Page 15

Drake

“W hat do you mean a woman has been seen riding a bike identified as Rage?” Drake asked incredulously.

“Drake, I’ve got a black and white following a girl who is behaving erratically and not stopping for nothing,” Ramirez said.

“Rage ain’t the only ones that rides Harleys in Rapid City,” Drake replied, amused.

“And how many have a tank with a custom paint job of a pirate ship on stormy waters and skull and crossbones?”

“Slate,” Drake hissed.

“Yeah, and I’m assuming that’s Jaelynn riding like a lunatic. She’s not even stopping for red lights but wobbling through them. Jaelynn’s heading for Rage,” Ramirez replied.

“If that is Jaelynn, for fuck’s sake, don’t stop her. Ramirez, she doesn’t know how to ride a Hog,” Drake stated, alarmed.

Texas looked up and frowned.

“Drake, she’s blowing past the traffic signals, she’s going to have an accident, and she’s speeding. We need to pull her over,” Ramirez said.

“You stop Jaelynn, she’ll lay the bike down. Jaelynn won’t be able to react in time. She got a helmet on?”

“No,” Ramirez replied.

“Then you’ve got brain matter all over the road. Jaelynn’s coming to Rage for help. Something’s wrong. Get a black and white in front of her and bring her here. Tell your guy to pull up alongside and motion Jaelynn to follow them here with sirens going,” Drake ordered as he headed outside.

Texas was on his heels as Axel appeared.

“We got incoming, Jaelynn’s on Slate’s bike and heading here. Phone the brothers. Something’s happened to Slate,” Drake said, cutting the call. “Move those bikes. We need Jaelynn to head for the grass, open the gates wide,” Drake yelled at Cody.

Cody jumped but started opening the gates.

Drake jogged forward. “We got incoming!” Drake yelled.

A crowd gathered within moments.

“Jaelynn is heading here on Slate’s Harley, no helmet. We need her to lay the bike down on the turf. That’s the safest option. As soon as she turns into the forecourt, start yelling at her where the brake is. I highly doubt Jaelynn knows because she is blasting through red lights and stop signs,” Drake said.

“Girl’s gonna get hurt,” Texas boomed.

“Better on grass than the road,” Jett stated.

“True.”

Pipes roared.

Drake glanced up to see Artemis heading out. Drake hoped she’d reach Jaelynn in time.

Jaelynn

I couldn’t stop shaking, and tears distorted my eyes. I was terrified of coming off, and the bike was making a terrible noise. When Slate rode, it didn’t sound like this, but I kept going. I had to get help. I sniffed hard as a tear leaked down my cheek, but the wind soon dried it. Sirens had been screaming behind me for several minutes, but I didn’t know how to stop. The only thing I’d learned was to take my foot off the pedal that controlled the speed. This had been a bad, fucking disastrous idea.

Narrowly, I missed hitting a truck as I shot through a stop sign, and suddenly, the police car pulled up alongside. The officer yelled something, but I couldn’t hear over the rush of the wind. I daren’t turn my head, either. The vehicle moved forward, and I saw an arm motioning for me to follow them. The officers dropped in front of me, and I sensed I had an escort.

We weren’t far from Rage, so I kept pushing ahead. I hadn’t even considered how I was going to stop—and that now hit me.

How did Slate stop the bike? I didn’t know because I was always tucked into his back. Shit. A cry left my lips as tears streaked down my face. I blinked to clear them before I had an accident.

Bike pipes sounded, and I saw a Hog heading towards me. A tiny woman was on it and when she spotted me, she began turning in the road. I blew past her, and she got behind me and then appeared on my left. The woman pulled a little in front of me and raised her right arm. I could see her as she brought her hand down to the throttle and tapped the lever in front of it. She slowed and dropped back, and then sped up.

She showed me once again and made a slow motion. The stranger pointed at her foot and sped up. She made a drama out of lifting her foot and then placing it on the pedal in front of the footrest, and she made a slow movement. The bike slowed.

I grasped what she was showing me. Puffing out my cheeks and trying hard not to break down, I nodded. She waved her hand and foot at me and used them both together, and I shot past her again as she braked.

My heart was in my throat as I kept my eyes on the streets as the Rage sign came into view. The road had been blocked off, so I could turn in easily.

I lifted my boot from the accelerator and Slate’s Harley decelerated a little, but not enough. The stranger gave me a thumbs up and repeated her actions, and I copied. I did it as slow as she did and took my foot off the throttle. Slate’s bike slowed down just in time as I wobbled into the forecourt. Drake, along with many others, gestured towards the fence, shouting.

The gates were open, and I could see grass.

Without a second thought, I headed there, and as soon as I hit it, I slammed the brakes on.

That was a mistake. I lost control. As the bike toppled at the last moment, I threw my arms up to protect my head. The Harley and I went down hard, and the air left my lungs in a rush. I slid along the grass with the bike crushing me until we came to a stop. The wheels still spun as I sluggishly moved my arms.

Pain rushed through my body, and I struggled to breathe. My back was on fire, and I released a cry of pain. The bike was so heavy.

Dazed, I lay there, gasping as everything fell silent. A ray of sunshine broke the clouds and covered me in sunlight before disappearing again.

A cacophony of loud noises overwhelmed me.

“Jaelynn!” Drake roared my name.

Frantically, I started scrabbling, trying to get out from under the bike. Events rushed back, and I screamed words, hoping somebody would understand. “Damien shot Slate! We were at the cabin, and Damien shot Slate. He tried to kidnap me, and Slate tackled him. You need to find him, go, go! Slate’s been shot. You gotta save him. Someone help, you gotta help Slate!”

“Jaelynn, which cabin?” Drake demanded. He leaned over my battered body and held my face cupped between his hands.

“The one at the lake. Slate was buying it for us. Damien attacked there, and he had a gun. He shot Slate and then tried to take me, and Slate made me run away, but Damien came instead, and I started the bike. I had to leave Slate. Damien kept shooting. Slate didn’t come, it was Damien. He needs help!” I cried loudly.

A slap hit me hard, and I drew in a shuddering breath and stared into the eyes of the unknown woman.

“Artemis!” Drake hissed, sounding shocked.

“Girl’s getting hysterical. We need facts. Talk slowly and calmly,” Artemis ordered me.

I took a deep breath and explained everything again. As I did, Axel and another man lifted the bike off me. A third guy checked me over and shook his head in disbelief.

“Engine’s fucked, I don’t think she changed gear at all,” someone muttered.

“Slate won’t give a shit as long as we find him,” Drake replied.

“Jaelynn’s uninjured. Bruises and cuts, but no broken bones or anything. Luck of the devil.”

“Thanks, Klutz. Artemis, get her to hospital. Jaelynn’s in your hands. Rage is riding for this cabin. Ramirez! Barclay has surfaced and shot Slate. I’ve got an address, let’s go,” Drake called out, and I twisted my neck and saw the detective heading towards a car. Tired and in agony, I lay my head down and closed my eyes.

No doubt I was going to jail. Oh well, as long as I saved Slate. Prison couldn’t be as bad as living with Damien.

Drake

Slate was gone. Rage had found the cabin easily enough, but there was a puddle of blood soaked into the ground and signs of a brutal fight. There was a broken tree branch that had clearly been used to hit someone.

Drake stared at the bloodstain, willing something to turn up to point them in Slate’s direction. There was nothing.

Ramirez was calling forensics and had checked the lake for a body. Drake was relieved when Ramirez reported there wasn’t anything. Not even drips. Drake’s eyes followed the blood trail to where it abruptly ended. No doubt Damien had a car, which he’d placed Slate in, which meant his brother was still alive.

Slate had to be. Otherwise, why take him? Damien hadn’t been worried about bodies dropping before. No, Slate was alive, and Damien planned to use him for leverage.

Ace had already phoned in alerts to allies.

Drake frowned. Fury was breathing down their necks, and they didn’t need a missing brother, too.

Drake’s mobile beeped, and he yanked it out.

“Ace, Fish, Rock, Gunner,” he shouted, and they walked over. Drake showed them his phone, and they moved away. He opened the link that Slate’s phone had sent him and hissed.

Slate hung by his wrists from a meat hook. He was unconscious, and his head was tipped forward. He’d been stripped to his jeans, and his feet were bare. Drake saw a bullet hole in Slate’s shoulder, which had to be agonising, considering his arms were above his head. A second injury marred his side.

A piece of wood slammed into the wound, and Slate howled, coming alert and shook. It hit the same place again, and Damien stepped forward.

“You have four hours. Bring me Jaelynn, or I’ll take this piece of shit apart piece by piece for touching what is mine,” Damien growled out and cut the call.

Drake forwarded it to Hawthorne as Ace called him. Drake eyed everybody around him. “Hit your snitches. Find Slate.”

Ramirez looked up as Rage raced away. Then Drake sent him the video and then climbed on his own bike. His brother was out there somewhere.

Jaelynn

Whoever Artemis was, she spoke, and the doctors jumped. Inside of an hour, I’d had x-rays and an MRI and was now being cleaned up by a nurse.

“We meet again, Jaelynn,” a man said, and I recognised Doc Paul.

“Hi,” I replied weakly. All I wanted to know was where Slate was.

Artemis received a text, and she left the room. When she returned, she was grim-faced.

“How is she, Doc?” Artemis.

“One lucky fuckin’ lady. Bruises and some cuts. Klutz was correct, no broken bones or major trauma. Not even a concussion. But you are going to be black and blue, and I’d hate to be you in the morning, but you’re okay. You’ll suffer a lot of stiffness and soreness,” Doc Paul explained.

“Need to take this,” Artemis stated.

“Jaelynn, I’ll prescribe some painkillers,” Doc Paul added and left.

Wiped out, I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes.

“… If they want her for Slate, do the swap. Drake, I’ll put a tracker on Jaelynn, and we’ll find her,” Artemis grumbled.

I opened my eyes. What?

“Fuck that, Drake. We need to get Slate. We can track Jaelynn and bring this little asshole down. If Slate’s got two wounds and they’re torturing him, he won’t last long,” Artemis retorted.

Slate was being tortured. By the sounds of it, Damien had demanded me in exchange for him. That wasn’t a problem; why wouldn’t Drake do that?

“Slate won’t be able to beat your ass if he’s dead!” Artemis exploded and then lowered her voice. “Make the swap, I’ll be on Jaelynn. Drake, I swear I won’t lose her.”

Slowly, I inched off the bed. Thanks to Doc Paul, I didn’t feel a thing; he’d given me some good painkillers. Quickly, I slipped into my clothes as Artemis continued her conversation.

When she returned, I was ready.

“Doc Paul said I could go,” I stated, and Artemis narrowed her eyes.

“Come on. I’m to take you to the clubhouse,” she replied.

As we were leaving, I stopped. “Damn, I forgot my purse, give me a few moments,” I asked.

Artemis looked at me and then down at her phone as it beeped.

I took advantage of her distraction and slipped away. With Artemis distracted, I headed towards another exit and left quietly. Hailing a taxi, I jumped in and gave my home address. Slate needed me.

Artemis

“You didn’t tell me she was a fucking escape artist. I thought I was dealing with an average woman,” I snarled.

“Jaelynn has been running for months and managed to stay free until now. Of course she’s not fuckin’ normal,” Ace snapped.

“Drop your attitude, husband,” I warned.

Ace sighed. “Fuck, wife, we’ve just gone from one missing person to two. If anything happens to Jaelynn, Slate will kill us all,” Ace stated.

“Slate can try,” I replied. “The Juno Group has mobilised, and we’re out hunting. We’ll find them.”

Magic

“What the hell is that?” Magic demanded.

“What?” Inglorious asked.

“That. Don’t recall that being there,” Magic pointed to a barn.

“Yeah, it’s always been there, although it was derelict.” Inglorious narrowed his gaze.

“Ain’t now,” Magic retorted and turned his bike in the barn’s direction.

Inglorious rolled his eyes. “We’re meant to be looking for Slate and a woman,” he yelled after Magic.

Magic flipped him the finger and kept going. He knew Inglorious would follow. The asshole was as curious as him.

Why restore a barn so isolated? That was damn suspicious. Magic’s eyes narrowed on a thick chain and padlock. Something was wrong here.

He parked his bike and swung off. He spotted a camera, waved, and headed for the doors.

“There’re cameras,” Inglorious stated.

“Yeah, I gave them a wave. Pick this lock,” Magic ordered.

“Pick your own fuckin’ lock,” Inglorious retorted.

Magic rolled his eyes and gripped the handle the chain was threaded through. He puffed out his chest and yanked hard.

“He huffed and puffed and pulled the lock off,” Inglorious taunted.

“It’s huffed and puffed and blew the house down, you ignoramus,” Magic snapped.

“I know that… Jesus… do I have to explain humour to you?”

“Shut it,” Magic retorted as he braced himself and tugged the handle again. It loosened, and Inglorious snickered.

“You might need to Hulkout, as Calamity says,” he offered unhelpfully.

Magic sent him a dirty look and braced a third time, and the handle came free. “Booyah!” Magic boomed happily. He yanked the doors open and froze. “Fuckin’ heaven.”

“Shit!” Inglorious exclaimed.

In front of them, the barn was filled with crates. They exchanged glances as they saw a rocket launcher lying on top of a box.

“These contain guns,” Inglorious announced, looking inside a few boxes.

“We’ve found a Venomous Fangs stash,” Magic said, holding up a lid with the Fangs patch on.

“Fuck,” Inglorious hissed.

“Losing this will hurt them.” Magic smirked.

“We’re gonna need a shit load of trucks to remove this.”

Magic looked at Inglorious and laughed. He began removing stuff from boxes, and Inglorious suddenly got worried.

“Magic…”

“Nope, brother. This is my show. You’re the spectator,” Magic cut him off and sent him a dire look. Inglorious wisely shut his mouth. “I’m sending that punk Fury a message. You don’t screw with my town.”

Magic finished what he was doing and armed himself. He deserved a few treats, he thought as he picked up a remote. “Boom, boom, shake the room. This is my fuck you, Fury,” he said, looking at the cameras.

Inglorious got on his bike and rode out with Magic behind him.

Once they were a safe distance away, Magic hit the button.

◆◆◆

“You’re fuckin’ crazy,” Inglorious cursed Magic out.

“You’re riding with me,” Magic pointed out reasonably.

Inglorious shook his head. He couldn’t refute that. He’d been at Magic’s bar when the call came about Slate being missing. It had been agreed that nobody rode alone anymore, so Magic had partnered with Inglorious. Magic did actually like the Unwanted Bastards President; he was one of the more fun ones. Onyx of the Riders of Vengeance was all doom and gloom. Jailbait, President of the Devil’s Damned Disciples, had been driven insane by the antics of his club. Inglorious was tolerable.

Behind them was a mushroom cloud of fire and smoke. The explosion had to have been seen and felt for miles. Magic was cackling his enjoyment as they rode away. They hit the road, and Magic was still laughing as he passed a vehicle. Magic glanced inside and stiffened.

He pulled over and let the car pass him.

Inglorious stopped beside him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“That’s Slate’s woman. She matched the picture Drake sent out, although she looked a bit battered,” Magic said, nodding at the cage. Before Inglorious could comment, Magic rushed out after her.

“Why me?!” he heard Inglorious howl and chuckled as he followed Slate’s old lady at a distance.

Jaelynn

As soon as I was home, I grabbed the cell I’d been using and dialled the number I’d known to be Damien’s, hoping it was the same. As I did, I headed out to my car and climbed in. The call rung out, and I backed out of my drive and recalled him.

It rang out a second time, and I began to panic.

I hit redial, and Damien answered, sounding irate.

“What?”

“It’s me. Where am I heading?” I demanded.

“Baby!” Damien crowed happily.

“Jaelynn, stay the fuck away!” Slate roared.

I winced, and tears sprang to my eyes as I heard a thump and a groan of pain.

“Come to me, or your friend will suffer. He’s a biker, I do wonder how much he can stand,” Damien mused.

“I’m coming, just leave Slate alone. Tell me where to go,” I begged.

“Do you care for him?” Damien sneered.

“Give me directions. Otherwise, I’m leaving. You’ll never get your hands on me. And if you kill Slate, his entire MC will come for you. And everything you do to him, they’d do to you ten times over!” I cried.

“Put this in your sat nav. Jaelynn… this better not be a trap. If you’re with someone, then he won’t last a second,” Damien threatened.

“I’m alone, and I am coming,” I promised and cut the call.

Slate just needed to hold on. If I got him free, I know he’d come for me. Damien might have me a few weeks, but Slate would save me. I knew it deep within my bones.