The Squad

“Okay, but I need to get something for aunty Roxy to cheer her up. I need to go see mommy and the aunts about something real quick, so daddy can I? Or maybe I’ll ask mommy.”

“No, it’s okay, go ahead.” Little shit knows I don’t like my wife spending her money on shit.

She hopped out of the room with a woot and went in search of her little friend, I guess. “She didn’t answer you.”

“Well yeah, what dafuq are you new? I’m going to have to go through her computer again. Lately, it’s getting harder to keep on top of her shit. I think her little Chinese friend has been teaching her how to hide shit behind walls. The shit’s giving my shit a run for its money.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Asshole had a pleased smirk on his face.

“So this one is the scientist, the other one down there’s a murderer in the making, and the Asian’s a tech guru, dafuq are you trying to build here?”

“Speaking of which, I’ve finally cut through the last of the red tape to get her here, don’t tell Catalina though, I want it to be a surprise.” Hmm, dumb fuck!

“What the fuck are we talking about? Mengele just offed someone and asked me to use my credit card like nothing happened.”

“Yeah, I have some theories on that, but I’m not sure yet.”

“What, like she’s a fucking sociopath?”

“N0, I don’t think so, she feels, she has empathy. I think she’s you, but a younger version.”

“Dafuq are you talking about?”

“It’s hard to explain. Had your handler brought you in when she was supposed to, that’s what you would’ve been like.”

“You mean Char?”

“Yes, you still haven’t spoken to her?”

“Nope!” Because of Elena. I don’t want my mother thinking that her best friend is anything other than that. Her annoying ass is still my heart, along with my wife and kids and her asshole husband; I’m not about to hurt her with this shit.

“What have we got here?” I was glad for the change of subject and followed his gaze to the screen where Jason was sneaking back into the basement through a door that I don’t think I even knew existed.

“Where’d he come from?”

“Hell, if I know, I’m more impressed with the fact that he found that hidden door.”

“Hidden door? Why don’t I know about this door?”

“Because if something goes down here, the room I already showed you is where we’d be headed, so there was no need.”

“What’s this door about then?”

“That door leads to the cliffs outback, while the one in the secret room leads further down the beach where the yacht is moored.”

“Makes sense, so what’s the kid doing?”

“Let’s find out.” He pressed the intercom button and had I not been looking, I would’ve missed the way the kid flinched when Mancini’s voice came through the speakers. “Jason, come up here.

“Oh yeah, he’s been up to something alright.”

“I’ll be right there.” He walked to his room and opened the door, then shut it back and left. Instead of coming directly to the office, he went in search of his brother before coming upstairs. The first words out of Thorpe’s mouth were, “we’ve got a situation.”

I haven’t slept on the fact that not one of these men had questioned that shit Mancini sprung on us that first day here. In fact, when we weren’t spending family time with our wives and kids, we’d pretty much been going over that shit and trying to come up with a system that would work for all of us in these modern times.

When last we powwowed, the general consensus was that if we were going to do this shit, then we’d need to be closer. I’m not sure how they plan to make that shit happen since we all have our own places, own businesses, and what have you. Law and I are the closest to each other, and we’re still a few hours apart, with Thorpe, Creed, and Blade not too far away.

Then there are those kids who are close to Mancini on the east coast, but their homes are in California, not sure what the hell Mancini plans to do about this shit, but it seems like we’ll be seriously looking into that shit in the near future. I’m sure Kat would love it; love to have her friends closer so she can make my ass crazy with her shit. And then there’s the pothead and Elena to think about. Come to think of it, Mancini and the pothead seem to have some shit going on already. I’m staying far away from that shit.

Before Hank or I could ask what the situation was, the others started filing in. “I asked them to come since this concerns all of you.” Jason, I noticed for the first time, looked pissed. Pissed and yet somehow calm.