Alo recorded the segments for his class in the working hydroponics he and Nantan did with Mike and the Wolfpack. He showed every plant, and how every hydroponics part worked. He then showed “from hydro to table” and how they picked the veggies and grains, turned them into breads, soups, salads, sandwiches, and more. The cauliflower pizza dough was their current best seller. Parents loved it, and simply never told their kids they were eating cauliflower.

He packed his 3D models, his laptop, and whiteboard pens, and went to teach at the same college where he was getting his agricultural degree. He wore simple jeans and a T-shirt, just like his students. He recognized most of the students, of course.

He began with the walkthrough segment then took out the 3D models. He took them apart like a puzzle, and walked them through, step by step, how to put them together. They loved it, and he had one for each student. He had them put their desks together to make tables, and they helped each other put them together in pods of four. He then had them compete to put them together, without breaking any parts. They did it, laughing, and he sent them out on the first day.

One student asked, “Where are the textbooks?”

Alo said, “You’re holding it in your hand.”

By the second week, he had to print more, because he had forty students. He asked to split the class into two segments, so he didn’t have to try to explain to so many students at once, and he could pay close attention to each student. He showed them every part of the business, from raising seedlings “planted” in a cottony material, to spraying the roots with water and nutrients, right up to finding the LED light color each plant liked. He walked them through to harvesting, and talked about keeping the profits flowing by creating food products for people and animals. He talked about the relationship between beets and horse feed, and how easy it was to make rabbit food.

He culminated the class with a trip to the farm, to learn how it worked in reality. They loved the farm walkthrough; he used the van and trucks, and the students who had vehicles piled in their friends to get them there and back. He sent each pod of four out to explore each aspect of hydroponics, and report back to the others. They loved every minute, even learning how to make bread from fresh grains and animal feed from beets and alfalfa. He walked them around, showed them happy horses and fat rabbits. They went back to school, and created their own hydroponics with PVC pipes and sprinkler heads and LED lights.

Alo got the best ratings of any teacher at the college. He got credit for his class, and doubled up on taking his classes, just to graduate early.

Henry and David, all of the Wolfpack, and Nantan and Chayton were at the graduation dinner; only Henry and Nantan were able to see him get his degree. They ate outside at giant tables. The Nighthawks showed up, and they brought out more tables and chairs, and benches too. Kids played along the side of the house, and the soccer game got fierce. They grilled and ate in shifts, so the cooks could eat too, and everyone got fed. There were chicken tacos, enchiladas and biscuits, chicken, green salad, potato salad, twice-baked potatoes, bacon-wrapped tiny hot dogs, and sweating carafes of strawberry limeade, and peach tea and water.

Inola sang down the sun, and Taps came out in two trumpets, small and large, and the violin sang out, and the pipes. Then, Ivy stood, and sang a very simple Wonderful World. Then, Hu broke out in skirls, and they danced to the Irish bodhran that David played. They laughed, singing the numerous verses, each dirtier than the last, of what exactly should be done with a drunken sailor. There was a lot of laughing, dancing, and drumming. Inola came up to drum. Everything from hard rock to Irish step dancing played a part in the festivities, and they played well into the night.

The families went home, and they ended up on the back patio. They sang Alo into his new life of freedom, the freedom to make his own choices, to live any way he saw fit. Henry told him to keep the needs of the tribe in his mind as he made his choices. Inola suggested he listen to his heart. David suggested he go out into the desert and listen to the wind. The Wolfpack, past and present, were happy to see one of theirs finish, from high school through college. Alo was only twenty years old. He had done it all in less than three years.

“What will you do now?” asked Ivy.

“Montana,” he said. “You guys here will take over for me while I’m there. The Crow need me; need help getting their hydroponics program up and running. I need to give back to the Wolfpack. We have a list so long that we can’t get to everybody the way it is now. We must expand if we want for everyone to be like me, high school through college. We can’t sit back and pretend we don’t have a responsibility toward them. I may move there; if so, April gets to take it over.” April nodded. “I’ll have them do it there, kind of a licensing thing, making horse and rabbit feed.”

“As long as it remains a Wolfpack business,” said April.

“It will,” said Alo. “It will. I want to help them. And, I’ll bring plenty of things to do over a long winter, like David’s beadwork, and carding for the rabbits, and carding, spinning, and weaving wool. I can set up as many cottage industries there, but I have to know what they are. I need to know every trail, every mountain, every river, the best places to fish, hike, and take pictures of the wildlife there.”

“We’ll visit,” said Leafort.

“Absolutely,” said Henry. “We all have a responsibility toward the Montana Wolfpack.

“Alright,” said Ivy. “What can we do to give Alo an easy passage?”

April laughed. “He can fill up his own damn saddlebags.” Everyone laughed. “When are you leaving?” asked April. “Since I’m taking over that segment of the business and all.”

“Tomorrow, at dawn,” said Alo. Everyone seemed startled, and stared at him.

“The young man does take responsibility seriously,” said Henry.

Ruby sighed. She got up, and gave him the wolf emblem from around her neck. “I love you,” she said. “Stay warm in winter, find the right paths to walk, and stay true to who you are.”

Alo blinked, then hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you,” he said.

April gave him one of her silver feather earrings. “Take care of yourself,” she said. He grinned through the tears in his eyes.

Nantan gave Alo a silver bracelet, woven with blue and silver beads, from Triesta’s hand. He slid it on Alo, and kissed both his cheeks. “Walk well,” he said.

David gave the young man a tiny drum. “Remember your rhythms, and the rhythms of the sun and moon, summer and winter. Never forget your beats.” Alo slid it into a pocket.

Henry stood. “I give you my family,” he said. “This is your family, every step you take. You have a home here, and you can come back any time you want. The Crow are a hard people, but they walk a true path. They will be as true a people as you have ever seen. We will see you off to your new life, and you will walk your steps in a cold land with a warm heart. Your work will be hard, but your eyes will be filled with beauty. Do not become so overwhelmed at your tasks that you forget to see it.” Alo wept then, and they all embraced him.

The entire household was there just before dawn, when Inola sang the dawn. David danced a morning dance with Alo. Vi gave him a breakfast sandwich, a thermos of coffee, and a kiss. They embraced him, one by one, and Alo got on his bike, and rode out into the sunrise.

Mike met Shiva at Dirty Rock. They drank red beer, something the tourists apparently liked, and watched the dancers gyrate, and the Gearheads argue over how the new Harleys were put together. Bonnie had to go over to their table to tell them what was what, as she’d rebuilt each type herself, had her hands in Harley guts, saving them for more rides.

Drinks were literally everywhere except the dance floor, served by bartenders, bar backs, cocktail servers, and one’s buddies after bellying up to the bar. The band wailed Tube Snake Boogie. People in jeans and leathers with wallets chained to their belt loops danced to the ZZ Top song. Ivy was everywhere, from dropping off money in the safe, to serving drinks, to dancing with the dancers, to wailing a number onstage. The Iron Knights danced with the Valkyries they’d managed to impress.

Mike was confused; he’d never had to impress Shiva. He just worshipped her, and was real with her. She seemed to like that. He did increase his horseback riding with Nantan and the tiny Damia, and began training with Skuld. He quickly determined that Skuld was trying to kill him. To be fair, she was also trying to kill all the FBI, ATF, and DEA agents, cops, and High Desert people in her classes, too. So, he was sore, and he needed his Killian’s Red lager to take it away.

Shiva was all dark, with snapping eyes and blue-black hair in Valkyrie braids and a steely competence that was terrifying. She carried a knife in one boot and a .22 in the other. She didn’t have her full battle rattle on, only a bulletproof vest that looked like leather, a knife in a side pouch, and something lethal in her hair. He didn’t know if it was a garrote or a knife, only that there was a certain spot in her hair he wasn’t allowed to touch, for fear of losing fingers. It made losing total control during lovemaking a bit dicey.

She was the one that specified the Killian’s, so he drank the surprisingly-good red beer, and watched the room. He was deeply glad, a moment later that he had. A tourist, known by his baggy black cargo shorts and loud shirt in an abominable yellow, had been drinking the drink tubes in wild colors, and gyrating on the dance floor. He was tall and a bit hefty, with the beginnings of a beer belly, with too much brown hair everywhere. He’d made the rather stupid mistake of thinking that he was ten feet tall and bulletproof, something normal to drinking. He crossed the line into suicide when he thought the dancers on the plinths and the Valkyries in the crowd wanted to dance with him, kiss him, and have sex with him on the dance floor.

Drinking Guy grabbed a dancer’s foot. Mike was up and running before she could fall, leaping past a little two-top. He held up his hands, and she grabbed the top of his hand as she pivoted and slipped out of her dancing boot. Thwarted, he threw the boot over his shoulder, which hit an Iron Knight’s shoulder. The drunken tourist then reached for a Valkyrie dancing around the corner of the plinth, and touched her shoulder. Shiva came flying past Mike and had the tourist up against the plinth, a knife at his eye. The Iron Knight threw the boot back up to the dancer. The dancer caught it, and slipped it back on.

The band kept playing as the guy still didn’t get how much trouble he was in. He reached out toward the woman he hadn’t been able to grab. Mike blanched as he realized it was Alvitr, a young Valkyrie, Skuld and Rota’s daughter, who fixed Harleys in Pahrump. She often came down to spend time with her moms. Alvitr grabbed the offending hand and twisted the arm, while the Iron Knight who’d been hit by the boot stepped forward.

Mike held up his hands, and the dancer walked onto his shoulders. He walked her to the other plinth, and she began dancing with the other dancer, making the crowd roar. He kept his eyes on the action.

Alvitr got the guy onto the ground as Shiva stepped back, knife in hand. The Iron Knight got handcuffs on him, and they all picked him up. The man’s face was bright red, his mouth in an O. Mike followed them out, the crowd parting for the shocked drunk, an Iron Knight, two angry Valkyries, the bar’s bouncer Bear, and Mike. Ivy personally held open the back door.

“Shall I call someone, Bear?” she asked.

“Naw,” said Bear, a man the size of a tree with a shaved head and a bushy black beard. “He’s going to regret this, but charges won’t help him.” They walked out.

“Mine,” said Shiva, as Bear got the cuffed man against the wall just outside the bar’s back door.

“You can’t…” stammered the man.

“You grabbed a dancer on a plinth while she was dancing. A fall could have injured her to the point where she couldn’t have danced again, or even killed her. Do you get that?” asked Shiva, in her most dangerous voice, her dark eyes flashing with rage. “Her name is Sheila, by the way, and she’s a college student. Last year of school. You gonna pay all her medical costs and for her schooling?”

“I…” said the swaying, stammering drunk.

“Then you tried to grab a woman, twice, dancing on the floor. If you had succeeded, this woman, Alvitr, would have removed your face. Then her moms would have removed all your functional body parts, one at a time.”

Shiva stepped back, and Alvitr stepped up to him. She slapped him, once, a sharp crack across his face. He staggered, then glared at her. “Hey!” he said. “Wasn’t gonna hit ya. Just dance.”

“Dance. That wasn’t a request; actually that was grabbing someone else’s body. When they made you stupid, they did an excellent job,” said Alvitr. She stepped to the side then grabbed his arm from behind.

“Ow!” he said.

“That was how you were trying to grab me. Feel good to you?” asked Alvitr.

“No,” he said. “Fuck!”

“Get the hell out of here, before Alvitr’s mothers show up,” said Shiva. “My knife will seem gentle to you.” She held the razor-sharp knife up to his cheek. “Will you leave now?”

He tried to nod, but thought better of it. “You’re beating me up!” he said.

Alvitr and Shiva both laughed. The sound was terrifying in the hot night. “No, we tried to explain to you what you did wrong,” said Shiva. “Stupid shouldn’t stand. We have every single thing you did on camera. Would you prefer we called the police?”

It finally dawned on him that he’d done something bad, even illegal. “No,” he said. He looked down at the knife against his cheek. “Lemme go.”

“You bring a car or bike?” asked Bear.

“Naw,” he said. “Lost my friends. Got separated. Wanted to see a biker bar.”

Bear, their huge bouncer, said, “Now you did, and found out you are a dick. Now, the Strip is that way.” The Iron Knight took back his handcuffs, then Bear frogmarched the man off the Dirty Rock property. “Walk. And never return.”

The man weaved down the street, and threw up about halfway down. Bear sighed. “I’m gonna have to make sure he gets back to the Strip alive,” he said.

“I’ll do it,” said Alvitr. She slipped off into the dark. “Nasty guy,” she said, in a menacing voice. She spoke when she got to him. “I’ve got my knives. I can flay your skin. Walk now.” He stood, wiped his mouth, and staggered forward. “Keep going now,” said Alvitr. He staggered forward a little faster.

“We’d better go in before one of the mamas shows up,” said Bear. “If they catch him, he’ll be missing body parts for sure.”

Shiva grinned. “She’s trained by our fiercest fighters. Skuld and Rota know she can take him apart herself.”

“Should we follow her?” asked Bear. “Wait, dumb question. Will she take him apart?”

“No,” said Shiva. “No sport.”

Mike quailed inside at that one. Bear nodded, shrugged, and opened the door. Inside, the music was like a wall of sound. Ivy nodded at them, hopped up onstage as the last strains of Dream On faded, and the male singer sang the opening line of the B-52 hit, Love Shack. Almost everyone got up to dance. Shiva grabbed Mike’s arm and dragged him onto the dance floor. They moved, and whirled. She had him moving in ways he hadn’t tried yet. She grabbed his belt loops, and drew him to her. She gyrated against him, making him hard in an instant. She pulled him down for a kiss, and ground herself against him. He groaned. Shiva stepped into him, and made him move on one side, then the other. Soon he was moving to her beat, willing to do anything for her. She slid her hands on his hips, and he moved his hips to her beat.

She pulled him down for another kiss. His mouth steamed with her breath. He felt a rushing in his head. His ears heard Ivy switch to Def Leppard’s Pour Some Sugar on Me. He slipped into the new beat with Shiva, stepped with her, swayed with her.

Somehow they lasted long enough for sweat to pool at his back, his knees jelly. She led him to the bar, and they drank spiced apple juice, the “fake beer” Ace gave to those who needed to stay sober for the ride home. They finished their juice, and danced to Mony Mony and What I Like About You, and one of the Valkyries did the amazing piano while Ivy sang Old Time Rock and Roll, with just enough Bob Seger growl in her voice. The band then went into Sharp Dressed Man.

Mike could barely stand. She led him out the door, a hot wind pounding over them. She kissed him there, in the parking lot. She led him to their bikes. They kissed again, and she got on. She led the way to her place, the mattress on the floor now on a low bed, complete with a padded back and a little nightstand built into both sides. She had her vest off and hung up, and his jacket hung off the back of the door on a hook, with his shirt off before he realized it.

She slid her fingers over his chest, his hardened stomach. She gently stroked him then gave him a scorcher of a kiss. He slid his fingers through the non-lethal side of her hair; the other hand stroked her cheek. She moved against him, and he felt something clench deep inside, while something else, maybe in his heart, maybe in his soul, released. She took off her bustier, her breasts flowed into his hands, and he kissed the first one, then the other. She undid his pants, and his jeans pooled around his feet. She carefully moved him back, and he relaxed down onto the bed. She removed his blade leg, leaving the sock. She lay him down, and kissed all the way from his ears to his mouth, to his throat. He caressed her spine from her head to the small of her back, felt her clench under his fingers, and release.

She kissed him way farther down. She stroked him, balls in one hand, fingers going from base to tip, and then back down. She reached out, opened a drawer in a nightstand, and pulled out a box of condoms. She opened it with her teeth, and they spilled out on the bed. She tore one open, rolled it on, and slid onto him. He moaned, clenched, and found himself moving to her beat again. She kept it slow, driving him insane, moving his hips to let her thrust deeper and deeper into him.

They got deep, went deeper, and finally he couldn’t hold back. He shouted as he came, and she clenched, and came, screaming, against his chest. She came again, and he felt her shudder on his chest.

She rolled over, gasping, and reached back in the miracle drawer. She pulled out wet wipes, and cleaned them both up. She threw the detritus into a tiny garbage can. They lay there, gasping.

“I can’t move,” said Mike.

She laughed, still gasping. “We don’t have to.”

He laughed, making her hair jump in his hands. She laid her non-lethal side of her head on him, and listened to his heart race. She stroked his side, making him lean into her.

“You are getting strong,” she said. “Good.”

“I want to be strong enough,” he said. “I kinda broke there, for a while.”

She looked up at him, stroked his face. “You lost part of your leg. Lost people you knew and loved. Had to recover physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You needed time to recover from battle.”

“Have you battled and lost?” he asked her.

“I lost my soul when my brother died,” said Shiva. “Some little gangbanger with a knife killed a doctor. A doctor! He was in his third year of med school. Some gangbanger was shot; he was in the emergency room. Some guy followed him in and knifed my brother, and went after the guy on the table. My brother was right there in the hospital, but they lost him on a table.”

“That’s horrible,” said Mike. “I’m so sorry.”

“You left your leg and your blood there. Do you want to go back?” asked Shiva.

“No, the fight is here,” said Mike. “I grow food for people to eat. I see young ones come in, all beat down, with nothing. I mean nothing. Their duffel bags are empty, if they have them. Then, they get clothes and that good food into them, and Inola and David sing over them, and they get strong, they get healthy. They use their minds, are pushed to excel, and they get the horses and sunlight, too. Something in them grows, pushes to the surface, like flowers out of seeds. They bloom in the sun, and go out again into the world to help other people do it, too.”

“That’s one hell of a fight,” said Shiva.

“What’s your fight?” asked Mike, stroking her shoulder.

“I fight for all the girls like me. My mother went into a shell of pills when Rajah died. My father always saw me as less than, not good enough, and my mother followed his every word, his every glance. She’s terrified somewhere deep inside, and won’t find her own strength.”

“Fallout from death is usually worse than death itself,” said Mike. “We fall, and everyone else falls like dominoes.”

“We’re gonna leave people behind,” said Shiva. “The question is, though, do we leave them better then when we found them? Stronger? Feeling more loved? Feeling more able to reach their goals?”

“Feeling more,” said Mike, stroking her hair more. “I can’t understand how you do it, but the parts I thought were dead move now. You woke me up.” He kissed her forehead. She moved up, kissed him more deeply.

“I had people. Iron Knights fought for me. One almost had me, but he got drunk one too many times.” She smiled sadly. “He took a swing at me.”

Mike grimaced. “You take him out?”

“No, I walked out,” she said. “And told his commanding officer. He won’t be doing it anymore, not to anyone. He’s off the force, drank on duty. Last I heard, he moved to Baja and is drinking tequila sunrises all day and night long.”

“That’s sad,” said Mike.

“My Valkyrie sisters kept me going and made me strong, smart, making better choices. I knew, the first time I saw you, that you were strong enough, and that you were working hard, that you would never hurt me.”

He said, deep in his soul, “Never. Never.” He stroked her face, her neck, kissed her. “I would cut my other leg off first, and with a rusty knife. I would deserve anything you or your sisters did to me in retaliation.” He took a deep breath. “Never,” he said again.

“I will,” said Shiva. “Hurt you. I’m not a tippy-toes person around a human heart. But I will do my best not to make you bleed, and I will lick the blood from my blade and try to repair the damage if I do.”

“I know,” said Mike. “I didn’t get into this expecting a fluffy bunny. You wield a sword.”

She laughed against his skin, kissed his chest. “I do.” She reached lower, grinned at him, her eyes laughing. “And, so do you.”

With only a few strokes, he was ready to go again. She made him gasp; scream out, as she used her fingers and teeth on him. She grabbed a condom off the spill of them on the bed, ripped it open with her teeth, rolled it on him, and slid onto him again. She made him come explosively, and this time, after she wiped them down, they slipped into sleep, his arm around her, even when she tried to get up in the night to get water.

She kissed him, slipped out of his embrace, came back with cherry water she poured down his chest and licked off. He groaned, stole the bottle from her, and drank it down. She laughed, licked him some more, and they slid into sleep, his arms around her.

Wolf Howl

Alo rode into the sunrise, which took him all the way across Utah. Just before Wyoming, he stopped off at the Uintah and Ouray reservation to pick up a boy who was named Leo Running Deer. He found the boy in Myton, long black hair to his jean-covered ass, a flat face, flashing eyes. He put the boy on his bike, and rode back on the 40 toward the 80. They stopped off in a coffee shop, and he fed the boy. Leo ate his burger and fries like a wolf.

“You bunk with me,” he told the boy. “We’re going to get Montana so crowded that we have to build more housing,” he said. “Good experience, building houses. Joran Little Bear does the housing up there, shipped him down to Tito so he can see how we add on to our properties, how to install the sleeping pods.”

“I’ll learn anything you teach me,” said Leo. “I know that I want to learn new skills, and I won’t know what I like until I’ve tried it. You gonna finish those fries?” he asked.

Alo laughed. “Let’s just order you more fries,” he said. He waved over the server. “Give the boy more fries, and two chocolate shakes. This Coke isn’t cutting it.” The red-haired server grinned, wrote on her pad, and swirled away.

“Jessica Alvarez,” said Leo, about the black-haired woman running around with an order pad and a coffee pot. “She’s married to Jose, down the road. Fixes cars. Only damn jobs in the county, practically,” said Leo. “I want more.”

“The first things we need to get you are riding boots and leathers,” said Alo. “Sketchers and a thin tee don’t keep you safe on the road.”

They stopped off at a vintage shop in Provo, backtracking a bit. They got Leo good leather boots and a battered leather jacket in black. They got back on the road, and headed up on the 40 toward Montana. It was way past dark, and they stopped for the night in Orem. They rose at dawn, found a coffee shop, and they both ate farmer’s breakfasts of eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausage, biscuits with honey, and orange juice. They rode out, and passed through gorgeous country, Leo holding on in back, exulting in the wind.

They wore his real leathers there, as, even in high summer, the wind coming off the mountains was amazing. They flowed on down, then up and up, and up. Alo’s jaw dropped. He loved mountains, and these were beyond majestic. They saw mule deer, elk, sheep, cattle, and dozens of squirrels running through the trees.

They stopped for lunch, and ate bacon cheddar sandwiches with fries and Cokes out on a picnic table in the middle of the woods, bursting with birdsong.

“Creator lives here,” observed Leo.

“Absolutely,” said Alo. “Now you see why I want to take you here.”

“I will go wherever you do,” said Leo. “This is amazing.”

They rode out, smelling the pines. They rode up, then down, then up again. They stopped to stretch their legs, and just walk around, from time to time. They stopped just past Caspar, Wyoming for the night. They got up very early, and Alo sang in the dawn as Inola had taught him to do. They drank strong black coffee and ate a farm breakfast at the lodge’s coffee shop. They rode out as the light kissed the trees, and flowed forward. They turned off the 90 at Lodge Grass, and they met the Crow elders for a huge dinner of steak, potatoes, a salad of local greens, and Cokes.

“So this is one,” said Joran Little Bear.

“It is,” said Alo. “It can’t be all Crow. This program helps everyone. We are many Nations, but one People.”

“We can be,” said Joran Little Bear. “Oftentimes, we forget to think of ourselves that way. We have so little sometimes, we forget the bounty of the Creator.”

“I agree,” said Alo. “My grandfathers have trained me well, and sent me to help.”

Joran grinned; his wide square face had been deeply browned by the sun, his eyes crinkled with laugh lines. “I have heard the truth spoken to me by your grandfathers. You chose this yourself, without their input. They were deeply pleased.”

Alo’s eyes filled. “They honor me,” he said.

“Well, then,” said Joran. “Let’s talk animal feed.”

“I only make food for herbivores,” said Alo. He smiled. “Let’s talk beets.”

Joran grinned. “My second brother grows beets,” he said. “You will need him.”

“I will,” said Alo. He looked over at Leo. “We will.”

“So, we need to grow beets,” said Leo.

“In the winter, yes,” said Alo. “The rest of the time, no. And wheat, there’s plenty here. Amaranth, quinoa, things like that. Sugar beets make profit here. Lots of it. Good crop rotation.”

“You know your crops,” said Joran.

Alo grinned. “I should. Got a degree.”

“Your hydroponics going to eat into our profits?” asked Marty Ranier, the Crow farmer.

“You grow sugar beets in winter?” asked Alo. “Or lettuce, amaranth, quinoa, carrots, potatoes, corn, alfalfa, spinach?”

“Nope,” said Marty.

“We do a horse rescue,” said Alo. “Got an opportunity for that here?”

“Be stupid to mistreat a horse,” said Joran, his eyes narrowing into slits. “We have working horses here, on farms. Abandoned ones get adopted real-quick around here. We find out who did it, they get a bit more than a talking to.”

“So, not the plan,” said Alo. “So, no, not here to take profits from the local co-ops. Grow fresh during the winter, keep the local stores and restaurants supplied, and keep from the cost of having to ship greens and veggies up here. Keep everyone healthy in winter, from horses to people.”

“Sounds good,” said Marty, relieved.

“So, we set up hydroponics, and grow stuff small now, and ramp up when the snows fall,” said Alo. “In summer, we’ll figure out crops we can grow that don’t eat into your profits.”

“If it ain’t sugar beets, wheat, or soybeans, grow what you want,” said Marty.

“Sheep, goats, alpaca, angora rabbits,” said Alo. “Goats for the milk, sheep, alpaca, and angora for the wool. Big, fat, happy animals. A few at a time, then get some small herds. Show you how to make goat cheese. First few makings are garbage, but they have four varieties with the Goat Girls on the Paiute res. Sell to local chefs.”

“I’ll build what you want,” said Joran. “Pens, rabbit condos.” He laughed. “Probably won’t be as nice as the condo on Henry’s land.”

“Campground,” said Alo. “Off the res. Solar hookups, sewage and water will be a problem. But, thousands of people will come up for sugar beet season, wheat, that kind of thing. Many of them have campers, and their employers pay the hookup fees.”

Joran nodded his head. “They need everything —food, drinks, groceries, gasoline, tires, mechanical work on their RVs if they break down. Tap into some of those profits, be good for the res.”

“Good,” said Alo. “Now, we gotta get the hydroponics running, build the pens and the rabbit condo, acquire the animals, and get the training in. Brought tablets in my saddlebags with the educational software on it, and we’re gonna get them trained up with GEDs. Winter is a great time to study deep, make things for locals, like saddles, reins, blankets from the wool from looms, all stuff like that. Summer we can do trail rides, hiking, canoeing, fishing, and photography guides.”

“No hunting?” asked Marty.

“No,” said Alo. “City people coming down in orange vests, shooting anything that moves, including people and livestock. Be stupid, get us killed.”

“True,” said Joran.

“What about grazing rights?” asked Marty.

“Be a good way to make money during the summer months,” said Joran.

“I’ll talk to Fala Red Fox,” said Alo. “Don’t see why not. Hope to make enough, make us all do well.”

“How well are you doing, young man?” asked Marty. Joran bristled at the younger man’s rudeness, but Alo nodded.

“I have investments that pay. My feed business is now Wolfpack business. I also did some coding, so I have a cut of our apps and games. I paid for my university out of our funds, and have paid it all back as of last Thursday, so the next Wolfpack can go to the university, too.” Alo grinned. “I’m no drag on the farm, or the res.”

Joran nodded. “So, tell us what you’re doing.”

Alo pulled a 3D printed hydroponics model out of his shoulder bag. “Better still, let me show you.”

They got to the farm in the deep dark. Alo and Leo grinned, got off the bikes, took off their helmets, and listened to the owls. They brought in the saddlebags. Fala Red Fox was on the porch. She handed them mugs of coffee. They sat, drank. Across the way, there were scraps of music.

“Good you came,” said Fala Red Fox. “Gerald’s gettin’ old, now he’s slow to move. Havin’ those ones there, it helps. Get all the farm work done. Your pods were delivered, and all the bedding and such. They put them in the barn over the horses. Rooms are small, but strong. Share one shower and toilet, end of the hall.” She pointed to the big red barn. “Once my husband passes, and he will, pretty soon-like, you can move down the hall from me, give your pod to the next one. Got us a Crow girl next on the list, she’s pregnant, father’s gone someplace else. Be good to get us some little ones around here.”

“I am sorry about your husband,” said Alo.

“He’s dying on the land he loves. Be a good death. One breath here, the other gone. Says he doesn’t want to be an experiment for the doctors no more.” She sighed. “Cancer. Spread all over.”

“You tell us what you need done, we do it,” said Alo. “We’re here to make things easier for you, not harder.” He looked off into the soft night. “I saw the land you have. You think ‘bout grazing rights?”

“Thought about it. Be a good thing to do in the late summer, after my man is gone. He didn’t want it done, but it makes sense, but only for a little out of the year.”

“Good,” said Alo. “More income for you. We can ride out, check on it. Be sure the ranchers are sticking to agreements.”

“Old Will in the up-country part, be good. Probably pay the young ones here to help him around his place, too. None of his people stayed. All his sons and daughters done moved away.” She grinned. “Doesn’t help that he’s Crow, either. Bit hard-headed.”

“Just a bit,” said Alo, and smiled. “This here is Leo. Be a real good worker. Eats like a horse, though. Might want to get us a local cook, unless one of these here is trained.”

“Diana Red Bull would do well,” said Fala. “If you do the courses you got for her, too, she’ll do it for room and board. No money outta my pocket.”

“Good,” said Alo. He stood. “Thank you for the coffee, ma’am. We’ll go meet the others, then get our beds ready for the night.” They stepped off the porch into the inky darkness.

“You grow us some food, get us going,” said Fala. “Get your animals, your things all set up. This way, we keep the farm running for the future. You planning on buying the farm from me when I die?”

“Or when you’re living, we might buy it from you, set you up as queen of all you survey, profit-sharing and all,” Alo said. “But, knowing you, you’ll have your hands in dirt or on a horse’s nose until you die.”

Fala nodded. “You keep things for me, help me die on horseback on my own damn land, then you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Alo stepped back to her, and they shook. Then, Alo took Leo to the barn for the night. Leo took the green pod room, and Alo the silver pod room. Alo showed Leo how to use his pod, turn the light on and off. They took turns showering, and then they found their pods and went to sleep.

Alo was up before dawn. He went down to the barn entrance and sang in the dawn. Leo came down, and they fed and watered the horses, then collected eggs from the chickens. Alo went in to wake up the rest of the new Montana Wolfpack, Tia Medicine Horse, with a shock of black hair and a smooth face; Delfine Creek, a beauty with one hell of an attitude; Alina Grey Bull, a girl with strong fingers and a wide nose; Paul Blackbird, a very short young man with long black hair in a braid running down his back; Omar Tonolo with wide fingers, a wide face, and a ready smile; Jon Dorin, angry at being away from family, but ready to get his GED and “blow this joint.” He was all Crow. They were on the list closest to the top, and were ready to work. They went in, and he had them set the table, scramble eggs, make biscuits with his cheesy herb recipe he learned from Vi, and fry up sausage and bacon. He had them rotate so everyone learned a task. He pulled out a pitcher of orange juice, and sent up trays for Fala and her ill husband.

He read their chore list, and made some adjustments, then added himself and Leo. He included everyone in learning to cook basic farm food, and how to make coffee and lemonade.

“Why we gotta cook, man?” asked Jon.

“We gotta eat, and it’s too much for one person to do,” said Alo. “Plus, we’re gonna have a campground, and a food truck.”

“A food truck?” asked Paul.

“Or a snack bar,” said Alo. “Have to figure out which one is cheaper. But, a food truck can move. Some of you may want this as a living after. Can make good money at it if you know what you’re doing.”

“For what? Who wants a food truck around here?” asked Alina.

“Campground,” said Alo. “The other end of the property, so their foolishness doesn’t bother us. We got the hikers, the birdwatchers, the leaf peepers…”

“Leaf peepers?” asked Jon.

“Fall colors,” said Delfine. “Run around taking pictures.”

“Photographers,” said Alo. “Pay good money to get good pictures. We got two state parks and a national forest on the borders of this land. They will pay. It will be spring, fall, and summer work. Winter, no one that stupid, we hope.”

“We get this money?” asked Omar. “Or is it all for you?”

“It goes into a fund,” said Alo. “You’re Wolfpack now. Twenty percent goes to college funds, certificates, journeyman, whatever floats your little boats after you get your GEDs. Fala gets room and board. We improved her property, and will continue to do so, but food and electricity costs money. Then, profits. Some get invested into new business, like livestock.”

“Livestock?” asked Tia.

“Alpacas and possibly sheep, definitely angora rabbits, for wool. We shear the sheep and brush the alpacas and rabbits. They like it, we get the wool to wash and card and spin it into yarn, which makes sweaters and scarves and such.” He looked over at Jon. “Don’t give me the snooty eye, Jon.” Everyone laughed. “One sweater can go for hundreds of dollars.” He felt their focus settle on him like a weight as they began to talk money. “Profits,” he said. “Goats for cheese. The first few batches are gonna be terrible, but those fine restaurants down the mountain love that stuff. We grow as much of our own food as we can, and things you can’t grow in the ground in winter.”

“Which is everything,” said Alina.

“Specifically, greens, carrots, veggies like that,” said Alo. “Sell fantastically well in winter. Cheaper for the locals, not having to truck stuff in, we make a profit.”

“Boom,” said Omar.

“Boom,” agreed Alo. “And hikers need guides, and so do the photographers. Canoers. No white-water rafting, leave that to the crazy people.” Everyone laughed. “So, we learn things, we make money, you get to go to the school of your choice, up to a certain amount. Most of us got at least partial scholarships. You want Harvard; you gotta get lots of those.” Everyone laughed.

“Today?” asked Omar.

“Today, we put together the new hydroponic beds which are coming in today by truck. We scout three spots for the campground so we’ve got a choice, and ask Tito in Vegas if he knows a campground-making expert to help us do things so that they’re up to code, file the permits or whatever. We start finding and marking trails, and writing them down for people who want to hike on their own. And, we’ve got chickens to feed, and horses to put out to pasture, and we’ve got to get everything here in top shape before the campground thing starts.” Alo grinned. “Any questions?” They all groaned. “Lots of work now, less work in winter,” he said. “Where are your work gloves?” he asked.

Only Omar and Jon had them. Alo sighed. The others smiled at his ingenuity and motivation. He was smart, kind, and very caring in his nature. And all of that spoke volumes.

“First the animals, then we do a punch list, including getting everyone good gloves. You guys have cowboy or work boots?” They all shrugged. He saw Sketchers and other tennis shoes on their feet. “Okay, looks like we’re heading to town to get that, too. How many changes of clothes do you guys have?” Blank stares ensued. He sighed. “Now you see why we work so hard. All of this costs money.” He stood. “Omar and Jon, go feed the chickens, two scoops each, throw it on the ground and don’t get pecked. Paul and Alina, rinse the plates and fill up the dishwasher. Delfine, clean the tables and the counters, and make new orange juice from concentrate. Paul, you’re with me. We have horses to get out. Then, we all take turns mucking out the stables, then we wash up, have a snack, and head out shopping.” He looked out at the dilapidated farm truck. “We need sizes, Delfine, get those. Measuring tape should be in the toolbox.” He pointed at the toolbox near the front door. “Let’s do this.”

By ten they were all hot and grumbling. He helped Delfine measure the Wolfpack, and brought Paul and Delfine with them in the ancient red truck. They bounced and jounced over every pothole.

“Gonna need a new truck,” said Alo. “Double cab. Possibly a dually. That means double tires, but that pumps up the cost real fast. Four wheel drive preferred.” He stopped the truck right before pulling onto the state road and unlocked his cell phone. “We’ve got service for only a few minutes. Once we’re out of range of Fala’s satellite, we’re in trouble,” he said, handing it to Delfine.

She typed fast, and came up with a website. “New or salvage?”

“Can do either. I learned trucks from Stone. He’s got a shop. Depends on what parts are running. Can get a dually cheap if it isn’t a cracked engine block or a broken axle.” He grinned. “Call the guy and put it on speaker.”

Lydia and Rennie’s Truck Salvage had a nonworking dually with four doors. He’d have to leave a pack member behind on trips, but it would work. It was the ugliest brown ever, and the engine was fine, but most of everything else needed to be tuned up or replaced. Lydia was a sprite in blue coveralls, with a mop of crinkled dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a pug nose.

She grinned. “Got all the parts here, ‘cept one. Can even put it together for ya. Still mighty cheaper than buyin’ new. Reynaldo down the road will give you all brand-new tires, come here an’ replace ‘em for you.”

Alo said, “I ain’t no city slicker. Fair price, fair cash.”

“Cash?” asked Lydia. “Why didn’t you say so?” She knocked ten percent off the price as they haggled, then she called Reynaldo and got his price, which was fair.

Alo went to the bank next, and got a transfer from the Wolfpack account to this one, and moved his own money over into a separate account. Alo wired the money to Lydia and Reynaldo, and then went to the garage to give the old truck new filters, oil, and whatever else it needed.

They walked to the used clothing store for good serviceable jeans and T-shirts for the seven, and some for himself, too. He bought boots for every one of them according to Delfine’s directions, mostly cowboy boots, but Paul wanted steel-toed work boots, and so did Alo. He then went to the feed and tack store and got gloves for everyone, including himself, and bought seeds, feed, and tack cleaner, oil, and protectant, and a mess of clean rags. They picked up the truck, and drove it back to pick up their purchases. They picked up bulk groceries —flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, pancake and biscuit mix, canola oil, bacon, sausage, hamburger, chicken, tomato sauce, eggs, bread, cheese, milk, and frozen orange juice. He got a good price on frozen elk. He stopped at a roadside stand for fresh produce —corn, tomatoes, lettuce, fruit.

On the way back, they picked up enough tacos and drinks for twelve on the state highway. They made it back, unloaded the cab, reheated everything, and ate. Alo brought the food and drinks up to Fala and her husband, who were both dozing in the sunlight. Then, Alo took out his hydroponics model from his saddlebag, and showed them exactly what they were putting together and how it all worked. He taught his course in thirty-minute increments, with thirty minutes for cleanup in the farmhouse, making it sparkle. They also laundered all their new clothes, except the gloves and boots.

Then, they rotated cleaning out the barn, making it ready for the hydroponics. The dually truck was delivered, then the truck arrived with the hydroponics parts, and Alo stood back and let them figure out how to match up the parts with the model. He helped them install everything. He passed out tools, drilled holes, and showed them how to make everything plumb with a level. They hooked up the pipes, seeded the cotton batting-like substance with the seeds, and rolled it out. Soon, the sprinklers were ready with the nutrient mix, and the LED lights were hooked up, according to the chart of which plant liked which light color —red, green, blue, yellow, and white. They turned the system on. All the lights and sprinklers worked, and everyone high-fived one another. They then did the evening chores. The chickens were fed and their coop checked for any damage, the horses curried and hooves checked well, and then brought in for food. Alo showed them what and how to feed them, in the right amounts, and then it was time for dinner.

They were exhausted but exuberant when they traipsed in for dinner. Alo showed them how to make sloppy joes with a salad, and they ate like wolves. Delfine brought up the tray for Fala and her husband. The Pack cleaned up. He allowed them time to watch television and movies, and herded them all to bed. He fell asleep amid the stamping and snorting of horses in the barn under his pod. He was in an old farm hand’s room, over the barn’s tack room, reachable by stairs. He grinned, and slept.

In the morning, the unlikely-named Bark Fenriss and his wife (Willow) arrived, ready to help them find the correct meadow. Bark was tall, with coppery skin, black hair, and fierce dark eyes. Willow had long blonde hair, piercing green eyes, and a sweet smile. Alo left most of the Wolfpack to their chores, and took Leo and Alina with him. They showed Bark the first meadow. He frowned, and Willow’s eyes dimmed. They showed him the second meadow, one wider and closer to the road, and he walked it, muttering, while Willow smiled softly.

He stood, and pointed. “Latrines, there. Campers, all along here.” He counted them out.

“And the food truck or stand?” asked Leo.

“There,” said Bark, not missing a beat, pointing. “Water tank there.”

“Solar and wind power,” said Alo.

Bark nodded. “Too far up for geothermal. And, you’ll have to have a backup generator. You could do water, but you’d run into permit issues.”

“Okay,” said Alo.

“Let’s map this, and get started on the permits. Willow, you and Leo here map the ground. We’ll mark off the spaces.”

Willow and Leo got out Willow’s machine to see under the land, looking for hidden aquifers and the like. Bark, Alo, and Alina then mapped everything out with chalk line, and Bark took pictures of everything.

“Could be up to three years to get a permit,” said Bark, “But you’re up against Crow land. May be able to get a special exemption. I would suggest tent platforms and tiny houses. Different permits for those. People without an RV can stay there and, believe it or not, if you have double lofts, you can sleep four or even six if you have banquet seating. Cost you time and money to build, but you can put solar on them, and wind, and they’ll be thousands in the fall.”

“We’ll ask Tito,” said Alo.

“I’ll ask him now,” said Bark. He whipped out a very tough-looking black phone. “Satphone. I get all the good toys.” He called, and talked for a long while.

Bark handed the phone to Alo. Tito came on the line. “We know a tiny home specialist, and you can do a lot of the labor yourself. You are close enough to have a graded road to the meadow, according to Bark, that won’t cost you too much. You can pour pads, or have houses with wheels. Tiny houses are big business, and you can make a mint if your people learn that as a profession.”

“Sounds real good, but expensive,” said Alo.

“It is, but I can get you a good deal. Lily said you would call, and says she can get you started on two tiny houses, a pour, septic tank, two showers, four toilets in a campground style, the platforms for the tents, and a food truck. She says she has a line on one, real cheap. People there will work sunup to well into the night with a generator. You can get it all knocked out once you get the permit within a week or so; already talked to the tribal council. I suggest pouring for everything at once; concrete pours aren’t cheap.”

“Let’s do it,” said Alo.

They were able to get the permit, partly because it jutted into Crow land, partly because it would create jobs, and partly because of the upcoming sugar beet season. Thousands of people would come from all over the country looking for work, and they would all need housing. Two of the Crow people on the res, Raina Watson and Quinn Trajo, had built tiny houses before. They graded and poured for six RVs and six tiny houses, the latrine, the food truck pad, and an outbuilding to store food and supplies that wouldn’t be raided by bears. They sprayed bear repellent, and went to work.

The Wolfpack rotated jobs on the farm, cooking, construction, and studied during breaks and at night for their GEDs, from dawn to well into the night, for two weeks straight. Both the windmill and the solar panels arrived. An electrician put in the hookups, the generator arrived and was housed, the sewage was dug and run out to the county line, the road was graded and poured, the water was hooked up and rainwater tank installed, the showers and toilets went in, and the tiny houses were built on wheels from the ground up. In less than three weeks total, the entire campground was ready to go.

Killas

Lily met Wraith at the bottom of the pebbled stairs at the Ghosties’ apartment house. “I hate these,” said Lily, gesturing toward the stairs. “Dangerous. One stumble, you hit stones with concrete. Break bones.”

Wraith smiled just a little. “These girls didn’t grow up covered with cotton batting.” She grimaced. “More like steel wool.” They made it up the stairs. Lily knocked.

Lily heard jumping. “It’s our white folks,” said Rudy. Lily and Wraith held back laughter. Rudy unlocked and opened the door. “Lily.” Lily bumped fists with the five-year-old with the huge smile. “Wraith!” He attacked her, all hands and fists.

Wraith blocked, and pressed him inside so she could shut the door. Lily stepped inside, and let her eyes adjust to the apartment’s florescent lights after the blinding light from outside. D’Shawn came running out, planted his feet, and launched a much more coordinated attack.

“They always do that?” asked the girl at a table. She had one of the learning tablet computers in her hand.

“Wraith’s a Valkyrie. To them, fighting is how they say hello.” Lily sat down at the clean table, pads for the boys and Rudy’s booster on the chair in front of his pad. Lily approved of the sealed cups of juice, the cut-up apples and bananas, and the napkins on the table. “I’m Lily,” Lily said, holding out her hand. “And you are?” She ignored the sounds of little bodies hitting the sofa and bouncing back up with little-boy roars.

“Tameka,” said the girl. “Henry’s got me doing accounting for addition and subtraction.” She grimaced. “I did my bus card as a starter, but I missed something somewhere.”

“Good move,” said Lily. “I’m actually an accountant, so I can help.”

Wraith finally wrestled the boys into submission as they laughed like loons. She had Rudy on her back and D’Shawn in a headlock. She dragged D’Shawn to the table, and got him into his chair. “Sit. Do your twenty-five like a man.”

“Yes’m,” said D’Shawn. He reset his timer, opened his online science book, and read a story about a skater and the laws of physics.

“You too, pumpkin-head,” said Wraith, reaching up to get Rudy down.

“Can I read from up here?” asked Rudy.

“Don’t see why not,” said Wraith. She handed Rudy’s pad up toward him. Rudy started playing a math game when he got it.

“I hate to be rude,” said Wraith. “But who the hell are you?”

Thorn came out of the bedroom, dressed in yoga pants and a top that left her flat belly open. She crossed to the kitchen, took out the filter pitcher of water, poured it into a plastic water bottle, put the pitcher back, closed the refrigerator door, and leaned against the counter.

“She be Thorn. She a sista. She be sleepin’ on da couch.”

“That’s not a good long-term solution,” said Lily, grabbing her phone. “Let’s see what I can do.”

Thorn looked scared. Wraith waved a hand. “She’s getting you off the couch is all,” said Wraith. “Probably ordering another pod.”

“Sweet,” said Thorn. “Where you gonna put it? Orange and I got one bedroom, an’ da boyz got da other one. We got more room wit da pods, but ya can’t swing a cat in dere wifout hitting one ‘a us.”

“Lily’ll fix it,” said Rudy, turning an evil number seven into a strong number ten by adding three. “She do that.”

Lily made a call, jumped up, and went out onto the tiny balcony, her hands waving. “What she doin’ now?” asked Tameka.

“Makin’ da world do what she want it to,” said Thorn. “That’s how I learned me that I kin do betta.” She grinned. “Passed dat remedial math course. Got me some algebra goin’ on.” Wraith held out her fist, and Thorn went over and bumped it.

“What da…” said Rudy. “Gotta kill me some more eights.”

Thorn grinned. “We get da math done in dis house.”

Lily came in. “Tito, can you get me a flat… yeah, one of those.” She looked up at Wraith. “We need Rota. Skuld’s teaching a… yes, thanks, Tito. No, we’ll go clean it first.” She rattled off the address. “Thanks. Bye!”

Thorn put down her water, opened up the cabinet under the sink, and took out a tray full of spray bottles and rags, then reached in next to the refrigerator and got out a sweeper and a wet mop.

“I see cleanin’ in our future.” Lily nodded. “What we cleanin’?”

“Your new apartment,” said Lily. “One part down, in the back.”

“Sweet!” said D’Shawn. He got up, ran around, and did a high-five with Rudy.

“I’ve got some signing things to do. The minute I’m done, you can move in,” said Lily. “Back in twenty.” She glared at the boys. “Finish your work. Then move. You hear?”

The boys nodded. Thorn said, “Got me some ‘a dose shoppin’ bags, big plastic ones, and da roller shoppin’ bag. Guess I gotta pack.”

“I’ll help,” said Tameka. “At least fill up what we can.”

“I’ll keep these monsters in line,” said Wraith. The boys laughed.

The flatbed trolley appeared. One of Tito’s strapping young men dropped it off. “That man be fine,” said Thorn.

“You keep ya pants on,” said Tameka. “Don’ need no more kids. Get ya brutha raised up first.”

“I’m on da shot,” said Thorn. “Can’t have no kids fa three months. Besides, I got eyes.” The young women laughed.

They used every box and bag in the house, and took the cleaning supplies and a small stick vacuum. Wraith went to her bike, and brought back her multitool. The boys were delighted to watch her disassemble their pods. Lily came back, and they locked up and pushed the laden cart to the back of the building, and the back stairs. Lily opened the door. There were three bedrooms, a bigger living room, and the kitchen had a breakfast bar. But, it hadn’t been cleaned well. There was no furniture. There was dust, scrapes on the wall, filmy white stuff in the bathroom. The bathroom sported a tub and two sinks.

Tameka sighed. “This take a while.”

“Not wif alla us cleaning,” said Thorn. “Boys, spray and wipe like I taught ya.” The blue gloves were child-sized. They put them on, took spray bottles, rags, and a blue sponge, and attacked the breakfast bar. “Tameka, ya got da kitchen. Wraith, sweep an’ mop floors. I gotta bathroom. Lily, ya got them big mirrored closet tings inna bedrooms.” She handed out the vacuum and supplies. “Ain’t got all day. Go!” They had the entire place done in an hour, with each woman helping the other. They unloaded the cart, and then went back for more.

Rota showed up. The boys attacked her, and she bounced them off the couch. “What do you need me to do?” she asked.

“Block and tackle,” said Lily. “Do you have your climbing equipment?”

“Always,” said Rota. “I see. The apartment house is divided; you only have access to two apartments. So, the pods and the couch…”

“Go over the balcony railing,” said Lily. “But, leave the couch. Boys’ pods only, unless you ladies like sleeping in them.”

Thorn shook her head. “A real bed would be good. We gettin’ new furniture, too?”

“And a new craft desk,” said Lily. “Even with you guys helping, Ghost can barely keep up with the orders for the miniature Harleys. Looks like Tameka’s got a job, too.”

“Woo hoo!” said Tameka. “Was gonna put me in some applications, but workin’ from home is good.”

Rota went out for her climbing gear in her Harley saddlebag, and Lily stood at the bottom and counted, “Three, two, one, ho!” They dropped the pod box half a meter. “Three, two, one, ho!” They dropped it another half a meter.

Soon, it was on the cart. They lowered down the other one, and then Lily walked the cart to the new apartment while the ladies lowered the stairs and dressers.

“Tameka, bring your pad. You’re on guard duty,” said Wraith as Rota picked up the lines. “We’ve got to pull what we led down back up again.”

“Reverse of what goes up, must come down,” said Rota, stowing the lines over her shoulder. “Laws of physics.”

“What law?” asked Rudy.

Rota took a carabiner out of her pocket, and dropped it. It clattered on the floor. “Gravity,” she said, and reached down to retrieve it. She slipped the c-shaped clip back into her pocket. “Can’t drive eighty miles an hour into a light pole without smashing into little bits, either. That’s inertia. Once an object is in motion, it stays in motion, unless it hits something stationary.”

“Then squish,” said Rudy.

“Then squish,” agreed Rota.

“Enough with the physics lesson,” said Wraith. “Let’s finish this thing.”

Tameka followed them down, and guarded the stuff while the Valkyries did the heavy lifting. Tameka helped Lily fill the cart with the stairs and dressers, and push it around the corner. Lily showed Tameka how to tie on a line, clamp it, and step out of the way as the object was pulled up over the balcony railing.

Wraith leaned over the edge. “Tameka, want to learn how to put these things together?”

“Sure,” said Tameka, and she headed up the stairs.

Lily took the cart back, and they filled it up again. “Take only the boys’ food,” said Lily. “Or stuff only you like. We’ll fill up your pantry again, too.”

The boys, once again at their studies, bumped fists. Thorn stayed with the boys and hunted for anything else she wanted to take, and checked that they also had everything of Orange’s. She got everything to the front door, and was ready when Lily came back to fill up the cart one last time. Thorn ran back up, collected the boys, and locked up behind them. They all went to the new apartment.

“Boys, study your brains out. Rota or Wraith, you get to hang out here and watch the boys,” said Lily. They did rock-paper-scissors, and Rota did a happy dance, because she’d won time with the boys. Wraith, the loser, hung her head, making the boys laugh.

“Oh, shit,” said Thorn, on her way down the stairs. “Gotta leave a note for Orange. She be workin’ at da car wash today. Mini Stop tomorrow. She be thinkin’ people done stole her stuff.” She ran up and left the note, then joined Tameka, Wraith, and Lily at the parking lot. Lily took Tameka and Wraith took Thorn.

Thorn said to Tameka, “Lean with ‘em at da turns, and hold onna her waist. We ain’t be goin’ far.” Tameka nodded.

The consignment store had two barstools, a fat couch in black, two side tables, a longer black kitchen table with six padded black chairs, a tall brass lamp, a new long table in white for the crafts, two full-sized platform beds with nightstands, dressers, hidden storage under the mattress for bedding and the like, and reading lamps.

Lily got them to agree to a two-hour delivery, and then she took them shopping at the Wal-Mart for craft boxes for the miniature parts, a 3D printer for the miniature Harley parts, bedding, and food for the new place. They called an Uber, filled it up, and sent Tameka and Thorn home in style; Lily gave her a tip for helping unload at the other end. Lily and Wraith filled their saddlebags with Sonic, and brought home food for the Ghosties clan. They were just in time to see the furniture delivery people walk the last of the furniture under the stairs.

Orange followed the screeches of female laughter to the new apartment. “Ya done move my stuff witout me?” She stepped in, stared. Her jaw dropped. “Wow. Dis be nicer.”

Thorn got up, hugged her, and dragged her down the hall. “Dis be your room.”

Orange saw her bed, with its new sheets and pillows, all in a golden orange, and screamed as if she’d won the lottery. She jumped up and down, and Thorn, Rudy, and D’Shawn all jumped up and down with her in a happy circle. Tameka got up, and hugged them.

Lily stopped in the middle of eating a fry, tears in her eyes. “I love it when a plan comes together,” she said.

“Word,” said Rota. She raised her soda cup, and Rota, Wraith, and Lily toasted.

Little Bit came home from her job at the Mini Mart, and they fed her. “Ya kin move in wif Tameka,” said Orange.

“Good. Be crowded wif China,” said Little Bit. “She drivin’ me cray-cray. Not wanna do no work, not workin’ on da miniatures, or helpin’ Thorn wif da findin’ da Harleys. Was gon’ kick her out, but she gotta job doin’ dose phone sex lines. Tired ‘a hearin’ her groanin’ and screamin’ all damn night. Blue works da night shift atta liquor store, an’ she do da mini-Harley and huntin’ Harley work wif us. She don’ care, jus’ put in her headphones. Not me, dat stuff makin’ me wanna put a sock in her mouf.”

“Is Blue up?” asked Rota.

“I call her. She got da jiggle-phone, so she know when I call.” She called, and told her about the new apartment.

Blue came over, all bright eyes and newly-styled hair, braided on the sides. “I be gettin’ a manager job at da convenience store, stop workin’ at da the liquor store,” said Blue. “Be puttin’ in good hours, I not be tryin’ ta leave early, not causin’ no problems. Two shifts ‘a each now, both graves.” She grinned. “I like stayin’ up all night. Kin study when no one inna da store. Got me two classes done already.” Rota and Wraith both gave her a fist bump. She got serious. “Tameka, what ya brudda done, he won’t be doin’ it again.”

She checked, but the boys were on the couch, doing a sudden-death science game on the new furniture, earphones in their ears.

“He turn his own sista out. We got him in big trouble wif Little Mike. He not be showin’ his face fa a long time. Ya gotta stay away from da old ‘hood. Got da story out, ya got taken away by Social Services.”

“Gotta get Vonda and Queenie out, too,” said Tameka. All eyes went to Wraith and Rota.

“Who are they?” asked Wraith.

“My sistas,” said Tameka. “Six an’ nine. Bone gonna be turnin’ dem out too.”

“And your mother? Grandmother?” asked Rota.

“Gran done died. Leave Bone in charge. Mama come back sometimes, sometimes not. She gone in da head when she there.”

Wraith grabbed her phone and sent a text. “We have Gregory.”

“Skuld’s off in five,” said Rota, sending her own text.

“Where?” asked Wraith.

“Alphabet streets,” said Thorn. “I be takin’ ya, tell da girls youse Social Services, takin’ dem ta live wif dey sista.”

They all looked at Lily. She sighed. “I need a clipboard,” she said, sighing.

Gregory met them with the company car much farther north on Martin Luther King Boulevard. “I have the paperwork.” He handed a clipboard to Lily. “Bone is the legal guardian? How old is he?”

“Jus’ turned eighteen,” said Thorn.

“That can’t be legal,” said Lily.

“It isn’t,” said Gregory, grimly. “We got enough beds for them?”

“I texted Callie,” said Wraith. “She’s keeping them in her garage now.

Henry drove them over, and Callie and Tameka are gonna put them together. Blue’s moving in to help with them, says sharing a bedroom with Tameka is better than listening to China talk sex on the phone.” Gregory looked over the seat at her.

Wraith held up her hands. “Girl’s paying the bills without turning tricks,” said Wraith. “Be a while till we got her sharp edges filed off.”

Gregory sighed. “The mom?”

“Apparently crack, and from what Tameka told me, she may also have AIDS,” said Lily. “Very sad. She’s apparently not home when she is home, singing and talking to no one.”

“Damn shame,” said Wraith. “Are we getting the kids from this child molester or not?”

“Technically, he had someone else do the molesting, but he’s an accessory,” said Gregory. “May I remove his face?”

Thorn grinned. “He gonna die anyway. We spread some rumors, left some e-vee-dence dat he steal from Little Mike. Leticia gonna off him.”

Leticia used to do the drugs on Vegas’ west side with her brother, Little Mike, but had started expanding into the alphabet streets in the northern segment of Vegas. Leticia was her brother’s enforcer. She had the empathy of a shark.

Wraith handed Thorn a leather jacket. “Put this on, zip it up.” She did.

“Why I be wearin’ dis?” she asked. “It fly, but…”

“Bulletproof,” said Rota, zipping up her own jacket. “Let’s do this.”

Thorn took them up stairs smelling of urine. Babies cried. People shouted. Thorn got them to the right apartment, and Gregory went in, gun drawn. Leticia was there, one hand of her meaty fist clutching the back of Bone’s blue shirt, his scuffed trainers, once blue, now gray and dusty, just off the floor. She had her other fist cocked to deliver another punch. Her bitch, Rona, drew on Gregory.

“I’m with Ace,” said Gregory. “Just removing the… uh, witnesses.”

“Rona,” said Leticia. “Dem girls be goin’ wif dese people.”

Rona lowered her weapon; she was a tiny female wearing brand-new basketball clothes, expensive gel shoes, and a half-smile. Rona had absolutely nothing in her eyes.

Leticia nodded at Thorn. “Thorn,” she said. “It true he be stealin’ stuff?”

“What I heard,” said Thorn. “I ain’t there.”

Wraith, Rota, and Lily ignored the byplay. They walked across the grimy floor to the tiny hallway. In the back, two girls were cowering in the back bedroom that had only a single bed and a worn dresser. There were rat droppings on the floor, and holes in the wall. Wraith pulled a bag out from under her jacket. Rota pulled out one as well.

“Pack fast,” said Wraith. “Tameka sent us.”

Thorn stuck her head in the room. “You cray-cray, Vonda, Queenie? Move!” Queenie got up, dragged her sister out from behind the bed, and dragged her to a drawer. Wraith just emptied everything in the drawers into a bag.

Two glassine baggies fell out. Thorn’s eyes glinted. “I knew it.” She scooped them up, and hissed “Faster!” to the girls, as the sound of Leticia hitting Bone echoed through the apartment.

Rota pointed at another drawer. Queenie nodded, and Rota dumped the contents into the same bag. No packets fell out, but a crack pipe did. Rota handed the pipe to Thorn.

Thorn went back in the room. “Dem girls too small be doin’ dis,” she said, handing the bags and crack pipe to Rona, who made it disappear.

“Go,” said Leticia.

“Yeah,” said Thorn. “Right now.” She ran back, and physically grabbed Queenie.

Rota grabbed Vonda. “Close your eyes,” said Rota. The little girl in the grubby blue shirt did. They ran, out the door, down the stairs.

Lily opened the doors, and they put the girls in. Thorn jumped in front and buckled up. Wraith slipped in with the bags, glad she’d doubled up with Rota. Rota and Lily ran for their bikes, and followed as Gregory pulled out. He’d thoughtfully provided a car seat for Vonda, and Wraith got her strapped in, then Queenie, then she strapped herself in.

“Where we goin’?” asked Queenie, over her sister’s sobs.

“To your sister,” said Wraith. “These girls are skinny as rails,” Wraith said to Gregory. “We need to stop off at Sonic.”

“Popeye’s,” said Queenie. “Vonda likes Popeye’s.”

“They have drive-through?” asked Gregory.

“Walk-in,” said Thorn. “I’ll get what they like.” Gregory took out his wallet, and handed over three tens. “Get enough for tomorrow, too. Tameka won’t want to cook tomorrow.”

The girls stared at the money. “These be rich people?” asked Queenie. “Why you helpin’ us?” Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Ghost and Killa are my friends,” said Gregory. “Work with them when I teach classes across the road from their shop. Ghost and Killa wanted to help girls like they were, like you, get them into better apartments, jobs.”

“Dey da bomb,” said Thorn. “We gotta good ‘partment for you. Ya sleep in pods, wif ya own light an’ ya own shelf an’ ya own computer. My brudda, he be Vonda’s age. Rudy.”

Wraith smiled. “He’s a good kid. Feisty.” She tried to rub Vonda’s back, but Vonda was having none of it. She clung to her sister’s hand.

“I get ya da works,” said Thorn. “Be back in a few.”

“No!” screamed Queenie.

“Look at me through da window,” said Thorn. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere. I ya auntie now.”

She ran in, and the girls watched her order, and then come out with a bag of chicken and a tray of drinks. She slid in the front seat.

“Ya want ya change back?” she asked Gregory, as he pulled back on the road. Lily took the lead and Rota followed the SUV.

“Of course not,” said Gregory, offended. “Aunties need money to keep up with little bits.”

“I ain’t little,” said Queenie. “I be strong.”

“You go, girl,” said Wraith. “You had to be, to survive that life.”

The girls went insane when they saw Tameka pacing just outside the apartment. Wraith had trouble getting a squealing, squirming Vonda out. She got the girl on the ground, and Queenie and Vonda ran to their sister and hit her like a freight train. Wraith helped get the loaded-down Thorn out of the front seat, and then she went to pick up the single bag with two girls’ worth of stuff in it.

“I see another Wal-Mart trip coming on,” said Wraith.

“Hand the bag over, and we’ll go together,” said Gregory. “Take an article of clothing out for each girl, get the sizes first.”

“Good thinking,” said Wraith. “They’re way too small for their age.” She checked it out and rattled them off, then brought the bag over to Rota. She kissed Rota’s cheek, and said, “Wal-Mart run with Gregory.”

“I’m going home,” said Lily. “I’ve got my own to deal with.” They hugged her, and she went back to her bike.

Rota said, “I’m coming with.”

They went to the Wal-Mart, and came back with leggings, jeans, shorts, tops, underwear, socks, sandals, and tennis shoes. They also got three more tablets, a burner phone, two booster seats, books, tiny plastic dolls with tiny plastic pets, and a dollhouse loaded with furniture, and more food.

They filled up the SUV, and drove back to the apartment. Gregory kissed them on the cheek, and drove off to his own full household.

Callie had already left, leaving behind a purple and a pink sleeping pod. They were stacked, bunk-bed style, with drawers beneath. Wraith and Rota helped Thorn unpack the girls’ new things, as the girls were still eating chicken and regaling their sister with the story of their escape. Tameka got them washed up, and they were stunned to see the pods, toys, books, new clothes, and sleeping pods. Vonda was able to work through not getting purple on the bottom, and they immediately ripped open cardboard and plastic to get to their new dollhouse, furniture, and toys.

Tameka sat there, tears running down her face. “I can’t thank ya’ll enough,” she said.

“No one deserves the life you three led before,” said Wraith.

“Stick to your new life, and you’ll be fine,” said Rota.

“I will,” said Tameka. They both hugged her, and walked out of the room.

Thorn stood in the doorway. “Bone won’t make no trouble,” she said.

“If he’s still alive,” whispered Little Bit. “He done stole from the wrong person.”

“You two watch over these kids,” said Wraith, handing over the burner phone. “Put our numbers in it for Tameka. You need anything, you call.”

“And feed them,” said Rota. “They’re too damn skinny.”

“Will do,” said Thorn. “You did us a solid tonight. We be rememberin’ it.”

“You get your shit together,” said Wraith, “Just like you are. Then you will be in a position to do this again, and again, and again. You go back out there, and you can’t do what we do.”

Little Bit and Thorn nodded. “We be doin’ it,” said Little Bit. They all fist-bumped, and Rota and Wraith left.

Rota and Wraith clasped hands behind each other’s necks in the parking lot, and touched foreheads. “I need a shower,” said Rota. “Nobody should have to live in filth like that.”

“We survived,” said Wraith. “So we can do this again.”

Rota shuddered. “We need to earn more money, get these girls all the apartments they need.”

Wraith grinned. “I do. Don’t you and Skuld kill yourselves doing more stuff. Spend time together.”

“With your shield,” said Rota.

“Or on it,” said Wraith.

“Get your hands off my woman,” said Skuld. Rota stepped to her, and they touched foreheads. “Sorry, got into a huge hoo-ha with some FBI asshole. Woulda helped, but Gregory said you were solid.”

“Did you just call an FBI agent a hoo-ha?” asked Wraith. All three women doubled over, laughing.

“Most of them couldn’t find one with both hands,” said Skuld. They all doubled over laughing again. “Seriously, he thought I was trying to kill his people, and wouldn’t approve extra classes. I told him I would give him an immediate private class to prove my worth. He tried to wipe the floor with me, had more mass, a whole head taller, lifted at the gym. Thought it would matter. I kicked his tightwad ass. He approved whatever the hell I wanted,” said Skuld. “Including Gregory’s training.”

“Cha-ching,” said Wraith. “Okay, I’ve got my own kids to throw around. You two go find your hoo-has or something.” They all doubled over laughing again, and were still laughing as they sped out into the night.

When they got home, Rota and Skuld took a shower together, slid their hands over one another, slick with soap. Skuld nibbled on Rota’s ear. Rota grabbed the back of her neck, and kissed her wife fiercely. Skuld pushed Rota against the wall, kissed her so hard the metal beads in her braids chimed, and slid her fingers in.

Rota began to move, back and forth, and she kissed Skuld back until she lost her breath. She came in great gasps, and moaned. Skuld slipped her fingers out, and then washed her wife again, her fingers sliding over Rota’s ass. Rota washed Skuld’s front, then sucked each breast, making Skuld come. She used her fingers to make Skuld scream into Rota’s mouth with pleasure.

They finished the shower, and Skuld stepped out first, and handed Rota a towel. They dried each other off. They slipped between the sheets, and held each other in the dark.

“Go to sleep, love,” said Skuld. “I have to throw more FBI people into padded walls, and you have to take six climbers up a sheer rock face tomorrow morning.”

“You are so mean to me,” said Rota. “And to tightwad FBI guys.”

“I’m an evil bitch,” agreed Skuld. They shared one last scorching kiss, and then they slid into sleep.

“Teaching is the method to help everyone succeed.”