Page 28 of Victorious: Part 3

A thunderous round of fists slamming on the Chapel table lets me know my guys are ready.

We’ve run through the contingencies.

We’ve planned as best we can.

We now have to hope that the Cartel hasn’t caught wind of our strategy.

Because if Javier knows we’re coming, then we’re going to be walking into the mouth of hell itself. And nothing can prepare my brothers for the shitstorm that comes with the fires of Hades.

Fuck, I hope I’ve done enough.

Trusted the right people.

Thought of every outcome.

Because if this backfires, the body count is completely on me.

“We’ll see you on the other side, Alpha,” Hurricane states with his usual smirk, telling me he’s more than ready for this fight.

“All of us,” Torque adds, dipping his graying head of hair.

“It better fucking be all of us, I’ve got shit to do this weekend,” Sin adds, lifting a beer to his lips.

Nycto shrugs nonchalantly. “I wouldn’t mind a good sleep. So feel free to get a Cartel cunt to knock me out for a bit, would you? Toxin is driving me crazy over here—”

“Hey! I’m right here, Pres,” Toxin calls from the other side of the Tampa clubhouse, Void pulling her into his side to calm her down while Nycto grins at her.

We all chuckle before Six speaks, “All ya’ll talk too much. By the time ya’ll are finished yammerin’, Houston will have this thing won.”

The other presidents scoff, swearing through the screens at Six while I sit back smiling, feeling the camaraderie of Defiance. This is who we are. We’re rowdy, we’re crude, and we rib each other every chance we get. But as I look around the room one more time, memorizing faces, burning this moment into my memory, these men, this brotherhood, it’s worth fighting for.

It’s worth dying for.

“All right, this is it, brothers. You know what to do. Hold your loved ones tight. Don’t leave anything unsaid because this could be your last fight. I appreciate you all for what you’re about to do. Tomorrow at midnight, we unleash Operation Darkfire. Let the games begin,” I say, and bang my gavel to close what might be our last church meeting.

The presidents nod, and one by one, their screens darken. My chest tightens, the weight falling back on my shoulders like a heavy burden. As my brothers file out to make their final preparations, I stay seated for a moment, Haven’s hand warm on my shoulder.

In a few hours, everything changes.

In a few hours, we either win our freedom or die trying.

All I know is that once this war starts, there’s absolutely no going back.

For any of us.

Chapter Seven

TORQUE

Operation Darkfire Commence

Chicago – 2:00 a.m. CDT

When the call came through from Alpha about The Rojas Cartel and their plans to take over, my stomach caved. I thought the days of mafia and our club dealing with this kind of shit were behind me. Chicago finally has a good thing going here with Bianca and the Andretti Mafia, who run this town alongside us. The fact that Bianca had no clue another Cartel moved into Chicago right underher nose…

… underour nose…

… says it all.