Tagged: The Brotherhood

Chapter 131: Let Me Do What You Do

A/N: Unbeta’d

Tank’s POV

The morning of day three finds all of us in the field with the NYC men. We’re assessing until noon, when we’ll stop, collate the report, discuss it, and discuss our findings with the NYC men.

I’m not sure how I keep getting the bad assignments instead of Bobby, but this is the absolute last time we flip for a duty. This is the fourth client call today. Jorge’s a smart man, tough in a negotiation and firm on the details. He negotiates better than Ric, which is saying something.

NYC is making an impression on Wall Street. Ric wanted to make an issue out of the fact that NYC management wears suits and ties all day, but we watched. We got it fast. Clients walked in and out of RM-NYC all morning, starting at 0700. The men dress for the clients and Jorge gets Les’s decorating scheme. Putting our men in suits and ties, with obvious gun holsters to remind everyone that we’re still a security outfit first, means the clients walk in and are smacked with multiple reminders that this is a business and we’re business people.

We aren’t hoods with guns. We have skills and we’re willing to protect you, for a price. Continue reading →

Chapter 130.7 The LC at Play

AN: All of these stories are running simultaneously. Unbeta’d.

Les’s POV—Day Two of the review

Lacing my bros meals with laxatives yesterday was child’s play. Literally. Now it’s time to make them pay but I decide to pull in the queen of payback herself for the biggest target.

“Hey, Steph.” I smile, hoping to relax her, but she tenses up. “I could use your help.”

“With?” The tone is both guarded and aggressive. Sigh.

“A little payback.”

“For who?”

“Well, I was hung out of my window naked. Seems only right I get them back.” Continue reading →

Chapter 130.5 Knowledge Drop

Bobby’s POV—Day 1

I leave Tank in the gym, contemplating the size of our organization, and follow Lucia to her office. Day one of the review is going well and I’m looking, searching, for something to ding NYC on. I haven’t found anything yet. Everything I see says that Les made the right decision leaving Javi in place each time.

This branch has rebounded.

Lucia unlocks her office and I follow her in and take a seat at the small table she crammed into her prep room. I see how Lucia is working on the office paperless initiative. Her office is unremarkable, a place clearly used to process receipts and paperwork. Her fax machine is overflowing with solicitations and her printer contains coupons to clip, but the scanner is whirring sheets of paper through at a fast clip. Otherwise, there’s nothing personal in this office, nothing that says Lucia! Continue reading →

Chapter 130: New York, NY Part II

A/N: So many of you reminded me to take it easy that I’m doing just that. I’m sorry for not keeping to my publishing schedule this week, but I agreed that rest seemed to be the winner.
So, this is an extra chapter that’s not on my upcoming chapters page. I’ll move everything around later today.
Finally, unless otherwise stated, Hector’s always speaking Spanish.
Unbeta’d

Bobby’s POV

Day one of the review. I’m excited to do this.

Les gave us a reprieve last night and agreed to allow us to sleep in peace, so we kept tradition. We camped out in his living room, played PlayStation, and ate Chinese. We got caught up on each other’s lives.

Les finally told Ric he’s over ‘the incident’. He understands. He accepts it. He wants his friend back and he’s trying to think of something for him and Steph to do while she’s here.

Ric looks relieved, although he’s hiding it. Hec looks thrilled. Continue reading →

Chapter 129: Another Complication

Les’s POV

“I need the background on your time under Magic.”

I reach forward and adjust the heat. Mack has it at sauna levels in this SUV. I peel out of my heavy coat as his jaw tightens and he glances at me. It’s noon and Queens is quiet. No real traffic from LaGuardia back to the office, so I need Mack to talk fast. I boot up my computer while waiting for Mack to reply.

“Everything OK?”

“Yeah.” No. His face clearly says something is wrong (shoulders hunched, jaw tight, eyes squinched), but he’s not ready to talk yet. Fine. I’ll get it out of him before this is over. “I started at eight. Lookout. Moved up the ranks and by sixteen, I had five blocks.”

Impressive. “Fast.”

“Yeah. Sixth sense. I listened to it.” Continue reading →

Goodbye

The three men remaining looked down at the bodies of their former colleagues in silence.

“Fucker,” Julio said and kicked dirt in Tony’s face. That’s about as close as Tony would come to a burial by his ‘friends’.

Nacho merely looked at Tony. They had been close. Same RangeMan class, best friends, partners. Well, partners. No one was friends with Tony. You simply had ‘allied interests’.

He looked around. They were in a jungle. That much he knew. They were in their cargoes and he had a knife. Since his mouth was wired, that was his information to share if he wanted. Continue reading →

Chapter 125: The Brotherhood Strikes Again!

Hector’s POV

There’s an email from Bobby.

Listen to the recording first then read the attachment. I didn’t understand until I was asked to delete the recording. Advise.

I’m intrigued. Les I’d wonder about. Bobby less so.

I put on my headphones, find the correct server and recording and listen.

Lots of quiet. I hear mariachi music and breathing. Stakeout?

“So what’s up with you and the CTO?”

“What do you mean?” Manolo. I smile.

A loud sigh. “Oh come on. Everyone knows you’re banging the CTO.”

A long silence. The truck starts and I hear the music get closer. The truck is turned off.

“Who I’m banging is no one’s business. I think Lt. Brown made that very clear.” Manolo is pissed. I hear it in his voice. I’m wondering who this other person is.“Also, as I’ve said before, I met the CTO in Miami shortly before training started—”

“Yeah, but you gay people all know each other.” Continue reading →

Chapter 124: Highs and Lows

Steph’s POV

Ranger’s been quiet the entire drive.

No digging through RangeWorld.

No questions for me.

Just a blank look on his face as I drive to Atlanta.

“Hey.” I can see him looking at me from the corner of my eye. “Everything OK?”

He nods, his lips thinning.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

I’m starting to read Ranger’s moods. Quiet and thin lipped? Angry or thinking.

Hec’s right. Eyes and lips. If Ranger’s going to give anything about his mood away, it’ll be there. Continue reading →

I Learned My Lesson

Friday after Thanksgiving

Les‘s POV

I’m staring at my computer screen, trying to make sense of what I’m reading, when Bobby walks in.

“Turn it off.” I look at him. He looks amused. “You’ve been staring at the screen for ten minutes. You aren’t reading. You’re brooding.” He hops on the other end of my bed and stares at me. “Talk, bro.”

I stare out of the window to the bleak Trenton skyline. It’s nearly midnight and the stars can barely be seen. I’ve been thinking about this problem for the past two hours and I’m no closer to a resolution. Bobby walked in at the right moment.

“How goes the paperwork?”

“Ric’s an ass,” he mutters, flexing his fingers. I smirk; nice payback, primo. “I’m nearly finished. I’d like to hand him the stack before he leaves for Miami.”

“Good luck.” Continue reading →

Chapter 116: Brown has lost his fucking mind

Bobby‘s POV

Occasionally, I have a really good, and really scary, thought.

I had one last night. It was so good I got out of bed to do some research. After two hours of searching, one hour of plotting, and ten minutes thinking of a co-conspirator, I’m ready.

“Candace?”

I move swiftly to catch her cup of coffee. Hal appears and I wave him off.

She smiles. “Sir. Sorry. Good morning.”

Extra glow. Good job, Hal.

“I need your help.” I wait until she opens her office and gets comfortable. I’m in no hurry and I tell her to take her time. Once she’s ready, I detail the plan to her and sit back. She’s smiling.

“You guys really like to meddle in other people’s lives, don’t you?”

I shrug. “No. But will we help our brother when we see he needs it? Yes.” Continue reading →