Page 26 of Rogue’s Path (Sweet Chaos #1)

Rogue

He’s up to something. I haven’t heard a single word of the service, waiting for my phone to vib—There it is.

I slip out the doors and walk to a secluded area. “What’s he doing?”

“What?”

“Just do it.”

“Vandal. Rogue said to let him in, but make sure it looks like we don’t know about it.” Torque repeats my instructions.

“On it,” Vandal says.

Waiting isn’t fun.

We overflowed the parking lot and most of the street with bikes. You’d think it was a rally.

Dylan at a rally is going to be an adventure. Will she start a bar fight or be intimidated by everything?

“He went straight to her room, and we lost feed.”

There was no way I was putting cameras in Rhys's room. I value my life too much to explain that to her husband.

Reaper’s obsession with Rhys might have just reached the point of no return.

“He’s out and heading back to his room.” Torque sounds more like this is an adventure than a real issue that could have consequences. “Reaper took something out of his bag. I don’t know what it is.”

“I’ll zoom in,” Vandal says. “Um. That isn’t what I think it is.”

“That’s what it looks like on the television.” Torque sounds a bit shocked.

I roll my eyes.

“We’re sending you a picture now.”

At least Torque didn’t need me to tell—That looks like a bomb.

It can’t be.

Bishop would know. He’s had explosive training.

“Are you seeing what we are?” Torque asks.

I really hope I’m not. “Wait for further instructions. Stay in the bunker.”

“But—”

Vandal always has a hard time with directions. “But nothing. Stay where you are and wait for instructions. We can rebuild the clubhouse. We can’t put you back together if you get blown up.”

They shut up.

Bishop marches outside and searches for about half a second before finding me.

He'd better tell me that I’m wrong.

Without a word, I hand him my phone. Bishop whistles. “That’s some craft project you’ve got there. It’s crude, but effective. There are enough explosives in there to take out half a city block if placed properly.”

“Take a look at the picture again.” We have to figure out how to disarm this thing without getting blown up ourselves.

The shock on Bishop’s face is enough to know he got the problem. “It won’t touch the bunker, but everything above ground—” He shakes his head. “There’s a timer on it, which is a good sign. We have time to take care of it.”

Thirty-six hours doesn’t seem like a lot of time. It’s set to go off when everyone is asleep. But Rhys will have already flown home.

Does Reaper know that?

My gut says yes.

“The bad news is it’s also got a remote detonator, so if he thinks we’ve found it—”

BOOM. The whole world could blow up on us.

“Reaper’s hiding it,” Torque shouts. “There’s no way we would have found it. He’s cutting out part of the cabinets and hiding it under there.”

Bishop’s hunch saved hundreds of lives.

“We have two choices: lock Reaper in with the bomb or let him run and see where he goes.” Calling the cops isn’t an option, not with all the weapons we have on site. They’re hidden, but I don’t want to chance the law finding anything with their dogs.

“He isn’t going to blow himself up.”

Bishop’s right. Reaper thinks too much of himself to actually push the button. He’s also not smart enough to build a bomb, even one that looks rudimentary. “What if he isn’t working alone?”

Bishop’s gaze moves from the screen to me. “That’s a possibility.”

“Which means there could be other bombs around the property.” My stomach sinks.

We don’t know how many vipers there are among us.

“Leave him alone. But watch his every move.” If I’m right, he’s going to run away as soon as he’s finished planting his present.

“Bishop, I need you to discreetly go acquire us a bomb-sniffing dog. Reach out to Ethan if you need to.” That old guy has everything.

“There’s no need. Both of my dogs are certified bomb sniffing dogs.”

Any other neat tricks you have up your sleeve? I’m not sure I want to know the answer to that.

“He’s done,” Torque says. “And heading out of his room quickly.”

We have cameras all up and down the road to the compound. If he meets up with anyone nearby, that would be stupid.

The smartest thing for him to do would be to ride out as fast as possible.

“Wait, Reaper’s going in the opposite direction of his bike,” Torque says. “He grabbed a blanket off the ground and a chair.”

Reaper’s going over the fence. That means…there’s a bomb in the bike. That piece of junk was a distraction so that he could smuggle another bomb in.

“Vandal is following him with trail cameras.”

That’s good. I message Havoc to stall the funeral as long as possible. “Torque, I need you to tell Vandal to jam everything so no one can set off the bombs early.”

“Bombs?” Torque exclaims. “On it.”

I hang up and dash to my bike.

Let’s not die today.

***

“What was all of that about?” Havoc storms into his office two hours later. “I’ve never spoken for so long in my life.”

That must have driven him out of his mind. “You delayed them long enough for us to find these.” I step to the side so that he can see.

“Why are there three bombs in my office?”

“Because Reaper decided to kill all of us in our sleep. Don’t worry, Bishop disarmed them. He also said we might want to keep them, because they’re well-crafted.” How can a bomb be well-crafted and yet put together with tape? I should want to know the answer to that, but I don’t.

“WHAT?”

“While we were attending a funeral, he hid a bomb.”

“But there are three bombs on my desk. Where did the other two come from?”

“The second one was hidden in his bike.” I’ve never been as terrified and as happy to strip a bike down before.

“No one would have minded losing that hunk of junk, but its placement would have set off a chain reaction, causing all the bikes to explode.” Well, sort of explode.

Most of them probably would have just ignited.

“And the third one?”

That’s the fun part. “It was in the Jokers Motorcycle Club’s VP’s room.”

Havoc’s face changes as he processes all that I just said. “There could be more.”

“Yeah.” We figured that out while Bishop tried not to blow us up, removing the third bomb.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

I lift up one of the bombs and show him the burner phone that is attached to it. “Jammed all signals coming in or out, so no one could blow the place up.”

“Where are we on finding more bombs? That is the most surreal thing I think I’ve ever said.”

Tell me about it. “We’ve cleared the building. Bishop was working his way through the campsites as you arrived back. Then he’s going to walk through all the bikes.”

“Don’t you think someone will notice him wandering through their tents?”

Oh yeah. Bishop isn’t exactly a man that you miss. “His official story is he’s checking to see if everyone is comfortable or if they need anything.”

“Bishop is being friendly and welcoming.” Havoc smirks. “We need to save that video for posterity.”

Although funny, I’m not sure it’s worth getting on Bishop’s bad side for. “There’s one more thing.”

“Am I going to need a drink for this?”

Probably. “Day drinking wouldn’t be a suggested response.”

Havoc walks over to the bar and pours one, anyway. “Tell me.”

“Reaper planted something in Rhys’ room.”

“Something?” He stares at the drink in his hand, questioning the need to shoot it before setting it down.

“All we know is that it isn’t a bomb. But I didn’t think she’d appreciate us pulling everything of hers apart.” Or touching her things at all. If she were mine, I’d be more than irked.”

“Then go find her.”

That was exactly what I expected Havoc to say. “Before we do that, I want to address the tattoo again. Her husband isn’t here. Rhys won’t ask questions.”

“It’s less risky. But do you want to bring her into this?”

“What risk is there? No one knows we had anything to do with the three deaths. The kids threw a party there last night with zero issues. It’s not like we’re asking her to identify the body.”

“Fine, we’ll ask her. Then we’ll find out what Reaper hid in her room.”

***

Rhys walks into her room hours later. “I don’t know whether to thank you for rescuing me from that line—I always forget just how bad tattooing like this hurts—or to worry that you pulled me away.”

A little of both would be the right answer. “We need to ask you to look at something in private.” While Bishop checked for bombs, Torque swept the room for bugs—that kid was ecstatic to play super spy—enabling us to speak freely in her room.

“Look at something?”

Havoc pulls the photograph out of his pocket. It looks way more casual than if he were carrying a file folder. “Do you know who did this tattoo?”

She raises an eyebrow at him but takes it without asking a question.

I knew she wouldn’t.

“Sure. He was my dream mentor. Do you see how well this aged? It’s still flawless after all these years.”

What? “You know how old this tattoo is just based on the picture.”

“Exactly no. But the guy who did this died almost eight years ago.” She lifts the image closer.

And yet another literal dead end.

“This woman though…she feels so familiar. Where do I know her from…”

Know her?

“That’s weird. I never forget a face…I know I’ve seen her before.”

“If you remember, let us know.” Havoc steps forward. “This next part you aren’t going to like.”

Rhys looks up from the picture with questioning eyes.

“Reaper broke into your room earlier today.”

“How? I thought your security was good. That I’d be safe here.”

“It is. And you are.” Mostly. If Bishop doesn’t find any more bombs. “We let him break in.”

“Let him?” Rhys stalks up and gets into my face. “You just let that…” She takes a long, slow, deep breath and lets it out. “Why?”

“You really don’t want to know, but it was the lesser of two evils. We’d appreciate it if you searched your things and allowed us to search your room for what he left.”

“Fine. But I’m switching rooms tonight. And washing all my stuff.”

“I’ve already got a new room arranged for you and a couple of old ladies to help with your laundry.” It seemed like the least I could do.

“Well then, let’s get to work looking.”

***

“There’s nothing here.” Rhys closes her suitcase. “We’ve checked everywhere twice.”

Havoc and I even pulled out the cabinets and shelves and tore into the bedding and chairs. This place looks like a tornado went through it. I shouldn’t have let him in.

What would have happened if we didn’t?

Would we know that the Joker’s Motorcycle Club was involved, or that there even was a bomb? “Maybe he didn’t leave anything? There’s nowhere left to look.”

“Yes, there is.” Havoc turns and storms out of Rhys’ room.

The two of us look at him and then race off to follow him.

Havoc stops at the med bays just inside of the labyrinth. There’s another deeper in and two inside the bunker.

Reaper’s woman…How could I have forgotten?

Bombs, that’s why. Reaper hurt Rhys. This might not be the best spot for her.

I stop before following him in. “Rhys. You might not want to go in there. Reaper brought a woman with him…and he hurt her. You don’t need to see this.

We’ll get the answers we need and fill you in. ”

Rhys’ body goes rigid and her mouth tight. “I should have killed him when I had the chance.”

We both should have.

“I can handle it.”

Don’t know if I believe her, but I’m not going to second-guess her decision.

We step inside together.

Havoc is standing next to an open door.

What did Reaper do? There are more stitches on the woman’s face than I’ve had in my entire life. I could kill him just for this. He needs to know exactly what this woman felt.

“What did Reaper put in Rhys’s room?” Havoc’s voice is neither soft nor sweet.

“This might not be the right time to ask her.” Leech steps forward. “She’s in a lot of pain.”

Havoc turns to Leech. “I can see that. But this woman knew what Reaper was doing and didn’t tell us, even though we saved her. She knew there were bombs in his bag.”

Leech steps back but doesn’t even flinch.

“So I’m going to ask you one last time, what did he put in Rhys’ room?”

“Drugs. They’re in the lining of her suitcase or one of her purses. He arranged to have her caught with the drugs at the airport. Then she wouldn’t have made it to booking before one of the guards was going to sneak her out to him.”

“You were going to let him kidnap me? After he hurt you like this, you were still going to let him do that to me?”

Fear causes some people to do really stupid things. And weak people are even worse. If it was Peaches, she would have died fighting for another woman.