Part 4 (2/2)
”Don't be,” I replied. ”I told you, I'm fine.”
”Good,” she replied back. Reaching into the pocket on the left side of the belt she was wearing, she pulled out a monocular. It enhanced the normal abilities of our cowls, which could magnify things up to three times and could even do night vision. ”Hold on, let me check the area.”
I let Andi scan while I caught my breath. St. Timothy's is a geographic landmark of ours, one that we used nearly every time we patrolled the area. It was one of the tallest buildings in Filmore, and it also just had that sort of Gothic feel to it that made running around the city in skin-tight armored outfits not feel so d.a.m.n ridiculous.
Speaking of outfits, I was glad that mine had a different build than the rest. Carter and Andi may have not minded walking around like they were showing the world everything they had, but I was a little more circ.u.mspect. It'd taken me a while to figure out what to wear, but in the end I borrowed an old concept from Dad, wearing cargo pants that came in a black and white speckled pattern. They cinched at the ankle to match my boots, so it kind of gave me an old-fas.h.i.+oned militaristic appearance. When I dropped into an alley and started whooping a.s.s, the look added to the intimidation factor. It was why I was considered the 'heavy' of the group by the criminal underworld, even though Carter certainly had busted more heads than me.
Andrea on the other hand took after her G.o.dmother and giver of her middle name, embracing her natural s.e.xiness and playing it up. I'd seen pictures of Tabby when she was in her twenties, and she was a heart-stopper. Even now, she was still beautiful. Andrea was in that mold, except she was also a bit like Mom. During the day, she was somewhat shy and reserved, only really opening up with her family. But when she was the Ice Princess - I wondered idly if she would rename herself the Ice Queen once she was married - she was bold, daring, and yes, more than willing to flaunt her looks, despite her protestations to the contrary.
Andrea completed her check and pointed. ”Looks like the Eighty-Eights are active tonight. Want to check it out?”
I nodded. ”Why not? It's been a while since I last played with those guys.”
As we made our way towards the Circle K that was still the most noticeable hangout in Eighty-Eight territory, I thought again how ironic it was that the Eighty-Eights were still around. Patrick had targeted them first, and of the gangs in Filmore, they were the ones he hated the most. However, while the Latin Kings and Gangster Disciples had faded away, absorbed into the gangs that had replaced them, the Eighty-Eights maintained their presence. If anything, as MJT's policies took hold, a bit of gentrification had come over the neighborhood. Filmore Heights became more racially balanced, with it being nearly equal parts white, black and Hispanic, and the Eighty-Eights had increased their members.h.i.+p.
We didn't land on the roof of the Circle K, it was too far of a jump down, we'd have left footprints in the roof. Instead, we stopped on the auto parts store across the street, which had replaced a tenement that'd been torn down years earlier. We set up our sensors and waited. ”Hey Mom.”
”Yes Riley?” Mom said in my ear. We'd been checking in every ten minutes like we were supposed to, letting her focus on helping Carter. He was by himself, we could back each other up.
”Andi and I have our sensors out, going to see what's up. How's Carter looking?”
”According to him, it's quiet as can be. What do you say, Carter?”
I could hear Carter chuckle, and a quick scuffle of movement. ”No problems here. There's a series of warehouses that I want to check out, but so far everything looks nice and clean. What about you guys?”
”We're going to see what the Eighty-Eights are up to,” Andi said. ”I saw some movement in their territory, thought they could use a little visit.”
”Stay safe. And remember, three days.”
I rolled my eyes. ”Mom, they're getting lovey-dovey again.”
I could see a smirk on Andi's face, and even Mom chuckled. ”Okay, you two go ahead. We'll be here if you need us.”
I tapped my comm unit, and looked over at Andi, who had a curious look on her face. ”What?”
”Do you really mind it when Carter and I are affectionate?” she asked suddenly. ”You know you are important to me too.”
I laughed quietly and came over, taking Andrea's hand. ”Of course not, I just like poking fun at you. The fact is, looking back, I knew you two were perfect for each other long before you acknowledged it. I think everyone did. It took Alex Young to bring it to light though.”
Andi groaned. ”Alex Young. Now there's a name I never wanted to hear for the rest of my life....”
Chapter Eight.
Two Years Earlier
Andrea I grinned as the fans roared around me. Sure, it was the last home game ever for the Spartans before they moved, but it hadn't been their choice. The league's realignment policy meant that teams had to be distributed not only in their divisions but in their television markets as well. With our area of the country having too many teams, the Spartans had drawn the short end of the stick, and were being forced to relocate to Las Vegas of all places. The owners hadn't liked it, and had in fact tried to block the move, but in the end, they lost. The owners had at least gotten one win, this was the last game for the Spartans as a team name ever. Starting next year, they were going to become the Las Vegas Centurions.
”And now, your starting defense....” the public address announcer said, and the fans roared louder. The Spartans had missed the playoffs by one game, and it wasn't the defense's fault. The offense had been devastated by injuries, with the Spartans today starting a guy at quarterback whose last start was for Division III Wisconsin-Oshkosh, seven years ago.
”At defensive end, six foot six, two-hundred-and-seventy-two pounds, from Modesto, California by way of the University of California, Los Angeles, Alex Young!”
I wasn't sure whose cheer was louder, mine or the rest of the crowd's as Alex came down the tunnel and bursting onto the field. His long blonde hair waved in the bright winter sunlight, his megawatt smile that earned him legions of female fans beaming. Yes, Alex had tens of thousands of female fans, but he was mine. All mine.
I still didn't believe it myself, that I was dating the most handsome professional athlete in the entire country, even before I'd graduated college. I'd met Alex at the beginning of the season during a Spartans press event that Tabby had gotten me into. I was a fish out of water, nervous around all these local celebrities. I saw four newscasters, a television actress, and more. Yet somehow I'd worked up the guts to talk when Alex came up to me, and we'd been dating ever since.
”Jeez Andi, could you keep it down? My ears are ringing enough as it is, and we're in a luxury box,” Barbara complained next to me. She was dressed vivaciously, and had come only because it was a family event. She was in college too, with her going back to Europe to continue her education soon. She wanted to get her master's, while Carter and I were content with getting a bachelor's and then adding on in a manner similar to what our parents had done, a lot of self study. Mom actually self-taught herself sociology in order to back up the false degree that 'Joanna' had earned from the University of Was.h.i.+ngton, while Tabby, in addition to her formal MBA, learned a lot about medicine from Mom, becoming a halfway decent medic as well as a business genius. Barbara was different, and so there wouldn't be too many more opportunities for the entire family to hang out together. ”By the way Andi, you're missing watching your brother's game.”
”What is your brother doing?” Mom asked, leaning casually against Dad, her hand resting on his thigh. They were using the opportunity to, as they called it, ”go dating” again. So they were both acting like they weren't in their forties, but instead back in the times before I'd been born. ”Do tell me he's staying out of trouble.”
”If you look carefully, Riley's talking with two of the cheerleaders. Last thing he told me before going down was that he's taking one of them out after the game. I think the Asian girl,” Barbara said, pointing.
I looked, and sure enough, Riley was casually chatting with two of the girls. ”Riley!” I yelled. ”What is he doing?”
”Probably trying to pick up a new girlfriend,” Dad said. ”You know how he is.”
Dad sighed, and took Mom's hand off his thigh. ”You're right, I guess. All right, let me go gather him up.”
”d.a.m.n shame, that one girl looks cute,” Barbara said in a low voice after Dad left. ”Maybe if Riley won't do anything, I could.”
”Barbara Sophie McCaffery, behave yourself,” Mom said with a laugh.
”Yes Ma'am,” Barbara said in a resigned voice. Mom chuckled and took a drink of her champagne. Meanwhile, Barb looked over at me and stuck her tongue out, wiggling it. While she might not do anything publicly, most likely she'd be trying to hook up with exactly the same cheerleaders that Riley was talking to. She and him shared a sort of rivalry, although from what I could tell, Barbara had the edge in terms of seduction skills. It wasn't that she was a heart-breaker, far from it. She approached every partner with the clear intention that it was just for fun, probably just one time, and why not have some fun with it? Certainly not my style, but I wasn't one to criticize family.
The game was great, Alex getting four sacks in a performance that was sure to earn him player of the week if not consideration for defensive player of the year honors. The highlights for the rest of the game consisted of Riley being brought back to the luxury box by Dad, and him promptly escaping again in order to go back to what he was doing. When both of the cheerleaders Riley'd been talking to disappeared only to reappear about halfway through the fourth quarter, I guessed what had happened.
”Riley can get himself back from the stadium,” Dad said, ”and I'll have a word with him in the gym later.”
Part of me wished I could see that. Dad's idea of having a word with you in the gym would involve discussion for sure, but it would also involve a large amount of swapping punches and kicks, or occasionally escrima sticks and staffs.
”Riley can get a ride home with me and Alex,” I said, ”if I find him.”
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