Page 20 of Vapor
They laugh walking out together.
I shrug at Vapor and Jones. “When did you decide to take the Club in a Club?”
Vapor looks at Jones. “Did you decide? I thought we were testing tonight then making the decision in a vote.”
He loses the color on his face. “I just said it sounded like you were taking it.”
Mucimi shows and kisses Vapor’s head then is gone.
I crack up. “Justice said you’d take it too. I guess that was enough.” I hold my breath hoping they don’t walk.
When I sneak a look, they’re both looking at each other. The breath they’re holding comes out with a laugh.
I breathe. That would have been the shortest career move in history.
“I need the intel on the mission.” Now is a good time to remind them why they need me.
~*~*~
SOAR Rising
The SOAR ranch sits on just under two hundred acres and has a cluster of buildings fairly close to the road. I think fairly but it must be an eight-minute ride to get to the first out-building that I’m told holds charging stations and batteries. I don’t dare ask what kind of batteries since the solar charging station building research, that I put on my list to look up, is still on that list.
Vapor said it’s considered a small ranch but I’m from the east coast, two hundred acres is a lot of damn land.
The next building we pass I almost laugh about when Jones says it’s the old farmhouse. It’s as big as the Law Club and looks brand new. The central command is a gigantic barn that has an atrium in the center with stairs and walkways onthe inside like a mall. I love it. Mess, personnel, supply and HR are on the first floor opening to the center atrium. Surveillance, weather, a conference room with a long glass wall, security and a handful of what looks like office doors is on the second. The third has Ops. This isn’t like the Club, fiber optic light softly shimmers like stars in a pitch-black night sky.
“This is amazing, how does it work for a control?” I haven’t said a word until now. This place is amazing and this room promises to blow my mind.
Jones stands in the middle. “Echo, show me the mission of first SOAR engagement.”
“Roger, Crew Chief Jones. Is this a memory lane walk, Sir?”
I laugh at the voice that comes back sounding amused.
“You’re a computer, Echo. What do you know about memory lane?” Jones surprises me. The voice sounds real.
“Warrant Officer Sarah uploaded new keyword references so Echo will have capabilities beyond conventional military profiles.”
The computer voice has Vapor shaking her head. “Tell me your operational status is not compromised.” Vapor gives Jones a look that I know means they’ll talk about this later.
“Negative, Commander Vapor. Options under defined conditions gives very little room to use the new keywords but I have a better understanding of feeling type words and clearly defined nostalgia to use them properly.”
I laugh and turn fast hearing a little giggle. It’s the woman that talked when Jones told about Vapor not needing an audience. “You used memory perfectly, Echo. Sarcasm is what it sounded like to me. Good job. Can you run the Op for Alder andJulius?” The woman is not as tiny as her voice sounds. Tats and Alder are by her but looking up as pictures drop down from the ceiling.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Echo is all business now.
“I’m Sarah Jones, Julius. I need to get back to work but I got a room ready for you at the house.” She’s Jones ol’ lady. I should have gotten that sooner.
I nod watching the pictures, there are cameras projecting from the middle out. This is like the Ops glasses without the glasses.
“This is amazing.” I say more to me than anyone else.
“It’s the opposite of the boards like the hologram the Alpha-Bits work on.” Tats is as amazed as I am.
“I just thought it’s the Ops glasses without the glasses.”
Alder doesn’t agree. “Better. I see military situation room, Prince hologram, I no see open hologram room. Virtual interact is Echo?”
