"Thanks for helping," Talia smiled at QJ and Lotte. She had been weeding the garden planters when they showed up and started helping without being asked.
"Gardening is good for clearing your head," QJ declared. His deft hands plucked out the weeds like it was a life-or-death race against time.
Lotte used her crutches to move further down the planter row before taking a seat. "I notice that several houses were demolished in the development recently."
Tal nodded. If she were going to pick a girl for QJ, it would have been someone like Lotte. She was down to earth, with a personality that would help her son stay grounded. "Construction on QJ's Project will start as soon as the site is clear."
Lotte wrinkled her nose slightly. "The noise from the backyard is bad enough; how loud will something that scale be?"
"A bit louder," Tal admitted. "Naomi and her team are putting the finishing touches on your pool and hot tub; they've even managed to make quite a few improvements."
QJ snorted. "I made that from a first draft that I wrote on the back of a napkin; a cross-eyed monkey could have made a few adjustments."
Lotte laughed loudly. She had heard Naomi discussing the project with Tal. Nearly a dozen patents had QJ's name on them. "You could step away from GnG for six months and spearhead it, QJ."
QJ glanced from Tal to Lotte. "No, and don't give my Mom any ideas."
Lotte held up her hands in mock surrender. "You missed your calling as a gardener."
"And a brilliant Physicist," Tal muttered under her breath. "Did Naomi send you the updated blueprints?" Since QJ was visiting, she decided she could broach the subject without being pushy.
"Yes, I'll have time to go through them this week since Wu and I are taking a trip to Seattle tomorrow." QJ felt the stares of both women but ignored them.
"Um... Neither you nor Wu mentioned a trip." Lotte pushed a strand of dark hair from her face, smudging her forehead with dirt.
"It shouldn't take more than a few days." QJ finished his planter and stopped near Lotte long enough to wipe the dirt with his sleeve. "Yu needs our help with a DIY home remodel, " he said.
Tal laughed at the statement. "She's doing a DIY but wants your assistance?"
"Right?" QJ snorted since that was his exact reaction. "I wasn't planning on logging in for a few days, but somehow, we have an interview with Summer Taron from Exodus Today."
"This girl set that up!" Anna bounced across the backyard toward them, wearing blue overalls and a John Deere cap that was turned backward.
"Where the heck did you land that hat?" QJ jumped up, intent on taking it.
Anna's brown eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it! This bad boy is vintage!"
QJ shrugged. "Obviously, a knock-off. I bet Felix gave it to you."
Anna's pretty face blushed. "Attack!"
The corporate lawyer pounced on QJ like an alleycat defending its favorite garbage can. QJ laughed so hard that he failed to mount any defense. The two tumbled over the garden hose before Anna popped up and claimed victory.
"The beautiful Anna Li defeats the young challenger." Anna grinned shamelessly until she realized QJ was wearing her cap.
"Oh... I like it!" QJ winked at Anna as her expression soured. "Who won?"
Anna pursed her lips and held out her hand. "Let's call it a tie."
QJ nodded and gave her back the hat. "Why am I giving an interview at noon?"
Anna turned the cap backward again. "Your popularity is soaring. The OP website and forums have been completely overrun."
QJ faked a smile. Sponsors and popularity were part of professional gaming, even though they were meaningless to him. "Fine, but nothing else for a few days."
"We'll delay the party until you return." Tal's blue eyes showed her obvious discomfort with the unmentioned Daiyu issue. Although Yu was a close family friend, happenstance had placed her in a difficult position. It was no exaggeration to say that if certain things got out, it might be the end of the Riley family. "What's the plan besides home improvement?"
QJ didn't want to say too much since Lotte was present, so he just shrugged. "Winging it, but I'll keep you apprised.
***********
[Flight 1380 Las Vegas to Seattle]
"Not good with flying?" QJ asked, noticing that Wu was gripping the seat arms rather tightly.
"I'm fine with flying," Wu denied. "It's the turbulence that scares the crap out of me."
After a short flight and a quick baggage pickup, they headed outside to the long line of taxis and cars. A large gentleman in a black suit held a sign that said QJ/Wu.
QJ grinned at the ride waiting for them when they exited the terminal. "Did we order the limo, or did Yu?"
Wu shrugged. "It's not in my budget, but then Anna made the reservations, so there is no telling."
QJ tossed his luggage in the trunk when the driver opened it. "Hmmm... You don't work for Yu; You're one of our drivers."
The former special forces soldier nodded. "Tal's orders, but don't worry, we won't get in your way."
QJ nodded and followed Wu inside the comfortable interior. "From what you're saying, we're basically moving some furniture and painting?"
"Sounds that way," Wu stared out the window as the limo made its way through traffic.
"You grew up here?" QJ asked.
"Nearly ten years," Wu answered. "I moved in with Aunt Yu when I was fifteen."
"She seems pretty cool," QJ grinned when he said it.
"Dude... You and I look at my Aunt completely different."
QJ laughed. "I'm sure."
Daiyu Ling's home was a modern structure with lots of cement and glass.
"I wouldn't have guessed this would be her style," QJ stated when they pulled into the driveway.
"Wait until you see the inside," Wu replied. "My aunt loves her comforts."
"QJ!" The door opened when the two visitors approached. Yu smiled at the two young men. "And Wu."
Wu had expected a reserved greeting since he was still in the doghouse. "Your DIY guys have arrived." Despite her current disposition toward Wu, she hugged him and then QJ.
Yu grinned widely, keeping her hand on QJ's shoulders while measuring him up. "Haven't seen you in person in a while. You seem taller than last time."
"Maybe." The pleasant scent of flowers hung in the air around Yu. QJ looked for any signs of aging, but the woman seemed ageless. "You're as beautiful as ever."
Yu's green eyes sparkled like jade. Her smooth complexion and short black hair had remained the same since her days as TAP's spokesperson. She ruffled QJ's short, dark hair. "You've been taught how to communicate with women. I predict a long and happy life for you, QJ."
Wu sighed heavily since his Aunt had deliberately excluded him. "Where should we throw our things?"
Yu pointed to a closed door. "You're in the office, and QJ will use the 2nd-floor guest room."
Wu opened the closed office door. The desk had been removed, and the den had been converted to a bedroom with a few additional touches. He left his luggage in the room and followed Daiyu as she gave QJ a short tour of the place that ended with the basement.
QJ's eyes scanned the room; the basement had been initially sectioned off to include a bedroom, bathroom, and small kitchen area.
"My apartment..." Wu frowned at the changes that had been made since his departure. The kitchen area had been torn out, and the bathroom had been expanded to something more luxurious, including a larger walk-in closet. The ceiling had been lowered and replaced with a hanging wood structure that added warmth and elegance. The work had been done recently since everything was covered with a layer of white dust.
"We'll wipe everything down first," QJ glanced at the paint pallet. "What's the plan."
Yu activated her personal hud and sent the display to her guests; it showed an updated version of what she wanted. "Those crates have some shelving and furniture that need to be assembled, but that can wait until everything is painted.
QJ studied the layout. There was enough paint for two coats. Taking care of the dust would be the first step. "It has a different feel than the rest of the house."
Yu smiled, "I should hope so."
A short while later, QJ enjoyed iced tea with Daiyu in the dining room while Wu unpacked. "IVF (In vitro fertilization)?"
Daiyu's pale features flashed with surprise before disappearing behind Yu's serene beauty. "What makes you say that?"
"You're turning the basement into a nursery/playroom. The bedroom's new paint color is going to be classic baby blue. The walk-in closet has a changing table, and the room has already been baby-proofed."
Yu tapped her chin with a slender finger. "I always planned on having a family, but somewhere along the line, everything derailed."
QJ nodded. Anna was in a similar situation and had recently been considering her options. A successful career had been at the forefront of her mind, but her motivations had changed now that she was in her mid-40s.
After leaving the remodel area, the trio enjoyed take-out and sat together on Yu's patio, talking over a few drinks. Wu excused himself after a few yawns, leaving QJ and Daiyu huddled around the small gas fire pit.
QJ rubbed his hands over the flames. It was a nice touch, but he preferred wood fires and the crackling of real flames. "I assume you're using the IVF donor database?"
"QJ..." Daiya sipped her wine; her thoughts were unfocused and drifting everywhere, something the ordinarily laser-focused Yu found disconcerting.
"Here me out," QJ interrupted. "It's a bit scary, right? With today's technology, you can choose gender, but the rest of the traits are left up to genetic heredity, and let's be honest, it's a crapshoot."
Yu sighed before nodding in agreement. "Annonymous bios are given for each donor, but as you said, there are no guarantees, and shit happens."
"People lie, and mistakes are made," QJ added. "When are you going in?"
"This week," Yu smiled, but nothing was joyous about it.
"I'll go in with you," QJ offered. There's no need to go alone."
"You will?" Daiyu closed her eyes. "Thank you, QJ."
While Wu and QJ began working on Daiyu's DIY project, the rest of OP enjoyed some downtime. Ringo, Sato, Lotte, and Breeze sat at their booth in the Songbird, enjoying the duet of Lark and Wren.
Ringo was scanning the forums. "How could you guys let my Vice-Leader run off like this?"
"I had this same conversation with Ra and Robin," Lotte laughed. "Now you sound like one of his wives."
"I'm the secret one," Ringo admitted. "I sent everyone the new curriculum since we are starting the next term when we return."
Breeze exchanged glances with Sato. "Why are we being saddled with the 2nd year class?"
"The third years are finished with classroom activities," Ringo replied. "Dessi's class has steadily improved since being paired with us, and Exodus Academy feels that our presence will do the same for the second years."
"Those guys are tools," Sato said, biting into his cheeseburger. "Every time I go somewhere, they have some smart-ass comment to make."
Ringo nodded in agreement. "I get the same treatment from their instructor. Just remember that they came here for the same reason you did. It's not easy being stepped over by a group of first-year cadets. There's obviously going to be some animosity."
"I guess," Lotte agreed. Thanks to their numerous records, popularity, and complete domination of the Phoenix server, One Problem was already a household name. "But like Sato said, those guys are tools."
Ringo shrugged helplessly. "We'll try to get along, but if they don't meet us halfway, all bets are off."
"Will they be on the Phoenix server with us next year?" Sato frowned suddenly as the thought developed further. "Are we going to be the training guild for the Academy now?"
Ringo shook her head as her officers all wore the same frown. "All of OP's assets belong to OP; that's part of our contract. Exodus Academy has no say in who we invite or ally ourselves with. Ignore any rumors you might hear regarding sharing our stuff. We won't be inviting them to join our guild."
"Do we even know if they will end up on the Phoenix server?" Breeze asked. "The Academy GnG classes usually rotated servers from class to class."
"It's a good bet," Ringo answered. "We've alternated servers in the past, but Phoenix is currently underpopulated compared to the others. Speaking objectively, bringing a new class to Phoenix is the best choice and will likely remain that way for a long while."
Sato looked up from his hud. "The next lowest server population has eight million players. Our highest count was what? Maybe a hundred and forty thousand?"
"Shit," Breeze muttered. "But look at it this way: all those late starters will be choking on OP dust."
Over the next few days, QJ and Wu assist Daiyu with her DIY project while the rest of OP enjoys some downtime, filling their days with shopping at Exodus and partying at the pool.
QJ and Wu return to Las Vegas on the eve of the Exodus Gaming World's reopening. The OP Information Broker returned to the house while QJ stopped at his parents' place to update them.
"I'm back!" QJ smiled at the trio sitting around the kitchen island. "Wait... Chili-mac?"
Quinn frowned at his son. "Yes... Sadly, there won't be enough for you after I've had thirds."
QJ smirked at his dad and sat between Anna and Tal. "Just a small bowl."
Tal gave her son a generous helping and placed it before him. "What's the verdict? If we need to consider damage control, then Quinn and I have already decided to take respon..."
"No need," QJ interrupted. "I've handled it."
Three sets of eyes stared at QJ while he ate; even his father waited motionlessly.
Anna nudged QJ's arm. "You handled it?"
QJ nodded. "Said I would, and I did."
Quinn grinned and continued eating. "That's good enough for me."
Tal shook her head. "You helped Daiyu with a home remodel, and she agreed to felony complacency?"
Two birds sitting on the window cill near the living room window bolted at the sudden screech from inside the house.
"YOU DID WHAT?"
Tal and Anna stared in shocked horror at QJ's revelation.
Quinn sat motionless for a few seconds... "HAHAHAHAHAAH! My son!"
Tal stared daggers at her husband, but Quinn remained oblivious.
"My son is a Phoenix! No, a Dragon! Which is more awesome? HAHAHAHAHA."
"Quinn..." Tal frowned at her husband. "This is serious."
"Right?" Quinn continued laughing. "My life is complete. The rest of the dads in the world can cry in shame because my son is better than theirs! The boy wonder with the super brain finally thought with his d..."
Anna's hand covered Quinn's mouth before he could finish the sentence. "This is ser..." A bit of laughter escaped Anna's lips before the tidal wave washed over her. "HAHAHAHAHA... QJ! What the hell? HAHAHAHAH."
Tal watched her son, ignoring the laughter of her husband and best friend. "QJ. Is this going to be okay?"
QJ nodded.