Page 37 of Citiali: Teach
I laugh. “I was holding onto patience, Brother.” I bump Mase’s arm with my elbow. “Hey, stop reading me.”
He points to Justice and Zeke. “Not possible. Teller is here too. There’s only so much you can expect with the crazy amount of power all gathered. I try not to show when Prez is close. He’s at Zion so I’m here. I try for meets on a board when I’m needed and they’re together.”
It’s a good plan. “I’m going to try that. The Protector compound must be hell to live full-time on.”
Teller doesn’t agree. “It’s not bad but we don’t feel it like you do. My dad is just my dad to me. Mucimi is scarce when he shows but Justice isn’t affected. All the boys love Prez.” It’s funny that he calls him Prez.
“Why don’t we hear you?”
We all turn toward Cort but Teller answers, “We were talking about the compound, Boss. It’s loud and I shielded us.”
“You’re swimming, Citiali?” Cort stands.
“I just got back from a run, Boss.”
“Good, it will cool you off.” He walks toward the pool getting passed by the kids that just ran in.
“Fuck.” I breathe deep and stand. Pulling off my T, arm band and the feathers from my ear, I walk toward the pool knowing the murmur is from the Brothers at the table.Because of the run, my hair is in one long braid so my back is exposed.
Cort turns at the edge of the pool looking over me to the murmuring. I keep going knowing it’s going to be a thing so I might as well just get it over with. Squared took a minute or two to settle. How bad can it be?
Two steps in and Cort stops me with a hand on my arm. “Holy fuck, Brother. That’s a birthmark? It’s the same as under your ear?”
I feel energy from behind but don’t look back. “My grandfather said we were marked by the ancestors from birth so I guess it’s a birthmark. Atohi has wings.”
“This is why you were banished from the tribe? How the fuck did they see evil? They couldn’t see the gift?” He knows quite a bit of my history that I didn’t tell him.
“I don’t know, Boss. I went to the reservation for the first time when Hemy burnt it. I never saw the reservation or elders before that. Liberty was my land, my people. I knew my brother Atsadi from the Club but he never spoke to me.”Seeing that pain hit his eyes, I’m relieved for some reason.
“Caelan and the Bits want to play. It’s keep away, I’ll go deep.”
I smile. “If you’re working out it’s a good place to be. I can suspend if you did your workout today.”
That poster smile shows. “Go for it. This one is over my head.”
I’m not surprised, Jinx is another giant. I dive under and push to the other side to play ball with the Little Brothers. In minutes, all the kids are here and the Brothers are holding toddlers or racing at the low end. They came in as a show for me, I love the Brotherhood and feel it deep.
We play for almost an hour before Raid shows pissed. I miss the little guy Jinx threw over and raise him before he hits the water, all while watching Raid and the anger radiating off him.
Justice has Teller’s boy a second later. “Get the boys out, Teller.” Justice gives the order in a voice I haven’t heard from him.
Cort turns our way. “What’s…”
The Prospect that bent for Teller’s boy is surprised by Raid’s bump and falls on top of the boy and Justice. Cort grabs for Raid’s leg but Raid pulls away and falls on top of the Prospect, Justice and the boy. I send energy hard and fast; Justice is up and out of the water in a flash. Going under, I grab the Prospect and pull him up. Cort takes his arm and tells Brothers to get him out of the pool.
I pop out with the Prospect.“I got him, Boss. Is the boy okay?” I don’t know which twin it was but I know he’s a Knight.
Cort answers, dripping on the side of me. “Yeah, Justice has him. Do I need a doc?” The head wound is bleeding but it’s not bad. The Prospect needs air.
“I called, Cort,” Jinx says standing with his huge dog by a bent over, dripping Raid.
“I got him. Don’t let anyone touch me.” My hand on the Prospects leg starts my back in motion and I tune them all out.
I feel when Justice joins us but I don’t jump back. The Prospect is coughing out the water he took in. I feel the energy pushing the water and smile jumping back. “Thanks, Aiyana told me about pushing energy but the water behind it made it hard.”
“It was going so I didn’t push much, you did good, Brother.” Justice is all smiles.
I throw him chin as Cort turns the Prospect on his side.
