Evolution - The Oasis Project Book 3

Nineteen - Linkin

We were only a few minutes behind Stuart as we came downstairs, Stuart sitting on the couch with Ira's feet in his lap and Thierry and Fang sat at the dining room table. "What was all the fuss about?" I asked Alessia and I carried the presents down the stairs.

"Aunt Ira is having a problem looking away from her phone," Stuart replied for Thierry who was corner-to-corner with Fang at the table, playing out a game of cribbage. "But the good news is, she's not peeking at everyone else's cards."

I rolled my eyes and set the presents down on the livingroom table. "Fifteen-two! You shouldn't have played that five, Thierry!" Fang was laughing, counting two points.

"Oh, no, how could I have known you had a face card?" Thierry attempted to hide the fact that he was letting the competitive child win. "I'm so foolish."

"Yes," Fang laughed and I smiled as I watched the two of them playing, Ira's defence of herself turned into background noise like Charlie Brown's teacher.

With my arms crossed over my chest, I leaned against the pillar which dividing the dining room and living room. It was nice seeing my boys playing so well together, seeing Fang enjoying a game which Thierry had taught him months ago.

"Linkin, you aren't even listening, are you?"

Guilty.

I turned around and sighed to face Ira who had been speaking the entire time. "No, sorry. What is it?"

Her eyes flickered to the dining room and spoke a bit softer. "They're going for China tonight. Nate is giving me the updates and Four offered to share a camera feed so we can watch."

I looked at her, annoyed and not trying to hide it. "I know, Ira. I'm doing work on it tonight. They're three hours behind us and don't breach until dark. There is plenty of time for you to have some family time before then. When I am needed, you can come upstairs with me. I need to be a backup guide in case there is another Code Orange kill-word, but I will have a live feed if you want to watch with me."

Ira was grinning, then her gaze landed to text someone - I assumed Nate. "It's not the same as being there, but thank you. I-"

"You'll promise to be off your phone until then?" I sounded like a disappointed mother. "They need to focus on getting ready and you need to help decorate cookies."

"They aren't ready yet," Stuart came to her defense.

I glanced back. "Thierry, how badly are you losing?"

"I think I might be double-skunked."

I shrugged. "You want to be recused and Fang can open his presents as the cookies finishing cooling?"

Fang slid out of his chair. "Only because I'm winning so badly." He was grinning as he sauntered into the living room. His gaze landed on the three presents we had wrapped and for a second I thought he looked disappointed. "So I guess I'm not getting a puppy."

My head tilted in confusion. "Why would you think you're getting a dog?"

Fang shrugged and glanced to Ira. "Aunt Ira said we should have a watchdog."

My jaw set and Ira was extremely lucky that I didn't have Fang's talent to set things on fire. "Is that so?" I said through gritted teeth.

She hesitated, glancing between the two of us, struggling to find her defence. "Watchdog, not a puppy." Thierry stepped forward to sit in the rocking chair. "It's a surveillance system which I helped develop. Now go on and open your presents." Thierry was smiling as he quickly descalated the situation.

Fang nodded, smiling once again as he sat down on the floor. It was almost more entertaining watching him struggle to rip apart the construction paper. We had used so much tape, the paper was just shredding and it took him nearly five minutes to open each present.

The living room was full of laughter and excitement as Fang opened each present. Ira didn't even pretend she knew what the presents were because she was the first to ask "What is it?" to Fang.

The chicken coin bank made Fang laugh the most, it was impractical and nightmare ugly, but Fang snorted he was laughing so hard. "I don't even have money!" Fang was objecting, opening the rubber stopper and attempting to figure out how the money would come out even if he did.

"Well, that's just child labour, isn't it?" Thierry was smirking as he looked at me and winked. "I think you deserve an allowance for how much you help Linkin around the farm. What do you think?"

"Thierry..." I started to protest.

We were in a strange situation. We both didn't have any money and, at the same time, all the money in the world. Thierry and I were criminals, only minutes away to having millions to our names. Almost everything we earned before was put into this place, making sure everyone was safe, and into equipment for the Deviations. "Really?" Fang excitedly.

"Of course, you do work no one else does."

"You can say that again," Ira mumbled, looking back down at her phone.

"Hey, I do it!" I shook my head. I knew how Thierry meant it, but the comment had a way of undermining everything I did around here. I rolled my eyes knowing there was no point in arguing. "But of course, you can have an allowance."

"How much?" Fang asked curiously and I glanced to Thierry.

We should have prepared an answer for this before we both said two different answers. "A dollar a day."

"Five bucks a week."

"A dollar a day?" Fang was quick to do the math, "I like Mom's better."

He was greedy and too smart for his own good. I laughed and shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. "For every day you work. If you don't help with the farm, no money, okay?" I added in and looked around as everyone started to tune out. "Now, go on. Finish opening your presents so we can decorate cookies."