Page 16 of Ranger's Rise
He nods then looks at Falcon. “You’re coming back too?”
When he gets that everyone is staying or coming back, the kid is smiling. He gets a tablet for their email and I’m thinking I need one of those. I could probably fit it in my lower pocket. No one said why telling Daniel Juanita is leaving is important enough to have support here for him. I can wait.
On the back porch, Cort asks, “You’re good with the alphabet soup? Anton said you’re taking them all up.”
I laugh at alphabet soup but nod for him. “It feels good to laugh after meeting them today.” I check my phone and see Anton hasn’t written back. “I’m good with them. He hasn’t said we need more flight gear so it’s just the three that want Aerial Ops training. I told them they had to learn the positions. He was excited.”
He nods. “He’s been sending me his scores from the simulator. Web built a program for him when he said he wanted to do Aerial. We can use it in the Ops simulator room.”
This is the first I heard. It takes an act of Congress to get shit like that. “Where is it?”
“On his laptop. It’s all virtual, but Web will do or did something to make it work in our room.” He says it like it’s no big deal.
“Holy fuck. Flight simulators are huge programs.”
He looks surprised. “Web didn’t think much about it. He builds programs for the kids all the time. Crazy shit to keep them working when they’re home. He’s building a teacher for languages in case the new in the alphabet soup hits on a language the others don’t have. Alta is helping with a cooking program so when someone cooks, they can help. Everything will be virtual from now on he said.”
That’s fucking crazy. “Programming like that costs millions, Brother. The flight simulator we found was over three million for military-grade.”
He waves it away. Falcon and VP are swinging their heads. “Web did it at home one night. The As help and get him what he needs. I bet it’s better than military, but it doesn’t cost anything. He does it for the kids so they can learn new shit.”
I laugh. “Oh, okay. I hope the software company is charging for the shit he’s making. Virtual is huge and expensive.”
VP nods. “Jordan is from MIT and Banks researched the new program Web made. He’s looking at mass market for a dumbed-down version. Jordan has training with more detail and it learns based on reactions. You’d have to ask, but Web will get us the full version. He doesn’t really have anything to do with the company. I think Web and his As make shit now and Jordan has his programmers split it to mass market and specialty shit. They make a ton of money and it’s split between us.”
Cort is nodding. Holy fucking shit. “Jordan said he’s getting a chopper too. Banks said they have to wait until next month, but he'll get a transport chopper. That will help. Did you see the Badass trucks?”
I swing my head no, wondering if they know how fucking crazy it is to make money like that to buy a chopper next month from virtual programs Web made one night - so the kids can work.
“He’s got his new logo on them. It’s a diamond shape with an A for Alpha. He’s going with Alpha Rising. Maverick is Delta Rising. How fucking cool is that? They have the Badass right under like ours. The trucks are all painted already. Banks got it up and running so Jordan could do the construction and software shit.”
VP offers me another beer. I swing my head and throw him chin. “He needs a good VP,” Falcon says.
Cort nods. “I’m glad he didn’t take Clem. He asked about Jinx, but Jinx is happy here, he said no. Maverick has a good VP. They’re into satellite shit and their towers. He wants a meet with Web and Jordan about the satellite. They can build shit, but don’t have the IT to make it work.”
They’re building a satellite?I am way out of my depth here. “That’s what the Council is for. Web and Jordan will help knowing they’ll get more room and shit for their geeks to play.” VP makes me smile with his wording.
“Yeah. I told Banks to get them together and keep Maverick happy.”
Falcon leans forward and waves an arm stopping the crazy bastards from the ruling the world plan. “What are we going to do with Hade? I’d like this settled before I leave.”
Cort nods. Like world domination jumping to Club annoyances is a normal switch. “He’s going to the city for a couple of months. Jordan needs an Ops Control Lead. Brinks is stepping up here for Ops and Ranger will be in place. We have two new Enforcer trainers and Ops Leads and they’re fucking good. They’ve been shadowing for two weeks now. Ranger can run a room and Hade needs to go before he does anything that gets him dead. He’ll cool down. I hope.”
I like the sound of every single word he said.
“Good, he was giving Freedom shit today over a trainee. She told him to get the fuck away from her. He was fucking pissed that I called him off. That pissed will fuel his next contact with her.”
I don’t like the sound of that.
Cort pulls his phone. “Jordan, I need Hade in the city starting Friday. Yeah. I’ll send him tomorrow. Thanks, Brother.” He looks at VP. “Freedom is on early tomorrow? What’s the kids schedule?”
VP shrugs. “Next week she starts with them.” I throw out.
Cort nods. “She’s on after lunch, then with the Little Brothers. I’ll send him before Inner Circle. That gets him breakfast and out before Freedom even shows. I’m glad she’s in the back condos.” He knows Freedom’s schedule.
“She’s going to Web’s before training. She’s got art supplies and a shit load of balloons for the kids.”
Cort smiles. “I want to see that. What time?”
