Page 28 of Gone
“Why didn’t we think of that sooner?” frowned Ghost.
“We did,”said Code.“We just knew we couldn’t get it to you in the weather. Plus, we needed the high-capacity belly and didn’t have it. It just arrived about thirty minutes ago.”
“Thanks, Code. We’ll wait for it in the morning,” said Nine.
Trak, Miller, Clay, and Garrett walked into the cave, each with several rabbits and several fish.
“Man, I love you, mon frére,” grinned Gaspar, hugging Miller. “You still got the touch.”
“Actually, Clay had the touch on the rabbits,” smiled Miller. “He caught six, one right after the other.
“What are you? The rabbit whisperer?” grinned Rafe.
“I guess,” he said, shrugging. “I don’t like to hunt to kill, but we have to eat. I think I can live with this just for this time.”
“I’ll get to cooking,” said Dex.
“I’ll help,” said Whiskey.
Unlike their escaped convicts, these men were far more prepared, with full backpacks. That, along with the fact that they were used to ‘making do’ with whatever was available, and they were miles ahead of the other two men.
Nine looked at Flip, watching as the big man helped the others to organize their space. Even if just for one night, they wanted to ensure they were ready in the morning.
“Flip? That was pretty impressive what you did with the boulder, brother. You kept us dry and safe.”
“It’s what I do,” he smirked. “It used to scare the shit out of me and everyone else. Especially as a kid. My folks were pretty freaked as well. I was lucky that they knew I shouldn’t say anything to anyone, or that they didn’t tell anyone. I don’t think they ever got used to it, but I knew that they loved me.
“When Kane found me again, I was pretty desperate. I was lost. Just not sure who to trust. My own team didn’t trust me any longer, which is why I left service. Then Kane tried to find me. Hell, I didn’t really trust him at first, but a bus almost hit Aislinn. It would have killed her had I not interfered.”
“You saved her life and never worried about yourself,” said Kane, nodding at his friend.
“I did, but it also exposed me, and others, to people who could have been watching. Lucky for me, the only ones watching were Spook, Kane, and Adam. Being a bit of a freak feels better when you’re surrounded by freaks,” he grinned.
“If you haven’t noticed, brother, we’re all freaks,” smirked Miller. “You’re looking at a group of men in their sixties, seventies, and eighties that shouldn’t be able to walk, hell, move the way we do. And yet, here we are. If that’s not freakish, I don’t know what is.”
“It’s magic,” smirked Flip. “Anyone can see that. Mama Irene, Matthew, all of them, they’re magical, and I won’t question that at all. I know the difference between good magic and bad magic. The way I see it, I’ve had the first half of my life filled with bad magic. This is the universe’s way of giving me the last half of my life in good magic.”
“Any luck getting the girls to go home?” asked Rafe, looking at Nine and Gaspar. They both stared at him with an expression that said, ‘that’s the stupidest fucking question ever.’
“I think that’s a no,” chuckled Ian. “They wouldn’t leave anyway. You know the girls. They’re probably finding ways to organize a park litter pickup or selling cookies to benefit the ranger stations.”
“God, I love those women,” chuckled Whiskey. “I was scared shitless when they were missing, but what they did, following those kids, capturing those two convicts, was all pretty fucking impressive.”
“They’ve never been anything but impressive,” said Jean. “After all this time, I can’t believe we still underestimate them. It never dawned on us to use Ivy, or hell, to use Flip until he stepped in. I think we’re getting so fucking old we’re not thinking clearly any longer.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself and us,” said Ghost. “When it comes to the women, we can’t help ourselves. We want to protect them at all costs, ensure their safety.”
“Isn’t that what they want for us as well?” asked Trak quietly.
They all stared at him and realized he was right. They criticized the women if they stepped in and put themselves in danger, but they did the same things every day.
“You’re right. We’ve spouted bullshit about using them more, letting them help us, and yet when they do, we get pissed,” said Mac. “It’s a wonder they haven’t left our asses already.”
“They won’t leave us because they love us,” said Jean. “But I think you guys missed the memo about everything the wives are doing while we’re playing cops and robbers.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” asked Dex.
“Brother, those women have their hands in every successful thing we’ve done. They help to market the artists, bakers, and designers from the General Store. We went from clearing about a million a year twenty-five years ago to clearing more than eight hundred million last year.”
