Page 18

HAVEN

The way Nighthawk is glaring at me like I’m her enemy at the moment lets me know I need to calm her down really fast.

Tilting my head, I sigh. “At least we thought we took it down. Once I found the information I did about why we were there in the first place, that as birds, we weren’t there to help but were used as weapons for evil, I had to dismantle the system. There’s so much more you don’t know, and I will tell you, but it’s clear now that Javier has some version of it back up and running again. That’s why we need your help.”

She slowly nods her head in understanding. “All right. What are you offering?” she asks cautiously.

“Protection. Freedom. The same thing I found with the club,” I reply. “But first, we need insights that you might know on Javier’s operation.”

Nighthawk studies me, then Alpha. Her shoulders relax fractionally as she walks over to the television, moves her hand behind it, unclips a small recording device that I knew was there, and flicks it off.

Alpha glares at me, but I smirk, knowing it means she trusts us enough now to talk freely. She throws it on the bed, then grabs a chair, sits, and makes herself comfortable. “Now that we trust each other, let’s talk candidly—”

“Now we trust each other?” Alpha snaps.

I raise my hand to stop him and move to the edge of the bed, taking a seat and patting it for Alpha to sit beside me. “Babe, c’mon,” I state.

He grumbles something unintelligible under his breath but moves to the bed, his eyes hard on Nighthawk.

Her eyes follow him the entire way until he sits, and then she exhales. “Alpha, I know what I did will never be okay in your eyes. And I also know that nothing I say will ever make you understand that even though I do feel deep remorse for what happened to Olivia, it was my mission. There was nothing in my mind at the time telling me that this was someone’s mother. Or ex-wife.” She glances at me. “Or friend…” Then she turns back to Alpha and continues, “As a bird, we don’t look at our targets as people. Just a mark. A mission parameter. It’s how we are taught. For me, since I was two years old. I literally don’t know any other way.”

Turning to Alpha, his eyes glass over, his jaw clenches so tightly that I reach out for his hand, holding it in mine. “You okay?” I whisper.

His eyes flick up, the fog lifting as he clears his throat. “Talk to me about Javier. About his plans for this new version of the Cartel he’s building.”

Nighthawk weakly smiles, realizing she needs to move on from talk of Livvy. “It’s extensive. He’s been planning this takeover for years, even before Rico died. And it’s not just about the Cartel.”

“What do you mean?” Alpha presses, his brows furrowed.

“Javier wants more than territory or drug routes,” she explains. “He wants to build something bigger, something that combines The Nest’s training methods with the Cartel’s resources. That’s why he’s been recruiting women from prisons and training them as birds.”

My stomach drops, thinking back to the phone call from Garver. “Like Valerie’s prison,” I mumble to myself.

“ Exactly like that. It’s no coincidence. Javier chose that facility specifically because of its connection to your club. Montana’s mother is there. And the Warden, well, he ties back to you, Alpha. Your bond to him is unbreakable.”

Alpha’s face darkens. “Wait! You know who Valerie and Montana are and that the Warden is my friend?”

Nighthawk grins with a shrug. “I told you I started digging. I needed to know why the great Blue Jay had thrown her life to the wind for this club. It didn’t make any sense in the meat packing facility. All I knew was that when I saw you there, trying so desperately to help my target, I knew something was wrong and that I had to put my trust in you over Javier. So, I did. I helped you get out and fought them off for as long as I could. Copped a bullet in my shin for the trouble, but I’m pretty sure I landed a blade across Javier’s face. It was enough to drop him and give me time to take off. It’s the only reason I was able to get out of there alive, though, unfortunately, I’m pretty sure Javier is still alive.”

My shoulders slump. “Well, thank you for helping us get out. If, even in the end, Livvy didn’t make it, I am glad you tried to help.”

Her somber eyes shift to Alpha, and she nods. “I truly am sorry for your loss, Alpha.”

His nostrils flare, and though he says nothing in return, his simple head nod conveys enough meaning behind it.

“Nighthawk, your inside knowledge could be invaluable for the war Defiance is about to fight. Will you come with us?” I ask. “Tell us everything you know about Javier’s operation?”

She hesitates, her training visibly fighting with her desire for freedom.

“I can’t guarantee your safety if you refuse,” Alpha adds, his voice low.

I snap my head to glare at him, but he continues, “Not because of me or the club, but because Javier will find you eventually.”

A small smile crosses her lips. “I know,” she replies, then straightens. “I’ll come with you. I’ll tell you everything I know. It’s the least I can do.”

Relief washes over me as I relax my shoulders. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me just yet,” she warns. “You might not like the shit I need to tell you.”

I glance at Alpha, his face scrunched. “All right, let’s take this back to the clubhouse. The conversation is more secure there.”

The three of us stand in unison, and I give a little head bob to Nighthawk in encouragement. She reaches for her duffle, grabs her laptop, shoves it inside, and then we make our way out the door into the parking lot, where the guys are standing by their bikes, arms crossed, looking like they’re itching for a fight.

Nighthawk lets out a small chuckle, leaning in closer to me. “I see why you like it there. Are they all this good-looking?” she whispers.

I snort out a laugh. “Yeah, it’s a burden.”

She raises her brow. “It’s a freaking harem waiting to happen is what it is. Damn! No wonder you traded in the bird life for this,” she whispers. “Hi, boys!” she calls out louder this time. “I’m gonna need a ride,” she grins, more playfully now. All broodiness from inside the motel room seems to have vanished.

Alpha glances at Ink, signaling to him. Ink steps up to her, and she eyes him up and down. “Jesus, you’re huge,” she mumbles under her breath.

Ink huffs like he’s not impressed then slides his leg over his ride. “And you killed a valued member of our club, so excuse me if I don’t fall for your flattery. Now, get on the back of my bike. Hold on. Shut up. And don’t do anything fucking stupid.”

Nighthawk turns to look at me, raising her brow. Meeeow, she mouths, then slides on the back of Ink’s bike behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

I try to hide my smile as I walk with Alpha to his bike. He slides on, and I follow behind him as he starts the engine, but before he takes off, he turns to face me. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing,” he states quickly, then turns back, kicks up his stand, and hammers down so fast I almost fall off the back of his ride.

Holding on for dear life, the ride back to the clubhouse is tense. Nighthawk rides with Ink, surrounded by club members while Alpha and I are in the middle of the procession. The wariness of the brothers rolls off them in waves.

It’s clear as day to see…

They don’t trust her—which is fair.

I’m not entirely sure I do, either.

Not one hundred percent.

Yes, I’ve spent years with her. But in the last few, she’s been deep with Javier while he’s been building his new empire. So, while I’m telling Alpha and the guys that Nighthawk is completely trustworthy, I’m keeping my eyes firmly on her.

As we pull through the clubhouse gates, the brothers park their rides, all jumping off one by one, including Nighthawk and me. Her eyes scan the clubhouse, taking it all in exactly as she was trained.

“Everyone inside. We got shit to discuss,” Alpha calls, and the guys follow his instructions without hesitation.

Nighthawk smiles at Alpha, raising her brow. “Ahh, so you do have authority. Just not over Blue Jay, it seems?” she teases.

Alpha rolls his eyes, gesturing for the main door where the others have already entered. “Inside, now!” he states.

I chuckle, tilting my head at Nighthawk. “C’mon,” I tell her.

She exhales, craning her neck, and then we head for the entrance. Alpha is walking before us, seeming to gain attention this way. And then, as if something from a movie, as soon as Nighthawk and I walk inside, the conversation throughout the clubhouse dies down to almost silence. The old ladies and club girls stand back, watching warily as Nighthawk and I continue through the main room. She keeps her head high, her steps measured, but the subtle tells of her discomfort shine through—the slight tension in her jaw, the way her eyes scan for exits, the extra flare in her nostrils with the heightened breathing.

“Who the fuck is that?” Dutch grumbles, his eyes narrowing on Nighthawk, seeing as he wasn’t at the motel with us.

“Everyone, this is—” Alpha begins but is soon cut off by a delighted squeal from the other side of the room.

“Nighthawk!” Poppy races across the floor, a streak of blonde hair and boundless energy, throwing herself at Nighthawk without hesitation.

Nighthawk catches her almost in midair, a genuine smile breaking through her stoic expression for the first time. “Hummingbird,” she says softly, using Poppy’s bird name. “Look at you!” The club watches in stunned silence as Poppy hugs the woman who killed her mother.

Alpha’s face is a storm of confusion and concern, but he says nothing. However, I can tell from looking at him the racing emotions swirling inside are almost too much to contain right now.

“You’re really here?” Poppy asks, pulling back to look at Nighthawk. “I thought, I mean, after what happened with Mama…” Poppy’s eyes begin to water.

Nighthawk’s face falls. “I’m so, so sorry about your mother, Hummingbird. I swear I didn’t know who she was when Javier tasked me with that mission.”

Poppy nods, wiping at her eyes. “I know. Haven explained it was a mission. It’s not your fault. As a bird, we all know the mission comes first. No matter what, right?”

The room remains silent, the club members exchanging bewildered glances.

They can’t comprehend the bond birds share—how it transcends conventional relationships.

Even in the face of death.

Alpha audibly groans and starts walking. “Let’s head upstairs,” Alpha finally states, gesturing to the Chapel. “We have a lot to discuss.”

Everyone moves to the stairs, ascending one by one. Poppy is sticking close to Nighthawk’s side. As we enter the Chapel, the brothers take their respective seats, and to my surprise, Ink grabs a spare seat for Nighthawk and gestures for her. She winks at him while I sit directly across from her on a stool with Alpha beside me in his presidential chair.

Alpha glances around the room at everyone and exhales. “Okay, I know this is a tense situation for everyone, but Nighthawk is here of her own volition to help us with Javier, seeing as she has been working closely with him for the past few years. Does anyone have any pressing issues with that other than the obvious?”

Everyone sits back in their chairs, looking extremely uncomfortable, but Loki is the first to talk. “Yeah, I think I speak for everyone here, Pres, when I say, what the hell happened to the Chapel table? Why the fuck is it cracked like this?”

My head snaps to Alpha, his eyes meeting mine as we both try to hide our smirks. The rest of the club quickly catches on.

Loki raises his finger. “You know what, I withdraw my question immediately. I really, really don’t want to fucking know.” He places his hands on the table, glances down, then instantly screws up his face, quickly removing his hands. Then subtly pulls out some sanitizer making everyone else widen their eyes and remove their hands from the table too.

Alpha clears his throat. “Okay, back to business. Any pressing issues?” Alpha asks, but this time, no one says anything. So, I decide to take the lead to take some pressure off Alpha because I understand how hard it must be to even be in the same room as Nighthawk right now.

Lifting my chin, I gain her attention. “Okay, Nighthawk, start at the beginning,” I urge. “When did Javier bring you in?”

She folds her hands on the table, her posture perfect—a result of years of training. “I was on assignment in Eastern Europe when Javier contacted me directly, told me The Nest had been compromised, but I was to continue my mission as planned. When I completed it, he was waiting for me at the extraction point instead of my usual handler.”

“You didn’t question that or what happened to The Nest for it to be compromised?” Montana asks skeptically.

I interject to give clarity. “We’re not trained to question,” I explain. “We’re trained to adapt.”

Nighthawk nods in agreement. “He told me he was rebranding, that Rico had put contingencies in place. I believed him because it made sense. The Nest always had backup plans. But I had absolutely no idea at this point what his plan was. And I didn’t need to check because I was still on mission with Javier.”

Furrowing my brows, something she says piques my interest. “Your assignment in Eastern Europe, you went there… What? Maybe four years ago?”

She tilts her head. “Maybe three and a half, give or take. Actually, from memory, I left a couple of months after Poppy was brought in.”

Poppy smiles. “You were my first trainer. You were so kind to me. Especially when I was having trouble because the other girls were stronger than me. Then you had to go on assignment, and I kept failing the tests until Blue Jay found me in my room that day. She gave me the pep talk I needed.”

Nighthawk and I both smile at Poppy. “Pretty sure Blue Jay gave me the same pep talk. She’s good like that.”

Alpha weakly smiles at me, but I continue with my train of thought. “So, if you were in Europe three and a half years ago, how long were you on mission there for before Javier called you to work for him?”

She exhales, clearly seeing where I am going with this. “I was done in Europe within two weeks. I was back in Los Angeles soon after and have been working strictly for Javier ever since. I thought it was strange having a mission go for this long. But it’s not unheard of to have extended duration duty, especially because Rico was still around at the time, and I had interactions with him. It all seemed legit. Whatever Javier needed me for, the creation of his plans was for the good of The Nest. I didn’t realize until much later that Javier had clearly taken over the entire operation and was in charge. I didn’t know where Rico was. It wasn’t my job to ask. It was my job to serve Javier. It was my job to help expand The Nest. And I did that. What I didn’t know was The Nest I thought I was still a part of, The Nest I thought I was helping expand, was no longer a functioning entity. And it wasn’t until I saw you in that meat packing facility that it smacked me square in the face that something was very wrong. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Javier played me. For over three fucking years, and I wanted out of my goddamn cage.”

I sense it.

The shift in the atmosphere of the room.

How the clear hostility in everyone’s faces eases, if only a little toward her.

Even in Alpha’s.

Progress.

He sits forward, his attention intent on her now. “So then, if you’ve been with him for years, what’s his endgame?” Alpha asks. “What’s he planning?”

“Total and undeniable control,” Nighthawk replies without hesitation. “Not just of territory or drug routes, but of the entire system. Rico was old school. He wanted power, sure, but he operated within certain parameters. He stood by the code. Javier doesn’t see limitations or consequences. He just wants it all. And he will do anything to make it happen.”

The mood of the room shifts again, the energy clearly changing from anger at her being here to eagerness to know more. “Tell us about the prison,” I press. “What’s happening there? How is it connected?”

Nighthawk’s eyes flick to Montana as he sits forward, his eyes wide, desperate for information. “It’s become a training ground. Javier’s bringing in women, inmates with the right psychological profiles, and guards who can be bought or blackmailed. They’re birthing a pipeline of new birds, but without the careful conditioning we went through.”

“They’re creating assassins on an assembly line,” I mumble.

“But that’s not all,” Nighthawk continues. “The prison sits on a network of old tunnels, maintenance shafts, and fallout shelters from the Cold War era. Javier’s men have been expanding them, connecting them to other systems. They’re creating a literal underground network.”

“What the fuck for?” Loki asks, leaning forward.

“Movement of drugs. Transportation of guns. Safe houses. It’s how they’re moving supplies, and people , without detection,” Nighthawk explains. “But the prison is also a test site for something bigger.”

We all shift, uneasy with that last sentence. “What do you mean, something bigger?” Alpha’s tone is dangerous now.

“Javier wants to prove he can take over a government facility. Turn it into his own operation without anyone on the outside noticing,” Nighthawk states. “Once he succeeds with the prison, he plans to expand the model into other government buildings.”

We all sit back, letting out a collective exhale. “He’s trying to make the Cartel indestructible by having them ‘officially’ run everything ,” I state.

Nighthawk solemnly shrugs. “The Cartel runs deeper than you know. The Rojas’ corruption is seeping into everything. I mean, they’re recruiting everyday people to join the Cartel just so they can get their foot into doors they never would have been able to before. If it wasn’t so horrifying, I would say it was a fucking smart business model.”

Montana’s face turns as pale as a sheet, his eyes practically pleading. “And what about my mother in all of this?”

“She wasn’t part of the original plan,” Nighthawk admits. “But when Javier realized she was in the prison, he saw an opportunity to add pressure. Two birds, one stone. Target you through your mother and compromise the Warden because he’s Alpha’s friend. Garver was the original target. Your mother was just an added bonus for Javier.”

“Jesus Christ,” Alpha mutters. “Garver’s walking into a trap and doesn’t even know it.”

“Oh, he knows,” Nighthawk counters. “That’s why he called you. He just doesn’t understand yet how deep it goes. When this all comes to light, Javier’s plan is to make it look like Garver was in on the whole damn thing. Plant evidence, manipulate records. Alpha, it’s gonna be a shit show for your friend.”

“While my mother’s caught in the fucking middle,” Montana adds bitterly.

“And hundreds of other inmates,” Nighthawk nods. “Javier doesn’t care about collateral damage. In fact, he welcomes it. The more chaos, the better for his plans.”

Alpha leans back, running a fingers through his hair. “Okay, you’ve given us a lot of information, and I really appreciate that, Nighthawk. The question is… how the fuck do we stop it?”

She lets out a small laugh. “You don’t!” Nighthawk says flatly. “Not directly. The system is too entrenched. You’d need an army, and even then, you’d be playing right into his hands. He thrives on anarchy. If you think The Rojas Cartel is only infiltrating Los Angeles…” She lets out a long breath. “I’ll just say that Javier was planning his takeover from Rico looong before he stepped into the role. He put this action plan into motion years ago. You just gave him the chance to move up the date.”

“So, what’s our next move?” I ask. “We can’t just let this happen.”

Nighthawk looks at me, her expression unreadable. “You need to get Valerie out first. Cut off Javier’s control by making the operation too visible to continue. It needs exposure on all fronts.”

“And how exactly do we get my mother out of a maximum-security prison?” Montana demands.

A slow smile spreads across Nighthawk’s face. “I thought you’d never ask. I know the tunnel system like the back of my hand. I was part of the team that helped them use the tunnels to plot the systems they now have in place. I know their routes. I know their time schedules. I know the damn security system because I fucking built it, including the failsafe I installed, which they don’t know about.” She tilts her head at me. “Thanks for teaching me that, Blue Jay.”

I let out a small chuckle, shaking my head. “Well-fucking-done,” I murmur, a sense of pride rolling through me as hope flickers across the table from face to face.

It’s a long shot, but it’s something.

“There is one more thing you should know,” Nighthawk adds, her voice dropping. “Javier’s not working alone. He has partners. People with influence.”

We all slump our shoulders, feeling the weight of this becoming heavier and heavier. “Who?” Alpha groans.

“I don’t know all of them,” she admits. “But one name kept popping up in meetings. One I am sure I wasn’t supposed to overhear.”

“And?” I urge.

Nighthawk meets my eyes, then Alpha’s. “Senator Wilson, the man who was trying to get Governor Marshall into the VP position, to be his running mate.”

The two names fall like a bomb in the center of the table.

Senator Cormac Wilson—one of the most powerful politicians in California, a man with presidential ambitions and ties to every major government agency.

And then Governor Bennett Marshall.

The man the club just got locked up.

The man who we know is Nighthawk’s father.

The man who sold her to the Cartel when she was two years old.

An awkward vibe moves around the room, Nighthawk instantly picking up on it as she turns to me. “What’s going on? You’re all looking at me weird.”

Alpha glances at me like he wants to tell her, but I make the move first. “Nighthawk, what do you know about your past? About your birth name. Do you remember any of it?”

She furrows her brows, jerking her head back like she’s confused by my questioning, and then she hesitates for a moment. “I mean, not really. I was taken in at two years old to The Nest. Given my bird name at five, and after that, on missions, I’ve had to use aliases. And you know the first rule.”

“Never tell them your birth name,” Poppy and I both say in unison, causing the rest of the room to stare at us.

Alpha shifts uncomfortably as I reach out, taking his hand in mine to ease his discomfort.

“Exactly, so after so many years of not saying my real name, I guess I just… forgot it. I never knew where I came from. All I have ever known is that I am Nighthawk.”

Rolling my shoulders, I swallow a lump down my throat. “When Alpha and I disbanded The Nest, we were able to gain access to the files that Crow and Vulture had on us, including the folders from our pasts.”

She scrunches up her face. “Okay?”

“Nighthawk, the thing is, we weren’t chosen to be birds, no matter what we were taught. Our parents sold us to the Cartel for a quick buck or for a favor from them.”

She furrows her brow as the realization sinks in. She sits forward, letting out a long breath. “Wow. So my parents, whoever they are, fucking sold me when I was two?”

Grimacing, I nod. “Yeah, and we have your file. So, we know who you are, who your parents are, and why they sold you.”

She sits back in her chair, her eyes wide. “You know my real name?” her voice is barely a whisper now.

With a weak smile, I nod. “I do.”

She rubs at her face like she’s trying to decide her next move. She stands and begins pacing, then turns back to face me. “Okay, I guess if I’m free, I should probably have a civilian name.”

Smiling, I glance across the table at Loki. He opens his laptop, types in a couple of things, then slides it across in front of her. She hesitates, walks to the laptop, goes to look, then backs away. “But we’re not supposed to know, Blue Jay.”

I shrug. “Hi, my name is Haven Cadell. It’s nice to meet you.”

Her nostrils flare as she begins pacing again like she’s unsure. The conflicting emotions of eighteen years of training tell her that she most definitely should not be looking at those files.

Poppy walks around to her, reaching up for her hand. “Hi, I’m Poppy Landry. It’s nice to meet you.” Poppy follows suit, showing her that she, too, has let go of her bird roots.

Flown free of The Nest.

If both of us can do it, Nighthawk can too.

I smile at Poppy, showing that I’m proud of her. Nighthawk lets out a long breath, her eyes beginning to water as Poppy leads her back to the laptop. “I know this is scary, but you can do this,” Poppy urges.

Nighthawk glances down at Poppy, letting out a small laugh. “Jesus, I’m being schooled by a little bird I used to train. Oh, how the tables have turned.”

Snorting out a laugh, I tilt my head. “Oh, trust me, Poppy schools all of us constantly .”

The rest of the room mumbles in agreement under their breath.

“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.” She giggles, then urges Nighthawk to look at the screen once again.

Nighthawk turns, reaching for her chair, pulls it in, takes a deep breath, and shrugs. “Who the hell am I?” she mumbles more to herself, then begins to read while we all sit, waiting for the realization to hit her. “Huh! My name is Cassandra Marshall. That’s cool. I kinda like that for me. Wait! What the fuck?”

And there it is.

She stands abruptly, her chair flying backward as her eyes lock with mine. “Is this a sick-fucking-joke?” she snaps.

Alpha beats me to it this time. “I’m assuming you got to the part where the Governor is your father?”

She spins dramatically to Alpha, throwing her hands in the air. “No shit! That has got to be a mistake. I can’t be related to that fucking pile of trash!”

Poppy reaches up, grabs her hand again, and Nighthawk lets her take it. “Sometimes we get dealt a shitty blow. And yeah, the Governor is a real fucking asshole—”

“Language!” Alpha snaps.

“Sorry, Daddy,” she grins but continues, “But he’s locked up. And you’re free now. So don’t spend your time worrying about the past because we have a storm coming, and we need Nighthawk to help us. After the storm, Cassandra can go take out vengeance on her father.”

A slow smile crosses my face at just how amazing my little bird is, and I can’t help but see Alpha try to fight the proud smile on his face too.

Nighthawk nods in complete agreement. “All right, fuck it! I’m in.”

The Chapel falls to silence as we take in the monumental task ahead of us.

It took almost everything we had to take down the Cartel last time and then the Governor.

Now, we have to take down the Cartel that has invaded multiple facets of the government and a corrupt senator who’s aligned with the Governor we sent to prison.

Just another Sunday.

“Well,” Alpha starts, breaking the stunned silence. “Welcome to the club, Nighthawk,” he tells her with conviction. “Shit around here is about to get interesting.”