I'm still sitting there with my arms crossed defensively, legs crossed, foot shaking in irritation as Suites comes in....finally.
"Yes, we'll get some items over as soon as we can to help you all out. Thank you. Yes, my men will be there tomorrow to start training yours. Very good. Bye."
Thietian hangs up the phone and rubs his head, as he makes some notes on his pad next to him. He sighs as he sets the pen down and stretches looking at us.
"Where's John and the rest of them? Have they made it back yet?"
His back cracks as he yawns, finishing the stretch. He looks tired, I can only imagine the work he's had to do today while we were in Bogota.
"They're coming, I told them to get decent and shower first." Turk grunts out aloofly, looking out the window in the office.
Thietian nods and starts asking me some questions about what we saw when we first arrived before the drones were deployed and then how I felt about the way the Erl-kings armies advanced. He asked Suites the same questions before John, Futere, and Anzo came into the office, still wet from showers.
"Good, you're all here now." Thietian nodded to them to take a seat and Turk came and stood by Thietian.
John quickly asked,"How are Anand and Akiyama doing?"
Turk was the one who spoke this time.
"They were able to get most of the people evacuated to higher grounds. The swell surged about twenty meters high in some areas and most of the people who were not evacuated by our people heard the sirens and made sure to get move up in elevation. They have drones checking for anyone that may have been left behind. The waters are still receding at the moment."
Thietian took over after Turk finished.
"Moldova and Togo's populations were mostly evacuated once the soldiers started arriving. We've heard nothing from the Armenians, Cambodia, Brunei, and other countries that were at the meeting with him. Our drones are also showing everyone going about checking on people after the earthquake. Which is expected but is making me uneasy too. I'm not sure why he'd only deploy his armies to some of the countries under his command now and not all."
Thietian touched his fingertips together and pursed his lips deep in thought. Turk cleared his throat snapping him back from his thoughts.
"Anyways, thank you. You all did excellent today, but we need more teams that are capable of doing what you all did today. How are things coming along with that?" Thietian
"We're doing better, there are some that have passed the tests and we've been doing VR training so they grasp the concept of being aware of their surroundings. The ones who have trouble tend to be the ones who want to be a hero or hotshot. We're working on devising a better strategy of training and testing them to make sure they know not every mission will require some glorious display or feat to get it done."
John informs him leaning forward in his seat casually.
"Good. As long as we are preparing the best we can. Now, for the next week or so, I will be unavailable here at the office. So all matters will be handled by Turk, unless something serious happens that requires my attention." Thietian informs us to some of the people's shock in the room.
"You're leaving for a week?" Suites asks incredulously.
"Yes, I have some family matters that I wish to be a part of and would not miss it if I do not have to." Thietian replied calmly.
John and I already knew that he was taking time to spend with Elena. The doctor at the medical building was talking about inducing her labor since she was due. However, Elena wanted them to be present for the birth.
"But this is just started. How can you leave at such a crucial time?" Suites states the obvious, not understanding why he would choose to leave HQ for a week when the Erl-King has just made his first move.
John raises his hand to stop him from saying any more.
"He knows what he's doing, leaving Turk in charge. We are not incapable of handling things right now. Besides, it will not be like he's disappearing off the face of the Earth. He can be contacted at a moment's notice. He has been working hard and long, long before you even ever came into the picture. He can have his week to be with his growing family."
Suites held his tongue and gave thought to what John just said. A light bulb visibly turned on over his head as his mouth formed into an O, his cheeks reddened and his eyes widened.
I smirked and leaned back in my chair smugly at Suites who now was red faced like I was earlier when he was laughing at me.
'Oh how the tables have turned.' I thought to myself.
"My apologies, sir. Congratulations, by the way." His sheepish demeanor ended with that sentence, as he became stone faced quickly, realizing I was mocking him.
With a broad proud smile that lit up Thietian's face he gave a slight bow of the head and responded.
"Thank you. Now, I will still be receiving reports from Turk everyday, but I need just the bare details and points. I do not need to be reading reports for hours on end, so please keep everything brief when you hand anything in. Also.."
He was cut off by one of the aides rushing into the office.
"Sorry Sir! I was told to tell you to go to the hospital immediately! He's coming ahead of schedule!"
Thietian paused and looked floored for a second and I quickly stood up, ushering everyone out.
"Come on, meeting's over. He's got to be getting somewhere now."
Before I closed the door behind me, I snapped him out of the daze he was in by whistling at him.
*Whistles*
"Hey you two better get going. We'll see you there in a little while." I gave him a wink and a warm smile as he nodded like a lost but happy buffoon. With a wave and a snap he was gone.
Turk grabbed some files left on the office desk and made his way out, locking the door.
"I know you and John will be going there too soon. Tell him I'll handle the other meetings he was supposed to have and that I'll be by later tonight with the reports."
I nod, "Sure thing Turk. Thank you for this. If you need a extra hand in the workload me and John will be more than happy to help you out."
Turk merely grunted in acknowledgement and went on his way. I joined up with John and the rest of our team who were waiting farther down the hall.
"I guess this means we better get busy and do good while Thietian is gone." Akiyama commented as we headed out of the building. "I don't want to disappoint him, or make Turk mad at us for that matter."
"No we don't, he's liable to pull our arms out of their sockets." John said apprehensively, sucking a breath through his teeth.
The memory from the day we got Graves and John, came flashing across my mind and I shuddered.
"Yeah... let's not piss Turk off."
.....Cass/Thietian POV.....
'Wow... I'm a Father!'
I look down in awe at my son, his cute little wrinkled face pulls at my heartstrings. Even his fussy little noises he's starting to make are just adorable to listen to. It doesn't take long before the fussing turns into cries of a newborn. He's only been in the world for 12 hours and already has some vocal capabilities.
"He's probably hungry again. Hand him over." Elena sounding exhausted still raises her arms out to take him.
I quickly take him to her and set him gently into her waiting arms so she can feed him. I beam proudly at our precious bundle of pure joy. Everything he seems to do, from wiggling his little hands to scrunching up his face fussing is so small, still it seems like it's the most miraculous thing.
It doesn't take long before his little tummy is full and she hands him to me to burp him. I gently rock him on my shoulder till he gives me a tiny little burp. I feel some wetness and lay him on the changing table to change him. Elena is already back asleep when I turn around from the table.
I swaddle him up like the nurse showed me how and cradle him in my arm while I sit back and read some reports that Sin and John had brought by earlier.
'Hey Cass, do you mind if I hold him?'
'No, it's fine.'
We swap out and he morphs us.
He cradles little John closer to his face and beams.
'You know I've held and been around babies before but never really understood why everyone was so star struck by them. Now, I do though. He's perfect.'
Thietian beams down at little John sleeping soundly and pulls him into his chest to sleep against it. Picking up the reports he begins to read them, pausing only to check on him every now and then.