Friends at Home
In Hunted, Chris Ryan mentions that Alpha Force spent some time at Paulo's ranch. Paulo muses on seeing his four best friends mix with his family.
While I'm here, I owe you all a huge, huge apology for not updating Slave Fraud. Part of the reason for this is that recently we lost all the files on our last computer, including my entire plan and the start of the next chapter, but I know... it's really no excuse. I for one hate it when others post a story and 'never bother' to finish it, but I will... if it's the last thing I do! I could make excuses if you like, I have quite a few good reasons, but I know that nothing will ever justify the non-updating of a story. Things like writers block, coursework are insignificant, especially where people like emmalea21, valentine999, be-nice-to-nerds and others are concerned, because I'm sure that they have just as much work to do and writers block to get over as I do, yet they still manage to update fairly regularly.
I'm very sorry, from the very bottom of my very humble heart.
Anyway, here's a little something for you to read in the meantime. Sorry about the rubbish title - but I hope you enjoy it anyway!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I own none of the characters or other things that you may recognise. Neither do I own Of Mice and Men, of which there is a short mention.
I never could have imagined having four of my best friends at my ranch. It's like living two lives: at home and with Alpha Force. They don't mix. That's just not how it is.
I'm pretty sure the others – with the exception of Amber, maybe – feel the same way. We don't speak much about our home lives that much. Of course, we know the basics. I know that Alex's father is in the SAS and he's an only child. Li's parents are zoologists and they travel around the world. Hex has a younger brother and his parents are divorced, and Amber –
Well, we all know about Amber.
It's the same with me. They know I have four sisters and I often replay them meeting in my head. Will they get on?
"What time does the coach come?" Li breaks the silence with her simple question.
"Ten past," I reply automatically. I know this bus route like the back of my hand. It's the same one I catch whenever I come home from abroad. Ten past the hour, every hour.
I glance over at the others. Li is standing next to me and fanning her face with her hand. She looks excited and I'm reassured.
Alex is leaning against the signpost and surveying the surroundings. Out of all of us, I guess our homes are the most alike. From what I've heard of North England, it's very mountainous, with open moors and long, winding roads. A lot like here. My ranch is only fifty odd kilometres from the airport if you travel in a straight line, but the road route is at least seventy five kilometres.
The main difference is probably the heat. It's cold in Northumbria, I've heard. Besides, Alex doesn't look the type to come from a hot country.
It's probably a bit warmer where Hex comes from, but not much. He's on the other side of Alex, slouching with his hands in his pockets. He's looking around like Alex, but with a more critical eye, taking in the smaller details rather than the bigger picture. I can imagine this as being a bit of a new experience for him. In London you can get from A to B underground, without any unnecessary road turns and scenery to admire along the way. I've never been there, but I've heard about the train lines that run under the city without any delays.
Amber has a similar expression to Hex. She's probably trying to decide if she likes it here or not. I hope she does.
I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't, though. I like this bus stop. It's quiet and the road is surrounded by trees. It's only 500 metres or so from the airport, and occasionally you can see planes taking off and landing really close.
"I forgot to change my watch," Alex suddenly says, pulling up his sleeve and considering the face, "What's the time difference here?"
"Go back two hours," Hex provided. He'd probably changed his before we'd even arrived.
"Oh, good point," Amber perks up, "What's that from Boston? Hex, you work it out."
Hex sends her a glare and I chuckle quietly to myself. He answers nonetheless – "Plus three hours."
"God, how do you know that? Have you memorised all the clocks in the world or something?" Amber mutters as she changes her watch. Hex ignores her and turns his eyes back to the road. A quiet whining indicates that the coach is just around the corner.
It's a dusty old bus, this one. There's only three or four people inside and the driver is the same one it has been for the last four years, at least.
I smile at him and he smiles back.
"Hola," I say, and climb on board, ordering the tickets as I go. He obliges, and I lead the others to a spot halfway down the coach.
"I don't know where you will stay, but Ma will have sorted something for you," I say to the others as we sit down. Hex is trying to get past Amber so he can sit by the window.
"Geez, Hex, why didn't you just sit behind?"
"You'd be right in my face if I did that."
Hex finally sits down and turns to face the rest of us. Alex sits back and rests his arms behind his head. "It's great here," he smiles, closing his eyes, "A lot like back home. Do you have spare bikes?"
Do I have spare bikes? Of course – I make them. It's one of the things Pa's taught me and I just love to do in my spare time.
"Plenty," I smile, thinking of all the times Ma has moaned to me about the endless bike parts littering our shed, along with various wheels and parts of motors.
You can't blame me – growing up on a ranch does this to you!
"Great!" Alex's face lights up, the way it does whenever he's approached by anything to do with the great outdoors, "Does that mean we can go bike-riding?"
"Bike-riding?" Amber makes a face, "I was thinking more along the lines of horses, myself."
"Both," Li says, and beams at me, "We can do both, right, Paulo? I can't wait. And I'm looking forward to meeting your sisters – "
"Oh, them," I smile back at her, "You don't need to worry too much about them. They're really boring. All they care about are dolls and make-up."
"Good," Amber says, "I forgot to bring my mascara. Think they'll let me borrow theirs'?"
"This bus is really bumpy," Hex looks up as we hit a particularly big bump in the road. Come to think of it, he's right – I've just never noticed.
Amber sniffed. "It's a coach, dumbass. Not everywhere is plagued by big, red, double-decker car things."
"Double-decker car things?" Hex gives Amber an amused look, "You mean buses?"
They continue bickering and Li rolls her eyes at me. "Bless," she says in a fake patronizing voice, and I can't help but laugh out loud. The others give me a funny look but don't say anything.
The coach journey seems to pass very quickly compared to what it usually takes. Maybe it's because I'm with the rest of Alpha Force – there's an old saying... Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? Something like that, I think.
Before I know it, I can already see the ranch on the horizon, with its many rickety buildings and grass areas surrounded by fences. In the distance I can see someone with the cows, but they're too far away to recognise.
Now I think about it, this must be like stepping into another world for the others. It's a lot like those old-fashioned cowboy movie sets, and calling my parents 'Ma' and 'Pa' must seem strange to them too. I'm aware of the others looking out at the ever-growing ranch too, and turn to grin at them.
"That's it," I say, "That is my home."
"Cool," Amber says, "Which one's your house?"
I crane my neck to catch a glimpse of our one-story home. It's just over the grassy hill next to us. Then I can see it – its pointy roof just becoming visible.
"There," I say, pointing, "That one."
I smile at it fondly. I love it, with it's simple, rectangular plan and low roof, the balcony at the front and the lovely front door that I had watched Pa carve out for hours on end when I was a child.
"Wow," Amber actually seems impressed, "It's like something out of 'Of Mice and Men.'
I haven't got a clue what that is, but I've been around English people for so long that I don't bother to ask questions about their strange language any more. How did Amber know there were mice, anyway?
The driver stops at the end of the driveway and I stand up, indicating to the others that this is our stop. They stand and follow me off the coach, while I turn and say goodbye to the driver. I'll see you next time I go abroad.
When I was younger, I used to feel that I was the only man alive when I stood at the end of the driveway. It's at the bottom of a hill, so all you can see is a huge expanse of grass and sky and a dusty road. When the coach disappears from sight and sound, it's just Alpha Force and the world.
And my family – just over that hill.
Typically, the first thing Ma does is run out and greet me with a big, motherly hug, and then turn to the others and start fussing over them.
Ma learnt English at school, but hasn't had much practice with it. She's fluent enough, but a bit hesitant.
"My Paulo has told me all about you... do come in! Do come in!" That is a lie – the only thing I've told Ma about them is their gender and their names. Ma likes to make people feel special.
She's quite short, my Ma, and plump. But I wouldn't have her any other way. I probably get my height from my father. As we all bundle into our living space, Ma starts buzzing around the adjacent kitchen and chattering as she went.
"I am sure you have had a long journey, so I will just heat up some water. You like tea, yes?" She doesn't even wait for an answer, and starts talking about when Pa will get home.
We all cram around the dining table and sip our tea. At that moment there's a thundering from outside and all four of my sisters appear at the same time, staring at my friends with wide eyes.
"Girls, girls! Do not be rude. Come and meet your brother's friends." Ma ushers them into the room and introduces them one by one. At 15, 13, 11 and 10, they're still all a bit shy and smile politely at us. There's a general murmur of greeting all around. My sisters are a lot worse with English, so they don't try to say anything for fear of embarrassing themselves. I speak to them in Spanish instead.
"Este es tuerca Hex, Alex, Amber y Li." I point at each person in turn.
"Hola," Amber smiles. I'd forgotten she was a multi-language genius.
Giggling amongst themselves, my sisters make their way back outside, presumably to decide which they liked better – Alex or Hex.
Ma announces that she has to finish the washing and hurries outside. It's getting dark, and it looks like there might be a storm later.
"This is good tea," Alex murmurs, "Where are we staying?"
"I am not sure. Ma will have sorted something – I will ask her when she gets back in." I pause, wondering how to bring up what had been on my mind. "So... what do you guys think?"
"What do we think!? I think it's fantastic! I can't wait to go riding and everything. I've never been to a place like this in my entire life," Amber cries, her voice going higher pitched with enthusiasm. I'm completely surprised! I had only expected a polite nodding of the head, to be honest.
"I'm the same. Can we go running during the sunrise at one point? That's one thing I plan to do while I'm here," Alex grins, before taking another sip.
"Running at sunrise? Doesn't that mean you'd have to get up at like – six?" Hex looks incredulous. Typical.
"Nah, five." Alex is oblivious and continues drinking his tea. It's a funny sight – Hex looking absolutely bewildered and Alex completely unaware.
"Your sisters are really cute," Li says, and sighs happily, "And your mum's lovely. I can't wait to meet everyone else."
"Oh, and..." I look at Alex and Hex and wink obviously, "There is another ranch owner who lives about three kilometres away. I go there to help sometimes. He has three very beautiful daughters..."
"Oh, you – " Li shrieks and hits me around the back of the head. I laugh out loud and the others join in as well. Life is good.
Pa will return in a couple of hours and he can meet them too. Tomorrow I will introduce them to the horses and teach them – especially Hex – how to ride. Then we can have bike-rides and picnics, and help out at the other local ranch and have a great time.
Amber says that her uncle has found out about a training course that he thinks we would try out. We're going there straight from my place. Apparently it's very tough-going and will test us to the limits. I can't wait – two whole weeks with Alpha Force here, and another one somewhere else.
As for two separate lives? To hell with it. I will make sure we spend another week in Northumbria, and in London, and wherever Li's parents are posted at some point.
As I look around the table at the glowing, happy laughing faces, I can't help but think about the upcoming three weeks and look forward to it. It is going to be one good summer, I think.
Thanks to my beta, Elledreamer, for pointing out some very valid points! Apologies if any of the Spanish is wrong – I used an online translator :P