Out of the Embers: Phoenix Rising 1

By Robin Andrews

Phoenix Rising Security is a place where former members of the military who came home changed in some way, whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally can find a place to work, a place to fit in and find family and a home. 

The first book Out of the Embers is an introduction to the company, the men who created it and

• Language: English
• Publisher: STE Entertainment LLC
• Release date: Feb 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9798985495003

Book preview

image-placeholder

Prologue

Liam sat in his office contemplating the next few months of his life. Six years ago, he had been sure that he had the whole thing planned out, and then the love of his life had died, and everything had gone gray. He had contemplated just staying in the military as long as he was physically able, but the gray had started to become less and less consuming and he didn’t really think that he wanted that anymore. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he was pretty sure being in the military for life wasn’t it. Being single and having no expenses while he was in the military, he had built up a nice amount of savings so he could live anywhere in the country. He was thinking about buying a house in a small town or even on a mountain somewhere and just be a loner. He wouldn’t be a hermit, he would go into town and interact, but he would spend most of his time alone. He had the great love of his life and nothing else would ever compare.

He heard a knock at his door and looked up to see his friend General Robert Curtis. He motioned for the man to come in. To what do I own the privilege of this visit? he asked.

Well, I wanted to run something by you and see what you think. the other man said, taking a seat across from Liam. Look, you’re out of here in just a couple of months, I’m about a year behind you. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to sit on my ass for the rest of my life, but the military is all I know, you know?

Oh yeah I know. Liam agreed. I was just contemplating that myself. I mean I don’t necessarily need to work financially. I could probably be okay if I don’t live a lavish lifestyle, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life sitting on my ass either.

I had an idea that I wanted to run past you. Robert said. Just hear me out and let me know what you think.

Okay. I’m listening. Liam said.

You and I both know a lot of these kids walk out of their time here less than whole. Rob began. Some lose a limb or maybe even more than that. Some just don’t have the same mental capacity that they had before. Some, well, I guess I would say some of them just end up numb or sad.

Yeah, a lot of them do. he agreed.

I was thinking that maybe we try to work on that. Rob continued. I know the military has some support for veteran’s but let’s face it, it’s not adequate a lot of the time. I think you and I should open a business and offer them jobs. At whatever capacity they can work.

What kind of business though, I don’t know much about any type of business.

Security. Maybe bodyguard and PI stuff. Rob stated. It’s what we know. It’s what they know.

True. Liam said, running the idea around in his mind. I wouldn’t know the first thing about licensing and stuff, but I am sure I could find it out and with everyone having a military background, that aspect of it should be easier. Not many are going to turn down a permit or license or whatever to two guys who are General’s in the US Army.

Right, we have to figure out a location though and then find out the particulars of what they need before we commit one hundred percent. Rob said. I’m thinking bigger city, but not big city. Somewhere that it’s not hard to get out of town if needed. Some of the kids will need to be able to get out of town on the fourth of July or whatever.

That was a very sad truth for some of these men and women, they might never be able to enjoy the fireworks that celebrate the independence and freedom they fought so hard to protect again. It sounded too much like incoming enemy fire. There has to be a veteran’s hospital not too far away either. Liam stated.

Yeah, good point. Rob agreed. Warmer climate might be nice. Some of the old wounds might not handle cold well. Hell, I’m only forty and I can’t handle cold anymore.

So, what are you thinking as far as actual building. Liam asked, typical office space or what?

Well, I was thinking something that’s zoned for multiple use, several stories probably. We could have offices on one floor to start, but if we grow, we don’t want to keep moving. I was thinking the upper floors could be used as rooms or even apartments. We could work on the renovations as needed, and hell, we may even have some guys who come along that specialize in that stuff.

You’ve really thought this out. Liam said.

I just know that I’m walking out of here without much of anything left out there and so are you. I figure we can make a place for others like us and maybe we can all be family together. Rob said.

Liam liked the idea of family. He had a family of sorts, they weren’t his biological family, no his parents had disowned him at seventeen when they found out he was gay. He had contacted his sister after she became an adult and they had kept in touch. He hoped to get to know her more after he retired. But the people he thought of as family had no biological connection to him at all. They had been Phillip’s family. They had considered him their own as soon as Phillip had brought him home and even after his lover had died, the Leonard’s had remained his family. But he liked the idea of making a place for those who came out of this life wounded or alone to find a home. The idea had a lot of merit. There were a lot of details to work out before it could become a reality, but it was definitely something to look into. It would give him a focus and a purpose again. I think it’s at least worth checking out.

Good. I was hoping you would say that. Rob said with a smile. I mean I know it’s not going to just happen overnight, but when you get out, you can start looking at locations and maybe by the time I’m done we can have the start of a plan of where to go.

We’ll probably have to hire a couple of civilians or at least people who are already out to start with. Liam stated. I mean we’ll need someone to do the books, a receptionist or secretary or something at least until we get staff trained.

Yeah, but I think even in those jobs, we give preference to military. Rob said. They don’t have to be one of the categories we are hoping to help, but I think the military background will be a head start in them understanding what our goals are and they’ll understand the military lingo and all that too.

Agreed. Liam said. Well, I plan to go to Oregon for a couple of weeks just to unwind, but then I’ll start scouting locations. LA is out, you can’t really get out of the city for hours, it’s expanded so much. Maybe something in Texas, Arizona or Florida though. There’s still some wide open spaces.

Yeah, I like that idea. Rob said.

Any preference? Liam asked.

Not really. he began. He was quiet for a moment, processing things before he said, Maybe Florida. I was thinking that it might be a good idea if one of us stayed mostly based near Walter Reed. It’s our best chance for getting referrals before they get shipped out to somewhere that isn’t going to be a good fit for them.

That’s a good point. Liam said. Florida would be easier for a direct flight that doesn’t take as long. It’s a straight shoot down the east coast.

That’s what I was thinking.

Sounds like we have a start of a plan at least. Liam said. I’ll find a month to month rental down there to have a place to stay while I look around.

If you don’t find anything that fits, I’m not against Texas or Arizona. I just think Florida might be easier.

That’s definitely where I will start. Liam said. I’ll take a couple of weeks to catch up with family, but then I’ll head down there and check out some places. I’ll let you know if I find anything that I think might be a good fit.

Sounds good. Robert said. I was hoping you’d be down with this. We’re both single men and don’t really have any prospects right now so I thought this was a good thing to try to put together. I’ll start keeping an eye out at the hospital. I won’t get anyone signed on until we have a place, but sometimes even being able to give someone a little hope is a good thing.

I agree. Liam said.

image-placeholder

Chapter 1

Liam had loved spending time with his family in Oregon, but now he was in Florida looking at property for their possible business. He decided to start in West Palm Beach. It was close enough that they could easily take jobs in Miami too. He rented an apartment by the month and started looking for a real estate agent. He told her that he wanted a place that could be used for a commercial business, but the zoning had to allow for employees to live on site if they wanted to. She promised to get back with him in a few days with some options. He contacted a man that had been with him in the military, he had been a clerk and had been one of the most efficient men Liam had ever met. He filled him in on what they were thinking, and Steven told him that he might be interested in coming on board as their office staff when they got things going. He was flexible and would be willing to move if needed. Liam wanted as much of the logistics in place as possible as soon as they had a place to start. Robert had already told him he had met a few people that would be ideal candidates for the program they were planning to start. They were in the hospital at the moment, and wouldn’t be out for a while, but he was going to begin talking to them about the possibility of coming to work for them when they were able.

They talked about the fact that they also needed a name for this business, it wasn’t going to sound good if they didn’t even know what their business was called when they started talking about it. They had kicked around a few ideas, the one Liam liked the best was Phoenix Rising Security. He liked the representation of the phoenix rising from the ashes. That was what they were hoping to help these young men and women do. Rise from the ashes of whatever had happened to them that made them come home different than they were when they left.

Three days later, the real estate agent called with a couple of options for him, and they agreed to meet so she could show him the properties. The first was right in the middle of town, he wasn’t sure he liked that idea. While he did want something that was easy for their clients to access, the hustle and bustle of a city could get to be loud and overwhelming for some. PTSD often caused people to have a difficult time with excessive noise.

The second place had originally been an apartment complex and it looked like there had been small shops on the lowest level. There was also a