Page 60 of Indie

Sighing, Magnet stepped forward, scooping it off the floor and holding the charred remains out. Inside somewhere would be a name. That was the rule. So, we could always point the finger at the idiot that had lost their cut.

“Looks like it was Beanz cut,” Magnet answered, dropping the thing back into a heap on the floor.

“Anyone seen Beanz recently?” I scanned the faces staring at a heap of burned material. “Get him down here. What the fuck happened, anyway?” I asked Fury and Demon when Magnet stepped away, his phone to his ear.

“Heard a bike exhaust,” Demon grunted.

“Harley?”

“Yeah. Thought it was just one of our lads. But they came barrelling in, didn’t take their helmets off.”

“There was more than one?”

“Yeah. Two. Maybe three. But I only heard the one bike. The cut was already alight when they charged through the doors and dumped the fucker on the floor.”

I glanced at Fury.

“Anyone recognise them?”

“Nah,” one of the twins piped up. “Nothing on their jackets. No colours or owt we could see.”

“What you reckon, Indie?” Fury asked, toeing at the cut with his foot.

It could have been anything. Anything at all. But I knew what it felt like.

“Feels like someone prospecting,” I swiped my hand across my face.

“But for who?” Twin two asked. I’d given up trying to tell the fuckers apart.

“None of the clubs in the coalition. Not sure even The Notorious would be that stupid.”

“Dunno like,” Demon muttered.

“Get that thought out of your head,” I pointed at my brother, even if he didn’t entertain the idea of us anymore. “You settled your beef with them atNoise in the North. Don’ think for a moment I’m going to give you any excuse to launch into anymore shit with them.”

“Then if it’s not one of the other MCs, then it’s probably someone forming a new club,” Fury turned to me. “And if they’re going round burning the cuts of the lead MC, I don’t reckon they’re gonna come over and sign up to the coalition like good little boys.”

Fury was right. These were the acts of defiance of the olden days. Of times long ago when new clubs were popping up everywhere we looked, and the existing ones were fighting for turf. My dad had stamped it out years ago, but not after we’d lost members, and more than enough blood had been spilled by every other club.

“We’re gonna need a coalition meeting, Indie,” Fury said to me, quiet enough that only he, Demon, and I could hear.

I nodded. I knew it.

“Ok. But it needs to be atTrouble. I’m not having the Notorious in here.”

“If you reached out to them, it might cement relationships.”

“You really think they’ll not jump ship if the Bloody Hand are back? They’re fucking rats that lot. They’ll be the first ones to change allegiances.”

“At least if you invite everyone here, we can show strength, open the beers, scout everyone out a bit. You lot can meet, and we’ll gather intelligence. Enemies close and all that,” Fury shrugged, flicking a strand of long hair back behind his ear.

“Fine. When Beanz gets here find out how he lost his cut. And Demon, whatever the fucking reason, you know what to do.”

“Yeah, I do.”

And with that, I left them to teach a brother a lesson whilst I went up to see my woman.

*****