64 Blacktop Obsession
"Why Is there a huge fish tank in our living room?" Carter called Shayde three days later to ask. Shadow had installed the stuff he had ordered, helped unload the boat and had left the house to get back to normal.
"Why wouldn't there be? I don't know, take it up with Shadow. You let him order it. All you did was give me grief over the stuff I ordered." Shayde shrugged, still working on opening things she had ordered.
"Interesting way you did her hair today. Why does she have it done how my sister likes to wear hers, hmm?" Carter asked, his eyebrow raised.
"You wanted it done. Braids work and are easy to manage. I can't help it she has your sister's hair. It's the easiest way to keep it from tangling, Carter." Shayde reasoned.
"Why is Kaidyn giving Han such a hard time? Her disrespect is out of control, Shayde." Carter complained.
"She's fine." Shayde dismissed his complaint.
"No, she's not. She's being very disrespectful and mouthy." Carter growled.
"Carter, it's a give and take between those two. Han's been around her since she was born, I know he can handle her without me." Shayde said confidently.
"But she shouldn't be so mouthy to him or any male. She needs to…" Carter started.
"Do not say another word or finish that thought, Carter Verone." Shayde drew in a sharp breath, hating how sexist her husband was.
"Shayde, you know she can't keep running her mouth. It won't suit her well when she gets married." Carter shook his head, his lips pursed.
"I'm sorry our cell service must be spotty because I know you did not just fucking say that." Shayde threw a knife at the wall, making it stick. She glared as she looked at the camera.
"I'm just saying we need to teach her to control her mouth a bit. She can't keep popping off." Carter explained in a lighter, less annoyed voice. "Why is she wearing your earrings that I got you?" He asked, frowning as he watched Kaidyn.
"Carter, she is our jewelry girl. You know she's always loved wearing any kind of jewelry." Shayde shook her head.
"Yes, but that's jewelry I got you." Carter complained.
"Carter, you know I don't wear jewelry. You have always known this. She always gets my earrings, necklaces to wear. You let her do that when she was younger, why the problem now?" Shayde asked, her annoyed tone coming over loud and clear.
"She better not have your wedding ring." Carter grumbled.
"You know she doesn't. You branded me over not wearing my wedding ring, you think I'd let her wear it after you seared my skin off?" Shayde asked hatefully, not exaggerating in the slightest. "You married an assassin who needs her hands free and then punished me by branding me because I chose to not wear my wedding ring so I could protect you." Shayde reminded him.
"My Shayde, we don't need to get into this discussion again." He quietly reminded her.
"It's on my necklace, don't worry." She promised, pulling her necklace chain out and showing the camera. It was a bit longer than a choker but shorter than a normal necklace. What Carter didn't know is she had put a camera in it and used it to her advantage. Anything she wore had a purpose and not for looks at all. She left the jewelry wearing to Kaidyn. Kaidyn always had rings on all her hands and her bracelet Shayde had given her. She rarely took them off. She could always be seen with earrings and necklaces too.
"Shayde, where are you going?" Carter asked, watching her walk towards the front door.
"To my gun range, Carter. To put up and play with my toys. Is that okay with you?" She asked dryly.
"Yes, that's why it is there." He replied.
"Just sit on your flight and relax. Have a cigar, do nothing. Or whatever it is you do. I have work to do." She suggested.
"The boys can do that for you." He scoffed.
"I want to do it so I have it how I want it. I didn't ask you to let them fix your cigars or put up your things you enjoy, now do I?" She asked.
"No, I suppose not." Caterer replied.
"You put the house together how you liked it. Now I am going to put things how I prefer them." Shayde warned.
"Speaking of the gun range, did you shoot out the cameras?" He asked, glad she had reminded him about that. He had been meaning to talk to her about that.
"You had cameras in my gun range?! These cameras are out of hand, Carter." She growled. "I can't breathe without you questioning me." She griped.
"I guess it wasn't you." He surmised, ignoring her complaint.
"You're lucky it wasn't me. So it musta been Shadow." She frowned. "Damn good thing he did or I'd have smashed them." She warned.
"I just want to make sure you're safe." Carter explained.
"Shadow and I both know you can't have cameras everywhere because if we get hacked there will be no safe spaces for us to hide with cameras all over and we get attacked. You should be consulting us on these things, Carter." Shayde explained.
"I guess." Carter milled it over.
"No one needs to see my shooting or my techniques either." She warned. "Do you have cameras in the bathrooms?" She asked.
"Of course not." He replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Closets?" She asked, folding her arms.
"Yes, which brings me to another question. Why does Kaidyn keep sleeping in closets and why do they all have blankets in every closet?" He asked.
"Because that's where she feels safe, Carter. PTSD is a real thing." Shayde growled. "I realize you haven't been around for eight years but you should also realize there's a lot you may not understand. She's slept in closets for a while. She either sleeps with one of us or in a closet and sometimes we sleep in there with her if she needs us to. She's still not herself, Carter. You just really don't listen to me." She complained.
"I'm trying, My Shayde. I am sure it is going to take time for us all to adjust to each other." Carter sighed.
"Then understand I can't deal with this camera crap. No cameras should be in bathrooms, closets, or safe rooms. Also, not in my weapons room or gun range either. I'll shoot them out if I find them. I have limits, Carter. Don't push it." She warned, her lips pursed.
"My Shayde." Carter started
"Carter, it's not safe or practical for them to be in those places. It's a really big security risk. Think about this. I can't protect anyone if I don't have places to hide. We will have nowhere safe if you keep cameras in there. Non negotiable." Shayde said, looking straight into the camera.
"Fine, have Tej uninstall them from those places ONLY and keep them for backups. You're right." He agreed, knowing she wasn't going to give up on this one.
"Yes, I know I am. It's all I've ever done and I know what I am doing. Any other complaints, write them down, I'm busy. Because I have things to get done." Shayde huffed.
"Please have a talk with Kaidyn. Get her to get working on her homework please. She should have already graduated." Carter requested.
"Make a list of any other complaints and we can discuss later when you are home, Carter. Next time you call, can we start with an I love you or I'm happy to talk to you rather than a bitch session?" Shayde requested.
"I do love you, My Shayde." Carter nodded, making Shayde want to shudder at his nickname he called her.
"Gotta go. I have to go talk to Kaidyn." She hung up and took a deep breath. She changed her course and decided to go back in the house and stood at the entrance to the living room, listening to Han and Kaidyn without letting them see she was there. "Han, this is pointless." Kaidyn complained, sitting in the living room in front of the new fish tank. Kaidyn was completely mesmerized by it and had spent hours watching them already. Han was attempting to get her to work on her Calculus.
"It's not pointless, Princess Kadence. You want to graduate right?" Han asked, shaking his head.
"I guess. But is there a point to graduating? Just to say I did it?" Kaidyn grumbled, watching one of the starfish in the aquarium. "So let's just do it and get it over with. You know how to do it. How hard is it to just put it on the paper and do what you gotta do?" Han asked, leaning back and folding his arms.
"It's the principle." Kaidyn grumbled. "No derivative rules will help me in anything I am gonna need to do." Kaidyn said, folding her arms.
"You don't know that. Besides, don't you want to just be done with this stuff?" He asked, shaking his head. "It will get me off your back at least." He shrugged, running a hand through his hair.
"Yes, but I shouldn't have to do the work. You won't let me just answer, I have to show the work. Pointless." She growled.
"Yes, because I have to show that you did it when I submit it. We've talked about this." Han reminded her.
"This is all stupid. I hate following rules." She grumbled.
"Well, if you hadn't been such a rebel in juvie, you could have gotten it done while wasting time in there." He scolded.
"I hate when you get like this, Han." Kaidyn shook her head, pulling her blonde hair up into a messy bun, feeling very annoyed and in a bad mood.
"Aw, I love you. It's been a while since I heard this. No swing for you if you can't get this done." Han put a hand over his heart sarcastically.
"Shut up with your empty threats." Kaidyn warned, her cheeks flushing a bit.
"Kaidyn, I will cut the swing down and release these fish to the ocean if you can't behave and do what you need to do." Shayde walked in, her arms folded.
"That's very rude, it would kill them!" Kaidyn exclaimed.
"I'm a killer like that, I guess." Shayde shrugged.
"Heartless for sure but I doubt killer." Kaidyn rolled her eyes.
"Hmm." Shayde walked over to Kaidyn, lifting her chin up to make her look at her. "Get it done." She looked at her in the eyes. She noticed Kaidyn felt a bit warm but she wasn't going to give her any excuse to get out of the homework.
"Focus, Blondie. If we can just finish this assignment, the tortue will be over until tomorrow." Han promised.
"Ugh, you are SO annoying." Kaidyn went back to work, blowing her bangs out of her face, something she did when she was annoyed.
"Kaidyn, I am not leaving until you get it done. Quit giving Han such a hard time." Shayde scolded. Kaidyn put her head in her hands for a second, looking a bit overwhelmed. She noticed they were both watching her and she put her head back up.
"You need help?" He asked, leaning in to look at her work.
"No, thank you." She said quietly. She was trying to focus on the words that were looking a bit blurry to her but she didn't want them to know things were blurry. Han looked at Shayde, raising an eyebrow.
"You okay, Kaidyn?" Han asked, watching her. She nodded and went back to work. She shoved the paper towards him.
"There." She said, throwing down her pencil.
"Lil sis, if you knew how to do it all along, why not just do it. You are so smart, you didn't even need help. Tell me the real reason you won't just do the damn work please?" Han asked, impressed she had finished the Calculus problem with no help.
"I don't know. I just didn't feel like doing it, sorry." Kaidyn shrugged.
"Like you don't want to or didn't feel up to it?" Han asked.
"I don't know, Han. I just don't think this stuff is important." Kaidyn said, shaking her head. "I'm sure school's easy for you, huh?" She asked.
"I did what I had to do so I could take care of you girls and do what I enjoy." Han said, shrugging. "It's easy for you too. You just don't want to do it." He shrugged.
"And yet you ended up here with me." Kaidyn said smugly. "When you could be working in a hospital." She added.
"I get to work and be with my family, it doesn't get any better than that. I have my cars and lots of free time. Why would I want to work anywhere else?" Han shook his head. "I get free food, a huge room and board and I get to be your teacher." He playfully booped her head, making her playfully slap him.
"Quit playing, Han. Don't you ever get bothered by anything?" Kaidyn asked, rolling her eyes. The doorbell rang followed by a loud police type of knock on the door. Kaidyn's eyes got big and she looked at Han, panic in her eyes.
"You're okay. It's okay." Han promised, seeing her face turn white. He looked at Shayde.
"I'll get the door. Han, can you please take Kaidyn upstairs for me?" Shayde asked, heading to the door, her hands on her hips.
"Come on, Kaidyn, let's go check and see if you are running a fever." Han got up and grabbed her hand.
"I'm okay." Kaidyn said quietly, watching Shayde get closer to the door.
"Come on, she's okay." Han promised. He felt her cheek. "I think you might be running a fever. Come on." He picked her up, not letting her protest. She laid her head on his shoulder.
"I kinda don't feel too great." She admitted.
"I wish you woulda told me sooner." Han said as he carried her upstairs. "Sprinkles is in my room and my bag is in there too." He promised.
"Your medical bag?" Kaidyn asked.
"Yes ma'am." He replied.
"That sounds so old school." Kaidyn commented as she kept staring downstairs. "Are you sure Shayde's okay?" Kaidyn asked quietly.
"She's fine." Han promised, sitting Kaidyn down on his desk as he rummaged in his bag for his forehead thermometer.
"Call her please?" Kaidyn asked as he aimed the thermometer at her forehead. Han frowned.
"Yes, I'll call her. 101.2, no wonder you don't feel good." he frowned. "Hey Shayde, Kaidyn wants to know if you're okay." Han said.
"Funny, I wanted to know if she's okay. I'm fine." Shayde promised as she opened the door and saw Echo there, holding a big box and clipboard. She wanted to grab him by his ear and ask him what the hell he was doing here but she had to keep her face straight. She knew this was going to be a big problem. The delivery drivers usually dropped packages at the gate and she had no idea how he managed to get in the compound past all three gates. She motioned to him and to give her a moment.
"She's running a fever. I don't think she's told us how she's really feeling. I'm going to give her some Tylenol." Han said, still on the phone with her.
"Sounds good. Have her stay up there for a bit, would you please? I need to handle this with the new head of security." Shayde said, coughing slightly.
"Sure thing. Later." Han nodded, knowing by the tone of her voice something was up. He texted Hector to make sure Shayde would have help with whatever was going on.
"Why are you here, delivery boy? My deliveries are usually brought in by people who live here." Shayde asked, her eyes narrowed as Brian and Hector came into the room.
"I got a call from the first gate saying this guy was raising hell at the gate. He wouldn't let them unload the load and insisted on bringing it in himself." Brian glared at Echo.
"Then Carter called him and here we are. You shouldn't be here, Ese." Hector shook his head at Echo.
"Sorry, my load has explicit instructions that I have to unload it carefully or it's my ass. I have live exotic fish. Those fish are expensive. I'm just trying to do my job." Echo looked at Shayde, his eyes wide.
"Exotic fish, huh?" Brian asked, skeptical.
"Yes, I have some Japanese angelfish, French angelfish, a peppermint angelfish, a masked angelfish and some others. I don't know all the names. They are in my front seat." Echo explained as Brian kept his gun on him. "Please don't shoot me." Echo swallowed.
"Brian, please put the gun away. He's just doing his job." Shayde gave Brian a long stare.
"Some of these fish are worth 30,000 dollars. I can't afford to mess this up. I just want to get this fish tank and stuff delivered." Echo promised.
"Let's go unload it and I will help." Hector shook his head. "Why did we need another fish tank with expensive fish?" Hector looked at Shayde.
"That was Shadow. He's putting it in her room to help her get used to having a room. It needs to go in front of her window that Shadow fixed for me. If Carter has a problem, he can take it up with Shadow." Shayde shrugged.
"Ah, gotcha. Luckily we can load it on the elevator to get it upstairs." Hector grinned.
"There's an elevator?" Shayde asked, looking at Hector in shock.
"Yes. I know you haven't had much time to look around yet. I'll show ya when we take it upstairs." Hector promised.
"I'm following you to make sure you're not up to anything." Brian warned Echo. Echo got the dolly out of his truck and they started to work on unloading this tank.
"Shadow shoulda been here to help with this one, damn." Hector grunted as he, Echo and Brian struggled to get the tank down the ramp of the delivery truck.
"The fish are beautiful. I am sure whoever is getting them will love them." Echo promised.
"Just be quiet and do your job, Bro." Brian grumbled, his hand on his gun. Shayde turned on her scrambler as she stood in the blazing heat outside the truck.
"Brian, I have the scrambler on. This is Echo. He's part of my family. We can talk upstairs." Shayde warned as she made sure to keep her distance from Echo.
"We're gonna need Han to set them up safely." Hector sighed and wiped his brow as they got on the elevator.
"Scrambled now until we leave her room." Shayde nodded, looking at them.
"Sorry, Shay, I didn't realize he was someone you knew but Carter called me really pissed after security called me." Brian shook his head.
"Echo, what the fuck are you thinking showing up here?" Shayde asked, not making eye contact with him.
"I had to see for myself you were okay. I'm sorry, Auntie." Echo looked down at the ground.
"I can't hug you and I'm sorry for that. I love you but this is too dangerous. He's going to want you dead." Shayde fretted. "I should really whip your ass for coming here." Shayde frowned, trying her best to not to react because she knew Carter was probably watching her every move.
"This is her room?" Echo looked around.
"Yes." Shayde replied, shaking her head at how brazen it had been for him to show up. She wanted to beat him so bad right now. Her nephew had no idea how dangerous this was.
"I need to see her." Echo admitted.
"You can't. She's not feeling well and is with Han. You saw her when I sent you in as a CO in Juvie." Shayde folded her arms.
"Yes, I know but you know we ...I am just worried about you guys. I had to come check on you guys." Echo admitted.
"Does your dad know you did this?" Hector asked, as he took his time working on making a space for the tank. Brian's phone rang and he walked out of the room.
"No." Echo admitted.
"Yes, Carter. I'll make sure." Brian said, talking on his phone as he walked back in. He hung up and turned off his phone. "He wants him dead, Shayde." Brian looked at her and said quietly.
"Yes, I figured as much." Shayde sighed, rubbing her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief at how much Carter was watching.
"Let's get this truck unloaded and I will drive back with him to get that second load and I'll say I did it." Hector made sure his voice was low and his scrambler on.
"I'm gonna go get the drawings Kaidyn did so I can send them back with you, Echo. I'll give them to you when I hand you my list. But you gotta promise me not to tell anyone else about this damn location." Shayde warned.
"I won't tell a soul. Drawings? She's still drawing? She used to do such cool drawings in Juvie." Echo said, wishing he could see Kaidyn.
"Juvie? How'd you get in Juvie with her?" Brian asked.
"I got a job as a CO. To help keep an eye on her for Auntie." Echo explained. "She's a handful. She was a terror. She'd probably slap me if she saw me." Echo admitted.
"She's feisty for sure." Brian nodded. He looked at Shayde. "You know I gotta walk him out with the gun. Carter's testing me." Brian said, looking a bit concerned.
"I get it. Just make sure you don't hurt him. I'll be right back." Shayde said, going to get Kaidyn's drawings from her closet. Kaidyn often could be found in closets drawing when stressed. Shayde collected those drawings and sent those drawings back home to Shadow over the years. Now she would have to get creative to get them out of there so she put it on the clipboard with the packing slip. She handed it to Echo.
"I miss you. I wish you could come home." Echo said wistfully as he took the clipboard back.
"I wish I could too. Send my love back, okay? I love you, Echo." Shayde said, handing him the clipboard with the invoice with Kaidyn's drawings underneath it. "Stay as far from me as you can please. Cater will trip otherwise." Shayde warned. Echo nodded.
"I really wish I could see her." Echo said as he helped unbox the tank with Hector.
"I know. But she's okay. We're gonna take good care of them." Hector promised. Echo nodded. "I'm gonna leave out of here with you then drive the other load back myself but after this, you gotta go hide. You can't be seen again after this." Hector advised.
"I get it. You guys gotta see that gate when you first enter. The guys at the gate closest to here are normal clothes but those other two gates…" he started.
"What?" Brian asked, curious now.
"They are mercanieries. Full garb, heavy ass guns. They are keeping something from leaving. They are full on mercanieries. Ak's and they are not fucking around." Echo promised. "I can draw out a map of what I saw once we leave here. I'll send it with Hector." Echo promised. He had a picture perfect memory and was able to remember things easily.
"That will help. Did you see how many?" Shayde asked, chewing her lip. She could tell by how upset Echo acted that It wasn't good.
"At least a hundred at each gate. Lots in the field, maybe more. Each gate has a building on both sides with phones. It looks like he's thought of everything. It's like a war compound at those first two gates you enter. This gate closest to the house seems like nothing compared to those other two." Echo advised.
"This is why he wants you killed. So you can't tell them." Brian surmised.
"And he can't send back help." Hector nodded as they unboxed the aquarium.
"She's gonna love this. I gotta go get those fish out of my front seat." Echo said, starting to head to his delivery truck. Brian pulled his gun.
"Sorry, man. I gotta make it look legit." Brian apologized. Echo nodded.
"I'm just trying to get those fish. I don't know if you noticed but one fish cost 30 k." He held up his hands innocently.
"Turning off the scrambler. Echo, watch what you say." Shayde warned.
"No need to put a gun in my face, bro." Echo nodded.
"Sorry, you're hired help. I can't trust you." Brian shrugged, waving the gun to the door.
"I gotta get those fish, man. They are all exotic angelfish. 30 k for one damn fish. I don't even get paid that much. Give me a break, would ya?" Echo shook his head. "Can I please go get the fish?" He asked.
"Yes, I'm going with you." Brian nodded, following him. He put the gun to his back.
"Chill bro. It's not that serious." Echo muttered as they walked down the stairs.
"We're gonna need Han to do these fish, I have no clue how to do any of this. Did Shadow really pay 30 k for one fish?" Hector looked at Shayde.
"Who knows what my cousin does, Hector." Shayde shrugged. "I'll go get Han." She started for Han's room. She ran straight into Shadow, her mouth dropping open.
"Going somewhere?" He grinned, loving the surprise on her face.
"What are you doing back here? How'd you get back here so quick?" She asked, caught off guard.
"I dropped in. Literally on the roof a bit ago. I had to come set up those fish." He smiled.
"I guess this is one time I'm glad to see you because I have no clue how to handle fish." Shayde admitted, her heart beating faster at just seeing him. She loved him so much. She just wanted to hold him.
"No hug for your favorite cousin?" He asked, giving her a hug and not giving her a choice in the matter.
"You and your hugs. Ugh. As if I have emotions." Shayde rolled her eyes, all for show for Carter.
"I'm a sensitive guy, cuz. I got your back." He grinned, code speak for 'I love you' between the two of them.
"Yeah, I got your back too. Kaidyn's not feeling well. I was gonna go check on her. Han's napping with her, I think." Shayde said quietly, fiddling with her necklace.
"Well, I'll need Han's help with these fish. This tank I got has a princess castle and Its set up is gonna be amazing but I will need help. But hey, I love a good challenge." Shadow grinned.
"What possessed you to get her angel fish? Especially such expensive ones?" Shayde asked with a grin.
"She calls me her angel. I figured angelfish made sense." He grinned.
"You're too funny. 30 thousand on one fish. Carter is going to kill you." Shayde warned.
"I bought the fish myself. He only paid for the tank and accessories. Besides, he's going to want her to like her room. I am just doing what he asked me to do, which is to get her comfortable with her room." Shadow shrugged with his infectious grin.
"This will be a challenge because she's still sleeping in closets." Shayde warned.
"I know, I hope I can get her relaxed with this room if I can get it put together like I have in mind. I will need Han's help so I can tell him about the fish." Shadow admitted.
"Well, let's go wake him up." Shayde yawned.
"Yeah, you can keep Kaidyn busy for us while we put her room together." Shadow nodded as he waved to the camera he was walking by for Carter's benefit.
"She's not feeling well. She's running a fever for some reason. He gave her some Tylenol but she wasn't being herself." Shayde explained.
"Not good." Shadow frowned as they walked to Han's room.
"Hey guys." Han stretched, starting to move from Kaidyn, who didn't flinch.
"That's odd, she normally wakes up anytime anyone moves." Shayde said, looking concerned. Han got the thermometer.
"102.1, weird. I gave her Tylenol already." Han looked at Shayde and Shadow. "I can't believe you left and are already back, I must have dozed off. Give me a minute, I'm not awake yet." Han admitted with a grin, giving Shadow a nod.
"No problem, thanks for taking care of her. I got a pretty big surprise for her and you too since I'll need your help taking care of it." Shadow grinned mischievously.
"What did you do, Shadow?" Han asked, dreading what he was going to have to take care of now. He knew it was going to be some kind of animal.
"Fish tank for her room." Shadow grinned.
"Carter needs to take that up with you rather than bitching at me for it." Shayde grumbled, hoping Carter was listening.
"He told me to order whatever I thought would help. So it's my goal to make sure she can relax in this house and help ease her anxiety. Relax, I got this cuz." Shadow winked at Shayde.
"Uhhuh. Until he calls to gripe at you." She grumbled.
"Lay down and take a nap." Shadow pointed to the bed, pushing her gently down in the bed.
"You are bossy." Shayde yawned, not fighting to get back up. Shadow tucked her in and gave her a hug.
"You guys rest and let us put her room together." He advised.
"Thanks, bossy." Shayde pretended to be annoyed by him as he tucked her in. She put her arms around Kaidyn. Sprinkles looked at her and then rested his head back on Kaidyn's arm where he had been laying.
"Get some rest." Shadow promised as he and Han walked out. He turned to look at Shayde and Kaidyn. Shayde was already asleep by the looks of it.