Page 51 of Vapor
I smile. “You’re bored too.” The smile he shows reminds me of Teller. I can see him younger like the pictures in Colorado. They’re all serious looking but that smile says it all. “Can you get to an unused station in SOAR?”
He laughs. “I’ll be there in person before you.”
I run. “You’re on.” The Ops room laughs. Shit! I run back to Aaron and hold out the glasses. “Thanks, Aaron.”
He shakes his head. “Spare to VP Kyler. You keep. I order pair to him… I remember tomorrow.”
I laugh and run. “Thanks.”
“Hey, that’s my spare!” Kyler has me laughing louder.
Ben beat me to SOAR. I let Moss and Donovan show him the virtual, then they show the Prince Club the virtual. He wants it in Colorado. Cort shows and we’re flying to meet everyone at Delta. Races, zorbing and flying laser tag is the plan. We invade with kids from rescue, Phoenix and his Sesame Street kids, Alpha-Bits and Little Brothers who divert from the Vision in Bravo. Anton is proud and lapping up the attention. I keep him grounded with a list for Alder and Vapor to see the rescue kids having fun. He’s all over it and I relax with Sarah, Aylen, Enola,aunt Becky, Billy and Ben. We have the zorbing track. It’s an easy job. We’re like the life guards at the pool.
~*~*~
Vapor
“Moss said Ben Knight was at the Club.” I thought he was lying but the video and drone shots I got are real, according to Alder.
“Yeah. They showed the Prince Club how the virtual works. He wants it at Princes and in Colorado. How was the flight?” He’s not interested in my adoration of Ben Knight. He bought a carrier.
I yawn before answering. “Shorter than it should have been. The new jet can sustain high speed for a lot longer than the specs say. Alder had me pushing it the whole way and not one alert or warning showed. The carrier is smaller than the Navy’s but the mess and rooms are more like a cruise ship. Alder said it was confiscated but not anything about how we got it.” I throw the adoration of Ben buying a carrier in anyway. I’ll tell him about my new dog tomorrow.
“I can find out. Virginia Ross, you sound beat.”
“We just finished eating and I ate too much. The kitchen is unbelievable here. We go for the prisoners tomorrow.”
“Sleep, baby. I’ll be in Ops tomorrow. Ben and Cort are BSC Controls from SOAR.”
I yawn again. “Tell Ben I love the carrier.”
“I will, Virginia Ross. Love you, baby. Call me when you can, stay safe.”
I open my eyes and blink a few times. “Love you.”
He laughs then he’s gone. I drop the phone and turn over.
Chapter Nine
SOAR
Julius
“JesusfuckinChrist! Brantley, pull his stats from the suit.” Jessie yells and I agree but watch Vapor and Alder. They’re going into the prison that just shot down the invisible flying Protector.
“Is that Mase’s dog?” He was on the plane then in the Blackhawk with Mase. Moss asks like it’s a question for now. It’s not.
“Vapor’s. He has two that protect the kids when he’s away.” Ben has been quiet.
I watch the virtual above us. She wanted a shepherd malamute mix. That looks like a pure black wolf that’s way too big to be a wolf or it’s a nightmare come to life. I guess the answer was worth it.
Ben turns my way. “Aiyana has a white one just like it and Mase’s two look like wolves.”
I nod and look back at the virtual playing out above us. Holy shit, he didn’t say it isn’t a wolf and the wolf thing is normal, at least to the Princes. Mase bleeding like a faucet dribbling isn’t addressed.
I breathe and focus on the movie like Op. Vapor and Alder are moving fast. The Jones chopper dropped the wolf, Shep and Mader quick, then resumed its position just in front of the ground team. I turn back to my board and see the others from her team almost to her little chopper. They’re going to keepit safe. At least that part of the new plan can be checked off. I hate the new plan.
Brantley gives Cort Mase’s stats. He’s going to live if Alder can get there. Aiyana is at the reservation with someone with a T name that has to be Indian. It wasn’t a language I know. “Why didn’t the suit work?” Donovan asks.
