Page 17

Tempest

I pushed open the heavy clubhouse door, a wall of noise hitting me like a physical force. The air crackled with tension and urgency.

Voices shouted over each other, boots stomped across creaking floorboards, and the metallic clang of weapons being checked and loaded punctuated it all. My eyes swept the room, taking in the sea of leather cuts and patches from our allied clubs.

Scratch from Devil’s Boneyard caught my eye, giving a curt nod. Beside him, Jackal and Irish stood alert. Angel and Killer from Twisted Tides huddled in a corner, heads bent in intense discussion. I’d been surprised when they’d shown up on our doorstep early this morning, but they said Tiger wanted retribution for what the cartel had done to their club. It was their way of lending a hand while getting even.

The Hades Abyss crew -- Stone, Poison, and Bones -- were spread out, watchful gazes scanning constantly. I’d been especially glad to see Bones, since I knew he was a doctor. I had a feeling we’d need all the medical help we could get.

And there, by the bar, Scorpion, Colorado, and Silver from Devil’s Fury nursed drinks, coiled tension evident in every line of their bodies. The Savage Raptors had wanted to send men, but Bull had asked them to stay put, since his daughter, Isy, and his son, Foster, both lived there now. It probably gave him peace of mind knowing they’d be safe, and if no one from their club was present, they wouldn’t be on the cartel’s radar.

So many here, ready to spill blood for us. The weight of responsibility pressed down, threatening to crush me.

“Wire set up yet?” I asked of no one in particular, my voice cutting through the din.

A Prospect jerked his thumb toward a side room. “In there, Tempest.”

I stalked over, my body humming with barely contained energy. Wire was hunched over a table, surrounded by a mess of wires, screens, and blinking lights. His fingers flew across keyboards, face bathed in the blue glow of multiple monitors.

“How’s it coming?” I asked, leaning in.

Wire didn’t even look up. “Almost there. Give me five more minutes and we’ll have eyes everywhere within a five-mile radius. All the cameras inside the compound, as well as those monitoring our property line, are already up and running.”

I grunted, impressed despite myself. “Good. We can’t afford any blind spots.”

Should have done this shit a long time ago. Maybe things had been too peaceful. Or we were just getting too old for this shit. Not that it would really matter. Something could still go wrong. Power outage would kill any advantage we had.

“Won’t have ‘em,” Wire muttered, his focus laser-sharp. “I’ve got thermal imaging, night vision, motion sensors… if a fucking squirrel farts near this place, we’ll know about it.”

A savage grin tugged at my lips. “Perfect.”

I watched him work for a moment, marveling at how his usual energy was channeled into absolute concentration. My own restlessness itched beneath my skin, demanding action.

“You need anything?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

Wire shook his head, still not looking away from his screens. “Nah. Just keep everyone out of here for a bit. Can’t have some drunken asshole tripping over my setup.”

“I’d ask who the fuck would be drinking at a time like this, but shit. I’d down a bottle of whiskey if I could.” I turned to leave. “You got it. Holler when it’s ready for a test run.”

“Wait,” he said. “I want Lavender and Atlas here. They can help with all this, and both can hack into systems as well as I can. In fact, Atlas may have surpassed me already.”

“What about Livvy?” I asked, wondering where his daughter would be if the rest of her family was here.

“She’s already with Ares, Junie, Judd, and Marnie. Prophet is watching them for now, but when he’s needed, he has a plan in place,” Wire said.

“Fine. Get Lavender and Atlas here. You can have whatever you need.”

As I stepped back into the main room, the noise washed over me again. My fists clenched involuntarily. So much left to do, so many variables to account for. And somewhere out there, enemies circling, waiting to strike.

My blood sang for violence, for the simplicity of fists and fury. But I couldn’t indulge. Not yet. I had a club to protect, a woman to keep safe.

I took a deep breath, forcing the rage down. Time to get to work.

I strode down the hallway, the muffled sounds of preparation fading behind me. The supply room door stood ajar, and I pushed it open, revealing our Prospect, Caden, hunched over a clipboard.

“How we looking?” I barked, causing him to jump.

Caden spun around, eyes wide. “Jesus, Tempest! Didn’t hear you coming.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’d better work on that. A distracted biker’s a dead biker.”

He swallowed hard, nodding. “Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”

“Cut the ‘sir’ shit,” I said. “Just give me the rundown.”

Caden’s eyes darted to his clipboard. “Right. We’ve got enough water to last a week, maybe two, canned goods for at least two weeks. Medical supplies are good -- bandages, antibiotics, pain meds. Even managed to score some suture kits.”

I grunted, impressed despite myself. Even though the last run had ended in disaster, we’d had no choice but to try again. At least this time, we’d managed to bring back some stuff. “Not bad, Prospect. What about ammo?”

“Enough to start a small war,” he said, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.

“Good,” I said. “Because that might be exactly what we’re facing.”

“And um, I also got my hands on some grenades. Probably not something we want to use at the compound, but we’ll have them if we ever need them.”

I just shook my head but smiled. Kid had a good head on his shoulders. One day, he’d patch in and be a brother. I had no doubt about it.

Leaving Caden to his inventory, I made my way to the war room, which had been Church until this morning. Viking stood hunched over a map. His eyes, cold and calculating, traced invisible lines across the paper.

“Talk to me,” I said, stepping up beside him.

Viking’s finger jabbed at a spot on the map. “We’ve got three primary safe houses secured, all outside of town. The Devil’s Boneyard came through big time. In addition to the men here, each club sent a few to guard the safe houses. Reckless Kings even sent Copper, Wrangler, and Nitro.”

I nodded. “And the buses?”

“Two of ‘em,” Viking confirmed. “Small, windows tinted dark as night. They’ll get our people out clean if it comes to that. Stashed them behind the compound. As long as we keep the cartel focused on us here, they should be able to slip away.”

My mind immediately went to Kasen, her face flashing before my eyes. I pushed the image away, forcing myself to focus.

“What about here?” I asked, pointing to a winding road leading out of town.

Viking shook his head. “Too exposed. We’d be sitting ducks if they caught wind of us.”

I cursed under my breath. “All right, what’s our best option for getting Kasen and her sisters out?”

Viking’s eyebrow quirked up slightly, but he didn’t comment on my specific concern. Smart man.

“This route,” he said, tracing a line with his finger. “It’s longer, but there are multiple turnoffs, good cover. We can have decoys ready if needed. As you requested, there’s an armored vehicle waiting for them and Emmie.”

I studied the map, picturing the terrain. “It’ll work. But we need a fallback. If things go to shit, I want options.”

Viking nodded, his face grim. “Always. I’ve got three alternate routes planned. We’re not leaving anything to chance. You sure about the place you’re sending them?”

I grunted. Not entirely, but it was better to get them all far from the club, and any other clubs. Which meant I’d have to fall back on someone I’d known my entire life. Joel Drewry had made a name for himself as one of the top assassins in the world. In fact, his kill count was higher than Casper VanHorne’s and Specter’s. Possibly combined. If anyone could keep them safe, it would be him.

I clapped Viking on the shoulder, feeling the solid muscle beneath my hand. “Good work, brother. Now let’s make sure everyone knows their part.”

I strode across the clubhouse, my boots echoing on the hardwood. The weight of responsibility pressed down on me, but I stood tall, shoulders back. This was my job now. Sergeant-at-Arms. Protector.

“Wire! Sticks!” I barked, my voice cutting through the din. “Kitchen. Now.”

They snapped to attention, following me without question. Good men. Loyal. I’d need that loyalty in the hours to come.

We crowded into the room. I spread the map on the table, my fingers tracing the routes Viking and I had discussed.

“Listen up,” I growled, my eyes boring into each of them. “We’ve got a storm coming. And we need to be ready.”

Wire leaned forward, his tech-savvy brain already whirring. “What’s the plan, Tempest?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “Two buses. Tinted windows. We’re getting our families out if things go south. Wire, I need you on comms. Every vehicle needs to be synced and secure. They’re stashed out behind the compound. Hopefully, the cartel hasn’t noticed them, or connected them to us if they did see them.”

He nodded, fingers already twitching as if typing on an invisible keyboard. “I’m on it. I’ll have a closed network up within the hour.”

“Sticks.” I turned to our drummer, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with fierce determination. “You’re on escort duty. Your bike’s the quietest. You’ll lead the convoy if we need to move.”

“You got it, brother,” Sticks replied, his voice low and serious.

I leaned in, my voice dropping to a near-whisper. “We’ve got enemies closing in, and I’ll be damned if they touch our people. Understood?”

They nodded, the gravity of the situation evident in their tense postures.

“Good. Now let’s move. We’ve got work to do.”

As they filed out, my mind drifted to Kasen again. Her smile. Her laugh. If I had to send her away, I could only hope I’d still be alive when the dust settled so I could go get her. But if anything happened to me and Tank, Joel had his orders.

I pushed the thoughts aside. I had to focus. Had to keep her safe.

Keep them all safe.

* * *

The room crackled with tension as my brothers absorbed the plan. Hammer cracked his knuckles, a grim smile playing on his scarred face. “About damn time we took the fight to them. I owe those bastards for what they did to my son.”

His words were a reminder that Sam was still out of commission. For now, he was holed up in his house. I could only hope he’d be safe there.

Saint, the voice of caution, spoke up. “It’s risky, Tempest.”

I fixed him with a hard stare. “You got a better idea?”

He held my gaze for a moment, then shook his head. “No. I’m with you.”

Wire cleared his throat, drawing our attention. He’d been unusually quiet, his fingers dancing across his tablet. “I’ve got updates on our surveillance,” he said, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.

I nodded, giving him the floor. Wire’s tech skills had saved our asses more times than I could count. Hell, he’d saved men in other clubs as well. When their own tech people couldn’t handle shit, they came to him.

He tapped his screen, and a map materialized on the wall above the table. “I’ve set up a network of cameras and motion sensors around the perimeter,” he explained, zooming in on key points. “We’ll have real-time intel on any movement within a two-mile radius.”

Sticks leaned in, his eyes narrowing. “What about blind spots?”

Wire’s lips quirked in a smile. “There aren’t any. I’ve even got drones patrolling the air space. You can thank Livvy for that one. She insisted on helping, even if she couldn’t be here with us. Nothing gets in or out without us knowing.”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. This was exactly what we needed. “Good work, Wire,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder. “How long before it’s fully operational?”

“It already is,” he replied, a hint of pride in his voice. “I’ve synced it with our comms. Everyone will have access to the feed through their phones and we’ll all be connected through earpieces.”

The tension in the room eased slightly. Having eyes everywhere gave us an edge we desperately needed.

“All right,” I said, straightening up. “We’ve got our plan. We’ve got our tech. Now let’s make sure we’re ready for whatever comes our way.”

As the others nodded and began to disperse, I caught Wire’s eye. “Keep monitoring those feeds,” I ordered. “Anything looks off, I want to know immediately.”

He gave a curt nod. “You got it.”

I turned away, my mind already racing to the next steps. We were as prepared as we could be. Now, we just had to wait for the storm to hit.

The door burst open, and Caden strode in, clipboard clutched tight in his hand. His eyes were bright with nervous energy. Had he gone over the inventory again?

“Found some additional medical supplies. Everything’s accounted for,” he said.

I nodded, feeling a mix of pride and unease. The kid was stepping up, but the fact we needed all this… it didn’t sit well.

“What about sleeping arrangements?” I asked, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. We had too many people here and needed beds. The rest of us could sleep in our homes, but not our guests. I knew a few had already claimed the townhomes near the clubhouse.

Caden straightened, puffing out his chest. “Each bedroom can sleep four now. I’ve set up bunk beds. It’s tight, but we can house everyone who came to help.”

“Good work.” I turned to find Viking bent over the map, casting a shadow across the table. His finger traced a line, brow furrowed in concentration.

“Viking,” I called, moving to join him. “Problem?”

“No, just making sure I didn’t miss anything. I think we’re good, or as good as it’s going to get.”

Now that I’d done what I could, I couldn’t help but search for Kasen. I needed to see her. My eyes scanned the crowded clubhouse until I spotted her across the room. She was with Dessa, Savior’s old lady, herding kids and organizing the women. My chest tightened.

I made my way over, dodging Prospects and patched members alike. Kasen looked up as I approached, her eyes widening slightly.

“Tempest,” she said, voice soft but steady. “Everything okay?”

“Just checking in.” I grunted, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her. “You good here?”

Kasen nodded, a determined set to her jaw. “We’ve got it under control. The kids are scared, but we’re keeping them calm. Most are already grouped together in various houses toward the back of the compound.”

Dessa chimed in, “We’re packing go-bags for everyone, just in case.”

“Smart,” I said, my gaze locked on Kasen. There was so much I wanted to say, but the words jammed in my throat. Instead, I growled, “You stay close to the exit, you hear me? First sign of trouble, you get these people out.”

I’d need to go over the specifics with her, and make sure she knew about the separate vehicle taking her, her mom, and her sisters to safety. There was still too much shit to do.

Kasen’s eyes flashed. “I know my job, Tempest. We’ve got this.”

I felt a surge of pride mixed with fear. She was strong, capable. But the thought of her in danger made me want to tear the world apart.

“I know you do,” I said, softer this time. Our eyes met, and for a moment, everything else faded away. I saw the worry she was trying to hide, the strength she was determined to show. Without thinking, I reached out and squeezed her hand. “Be safe.”

She squeezed back, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You too.”

Reluctantly, I turned and walked off. The air crackled with tension, every face set in grim determination. Savior stood at the center of the room, his presence commanding attention without a word.

I took my place beside him, surveying our assembled force. Dixie Reapers, Devil’s Boneyard, Twisted Tides, Hades Abyss, Devil’s Fury -- all united, ready to face whatever came our way.

“Brothers.” Savior’s voice cut through the noise. “The storm’s coming. But we’re ready for it, and this time, we’re going to get ahead of it.”

A chorus of agreement rumbled through the room. I felt it in my bones, this collective resolve. I only hoped we weren’t lying to ourselves and we really were ready for anything. We were more than a club. We were family. And God help anyone who tried to fuck with us.