Page 9

Sypher

Early morning of July 14, 2023, New York City,

“I was a baby when we left,” he began as I watched him pace his bedroom. “Everything about that place is fucking horrible. Nightmares are nothing compared to the horror of what happens in that place. Well, that’s what I heard said, but then I got curious and started looking into the place. Well, let’s just say, I shouldn’t have meddled in shit I knew nothing about. Now I do, and I can’t stop thinking about that place. It’s like a compulsion for me. A deep-rooted desire to destroy Devlin Scott and every motherfucker in that vile place. Like I said, I was just a baby when the others escaped. If it weren’t for my brother, I’d still be there, being subjected to God only knows what. Because of them, I got to grow up free from the nightmares they endured. And believe me, Danny, they suffered like no man should ever have to suffer. I had just finished my undergraduate program at Texas A&M and transferred to MIT to take part in a new program when it happened. I was so happy to be accepted into the study, I celebrated and partied like any young man with no care in the world. Thanks to my brother and the others, I had a charmed life. I had everything I wanted. All the advantages life could afford. I didn’t realize how blessed I was until I woke up after a night of drinking to find myself in that horrible place. I didn’t know what happened or how I got there. All I remembered was partying with friends, then nothing. And I wasn’t the only one. There were four others with me. Whoever took us stripped all of us naked, but more importantly, they put black leather shock collars around our necks. We couldn’t get them off, and every time we tried, we got the shock of our lives. We weren’t there very long, but long enough to realize the world we once lived in was just a mirage of reality because the truth is, Danny, the world is a fucking horrible place.”

“Dante, come here,” I whispered, holding out my hand for him.

I could clearly see the fear in his wide, darting eyes, the indecision in his trembling hands, and the simmering rage in the way his jaw clenched when he divulged his truth. So, when he took my hand, the feel of his skin sent shivers down my spine as I pulled him back onto the bed and he curled around me. As I held him tight, he continued.

“We were in that room for what felt like days, maybe even weeks, when a woman walked in. We stupidly thought she was there to get us out. Instead, she started taking us one at a time. Whoever she took, never came back. Once they left, we never saw them again. When she came for me, I tried to fight her, but the shock from the collar debilitated me. I never imagined a pain like that before. Just thinking about it now is enough to make my stomach hurl. She laughed at me, Danny. She thought it was funny to see me in so much pain. I think she somehow got off on it.”

“Where did she take you?”

“To another room. Her room. I’d never been with a woman before. Even from a young age, I knew I liked boys. But she didn’t care. She had her ways, and she thoroughly enjoyed using them on me.”

“What did she do to you?”

“At first, she used pain to make me comply. The more I fought her, the more pain she inflicted. She knew I was gay, and she used that to her advantage. Every time I fought her, she would whip me, suffocate me, cut me, burn me, whatever she could think of to get me to break, but when I didn’t comply, she used a steel cattle prod to fuck me in the ass, but it wasn’t just any cattle prod. Like the shock collar, the cattle prod emitted electrical shocks that I felt bone deep. The shocks were so bad, I screamed out, begging her to stop. The whole time she abused me, she got off on my pain, my torment. She would actually masturbate in front of me until she came. When I finally surrendered to her… well, that’s when she really started having fun. The first person she brought to me was a man. I’d never seen the man before, but I knew what he was going to do to me. For the next several hours, she happily watched as the bastard tormented me, beat me, and fucked me until he passed out. But that wasn’t enough for her. Oh no. She always demanded more. The next day, she brought a younger man. Well, at least I thought he was younger, but the faces blurred, one into the other. However, when she brought in a young girl, I knew she was getting ready for her ultimate power play. The young girl couldn’t have been over twelve, maybe thirteen, Danny. She was just a baby, and I was fucking twenty-seven. A grown ass man. Fuck, I can still see her scared eyes, hear her pleas. She begged the bitch, pleaded with her, but the bitch ignored her. When I flat out refused, even told the bitch she would have to kill me, she laughed at me. Laughed right in my face.”

“You don’t have to tell me anymore, baby,” I assured, already deducing the rest of the details as Dante’s body trembled, wracked with sorrow, the silence amplifying each shudder. Overwhelmed with grief, he shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut, and let the tears fall freely. Holding him closer, I remained silent while his body shook with racking sobs, his face contorted in a mask of shame and disgust. The smell of his fear was heavy in the air. He was driven by a sense of responsibility not just for himself, but also for the young girl.

I didn’t know how long I sat there, holding him. The rhythmic thump of his broken heart pounded against my chest, a counterpoint to his ragged sobs. But when the last of his sobs subsided and he fell into a peaceful sleep, I gently laid his head on the pillow, tucking his soft, familiar blanket around him. Rising from the bed, I stood and gazed down at the man who held my heart and made a solemn vow, a promise to myself that, even if it were the final act of my existence, I would track down that fucking bitch, kill her slowly, and then burn that motherfucking place to the fucking ground.

Finding some sweatpants, I pulled them on, grabbed my phone, and walked out of his room and into his living room and called the one person on the planet who could help me.

“Danny?”

“Ace, I need your help.”

After getting dressed, I made sure Dante was fast asleep before I ducked out of his apartment. Stepping out into the warm night air, I whistled loudly and hailed a cab.

About an hour later, the cab pulled up to the Harbor on 5 th . After paying the cabbie, I got out and headed inside the building.

When I stepped into the lobby, a large man in all black stood silently, his eyes following my every move, the air growing tense with his scrutiny. “How may I help you?”

“I’m here to see Ace.”

“He know you’re coming?” the man asked, his voice tight, hand drifting to the gun I knew was holstered at his hip. A door hissed open behind him, revealing a giant of a man. The sharp precision of his movements and the quiet intensity in his eyes made it clear the man was prior military. I could see it in the way he walked, a confident stride. The way he held himself, tall and straight.

He was a lot like Ace in that regard.

“Stand down, Shane.”

“He’s a Golden Skull.”

“He’s also Ace’s little brother,” the man said before looking at me. “It’s nice to finally meet you. It’s Danny, right? Or should I call you Sypher?”

“Danny’s fine,” I muttered, my heart pounding in my chest as the large man loomed closer, his shadow falling over me.

“My name is Matthew Law. Ace is on his way in, so in the meantime, this is how it’s going to go. I’m going to let you in our building, but under no circumstances will you even contemplate going near a computer or our servers. The second you do, I will put a bullet in your head. Little brother or not, you are a threat. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, now empty your pockets and strip. Hand Shane your phone. You will get it back when you leave.”

Following Law’s instructions, I quickly patted down my pockets, their contents hitting the ground with a soft thud, then I shed my clothes, feeling the chill of the air against my skin as I stood in my underwear. Once the transaction was complete, the man behind the counter gave him a wand, which he proceeded to wave over me, starting at my head and going all the way down to my toes. I stood there, the silence broken only by the soft thud of each garment as he picked them up and examined them closely, his expression intense.

Satisfied, Law handed me back my clothes and told me to get dressed. Upon finishing, he beckoned me forward with a pointed index finger, indicating that I should follow closely behind.

“I don’t know what brought you here tonight, Danny, and I don’t want to know. All I care about is that whatever you have going on doesn’t interfere with Ace. He’s a damn good soldier, and I’d hate to lose him because his little brother can’t stay out of trouble. Get me?”

“It’s personal. I promise.”

As Law nodded his head, the man halted his progression, positioning himself in front of a door. “The room is clean and not bugged. Whatever you need to say to your brother, it will be between the two of you. I will be sitting over there. When you are ready to leave, I will escort you out.”

“Thank you.”

Saying nothing more, he simply leaned around me and opened the door.

I turned, pushed open the door and stepped into the room. The silence was broken moments later by my brother’s footsteps.

“Danny, what’s wrong?”

In a businesslike tone, I got straight to the point, leaving no room for pleasantries. “I want to hire you and your team.”

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t fucking play me, Ace. I know what you and your friends do for a living. I never said anything because it was your business, but now I have need of your services.”

Ace frowned, the lines in his face etching themselves deeper as he pulled out a chair and sat down heavily. “Gonna need more than that, Danny. What’s going on?”

“I met someone. Someone I care for very much, and I want you and your friends to help me put his mind at ease.”

The chair groaned under Ace’s weight when he leaned back, a self-satisfied smirk spreading across his face. “His mind?”

“Yes. His mind. You got a problem with that?”

Ace said nothing, but his actions spoke volumes when he got up, circled the table, and then pulled me into his arms, crushing me in a bone-jarring hug. “About fucking time, little brother. Have you told everyone else?”

Shaking my head, I replied, “No. You are the first.”

“Sit down. I want to know all about him.”

“You’ve already met him.”

“Who?” Ace frowned.

“Dante.”

“The punk who got lippy with that girl you were dating?”

A low groan escaped my lips as I rolled my eyes, the gesture expressing my complete exasperation. “Wasn’t dating. We fucked once.”

“He was still rude to her.”

“Bitch deserved it,” I argued. “Look, Ace, we can talk about Dante later. I know you do private security around the world. Have you ever done security for a place called the Trick Pony?”

I barely finished saying the name before Ace’s face became an impassive mask, his silence speaking volumes. He knew the place.

Before he could ask me anything, I continued, my words tumbling out in a rush. “Ace, Dante was in that place. I don’t need to tell you what happened to him. All I want to know is who the bitch was that tortured him and how to find her.”

“It’s not that simple, Danny.”

“The fuck it’s not. I’m your brother. Family. We don’t abandon family.”

“I’m not abandoning you. I just can’t tell you what you want to know.”

“Either you help me, or I will go it alone. If I have to, I will bring it to the club and let Reaper handle it.”

“Shit,” Ace cursed, his face red with anger as he paced the small room, the sound of his heavy boots echoing in the confined space. “Fuck! I fucking knew that motherfucker would come to bite me in the ass one day. The reason I can’t tell you is because I did the fucking private security for that place. I’m contracted.”

“What program did you use?”

“I am not telling you that.”

“How much then?”

“What?”

“How much will it take to hire you and your team to get me the information I need?”

Shaking his head, Ace groaned, running his hands down his face. “It doesn’t matter. We’re contractually obligated to the Trick Pony for the next five years.”

“Ten thousand? Twenty? Give me a number, Ace.”

The sound of Law’s gruff voice barking, “Two mil,” sliced through the stillness, making Ace’s head shoot up.

“What the hell are you doing, Law? We can’t!”

“The fuck I can’t. I never liked that motherfucker, anyway. We all know what goes on in that fucked-up place. If your little brother wants to pay us more, then the contract shifts, and we get to clear our consciences.”

Typing into my phone, I muttered, “Wire transfer or certified check?”

“Jesus Christ,” Ace groaned. “You don’t have that kind of money, Danny. Not even the club has those kinds of funds.”

Grinning, I looked up at my big brother. “You really should have checked in on me more, big brother, because I’ve got that and a lot more.”

A chuckle escaped Law’s lips as he shook his head, a wry smile playing on his face.

“You can’t sign a contract with Harbor Security without Reaper’s permission.”

“I’m not a patched brother, yet.”

“What about Bailey and Charlie? What would they say?”

“They would stand beside me, and you fucking know it. What’s going on here, Ace? Why are you so resistant to this?”

“Tell him, Ace,” Law ordered.

“Tell me what?” I asked as I looked up at my big brother.

“It’s your program.”

Slowly getting to my feet, my heart pounded a frantic rhythm against my ribs, as a deep growl rumbled from deep in my chest. “What is?”

“I used your security algorithm program.”

“YOU HACKED ME?!”

Son of a bitch!

Utterly disgusted and completely unable to believe what I had just heard, I sat there, my head shaking from side to side while I struggled to make sense of the shocking information. Despite all we’d endured together, the countless memories forged in hardship and joy, the betrayal by my brother felt like a physical blow, a shattering of everything I thought I knew.

“Let me explain, Danny.”

“Fuck you!” I spun, shouting a furious accusation at him. My breath hitched in my chest. “What the hell was your game? Fuck me over until I acquiesced to your demands? No, wait. The fucking government sent you to recruit me, didn’t they? Is that it? Use my own program to blackmail me so I would do what they fucking want? Fuck! I’m so stupid. I should have fucking known.”

“It wasn’t like that, Danny. I swear. I never meant for you to find out.” He took a slow, hesitant step toward me, his words measured and cautious.

“So that makes it better?!” I roared. “Stay the fuck away from me. My God. Do you know what Reaper will do if he finds out? Or Montana, for that matter. You’re dead. They won’t think twice before killing you or me!”

“Danny, please let me explain.”

“No. There is nothing you can say to make this right. You’re a fucking liar and a thief. That’s all I need to know. Fuck, I’m so fucking stupid!”

“Stop saying that. You’re not stupid.”

The smooth leather texture of my coat was familiar as I reached for it and shrugged it on.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the clubhouse.”

“Montana will just throw you back in the mailroom.”

“I don’t fucking care.”

Reaching for my arm and with surprising strength, Ace shoved me hard against the rough brick wall, his sneer twisting his features into a cruel mask. “Yes, you do. You can’t stand being contained. I’m sorry I stole your program, but I didn’t have a choice.”

My eyes blazed as I glared at him, spitting his own words back at him with venom. “Yes, you did. You always had a choice.”

With a hard shove, I pushed him away and stormed out, the jarring sound of the door slamming behind me a final punctuation mark.

To escape him, I fled the Harbor on 5 th and wandered the city streets. The pungent smell of exhaust fumes and street food filled my nostrils while my mind raced with the disastrous implications of my brother’s actions. Each step I took was a desperate attempt to put distance between us.

Every belief I held dear shattered, replaced by the bitter taste of betrayal and the chilling realization of deception. He played me cleverly. His skillful deception completely ensnared me. I fell into his trap without a second thought.

Disbelief washed over me that I failed to notice all the numerous clues and signs that should have been obvious to me. Of course he used my fucking design. It was the fucking best. It took a bold, daring, egotistical maniac to best the world’s most dangerous hacker, who just happened to be connected to the notorious Golden Skulls. On top of everything else, I knew Ace was fully aware of the additional work I did for extra cash. While I toiled alongside other unsavory characters in the shadowy underworld, I bet the fucking farm that Ace monitored and recorded all my clandestine dealings.

And not just biker clubs, either.

Fuck me.

Ace had to know that I possessed privileged information about all the individuals operating within the criminal underworld. My own fucking brother deliberately marked me as a target and did so willingly despite knowing the consequences.

What I did know was that my brother screwed me.

Literally and figuratively.

Reaching into my pocket, my fingers brushed against the smooth, cool surface of my phone as I sent out a secured text to the only person I knew who could help me get out of this fucking mess.

Me: I want my cut.

Reaper: Welcome home… brother.