I replied: “You’re wearing aftershave, old spice actually; I caught a whiff of it. Other than that you were practically invisible, but a bush does not smell like aftershave.”
The guy was young, I’d say 18. I shook his hand and said: “You’re good, I have to admit.” Paul also shook his hand.
Paul then said: “You have just earned your degree; you can go and ask Allen to teach you advanced stealth technique or continue classes with Frank.”
I chimed in: “Has Ed trained him yet?” Paul nodded. I looked at the kid and said: “What’s your name?”
He replied in a submissive tone: “My name if Philip Evans sir.”
I smiled and replied in a friendly tone: “You want to be my second in command?”
Philip replied: “That would be interesting. What do I have to do to earn that position?”
I replied: “You just passed your first test by asking rather than assuming you had already earned the right.” Philip smiled, “Finish your training with Paul, then come and see Allen; I will give him instructions on what to teach you.” Philip smiled and saluted me. As he was heading off I said: “I also want you to accompany me later tonight. Meet me in the house in an hour.” Philip nodded as he ran toward Frank.
Paul was standing behind me as he said: “He’s a quick learner, don’t be too hard on him, but I am certain he will make a fine addition to our team.” I nodded. Paul pulled out his paint gun and said: “Well he’s the only one who did well today, give me few seconds while I tag the rest of them.” Paul quickly squeezed off 29 shots, and the rest of his class walked up to us covered in paint. Paul said loudly as they walked: “You all need practice. Now get cleaned up and we will move to the next lesson.”
I said: “See you later Paul, keep up the good work.” I headed over to Frank, who stopped the class and had one of his pupils continue for him as we walked off. He spoke first: “They’re learning quickly. What can I do for you today?”
I replied in a serious tone: “How long till Philip Evans qualifies for leadership training?”
Frank replied casually: “A day or two, he is a very apt pupil. You considering training him yourself?” When I nodded, he said, “I would be proud to have him in the team.”
I smiled and replied: “I want him to be my second in command.”
Frank thought for a few seconds then said: “That’s a big responsibility, don’t push him too hard, but if anybody can do it, he can.”
I shook his hand and said: “That’s what I wanted to know, thanks. I am heading back, see you later.” I headed back to the house; it was a good twenty minute walk from here. It was night, the construction sites were brightly lit up with floodlights, but the rest was so dimly lit that you couldn’t see anything. When I reached the house I heard footsteps behind me, Philip was running toward me. I spoke up: “You’re fifteen minutes early lad.”
He replied: “I prefer being a little early rather than being late.” I waited for him and we headed into the house together.
When Candy and Maya saw him, Maya said: “Who do you have with you Vinny?”
I replied casually: “This is Philip,” I turned to him and said: “Philip meet the two women in my life, Maya and Candy.” He shook their hands then moved back to my side. “I’m planning to train Philip myself; should he survive he’ll be my second.”
Max chimed in: “Does that mean that I will have to take orders from him?”
I replied: “No, but he won’t take orders from you either. You are the gang leader when I am gone and there is peace. He will be there for the war time issues and to answer challenges for leadership.”
Philip looked at me puzzled and said: “There is no way I will ever be able to do everything I have seen you do in a fight.”
I replied: “I know, but you should be able to face any internal challenges.” He nodded, I continued: “That’s all I really ask, I will face outside battles myself.”
Max chimed in: “Nice to hear I will have a way of controlling the gang when they get rowdy.” Philip smiled as I looked at him with pride.
I looked at Candy and Maya and said: “I am going to take Philip on a walk to the lake, do you two want to join us?”
Candy replied first: “Don’t you want to talk to him one on one?”
Maya chimed in: “And don’t you want to give him some kind of lesson?”
I replied: “Yes I want to give him a test, and yes I need to talk to him one on one, but you two can follow me anywhere and anytime as long as you won’t be in danger.” They both smiled, “And don’t you two feel like a dip in the lake with me?”
Maya answered: “Ok, you have sold me on the idea. Let me get a towel and then we can go.”
Candy smiled and said: “I ain’t missing this; Maya get me a towel too.” The girls quickly got ready and we all headed out toward the lake; it was a good half hour walk. I asked Philip to walk beside me so I could talk to him. Candy and Maya walked ahead of us, holding hands and kissing occasionally.
I casually asked him: “Philip, why did you join my gang?”
He thought about it then answered: “My father was a biker; my mother was a biker slut. I have lived in the gangs all my life and I guess I did not see anything else in life.”
I replied: “But now do you see more in life?”
He replied: “Until I started training with Paul, Ed and Frank no, but now I see whole new possibilities unfolding.”
I replied: “I have noticed that, unlike Candy or many of the other bikers, you consider your words and use a fairly high level of eloquence. Where did you go to school?”
Philip replied: “I was tutored by an educated biker that was a part of this gang when I was younger, he was an older fellow, I don’t remember his real name. We all used to call him grandpa. But you remind me of him.”