Page 23

Grease

“Where the fuck are these guys?” Rodeo asks as we wait in the meetup spot.

“Something doesn't feel right. Feels like a set-up. I think we should head out,” Hitter says, looking at the field around us with accessing eyes.

“I agree. One of Ghost's team members swept the area before we got here, but I still don't feel right. It’s too quiet out here,” Swift says before sighing. “Alright, let's head out.”

Before we can start the bikes up, a black SUV heads down the dirt road. We wait until it passes by the front of our group. The window rolls down, but we all have our hands on our weapons.

“Don't be too hasty. No need for all the violence. I just came to deliver a message,” the slimy fucker in the back seat says, smiling.

“What's that?” Swift growls.

“Don't come into our house, our family, and our business… or we do the same.” With that statement and a wink, he rolls the window back up, and the vehicle takes off. We don't even get a chance to reply.

“What the fuck was that Cryptic shit?” Grim asks.

“I don't got a fucking clue.” Swift says, but he’s interrupted when his phone rings.

“Yeah?”

“WHAT?”

“How long?”

“Fuck! We’re on the way back!”

“What's going on, Prez?” I ask in a panic. Just listening to the one-sided conversation, I know nothing good has happened. And all I can think is, what’s happened to my girl?

“What? What happened?” I ask the minute he hangs up the phone.

“We need to get back to the clubhouse. Now! Comp the minute we get there, call all your contacts. Anyone you can think of. We’re going to need everyone we know. They’ve got all our women.”

**********

The whole drive back was pure torture. There was no way to talk. No way to ask for more information. All I could think about was what happened? Where were our brothers, the ones we trusted to protect them? Probably the worst thought of all is what those fuckers are doing to them.

We pulled into the gate and noticed it was intact. That means someone let them in, but I don't see how that is possible. I’m even more confused when we pull up, race to the door, push it open, and see Cutter with a bag of ice to the back of his bleeding head, his face marred with outrage, and bodies littering the floor. My eyes stop on a familiar cut… one of our own.

“Grim!” I shout, hoping he can get to Drift in time.

“Don't fucking bother, and while I want to tell you not to waste your breath on the other traitor over there, you might want to slow the bleeding. If only to get some answers,” Cutter says, shooting daggers at Vice, who is currently tied up in the corner with a couple of new bullet holes.

“What the fuck is going on?” Swift growls.

“I don't know a whole lot, Prez. Right after you all rode out, I was walking through the door in front of those mother fucking trash rats, and the next second I felt a sharp pain and… nothing. I woke a while later to strange men hauling the women out, Halle in a gunfight, Rome in a knife fight, and the other women fighting against the fuckers. Halle dropped a couple, including Drift. I woke and was able to clip Vice before he got away. Luckily, they left the kids, and no one else was hurt. I sent the kids to the safe room and called you guys.” By the time he finishes, we are all stunned and in complete silence.

I don't understand how this could have happened. How could our brothers have betrayed us like this? It's not wanting to register with my brain. I could have never seen this outcome, seen this betrayal.

“Get him in the interrogation room. Now! No church, no waiting, I want answers, and I want them right fucking NOW!” Swift yells. “Our women are gone. The mother of our fucking children, my old lady. They took them from us, and now they will pay with their fucking lives.”

It doesn't take us long; we all want answers and need to know where our women could be. The guys take the time to reassure the kids, but send them back to the safe room. It takes Loki a little longer to get Rome back in the room.

“I want to be with you guys! I want to know where Mom is. I can't take being locked up,” he complains.

“I know that, and I also know one day it will be your day for this, but for now, you’re needed somewhere else. You’re needed in that room, protecting every single innocent kid in that room. You are needed there to protect the next generation. I need you there to know you all are safe. Your brothers and sister are safe. Paisley is safe,” Loki says, more quiet and serious than expected. I can tell he’s really not doing well.

“I should have stopped them, Dad. I couldn't save them. I couldn't…” Rome's face crumbles as he throws himself into Loki's arms and sobs. I watch a tear roll down Lokis' face before he quickly wipes it away.

“I know you fought like hell, boy, and made me proud when he touched your mama. I failed to protect you all. I’m going to get her back, son, I swear it.” He holds Rome tight as I walk up to him. I pat him on the shoulder and lean in.

“You made this club damn proud today, Shank,” I smile, though my chest feels like it's caving in.

“Shank?” Rome pulls back and quickly dips his head, and wipes his eyes.

“We all saw you on the video cams. We say you go after them fuckers. Takes a brave man, Shank,” Hitter says, patting his shoulder as he passes by.

“Just know there will always be a vest waiting for you. When you're ready. But part of taking on that responsibility is taking orders and knowing where you are needed. Listen to your dad. We don't just trust anyone with the safety of the most important part of this club. Don't take that responsibility lightly,” Swift says before giving us a chin nod and heading to the interrogation room.

“I’ll protect them with my life,” Rome says, giving his own chin lift and heading to follow those orders. I watch Loki look on with nothing but pride in his eyes. As soon as he is out of sight, the shades fall into place, and he’s in killer mode. It's time to get some information. We walk into the interrogation room just in time to see Grim hitting Vice right across the cheek.

“Prez, I don't care who or how we get these answers, but I need them now. I’m about to go as crazy as Loki,” Rodeo says, shaking out his fist.

“I’m feeling completely sane at the moment, boys. That ain't good…” Loki shakes his head. “Ain't good at all. Where is my Pet?”

“I don't know!” Vice says, and Hitter throws another punch, this time to the gut.

“Let's start with an easier question. Why did you betray us?” Swift asks, crossing his arms.

“You really got to ask that question, brother ?” He says that word with such disgust I’m surprised to see it on his face. How have we missed it? Then he continues. “Not only did y'all let my best friend and brother die. Y’all took in the bitch whose family murdered him! What kind of brotherhood does that? Ya’ll forgot about him! Y’all let him die and then spat on his fucking grave!”

“Watch how you talk about my woman,” Hitter growls.

“And that's exactly fucking why I did it,” he growls, hate clouding every inch of his dark eyes. I can't believe this is what has become of one of my brothers. Someone I would have and did trust with my life.

“I would have never thought you were capable of this, and you're not going to like the next outcome.” Just as Swift finishes, the door is yanked open… and none other than mother fucking Dread walks in, followed closely behind him is Ghost, or Devin, whatever the fuck he’s called.

Dread looks the same, and I almost rub my eyes to make sure it's him. I take him from head to toe and realize it’s true. It’s him. However, his cut is different. No longer does it say “Dread” or his reckless Omen patch. Instead, there is a new hybrid patch and the road name “Omen.”

“This can't be real.” Vice voices what we’re all thinking.

“I thought this would have been a better reunion, old friend,” Omen says in a hard voice, walking right up to the chair Vice is currently chained to.

“How is this possible? You were dead… I watched you die,” he says in disbelief, his eyes shining.

“There were other things in play. Other people out to get me. I was actually saved that day, but traitors to this club and to my name don't get an explanation,” he says harshly.

“I-I thought..”

“It doesn’t fucking matter what you thought. You carried out a kidnapping of the women of this club. You should have never let those fuckers even lay their hands on the women. You pointed a weapon at a Rome, a fucking kid, and almost killed him in cold blood. Women and children are to be protected to the end. I don't know how you lost that, but maybe you just couldn't see it through the hate. Either way, it's unforgivable.” He pauses for a minute, only long enough for Vice to make eye contact. When he does, he continues.

“And the worst part of it all… you did it in my name. For that alone, I could never forgive you. I’m only going to ask this once, and as a prior member of this club, we deserve a straight answer. What all do you know?”

“WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?” Devin screams as Hitter and Comp grab hold of his shoulders. He looks ready to kill.

All the fight seems to leave Vice's body as he bows his head and answers. “There is a compound up in the hills. Dug in deep. Full paramilitary doomsday prepper shit. That's where they took them. I didn't tell them about the trackers you have on the women. We planned to tell them when we got there, got paid, and got out. We wanted some insurance. They have a whole army, though. Be ready,” he mutters.

Omen doesn't waste time. He steps up and rips the patch from Vice's vest, pulls out his gun, and takes the shot. Then turns back to the room.

“Can’t wait for the reunion, boys, but let's save it until the women can join in. What do you say?” he asks, and I can't help but smile. We may have weeded out two traitors from our ranks, but we got a brother back from the dead… and now we have the location of our women.

Time to bring hell to earth and every mother fucker in my way.