Page 21 of Zeus

"Fitting," Frankie mutters about the location, and it makes me grin.

"Zayne, since you're more experienced with these kinds of people, we're going to let you be the one to pull the group's attention," Casper continues.

Half of me wishes the rally was today so I can get out of this house, and the other half wishes we could stay here and just hang out.

I scrunch my nose, wondering just when in the hell I got so fucking corny.

"You don't think that's a good plan?"

I pull my eyes from Casper to the man speaking, and suddenly feel like a complete jackass at Kincaid's question.

"No," I answer. "I think it's the perfect plan."

"That look on your face just now says differently," Kincaid challenges. "If we need to switch things up, now is the time to make those decisions."

"It's not the mission," I assure him. "This furniture smells awful."

Frankie grunts his agreement, saving me and not even realizing it.

"Let's continue," Kincaid says.

"We're hoping that this rally is going to be enough to get you at least a sit-down with someone from the group, but I wouldn't draw too much attention to yourself," Casper says. "As you know, this can go sideways quickly. It's a fine line."

Casper continues, explaining details that I know are for Frankie's sake because I've done this kind of shit more times than I can count. What frustrates me is when my name is called because I've zoned out.

Frustration coils itself around me, and I swear my cheeks heat with embarrassment.

"Zayne? You good?" Kincaid asks once again.

"Yes, sir," I answer, clearing my throat and sitting up a little straighter.

"You're ready for all of this?"

"I am," I answer, hoping I appear more confident than I feel.

When the call is over, I find myself watching Frankie as he stands and walks away without so much as a word.

I guess I should be grateful he didn't question my readiness, too. But maybe he knows that Kincaid's questioning has already shaken my confidence.

It's not that I'm not confident in the job. It's simply that I don't know how to be the man I've become while standing next to the man from my past, the one I never got over.

It's going to be the biggest challenge of my life.

Chapter 10

Zeus

I swear I haven't seen this much fucking camo since my training days in the Marine Corps.

The parking lot is filled with angry men and women, and sadly, more children than should ever be out of school in the middle of the day. Despite knowing that many of these groups keep their kids out of public schools because of the oversight they seem to think the requirement gives the government.

I lift my plastic cup, doing my best not to cringe as the sour beer hits my lips. Nothing like a beer before noon, but this was the only option other than bottled water at the free concession stand, and I know what's expected from these people. A bottle of water and the argument that I'm driving, if asked, would draw too much attention. I'm sure most of the people here think laws don't apply to them because they don't believe in the government.

It's insane to me that the same people who think the government should disappear are the very same ones forming their own types of government. It's not that they don't like control. It's that they want to be the ones in control, and the hypocrisy of it all makes me sick.

The sea of greens and browns walking all around me makes my skin itch. The proof on my skin that I was once a part of the government they hate at one point makes me uneasy. As if they'll ask me to pull my shirt off, and there would be no other explanation of my injuries other than military combat, despite the numerous people I've heard talking about their time in the military.

The difference is I served my country with pride, and they were either discharged without honor, or they served their full time with a hatred for what they were doing growing inside of them with every minute until the ink was dry on their DD-214.