Page 24

LEV

“ Pledges,” the Gamma president opens his arms to encompass the motorcycles hidden in the dilapidated hangar. “Your initiation task is to race to the finish line that two of our brothers set out further down this road. As you know, the race will be filmed. A copy of your initiation video will be sent to our central chapter, and stored there until your graduation. It’s an insurance policy, as you all know, to ensure your undying loyalty to the Gamma brotherhood. To pass your initiation, you must get to the finish line without stopping or falling off your bikes. We’re going to have two heats. Five racers will compete each time. Tucker here will be keeping times to make up the final rankings.”

Murmurs of excitement sound around us. By the brothers’ reaction, I assume that most of them didn’t know what our initiation would be.

“There are two things you need to know,” Dave adds. “First off, the two racers who end last are out. But the pledge with the fastest time, gets one of the three rooms with an en-suite bathroom on the top floor. An honor normally reserved to seniors, or to members of our executive board.”

“No.” Chance’s fists are clenched to his sides, his jaw ticking so hard, I’m surprised his teeth aren’t shattered.

Dave barks out a laugh. “What do you mean, no, pledge?”

“What I mean is,” Chance bites out. “You need to find some other initiation task. Motorcycles are illegal within city limits. I don’t know where you even got these bikes, but if someone reported them, we’d all get arrested.”

My best friend is correct, but I doubt he gets the reaction he expected from our frat president.

“I’m well aware of the town’s laws, pledge.” Dave rebukes him. “But you’re a legacy, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that initiation tasks are supposed to be challenging.”

That was the wrong thing to say. “Challenging, yes. But this is fucking illegal. If we’re caught?—”

Dave’s lips curl into a sardonic smile. “We’re all sworn to secrecy, and we took precautions. No one knows about this place and that we have bikes in here. So the only way we’re gonna get caught is if you go and tell your daddy. And even then, would the mayor arrest his own son? I doubt it. The way I see it, you’re our insurance policy.”

Chance shakes his head. “You don’t know my father. If this gets out…”

Dave cuts him off. “Then make sure you don’t snitch to your daddy, pledge. Now, Tuck has some helmets for you and the names of who races in the first heat, and who goes second.”

The hockey team goalie, Tucker Prescott, steps next to the president, reading from his phone. “First heat: Levin Reilly, Chance Hunter, Josh Everton, Oliver Jackson, and Winston Warren.”

One of the other guys, Josh, objects. “Hold on a second, that’s unfair. These two,” he says, pointing at me and Chance. “Have racing experience. It’s hardly fair to put us against them.”

Dave rubs his chin, considering Josh’s words. “Hmm, that’s true. We could either have them race separately, or give them a handicap to even the field. What do you think, Tuck?”

I intervene. “I think you should find me and Chance another initiation challenge. Josh is right. Racing against us wouldn’t be fair.”

The Gamma president’s smile widens. “What’s up, Reilly? Are you scared you’re going to be embarrassed by a few noobs? This should be a walk in the park for you and Hunter, and yet you’re the only ones who are whining like two little bitches. You better not be like this on the ice too, or Coach will make sure you never get any ice time during games.”

I’m not scared. I’m actually surprised by how much I’m looking forward to feeling the power of a motorcycle between my legs. Even if the bikes they got are average models, nothing like what we used to race. My worry is of the consequences if we do get caught breaking the law, and for Chance. He’s looking at those motorcycles as if he were about to be sick.

“This is not about fear,” I say, fighting to keep my tone calm and collected. “Chance is right that if we got caught, we would be in a very tough position. Him especially. The motorcycle ban is strictly enforced in town. And we haven’t been on a bike for over two years, since…”

I can’t bring myself to say it, but I don’t need to. Everyone here knows.

“Since his brother died during a race in Bridgeport?” Corey asks. “Dude, I told you this wasn’t a good idea.” He then says to Dave.

I nod, agreeing with Corey. “Yeah, this is potentially so much trouble. Not just because it’s illegal. Official races have a ton of safety measures, and you have helmets for us, but I don’t see any other protective clothing. If one of us got hurt tonight, you’d have a lot to explain at the ER.”

My words don’t have the desired effect.

“Then don’t get hurt.” Dave challenges me. “You know what I’m starting to think?”

It feels like I’m about to walk into some kind of trap, but at this point, it’s unlikely they’ll abandon this stupid idea of racing tonight. “What?”

“I’m starting to think that you’re too chicken to race without all your fancy equipment and ridiculous safety equipment. Fifty bucks says you or your friend fall off your bikes tonight. And another fifty say that neither of you will place first.”

I’m about to tell him to fuck off, but Chance is faster than me to react. “Deal. And a hundred bucks say that I’ll win that premium room with more than ten seconds over anyone but Lev.”

I groan. No, what the fuck is Chance doing?

“Ooh,” Dave chuckles. “Nepo-baby has grown a pair! Maybe you’re going to show us that you deserve to be a Gamma beyond being a legacy. That would earn you a shred of respect from brothers like me, who had to earn their pledging spot. Do you know how I got elected president after the way our past president was ousted? Because I fought hard for it. Like I’ve fought to be accepted at this school and for my spot on the hockey team without a famous daddy, or a long line of ancestors in the ranks of Gamma Delta Tau. You’re on, pledge. Anyone else want to bet?”

That opens a can of worms, and several bets are shouted.

“One hundred on Hunter winning with a ten second margin!” A brother yells.

“Fifty on Reilly winning!” Corey counters.

“Two hundred on someone falling off their bike and needing stitches.”

“One hundred on one or more of the bikes being damaged.”

Bets after bets are made, and Tucker is tasked to keep a tally of everything.

“This is fucking awesome,” Dave laughs. “Betting always makes any sport more interesting. Guys, position the lights the way I explained earlier.” He orders two sophomores who were pledges last year and are obviously on the lowest rungs of the fraternity, except for the new pledges, of course.

Cordless lights are set at regular intervals down the stretch of road that will be used as a racetrack.

Two empty metal barrels are dragged to signal the finish line.

The first five of us line up at the starting line. All we have as protection is helmets on our heads. Most of us aren’t even wearing long sleeves or pants, so if anyone falls on the coarse asphalt, it’s gonna hurt.

“Chance,” I whisper to my best friend. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

The look in his eyes scares me. It’s tough and unfocused at the same time, as if he wasn’t even seeing me.

“Yeah. My father encouraged me to pledge. If he wants me to be a Gamma, I have to do this. He can’t have his cake and eat it too. The ban is crazy anyway, and I doubt we’ll get caught, since initiations are secret. Maybe it’s time to slay some of my demons. I’m gonna win this for Atlas, too.”

I’m worried about his state of mind. I have heard him say his late brother’s name out loud, maybe once or twice since that day in Bridgeport.

As his best friend, I should insist that he doesn’t do this. But since he’s determined, winning takes a backseat to making sure Chance doesn’t get hurt.

Dave stands in the middle of the road, right by the starting line, facing us. “Ok, pledges. Turn on your engines. Ready, set, GO!”

I had forgotten how quick and exhilarating races are.

Chance rides like a man possessed, taking the lead from the start. We’re neck and neck, but even if I gave it my all, there’s no beating him tonight.

“Fuck yeah!” He yells, taking off his helmet, his fists up in the air to celebrate his victory.

I finish second. I don’t know how many seconds faster than me Chance was.

Some of the brothers are celebrating winning their bets, while the losers are groaning.

One of the latter is our frat president. “Well played, Hunter. I’m five hundred bucks in the hole since none of my bets panned out.”

They say quit while you’re winning, so in true loser fashion, Dave places bets on some more stupid shit on the second heat.

Money changes hands and more and more bets are made.

Chance bets his winnings on no one coming closer than five seconds to his winning time.

The second heat is slower than the first, and by the time it’s over, my best friend has an impressive wad of cash in his hands.

“Pledges,” Dave grumbles, clearly not satisfied with the outcome of his own gambling. “Bring everything back into that building and then come to wait out here.”

We do as we’re told. I have no idea how Dave got these motorcycles or what he’s going to do with them, but it’s not my problem. Riding again was cool, but if I felt the need to be on a bike again, I’d rather go ride in Shell Cove, the next town over. Or anywhere but in Star Cove.

“Pledges!” Tucker yells. “Line up to receive your Gamma Delta Tau pins, and to recite our pledge of allegiance to the Gamma brotherhood.”

Corey opens an antique wooden box with the Greek letters Gamma, Delta, and Tau carved on the lid in intricate detail. It contains eight pins.

The president begins calling our names, and I realize he’s doing it in the order we placed in the race, from fastest to slowest.

He runs out of pins when every pledge, but the two who came in last, have received a pin. “Winston and Zack, I’m sorry. You failed your initiation. You won’t be offered a place in Gamma Delta Tau this year. Your legacy status means that you’ll be able to pledge again next year. Of course, we expect you to keep what happened here tonight a secret. Penalty would be the loss of the chance to pledge again for you and the loss of legacy status for your families. Is it clear?”

Once the two men confirm that they understand what’s at stake, should they reveal what happened tonight, Dave continues.

“Hunter, as tonight’s winner, you get the premium room I promised in the house.”

Chance nods, a cocky smile on his face. “Thank you. Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Not so fast,” Dave’s grin doesn’t reach his eyes. “You won easy tonight. Lev was your only real competition. I lost over a grand thanks to you, so you owe me a rematch. We race again here next week, double or nothing.”

I don’t like his tone one bit. It feels like there’s a trap somewhere.

“Whatever,” Chance shrugs. “I can make anyone you want eat my dust. Except Lev, maybe. Besides, these bikes aren’t even worth racing on.”

To my surprise, Dave agrees. “True. What if next week, I could get you better bikes and worthy opponents?”

“You’re on.” Chance agrees.

I step in. “I think you should move whatever this is somewhere else. Unsanctioned races are illegal anywhere, but here we’re breaking the law just having a motorcycle within the town limits.”

Our frat president looks at me as if I were a total idiot. “I’m well aware of that. That’s what makes some people even more eager to race here, and it makes betting on it more exciting.”

Yeah.

The feeling that this is going to get out of control gets stronger with every word Dave says.

“Dude,” I warn him. “This is a bad idea. Besides, who is willing to bring more motorcycles and race here?”

“Someone who has been waiting two years to even the score with the Hunters and with you too, Reilly. Remember Calvin Fox?”

This is really, really bad news. “We remember him.” Chance bites out, his voice low and menacing. “That motherfucker didn’t even stop when the race my brother died in was suspended. He kept running laps over the skid marks of where his bike was hit. How the fuck do you know him?”

I know the answer before he confirms my hunch.

“He’s my older brother.”

Looks like Chance and Lev might be running into some major trouble. If getting involved with Zara against his father’s wishes isn’t enough, will Chance also defy his motorcycle ban?

Calvin is back on the scene too, how will that affect Zara and her new life in Star Cove?

And finally, will Ares be able to find out anything about who caused Atlas’s death?