Page 87 of Chaos & Carnage
“Who did this, babe?”
“Me,” Jazz shouted from the other side, and I saw the roll of Fury’s eyes.
But instead of charging at her, he shook his head, wrapped a meaty hand around his girl’s upper arm, and led her back through the crowd.
The crowd that gathered watched them go, no one speaking, the only sounds a heavy grunting breathing from behind me from someone who probably had smoked far too many cigarettes in their lives.
A tug on my arm sent my heart into a frantic sprint, slowing as soon as I saw the green eyes in front of me. His face was still, but deep in those eyes was worry. Cade.
“Al, I need you to pack your things. We need to go,” he said quietly, bowing his head towards me.
“Why? Because of that?”
“No, not because of that. But that doesn’t help.”
I glanced over his shoulder at the men around Indie’s tent. Caleb stood watching us. Fury stroked a hand through his long hair, huge muscles bulging through the hoodie he wore, and then a man stepped forward, just into the doorway of Indie’s tent. He was clutching something over his nose. His eyes looked puffy, even from back here. And then he dropped his arm. Sergeant Gray was here, in the middle of the Kings’ camp.
“Why are the police here?” I hissed at Cade, who whirled round to see where I was looking.
“Fuck,” Cade half laughed. “Thought you meant the real police.”
“Isn’t he a police sergeant?”
“Yeah. Thought there were suddenly extras, not just Jake.”
“So why is he here?”
“Warning us we need to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because Indie has decided it’s time to go.”
Cade moved to step around me towards our tent, but I caught his hand. Instinctively, he curled his fingers around mine, but he didn’t turn to face me. Not immediately. He stared on, struggling with whether to tell me the truth. I could feel the tension in his arm. Then the heaviness of his forearm disappeared as he sighed, turning back to me.
“Jake brought us a warning. The Bloody Hand are going to ambush us on the way home. If we leave now, we can catch them by surprise and be out of the way before they mobilise. But we need to be quick. The moment we’re seen packing up, the alarm will be raised.”
I swallowed, a thick lump forming in my throat, panic kick-starting my heart towards that frightened rhythm. Around us, Kings had already moved towards tents, panniers already being slung back onto bikes.
*****
The tents in the middle of the camp were packed and loaded, those around the perimeter left to give us some cover. But the moment the pack of bikes rode away, the word was out.
“Everyone listen up.”
All faces turned to Indie, the entire group quieted straight away. Not even a whisper, the atmosphere as still as the eye of the storm, and I knew when we entered the other side, all hell would break loose.
“Jake, Reap, Caleb. You take our women. I want them all in the middle of the pack. Beanz, you keep your eye on Jazz. She rides beside you. You go where she goes and if she splits, I’ll take your balls.”
Men glanced at each other, no one able to keep the tension off their faces.
“We’re going to be riding fast and tight, so be fucking alert. Me and Fury are leading. No matter what happens, or how many times we peel off, or hang back, you keep going. Big Red and Barry the Blade will run up and down the line. Watch for them coming and stay out of their way. Cade, Sicknote, Toni Canneloni are at the back. Sicknote and Toni, stay at the back. Cade is our fastest rider. Everyone ignore him, unless he gives you a direct order.”
“Shouldn’t we have Reap on one of the flanks, not with a pillion? He’s our best fighter if the shit goes down,” Beanz asked, wincing instantly like an abused dog.
“Exactly. The Hand will come after me and anyone associated with me. If they can’t find me, they’ll go for Emmie. I need the best man on Emmie. And without Demon, that’s Reap.”
“And why isheriding with us?” someone challenged from the middle of the bikers.