers are growing and trainees will be joining us. There will be Brothers against walls just waiting for the two seats you will be thrown out of.Last, Accessible seating is located in the front and a door on the side will get you here. Just ask, Brothers.”
My albino is typing away. I take a look at the screen and he has the rules running above me in a marquee style. Fucking cool-assed little guy. “Thank you, Brother.”
He nods giving me a smile. His hands don’t stop. They must teach them that at geek school.
I look at my Brothers. “You will be given a tour of training and the top floors of this building. Every member has a Phoenix Rising card. That card gets you into the new Club, the floors to your room here or your cell at the old Club.” They’re pretty quiet so I keep going.
“Nomads, your Badass card will get you a temp card for your assigned room or cell, it also gets you into the Club. You need to check-in at this building. All Nomads have the app, if you use it, your card will be waiting, if not, it’s a twenty-minute process but we have a cafeteria and the food is not bad.” Smiles and low laughing have me pausing.
“My first steps into this building had me feeling the Brothers we’ve lost, the purpose we share and the future wewillhelp shape. The building vibrates with that energy and it’s felt by us all. Stand Brothers and repeat the Brothers Pledge handed to us, the Brothers of our future, by the Badass of the past.” I nod to my little Brother and know the pledge shows on an old-looking parchment background. I say the pledge watching the Brothers. The words hold us together, reminding us of our shared belief and the bond of our Brotherhood.
When they sit, I smile. “I think Rex was telling me something with the last three words of the day. It is withhomage, reverence and accolade, that I share those words with you, my Brothers, on our first day in our new home.” My Officers and a smattering of Brothers laugh. “Know that that honor is heartfelt.”
I nod for the albino to change my screen getting to our purpose. I go through the changes we’ve made, the training centers purpose and the combined Ops with Brothers traveling. Some Brothers are amazed while most already know of their part in our new jobs. Recognizing our Officers, new Officers and trainers, they get a screen of who does what. I remind everyone of the needs on the screen and how to get help if they need it.
Web does something on his computer and nods to me. “Your new room assignments will be sent to you at the close of Church. Prospects are ready to show you training and the top floors here. The cafeteria will have breakfast out in ten minutes, Brothers. It is with honor and appreciation that I stand here today, claiming you as mine. Nomads, I claim you as honorary.”
They all laugh. “Church is dismissed.”
Brothers come down to the floor sharing words of honor or excitement for the changes while most of the Brothers take the tour. I pull Web and go to my little friend before he skitters away. “Thank you, Brother. I couldn’t have done this without you. What’s your name?”
The little Brother looks at Web. “Anton. He gets nervous.”
I nod smiling at the Brother but wondering why. “Well, Anton, I want to offer you the job here every week. I may not need as much as today, but I’ll have a flash and just need someone I trust to run it, then store it for me with the Church files. Are you interested?”
His weird eyes get huge and his head moves like a bobblehead. With his smile, I smile bigger. “I’ll have Web schedule you on for us. He can show you where the files get stored. Until next week, Brother.”
He runs to his Brothers and I laugh. “Thanks, Cort. They’re not good one-on-one like that.” Web watches them like a guardian.
“Someday you’ll trust me enough to explain that. I’m good with waiting for it, Brother.”
The look he gives me shows pain in his eyes. “It’s not trusting you. It’s for them.”
Raid hits my back. “Brother.”
I keep my eyes on Web’s. He closes up and his face changes to blank. “Wrong time for this. When it’s time, find me.”
He nods walking up the stairs. The albinos follow him out.
“Everything okay?” Raid asks.
“Yeah.” I turn when the last of Web’s albinos are out of site.
