Kadance

16

Tommy speaks loud enough that they can hear, "I'll be about an hour, in the meantime make her eat something Jayse."

Jayse laughs. They wait for the elevator and Jayse remains alert. But once they enter the elevator and they are alone he relaxes a bit. Kadance sags against Jayse.

"Tell you what, I'll eat if you'll give me a massage after. My muscles are so tight I can't relax them."

Jayse smiles down at her. "You've got yourself a deal," and then chuckles.

Kadance pulls back and gives him a dirty look. "Just a massage Jayse I'm not up to anything else, nor am I going to push Tommy like that. In someways he controls things better, but he's just as on edge as you. So don't push him, please? I don't need you two to go all testosterone on me, okay?"

Kadance let's the silence alone until they reach the penthouse level and the door to the elevator opens. "I thought Trader was going to take the tablet." Kadance shudders and Jayse pulls her closer and holds her.

"You challenged his abilities. Challenged him to find a way to stay alive." Jayse smiles, "Warriors are brought up to accept those kind of challenges, but I still wasn't sure it would be enough. I don't know if I would have chosen to live under those circumstances. I'll keep him busy, training will begin right after we give instructions to the new security force here. I'll then set most of the team to practice while Tommy and I take you to your ob/gyn appointment." Jayse says as he escorts her to the door. They enter the penthouse to cheers and applause.

"Leave it to our boss lady to talk over 200 men into signing onto security duty and then taking on six suiciders in one day. Everyone accepting your job offers. Way to go boss lady!" Borden says leading the cheers.

Kadance actually blushes. Then looks at Borden in confusion, "I thought you were helping Tommy with the newbies?"

"Well Tommy doesn't need or really want my help so he sent me back here." Borden explains and he doesn't have a problem with it either his tone indicates.

Kadance shrugs, as long as it gets done she doesn't care. "They all accepted that's wonderful!"

"Dall did any of your team have a problem with leaving Jandin?" Jayse asks before Kadance can say anything.

Dall smiles, "Not at all Jayse, most are excited at the chance to find survivors." Dall turns his attention back to Kadance, "We take failures like Celeste hard as you've seen. It's our job to protect the civilians and when we don't, well, you saw what happened to me. Celeste will be a real challenge to me, to us, but we're excited for it."

Kadance smiles tiredly, "I'm glad. Don't forget to keep up your training. Keep it in the rotation. I have full confidence in you and your team. We'll be stopping at Celeste after my nephews graduation. I'm willing to bet things will be pretty much up and running by then."

Dall swallows hard, "Yes ma'am!" Then he gets back to work redrafting his plans.

Jayse moves closer to her side and whispers in her ear, "You know he'll move heaven and earth to have everything ready by the time we visit there don't you?"

"Yes, I know and I'm counting on it," Kadance says smugly. "It'll be a good test of his leadership abilities."

"Ah, Kadance, you're always testing us," Jayse mocks. As he herds her towards the couch and sits her down.

"No more than you do yourselves. You told me that. Don't you constantly push yourself to go longer, go faster, be better?" Kadance demands.

Jayse puts his hands on her shoulders and smiles before leaving her to get her something to eat. He brings her over some food and gives it to her before he answers her question. "Yes, of course you're right."

"I just give out assignments Jayse. I don't give out anything I don't think you can do. This team has the best of every field we could get. There is no reason for it to not accomplish my little goals. Between you, I don't think there is anything this team can't do." She states before she starts eating.

Jayse sits down beside her. "I don't think there is anything we won't do for you love. However, walking to and kneeling in front of Trader you were pushing me pretty hard there love. You about gave me a heart attack."

Kadance finishes the bite of food she has and swallows before replying, "I had to take that chance. At that point he wouldn't have hurt me, but I had to give him the physical contact or he'd have gone over. You saw how close he was, he needed to know that I didn't find him a monster, like he saw himself." She drinks the juice Jayse brought her and makes a face, she didn't really care much for this juice.

"It's hardest to forgive yourself, no matter the reason. You should know that better than anyone Jayse. I gave him a way to find that forgiveness but it's only a way and he still has to find it on his own, the journey won't be easy for him just like it hasn't been easy for you." She goes back to her food and looks at it in dislike. She can't take another bite. "Okay I'm done."

She stands up, "Thank you everyone, your help today was invaluable. I know I work you hard and ask impossible things from you and I thank you for it. Those not on rotation unless Jayse has something else he needs you to do are free for the afternoon or whenever your shift starts. Make sure you're back promptly so that the others might enjoy some time off as well. Babysitting gets boring." She says then heads to her room pulling Jayse behind her.

Tommy comes back while Jayse is massaging Kadance's back. He takes a deep breath and watches the view. Borden comes up to him, "How do you and Jayse do it? Most guys couldn't tolerate it this long. Short term yes, but not long term like you two."

Tommy laughs without humor, "Some days are easier than others. Today isn't one of those days to push the subject on me. But Borden wasn't it your idea in the first place?"

"Not today that's for sure." Jayse agrees coming up to the two who aren't really seeing the swimming pool or the city view.

Jayse looks at Tommy and notices what he'd missed earlier until Kadance told him. Tommy really was close to losing it. "Chill bro. I was just giving her a massage, nothing more. The suiciders took more out of her than she was willing to admit. She's sleeping now and I expect she'll remain that way at least until dinner unless we wake her." The smell of Jayse's frustration actually helps to calm Tommy down and he's able to smile.

"Borden I want you and Marks to take our new security team over to their new home. Do the training and help their leader set up rotations. Kadance wants it set up like they're still in the military. Should work. Take your time and do it right. You're both off rotation for the day." Jayse says the next morning over breakfast. "Have fun."

Borden and Marks give him warm smiles in return but Tommy is still pouting a bit. He already had some ideas on those very things and had looked forward to implementing them.

"Dall good luck, see you in a few months," Kadance says. "Borden, Marks be nice we'll be working with these people every time we come."

"No worries, boss lady." Marks says smiling. "We'll just set it up right. There shouldn't be any problems." With that Marks smiles at Tommy and gives him a little wink. Tommy is confused and then a little wicked light comes on. He checks his personal folders and indeed one of the team had enough guts and ability to crack into the ones he had planned for the new security team. That makes him smile more and determine to back trace the hack job. He needs to know who on his team wants more fun.

Borden meanwhile just rolls his eyes and shoves Marks out the door. "We'll play nice. We've got lots of time to play," Borden says as they close the door.

"Why do I feel like I've just let a couple of wolves loose among a field of sheep?" Kadance asks as Borden closes the door. Her words just cause Borden to start laughing.

Tommy replies absently, he'd already started the back trace, "I don't know, why? The security team can handle anything Borden and Marks dish out." Tommy smiles, "And if they can't then they'll get some shocks. They're soldiers or were, no worries boss lady, Borden and Marks are just going to have some fun. It'll be good for them. Especially Marks, his specialty will come in handy here. He set up many of their training scenarios."

Kadance sighs, "Okay, whatever. Let's go." So saying she stands up. "This is going to be fun." She mumbles, "NOT."